How to Ripen an Avocado

To ripen an avocado put it in a brown paper bag with a banana and leave it on your counter out of direct sunlight, or in your pantry until desired ripeness is achieved! Happy eating!

How To Protect Your Body With Food

• Apples: protect your heart, prevent constipation, blocks diarrhea, improves lung capacity and cushions joints.
• Apricots: combats cancer, controls blood pressure, saves your eyesight, shields against Alzheimer’s, lows aging process.
• Artichokes: aids digestion, lowers cholesterol, protects your heart, stabilizes blood sugar, guards against liver disease.
• Avocados: battles diabetes, lowers cholesterol, helps stops strokes, controls blood pressure, smoothes skin.
• Bananas: protect your heart, quiets a cough, strengthens bones, controls blood pressure, blocks diarrhea.
• Beans: prevent constipation, helps hemorrhoids, lowers cholesterol, combats cancer, stabilizes blood sugar.
• Beets: controls blood pressure, combats cancer, strengthens bones, protects your heart, aids in weight loss.
• Blueberries: combats cancer, protects your heart, stabilizes blood sugar, boosts memory, helps prevents constipation.
• Broccoli: strengthens bones, saves eyesight, combats cancer, protects your heart, controls blood pressure.
• Cabbage: combats cancer, prevents constipation, promotes weight loss, protects your heart, helps hemorrhoids.
• Cantaloupe: saves eyesight, controls blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, combats cancer, supports immune system.
• Cherries: protects your heart, combats cancer, ends insomnia, slows aging process, shields against Alzheimer’s.
• Chili peppers: aids digestion, soothes sore throat, clears sinuses, combats Cancer, boosts immune system.
• Figs: promotes weight loss, helps stops strokes, lowers cholesterol, combats cancer, controls blood pressure.
• Flax: aids digestion, battles diabetes, protects your heart, improves mental health, boosts immune system.
• Garlic: lowers cholesterol, controls blood pressure, combats cancer, kills bacteria, fights fungus.
• Grapefruit: protects against heart attacks, promotes weight loss, combats prostate cancer, lowers cholesterol.
• Grapes: saves eyesight, conquers kidney stones, combats cancer, enhances blood flow, protects your heart.
• Honey: heals wounds, aids digestion, guards against ulcers, increases energy, fights allergies.
• Olive oil: protects your heart, promotes weight loss, combats cancer, battles diabetes, smoothes skin.
• Prunes: slows aging process, prevents constipation, boosts memory, lowers cholesterol, protects against heart disease.
• Tomatoes: protects prostate, combats cancer, lowers cholesterol, protects your heart.
• Water: promotes weight loss, combats cancer, conquers kidney stones, smoothes skin.

8 Tips for Better Portion Control

Portion control doesn’t have to mean deprivation.

1. Focus on eating whole foods including protein, healthy fats and vegetables, until you are satiated (that feeling where you are about 80% full). Don't deprive yourself since this always backfires, causing you to eat more food later in the day. Most processed foods have chemical additives that make it difficult for us to have just one serving size.

2. If portion control is more of an issue when you go out to eat, have a healthy snack before you leave so the bread or chip basket is less tempting (or ask that the waiter not bring the rolls or chips to your table). Plan on taking part of your meal home for leftovers since most restaurants give you huge portions. You can even ask for an extra plate and put ½ the meal on that plate and pack the rest up to take home for left overs.

3. Include healthy fats in your diet. This will help you feel satiated longer (and allow your body to absorb the fat soluble vitamins your body needs). Ideas include: avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, coconut oil, grass fed butter and ghee. Have a salad! You’ll feel full longer and absorb more nutrients if you add some fresh avocado or a dressing that includes healthy fat, like olive oil.

4. Using smaller plates can be helpful. When you put food on a large plate you almost automatically want to try to fill it up and then feel like you need to finish it all. By using smaller plates (and bowls) you may find that you eat less but still feel comfortably full.

5. Don’t skip meals. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make, and it can sabotage the best efforts. Start your day with breakfast (preferably including some protein which will help you feel full longer) and plan ahead for lunch. It’s also a good idea to bring a healthy snack with you to get you through the afternoon before dinner. Portion control is very difficult when you’re starving!

6. When snacking, place the snack on a plate (or bowl) rather than eating right out of the bag or container. This is a huge help so you’re more aware of how much you are eating and you can better manage your portions this way.

7. If you’re out at dinner and you feel like having dessert, just plan ahead. Order a smaller dinner (or healthy appetizers) and skip the alcohol, and enjoy a little dessert. It’s all about moderation and choices. Don’t feel like you ‘can’t have it’; just decide what you would enjoy more and make the choice… and enjoy.

8. Slow down. By slowing down and enjoying our food more, you end up eating less. Remember to chew each bite more, relax and enjoy!