Mark Salinas, MN

Why Pushing Yourself When You Exercise Is Good for You

Mark Salinas — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 05:22:23 +0000

How often do you get ready for your workout, head out, and then find yourself just going through the motions?

Are you happy with your results? Often I find that lack intensity seems to bring a feeling of wasted time due to effort.

Intensity does turn it around when I want to achieve lasting results. The key is to push yourself. You can only get fitter, stronger and better if you keep pushing.

Reaching a level of tolerance or discomfort. Once you get here, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.

I’m not saying you need to lift the heaviest ever weights or push yourself to a point of throwing up after every cardio session, but you need to be uncomfortable and focused during your workout. That means putting away the social media check-ins and Instagram selfies, ditching work worries and solely focusing on the task ahead.

What’s intensity about?

Intensity is your perceived effort, usually. But when it comes to your workouts, it’s about how much weight you can lift of how much more you can push yourself. Increasing your efforts increases your intensity.

Why?

Intensity matters because your oxygen consumption directly relates to how many calories you burn. Studies show that you consume around 3.5 mL of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute. What’s more, your body is able to burn almost 5 calories per liter of oxygen. When you exercise harder, you consume more oxygen and burn more calories.

That’s exactly why pushing yourself when you exercise can do you a whole lot of good. But how do you start pushing? Where do you start?

A few tips…

Trick the Mind

If you think that getting a good workout is just about participating, it’s definitely not. It’s got a lot to do with your mindset. It’s your mind that tells your body what to do or not do. Often, your brain tells you to pull back when your body can’t take any more. But by slowly pushing part your perceived maximum intensity, you can train your brain to let your body push harder.

Stop counting

Often, you get used to completing a certain number of reps, so once you get there during a workout, you stop. Counting reps can actually be a bad habit. It limits you from pushing past your perceived intensity to really reach your potential. Rather, aim to push yourself until you’re so exhausted you really want to stop. Then try squeeze in a few more.

Limit rest

It’s not as difficult as it may sound to bust out a pretty hard set then take a minute recovery break. Ditch the time wasting if you want results. Set a timer or stopwatch to help keep your breaks down to a minimum. For example, if muscular endurance is your goal, you should only rest for about 30 seconds between sets. If HIIT training is more of your thing, shorter rest periods help you achieve better results.

Mantra

Find a mantra that motivates you to keep moving when your body wants to quit. Making it something short that’s natural and that really keeps you pushing. Find something that keeps you moving and determined and keep repeating it when you really want to give up.

Set a Goal

Pick a specific goal for your fitness journey. Whether it’s running a marathon, reaching a body fat percentage or putting on a certain amount of muscle. Then, visualize yourself achieving your goal and think about how you’ll feel when you finally get there. Whenever you feel like cheating or quitting, bring this goals front and center to keep you going.

Plan Workouts

Once you’ve established your goal, make a plan for your exercises. Fitness should never be random. Whether you pull workouts off the internet or download an app or two, you need a goal and a solid plan to help you push through those barriers and keep achieving great things.

7. Tunes

Keep your workout playlist upbeat and loud. Studies show that playing loud, fast music can help you push harder during your workouts.

I hope these 7 tips help you push yourself harder during your workouts. After all, pushing harder means achieving more!

Find more fitness tips today at marksalinas.com.

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Creative Strategies To Help Your Children Eat Healthy Foods

Mark Salinas — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 04:18:21 +0000

Kids are predisposed to sweet flavors. That’s why it’s less of a battle to get them to eat fruits than it is to get them chomping veg. In fact, most kiddos aren’t getting the right amount of vegetables per day, with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that while fruit intake has increased, vegetable consumption is still the same.

So, how do you get your offspring to eat healthier foods? I found a few sneaky tips that helped with my kids.

Get your kids involved

You can spark your child’s appetite for vegetables by getting them involved in planning and preparing the meals. You could even get your little one to grow their very own veggie garden, be it outside or using indoor containers. According to studies, giving children more insight along with ownership increases their willingness to eat healthy foods.

