Spice it up – I was mesmerized and inspired to cook when I discovered the Savory Spice Shop in Palm Desert. Check out their wonderful gift boxes that can help any cook add loads of flavor without loads of calories! www.savoryspiceshop.com/palmdesert

Be Inspired – This new clothing line, MindfuLeigh apparel , was created by an athlete and sports therapist to get people’s body and MIND IN MOTION. It is meant to inspire people to look within which increases confidence, heightens self-awareness and produces results! The apparel holds you accountable, makes you feel good and gives you the power to be your own change agent. Use promo code “drmelina” for 10% off. www.mindfuleigh.com/shop

Box it up – I created the healthful and delicious organic gift basket for this website and there are other healthful gift baskets to choose from that let you sample a variety of healthful goodies – it’s the perfect gift idea for that health minded friend or relative who loves to try new things! www.americasbestorganic.com/drmelina

Spray & Save (calories that it!) – Most people that I meet don’t realize how many extra calories they consume each day from things like salad dressing. Even if you use healthful olive oil based dressings, the calories still add up. I love the idea of a salad dressing ‘mister’ to help you spray on flavor without overdoing it when it comes to calories. Check out this one by Prepara from www.surlatable.com

Fun & healthful stocking stuffers:

I’ve teamed up with all of the companies below to offer you discounts on healthy holiday stocking stuffers (or to stock up yourself) through December 31, 2012

Designer Whey – Tasty protein bars and protein 2 go packets are great stocking stuffers and perfect holiday travel snacks. Save 20% off all their products using the promo code MAINTAIN. www.designerwhey.com

Barleans Organic Oils – Get your heart healthy omega 3s and more with these award winning, great tasting products. Save 20% using the link below.
http://www.barleans.com/default.asp?ref=jampme000

Blender Bottle – Shake up your eating routine and make eating healthy simple with these sporty and colorful mixers. Save 10% with promo code DrMelina. www.blenderbottle.com

Numi Tea – Sip yourself slim with their line of Puerh teas that are loaded with anti-oxidants that can help you burn more belly fat and keep your heart healthy too. Save 20% with code DrMelina. www.numitea.com

Eat less red meat. Your cardiologist has probably been suggesting that you cut back on red meat for years to lower your cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease, but she probably didn’t mention that eating a low meat diet uses 41% less energy and generates 37% fewer greenhouse gases. And she may not have brought up the fact that it takes 1/3 pound of fertilizer to grow the grains to produce just one pound of cooked beef. Add to that the depletion of valuable land and water, and the environmental contamination from antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and fertilizers, and you might want to think twice before ordering that bi-weekly T-bone.

Go organic. While the cost of organic foods can be a bit intimidating during these trying economic times, eating organic as often as possible can help prevent damage to our environment and help conserve our precious energy resources. Why? Organic agriculture uses about 30% less fossil fuel than conventional agriculture. From a health standpoint, eating organic is especially important when it comes to fruits, vegetables and grains, which are more likely to contain pesticide residues than meat, poultry, eggs and dairy. High doses of pesticides have been linked to cancer, nervous system disease and birth defects in animals suggested that some effect in humans is a very real possibility. If you can’t afford to go organic completely, make sure to choose organic when it comes to the ‘dirty dozen’ fruits and veggies list created by the Environmental Working Group. Here is a link to a great article by prevention discussing 8 ways to make organic more affordable.

Choose local & seasonal products. Buying food produced by local farmers helps encourage and preserve sustainable farming practices by increasing crop diversity which can help decrease use of pesticides and fertilizers through crop rotation. In addition, in some, but not all cases, buying locally can help decrease the risk of green house gas emissions through decreased transportation requirements. Although local products may in some cases carry a higher price tag than massive corporate farm produced food products, this price increase may be offset by the increased cost of fuel necessary for transportation of product across the country. Finally, local and seasonal products often taste better, are more nutritious since many of the vitamins in produce degrade over time, and are consumed fresh, which decreases the need for chemical preservatives or irradiation to extend their shelf life. If you really want to know more about local food, check out the USDA’s new Know your farmer, know your food compass.  My new book, The Calendar Diet, provides seasonal recipes to help you lose weight, improve your health, and protect our environment.

Would you rather eat a heart-healthy bowl of oatmeal with sliced strawberries and almonds or take medicine to lower your cholesterol? If you chose the more flavorful option, you’d achieve nearly the same benefits, according to research evaluating a cholesterol-lowering diet done by a group of Canadian researchers.

