Via: Bye Bye Excessive Armpit Sweat

See!!! Isn’t that amazing. And you thought I was kidding about getting rid of excess armpit sweat.

What does that mean? What do whey protein and casein have to do with weight loss? Well that’s why you have to keep reading! See! I had a strategy after all.

When I was in college, I was in great shape. Weight loss – according to my know-it-all self of the time – was for people who just didn’t care about themselves. After all, if I could eat whatever I wanted (in enormous portions, no doubt), cook it all in butter, and exercise only when I felt like it, and yet still look fit, then it must mean that anyone who was overweight just wasn’t trying to lose weight. Right?

Then I graduated. It was after graduation that I actually learned something useful. I had been living in a lucky bubble experienced by only a small part of the population for a tiny fraction of their lives, and that bubble had just burst. Every time I stepped on the scale, I saw a higher number. It was time to diet. No problem! I used to drop 5 pounds in a week without breaking a sweat. The thing was, it didn’t seem to be working anymore.

I tried everything from the cabbage soup fad diet to cutting (my favorite!) carbs. Nothing worked. I could drop a pound or two, but then it would come rushing back; and it brought friends! I was miserable. I felt ugly and my health suffered. The only thing that was shrinking was my wallet, since I had to replace my entire wardrobe every time I gained more weight.

Ten years passed and I decided to put my education to good use. I started some research. Lots of it. The latest science showed me that everything I’d been doing was wrong. It was slowing down my metabolism!

The solution was to pay attention to my macronutrients. Specifically, to boost lean protein while eating healthy fats and eating fewer carbs. I started including whey protein shakes into my routine and taking casein supplements.

The protein in the whey shakes let me get through the day without feeling hungry, and the casein protein boost gave me the long-lasting energy I needed to get through my exercise routine without suffering from fatigue.

With hunger and fatigue under control, and my metabolism running at its best, I finally lost the weight. I have my youthful college figure back again but without the youthful ignorance that kept me from maintaining in the first place. Talk to your doctor about protein from whey and casein to try it for yourself.

My friends over at DrugNatural have a great selection of diet supplements and many natural health supplements. I’ve been using DrugNatural for years and I can’t say enough good things about their product selection, customer service and especially their shipping – great rates and very quick!

Shake Weight

I’m going to start using the Shake Weight today – as instructed and I will give a full review in one week. I’m told I only have to use it for 6 minutes a day – I think I can even handle that! I just did it for about 1 minute and I can definitely feel it already.

Happy New Year 2011

I suppose it wouldn’t hurt me to add more exercise to my lifestyle. I do a lot of swimming and outside activities in the summer, but winter – I’m tucked in for the long winter’s night! And I don’t want to come out until Spring!

My daughter, who had been very active in sports, took the fall and now winter off. She’s feeling consequences of “not moving” too. She’s asked me to look into finding an affordable treadmill so we can both use it. Not a bad idea.

But for me, 2011 – moving forward in Mediterranean Style!

From November 15 through December 31, they are running their first ever #Tweet2Feed campaign.
With two simple clicks, you can donate up to 15 meals to individuals and families in need.

It’s a great idea and you can really make a difference. Check it out here – http://susquehanna.net/Promotions/tweet2feed.aspx.

There really are too many days that revolve around food this time of year. Really when I think about it, everything starts at Halloween. That’s when the candy comes into the house. Then Thanksgiving, tons of Christmas parties and then Christmas. And to top things off – three of my four kids have birthdays in October, November and December – each needing their own party.

I have no doubt that I will gain a pound or two during all the festivities – but the days/meals that we are not celebrating anything – I will continue to eat as I should – no sugar, no dairy.

How do you survive the holidays?

I have not been able to find whole wheat and multi-grain bagels that are “flavored” other than being whole wheat or multi-grain. Does anyone know where you can find a great whole wheat sesame bagel? or any other flavor that’s also whole wheat???

Sicilian Caponata
This eggplant/aubergine based dish has different varieties throughout Italy, most popular in the regions of Sicily, Naples, and Genoa. This recipe is for the vegan-friendly Sicilian Caponata. It can be served as an appetizer on top of bread, on pasta, or as a main dish.
Serves 3-4
What you need:
4 tbsp olive oil
2 eggplants/aubergines, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and diced
6-8 plum tomatoes, diced
1 carrot, diced (optional)
2 tsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup green olives, chopped
1-2 tbsp capers
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
raisins (optional)
In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add everything to the pot and simmer on medium heat for about an hour. Serve!

Spanish Croquetas
You can order croquetas at pretty much every bar in Spain, though they are usually made of ham and cheese or fish. A vegetable variety is rare, but the most common types include mushroom, spinach, and eggplant/aubergine. This recipe is for spinach croquetas, but you can replace the spinach with whichever vegetable you fancy! Note: this recipe requires around 2 1/2 hours of refrigeration.
Makes 10 croquetas
What you need:
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp margarine (or 2 tbsp more olive oil)
4 tablespoons flour
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 cups soy milk
2 cups fresh spinach or other vegetable
1 cup water
1 cup breadcrumbs
Spanish croquetas are made of béchamel sauce mixed with filling. So first you will need to make your béchamel. In a medium sized pan, add the olive oil and butter until hot. Add the flour and salt and mix until a smooth paste forms. Add the soy milk and whisk on medium heat until it thickens (around 15 minutes). Then add the spinach and cook for another 5-7 minutes. If using another vegetable, lightly cook it before adding into the béchamel. Put everything in a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. After you have refrigerated the batter, you can start forming the croquetas. With wet hands (the water will allow the breadcrumbs to stick to the croquetas), roll around 10-12 croquetas into log shapes around 7 cm long (3 inches). In a small tray, lay out the breadcrumbs and roll each croqueta into the breadcrumbs until it is covered. Refrigerate breaded croquetas for 30 minutes before frying. After you have refrigerated the breaded croquetas, add olive oil to a frying pan until its about 5 cm (2 inches) tall. The olive oil should be a bit smoky when it is ready. Add the croquetas and fry on each side for around 2 minutes or until the outside is crispy. Serve hot!

Find more fabulous recipes at The Mediterranean Vegan!

NanoGreens10 – the vegetable and fruit superfood powder that supplements a person’s diet with the phytonutrients of as many as 10 servings of organic fruits and vegetables.  This may provide many benefits, such as reduce appetite, improve metabolism, increase energy, maintain strong bones, lower allergic symptoms, etc.

NanoReds10 – essentially provides the same benefits as nanogreens

NanoProPRP – an immune and detox superfood, this formula supports tissue repair and growth, encourages detoxification, modulates immune function, and optimizes endogenous antioxidant status.

NanOmega3 – the heart, brain and vision superfood, benefits include healthy bones, supports mental focus and healthy moods, healthy joints, maintains ideal blood pressure, gastro-intestinal health, etc.

New NanoMeanG – this is an all-in-one daily meal that is a blend of nanopro, nanogreens, and nanoomega3.  It provides an excellent source of fiber, 15 minerals and vitamins, lean protein, and more.

NanoEPADHA – a fish oil with vitamin D and E complex this is an excellent choice for those looking for an alternative to fish oil pills.

With so many incredible formulas, BioPharma Scientific may have the dietary supplement(s) for which you have been searching. These supplements complement the Mediterranean diet!