April Giveaway Product Details

April 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I’m really happy that all of the companies below agreed to participate in my April gift box giveaway. It’s been a great success so far and you still have time to enter to win by ‘liking’ me on facebook (www.drmelina.com/facebook). I found all of these companies at the Expo West show in Anaheim in March and liked their products so I asked them to participate. Here is a little bit about each one.

The Newest Superfruit

Nutrition Powder and Nutrition Bars from Baobab Foods deliver unprecedented nutrition. Baobab fruit has greater antioxidant capacity than acai and is a veritable cornucopia of vitamins and minerals – potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C. The fruit also offers high levels of naturally occurring fiber, including 25% soluble fiber. The baobab fruit grows naturally in the wilds of Africa, Madagascar and Australia on the iconic baobab tree, often referred to as the “tree of life.” Toss a scoop of the powder in your morning or pre-workout smoothie to take it to the next level! www.baobabfoods.com

Healthy Indulgence

HALO is a delicious dessert-themed indulgent snack that you can feel good about. With flavors like S’mores, HALO satisfies the most intense sweet-treat cravings. However, HALO is not a candy bar: rather, HALO is QAI-certified organic, dairy-free/Vegan, low-in-sugar, just 150 calories, a good source of Omegas, and built from all-natural oats, flax seeds, hemp seeds, peanuts and other wholesome ingredients. I’m a dessert person and if I can enjoy a product with the flavor ‘S’mores’ and not feel guilty that’s a good thing in my opinion. http://theprobar.com/products/halo/smores/

One of the Best Fish Oil Products

Purity is a significant concern among fish oil consumers; third-party tests have documented that Nordic Naturals fish oils are completely pure from heavy metals and environmental toxins. The oils are tested three times during manufacturing to show that each soft gel is at least 750 times purer than the source fish, which provides all the benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids without the risk of toxicity. To ensure consistent quality, Nordic Naturals adheres to and exceeds the stringent Norwegian Medicinal Standard (NMS) and the European Pharmacopoeia Standard (EPS) as well as the voluntary standards set by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) for all of our products. These standards guarantee quality products by setting maximum allowances on peroxides, heavy metals, dioxins, and PCBs. By now we all know the benefits of omega 3s. They should be a part of any healthy lifestyle plan! www. Nordicnaturals.com

My New Favorite (& super healthy) Teas

Pu∙erh (pu-er) is an ancient healing tea picked from 500-year-old organic, wild tea trees in the mountains of Yunnan, China. Pu∙erh tea leaves are piled, dampened and turned in a unique 60-day fermentation process. This results in Black Pu∙erh’s deep, earthy flavor and many health benefits that have been touted for thousands of years. Pu∙erh contains more antioxidants than most green teas. I’m completely addicted to this product and I find that it really helps me feel better when I drink it throughout the day. It may even help boost fat loss and drop cholesterol too. www.numitea.com

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).

A Really Healthy (and tasty) Snack Chip

With unmatched flavor, Falafel Chips™ are USDA Organic, Certified Gluten Free, GMO Free, vegan, and kosher. A good source of protein and fiber, containing no cholesterol, trans fat, dairy, nuts, MSG, or artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, each chip is full of crunchy, satisfying flavor. Available in Original and Spicy. These chips are one of the few that contain NATURALLY occurring fiber, a real plus in my book. And they taste terrific. www.flamousbrands.com

Fruit Made Easy & Delicious

“Yogavive™ nutritious fruit snacks are Organic, Non GMO, Kosher, Halal, Vegan
and Gluten Free. Best of all though they are super tasty, full of natural apple goodness and only 35 calories! Yogavive™ are available by mail order from our website www.yogavive.net and also from www.amazon.com. Follow Yogavive™ on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Yogavive and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Yogavive.” Lets face it, we don’t always have time to shop for fresh fruit so this product is a terrific, low calorie, delicious option.

Filed Under: baobab, flamous falafel chips, green tea, halo bar, nordic naturals, numi tea, omega 3, yogavive

7 F’s for decreasing your risk of heart disease

March 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Since February was national heart month and I forgot to publish this handout, I thought I would publish this anyways as heart health should be a concern every month!! Remember that living heart healthy is not an all or nothing – small changes/additions/substitutions on a daily basis can really make a difference. Being active, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and following a healthy diet can decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes by up to 87%!!! So commit today to building these suggestions into your life, and you will reap the benefits.

1. Fish intake. Research has shown that fatty fish and fish oil, which are high in the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (the best fat for the heart), can significantly decrease the risk of dying of a heart attack, especially sudden death heart attacks. Aim for at least two servings of fatty fish per week (salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, sardines) or a 500 mg capsule of fish oil daily if you don’t currently have heart disease (you may need to take more than this if you have had a heart attack or have very high triglycerides). Talk to your doctor about your daily recommended intake.