Get creative with servings

It makes no difference whether healthy food is canned, cooked or raw – it still counts. If you’re choosing canned food, go for low-sodium options whenever you can. If you’re enticing your toddler or baby with pouches, pick the ones with no added salt or sugar.

In terms of pouches, these shouldn’t be your kid’s only source of fruits or veg. Aim to expose your children to actual produce, prepared in a myriad of ways, not just pouches of puree.

Keep exposing your children to healthy foods in different ways. They say it can take as many as 15 times of trying something new to accept it.

Try dips

Kids are apparently more likely to eat their vegetables if they’re served with a tasty dip. Kids love ranch dressing, While dressings aren’t the healthiest option around (often filled with MSG and soybean oil), you can always make your very own and get your little ones to help. To make a delicious and healthier dressing than a store-bought option, mix together Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt, onion powder, cayenne pepper, dried dill, a cup of plain Greek yogurt, and fresh chives.

Try a two-or-one approach

This is a sneaky offering, and I love it. At dinnertime, offer two brightly colored veg options and ask your kids if they want one, the other or both. You’ll be surprised just how often they choose both when you leave the decision to them. After all, they’re always going to choose more of something given half a chance!

Hide the vegetables

This goes back to being creative with the way you serve healthy foods. Your kids aren’t likely to complain about carrot in their soup if they can’t actually see the carrots. This is another special go-to ops mission of mine. Every weekend, we cook up a pot of chicken soup. The stock is a combination of vegetables like carrots, turnips, celery, onion, and cauliflower. We strain the veg from the stock before serving, and my kids don’t know the difference.

Keep healthy stealthy

If your child flat out refuses to eat healthy food, sneak it in. For instance, if your little one’s not that into milk and you’re worried about their calcium intake, blend it into a smoothie. Or, add steamed veg to your next quesadilla night. Trust me on this one, veggie quesadillas with a few steamed veg on the side somehow do the trick!

What sneaky strategies do you use to get your kiddos to eat healthy food?

Check out marksalinas.com today for more insightful tips!

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Get the Most Out of Health Insurance Extras

Mark Salinas — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 10:31:01 +0000

Many of us have a few insurance plans, health, home, car insurance to name a few Are you using the perks through health insurance that are offered when it comes to your health and fitness. These days, plenty of insurers offer added extras or incentives for living a healthy lifestyle.

Insurers trend toward prevention of diseases and illnesses. From weight loss surgery stop-smoking programs and discounts on gym memberships, your insurer wants you to get up off the couch and get healthy. Whether it’s in the form of discounts, rewards or cashback, there are ways to make sure you’re making the most of your perks.

More and more insurance companies have started partnering up with health clubs to offer discounted memberships or specials on certain services. These benefits usually cover everyone, from policyholders with chronic medical conditions to the super-fit and healthy. So, it makes no difference if you’re a regular gym-goer who works out every day or if you suffer from hypertension or diabetes and can only walk for a few minutes at a time.

Perks

The advantage of preventive benefits and other health insurance extras. Some of the most common incentives insurers offer.

Weight loss programs

Not all insurance policies will cover weight loss programs, but I’ve noticed a change in this trend. In fact, there are a few insurance providers who offer discounts on programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, and those that offer favorable discounts on certain food brands to help you not only save on your grocery expenses but to also encourage you to eat healthily.

Gym memberships

I’m noticing that more and more health plans are including decent discounts (think along the lines of 10% to 50%) on certain health club memberships. So, if your nearest gym usually charges around $30 per month, you could save as much as $15 a month if you use your health insurance benefit. The saving alone should encourage you to get up and get moving. Some health plans will reward you with points each time you scan your membership at the gym. Accumulate enough points and you can look forward to an even heftier discount or benefits.

Massages

Keeping stress at bay is part of keeping yourself healthy, and health insurance companies recognize this. That’s why some insurers offer discounts on orthopedic massages at certain participating facilities. I’ve seen as much as 25% savings on massages when you take advantage of your policy extras.

