A Little Something Extra . . .

If you have not yet read my latest story at Her Active Life, check it out here. I was very excited by this news!

Chocolate and Leisurely Walks Are New Prescription for Weight Loss

P.S. Happy Birthday to my ♥Aunt Melissa, a regular Eat, Pray, Run reader! I hope you enjoyed your day.

Can Salmon Be Unhealthy?

While it may be hard to imagine that there are actually types of salmon that are not so healthy for you, a recent story I wrote for Her Active Life helped me to discover otherwise. I actually always buy wild salmon because I have heard things about farm-raised fish that has made me think twice before purchasing it. But this story really reaffirmed the reasons why wild is better for you. Read on before your next shopping trip, and try the recipe — it is soooooooo good!

Fresh Versus Farmed Salmon: A Fishy Debate

The benefits of salmon and its omega-3 fatty acids have been long touted by health experts around the globe who claim the fish has near supernatural powers, including anti-aging and does-your-body-good advantages.

But the thing that many health enthusiasts may be missing out on is the fact that not all salmon has been swimming down the same nutrient-filled waters. In fact, many have been fluttering their fins in quite the opposite direction.

“Most of the salmon sold in the United States today is farm-raised,” says Monica Reinagel, chief nutritionist for NutritionData.com. “And as the salmon industry has boomed, farmers have begun to look for ways to cut costs.”

Reinagel said one way farmers have begun to try to save money is by using a cheaper feed made from vegetable oils instead of a more expensive fish oil-based feed.

“As you might expect, the quality of the food that salmon eat affects the quality of the resulting product,” said Reinagel, who is also the author of The ND Blog: Notes From the Nutritionista.

But let’s get one thing straight: There are several reasons why one should eat salmon. For example, research has shown that the fatty acids in this fish help to strengthen the immune system, fortify your heart, brain and joints, improve eyesight and mental health, and even help to erase signs of aging, such as wrinkles and crow’s feet.

And, according to an article published in the March/April issue of Eating Well, “These pluses have helped inspire Americans to more than triple their consumption of fresh and frozen salmon in the last 15 years, from 50,000 metric tons in 1990 to 180,000 in 2004. The only fish we eat more of are shrimp and canned tuna.”

But the problem, Reinagel said, lies in the fact that almost all Atlantic salmon sold in North America comes from farms.

“Recently, some Norwegian scientists set out to measure the effects of different feeds on the nutritional composition of the fish,” Reinagel said in a February 2006 article. “Not surprisingly, they found that the fish fed vegetable oils had a much less favorable fatty acid composition than the salmon that consumed only fish oils. Taking the analysis one step further, they found that heart disease patients that ate the vegetable-oil fed salmon did not show the same cardiovascular improvements as patients who ate fish-oil fed salmon.”

So, what’s a lover of the pretty pink fish to do?

Reinagel said, as the Norweigan scientists discovered, farm-raised salmon fits the bill, but only if it has been eating a 100 percent fish-oil based diet. But since that is a near-impossible factor to figure out when you are shopping at the local market, Reinagel says one should choose wild-caught salmon in order to reap the maximum anti-aging and disease prevention benefits.

Want to get your wild salmon cooking now? Check out this fabulous Salmon Burgers with Green Goddess Sauce recipe from Eating Well – they are yummy!

Beautiful Body, Face — And a Brain That Tops It All

I understand the generalities that go along with the word “supermodel,” including statements like, “Beauty, but no brains” and “Yeah, I’d look like that, too, if I starved myself.” We all have a hard time understand how these girls don’t have an ounce of cellulite on their butts. But I recently put together a profile of supermodel Christy Turlington for Her Active Life, and I discovered that she is actually way more than just a pretty face!

A quick lowdown:

In 1999, after spending more than ten years in the world of fashion couture, Turlington stepped away from life as an icon, and began to find peace amongst the crazy world of fame. Since then, she has earned her degree from New York University, battled an early diagnosis of emphysema, started her own skin care line, participated in anti-smoking campaigns and become an absolute yoga buff.

I was very much so inspired by Turlington’s story, and I hope you will be, too. Check it out by clicking here.

 

Sweatin’ It Out in Subzero

I don’t know where each one of you is located, but in Pittsburgh, IT IS COLD!! It was down to just 3 degrees before I went to bed last night.

Yikes!!

But, hey, one of the main purposes of Eat, Pray, Run is to get y’all up off of the couch — even when it’s cold!

For some great winter exercise tips, check out one of my latest stories for Her Active Life. Beat the Cold will help give you the extra kick in the pants that you need on days like this, or any day for that matter.

Brrr! It is so cold. I am for sure doing some exercises INSIDE today!

Leaning on the World’s Best Models

Throughout my life, I have had so many fantastic role models — my mom, dad, Godmother, siblings and the many authors whose work I cherish, including Sue Monk Kidd, Elizabeth Gilbert, J.D. Salinger, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jane Austen.

What’s more, so many of my role models have helped to make me the strong woman I am today. As part of a new column I am working on for Her Active Life, I will be featuring famous women who have created a positive image from which women around the world have found inspiration.

Check out my first feature which takes a close look at Reese Witherspoon, one of my favorite actresses. She just seems like she would be in everyday life exactly how she is in movies — a total sweetheart!

Speaking of Making Good Choices ….

I have a brand-spankin’ new story featured on Her Active Life today that talks about the common Fresh vs. Frozen produce debate. Check it out to hear nutrition experts, including Monica Reinagel, chief nutritionist for NutritionData.com, discuss the benefits of both types of fruits and veggies. I was very surprised to hear what they had to say!

Show Your Heart Some Lovin’

Today is National Wear Red Day, a part of the Go Red for Women campaign sponsored by the American Heart Association.

Oh, don’t give me that crap about red not being your color!

Put a little on to show your support for the fight against heart disease, the #1 killer of women and men. Slip into a pair of red underwear for all I care — just do it! And while you are at it, find some more ways to be good to your ticker by checking out my article, Four Ways to Be Naughty – And Love Your Heart, today on Her Active Life.

Now, get to it!