The Cravings Coach | Schmoozins

What Does “Diet” Really Mean on Food Labels?

September 1, 2008 By Diana

Yogurt - Low Fat Healthy? The old adage, “You are what you eat,” could not be more relevant today as we adults fight against obesity and other diseases. Medical studies have proven time and again that unhealthy eating habits will lead to health problems and yet we still fight against the experts and indulge our need for quick gratification.

A prime example of the damage we are doing to our bodies was documented in the film Supersize Me. The filmmaker, Morgan Spurlock, taped his month-long journey as he ate three meals a day at McDonalds. Now, common sense will tell us that this is not healthy so should we really be surprised at the results? Midway through the experiment his doctors, who were monitoring his health and organ function, advised him to stop film because they were fearful of possible complications.

That was only two weeks into the film.

So, now you’re probably thinking, “OK, well I don’t eat three meals a day at McDonalds. Instead I’ve got low fat yogurt and diet soda in my fridge. I’m eating healthy.”

Wrong!

If you read the label on ANYTHING that says “diet” or “lite,” you will find that these items are made with aspartame or sucralose, two very dangerous artificial sweeteners. It’s truly not enough to just grab a low fat, “healthy” alternative; you need to read every food label and learn the jargon used to fool people.

Even some bread companies are putting sucralose into their bread doughs. Sucralose is the generic name for Splenda, which delivers chlorine into your system as it metabolizes.

Now really, does chlorine belong in your body? No way!

All adults who are consuming “diet” products need to stop now before the damage to your body is irreparable. Even though the FDA will tell you these sweeteners are a healthy alternative to sugar, they are wrong.

These sweeteners will kill you.

About the Author: Are cravings running your life? Cravings for sugar, carbs, chocolate, coffee, sodas, and junk food are discussed in the Cravings Coach TIPS. Diana Walker provides natural solutions to mood swings, fatigue, and brain fog. Receive her free Cravings Coach TIPS at http://www.thecravingscoach.com

To listen to this full podcast episode about the Dangers of Artificial sweeteners, click here

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: aspartame, dangers of artificial sweeteners, Diana Walker, splenda, sucralose, The Cravings Coach

Incorporating More "Green" Into Your Diet

August 16, 2008 By Diana

Green Vegetable “Living green” should not only bring to mind being eco-friendly and the environment it should also bring to mind the types of food we should be eating for better health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that less than a third of American adults eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you. What makes this even more troubling though, is the fact that one of the leading killers of Americans today is colon cancer which according to the American Institute of Cancer Research up to 75% of cases could be prevented by eating a diet. We need to arm ourselves in the fight against cancer, especially colorectal cancer, by eating folic acid and fiber rich foods like green leafy vegetables.

Many find it difficult to identify enough vegetable choices and find enough tasty recipes that will be satisfying enough to keep them eating right. Spinach, beet greens, turnip greens, kale, collard greens and lettuces which there are plenty to choose from including: Arugula, Romaine, Boston and many other varieties are just a few great leafy vegetables that can be incorporated into our diets.

Looking for interesting and tasty meal suggestions for inspiration? Consider the following less known varieties and food preparation ideas:

Kale is a leafy vegetable from the same family of vegetables as cabbage, collards and Brussels sprouts with a pungent flavor great eaten on its own or mixed with vegetables. Add olive oil, red wine vinegar and freshly ground pepper to raw kale for a delicious treat.

Collard greens have a unique smoky flavor that comes alive when lightly steamed with olive oil, onion, garlic and lemon and served as part of a main dish.

Raw spinach provides twice as much fiber as other greens and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Add your favorite healthy dressing to make your spinach a little more interesting. For the tastiest toppings for your spinach salad, consider mixing together olive oil, Dijon mustard, sea salt, ground pepper, lemon juice and pressed garlic to make your own delicious Cesar dressing. Sprinkle in any of your favorite vegetables like red peppers or even mix in flavorful lettuce like Arugula and you’ve got yourself one delicious meal.

Mustard greens are very tasty and have an interesting peppery flavor. Mustard seeds are of course used to make delicious Dijon mustard. To add this tasty element to your own recipes simply sauté mustard seeds and sprinkle then on casseroles, pasta salad and even sweet potatoes. The sharp flavor adds an interesting bite to meals.