Vitamins and Supplements

There are those insurance providers who have partnered with wellness brands to bring you generous savings on vitamins and natural supplements. Some will even offer free shipping and other discounts if you shop online using your insurance policy number.

Fitness Trackers

Most of us have fitness trackers in some form or other. Check your health insurance policy, your provider may just offer a discount on trackers or even policy discounts for reaching certain fitness goals each month.

Stop Smoking Programs

A few insurers cover stop-smoking programs. If your insurance policy doesn’t cover something like this, talk with your doctor about quitting when you pop in for a routine physical, and the visit will be covered. Those health policies that do help with the cost of stop-smoking programs that include counseling can save you hundreds (not to mention how much you’ll save when you finally kick the habit).

Have you ever found out what wellness benefits your health insurance provider offers? Get in touch with them to find out – it could just be the boost of motivation you’ve been looking for.

Check out health and wellness tips to get you moving at marksalinas.com.

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Fruit the Healthy Way

Mark Salinas — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 06:21:02 +0000

When it comes to eating more produce, you know you just can’t go wrong. Or can you?
Every type of fruit is a good option. In fact, research shows that eating at least four to five servings a day can reduce your risk of heart disease, boost your mood, and do a whole lot of wonders for your wellbeing. Yet most of us are missing out on sufficient potassium, calcium, magnesium, and dietary fiber – all of which are found in fruit. The fiber in fruit even supports better digestion and can fill you up for fewer calories.
But I need to tell you this. Just because you grow the fruit and prepare it yourself doesn’t mean you’re opting for the healthiest options.
Cooked Fruit? Think carefully
Heat destroys nutrients, and the way you cook your fruit can make a big difference. Vitamins B and C along with other phytonutrients in fruits are water-soluble. By boiling your fruit, you risk leaching out those nutrients, especially if you throw away the cooking liquid. But keeping your excess liquid for stocks and other recipes will help you reap the health benefits.
On the other hand, vitamins like A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble. That means if you cook your fruits in oil, the compounds break down, lessening the health benefits.
Then there’s vitamin C, which is found in a whole list of fruits and is often used as a way of measuring the effect of cooking on nutrients. Vitamin C tends to sensitive to air, light, heat, and is also water-soluble, which means its concentration can degrade easily.
When it comes to preserving vitamin C, raw fruits are the way to go. But time should be considered since most nutrients start degrading straight after harvest. That means that the health benefits could be gone by the time the fruit reaches your plate – an important point to consider if you grow your own.
Fruit for your health
Raw fruit is one of the healthiest things you can eat. In fact, it’s easy to eat, sweet, and has its own natural wrapper, making it the perfect food. It’s also packed with all the right nutrients. In fact, raw is probably one of the best ways to go.
Fruit at dinner time
At dinner time, add grapes, dried cranberries or orange segments to a salad, add crushed pineapple to coleslaw or one of my favorites, a fruit salsa on top of grilled fish.
Fruit at breakfast
Top your cereal with strawberries, peaches or bananas. Alternatively, mix your fruit with low-fat yogurt or add blueberries to your pancakes.
Fruit to your main dishes
If you’re cooking up a hot meal, sprinkle chopped fruit over the top of the dish. It may sound weird, but believe me, it’s divine, especially if served with a green salad.
Make a dip
Make a healthy yogurt-based dip and cut the fruit up into crudities to serve with it.
It’s a Balancing Act
Fruits are naturally low in sodium, fat, and calories. Depending on what you’re making, cooking can actually add salt, sugar, fat, and calories. But healthy fats, like plant-based oils and olive oil, are okay. They’re heart-healthy and help your body to absorb those fat-soluble nutrients I mentioned earlier. But too much salt is definitely not a good thing.
While you don’t need to worry too much about whether it’s healthier to eat your fruits cooked or raw, it is a balancing act. Most of us just need to eat more produce, no matter how it’s prepared. The trick is to enjoy what you’re eating.
Find more healthy habits at marksalinas.com.
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Support a Healthy Metabolism

Mark Salinas — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 21:28:14 +0000

Every single cell in the body needs energy to function, from pumping oxygen to the lungs to delivering nutrients to your brain and everything in between. That energy comes from the foods you eat. Your metabolism is what converts those calories to energy, which is why it’s important to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Proteins

Proper nutrition is the best way to keep your metabolism up. Evidence shows that adults need more protein, which can help reduce age-related muscular degeneration. Your muscles help support a healthy metabolism, so you want to make sure you have those muscles as you get older. Aim for around 30 grams per meal, or more if you love a lot of carbs.

