Color of Health with Jamie Allen

I’m a day late, but I still want everybody to know how proud we are of my daughter and son-in-law, Melissa and Patrick (Anthony) Ours.

All odds were against them when they married 12 years ago! They have proven, unlike many couples these days, that marriage is a commitment, in which you take seriously and work hard through both the good and bad times.

Their beautiful children are our hearts!❤️❤️❤️ You can easily tell they are also the most important part of the two of them and their life together! 

So even though a day late, please know that your dad and I are super proud of both of you, where you come from and where you’re going. Here’s to a love story that keeps getting better with time. Happy 12th Anniversary!


Another great wellness group run by Patty Romsek Knowlton. This one on the importance of protein. Here is just one of the many great items we learned in this 7 day group. :-) I bet most people have no clue at the great importance protein is for your health. Lots more learned. Thanks Patty for another short term great health group!

I didn’t realize how unhealthy some nondairy milks are. 🤪 Here’s some tips I read that may be helpful:
1. Look for a certified organic version to avoid crops sprayed with synthetic pesticides/chemicals.
2. Read the ingredient list, even if it’s organic, avoiding these harmful ingredients:
🔹 Natural flavors
🔹 Gums
🔹 Carrageenan
🔹 Lecithin
3. Here a picture of some brands you might want to avoid and some that might be a better option to purchase.
Please share your thoughts about this ❤️

Leaving 3 of my grand loves. Off to school they go and I’m headed to parents! Miss them already!❤️

THIRSTY THURSDAY
Fruit tea
If you fancy something fruity, flavoursome fruit tea is a good low-calorie option. There are dozens of different tea bags and loose tea blends available. Check the labels and choose one that doesn’t contain sugar. And avoid teas that contain liquorice, which can increase your blood pressure.

👩‍⚕️Wellness Wednesday
❣️Let's Discuss how we help each other with these.
😵😱Anxiety and stress comes in many different ways, which one fits you if you have any of these? 🙏🤔🤔
😵What do you do to reduce your anxiety and feel better?😁

TIP TUESDAY (2 TIPS)
TIP 1: Avoid processed junk food (eat real food instead)
🥤🍟Processed junk food is incredibly unhealthy.
These foods have been engineered to trigger your pleasure centers, so they trick your brain into overeating — even promoting food addiction in some people.
They’re usually low in fiber, protein, and micronutrients but high in unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined grains. Thus, they provide mostly empty calories.

TIP 2: Don’t fear coffee
☕️ Coffee is very healthy.
It’s high in antioxidants, and studies have linked coffee intake to longevity and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, and numerous other illnesses.
It is what you put in coffee that is the problem!
source: Healthline
PHOTO CREDIT: MUKUL WADHWA, UNSPLASH

MINDFUL MONDAY:

Savory Sundays:

CAULIFLOWER TORTILLAS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cauliflower, cut up and stems removed;

2 large eggs;

½ tsp. dried oregano;

½ tsp. paprika;

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

PREPARATION

1. Preheat your oven.

2. Using a blender or a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until you get a texture finer than rice.

3. Steam the riced cauliflower over boiling water for 5 minutes.

4. Place the steamed cauliflower in a dish, towel and squeeze out as much excess water as you can. You might want to let it cool for a few minutes first, so you don’t burn yourself. You should be able to get out a lot of water; be really aggressive about squeezing it, or you’ll end up with soggy tortillas later.

5. Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Add in the eggs, oregano, and paprika, and season to taste ( you can use any spices you like).

6. Separate the mixture into 6 balls of equal size, and spread each ball out on a parchment-lined baking sheet to make six small circles.

7. Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes; then flip and cook for another 5 minutes.

8. Reheat in a pan over placed over a low heat when ready to serve.👩‍🍳

Thirsty Thursday
Green tea
Its health benefits are often exaggerated, and it does contain caffeine (it’s made from the same plant as black tea). But green tea is still a healthier alternative to drinks that are high in sugar and fat. Matcha lattes meanwhile, made from powdered green tea and milk, often contain hidden sugar. Make your own latte with hot low-fat milk whisked with pure matcha powder. Use Honey if needed.

Love "grounding" and it is so healthy. Are you familiar with grounding and is it a part of your health journey?