For over 20 years, Diana Walker has assisted people like you in using natural, safe options for creating vibrant health and well-being. Get her gems of wisdom and healthy recipes mini- e-book via her free newsletter at: http://www.diana2.com

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, Green Diet, Greens in your diet, Incorporating More "Green" Into Your Diet, The Cravings Coach

The Raw Food Diet Mystery Unraveled

August 14, 2008 By Diana

Raw Food Diet The old adage “you are what you eat” has taken on renewed significance with the raw food movement. Raw foodists believe that eating food that is raw or alive helps to create energy in the person digesting it. Whereas consuming cooked or “dead” food offers less opportunity for the body to absorb vital nutrients and enzymes which can help the body digest food.

While some argue human beings have been cooking for hundreds of thousands of years and our bodies have adapted to the digestive challenges of cooked food, there is a consensus that fresh fruits and vegetables provide necessary fiber that ultimately help the body better absorb key nutrients in our food. Researchers have confirmed that food cooked above a certain temperature (generally above 112º F) kills enzymes that help the body with digestion.

Raw foodists believe eating raw food helps increase a person’s energy levels and natural vitality. Take for example, a plant sprout and the energy within a seed that causes that sprout to erupt. That growth is caused by living enzymes within that seed. Only raw food has functional live enzymes like that. To eat food that can release that kind of energy is a powerful concept that many say passes on significant health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease, healthier weight levels, and improved digestion, just to name a few.

Raw foodist try to ensure at least a 75/25 dreakdown. Although many health advocates feel it is more difficult to maintain a raw food diet without some variety or offerings from the cooked food group. Cheese, eggs, meat and fish are often difficult foods to drop especially since many of these food groups contain significant nutritional value even in their cooked form. It is for this reason, I and many other raw foodists include a small percentage of cooked food in our diets. A typical raw foodists’ diet may include a selection of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seaweed, fish, meat, eggs and un-pasteurized dairy products such as raw milk and yogurt.

One of the things that makes this “lifestyle” so appealing is that many of the food choices available are already known to provide significant health benefits such as chocolate beans. Chocolate beans are believed to give you a feeling of wellness while suppressing your appetite at the same time. Alage is becoming popular among raw foodists too. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals,and believed to be able to remove toxins from the body.

The nature and degree of health benefits vary between individuals but there is little to dispute about the attributes of the foods within the raw food diet. They contain fewer saturated and trans fats than the typical Western diet choices.

To make a raw food diet more appealing juicing vegetables and fruits and blending or pureeing vegetables and herbs to create interesting flavors and recipes provide some interesting cooking techinques.

Raw foodism is an environmentally friendly lifestyle. This lifestyle has less need for wrapping and packaging when transporting fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts than processed foods. All parts including peel and seeds of the raw food diet foods once the actual raw food is consumed can be used or put into the compost so there is no waste of food.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, raw food, The Cravings Coach

More Water Equals Less Cravings

August 13, 2008 By Diana

Drink Water to Curb Cravings The one powerful tool that can help curb cravings which most people don’t realize is very simple: water. If you’ve been having a difficult time staying on track with your healthy eating plan because of cravings, reach for a glass of water.

How Water can Help

Water will fill your stomach. When you are feeling hungry, even if you know you aren’t, water can be used to make you feel full. Drinking water before and after a meal can help you eat less. You’ll also be able to avoid those hunger “crashes” or “pains”.

Proper water consumption ensures that your body has the hydration it needs to metabolize your food and function properly. Without enough water in your body, it wont’t be able to get the nutrients from the foods you eat. Many food cravings are based on your body’s need for specific nutrients so if you don’t have enough water in your body, the cravings for food no matter how much you eat will continue. Your body won’t be able to process the food eaten effectively enough to be helpful.

Water is essential for your body’s proper use of fat. When your body isn’t processing fat the way it should it, your body stores it. The more fat you have, the more food your body needs to maintain it’s “set” weight. If it drops under that set weight you’ll experience cravings. If you want to curb those cravings you have turn your body into a fat burning machine and that isn’t possible without the proper hydration. You need water.

When it is able to do its job properly, your liver is one of your main fat burning organs. But it can’t do its job properly if you don’t have enough water. Without the proper amount of water it starts a chain reaction of events that limit the liver and your fat burning potential. Your intake of water makes your kidneys work properly, but if you are dehydrated they will suffer. The kidneys will then rely on your liver more heavily, which means that the liver can’t do everything it is supposed to – mainly burn fat! When you drink enough water, you keep your kidneys active and make it easy for your liver to burn fat.