Breakfast

A good breakfast is the first step to supporting a healthy metabolism and keeping your weight in check.

Get moving

If you really want to keep your metabolism on track, you need to keep moving. Nothing’s better for torching those calories than exercise, and the benefits keep going even when you stop.

Besides the energy it takes to perform physical activities, your resting metabolic rate gets a powerful boost for up to 2 hours after your workout. The smaller, residual effects can last as long as 48 hours after your session.

What’s more, you can build more muscle, in turn burning more energy. That’s because muscle cells use a lot of energy, so they burn more calories, even when you’re sitting down.

Rest

Links between adequate sleep and a properly functioning metabolism have been proven. A lack of sleep can inhibit your weight loss efforts and running on fumes only slows down your metabolism as your body works harder to conserve energy when it’s exhausted.

That should be reason enough to aim for your quality 8 or so hours of sleep a night. This also helps keep hormone levels balanced, including cortisol. High cortisol levels due to a lack of sleep and rest result in weight gain, insulin resistance, and a slower metabolism.

Another way to keep your hormones balances is to get adequate rest between your workout days. Believe it or not, training too much repeatedly leads to a lower metabolic rate, muscle loss, and fatigue. Exercise has a great impact on your hormonal status, and intense, overly frequent workouts stall your body’s ability to recover, damaging those processes that build and repair healthy muscles.

Strength training

Strength training can offset age-related muscle mass loss. It also boosts your metabolism. When you’re working out, your muscle tissue is stressed. When you recover, it’s repaired, raising your metabolism. For the best metabolic benefits, choose exercises that engage the large muscle groups, like your back and legs.

Drink cold water

Adding a couple of ice cubes to your glass of water, or keeping a bottle in the refrigerator, can provide great benefits. Researchers have found that drinking a minimum of 48 ounces of cold water every day can boost your metabolism enough to burn extra calories.

Healthy fats

Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help amp up your metabolism. That’s because fish like tuna, salmon, and herring help balance your blood sugar and reduce inflammation. This, in turn, helps to regulate your metabolism. If you prefer to get your omega-3 fatty acids in supplement form, experts recommend 1,000 – 1,200 milligrams per day. Not a fan of that fishy after taste? Try eggs, walnuts or flaxseed oil instead.

Take care of you

With a lot of focus on your body moving and getting the right nutrients to keep your metabolism in line, don’t forget that your mind also needs downtime to keep everything balanced. Listen to your body. If you’re stiff and tired, take a break. Always stretch after a workout and add meditative practices or yoga to your self-care routine.

Recovery time comes with metabolic benefits. For instance, regularly practicing yoga can help your body recover faster, stabilizing your nervous system and boosting metabolic efficiency.

Keeping Your Metabolism On Track

Making small lifestyle changes, like getting the right nutrients and moving more than you sit still can increase and stabilize your metabolism.

A healthy metabolism helps you keep your weight off and gives you more energy while encouraging more restful sleep.

Get top exercise and lifestyle tips at marksalinas.com

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Habits (And How to Break Them)

Mark Salinas — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 07:11:35 +0000

It takes 66 days to form a habit.

It’s the brain’s way of establishing a pattern for your neurons to follow. It’s a way of being put on autopilot.

But habits can be amazing, or they can be bad.

Think about how much time you spend on your phone instead of doing work. Or how much you struggle with your weight or health because you just can’t ditch the bad eating habits.

Sure, your habit may feel so good at the time. But how bad do you feel afterward?

How often have you promised to break a bad habit, only to find you can’t resist temptation?

I know I’ve said “I’ll stop tomorrow” or “I’ll start on Monday” depending on the habit.

