I am always looking for new foods to try and add to my diet. Just this week I added the following White Bean Salad to the rotation from Vegetarianized.com/a>. While the salad is really good on it’s own, I have added some tomatoes and used it as a filling for a Pita.

Not only is this salad/filling great tasting but very good for you as well. I am slowly transitioning to an all plant based diet and meals like these are making it much easier.

img src=”http://www.fitnesstips4life.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/3e717f35tebeansalad.png” alt=”" title=”whitebeansalad” width=”400″ height=”278″ class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-1108″ />

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp dijon or grain mustard
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lemon, half juiced, 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp Salt and Pepper
1 15 oz can white beans (also called cannellini), drained and rinsed
1/2 can marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 bunch scallion, chopped

Directions

1.In a small bowl, whisk together EVOO, mustard, tarragon, garlic, lemon juice and zest and Salt and Pepper. Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour dressing over and toss well.

Nutritional Info

Servings: 3
Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 235
Protein: 10g
Fat: 9.7g
Saturated fat: 1.3g
Carbohydrates: 30.9g
Fiber: 9.2g
Sodium: 336.1mg
Cholesterol: 0mg

You can see the original recipe for this White Bean Salad with pictures Here/a>. For more great recipes and vegetarian meals visit Vegetarianized.com/a>

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The B complex vitamin, B2, is an essential nutrient that is also known by the name of riboflavin. It is a vital part of many of the chemical reactions that occur within the body, particularly those that occur in the metabolism of bioactive molecules and micronutrients.

To keep your metabolism running high, try to include some Vitamin B2 foods in your diet, such as soybeans and yogurt.

It is very easy to have a vitamin B2 deficiency, as it is regularly excreted through the urine, so it must be consistently maintained. Common symptoms of a deficiency of vitamin B2 include a lower blood count, seborrheic dermatitis, and sore throat. All of these symptoms are also associated with a higher risk of esophageal cancer. The medical condition that is caused by being vitamin B2 deficient, called chronic ariboflavinosis, is known to be linked to carcinogenesis, which is the development of cancer cells.

Though this all sounds quite frightening – as it should – the good thing about all of this is that it is easily correctable with the increased consumption of vitamin B2 from foods or supplements, and there are many other benefits from maintaining optimal levels of riboflavin, as well. Some foods that you can include in your diet that are naturally high in Vitamin B2 include liver, yogurt, soybeans, milk and spinach.

Aside from the more measurable symptoms of vitamin B2 deficiency, it has also been associated with the deficiency of other vitamins and minerals as well, which can lead to an impairment of the intestinal absorption or liver functions. Without proper levels of riboflavin, your metabolism of many other vitamins – such as A, B3, B6, and B9, as well as other micronutrients that are water soluble – will drop significantly. Without proper metabolism of vitamins, your body will not operate as well, you will not digest as well, and you will not lose weight as efficiently or maintain weight as easily.

Moreover, the bioactive compounds that vitamin B2 helps to metabolize – which include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats – are also vital to health, which is why childhood development is highly affected by a lack of riboflavin.

Of course, this vitamin is also beneficial for boosting cellular energy. This means that it helps to increase the metabolism, as a whole, which can be very helpful to proper digestion, easier and faster weight loss, and proper weight balance once a goal weight has been achieved.

Another way that B2 helps with weight management is that it helps to decrease oxidation, which is the process caused by free radicals and which is typically reversed by antioxidants. By helping to minimize oxidation, cells are kept more healthy and function at their best performance.

Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “Ribose Natural Energy Enhancement”, “Weight Loss Vitamins in Your Diet”, “How Vitamin B12 Improves Weight Loss” and “Health Benefits of Niacin”.

As the years pass and we mature from our adulthood phase to our senior stage, we find that while our minds remain youthful and vivacious, our bodies begin to breakdown and can no longer perform as we would like. Muscles ache, bones become brittle and skin grows slack. As a result, there is less drive to engage in physical activity and, though your appetite hasn’t changed, the lack of exercise causes an increase in body weight.

The following are some practical weight loss tips for seniors that include changes to diet and exercise to help you lose weight.

It can be difficult to find the motivation to get in shape when you feel tired and sore. However, you shouldn’t use your aging body as an excuse to hold you back from making better dietary choices and engaging in regular exercises. This doesn’t mean you should force yourself to run a marathon and start a strict diet. There are many simple and fun weight loss tips for seniors that you can try in order to move your body and make good food choices daily.

The following are some practical weight loss tips for seniors that include changes to diet and exercise to help you lose the extra weight.

Diet Weight Loss Tips for Seniors

• Make a food list before you shop and stick to it. Don’t engage in spontaneous shopping or you are bound to pick up high calorie and high fat items you don’t need.
• Don’t food shop when you are hungry. Everything looks appealing.
• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables everyday. Fruit makes a great snack and dessert, while veggies are the perfect compliment to lunch and dinner.
• Limit your intake of high calorie beverages. This includes drinks that have a high content of sugar, such as soda, juice, smoothies, etc.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Alcoholic beverages are not only high in calories but they can also lower your blood sugar and increase your appetite.
• When eating a meal do not pile your plate with food. Take small portions and eat slowly to allow your system time to digest and to feel “full”. If you are still hungry take another small second helping.
• Avoid late night snacks.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day to flush your system of toxins and encourage digestion.