In the study, 34 people with high cholesterol were put on three separate treatments for a month each. The control group ate a very low-saturated fat diet; the second group ate the same low-saturated fat diet plus 20 mg dose of a popular statin (cholesterol-lowering) medication. The third group ate a “portfolio diet.” The plan does not focus on weight loss, per se, but is exclusively designed to lower cholesterol. And, much like an investment portfolio, instead of naming a single food, the portfolio approach works by eating a variety of foods.

The amounts were based on total calories the subjects consumed, which varied:

1. Plant sterols (1.0 gram for every 1,000 calories consumed): these disease-fighting plant chemicals are found in nature but in small doses. They’re added in higher concentrations to foods including butter spreads, yogurts, milk, nutrition bars and even tortilla chips.
2. Soy-protein foods (21.4 grams per 1,000 calories): including soy milk and soy burgers
3. Almonds (14 grams per 1,000 calories)
4. Viscous fiber (10 grams per 1,000 calories) from oats, barley, psyllium, and the vegetables okra and eggplant. (Note: “viscous” refers to a sticky type of fiber that binds to cholesterol and sweeps it out of your body.)

After one month, the control group’s LDL (bad cholesterol) dropped 8.5 percent. The group taking medication showed an average 33.3 percent reduction in LDL, and the portfolio diet group showed a 29.6 percent reduction in LDL. Amazingly, 26 percent of the participants actually achieved their lowest LDL by following the portfolio diet for only one month.

Since the portfolio diet was very strict, all the food was provided. So the same researchers published a follow-up study in which they prescribed the same portfolio diet for one year, but this time the participants were on their own. No food was provided so researchers could measure the effects of the portfolio diet under real world conditions.

Results were not quite as dramatic but still very substantial. After one year, LDL levels dropped an average of 13 percent, and one third of the participants achieved a greater than 20 percent reduction in LDL, which is comparable to results achieved by many people who take medication. Not surprisingly, success directly related to how closely participants followed the diet, and those who followed the diet the most closely achieved the best results.

In the past decade, we have come to understand that heart disease is not only associated with elevated cholesterol levels, it also results from inflammation and oxidative (free radical) damage. A more recent study by the same group published looked at the effect of adding strawberries, as a source of antioxidants, to improve the portfolio diet even further. They found that adding strawberries (454 grams a day, 112 calories, or about 2 servings) compared with additional oat bran bread showed an even more significant reduction in oxidative damage to LDL cholesterol, which could reduce heart disease even further.

If oatmeal and almonds do not appeal to you, keep in mind that while these researchers chose very specific foods, many other heart healthy choices abound. A few heart-healthy guidelines include:
1. Eat from the rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables. The same compounds that give produce their bright colors provide powerful antioxidants.
2. Experiment with whole grains like barley, think outside the box when it comes to oatmeal (healthy cookies, coating for chicken) and consider adding psyllium to your diet (which can be found in products like Metamucil) on a regular basis.
3. Replace a portion of the animal protein in your diet with plant based protein (including beans, soy protein, and nuts).
4. Eat nuts and seeds in moderation, however, since their high calorie count may lead to weight gain, which may offset the benefits of a heart healthy diet.

In addition, limit added sugar and salt, eat omega-3 rich fish (i.e. salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, halibut) at least twice a week (or take an omega 3 fatty acid capsule daily), get rid of excess weight, especially toxic belly fat, consider imbibing in a glass of red wine with dinner (no need to start drinking if you don’t already, but wine contains antioxidants and may help raise the good HDL cholesterol), and strive for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days.

Holiday shopping for friends or family members who are trying to get healthy is a great opportunity to show them a little support in their long, often challenging journey. Here are several gift ideas to help loved ones get and stay healthy in 2012.
Harry and David Fruit of the Month Club Membership – We all know fruit is an important part of any healthy diet, so why not give the gift of fresh seasonal fruit for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. It’s a wonderful gift that your health minded friends will appreciate. Prices range from $69.95 – $317.95 with free delivery. If you are on tighter budget, check out the Pears and Apple Gift Box for just $29.95. www.harryanddavid.com