2. Fiber Intake. Fiber, especially soluble fiber found in whole grains like oats and
barley, can help lower cholesterol. Read food labels to increase your intake and focus on whole grain foods (cereal, whole wheat bread/pasta/crackers, brown rice, healthy grains like bulgur/quinoa/cracked wheat, popcorn), a variety of veggies (be sure to include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, eggplant and okra to help lower cholesterol), and high fiber fruits like apples, oranges, pears and berries. Beans (kidney, lima, black) are one of the best sources of soluble fiber and nuts and seeds are also a good source. Don’t rely on foods with added fiber (like ice cream, cakes, cookies, chips, etc.) for heart healthy fiber as this type of fiber has not been shown to help lower cholesterol or decrease your risk of heart disease.

3. Fitness. Make exercise a priority. Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of walking daily. Exercise helps lower your risk of heart disease or stroke even if you aren’t overweight. Every little bit adds up so if you don’t have time for 30 minutes all at once, walking 10 minutes 3 times daily is just as good (or just 10 minutes total if that is all that you have time for). And don’t forget strength training (weights) a couple of times a week to increase muscle which can help you maintain your weight and help control blood sugar better even if you don’t lose weight.

4. Flavonoids. Fill up on Phytochemicals. These are plant chemicals which are excellent anti-oxidants and may lower the risk of heart disease by protecting bad cholesterol from damage and helping to relax your bloods vessels. Top sources of flavonoids include blueberries, bananas, green and black tea, citrus fruits, fresh and dried parsley, and onions.

5. Fun. Depression and anxiety have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. It is important to build in some relaxation time into your heart healthy lifestyle. Yoga, Thai Chi, or simply taking a nice walk on a sunny day can help relieve stress and
improve your mood. If you feel like you have signs of depression such as change in appetite, problems sleeping, decreased motivation, crying or fatigue, you may want to talk to your doctor about the possibility of medication or counseling.

6. Fats the right way. Good fats such as nuts and seeds, olive oil, canola oil, avocado and flaxseeds have been shown to decrease risk of heart disease (especially when substituted for saturated fat or refined carbohydrates). Try adding small amounts to meals throughout the day. And limit saturated fat. Try fat free/low-fat dairy products and substitute chicken and fish for red meat and other higher fat meats. Go easy on creams, butter, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and margarine and stay away from trans fats (partially hydrogenated) altogether as these are the worst for your heart.

7. Add in Phytosterols. (ok it’s not an F technically but it sounds like F!) Phytosterols are plant based phytochemicals that lower bad cholesterol by interfering with dietary cholesterol absorption in your gut. If your goal is lowering cholesterol, national guidelines recommend 2 grams per day (usually in divided doses).While they exist in small amounts naturally in soybeans, nuts, grains and oils, it’s hard to get enough from food to make a difference. There are lots of new products containing plant sterols including butter spreads and milk products (Smart balance), orange juice (Minute Maid Heartwise), supplements (Cholest-off by Nature Made is a good example), and even tortilla chips and snack bars (Corazones is a relatively new company that makes tasty chips and snack bars). ). For general health, include these foods whenever you can, especially in place of less healthy foods.

Filed Under: bread high fiber low calorie, cholest-off, corazones, fish, heart health, lowering cholesterol, minute maid heartwise, plant sterols, smart balance

Small Changes = Big Weight Loss

January 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you don’t want to ‘go on a diet’ again this year, try implimenting these small changes that I discussed on Regis & Kelly last week to lose weight slowly and painlessly. Just make sure not to add back any extra food or beverage calories. These changes only work if you take things out of your diet without adding anything back in. And you don’t have to do all of these things. Choose the ones that work best for you and be consistent!

BREAKFAST
•Downsize your morning latte 5 x week – switch from large to medium and save calories a day = 40 calories day = 10400 calories year = 3 pounds
•Eat eggs instead of a bagel 2 x week = save up to 27456 calories at subsequent meals = lose up to 8 pounds/year
•Go for flakes (1 cup) over granola (1/2 cup) – 5 x week = save 26000 calories = lose up to 7.5 pounds

LUNCH
•Eat your sandwich open faced 3 x week = save 100 calories (3 x week) = 300 cal wk = 15600 calories = 4 ½ pounds
•Eat 1-2 cups veggie soup before lunch 3 x week = eat 134 calories less per lunch = 20904 calories = 6 pounds (could also do this with an apple before lunch and lose even more – 29172 calories = over 8 pounds)
•Switch to baked or popped chips 3 x week = 7800 calories = 2 pounds

SNACK
•Downsize the portion size – a study last year showed that eating 100 calorie pack snacks resulted in eating 840 fewer calories per week, which would be 43,000 fewer calories per year or 12 pounds lost. Even after going back to normal size snacking, you’ll still eat less because you’ll train yourself to get used to smaller portions.