But here’s the thing. Even the smallest of bad habits, when piled up, can have an adverse impact long-term. In fact, your bad habits could be denting your productivity, in any facet of life.

How to break a bad habit

The good news is that you can break bad habits. However, you can’t change something until you accept that something needs to change.

Not quite sure what your bad habits are? Below, I’ve outlined a few of the most common bad habits and how to break them, in the hope that it gets you on the path to better habits in 2019.

Smoking

Even if you just have “the odd social smoke,” it’s bad for you. And it’s never too soon to quit. Best of all, it doesn’t even take that long for your body to reap the benefits of kicking this bad habit. In fact, the benefits start as soon as 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Many people succeed in quitting by setting small goals and cutting back slowly before totally giving up.

Not getting enough sleep

Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to your health. Research tells us that chronic sleep deprivation can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, and stroke. Adults typically need 7 to 8 hours of sleep, so you need to start putting in the effort! If you want to know how to get more out of your sleep, check out this post I wrote a little while ago.

Not exercising

You might not think of a bad habit as not doing something, but not exercising is a really bad habit. If you’re too busy to hit the gym, or really just don’t fancy it, you can still get plenty of benefits from exercise. Best of all, you can break it down into small chunks through the day. Getting in 15 minutes in the morning, at lunchtime, and after work is just as a good as a continuous 45-minute workout.

Slouching

Most of us spend the day hunched over some sort of screen. But routinely slouching can lead to lower back pain. If you do spend a considerable amount of time hunching, stand up regularly and walk around.

Looking at screens at bedtime

If you want to get more sleep (see point 2), it’s time to break the bad habit of looking at a screen right before bed. It’s thought that the light from smartphones, tablets, laptops, and TVs can affect the hormones that help you to sleep. Instead, put these things away about an hour or so before bed.

It’s Not All Bad

Is your bad habit on the list? Maybe you can think of others?

No matter what your bad habit may be, here’s how you can break it, starting right now.

Positive Reinforcement

Treat yourself! No matter how small the change towards breaking your habit is, reward yourself. Use the time, energy or money you’ve saved to do or buy something nice for yourself.

Identify the Change

I said you can’t change something unless you accept something needs to change. So, identify why you want to change. Write it down. Do a pros and cons list. Keep the list and use it for motivation.

Replace the Bad Habit

Research shows that replacing bad habits with other activities is a great way to break the habit. Instead of biting your nails, clench your fists. Instead of lighting up a smoke, go for a walk.

Get Support

It’s so much easier to break a habit when you have a network of support. Why not get together with a buddy to break a habit? Or share your plan with your family and ask them not to engage in the habit around you.

You’ve Got This

Once you commit to breaking a bad habit, I bet nothing can stop you. Okay, we’re human, and lapses are normal, but instead of using a setback as an excuse to give up, see it as a chance to figure out what went wrong and get back on track.

You’ve got this!

Share my journey today at marksalinas.com.

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Negative People In Your Life- What To Do?

Mark Salinas — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 01:52:38 +0000

It’s pretty hard to avoid toxic people. Sometimes they pop up in your family or work life. They’re the naysayers. The negative types. The type that put you down and has something to say about everything you do.

How to Spot a Naysayer

So, what exactly does a toxic person look like?

Well, some people are just a drag. They’re demanding, difficult, annoying, and downright unpleasant. They’re just not very nice and you may want to distance yourself.

Toxicity is sort of like a spectrum. One the one end, there are those old buddies who keep going on about how you don’t make time for them. On the other, there’s that ex-partner who can still manipulate you into a fit of rage. While your friends are annoying, your ex is toxic.

Of course, we all tolerate toxicity differently. It’s up to you to figure out if someone needs distance and when you should cut them out of your life.

Let’s look at the types of you should purge:

The control freaks

Often, people who battle to control their own lives want to control yours. They look for ways to manipulate you and it’s time to kick them to the curb.

Those with boundary issues

If you find you’re always telling a certain someone to stop behaving in a certain kind of way and they carry on, they’re probably toxic. Well-adjusted adults naturally respect boundaries. A toxic person thrives on pushing them.