Sodastream Home Soda Maker – These amazing machines allow you to make carbonated plain or flavored water and soft drinks in less than 30 seconds. I absolutely love mine. Not only do I drink a lot more water with the carbonation and calorie free flavors, I feel like I’m a making a small difference in the environment every day by decreasing my use of plastic water bottles. Prices start at $79.95. Check them out at www.sodastreamusa.com or find them at retailers like Bed, Bath & Beyond.
 America’s Best Organics Healthful & Delicious Gift Basket – I personally designed this basket and chose to include organic, healthful products that were really unique and could easily be worked in to a healthful diet. The basket includes GoNaturally Organic cherry hard candy with real fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard on calories, Theo’s antioxidant rich dark chocolate and coffee bar for a tasty treat, Colorado Mountain Jam’s heavenly Organic Apple Pie Jam for a delicious topping on whole grain toast, Grizzlies Organic Curry Cashew Trail Mix for a healthful, anti-oxidant rich snack (in controlled portions), and naturally stimulating Runa Amazon Guayusa Spice with hints of cinnamon and lemongrass for an energizing and delicious boost. All the products come in a beautiful box for just $37.75 http://www.americasbestorganics.com/organic-healthy-and-delicious-gift-basket
Fitbook™ Food and Exercise Journal – I’ve talked about the importance of keeping a food and exercise journal on numerous occasion. Research shows that it can double your weight loss success, and it’s also a great way to track your progress and continue to make progress. The Fitbook is very comprehensive. It not only tracks food and exercise, it also allows you to plan ahead, track goals, log your sleep, measurements, rate workouts, and even track your mood after eating. For $22.95, it makes a great stocking stuffer for someone who is watching their weight. And it even comes in a Fitbook Junior version that teaches kids to live active and healthy lifestyles. www.getfitbook.com
Xbox 360 + Kinect – If you want to get the entire family more active, this is a great gift idea. Kids love video games, so why not give them an active game that the whole family can enjoy. You can also use it to watch movies, listen to music, watch TV and play games with people around the world. I’m a big fan of the full body gaming feature, a controller-free system that responds to how you move. It’s a terrific way to get everyone in the family off the couch. Games like Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 can help get you in shape without having to deal with a crowded gym, and games like Dance Central can get your kids excited about being more active. Prices vary by retailer. The system can be found on Amazon for about $295. Learn more about it at http://www.xbox.com/en-US/
A Bottle of Red Wine – Red wine is loaded with heart healthy anti-oxidants, and alcohol in moderation has not been associated with weight gain, so why not give a special bottle of wine this holiday season. Here are two limited edition bottles that could make a unique and healthful gift.
     Clos du Bois & Banana Republic – With stylish labels designed by the BR artists and an affordable price point of     $16.99 and $19.99, these classic varietals (Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon) are sure to please any hostess this holiday season. *Plus the back of the bottle has a QR code to download a festival holiday sound track! www.closdubois.com

     Marilyn Merlot – The special silk screened 25th Silver Anniversary bottling will add a little glamour to your life and toast Marilyn Monroe. This year marked the 50th Anniversary of her death and the debut of Simon Curtis’ much anticipated “My Week with Marilyn.” The film stars Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams as the 1950s sex symbol and is based on the week in 1956 that British writer Colin Clark worked as Monroe’s assistant. www.marilymerlot.com

A New Exercise DVD – If the X-Box Kinect is out of your budget, you can still help your friend or family member get excited about getting fit in 2012 with a new exercise DVD. If they love to dance, Zumba® has a terrific DVD set, Exhilarate, that includes 8 DVDs including a rush 20-minute workout, a Ripped body sculping DVD, and even a set of one pound toning sticks. I’m also fan of piloxing, a celebrity favorite high energy workout that combines yoga and boxing. The creator, Viveca Jensen, can get even the biggest couch potato motivated with her DVD.

As the holiday season rapidly approaches, most of you will face two challenging eating situations:  belly busting party food and calorie dense, on-the-go travel food.  I’m going to tackle travel food in this blog and will take on party food in an upcoming blog.  Here are some of my top picks for holiday (or anytime) travel snacks, whether you are travelling by plane or car.  By planning ahead and bringing food with, you can skip the cinnabon and fast food effortlessly (ok maybe not effortlessly –it’s hard to avoid the smell of cinnamon or French fries in the airport), and avoid arriving at your destination famished and making really poor choices.  And you will probably save a little money in the process.

1. Justin Nut Butter & an Apple –  It’s hard to pack a jar of peanut butter and a knife with you on the plane these days, so throw in a packet of this tasty and portion controlled nut butter and an apple and you are good to go – no security risk utensils required.  Just squeeze a bit of your favorite flavor nut butter (they come in almond, peanut, and hazelnut) on each bite.  The combination of fiber, plant based protein and healthy fat can keep you satisfied you for hours.

2.       Sunsweet® One Prunes & Blue Diamond® Almonds 100 calorie pack – I’m not generally a huge fan of dried fruit as it is much more calorie dense than fresh fruit. But sometimes for travel, it is easier.  Just make sure that portion sizes are VERY controlled (don’t buy a big bag of dried fruit at the airport or gas station and think you are saving loads of calories).  I like combining a few Sunsweet® One™ Prunes, which are a good source of potassium and fiber, with a Blue Diamond Almonds 100 calorie pack (again, easy portion control) for a  little sweet and salty combo that provides a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals, fiber and heart healthy fat. 

