Carbs to Lose Belly Fat

Is your problem spot that area right around your belt buckle? Well then, here are two kinds of healthy carbs you should be eating: beans and whole grains.
In a study, obese men and women who were put on a heart-healthy diet lost more belly fat when their daily meals emphasized these two foods rather than refined grains.

Bellies and Beans
In the 18-month study, all participants ended up losing about the same amount of weight. But the people eating diets rich in beans and whole grains enjoyed especially good results around their middles. And all that was required for extra middle melting was eating whole grains instead of refined and replacing two daily grain servings with a couple of servings of beans -- like lentils, chickpeas, or kidney beans. These changes created a low-glycemic-index diet that was satisfying, blood-sugar-balancing, and belly-fat blasting.

How Good Carbs Help
Other research has linked higher bean consumption with less belly fat, probably because beans -- like whole grains -- are made of good, less energy-dense carbs that are higher in fiber and take longer to digest, keeping you satisfied longer. Here are a few other strategies you can adopt to help drop more belly fat:

• Cheer up.
• Make all the right moves. Exercise at least three times a week.  For tips on various forms of exercises, check out the past posts on this blog.
• Get more antioxidants. Onions and other antioxidant-rich foods may help slow weight gain around your middle.  In a past post I have listed 11 other foods that can help you lose weight.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

TEXAS CHILI

This Chili has a different twist with an ingredient which will surprise you, but it's delicious.  And.... the great thing about Chili is that leftovers are awesome and taste better.

Prep Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

2 hr

Serves 6

 INGREDIENTS

• CHILI:
• 3 dry chipotle peppers
• 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 pounds ground beef chuck
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup masa harina (Mexican hominy flour)
• 3 ounces Mexican chocolate
• shredded tortilla chips

• SOUR CREAM:
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• juice of one lime
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Directions

Soak chipotle peppers in water till soft and chop.

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. 

Brown the meat on all sides. 

Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, chipotle chili and cumin. 

Sauté until onions are softened and fragrant. 

Mix in the masa harina. 

Continue cooking on medium heat.

Add crushed tomatoes, salt, cinnamon stick, oregano and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to a slow simmer.

Stir in the kidney beans and continue to cook, covered, for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally add the chocolate and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, mix sour cream with lime juice and cilantro and set aside.
 
To serve, divide into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and tortilla chips.

BENEFITS OF EASTERN EXERCISE

BENEFITS OF EASTERN EXERCISE

Many of you have asked me about exercises that are softer on the body and without going to the gym.  Some of you don’t enjoy jogging or aerobics.  So for those special requests, below is an article about Eastern ways of keeping fit.

You don't have to jump up and down like you're on a pogo stick to get fit. There are kinder, gentler ways to exercise, and these methods hail from the East.

Many recent studies have shown that certain exercises originating in Eastern cultures can offer just as many physical and psychological health benefits as the more vigorous exercises that often dominate Western workouts. Even better, these Eastern exercises tend to be easier on the body. For example, the gentle art of tai chi exercise not only can help build muscle, but it has been shown to help reduce arthritis symptoms and improve your balance. And studies show that regular yoga practice has a positive effect on breathing capacity and reduces the physical and mental symptoms of asthma sufferers.

Whether your goal is to reduce stress, make your muscles strong and flexible, or boost your weight loss efforts with extra calorie burning, according to recent research you can find what you're looking for in Eastern-influenced exercise disciplines, such as yoga, tai chi, or chi-gong (qigong).

What's Your Goal? 

 

Not all Eastern exercises are alike, and it may take some shopping around to find the one that suits you best. The great thing about exercises such as yoga and tai chi, however, is that you can easily tailor the activities to fit your personal fitness needs and abilities.
Some classes even focus on moves that are best for a particular group, such as seniors or children.

And you won't have to twist yourself into a pretzel or chant a mantra if you don't want to. There are many variations of classes and instructors. Some focus on the spiritual, others are pure workout, and still others balance the two. Some classes closely mirror the original Eastern philosophies and postures, while others are modified to incorporate more Western attitudes and exercise goals. Take your time and sample different varieties until you find a class that you love.
Your first option is to try out some classes at your gym or community center. If you haven't exercised in a while, it's a good idea to check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.

So which style of Eastern exercise will help you meet your workout goals?