You may have read that in order to reduce your cravings and lose weight, you need to consume a lot of fiber rich foods. Yes, fiber is very important, but only if it is activated in your body. If you don’t drink enough water, your fiber intake won’t have as much of an impact. Only when fiber is combined with water will it work for you. It will give you that “full” feeling and help flush toxins from your body when it absorbs the water that is in your body. If there isn’t enough water to spare, your body won’t allow absorption, so the fiber remains useless.

Are cravings for sugar, salt, junk food, sodas, and coffee running your life? For over 20 years, Diana Walker, the Cravings Coach, has assisted people like you in using natural, safe options for creating vibrant health. Check out Diana’s newsletter, blog and podcast at http://www.thecravingscoach.com/blog and at http://www.diana2.com

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, More water less cravings, The Cravings Coach

Help Curb Cravings with Sleep

August 12, 2008 By Diana

Sleep to Curb Cravings A quick nap may be the solution to Your cravings problem. The link between sleep deprivation and weight gain may be greater than previously thought according to recent studies. Several separate studies point out a connection between important hormones and proper sleep. By getting the proper amount of sleep you can increase your fat burning capabilities and reduce your cravings.

There are two specific hormones linked to both eating habits and sleep. The first is Ghrelin, it is in charge of telling your body it is time to eat, and the other, Leptin tells your body when to stop eating. When these hormones are in balance, you’ll feel hungry when you should and stop before you are completely full.

Imagine the kind of chaos it can cause in your system if these hormones are unbalanced. It’s literally a recipe for disaster. You’d feel hungry even if your body doesn’t need food, and you’d overeat. To make the situation even worse, when tired you’d probably reach for “stimulating” foods full of calories, sugar and fat.

Lack of sleep reduces the leptin levels in your body, making you crave carbohydrates. In addition to that, going without sleep interrupts your body’s ability to use carbohydrates properly thus raising the levels of glucose in your body, which produces higher insulin levels and increased body-fat storage.

Unfortunately, there is more bad news. Sleep deprivation also reduces the growth hormone. Growth hormone is a protein that helps your body balance fat and muscle. Without it, your body may be storing more fat than necessary. The higher fat levels, mean you’ll crave more high fat and high calorie foods to maintain that fat level.

Sleep has an impact on your cortisol levels too, which can also affect your weight. Cortisol is the stress hormone and can cause you to feel hungry even when you aren’t. When you deprive your body of sleep, you put your body into a state of unnatural stress increasing cortisol levels and increasing hunger at the same time.

If you’ve been trying to eat healthier or lose weight, and you just can’t figure out why those cravings keep coming back, take a look at your sleeping habits. Are you giving your body all the sleep it needs to do it’s job right? If you aren’t, the solution may be very simple: get more sleep.

Studies show that even a slight reduction in your amount of sleep can have a drastic impact on your body. With just a few hours shaved off a normal night of sleep each night for a single week, there’s a loss in the ability to process glucose. Insulin levels get raised to the point where you may enter a pre-diabetic state.

Sleeping enough each night is a vital element in reducing cravings. Gradually increase the amount of sleep you receive each day, if you normally sleep less than you should. It can be difficult to go from sleeping only five hours a night to a full eight hours so do it gradually. Try adding an hour to your sleep schedule weekly. Not only will you be helping your body to work properly you’ll reduce your cravings too.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, Sleep Helps Curb Cravings, The Cravings Coach

Oxygen Helps Curb Cravings: Breathe Deeply

August 11, 2008 By Diana

Take a Deep Breath Taking in a few deep breaths just might help you reduce your food cravings for those foods you should avoid. That may surprise you but getting enough oxygen in your blood stream is actually one of the best things you can do to curb food cravings and burn fat at the same time. Your body’s oxygen levels can have a significant impact on how it processes food and how you respond to hunger.

Most people don’t breathe deeply enough. We are a nation of shallow breathers and as a result of that, our bodies suffer. Oxygen is vital to the proper functioning of many of our body’s systems, including the digestive system. If we don’t provide our body with enough oxygen, we are significantly impairing our body’s ability to function at it’s best.

