It seems the older women get the more protein they need. Recent studies from researchers in the US and UK have found that women lose more muscle mass than men do as they age because their bodies can’t process protein like they used to. We already tend to have more fat and less muscle, even as early as middle-age.

This study compared women and men between the ages of 60-80.  Recommendations from the study include resistance training (weight training), and more protein in the diet. The goal is not to eat more food, but maximize your protein through better food selection. Select lean meat, eggs, legumes, and vegetables high in protein.

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As promised, I am addressing the issue of water weight. Many of you have asked what it is exactly and why is it the first thing I lose on a diet? I thought these were some great questions, and so I’ve done a little homework for you. While there were several references to water weight, there wasn’t an overwhelming amount of information about why we lose it first. I hope that what I have found will help you to understand it just a little better.

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Easter dinner was great.  In keeping it simple this year there was a ham, mac-n-cheese (for the kiddos), and asparagus.  When I got the ham I said let’s not forget the asparagus.  Why?  Because it is spring I suppose, I mean all I thought of in the produce section was lettuce for my much needed salads, strawberries of course for their vitamin C…and they were on sale, and asparagus. 

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Easter, vacation and travel, oh my!

Yes I’m glad it is over.  I’m trying to think of the worst food choices I made over the last week while away from the comfort of my own home and I think it was more of what I lacked.  Salad.  I didn’t eat enough salad while away.  Oh, there were vegetables here and there and a great homemade Manhattan Clam Chowder teaming with potatoes, carrots and tomatoes but I had maybe one salad.  It was a family recipe of lettuce, tomatoes and olives dressed with mayo and pickled beets.  Flavorful to be sure (and outdated with the mayo dressing), but not something you’d want to have a great big bowl of. 

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Happy Easter!

It is so good to return home.  As much as I enjoyed a visit with family there is nothing more comforting than to sleep in one’s own bed. 

I see Brenda kept you busy with all sorts of great advice and there is not much I can add right now except to enjoy the holiday if Easter is a holiday in which you partake.  I like Easter holiday feasting because it seems to be the easiest of all holiday feasts.  It can be whatever you make of it.

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Cabbage, here is a food that we used to consume 27 pounds of in the 1920’s.  Today we are lucky if we consume 9 pounds of this nutritional vegetable.

Coming in many shapes, colors and sizes, cabbage is readily available and a great source of vitamin C.  It is full of iron, calcium, potassium, and many other vitamins, notably vitamins B1, B2, B3, and vitamin A (of which bok choy contains the most in comparison to savoy and napa).

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How about some garlic or onions, leeks and shallots?  Yum, I know.  Not exactly the picture of fiber and phytochemicals like berries. They are vegetables though and for a diet you couldn’t do any worse than to include super foods that help protect your body from disease and offer a boost to your immune system.

The research isn’t totally in on garlic but there has been talk that it is good for your cholesterol too.  Whether that’s the case or not, since it is a plant I’d bet it is worth a shot to consider it over less natural forms of flavor. 

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Anybody catch Dr. Oz on Oprah yesterday? Well he’s my favorite doctor.  Dr. Oz always has something interesting and fun, and maybe he’ll gross out Oprah if we’re lucky. Yesterday was about an experiment they did where a group of individuals were put in a zoo for 12 days. The plan was to eat the diet of an ape which is the equivalent of 11 pounds of vegan food a day. That is all the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that you can think of.

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Vitamin K is the least known member of the vitamin family, but it is also one of the most important ones that our bodies need.  This vitamin, also known as phytonadione, is essential for our blood to clot normally.  The “K” in the name of this vitamin actually comes from the word “koagulation”, which is German for clotting.  We also need vitamin K to help us to maintain healthy bones. 

The body actually only requires a very small amount of this critical vitamin.  It is usually found in multi-vitamins, calcium supplements and any bone health formulas.  This vitamin is fat-soluble, which means that the body will absorb it best if taken with a fatty food.  This could simply mean a little dressing on a spinach salad.   

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Vitamin E belongs to a family of related compounds which are known as tocotrienols and tocopherols.  It is believed to help prevent heart disease and cancer.  This vitamin helps to boost the immune system, protect the red blood cells and plays an important part in reproduction. 

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