Goal: Reduce Stress and Prevent Disease

 

Just about any kind of regular exercise can reduce stress levels. However, for extra help, choose Eastern exercises that incorporate meditation. Meditative exercises that significantly reduce stress can bring the added benefit of disease prevention.


Get it done with . . .


Kundalini yoga: Yoga is a discipline that connects the mind, body, and spirit by requiring you to move through different physical postures while meditating and focusing on breath work. However, there are many different styles of yoga, and Kundalini is a meditative form of yoga. It focuses on breath work and meditation while mixing in classic yoga poses.


Chi-gong (Qigong): Chi-gong is an exercise that focuses on breath work, while incorporating meditation and very gentle, slow physical movements. The focus is on breathing naturally, moving easily, and imagining energy traveling through your body.


Health Benefits
Meditation can calm your nerves while significantly improving your health, and it is an important aspect of many Eastern-based exercises. Just 10 to 20 minutes a day of meditation can lower your respiratory rate and help reduce stress. Reducing stress not only is important to your emotional well-being, but it's also an important part of disease management and prevention. Stress ages your immune system, but managing chronically high levels can protect your immune system and may help you fend off illness as well as diseases such as metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and depression. According to a study, people who practiced the meditative art of chi-gong daily for one month experienced significant improvements in their immune system function.

Goal: Increase Strength and Flexibility

 

Just about all styles of yoga build strength and flexibility. However, you can focus on forms of Eastern exercise that incorporate stretching, holding poses, and gently exerting yourself for extra power.


Get it done with . . .


Iyengar yoga: Yoga is a discipline that connects the mind, body, and spirit by requiring you to move through different physical postures while meditating and focusing on breath work. There are many styles of yoga. With Iyengar yoga, you hold your postures for a longer period of time compared to other yoga styles, which increases the strength demands required to complete an Iyengar series. Start with a beginner class.

T'ai Chi: T'ai chi is a meditative exercise that requires you to pay close attention to your breathing while completing a series of choreographed, slow, fluid, and continuous dance-like movements. It is a gentle physical exercise that is easy on the joints.

Chi-gong (Qigong): Chi-gong is an exercise that focuses on breath work, while incorporating meditation and very gentle, slow physical movements. The focus is on breathing naturally, moving easily, and imagining energy traveling through your body.


Health Benefits
Multiple studies have revealed the ability of yoga to increase flexibility and strength. Being strong and flexible has a host of beneficial effects on your overall health, including helping to maintain your energy levels, improving your ability to accomplish daily tasks, and reducing your risk of injury. Strength and flexibility are vital for balance and minimizing falls. T'ai chi also is used to improve balance and strength, and is particularly effective for older people with strength and flexibility issues. However, t'ai chi may benefit the health of both young and middle-aged participants. And the moderately intense aerobic element of this exercise has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure.

Chi-gong offers similar health benefits to t'ai chi. T'ai chi may offer a slightly better training effect than chi-gong because it's slightly more intense. However, if you prefer the gentler chi-gong, it also has been credited with improving strength and flexibility and reducing blood pressure.

Goal: Lose Weight or Maintain a Healthy Weight

 

Choose Eastern exercises that incorporate a cardio component or that require a higher level of exertion and incorporate meditation.


Get it done with . . .
 

Ashtanga yoga: Yoga is a discipline that connects the mind, body, and spirit by requiring you to move through different physical postures while meditating and focusing on breath work. There are many styles of yoga. Some yoga styles are gentle and slow. However, Ashtanga yoga is a style that moves practitioners quickly through a series of fluid, continuous poses, boosting the effort level required to complete the series. Start with a beginner class.

T'ai chi: T'ai chi is a meditative exercise that requires you to pay close attention to your breathing while completing a series of choreographed, slow, fluid, and continuous dance-like movements. It is a gentle physical exercise that is easy on the joints.

Health Benefits
Vigorous yoga styles such as Ashtanga will burn more calories than slower, gentler yoga styles while continuing to enhance your strength and flexibility. Burning excess calories can help you maintain a healthy weight, and a healthful weight can reduce your risk of many serious diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Losing weight also gives your psychological well-being a big boost.

If you are trying to lose weight, balancing out any calorie-burning activities you engage in with meditative exercises could bring quicker results. High blood levels of cortisol -- a stress hormone -- have been shown to increase body fat in the abdominal area. The stress-reducing quality of a combination aerobic/meditative exercise such as t'ai chi not only may help you burn calories but also help you relax.

