nutrition

How to Cook with Essential Oils

May 14, 2015 Kimberly Distilli Essential Oils, Healthy Living, Nutrition Leave a comment   , , ,

How to Cook with Essential OilsMany of the Essential Oils available on the market today are extracted from plants that often double as spices or flavoring agents. This leads many to wonder if they can cook with their Essential Oils and the answer is yes!  Food grade Essential Oils can be used to flavor candies, baked goods, soups, and other savory dishes.

However, because these oils are incredibly potent you will need to use a great deal less than you would with regular spices. For example, herbal based oils such as basil and thyme have a ratio of one drop of oil for every teaspoon of loose spice.

When using citrus based oils such as lemon, lime, or grapefruit in place of a peel or zest, the flavor is a little more forgiving and you need not fear overpowering your dish. In your given recipe, replace one tablespoon of zest with 1/8 of a teaspoon of your corresponding oil.

You can even use Essential Oils for baking as a replacement for alcohol based extracts (i.e. using peppermint oil instead of peppermint extract). Essential oils are significantly stronger than these extracts; a good place to start would be using ¼ of a teaspoon of oil for every whole teaspoon your recipe calls for. If you are using the oils to flavor chocolate, you will want to be very careful with measuring your Essential Oils. Aim for ¼ to ½ of a teaspoon per pound of chocolate to avoid overpowering the candies. Below are more tips for how to cook with essential oils. Read more


Essential Oils for Allergies

April 14, 2015 Kimberly Distilli Essential Oils, Healthy Living Leave a comment   , , ,

With spring around the corner, many people are looking forward to a break from the dreary cold of winter while others are dreading the allergies that come with the changing seasons. However, there is no need to live in a haze of itchy, water eyes, clogged sinuses, and headaches. There are numerous Essential Oils that can help ease the worst of your allergy symptoms to let you enjoy the warmer weather and blooming flowers. Here are some tips for using essential oils for allergies. Read more


Do you know GMO?

December 4, 2014 Kimberly Distilli Healthy Living, Nutrition Leave a comment  

GMODo you know GMO’s?
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genetic material has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. This process is not possible in nature or with crossbreeding. When discussed in the media, however, GMOs most often refer to genetically modified foods sold for consumption. The primary reasons for genetically modified foods is to improve upon them in some way, including their resistance to herbicides as well as their quality and nutrition. In the United States approximately 85% of corn, 91% of soybeans, and 88% of cotton are genetically modified.

Are GMOs Safe?
The answer to that question will depend entirely upon who you ask. The scientific community agrees that there is no substantial evidence to indicate GMOs are dangerous or carry any more risk than eating regular foods. However, many individuals against GMOs contend that a large number of these reports and scientific studies were funded by the very companies that sell them. Naturally, this would make any individual wary of the results.

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Coconut Water Benefits…..Are They All Pros?

November 27, 2014 Kimberly Distilli Nutrition Leave a comment   ,

Coconut with splashing waterWhat is Coconut Water?
Not to be confused with the high-fat coconut oil used in cooking or coconut milk from a traditional brown and hairy coconut, coconut water is a low-cal, fat-free, cholesterol-free beverage that not only hydrates but also packs a major potassium punch. Many individuals are turning to coconut water an an alternative to soda and fruit juice because it is slightly sweet but with significantly less sugar and calories.

It is also often used as an alternative to traditional energy drinks. This is because it is able to replenish electrolytes as well as prevent cramping due to its high potassium content. This is particularly true for athletes engaged in extremely long bouts of activity, such as marathons, as they are much more likely to require additional hydration, electrolytes, and potassium than someone who just went for a short jog.

There is also another reason to consider ditching the sports drink in favor of coconut water: your teeth. One obvious factor is the sugar. Sugar is bad for your teeth and can lead to cavities. However, sports drinks are also extremely acidic and begin to cause irreversible damage to your tooth enamel after just 5 days of consistent use. This damage is even worse with energy drinks. Read more


How to Choose Your Produce: When to Eat Organic

November 13, 2014 Kimberly Distilli Healthy Living, Nutrition Leave a comment   ,

Nutrition-CounselingHave you ever stopped to read the label of a TV dinner? Chances are, you cannot pronounce half of the ingredients on the list, much less know what they actually are. Many individuals looking to improve their health and diet are turning to organic options, but it comes with a heavy cost. Eating healthy is not cheap, so it is best to understand what exactly it means to eat organic and when is the best time to do so.

What Does Organic Mean?
There are quite a few labels thrown around on food these days. The easiest to interpret is “100% Organic,” as it is exactly what it says. Food that is 100% organic contains no synthetic ingredients and will often come with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) organic seal. If the food item you are inspecting simply says it is “organic”, then it is made with at least 95% organic ingredients; it is also likely to have the USDA organic seal as well. The last label you are likely to run across is “made with organic ingredients.” This food is made up of at least 70% organic products, but is not allowed to carry the USDA organic label. Read more


Sugar Addiction and How to Break It

October 10, 2014 Kimberly Distilli Nutrition Leave a comment  

sugar-addictionTackling your sugar addiction may seem like an insurmountable task, especially since one sugary snack tends to lead to another and then maybe even another. You are not alone when it comes to overindulging in sweets. When you consume simple carbohydrates you rapidly sate hunger with the added bonus of a quick energy boost. Unfortunately, your body metabolizes simple carbohydrates just as fast, leaving you hungry soon after.

Plus, your brain is hardwired to like sugar, so much so that humans crave sweetness before any other taste after they are born. Another way your brain adds to your sugar cravings is it releases endorphins when you consume sweets. Endorphins make you feel happy and provide a natural high as they are organically occurring opioids. Read more


How to Make Sense of Conflicting Dietary Advice

September 12, 2014 Kimberly Distilli Nutrition Leave a comment   ,

Conflicting Dietary Advice

Diets are a dime a dozen these days. And many adults have tried their fair share. Atkins. South Beach. Jenny Craig. The Zone. The Biggest Loser diet. The cabbage soup diet – hard to believe, but it’s real. The list goes on and on. It’s hard to resist such tantalizing marketing with slender spokespeople touting their weight-loss success stories.

Everywhere you turn there are gorgeous celebrities recommending veganism, macrobiotics, juice cleanses, and just about any crazy food plan you can develop. But if you’ve done your time with diets, you know the truth, most of them work great…for a while but the success is rarely sustainable once you return to your regular lifestyle habits and regain the weight and more. Doctors seem to agree that this yo-yo pattern could be even worse than simply carrying a few extra pounds around. Not to mention…everyone is focused on the weight…there’s more to it then how much you weigh.

So what’s a concerned adult to do? We all want to be healthy and fit, we all want to look and feel our best, but there’s so much conflicting advice out there where diets are concerned that it can be difficult to know what to listen to. Should you avoid carbs or fats? Should you limit yourself to protein or vegetables? Which diet will lead to better lifelong habits and an improved state of health and well-being?

It can be difficult to know what’s right for you and for the human body in general with all the differing points of view. Bio-individuality (one persons food is another persons poison) is key in learning to eat what works best for your body. With a few pointers and common sense, you’ll have all the ingredients you need to create a recipe for success where your diet is concerned. It’s a journey and we are all on it…Here are some truly useful tips to get you started.

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