TIP TUESDAY (2 TIPS)
🍗🥩FOR MEAT EATERS: Don’t overcook or burn your meat
🥓 Meat can be a nutritious and healthy part of your diet. It’s very high in protein and contains various important nutrients.
However, problems occur when meat is overcooked or burnt. This can lead to the formation of harmful compounds that raise your risk of cancer.
When you cook meat, make sure not to overcook or burn it.
TIP 2: ☢️Avoid bright lights before sleep☢️
When you’re exposed to bright lights in the evening, it may disrupt your production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
One strategy is to use a pair of amber-tinted glasses that block blue light from entering your eyes in the evening.
This allows melatonin to be produced as if it were completely dark, helping you sleep better.
SOURCE: HEALTHLINK

LIGHT TIPS:
😴 Adjust your screens to low light in evenings.
😴 Reduce lighting and stay off all technology within an hour of sleep.
😴 DO NOT use your phone as an alarm clock! Place it across the room, in bathroom or closet, but far enough away where you cannot reach it in the middle of the night.
Photo by: Jay Wennington

Savory Sunday
Classic Cucumber & Tomato Salad
Yields: 5 servings | Servings: 1 cup | Calories: 66 | Total Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 0 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 38 mg | Carbohydrates: 7 g | Dietary Fiber: 1 g | Sugars: 5 g | Protein: 1 g | SmartPoints (Freestyle): 3 |
Ingredients
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, slice in half lengthwise
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher or sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons fresh Dill
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon yellow or Dijon Mustard, no sugar added
1 teaspoon honey, (optional)
Instructions
In a large salad bowl combine cucumbers, tomatoes and onion. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over cucumber mix, toss to coat. Serve immediately.

SHAPE-UP SATURDAY
ALL ABOUT THE PEDOMETER AND WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU
I pray each of you will read this and learn the history and then understand how you can celebrate all of your steps and what is best for you. Great article!!!

Finding the Right Number of Steps for Your Pedometer Goal How many steps per day are enough? Is 10,000 steps a day a good goal to set for your pedometer? Read the answers based on medical research.

FRIDAY FOOD FACT:

THIRSTY THURSDAY:

**REFRESHING DETOX DRINK
**1 cucumber
1 lemon
2 limes
1 bunch of mint.
Slice them all and divide the ingredients between four water bottles and fill them up with bottled water.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY:
7 Foods That Are High in Magnesium

Plus, how much magnesium does your body really need?

From the first cereal commercial you see as a kid, you learn that you need vitamins and minerals in abundance. Like magnesium, for one. “Your body needs it to function correctly,” says registered dietitian Anna Taylor, RD.
Here’s how to know if you’re getting enough — and what to eat to keep your levels up.

The benefits of magnesium:

Magnesium is a real heavy hitter, Taylor says. It’s necessary for more than 300 enzymatic processes in the body, including:
Normal daily functions, like muscle contraction and heart rhythm.
Protein production.
Blood sugar and blood pressure control.
Bone health.
Making DNA.
Creating energy.

The problem is, many people don’t get enough, forcing the body to compensate.
“When your magnesium levels are down, your body filters out less magnesium than normal to keep adequate levels in your body,” Taylor says. “But that’s not a great long-term strategy.”

What are the symptoms of a magnesium deficiency?

It’s usually not a problem if you have days here and there where you don’t get enough magnesium. But an ongoing lack of it in your diet can lead to magnesium deficiency.

Certain conditions (and some medications) can also make it harder for your body to have adequate magnesium levels. These conditions include:

Crohn’s disease.
Celiac disease.
Chronic diarrhea
Alcohol use disorder.
Type 2 diabetes.
Early signs of magnesium deficiency include:
Fatigue.
Loss of appetite.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Weakness.

As magnesium deficiency gets worse, other symptoms may occur, including:
Abnormal heart rhythms.
Coronary spasms.
Numbness.
Muscle spasms and cramps.
Personality changes.
Seizures.
Tingling.

How to make sure you’re getting enough magnesium

To get enough magnesium in your diet, experts recommend:
Men: 400-420 milligrams per day.
Women: 310-320 milligrams per day.
But before you pull out the calculator, Taylor has some advice: “I rarely recommend people tally up magnesium or other vital nutrients,” she says. “It’s tedious, difficult and ungainly. Instead, make sure to include a variety of fiber-rich plant foods in your diet every day.”
What foods are high in magnesium?
Here are Taylor’s top picks.