A Happy Ending

Many of the most popular Eastern exercise traditions also have been shown to boost emotional well-being in addition to promoting physical health. You may not hit upon your favorite Eastern exercise with your first attempt at a class. Be patient. With a little trial and error, you are virtually guaranteed to find a style of Eastern exercises that you enjoy. 

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Orange-Soy Beef with Asparagus

 

Prep Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

23 mins

Serves 4



INGREDIENTS

1 bunch asparagus (about lb), trimmed

12 -oz flank steak

3 Tbsp lite soy sauce

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Directions

Coat contact grill with nonstick spray, then heat. Meanwhile, put all ingredients in a gallon ziptop bag and turn to coat.
Place steak on grill; close and grill 6 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place asparagus on grill; close and grill 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Slice steak thinly across the grain.

Smoking's 15 Most Harmful Effects on Your Looks

Smoking's 15 Most Harmful Effects on Your Looks

If you smoke, you already know you need to quit. It's bad for your heart, lungs, brain, and even your sex life.
But let's face it: You'd have kicked the habit yesterday if smoking's ill effects were a bit more obvious. What if each cigarette created a black pockmark on your face, for instance?
Well, smoking does damage your looks. Read on to discover 15 ways smoking is ruining your appearance.

Bags under your eyes
Don't you hate it when you can't get a good night's sleep-and it shows on your face?

If you smoke, you're four times as likely as nonsmokers to report feeling unrested after a night's sleep, according to Johns Hopkins study.

Why the lack of shut-eye? It's possible that nightly nicotine withdrawal could be causing you to toss and turn. And unfortunately, poor sleep doesn't equal pretty.

Psoriasis
To be fair, psoriasis is an autoimmune-related skin condition that can show up even if you never touch a cigarette.

However, if you do smoke, your risk for the scaly skin condition goes up-a lot.

According to a 2007 study, if you puff a pack a day for 10 years or less, psoriasis risk goes up 20 percent; 11–20 years and your risk is 60 percent higher; and for those who pass the two-decade mark, the psoriasis risk more than doubles. (Even secondhand smoke during pregnancy or childhood is linked to a higher risk.)

Icky teeth
Wouldn't you love to have a set of dazzling white, Hollywood-like choppers? If you smoke, you can kiss that dream good-bye.

It's the nicotine in cigarettes that can stain teeth.

So in addition to the escalating costs of buying and smoking your cigs, add in the cost of tooth whitening. A professional procedure to clean your teeth costs an average of $500 to $1,000.

Premature aging and wrinkles
We can all appreciate a wizened visage-on our favorite nonagenarian that is. Wrinkles look anything but wise when they show up on a relatively young person who smokes.

And show up they will. Experts agree that smoking accelerates aging, so that smokers look 1.4 years older than nonsmokers, on average.

Why the wrinkly face? Smoking hampers the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking supple and healthy.

Yellow fingers
The nicotine in cigarette smoke can not only make your teeth (and the walls of your home) brown, but it's also notorious for staining fingers and nails as well.

If you search the Internet, you can find a number of home remedies, including lemon juice, bleach solutions, and scrubbing with steel wool. Ouch.

Wouldn't it be easier-and less painful-to just quit?

Thinner hair
As if the wrinkly skin wasn't enough, smoking hurts your hair too. Experts think the toxic chemicals in smoke can damage the DNA in hair follicles and generate cell-damaging free radicals as well.

The end result? Smokers have thinner hair that tends to go gray sooner than nonsmokers. That is, if they have any hair at all.

Men who smoke are about twice as likely to lose their hair as nonsmokers, after taking into account factors that increase the risk of baldness, such as aging and genetics, according to a 2007 study in Taiwan.

Scarring
Nicotine causes vasoconstriction, a narrowing of the blood vessels that can limit oxygen-rich blood flow to the tiny vessels in the face or other parts of the body.

This means your wounds will take longer to heal and you'll have scars that are bigger and redder than you would in a nonsmoking parallel universe.

Tooth loss
Smoking puts you at greater risk for all kinds of dental problems, including oral cancer and gum disease.

In fact, according to a 2005 U.K. study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, smokers are up to six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss.
Wouldn't you rather be doing, well, anything other than sitting in a dentist's chair?

Natural glow is gone
Ever notice how smokers' skin sometimes seems off? You're not alone. A 1985 study came up with the term Smoker's Face to describe certain facial characteristics, such as wrinkles, gauntness, and a gray appearance of the skin, caused by smoking.

Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which displaces the oxygen in your skin, and nicotine, which reduces blood flow, leaving skin dry and discolored. Cigarette smoking also depletes many nutrients, including vitamin C, which helps protect and repair skin damage.

Wound healing
Several studies have found that smokers do not heal as well after surgeries such as face-lifts, tooth extractions, and periodontal procedures.

So once cigarettes wrinkle up your face, you'll have a harder time correcting the damage with cosmetic surgery than people who've never smoked. (And your surgeon might not even perform the procedure until you agree to kick the habit.)

Warts
For reasons that aren't entirely clear, smokers are more susceptible to infection with human papillomavirus, a large family of viruses that can cause warts-including genital warts.

While genital warts are caused by sexually transmitted types of HPV, smoking is also a risk factor. Even taking the number of sex partners into account, women who smoke are nearly four times as likely to have genital warts as nonsmokers, according to one study.

Skin cancer
Smoking is a leading cause of cancer, including lung, throat, mouth, and esophageal cancer, so it should be no surprise that cigarettes can also increase your risk of skin cancer.

In fact, according to a 2001 study, smokers are three times as likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common type of skin cancer, than nonsmokers.

Stretch marks
The nicotine found in cigarettes damages the fibers and connective tissue in your skin, causing it to lose elasticity and strength.

Stretch marks, red skin striations that can gradually fade to a silvery hue, form when you gain weight rapidly. Anyone can get stretch marks with rapid weight gain (such as in pregnancy), but cigarettes can be a contributing factor.

Flabby tummy
Cigarettes can be an appetite suppressant, and often smokers have a lower body weight than nonsmokers. However, a 2009 study in the Netherlands found that smokers had more visceral fat than nonsmokers.

This deep fat pads internal organs and can accumulate in your midsection, ultimately increasing the risk of other diseases, such as diabetes.

Cataracts
More than half of Americans will have developed some degree of cataracts by age 80. Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of cataracts by putting oxidative stress on the lens of the eye.

In fact, continued smoking can add up to a 22 percent increased risk of cataract extraction, according to one study. And it's not too late to quit-the amount of cigarettes smoked was a more important risk factor than how long someone smoked.


WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Grilled Rosemary-Scented Chicken

Grilling chicken breasts on a bed of rosemary sprigs is an effective and easy way to infuse them with flavor. Savory black olive paste, contrasted with a sweet confit of caramelized onion, provides a sophisticated finish.

 

 

Serves: 4

Total Time: 55 min













INGREDIENTS

Sweet & Sour Onion Jam

4  boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

Freshly ground pepper

4  fresh rosemary

4 teaspoon(s) black olive paste

Directions

1. Prepare Sweet and Sour Onion Jam.
2. Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill.
3. Rub chicken breasts with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place rosemary sprigs on the grill and lay a chicken breast over each one. Grill until chicken is browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn, keeping rosemary under chicken, and grill until no trace of pink remains in the center, about 5 minutes more. Discard rosemary. Serve chicken with black olive paste and the onion jam.

Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories	250
Total Fat	9g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	66mg
Sodium	287mg
Total Carbohydrate	15g
Dietary Fiber	--
Sugars	--
Protein	27g
Calcium	0

Love Vegetables More

Research suggests there may be a way to train your tongue to love the good-for-you foods you're not so fond of. It works on kids. Could it work for you?
It's all about repeat exposure. In a study of elementary school students, the more the children were exposed to the taste of vegetables they disliked, the more their mouths learned to enjoy them.

Repetition Equals Great Taste
In the student study, it took just a couple of months of weekly sampling (and encouragement from teachers) to produce a change of heart about the vegetables. True, it's a study in kids. But other research has suggested the approach may work in adults, too, because -- just like kids do -- adults tend to experience food neophobia -- a dislike for the taste of foods that are new. Once those new foods become familiar through repeated exposure, they often start tasting good instead of bad. 




Did you know? The average tongue has about 10,000 taste buds. 