Increase your intake of oxygen through deep breathing exercises and you can achieve greater states of relaxation, which in return helps to reduce cravings. Cravings often come as a result of an increase of the stress hormone cortisol. When you have increased cortisol levels your body basically goes into flight or fight response. It puts all your necessary systems on hold and puts your body into survival mode so you’ll begin to store more fat, in addition to craving more high fat and high calorie foods.

The more oxygen in your blood stream, the more fat you’ll burn. In return the more fat you burn the less hungry you’ll be and the less you’ll give in to cravings. It’s a domino effect of good things happening within your body. You’ll lose weight and won’t have to eat as much on a daily basis to maintain that weight. This alone can reduce cravings.

It’s quite simple now that you know the benefits of giving your body more oxygen, you just need to get more oxygen into your blood stream on a daily basis. But how do you do it? The easiest way is with deep breathing exercises.

Deep breathing exercises are simple to learn. Start by sitting comfortably in a quiet place and emptying your lungs with an exhalation through your mouth. Then take a deep breath through your nose and fill your lungs to capacity. You might be surprised by how far you can inhale compared to how much you do on a normal basis.

At first, you might notice you get a little bit of a headache from the increased oxygen you’re giving your body. Your body is just adjusting to receiving increased oxygen. After a few days of deep breathing, you’ll feel better after completing the exercises. Your body just needs a little bit of time to adjust as it’s used to shallow breaths and less oxygen. Combine deep breathing with light exercise. Get your body moving and it will help you breathe deeper and reduce your need to eat.

Deep breathing exercises will improve the levels of oxygen in your blood, which will directly effect your hunger. It will be just a matter of time before your body begins to process the food you eat efficiently and your “bad” food cravings will begin to shrink.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, Oxyen Helps Cravings, The Cravings Coach

Curb Cravings by Exercising More

August 11, 2008 By Diana

Exercise to curb cravings Exercise can be your best friend, if you’re trying to lose weight or eat healthier. Exercise can not only increase your fat burning but it can also help you reduce food cravings. Exercising daily can help you avoid food you shouldn’t eat and help you stick to your healthy eating plan.

How Exercise Directly Effects Cravings:

Metabolism – When you exercise, you increase your metabolism. When your metabolism speeds up, you process the food you eat more efficiently ensuring that the nutrients and minerals you eat get used properly. This will reduce your food cravings, since cravings are often a result of your body missing important nutrients.

Increased Oxygen – An increase of oxygen in your system, can also help reduce cravings. Proper oxygen intake can assist your body in absorbing nutrients better as well as running more efficiently. This means less cravings because you’re already getting enough from the food you’re eating.

Option Other than Eating – Most of the time, people get food cravings simply out of boredom. They’ve come to rely on eating as a form of entertainment. Many overeat when they are bored. The same is true when eating for comfort. Comfort eating is when you eat when you’re depressed, stressed or otherwise overly emotional. Exercise can help combat all of these problems. When you include exercise in your daily routine, you’ll occupy your time so you won’t be tempted to eat. After you exercise, you’ll have a raised metabolism and increased endorphins. This raised metabolism will help you feel full, and the endorphins will help regulate your mood.

Relaxing – Recent studies show relaxation can have a direct effect on your ability to handle food cravings. When you eat in a relaxed state, your body is able to process the nutrients in your food more efficiently which, as mentioned earlier, reduces cravings. Sometimes cravings are a result of dehydration. When you exercise you drink more water and that increase in water consumption can help you feel fuller longer and can reduce your cravings for certain types of food.

A daily exercise routine is vital to curbing cravings. If you don’t already exercise regularly, make it a point to start. You don’t have to embark on an overly rigorous exercise plan in order to gain the benefits of it. A simple aerobic activity three to four times a week can be a great help in your battle to overcome food cravings.

If you’re using exercise as a diversion from eating, do something that is fun and easily accessible. A simple walk around the block or take a swim. These low impact exercises can help fight off cravings while improving your overall health. They increase your metabolism, release helpful endorphins, improve your oxygen levels and encourage better hydration. All of these factors together will give you powerful tools you need to combat cravings.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Curb Cravings, Diana Walker, The Cravings Coach

Curb Cravings with Nutrition and Whole Foods

August 10, 2008 By Diana

Whole Food An unbalanced diet is the underlying culprit of every craving. Cravings are your body’s way of tell you its missing out on nutrients it requires or that it’s become dependent on substances such as salt or sugar. Filling up on junk food and empty calories, doesn’t give your body what it needs. It makes your body feel like it still needs to eat because it hasn’t received any nutrients from your meals. That’s why one of the most effective ways to reduce cravings is to eat a good, healthy, balanced diet. Give your body the nutrients it needs.