Exercise Weight Loss Tips for Seniors

• Take a daily walk. Start slow (ie. 10 – 15 minutes) and gradually work your way up (I.E. 30 – 60 minutes). On icy days or when the temperature is too unpleasant to walk outside, use a treadmill or try stationary cycling indoors.
• On warm summer days don’t stay inside. Go out and enjoy some fun activities including walking, swimming, cycling, etc.
• Spend time gardening.
• Walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator.
• Actively play with your grandchildren or other pets.
• Dance around your home while cleaning or for the fun of it.

As you can see, there are many ways to stay active and make healthy food choices. All you need is to put your common sense to good use and stay motivated. Remember not to over-stress your body and respect its limits, but don’t be afraid to use your muscles and joints. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel when you move around!

Are You Looking for More Topics on Senior Health? Visit our Senior’s Health section for information on all types of related topics.

For those of us who aren’t in the pinnacle of physical health, the thought of exercise can elicit a tremor of fear! It’s probably safe to say that most of us don’t mind the actual exercise, as this can be overcome by the reminder that it will all be over soon. The muscle pain that can follow, however, can be a lot tougher to deal with. Muscle aches and pains that result from exercise can sometimes last for days, making everyday functions—like bending over or squatting—can feel like chore.

Relieving muscle pain associated with exercise recovery naturally is the best and healthiest option for getting around muscle aches.

Before we address the natural ways of relieving muscle pain due to exercise, let’s discuss the reason why healthy doses of exercise can create such discomfort. When we exercise, particularly when building muscle by lifting weights or performing “toning” movements, the muscle groups being exercised sustain micro-tears within the fibers. This sounds terrible, but it’s quite a natural process. New muscle fibers then grow and knit together to fill in the gaps where the muscle has torn. Unfortunately, this does cause the muscle areas to become achy until they have healed completely. Recovery from a vigorous workout can take up to five days for the muscles to fully recover.

As mentioned before, this is simply the natural and only way to build muscle; therefore we shouldn’t get too excited and give up our exercise routine just yet. Relieving muscle pain associated with exercise recovery naturally is the best and healthiest option for getting around muscle aches. One natural muscle pain relief method is a substance called D-ribose. D-ribose is an organic compound that has many uses in nature and in the human body. Although D-ribose is a simple sugar, there is nothing simple about the job this compound performs. Not only is it the backbone of RNA and a vital component of genetic make-up, but it also speeds up the body’s repair and recovery process. This comes in great for building muscle, plus it also encourages the body to build a greater level of endurance. If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of D-Ribose, please go to the post “Ribose Natural Energy Enhancement“.

For those of us prone to unsuspected bouts of muscle cramps after exercising, the likely cause is due to a deficiency in calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is easily lost but not always fully replenished. Because this vitamin is so vital for muscle stimulation, a deficiency in calcium can lead to painful cramps or uncontrollable muscle movement such as twitching. Calcium may not be the only mineral deficiency at work here, though. Magnesium is another mineral that contributes to muscle pain because it is responsible for aiding the body in the absorption of calcium. If the body is getting enough calcium through the diet but there is not enough magnesium to help the calcium be absorbed, the result can be the same as if the body weren’t getting enough calcium—because in essence, it isn’t.

We all know the dangers associated with dehydration, but did you also know that it is another leading cause of muscle pain? The recommended amount of water that should be consumed on a daily basis is eight glasses. When one is participating in an exercise routine, several additional glasses of water should be consumed throughout the day to replenish that which is lost through sweat. This will ensure that the body doesn’t become dehydrated and also that the muscles don’t endure any painful cramping!

The last method of natural muscle pain relief we are going to talk about is food. While water, calcium, and magnesium are important aspects of preventing muscle cramps, the body needs a little more than these three elements to repair itself at a healthy rate. Consuming light but vitamin and iron-rich foods after winding down from an exercise is a terrific way of ensuring that one’s body gets a much-needed boost of nutrients. This not only replenishes the energy used up during an exercise workout, but it also keeps these nutrients at the ready to be used as the muscles are repairing and building themselves.

Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “Weight Loss Using Whey Protein”, “30 Minute Exercises for Weight Loss” and “Fun Exercises That Can Help You Lose Weight”.

Getting fat can be so hard! Don’t worry, we are hear to help. Just follow these guidelines and you will be seeing rolls of flab in no time!

• Never take the stairs when there is a perfectly good elevator in the building. Seriously, some people just don’t appreciate how far we have come in technology!
• Always eat until you feel like throwing up. But don’t throw up, you will lose all those good calories down the toilet!
• Never allow anything green to pass your lips. Fiber is fat’s nemesis!
• Don’t go anywhere near the outline of your comfort zone.
• Ignore all the warnings of the health risks of obesity! They are trying to brainwash you!
• Don’t lift anything heavier than the remote control. Your wrist might get a cramp!
• There should be a visible dent the shape of your butt on the couch. When you sit down and your body immediately falls into its normal place, you know your doing good!
• Make sure the waitress at the buffet knowns you by name. Daily visits will make this happen.
• Stay up all night watching reruns and eating chips. Loss of sleep is great for a slowed metabolism.
• Never forget your midnight snack!
• Swap all your glasses of water for soda, even diet will do! This way you get in calories even when you are drinking! Oh and lots of beer and wine are great for this too!
• If you must workout, make sure to do long, boring, low energy workouts that drain your day and provide little weight loss results.
• Whatever you do, don’t hang out with health conscious people. They will warp your mind.
• Stress yourself out as much as possible. This will ensure to release cortisol to help you build a nice innertube around your waist.
• And last but not least, never believe in yourself. This can be very detrimental to your goals. If you think you can lose weight and you don’t give up, weight loss is sure to occur, and we don’t want that now, do we?

Did I leave out anything?