A Nudge in the Right Direction
Ready to learn to love those healthy fruits and vegetables you just never developed a craving for? You could retrain your taste buds in as little as 2 weeks of healthy eating, according to RealAge experts and YOU: On a Diet authors Michael Roizen, MD, and Mehmet Oz, MD. It's a small commitment to make in exchange for a diet full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber that you actually enjoy eating. If you need more motivation, here are some good reasons to eat your vegetables today:

• To protect yourself from skin cancer:
• To keep your blood sugar steady:
• To control your appetite:

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Asian Halibut & Brown Rice Packets

 

 Prep Time:

0 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cups instant brown rice
• 4 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 pound halibut fillet, skin removed, cut into 4 portions
• 1 large ripe plum, cut into 12 wedges

 

Directions

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

2. Heat 3/4 cup water, 1 cup orange juice and soy sauce in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour into a medium bowl; stir in rice and scallion whites and set aside, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Whisk hoisin sauce, ginger, sesame oil and the remaining 2 tablespoons each of water and orange juice in a small bowl.

3. Stack two 20-inch sheets of foil (the double layers will help protect the ingredients on the bottom from burning). Coat the center of the top layer with cooking spray. Place one-fourth of the rice mixture in the center. Set a piece of fish on the rice. Arrange 3 wedges of plum on the fish. Top with one-fourth of the hoisin mixture and sprinkle with one-fourth of the scallion greens. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping. Make 3 more packets with the remaining ingredients.

4. Place the packets on a gas grill over medium heat or on a charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cover the grill and cook until the fish is opaque in the center, 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the thickness. (When opening a packet to check for doneness, be careful of steam.) Use a spatula to slide the contents of the packet onto a plate.
Technique: 

Packet Steps

Step 1. Stack two 20-inch sheets of foil (the double layers will help protect the ingredients on the bottom from burning). Coat the center of the top layer with cooking spray.

Step 2. Layer your ingredients on the foil. Center everything: it's easier to wrap the food and Makes the packet look neat.

Step 3. Bring the short ends of the foil together, leaving enough room in the packet for steam to gather and cook the food. Fold the foil over and pinch to seal. Pinch seams together along the sides. Make sure all the seams are tightly sealed to keep steam from escaping.

Step 4. Place the packets on a gas grill over medium heat or on a charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals. Cover the grill and cook just until the packet contents are done. Handle the hot packets with a large spatula or oven mitts. Carefully open both ends of the packet and allow the hot steam to escape.

about this recipe

Rice on the grill? Absolutely, and by the time it's cooked it's scented with the exotic flavors of plums and Asian sauce. If halibut isn't available, striped bass, sole or even thick cod fillets will work just fine.

Diet programs may not help dodge disease risk

An article in Reuters and published in the International Journal of Obesity describes a need for a change in behavior in relation to diets and keeping the weight off.  Once again, a diet is only good and effective if one changes their daily routine and adopts a healthy eating habit and follows some sort of physical exercise.  The side effects of this behavior change goes a long way towards lowering the risks of chronic diseases.

 

Losing weight is often touted as a way to improve health, but many weight-loss programs may not help stave off disease since people tend to gain the weight back, Australian researchers say.

In a report in the International Journal of Obesity, they note the focus of such programs may need to change if they're really going to have a lasting effect.

To test the potential impact of different diets, the researchers ran two computer simulations: One included a low-fat diet, the other a diet rich in whole grains and vegetables plus 180 minutes of exercise per week.

According to the models, people lost an average of 8 to 12 pounds on the diets and kept the weight off for an average of 6 months. But the pounds slowly crept back on, and after less than 6 years, the dieters were back where they started -- negating any improvement in health from the weight loss.
In addition, the researchers estimate that only about 3 percent of Australia's population would participate in weight-loss programs.
"Interventions that try to change the behavior of individuals but do nothing about the environment in which these people live, are likely to have modest and temporary effects at best," said study author Lennert Veerman, who studies population health at the University of Queensland in Brisbane.

"They are not the solution for the obesity epidemic -- more, and different, interventions have to be taken," he added in an e-mail to Reuters Health.

Along with continued counseling to help people keep weight off long-term, Veerman suggests a 'junk food tax' and better nutrition labeling. These did seem to have an overall positive effect on health in a parallel study, published in November in the same journal.
In the US, 73 percent of adults are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The extra pounds increase the risks for a multitude of ailments, including diabetes, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer. And according to the surgeon general, they rack up a yearly bill of $117 billion in the US, counting health care spending and lost productivity.

"We understand that weight loss programs that we have now are really helpful for individuals," said Hollie Raynor, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. "But the challenge seems to be, how do we help individuals maintain this weight loss over time?"