1. Nuts and seeds
Almonds (roasted): 1 ounce = 80 milligrams of magnesium (20% of the recommended dietary allowance).
Cashews (roasted): 1 ounce = 72 milligrams of magnesium (18% RDA).
Flaxseed (whole): 1 tablespoon = 40 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
Peanuts (dry roasted): 1 ounce = 49 milligrams of magnesium (12% RDA).
Pumpkin seeds (hulled, roasted): 1 ounce = 150 milligrams of magnesium (37% RDA).
2. Legumes
Black beans (boiled): 1/2 cup = 60 milligrams of magnesium (15% RDA).
Edamame (cooked, prepared): 1/2 cup = 50 milligrams of magnesium (12% RDA).
Lima beans (cooked): 1/2 cup = 40 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
3. Fiber-rich whole grains
Quinoa (cooked): 1/2 cup = 60 milligrams of magnesium (15% RDA).
Shredded wheat (plain, unfrosted): 1 cup = 56 milligrams of magnesium (14% RDA).
4. Low-fat dairy products
Milk (nonfat): 1 cup = 24-27 milligrams of magnesium (7% RDA).
Yogurt (plain, low fat): 8 oz. = 42 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
5. Greens
Spinach (cooked): 1/2 cup = 78 milligrams of magnesium (19% RDA).
6. Chocolate
Dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa): 1 oz. = 64 milligrams of magnesium (16% RDA).
7. Water
“Tap, mineral and bottled waters can be magnesium sources — but it’s difficult to know how much magnesium they contain because it depends on the water source,” Taylor says. “It’s anywhere from 1 milligram per liter to 120 milligrams per liter.”
So, if you drink the recommended two liters of water per day, that could be up to 240 milligrams of magnesium.
To reach the recommended amounts, Taylor recommends eating:
Fruits and vegetables: Five handfuls per day.
Whole grains: At least three servings per day.
Nuts and seeds: 1 ounce or 1/4 cup per day.
Legumes: One serving most days of the week.

Should you take a magnesium supplement?

Magnesium supplements can be helpful if a doctor determines that you have a magnesium deficiency. But if you have no major health problems, Taylor says you should get magnesium from your diet.

“Food first is my mantra,” she says. “If you take a dietary supplement for magnesium and take too much, you’re going to get some uncomfortable side effects, such as cramping, diarrhea and nausea.”

Eating magnesium-rich foods also gives you more nutritional bang for your buck. “You’re not just getting magnesium from these foods — you’re also getting so many fantastic nutrients, such as vitamins, other minerals and phytonutrients,” she says. “Phytonutrients are plant compounds that are antioxidants, immunity boosters, anti-cancer agents and anti-inflammatories.”

CREDIT: HEALTH ESSENTIALS, CLEVELAND CLINIC

TIP TUESDAY:

Who is needing to hear this today? Whether it is about your health, your finances, your love life or whatever.

Never give up hope! There is never only one solution, you have to have faith and keep looking for the solution by getting out of your own way.

FACT FRIDAY:

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY:

