When your emotions cause you to overeat, your life can seem out of control and the pounds continue spiraling upward. You may feel that you simply don’t have the willpower to overcome the problem. Your self-esteem and self-confidence may have eroded to the point where you’re withdrawing from those you love and you don’t feel like going out to have fun.

Sometimes emotional overeating occurs because of certain “triggers” that make you crave certain foods (usually the ones that are loaded with high carbohydrates and sugar) and mindlessly binge on them until you can’t eat another bite. Chronic overeating is an addiction just like the ones we’re used to hearing about – drugs, alcohol and even sex.

As with other addictions, the root cause of the problem must be addressed before you can gain control over the compulsion. A few reasons why emotional overeating may become an addiction are:

• Genetics – The root cause of many addictions can be traced to genetics. If you can prove that some or all of your ancestors had an overeating problem, you may have uncovered the root of yours.
• Childhood behavior patterns – When you were a child, your parents may have encouraged you to “clean your plate” (after all, there are starving children in the world). They may have also shown love by feeding you fast food and lots of sugar. Because of this, you may feel compelled to eat everything in front of you – and show love for yourself by eating what makes you feel good.
• Stress – One of the most dangerous overeating reasons there is. Even though there may be no good way to eradicate all the stress from your life, you can reduce it where you can. For example, if you get up late every morning, don’t have time for breakfast and are ravenous at lunch, you can simply arise early enough to have breakfast.
• Uncontrollable cravings – Cravings are usually caused by a deficiency in your diet. If your food intake is high in salt, fat and carbs, you may experience a decrease in vital nutrients that your body needs to help stave off cravings. You could also be lethargic and bypass exercise, which is critical to losing weight and releasing endorphins that promote a sense of well-being.

When you have the problem of emotional overeating, you’re replacing a void in your life with food. Researching and discovering what that void is can be the key to solving your emotional overeating problems. You may be able to easily find the root cause yourself, but don’t be surprised if you need help from your health care provider or a therapist who specializes in weight and eating issues.

Who doesn’t love watermelon? It’s the quintessential summer fruit, a favorite at picnics, and healthy for you. Recently, I ran across one of the smallest watermelons I’ve ever seen. Although it was smaller than a coffee mug, it wasn’t short on taste at all. It got me thinking about all the different varieties there are of this great fruit.

There are icebox watermelons, mini watermelons, seedless watermelons, and yellow watermelons. They grow in a long oval shape most of the time but can be round like a cantaloupe. The outer rind can be of a deep green color or striped light and dark green.

How do you choose a watermelon? Of course I’ve seen plenty of people thumping melons in the grocery store, but I found it to be a waste of time. In all my years I’ve never tasted a bad watermelon. Basically, I look for a dark green rind and make sure the skin isn’t broken. Some melons may be sweeter than others, but I’ve never tasted a bad watermelon. My biggest complaint is that there can be too many seeds, but it’s great fun to see how far you can spit them — outside of course.

Of course we value the watermelon for its sweet pink fruit, but scientists are finding that the rind may be more important. Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center, says watermelon may have Viagra-like effects.

ScienceDaily reports the following–

“Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.

In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to Arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.

The citrulline-Arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”

Don’t you love it when you find a new use for an old favorite? Even the rind of the watermelon can be used. Since the watermelon is technically a member of the gourd family like the cucumber, you can add some spices and pickle the rind. Pickled rind can be eaten by itself or used as a garnish.

Every part of your watermelon can be used. You shouldn’t have anything to throw away but the seeds.

Resource: Paleo Recipe Book

Using herbs to flavor food is a great idea. Not only do herbs make food tastier, but they also have medicinal properties that aid digestion. Lately, herbs, like everything else, have become more expensive. A more cost effective option that adds money to your pocket and flavor to your meals is to grow and dry your own herbs. It can be fun, especially if you have little helpers.

If you have a sunny spot — even one as small as a window sill — you can grow your own herbs at home. Choose the herbs that you use most to season food and grow them as close to the kitchen as possible so you don’t have far to go when you need them.

When growing herbs, treat them like any other plant. Pruning and cutting back the leaves brings even more leaves. As you cut and use fresh basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme, they will continue to grow. In fact, the herbs may grow faster than you can use them, so share some with friends and neighbors.

Most people use one of three drying methods — air drying by hanging the herbs, air drying on elevated screens, or drying in a dehydrator. Your choice of methods depends on the herb’s characteristics and what you’ll use it for.