Financially speaking, the Australian study shows a dieter who also exercises would save an average of $1,088, and someone in the low-fat diet program would save about $1,040 in health care costs.

Nonetheless, Veerman said, "the fact that not everybody (who's) overweight wants to, or can, participate reduces its overall effect on the overweight-related burden of disease in the population."

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Chicken under a Brick with Rapini

Prep Time:20 mins

Total Time:1 hr

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3-pound chicken
• 10 sage leaves
• 7 sprigs rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 bunches of broccoli rabe, stems trimmed, large leaves discarded 

 

Directions

Butterfly the chicken by cutting out the back with kitchen shears. 

Lay the chicken on a clean work surface, skin-side down. 

Using your fingers, free the bone that separates the two breasts. Lift the bone out and discard it.

Coarsely chop sage and rosemary. Using your fingers, gently loosen the chicken skin from the breasts; Rub salt and pepper and a little of the chopped herbs onto the breasts, under the skin. 

Slice the peel from the lemon and cut it into large pieces; reserve the peeled lemon. 

Scatter about a half of the chopped herbs and lemon on a large piece of plastic wrap. 

Add about a third of the sliced garlic. 

Lay the chicken, skin-side down, on the herbs and seasonings. 

Scatter the remaining herbs and lemon and about half of the remaining garlic (the rest will be used to flavor the rapini) over the chicken. 

Season the exposed side of the bird with salt and pepper, then season with a little olive oil.

Wrap the chicken in the plastic and allow it to marinate for at least an hour, but better yet over night. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

Unwrap the chicken and pick off the herbs and pieces of lemon peel. 

Season the skin side well with salt and pepper. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 

Place the chicken in the skillet, skin-side down. 

Flatten it with a heavy weight, a brick wrapped in tin foil works perfectly. 

Cook the chicken until the skin begins to color, about 45 seconds. 

Transfer the chicken to the oven and continue cooking until the thigh juices run clear, begin checking after 25 minutes but expect the chicken to take about 10 minutes longer. 

Remove the chicken from the pan and allow it to rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes.

Reserve the skillet with the pan juices. 

While the chicken is cooking blanch the rapini in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes, then drain. 

When the chicken is done and resting, heat the pan juices on the stove over medium high heat.

Add the reserved garlic to the pan and cook until it is fragrant and beginning to color, about 2 minutes. 

Add the blanched rapini and cook, turning it in the pan juices, until it is tender, about 2 minutes. 

Season the rapini with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice then transfer it to a serving dish. 

Serve the chicken over the rapini.

12 Health Myths

Once again, I came across a great article regarding all those so-called healthy rules which everyone should follow.  But read on…. You’ll be surprised.

We've all heard them. As common as "step on a crack and break your mother's back" these age-old health myths have been passed down from generation to generation without any validation. But these old-wives tales don't need to scare you anymore. The 12 most common false health tales are finally being exposed.

You've Always Heard That...

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away.
The truth is: A handful of blueberries a day will keep the doctor away more effectively. Blueberries are a nutritional jackpot, rich in antioxidants and fiber, and they're also easy to toss into cereal and yogurt. That said, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is important to prevent many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, down the road.

You Shouldn't Cut Off the Bread's Crust. It's Full of Vitamins.
The truth is: In a 2002 German study, researchers found that the baking process produces a novel type of cancer-fighting antioxidant in bread that is eight times more abundant in the crust than in the crumb. That said, it's more important to serve whole-wheat bread, with or without the crust, because it's all around higher in nutrients, such as fiber. Make sure the ingredients list "100% whole-wheat flour." Breads simply labeled "wheat" are usually made with a mixture of enriched white flour and whole-wheat flour and have less fiber.

If You Go Out With Wet Hair, You'll Catch a Cold.
The truth is: You will feel cold but will be just fine healthwise, says Jim Sears, a board-certified pediatrician in San Clemente, California, and a cohost of the daytime-TV show The Doctors. He cites a study done at the Common Cold Research Unit, in Salisbury, England, in which a group of volunteers was inoculated with a cold virus up their noses. Half the group stayed in a warm room while the rest took a bath and stood dripping wet in a hallway for half an hour, then got dressed but wore wet socks for a few more hours. The wet group didn't catch any more colds than the dry. Sears's conclusion: "Feeling cold doesn't affect your immune system."

