Flaxseed has a delicious nutty flavor and is loaded with the same omega-3 essential fatty acids that are found in salmon and omega-3 fish oils supplements.  In addition, flaxseed contains lignans, which have antitumor properties.  Flaxseed is also high in fiber, which has been shown to help prevent certain forms of cancer, such as breast and colon, and aid in the prevention of coronary disease, when taken in the appropriate quantity (between 25 and 30 grams per day).  If you add just one quarter cup of ground flaxseed to your diet per day, it will provide approximately 11-12 grams of fiber.

Flaxseed can be purchased in your local health food store or Whole Foods.  To maintain freshness and nutrition, keep seeds in your freezer and grind small amounts as needed in a food mill.  Sprinkle ground flaxseed liberally on your oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.  Your skin will thank you for making the effort!

How do you incorporate flaxseed into your diet?

Today’s guest blogger, Jeni, is a homeschooling mother of 5 with a passion for teaching Moms how to nurture and inspire their children.  She discovered Perricone MD after years of working in the beauty industry as a makeup artist and saw first-hand how Dr. Perricone’s three-tiered approach transforms both skin and health.

As a mom and a teacher, I can attest to the power of a healthy school-day lunch. When my children eat a typical carb-heavy sandwich/chips/cookie/juice lunch, the resulting blood sugar spike is obvious: droopy eyelids, inattentiveness, and irritability. Add Grammar or History and you have a recipe for disaster! Fortunately, you as a parent can have an incredible impact on your child’s school-day stamina simply by packing an anti-inflammatory lunch.

Here are my secrets for packing a hit lunch:

• Visual Appeal: The sight of colorful, fresh fruits & veggies prepared and arranged in a thoughtful, creative way make lunch visually interesting and will inspire little appetites
• Variety: You’ll get more mileage by offering small portions of many exciting foods. Always include a healthy protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and even a tiny treat. Turn that boring, predictable lunchbox into a lunch-hour treasure chest!
• Validation: Lunch just might be the one time in your child’s day when they remember home (we moms like to believe). A little note or a fun sticker will remind them of the place where they’re loved and cared for, which in turn reminds them of your instructions to take good care of themselves by eating healthy foods.

This week, I let my daughters design their favorite lunches for the photos, below:

Glori’s Lunch:

Tuna Avocado Salad, Adzuki Beans and Barley, Spinach with Radishes and Almonds, Peaches and Blueberries, and a square of Dark Chocolate. Glori’s proud of the way we eat and loves opening her lunch box in front of her friends, some of whom had never tasted avocado before they met her! (She likes to show-off a bit. No idea where she gets that.)

Gabi’s Lunch:

Rolls of Turkey with Mozzerella Balls and Tomato, Raw Broccoli Florets, Chickpeas, Plum Slices and Raspberries, and Gummi Vitamins) Gabi has some healthy components of a sandwich in her lunch, but they’re displayed in such an interesting way that she’s never missed the bread! Fun, whole-food gummi bear vitamins feel like a treat while adding dietary support.

Andi’s Lunch:

Roast Chicken with Forbidden Rice, Strawberries and Cherries, Slivered Almonds and Yogurt Onion Veggie Dip, Raw Zucchini and Yellow Squash Sticks, and a square of White Tea Jello.  Can you believe this lunch was designed by a five-year-old? Andi’s eyes lit up when she opened the lid! It includes lots of color, fun shapes, and even a special dip (a great way to kids to eat their veggies!)

What are your ‘go-to’ back to school lunches that you pack for your kids?

After a 3-day weekend often filled with BBQs, travel or lazy days sleeping in, it is not uncommon to feel tired and have difficulty getting back into your weekday routine.  It’s easy to turn to sugar to self-medicate because sugary, starchy foods can give us a quick lift, thanks to the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter known as serotonin.

When we eat carbohydrates, blood sugar rises and we experience an increase in serotonin.  The carbs facilitate the transport of the amino acid tryptophan into the cell, where it is then converted into serotonin.  Unfortunately, this is just a transient effect because when blood sugar drops (and refined sugars and starches guarantee that it will quickly drop) so do the serotonin levels.  This results in craving more and more of the sweets.  Remember this key fact:  sugary, starchy foods also trigger out-of-control appetites.

Instead, I recommend choosing foods rich in tryptophan.  These include egg whites, dairy products, fish such as cod, oats, garbanzo beans, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds.  We now know that essential fats like the omega 3’s, also have a direct effect on serotonin levels, without causing the roller coaster effect we get from eating refined carbohydrates.

What foods do you eat to boost your energy and maintain seratonin levels?

Today’s guest blogger, Amanda, a busy mother of 2 loves to cook and entertain incorporating staples from the anti inflammatory kitchen.

If you’re like me, I don’t always have meals planned ahead of time. At times, I find myself staring into my pantry trying to conquer the daily mealtime dilemma. When considering cost, convenience and nutrition, Quinoa is a go-to staple in my pantry.

• Quinoa is one of the only plant-based foods that stands alone as a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids and ideal for vegetarians.

• It has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. It can be boiled or steamed using the same techniques as rice, and it requires about half the time to cook.

• One of the things I love about quinoa is its versatility. It can be served as a salad, side dish, main meal or as a hot breakfast cereal.

Get creative and toss in some of the things you have on hand – a can of beans, some diced tomatoes, herbs and seasonings, or fresh produce – and before you know it – you’ll have a balanced, healthy meal! Stay tuned for my family’s favorite Quinoa recipe tomorrow!

What are your go-to staples in a pinch?

Beauty from the inside out and the outside in is a key principle of the Perricone lifestyle.  As people aim to control weight by exercise and diet, it’s important to make sure that it’s done in a healthy way, so external improvements don’t create internal problems.

Almost all nutritional programs targeted at wieght loss are based on various types of calorie or fat deprivation tactics, which have been shown to distress bone metabolism and health  Ironically, severe calorie restriction is also one of the only modalities shown to increase life span in animals!  As contradictory as this may sound, I believe that if subclinical systemic inflammation, which is the foundation of these problems, can be reduced, body fat can safely be lost without sacrificing muscle and bone.

Studies appear to indicate that the negative relationship between reduced bone health and weight loss is affected by alterations in serum horomone levels, deficient nutritional factors, impaired energy metabolism, immune system distress, the reduction of the beneficial mechanical imapct of excess weight, an increase in inflammatory markers, or some combination of these factors.  Speaking of inflammation, it also appears that chronic long-term inflammation can have the effect of removing calcium from the bones, weakening and shrinking them.  For women, these issues become even more pronounced with the onset and completion of menopause.

If you’re on a weight management program, it is important to consider your bones.  Taking steps like adding calcium-rich foods, following an anti-inflammatory diet, and incorporating weight bearing exercises to your daily routine to ensure you’re beautiful both on the inside and out.

How do you maintain healthy bones?