The takers

Give and take is an adulthood fundamental. Sometimes, you need a little help, and sometimes your friends do, too. But it all evens out. Not with toxic people who are just there to take so long as you’re giving.

Those who are always right

Toxic people find ways to be right even when they’re not. They’ll never admit to messing up or misspeaking.

The dishonest

White lies are one thing, but repeated and blatant patterns of dishonesty are a completely different story and often a tell-tale sign of naysayers.

The victims They will go out of their way to find ways to put you down and feel oppressed, be it excuses, blaming, and even rationalizations.

These probably sound familiar, so how do you go about removing yourself from the naysayers? Say Goodbye to Toxicity

Stay firm

You need to stand your ground. Toxic people don’t often respond to a simple “go away.” In fact, they usually dig their claws in deeper. Don’t let this put you off. Be extremely clear and then keep your distance to ensure your message is not misconstrued.

Put up boundaries

Stick to your guns. Fail to stand firm and naysayers will use any weakness they spot to sneak back in. If you decide you’re not going to respond to their texts, do not. Block them in every sense of the word. Don’t check up on them down the line. When you make the decision to end things, it’s up to you to keep the guidelines clear no matter what.

Do not feel obligated to be nice

Well, not too nice. Toxic people take advantage of kindness. Understand that these people get energy from draining your good nature. They thrive on kindness and trust. You don’t need to be nasty, but don’t go out of your way to accommodate them, either.

Saving them isn’t your job

Naysayers and toxic people always pop up when they want something. It’s a ploy for your attention. Never give in!

Done is done

Toxic people are going to keep coming back given the chance. When you decide to part ways, it’s got to be permanent. They’ll keep trying to find ways to create a problem or some sort of drama, so move on for good when you’re ready.

Purging naysayers is hard work, I’ll admit. But if you set those boundaries and stand your ground, you can do it. And you can free up your time and headspace to move on to more positive pastures.

Find more tips on living your best life today at marksalinas.com.

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Food Pyramid in 2019

Mark Salinas — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 01:02:49 +0000

One goal the US government has is to help guide us to be as healthy as possible. One way to do that is with the food pyramid.

I know people who blame the old food pyramid for our obesity epidemic. So, the evolution of the food pyramid has been a welcome progression.

Old Food Pyramid

We were first introduced to the food pyramid in 1992. It seemed simple enough at the time, but a lot of us misunderstood the serving sizes and ranges for the different food groups.

For example, the old pyramid said we should have 6 to 11 servings in the Bread Group, which meant people thought they could eat as much as 11 servings and still maintain a healthy diet.

But here’s what we didn’t account for. The amount of servings we eat should be determined by our calorie requirements and activity levels. So, let’s say you’re pretty sedentary and need around 1,600 calories a day. That means you should only consume 6 servings from the grain group, while more active individuals could enjoy up to 11 servings.

Another problem with the old pyramid is that we didn’t really get servings in those days. A serving isn’t what you eat in one meal. So, if you ate a sandwich with 2 slices of bread, that’s 2 servings from the bread group.

What’s more, the old food pyramid didn’t teach us a whole lot about whole grains, leading us to eat the wrong grains, like refined white bread.

So, diets were based on starches and carbs like pasta and bread. Few people moved upwards in the pyramid to include the recommended servings of fruits and veg.

How the Food Pyramid has changed

In 2005 we were introduced to a new food pyramid. It really wasn’t that much easier to figure out. Each food group was represented by colors, and you needed further explanations to figure out servings.

One main difference, though, which still stands in 2019, is that we don’t really talk about servings. Rather, we talk about recommended daily amounts in ounces, cups, and even fists!

Another big change was that the food pyramid became interactive so you could personalize it based on your activity level and age. This is really important since how much you consume from each food group depends a lot on your daily calorie requirements, which can range anywhere from 1,000 calories a day for a toddler to 3,200 calories a day for an extremely active adult.