If You Cross Your Eyes, They'll Stay That Way.
The truth is: "There's no harm in voluntary eye crossing," says W. Walker Motley, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. But if you notice your child doing this a lot (when he's not mimicking a cartoon character), he might have other vision problems.

You Should Feed a Cold and Starve a Fever.
The truth is: In both cases, eat and drink, then drink some more. "Staying hydrated is the most important thing to do, because you lose a lot of fluids when you're ill," says Sears, who adds that there's no need for special beverages containing electrolytes (like Gatorade) unless you're severely dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea.

Gum Stays in Your Stomach for Seven Years.
The truth is: Your Little Leaguer's wad of Big League Chew won't (literally) stick around until high school graduation. "As with most nonfood objects that kids swallow, fluids carry gum through the intestinal tract, and within days it passes," says David Pollack, a senior physician in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network. And even though gum isn't easily broken down in the digestive system, it probably won't cause a stomach ache, either.

You Lose 75 Percent of Your Body Heat Through Your Head.
The truth is: "This adage was probably based on an infant's head size, which is a much greater percentage of the total body than an adult head," says Pollack. That's why it's important to make sure an infant's head remains covered in cold weather. (This also explains those ubiquitous newborn caps at the hospital.) But for an adult, the figure is more like 10 percent. And keep in mind that heat escapes from any exposed area (feet, arms, hands), so putting on a hat is no more important than slipping on gloves.

To Get Rid of Hiccups, Have Someone Startle You.
The truth is: Most home remedies, like holding your breath or drinking from a glass of water backward, haven't been medically proven to be effective, says Pollack. However, you can try this trick dating back to 1971, when it was published in The New England Journal of Medicine: Swallow one teaspoon of white granulated sugar. According to the study, this tactic resulted in the cessation of hiccups in 19 out of 20 afflicted patients. Sweet.

Eating Fish Makes You Smart.
The truth is: For kids up to age three or four, this is indeed the case. Fish, especially oily ones, such as salmon, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). "DHA is particularly beneficial in the first two years of life for brain development, cognition, and visual acuity," says Beverly Hills pediatrician Scott W. Cohen, the author of "Eat, Sleep, Poop: A Common Sense Guide to Your Baby's First Year" ($16, amazon.com). And a 2008 study in Clinical Pediatrics showed an increase in vocabulary and comprehension for four-year-olds who were given daily DHA sup-plements. Omega-3 options for the fish-phobic? Try avocados, walnuts, and canola oil.

You Shouldn't Swim for an Hour After Eating.
The truth is: Splash away. "After you eat, more blood flows to the digestive system and away from the muscles," says Cohen. "The thinking was that if you exercised strenuously right after eating, that lack of blood would cause you to cramp up and drown." But that won't happen. Sears concurs: "You might have less energy to swim vigorously, but it shouldn't inhibit your ability to tread water or play."

Every Child Needs a Daily Multivitamin.
The truth is: Children who are solely breast-fed during their first year should be given a vitamin D supplement. After that, a multivitamin won't hurt anyone, but many experts say that even if your child is in a picky phase, there's no need to sneak Fred, Wilma, and company into his applesauce. "Even extremely fussy eaters grow normally," Cohen says. "Your kids will eventually get what they need, even if it seems as if they're subsisting on air and sunlight."

Warm Milk Will Help You Fall Asleep.
The truth is: Milk contains small amounts of tryptophan (the same amino acid in turkey), "but you would have to drink gallons to get any soporific effect," says Michael Breus, a clinical psychologist in Scottsdale, Arizona, who specializes in sleep disorders. "What is effective is a routine to help kids wind down," he says. And if a glass of warm milk is part of the process, it can have a placebo effect, regardless of science.

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Baked Italian Roast Chicken and Tomato with Pasta Shells

Simple baked chicken and pasta shells are livened up with baked tomatoes, pecorino cheese, pesto and a dash of parsley.

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound dried pasta shells
• 1 whole roasted chicken
• 1 14-ounce can tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 4-5 ounce jar basil pesto
• Pecorino, finely shaved
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the pasta in rapidly boiling water, until al dente.

Tear chicken into sections and place on a baking tray with the organic chopped tomato.

Bake in the oven until warmed through.

Toss the pasta in the olive oil and season with a crack of black pepper. 

Top with the baked tomato and roast chicken. 

Serve with a good dollop of pesto, shavings of pecorino and a scattering of fresh Italian parsley.

Season to taste.