Begin with your equipment. You’ll need a place to dry them. You can use wooden or wire racks. That cooling rack you use in the kitchen for cookies and cakes would be perfect for drying herbs. Gather together a colander, some cheesecloth, paper towels, and some string.

Don’t bother washing the herbs unless they’re muddy or dirty. If you do wash them, let the surface water dry before you bunch them to hang. A colander is perfect because the water can drain out the bottom. Use paper towels to pat each leaf and stalk until dry of any visible moisture.

Herbs can be dried in many ways. If you only want the leaves, remove the stalk and lay the leaves on a drying rack. Depending on the size of the leaves, you may need a wire rack for them as opposed to a cooling rack from the kitchen.

Herbs can also be dried in bunches. Tie them with string at the stalks and hang them upside down on a nail to air dry. This can be accomplished outside or indoors, but should be done in an area that is ventilated with no humidity. Humidity will help your herbs to retain their moisture and prevent drying. Use cheesecloth to cover herbs on a cooling rack if you plan on letting them dry outside.

Use the oven for faster drying. The temperature should remain low (around 120 degrees). Gently touch the leaves every half hour to test for dryness.

Dried herbs will keep for a six months. After that, the flavor begins to wane. Herbs should be stored in Mason jars or plastic containers, just be sure to label them so you know which herb is which. In order to keep the herbs dry and avoid molding during storage, seal the containers air tight.

Vegetarian Paella

Preparation Time: 1 hour
Number of Servings: 6
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 1.00

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1-1/2 cups long grain brown rice
• 3-3/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 cups dry white wine
• 14 oz can tomatoes, chopped with juice
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 red pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 green pepper, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 3 cups mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1/2 cup snow pea pods
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• 1/3 cup cashew nut pieces
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet and sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add paprika and rice and continue to cook for 4 -5 minutes or until rice is transparent. Stir occasionally. Add stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, and herbs and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes. Add peppers, celery, mushrooms, and pea pods and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Add peas, cashews, salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and place on a large heated serving dish.

Resource: Healthy Meal Planning

My ten year old juicer was making a death rattle so I did some research into what’s going on in the world of juicers. First, I thought I should probably talk about the benefits of juicing and why not eat just eat your veggies instead of juicing.

Well, you shouldn’t forsake eating your vegetables in lieu of juicing them; however, there are many nutrients trapped in the fiber of vegetables. Since fiber is not digestible, a good juicer will separate the fiber from the nutrients so your body can make use of it. When you eat vegetables, it takes your body hours to make use of the nutrients. With properly juiced vegetables, your body can make use of those nutrients in minutes.

In my research I found there are two types of juicers–centrifugal and masticating. As more juice is extracted from a masticating juicer, it’s the better choice. You’re wasting your money on produce otherwise. The nutritional value in vegetables is in the fiber and pigments that are extracted. I settled on the Champion juicer and right away I noticed it prepared darker and richer juice when compared to my old centrifugal-type juicer. The pulp in the Champion juicer is pale in color because it has all gone in the juice.

Freshly made juice is rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and amino acids. It’s a great shortcut to give your body what it needs and to keep it working at its optimum. You may be wondering whether you can buy natural juice instead of making it.

The truth is that oxidation starts immediately so the sooner you consume the juice, the more nutritional benefit it has. You can store fresh juice for up to 24 hours if you keep it in an airtight container. Add a few drops of lemon juice. The vitamin C will slow down oxidation. With commercial juice, you’re looking at a much longer shelf life and therefore chemical preservatives which defeat the point of fresh juice.

Another benefit is that you can consume many more live foods through juicing. It takes approximately one pound of carrots to make a glass of juice. Most people cannot eat this many carrots. However, drinking a glass of juice is something that everyone can do. Yet another good reason to juice is that raw juice contains more than just vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes.

For example, string beans contain insulin-like chemicals. Cucumber and onion juice contain hormones needed by the pancreas. In addition, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and radishes contain antibacterial properties. Think of all the herbs that you could add to a glass of juice–ginger, parsley, peppermint, etc.

If you’re thinking of doing a fast, you could do a juicing fast a few times a month. Juice fasts take place over a day or sometimes several days. You’ll do nothing but drink fresh, natural juice. It’s a great way to kick start your healing and rid your body of all of the junk that you’ve been putting into it.

Below are some examples of juices you can make at home to help you get started juicing and their benefits.

Carrot Juice — it has a cleansing effect and carrots are the base for many juice combinations.