The new Food Pyramid

Using the new food pyramid was pretty simple. You entered your age, gender, activity level, and created a customized plan. This presented you with an estimated calorie requirement along with recommended amounts you should eat from each of the food groups.

You could then learn more about the different groups, print out your personalized pyramid and print a worksheet to help you keep track of everything.

The emphasis of exercise was also a welcomed part of the newer food pyramid. This is when we started to realize just how important it is to be physically active for at least 30 minutes a day.

Bye Bye Pyramid, Hello MyPlate

The newer food pyramid was simple enough, but many people still misunderstood the ranges in servings for the food groups, or just had no idea what a serving ought to be. That led to overeating and oversized portions.

The food pyramid was finally put to rest in 2011 and we were introduced to MyPlate, a much easier to follow place setting that helps us visualize a healthy meal complete with the five food groups:

Dairy
Protein
Grains
Fruit
Vegetables

Now, it’s easier than ever to determine just how much of each group we need per meal. Instead of following dietary fads, you can use the MyPlate option to make sure you’re getting the right servings of all the right foods (which no longer include “bad” grains and now focus a lot more on whole grains, fat-free dairy and lean as well a plant-based proteins).

Do You Get Your Portions Right?

So, while white carbs are out and plant-based everything is in, are you trying to get your portions right? Do you still use the old food pyramid concept or are you more of a MyPlate kind of person?

Check out my latest health tips at marksalinas.com

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There Is So Much More To Staying Younger Than Diet

Mark Salinas — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 02:08:36 +0000

Some celebs just never age. Or they seem to get younger. Besides cutting out the sugar and carbs, do you really want to commit to just your diet for a lifetime?

Well, sure. Healthy eating plays a big role in staying younger. But the thing is, there’s so much more you can do to keep the clock from ticking forward – and you don’t need a big bowl full of crazy potions and pills, either.

Here are a few things I practice daily to help me stay young, other than watching what I eat!

Quality Sleep

Sleep is when your body does its best repairing and healing work. Enough sleep is critical for superficial and deep repairs. That means everything from healing a pimple on your cheek to regenerating your adrenal glands.

Yes, a nap or a weekend lie-in does make a difference, but it’s your day-to-day sleep deprivation that encourages degeneration and aging. Not enough quality sleep weakens your immune system.

The key number is 8. You need at least 8 hours or more if you’re dealing with stress and health challenges.

Go easy on yourself

Studies show that stress actually results in physical changes to the body that can speed up the aging process. Surges in cortisol and adrenaline lead to a spike in blood pressure and a faster heartbeat. When stressors are unrelenting (think traffic jams, money woes, and job pressures) those chronic doses of adrenaline and cortisol take a toll on your body both physically and emotionally.

It’s reported that the majority of doctor’s visits every year are related to obsessive anger, insomnia, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and hostility all caused by stress.

The most effective way to keep stress levels down and aging at bay is to go easy on yourself. I love meditation for this.

Once a day, I sit quietly for just 10 to 20 minutes, close my eyes, relax my body, and breathe. Every time I exhale, I repeat a mantra. If other thoughts try to pop in, I let them go.

Then, slowly I allow my daily thoughts back into my mind. If I feel I just can’t switch off enough to meditate, I practice yoga or, if I feel really worked up from a rough day, I hit the road for a run. But whatever I do, I focus on my breathing and trying to let go of my thoughts. It’s my way of telling myself “hey, it’s okay to switch off and chill.”

Keep Active

Speaking of running, I just can’t ignore the antiaging, stress-smashing benefits of regular exercise. I know running isn’t for everyone, and sometimes traditional cardio sessions can feel like torture. But the thing is, you need to find something you enjoy doing for you. Something that makes you feel good.

You don’t even need a gym contract. Maybe you want to go walking with the family or play a round of tennis – whatever it is, the trick is to keep moving.

Your skin

There are loads of things you can do to keep your skin youthful and glowing. Make sure you never step out the front door without a good quality sun block, use the right lotions and potions for your skin type, and take vitamins to combat signs of aging and prevent new wrinkles and lines.