7 Foods That Are High in Magnesium
Plus, how much magnesium does your body really need?
From the first cereal commercial you see as a kid, you learn that you need vitamins and minerals in abundance. Like magnesium, for one. “Your body needs it to function correctly,” says registered dietitian Anna Taylor, RD.
Here’s how to know if you’re getting enough — and what to eat to keep your levels up.
The benefits of magnesium
Magnesium is a real heavy hitter, Taylor says. It’s necessary for more than 300 enzymatic processes in the body, including:
Normal daily functions, like:
Muscle contraction and heart rhythm.
Protein production.
Blood sugar and blood pressure control.
Bone health.
Making DNA.
Creating energy.
The problem is, many people don’t get enough, forcing the body to compensate.
“When your magnesium levels are down, your body filters out less magnesium than normal to keep adequate levels in your body,” Taylor says. “But that’s not a great long-term strategy.”
What are the symptoms of a magnesium deficiency?
It’s usually not a problem if you have days here and there where you don’t get enough magnesium. But an ongoing lack of it in your diet can lead to magnesium deficiency.
Certain conditions (and some medications) can also make it harder for your body to have adequate magnesium levels. These conditions include:
Crohn’s disease.
Celiac disease.
Chronic diarrhea
Alcohol use disorder.
Type 2 diabetes.
Early signs of magnesium deficiency include:
Fatigue.
Loss of appetite.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Weakness.
As magnesium deficiency gets worse, other symptoms may occur, including:
Abnormal heart rhythms.
Coronary spasms.
Numbness.
Muscle spasms and cramps.
Personality changes.
Seizures.
Tingling.
How to make sure you’re getting enough magnesium
To get enough magnesium in your diet, experts recommend:
Men: 400-420 milligrams per day.
Women: 310-320 milligrams per day.
But before you pull out the calculator, Taylor has some advice: “I rarely recommend people tally up magnesium or other vital nutrients,” she says. “It’s tedious, difficult and ungainly. Instead, make sure to include a variety of fiber-rich plant foods in your diet every day.”
What foods are high in magnesium?
Here are Taylor’s top picks.
1. Nuts and seeds
Almonds (roasted): 1 ounce = 80 milligrams of magnesium (20% of the recommended dietary allowance).
Cashews (roasted): 1 ounce = 72 milligrams of magnesium (18% RDA).
Flaxseed (whole): 1 tablespoon = 40 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
Peanuts (dry roasted): 1 ounce = 49 milligrams of magnesium (12% RDA).
Pumpkin seeds (hulled, roasted): 1 ounce = 150 milligrams of magnesium (37% RDA).
2. Legumes
Black beans (boiled): 1/2 cup = 60 milligrams of magnesium (15% RDA).
Edamame (cooked, prepared): 1/2 cup = 50 milligrams of magnesium (12% RDA).
Lima beans (cooked): 1/2 cup = 40 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
3. Fiber-rich whole grains
Quinoa (cooked): 1/2 cup = 60 milligrams of magnesium (15% RDA).
Shredded wheat (plain, unfrosted): 1 cup = 56 milligrams of magnesium (14% RDA).
4. Low-fat dairy products
Milk (nonfat): 1 cup = 24-27 milligrams of magnesium (7% RDA).
Yogurt (plain, low fat): 8 oz. = 42 milligrams of magnesium (10% RDA).
5. Greens
Spinach (cooked): 1/2 cup = 78 milligrams of magnesium (19% RDA).
6. Chocolate
Dark chocolate (70-85% cocoa): 1 oz. = 64 milligrams of magnesium (16% RDA).
7. Water
“Tap, mineral and bottled waters can be magnesium sources — but it’s difficult to know how much magnesium they contain because it depends on the water source,” Taylor says. “It’s anywhere from 1 milligram per liter to 120 milligrams per liter.”
So, if you drink the recommended two liters of water per day, that could be up to 240 milligrams of magnesium.
To reach the recommended amounts, Taylor recommends eating:
Fruits and vegetables: Five handfuls per day.
Whole grains: At least three servings per day.
Nuts and seeds: 1 ounce or 1/4 cup per day.
Legumes: One serving most days of the week.
Should you take a magnesium supplement?
Magnesium supplements can be helpful if a doctor determines that you have a magnesium deficiency. But if you have no major health problems, Taylor says you should get magnesium from your diet.
“Food first is my mantra,” she says. “If you take a dietary supplement for magnesium and take too much, you’re going to get some uncomfortable side effects, such as cramping, diarrhea and nausea.”
Eating magnesium-rich foods also gives you more nutritional bang for your buck. “You’re not just getting magnesium from these foods — you’re also getting so many fantastic nutrients, such as vitamins, other minerals and phytonutrients,” she says. “Phytonutrients are plant compounds that are antioxidants, immunity boosters, anti-cancer agents and anti-inflammatories.”
CREDIT: HEALTH ESSENTIALS, CLEVELAND CLINIC

TIP TUESDAY:
Store Fruits and Vegetable Separate From Each Other
Storing fruits and vegetables together causes them to go bad faster. Store them in separated drawers in the refrigerator. Or, if the produce does better at room temperature, store the vegetables and fruit in separate bowls on the counter.