3.      Clif® bar minis – Let’s face it, you aren’t burning a ton of calories sitting on a plane or in a car, so the 100 calorie Clif® bar mini is the perfect size to take the edge of hunger until you get to your destination.  The combination of protein, fiber and healthy fat is perfect to keep hunger at bay for an hour or two during a short flight or car ride.  If you are travelling farther and want to control hunger for hours, try one of my Dr. Melina® protein bars instead – they have 14 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, only 160-170 calories, and come in 3 delicious flavors (chocolate peanut, lemon raspberry, and double chocolate acai).

4.       String Cheese Wrap – I love rolling a light string cheese into a Smart & Delicious Low Carb, High Fiber Low Carb tortilla by La Tortilla Factory (I use them for everything) for a quick and satisfying on the go snack.  Add a little Dijon mustard to jazz it up and you are good to go.  This simple wrap provides protein, fiber, and the string cheese is a good source of calcium too!

5.   Empty water bottle + Crystal Light® Pure On-the-go packets – I hate paying $3-4 for a bottle of water or a low calorie drink at the airport, so I always bring an empty water bottle (which I fill at the fountain as soon as I clear security)  and couple of Crystal Light® Pure on-the-go packets.  This helps me stay hydrated and stay away from high calorie, sugar sweetened beverages.  Plane travel can be dehydrating, and being even mildly dehydrated can drop your metabolism (which is not something you want to do before sitting down to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!).  If you are travelling by car, use a full water bottle and take a sip before adding the packet.  If you prefer plain, filtered water, pick up a Camelbak Groove® , a portable water filtration bottle, for fresh, filtered water wherever you are!

So while I can’t really give you any advice for dealing with airport delays, long lines, crowds or stressful family situations, packing along a few items from the list above could help you stay trim and energetic enough to handle whatever comes your way!

The good news: certain foods keep inflammation at bay, even foods you may not think fit into a healthy diet (wine, anyone?). A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who followed this diet the most closely had a 30% lower risk of heart disease. Follow as many of these tasty guidelines as you can to reduce your risk of inflammation:

1. Fruits and Vegetables: 5 to 9 servings a day
Pigments in fruits and vegetables don’t just look attractive, they’re chock full of healthful, anti-inflammatories. The more the merrier. Look for deeply-colored fruits including deep green (spinach, kale, broccoli), orange (sweet potato, cantaloupe, carrots), berries and cherries.

2. Aim for a serving of nuts or non-processed soy every day
Go nuts over nuts, particularly the anti-oxidant variety, which include pistachios, almonds, pecans and walnuts. (Think portion control to avoid excess calories.)

3. Eat more healthy fats (nuts, avocado, olive oil, canola oil) and less unhealthy saturated fats (red meat, butter, mayo, cream, cheese, egg yolks) and omega 6 rich oils like vegetable oil (corn, sunflower, soybean, peanut) which can be pro-inflammatory (>1:1 ratio).

Note: Omega 3 fatty acids are particularly anti-inflammatory. If your diet doesn’t include fatty fish like salmon or sardines at least twice a week—or if you have an inflammatory associated condition—take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement.

4. Limit red meat to no more than twice a week. Choose lean cuts and limit grilling or broiling (high temperature cooking) which can cause inflammatory by-products. Cook low and slow if possible.

5. Limit cured and salted processed meats such as packaged lunch meats, hot dogs and bacon.

6. Cut trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) as much as possible, which are particularly pro-inflammatory. Read labels carefully even if a product says “trans fat free” as it may contain less 0.5 grams per serving which allows manufacturers to make the “free” claim.

7. Alcohol is fine in moderation. Stick with one glass of wine per day for women; one to two glasses per day for men. Limit sugary mixers. Red wine is probably best but all alcohol has some benefit.

8. Take a daily multivitamin. No need to overdose on any single nutrient but a daily multi is associated with lower levels of inflammation.

9. Try to consume at least 15 grams of grain based fiber per day. This requires making all (or mostly) the grains in your diet whole grains: brown rice, whole wheat bread & pasta, barley, quinoa, oatmeal.