• Thoroughly wash about one pound of carrots
• Do not peel; feed into the juicer one at a time

Celery Juice — Celery has diuretic properties and helps to maintain proper sodium levels.

• Cut a stalk of celery into two or three pieces
• Feed the celery one piece at a time

Apple Juice — Apples are high in phenolics which have anti-aging properties and help protect against cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

• Wash and core three or four apples and cut them into sections
• Do not peel
• Feed into the juicer one at a time

Of course these are just a few examples of juices you can make. There are endless juice combinations to treat numerous conditions. However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are some differences between fruit and vegetable juice. Fruit juices are beneficial for cleansing and detoxifying the body, while vegetable juice is conducive to rejuvenating and repairing the body.

Healthy fats play an important role in good nutrition and weight loss. There is a lot of talk in the media about how omega 3-fatty acids, found in cold water fish oils increase your immune function and provide health benefits to the heart, skin and brain. But it helps with losing weight, too – along with other kinds of healthy fats.

Perhaps the most important reason you need healthy fats in your diet it you are trying to lose weight is that they help to turn off the feeling of hunger and trigger the feeling of having eaten enough. That feeling of being full and being able to say no to a second (or third) helping is exactly what you need to stop yourself from overeating. The lack of feeling full is one of the major reasons people often continue to overeat and have trouble losing weight on fat-free diets.

So what are some other sources of healthy fats? Avocadoes are a great natural source of fat soluble vitamins A and E because they high in monounsaturated (healthy) fat. Even people who have a hard time digesting fats can usually eat avocados. They are also linked to lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, among other health benefits.

Coconut meat is rich with MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides), which are easier to digest than long chain-triglycerides contained in other saturated fats. Scientists advised against eating coconut oil for a while because of its fat content. But it turns out they were wrong.

There is now some research showing that coconut oil can actually help increase your metabolism and burn fat faster, although other researchers say the effect is negligible. In any event, the flavor of coconut oil can also help you stay on a diet by keeping flavors interesting and delicious.

Nuts are another good source of natural and healthy fats. Almond oil and walnut oil are delicious to use on salads or ground up into butters to spread on fruits and veggies. Just make sure you use the raw versions to stay true to your raw food diet.

Before you jump to conclusions that all eggs are bad for your health, you should know that the nutritional value of eggs is directly tied to what the chickens are fed. Many egg companies are now feeding their hens a specialized diet to increase the amount of omega-3 oils in their eggs. Ingredients like marine algae and flax seed are now found in chicken feed. Interestingly, a study out of the Harvard School of Public Health found no link between the consumption of eggs and heart disease. Some studies even show eggs improves your protection against stroke and heart attacks.

People with a risk factor for heart disease often remove eggs from their diet, but cholesterol is necessary for life, and it is not a toxic substance. Cholesterol is divided into two types. Good cholesterol is High-density Lipoproteins (HDL), and bad cholesterol is Low-density Lipoproteins (LDL). Eating eggs enriched with omega-3 might actually help to lower LDL levels.
While eggs are a great source of protein, they also provide other health benefits. Because egg yolks contain the antioxidant lutein, you get a built-in safeguard against damage to your retina. Lutein in eggs stops any inflammation of the macular pigment, which is what protects your retina from harmful light rays.

If you want to boost your cognitive functions, choline is an important supplement. Choline is part of the Vitamin B complex, and since a single egg yolk delivers 300 mcg of choline, eating an egg helps your neurons accept, process, and store information quickly and efficiently.

Eggs are the perfect food for dietiers. The protein factor makes you feel full after eating them. As a matter of fact, eating just two eggs in the morning has been known to reduce caloric intake by up to 400 calories according to the Rochester Center for Obesity in Michigan.

If you’ve ever suffered with a urinary tract infections (UTIs), you’ll be glad to know that the whites of eggs contain peptides which binds to the infectious E. coli bacteria and doesn’t let them latch on to the walls of the urinary tract.

Many reports about eggs contradict each other, but saturated fat is what contributes to excessive cholesterol, and eggs only contain 1.5 grams of saturated fat and 5 grams of the right kind of fat you want to ingest. For healthy hair and nails, eggs provide sulpher, vitamins, and minerals. There’s no doubt that eggs are a dietary staple if you want to be healthy. If you’ve cut them from your diet, try revisiting these little powerhouses of nutrition.

Resources: Healthy Meal Planning | Eggs by Michel Roux | A Chicken in Every Cul de Sac