DRINKS
•Drink out of taller, thinner glasses as studies show that people drink 25-30% less. Anything you choose, you could consume even fewer calories.
•Go for a spritzer (white wine or apple juice) 3 x week – pour ½ wine or juice, ½ sparkling water = save 60 calories = 9360 calories = lose over 2 ½ pounds.

DINNER
•Switch from beef or chicken to fish 2 x week
-beef calories saved = 16640 = about 5 pounds
-chicken = 7280 = 2 pounds
•Dilute the calories in dishes with veggies whenever possible. Aim for 3 x week = 15600 calories = 4.5 pounds
-Chili recipes – double the tomatoes in your recipe, cut up to 50 calories per cup. Use extra lean ground turkey instead of lean ground beef and cut another 50-100 calories per cup.
-Skinny guacamole – add 1 cup of salsa to one cup of guacamole and cut calories almost save 50 calories per %frac14 cup serving
-Make burgers with ½ ground beef (90% lean) and ½ ground mushrooms – save 100 calories per 4 ounce burger

Burritos – ditch the tortilla and eat or order in a bowl instead once month and save 3600 = 1 pound

Total potential weight lost = 46 pounds!!!

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Filed Under: weight loss diet calorie density

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

December 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Like you, I have to really watch my weight over the holidays as I gain weight very easily, especially when I indulge in sugary baked goods (which I love!). Here are some things that i’m trying to do as much as possible to stay on track over the next couple of weeks.
1. Load up on protein in the morning – i’m skipping the whole grain muffin/bread/oatmeal for a couple of weeks and just having cottage cheese or greek yogurt (I like vanilla which has a little extra sugar but not too much) in the morning. This allows me a few extra ‘treat’ calories later in the day. This is NOT a healthy long term approach as whole grains are important for optimal health but in my opinion its ok temporarily (plus i’m getting whole grains in later in the day)
2. Sip Soup – I wish I cooked more. If I did I would make a giant pot of vegetable soup and eat at least 2-3 cups a day to ward off hunger between meals and even as a quick snack before heading out to a party. Instead i’m using canned soup, mainly progresso light vegetable and vegetable barley, to fill me up with fewer calories. Yes, its a bit higher in sodium but it really helps me and I do everything I can to keep sodium down in the remainder of my diet.
3. Squeeze in exercise early – I’m lucky enough to live in LA where its sunny most of the time (although very rainy today). Over the holidays, in addition to my daily walks with the dogs and treadmill workout, I try to squeeze in mini workouts whenever I think about. Whether its dancing around the living room or putting in a great CD and doing 5 minutes of knee lifts, jumping jacks or pushups, it can all add up to working off a sugar cookie or two so I think it’s worth it
4. Don’t have the ‘last christmas’ mentality – it’s not the last time you will have access to any of the treats you enjoy over the holidays. Don’t feel like you have to get everything in to make it count. Have your favorites of course, in moderation, but try to spread them out – even if its saving a cookie for the next day if you’ve had a full meal. I don’t agree at all with the idea of just letting go because it’s the holidays – research shows that people who keep the weight off eat pretty much the same year round so find a balance between treating yourself a little bit and going overboard which will lead to tipping the scale in January.

Happy holidays!

Filed Under: avoiding holiday weight gain, diet, holiday eating

Heart Disease: Many don’t know the signs. Help educate your friends and family!

November 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Heart Disease: Many don’t know the signs. Help educate your friends and family!

Would you know if you were having a heart attack? Unfortunately, many people don’t know that chest pain is not the only symptom of a heart attack. In fact, a significant percentage of women NEVER experience sudden chest pain. In addition to chest pain warning signs include shortness of breath, back pain, nausea, fatigue and unexplained anxiety, and even indigestion like symptoms. That’s why education on heart health is so important, and why I’ve teamed up with Nature Made and WomenHeart: The National Coalition of Women with Heart Disease for the 100,000 Heartbeats campaign.

As part of my involvement with the 100,000 Heartbeats campaign, I’ve learned about some inspiring women, the WomenHeart Champions, who travel around their communities to educate women about the risks of heart disease. I invite you to watch these videos to hear a few of their personal stories:

Meet Carrie Vincent

Meet Carrie Vincent – 100,000 Heartbeats For Women from Nature Made on Vimeo.

Five days after giving birth to her son, Carrie experienced a massive heart attack and spent the next few months recovering and learning about her condition. She’s subsequently had 4 stents placed in her heart and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. She has established a heart-healthy lifestyle, and continues to learn about heart health, as well as educate others.

Meet Cordelia Clapp

Meet Cordelia Clapp – 100,000 Heartbeats For Women from Nature Made on Vimeo.