You’ll naturally lose weight once you reduce cravings since you won’t overeat. If that is your goal, a balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods will give your body exactly what it is looking for. When your body receives the nutrients necessary for proper body functioning, your cravings will be reduced.

Get rid of any processed foods that are a staple of your diet. Remember, packaged foods processed in a factory have excess chemicals and are normally higher in fat and calories than whole foods. Eating a lot of these types of foods will leave your body wanting more. More of both: food in general and the chemicals in the processed foods. When your diet relies on these type of foods, you may feel full but you are literally starving your body of nutrition.

In order to reduce your cravings and get back on track with eating better, you’ve got to shift your diet. One way to tell if you are eating right is to take note of where you do most of your shopping at the grocery store. If most of your purchases come from the outside aisles, you’re eating fresh whole foods, that’s good. Most processed foods are located in the center rows of most grocery stores. Stick to the fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, meats (if you eat them) to see a reduction in cravings.

In addition to cravings food, you may also crave food substances such as salt or sugar. Unfortunately, with these additives the more you eat, the more your body wants them. In order to curb cravings from food substances, you’re going to have to take steps towards removing them from your diet completely.

It may difficult at the beginning and yes, you’ll probably go through a period of withdrawal where you’ll experience an intensification of your cravings but start an exercise program, increase your water intake, and keep eating healthy. Chemical additives and excess sugar and salt can be a hard food addiction to break. Commit yourself to eliminating these things from your diet for at least two weeks and you’ll see a big difference.

Incorporating fresh, whole foods into your diet is the best way to eliminate cravings from your life. Remove harmful substances from your diet and once you get over the initial withdrawal, your health will be better and cravings will be gone.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Curb Cravings, Diana Walker, The Cravings Coach

Colon Cleanse and Curb Cravings

August 9, 2008 By Diana

No Cravings! If those food craving are keeping you from eating healthy, you may want to try a colon cleanse. Colon cleansing will rid the body of toxins, and in essence those cravings that you are struggling with. Though many people swear by colon cleansing and use it as a means to overhaul their digestive systems and overall health, colon cleansing is still a bit controversial and has a few drawbacks you should know about.

Before you decide to colon cleanse, you should know that this method is only effective if you change your eating habits afterwards. If you are going to go back to your old eating habits there really is no point in going through the colon cleanse process. All the immediate benefits from it will be of no value in the long run. You should also be aware that depending on the level of toxins built up in your body, colon cleansing can have very intense side effects.

Basically what a colon cleanse does is it forcefully expunges built up toxins, chemicals and other bad food waste from your colon. If you eat a diet which includes large amounts of excess sugar, processed foods, sugar, excess fat and chemicals, all these dietary pollutants get stored up in your body and remain there long after you’ve consumed them. It’s their presence stored in your body that makes you crave them more. The danger in this is that your colon may become blocked.

Colon cleansing removes the toxic substances from your body and gives you a fresh start thus the need for not returning to your previous unhealthly eating habits. There are several methods of colon cleansing, some are beneficial and some are not. Even though many companies have tried to produce chemical solutions to these issues the problem remains. The pills and powders they produce just give your body more of the same – chemicals and toxins. They too, can also contain herbal ingredients that may be harmful in large quantities.

The herb, Cascara Sagrada is one of the most natural, and powerful, ways to cleanse your colon. Technically it’s bark, which has been used for centuries by Native Americans. It has a very strong laxative effect on the body. It’s so strong it should only be used in very small quantities for a short period of time. Many over the counter colon cleanse products include Cascara Sagrada in it’s ingredients, but it really shouldn’t be used every day. It’s best to use the herb by itself, or with other isolated natural ingredients. Natural being the operative word.

Cascara Segrada is a very effective method for cleaning out your colon. It effects the muscle contractions of your colon stimulating peristalsis which produces the urge to have a bowel movement. You can find Cascara Segrada in pill form, in a tincture or as a dried bark which can be used to make tea.