Mental aerobics

While looking after your body is essential, the same goes for your mind. Studies show that brain exercises help prevent cognitive decline and you can even rewire your brain to improve your memory!

Try strengthening your mind every day with a crossword puzzle or a quiz – anything that gets that grey matter moving.

Have fun

Deep breathing helps me relax enough to get a decent night’s sleep. Working out gets my heart pumping and keeps my joints supple and young. I take vitamins, I apply sunblock and I do everything I can to keep the hands of time from moving. But most importantly, I focus on fun.

Surround yourself with positive people and keep looking for ways to find fun and positive.

You’ll be surprised at just how young it keeps you!

Lifestyle and fitness tips at marksalinas.com.

Image: Pexels

Healthy Juices You Can Make At Home

Mark Salinas — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 14:23:55 +0000

While juice is by no means a replacement for whole fruits and veg, it’s still a great way to fit in the ones you might not otherwise eat.

Before you turn your nose up, consider this: people who eat at least five servings of vegetables every day live almost three years longer than people who avoid veg at all costs. Upping your intake can also help you drop weight and protect you against cancer.

The Health Benefits of Juicing

According to studies, drinking fresh juices allows your body to better absorb nutrients compared to when you eat your greens. It also gives the digestive system a rest from having to work on that fiber.

Besides that, juicing gives your immune system a powerful boost, removing toxins, aiding digestion, and generally giving you the power boost you need to get through the day.

Best of all, you don’t need to spend a small fortune on a fancy juicer to drink your fruit and veg. Get that blender out and try these easy springtime juices right now!

Homemade V8 Juice

This is a versatile recipe that you can have fun with. You can add other veg or herbs, too. If you like a spicy kick, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper!

You need:

Half a cup of diced carrots
4 cups of diced tomatoes
A ¼ cup of spinach
1 cup of water, divided
A tiny sliver of beet
A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Half a teaspoon of sea salt
A tablespoon of parsley

What to do:

Combine your beet, carrots, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, half a cup of water and salt and pepper in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on.
Add the parsley along with the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes, keeping the lid on.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
Pour your juice in the blender along with the rest of the water and puree for about 2 minutes.
Strain using a fine-mesh sieve and serve icy cold!

Hot Pink Juice

This juice doesn’t just look cool, it also gives your immune system a whopping springtime boost.

You need:

3 carrots
2 beets
A lemon
An apple
4 stalks of celery
5 kale leaves
An inch of ginger

What to do:

Stick everything in the blender and blitz until smooth!

The Golden Glow Elixir

Has your skin taken a beating during the winter months? Add some sparkle and shine with this delicious juice.

You need:

2 large oranges, peeled
2 apples
1 lemon
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled
2 inches of fresh turmeric, peeled
2 cups of water and a handful of ice

What to do:

Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Add more water if needed.

Tomato Vegetable Juice

No need for the Bloody Mary in favor of this delicious homemade juice that contains all the ingredients of a delicious salad. Best of all, you don’t need a juicer.

You need:

One cup of romaine lettuce, chopped
¼ cup chopped chives
¼ fresh jalapeno, seeded and stemmed
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
Medium carrot, peeled
2 large celery stalks, trimmed
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
Ice cubes

What to do:

Coarsely chop up all your ingredients
Place the softer ingredients in your blender first and process until smooth.
Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
Cut up 2 × 24-inch long pieces of cheesecloth and unfold each piece, stacking them on top of each other.
Fold the double stack in half to create a 4-layer stack of the cloth.
Line a large bowl with the cloth and pour the juice into the center.
Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth in one hand and use your other hand to twist and squeeze the mixture, extracting all the juice and leaving the pulp behind.
If you don’t want the juice to stain your hands, be sure to wear rubber gloves!

Mixing up quick and super-healthy juices this springtime isn’t just a great way to get your system back on track, but an excellent way to make sure you’re getting your fruits and veg.

Don’t worry about expensive juicers, just get the blender out from the back of the kitchen cupboard and try the above recipes for refreshing, health-inducing deliciousness!

Find more springtime health tips and marksalinas.com.

Image: Pexels