10. Include other super-antioxidants foods:
Green tea: aim for 2 cups or more per day.
Dark Chocolate: opt for 70% cacao
Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, curcumin (cumin)
Beans: red beans, kidney, black beans

Possible Calorie Bomb: Hamburgers/Hot Dogs

Easy Swaps:
-Pass on a bun, saving yourself anywhere from 100-300 calories. Or compromise and make an open-faced burger using half of the bun. Maybe your health-conscious BBQ host will even have bun-alternatives, like Oroweat Sandwich Thins, clocking in at only 100 calories, and providing you with 5 grams of filling fiber. Check with your host—if these won’t be at the BBQ, why not bring them yourself!
-Avoid high-calorie condiments and topping, like mayonnaise, cheese, and bacon. Replacing these with more waist-friendly options like avocado, fresh or grilled veggies, spicy or sweet mustard, and low-fat cheeses.
-You can always opt for burgers and dogs made with lean beef, or replace hamburger patties with turkey burgers (make sure to choose extra lean ground turkey as the regular has just as much fat as beef in many cases), portabella mushrooms, or lean fish. Veggie burgers can be good options too, but be careful! They can pack on the calories just like their meaty counterparts. I’m a big fan of Harmony Valley vegetarian mix and they are currently running contest on their website to build the best ‘burger’ – The Great Grill Challenge. Check it out if you are feeling creative at the grill.

Potential Diet Wrecker: Chili

Easy Changes:
-Offer to make the chili, so you know what goes into it!
-When cooking, you can replace high-fat ground beef with leaner ground-beef or extra lean ground-turkey.
-Chili can be a great chance to rack up your veggie points for the day. I double the vegetables in all my chili recipes. Try adding chunky tomatoes, onions, or carrots. Maybe you could even shake things up with some squash. Vegetables can allow you to cut calories without cutting portions, a key component to successful weight loss.
-Go vegetarian—add lean protein by tossing in any variety of beans.

Mega Offender: Potato/Macaroni Salad

- It’s not a bad idea to avoid these side items entirely. They tend to be packed with high-fat mayonnaise, and can be a major contributor to the calories you consume. Some alternative side items that won’t break the calorie bank include fruit salad, whole wheat pasta salad, baked beans, or colorful mixed green salads—just watch that dressing.
-If you plan to make potato or macaroni salads, try using less mayonnaise or light mayo. Also, add more non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and carrots for flavor and crunch!

Calorie Contributor: Pie

-Make pie crusts lighter by reducing butter and substituting some other high-cal ingredients. Or check out this low fat pie crust recipe from cooks.com.
-Fill your pies with fresh, seasonal fruit if it is available to you, avoiding the high-sugar, syrupy pie fillings.
-If you’re tempted by the pie at your hosts weekend bash, enjoy a small slice—cutting your portions in half can decrease your calorie intake by as much as a few hundred calories. You can also cut the crust off the end and shave 50-100 calories while still enjoying some of the crust and the flavorful filling.
-Skip the whip cream (or use whipped topping spray – only 15 calories for 2 tbsp) and save about 100 calories!

Waistline Woe: Alcohol

-Alcohol—often in abundance at holiday BBQs—can contribute more than just calories from the drinks themselves. These drinks also lower your inhibitions, so you are less likely to make wise decisions when serving yourself and more likely to munch mindlessly on chips and dip all afternoon.
-If you’re craving summery cocktails, such as pina coladas, try making a “mocktail,” or a low calorie, alcohol free version of your favorite blended beverage. Check out this recipe from my pal Lisa Lillien (aka Hungry Girl)
-Cut calories (and alcohol) by diluting white wine with sparkling water for a deliciously satisfying spritzer.
-If you are drinking alcohol, make sure to alternate a large glass of water or calorie free beverage with each drink to keep calories and inhibitions under control.

And perhaps the most important thing that you can do is to get right back on track Tuesday morning. Don’t let one slightly indulgent weekend turn into a week or two or poor eating.

Chocolate Pu∙erh —This velvety infusion combines black Pu∙erh tea and organic cocoa. Accented by whole vanilla beans and sweet orange peel, this decadent blend is rounded off with nutmeg and cinnamon for a spicy finish. (Certified Organic)

Emperors Pu∙erh — Pu∙erh boasts a deep bold body that is smooth and earthy with hints of malt. This rich, energizing tea is deeply satisfying as a coffee alternative. Numi is proud to reveal the centuries old tradition of Pu∙erh. (Certified Organic)

Jasmine Green —I know you’re already a fan of green tea but a bit of extra info on Jasmine Green… it recently won Best Tea from Prevention.com. Jasmine Green undergoes a natural scenting process where organic jasmine flowers are laid atop organic green tea leaves as their scent is naturally embraced. This natural scenting process happens three times. (Certified Organic and Fair Trade Certified).