Another possible option for you would be to try psyllium and bentonite clay shakes taken a few times per day for several days to cleanse your colon. The natural ingredients will effectively cleanse your colon without many of the associated problems with the use of Cascara Segrada.

No matter which method you choose to use, make sure that you don’t substitute colon cleanses for better eating habits. Use the colon cleanses as a jump start to your healthier lifestyle, and remember they do have a big impact on your body.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Colon Cleanse, Diana Walker, Health, The Cravings Coach

Four Easy Steps to Healthier Eating

August 4, 2008 By Diana

One of the best ways to ensure you succeed, no matter which diet you decide on, is to adopt healthy eating habits. This is not just about cutting out sweets or reducing your calorie intake, it is about having an approach to food that will follow you throughout your life, about establishing a relationship with food that is comfortable and more importantly natural for you. It will take practice though until it becomes habit.

1. Snack Healthy

Part of the challenge of sticking to a diet is the bad habit of unhealthy snacking. Retrain yourself to eat healthy snacks. Facts are facts, you will still snack between meals and that’s actually a good thing to do, just ensure that what you’re snacking on gives your body what it needs, energy and nutrients.

The easiest way to snack healthy is to think ahead. Prepare for snacking. These are just a few ideas for some handy and tasty snacks that are easily portable and will satisfy that “snacking” need: prepare fresh or dried fruit, raw vegetables with low fat dip or fill a small container with a handful of nuts or low fat yogurt.

2. Wide Variety of Healthy Food

The saying is true, variety is the spice of life. If you have variety in your diet you’re more likely to enjoy what you’re eating. Make sure your eating plan includes a wide variety of foods. Choose foods you enjoy eating and eat them in moderation. Too much of anything isn’t a good thing.

3. Add Fiber to Feel Full

Many dieters complain that the portions recommended aren’t filling. By incorporating more fiber into your diet not only will you benefit your health but it will also make you feel full and satisfied.

4. Nine Servings of Fruit and Vegetables Daily

Many health experts recommend nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day as part of a healthy diet. That may seem like a lot but it really itn’t. It works out to about 4 ½ cups. Not only can this approach provide delicious and energy boosting snacks and meals but these servings can help lower cholesterol levels also. For vegetarians and raw food enthusiasts, more fruits and vegetables means less room and need for meats and dairy in their diet. And reducing our dairy and meat intake reduces cholesterol- boosting saturated fat. That’s a good thing for your heart.

Keep these pointers in mind when choosing fruits:

• Choose fruits in season. Locally grown food is naturally fresher, it’s a tastier alternative and it is better for the environment as well. Purchaseing locally grown food helps decrease the demand for foods that must be transported cross country to fulfill consumer needs. Less transportation equals less pollution

• Add fruit to salads, as toppings, to desserts and snacks.

• Limit your intake of fruit juices. Opt for whole fruits as snacks rather than juice since many fruit juices have very high sugar content.

• Select fresh fruits if at all possible; if it’s not then, choose fruits canned in water or juice rather than syrup.

Handy tips for selecting and eating vegetables:

• Limit the amount of starchy vegetables such as potatoes.

• Colorful vegetables as well as fruits provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals your body uses to maintain good health and energy levels. So make sure you make your meals colorful.

• Orange and yellow vegetables and fruits contain varying amounts of antioxidants such as vitamin C and when included as part of a low-fat diet may help to maintain a healthy heart, vision health and a healthy immune system. So eat more orange and yellow vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, winter squash and sweet potatoes.

• When it comes to choosing green leafy vegetables remember the darker the better! Incorporate more dark-green vegetables like broccoli, kale and spinach into your diet.

Filed Under: Schmoozin on Moms Tagged With: Diana Walker, Eating Healthier, Four Easy Steps to Healthier Eating, The Cravings Coach

What Does “Diet” Really Mean on Food Labels?

Incorporating More "Green" Into Your Diet

The Raw Food Diet Mystery Unraveled

More Water Equals Less Cravings

Help Curb Cravings with Sleep

Oxygen Helps Curb Cravings: Breathe Deeply

Curb Cravings by Exercising More

Curb Cravings with Nutrition and Whole Foods

Colon Cleanse and Curb Cravings

Four Easy Steps to Healthier Eating

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