At 16, Cordelia began noticing that her heart would have episodes of irregular heartbeats. She survived several hospitalizations over the next 30 years until finally, during a routine blood pressure check, she was referred to a cardiologist. As an American Indian Public Health Nurse for the past 9 years, she has conducted screenings and educated patients in a population genetically predisposed to heart disease.

The fact is that more women die from heart disease every year, than from all cancers combined including breast cancer. Educate yourself, your family and friends by visiting the 100,000 Heartbeats campaign website WomenHeart.NatureMade.com . You can help spread the word about heart health and unlock a $100,000 donation from NatureMade to WomenHeart.

Filed Under: 100000 heartbeats campaign, heart disease, nature made, womenheart

For Your Heart – Nature Made® and WomenHeart 100,000 Heartbeats Campaign

October 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

For Your Heart – Nature Made® and WomenHeart 100,000 Heartbeats Campaign

As an MD and specialist in nutrition, my mission is to help people get healthy. That’s why I am excited to join forces with Nature Made® and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease on the 100,000 Heartbeats campaign. The campaign strives to help Americans get proactive and start living a heart healthy lifestyle today, which aligns with my firm belief in the role of nutrition in preventative medicine and achieving optimal health.

Through the 100,000 Heartbeats campaign website WomenHeart.NatureMade.com, you can help spread the word about heart health and unlock a $100,000 donation from NatureMade to WomenHeart. The site includes tips, videos featuring real life stories of women with heart disease, and information about simple lifestyle changes that can support heart health that you can share with friends and loved ones via social networks, like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Each interaction on the website, such as sharing information via social networks, watching a video, or participating in the interactive tools on the site, unlocks a $3 or $5 donation from Nature Made to WomenHeart. All you have to do is click and share and you can help make a difference – one heartbeat at a time.

Filed Under: dr melina, heart health, naturemade, womenheart

Delicious Summer Treat – Luigi’s Italian Ice

August 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I’ve been on the look out for tasty summer treats and found a terrific one at Costco – not sure if its available elsewhere. It’s called Luigi’s Real Italian ice and comes in lemon and cherry flavored and actually has real cherry juice which is loads of disease fighting anti-oxidants. Each cup has only 60 calories and 1 gram of sugar! How about that!! It takes quite a while to eat giving you lots of satisfaction. Enjoy :)

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Weight Loss & Fitness Tools

April 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Check out my latest appearance on ABC’s View From the Bay to learn about some interesting new weight loss and fitness tools including Weight Watcher’s iphone app, Bodybugg weight management systems, Philips direct life, Zeo personal sleep coach, Omron pedometer that counts cardio steps, and a fantastic new Tanita body composition scale that even measures belly fat! Can these tools help you lose weight? Absolutely, especially if you are someone who responds well to personal data. Let me know what you think.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=view_from_the_bay/tech_gadgets&id=7352506

Filed Under: bodybugg, dr melina, omron, philips direct life, tanita, view from the bay, weight loss tools, weight watchers, zeo personal sleep coach

Win $25,000 with Post Grant for Good Health

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I’ve been working with Post Cereals as a nutrition consultant for a few months now, creating healthy eating tips, diet plans and more for PostNatural.com. This month, Post announced a worthwhile new grants program to help improve the health and wellness of one lucky community in America! Community wellness is near and dear to my heart, and I’m excited to be helping judge the entries for the $25,000 grant!

The Post Grant for Good Health essay contest will award $25,000 to the winning entrant with the best health and wellness initiative idea for their community, town or local area. The Grant for Good Health is designed to empower individuals to make strides to improve the health of communities across America and can have a broad range, from planting public gardens, to building a playground to creating a community fitness center.

From now until May 17th, applicants can submit 300-word essays on PostNatural.com, alongside a budget outlining the intended use of the grant’s funding. A team of members from Post Foods, the National Wellness Institute and I will evaluate the proposed projects, and in May, 10 finalists will be selected. Up to 10 finalists will be featured on the Post Web site, where the public can vote for the project idea they find most meaningful. The winner of the $25,000 grant will be presented their award at the National Wellness Institute’s 35th Annual National Wellness Conference in Stevens Point, Wis., in July.

How can you help improve the health and wellness of your community? I’m sure you have some great ideas out there – check out the Web site and apply!

In good health,
Dr. Melina

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Funky Monkey Dried Fruit Snacks

April 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

As many of you may know, i’m not a fan of dried fruit despite it’s convenience as it is a very concentrated source of calories (due to removal of all the calorie free water) but I LOVE freeze dried fruit because it’s packed with calorie free air instead of water. I was very excited to sample Funky Monkey Freeze-Dried fruit and I was not disappointed. With fun flavors like banana with acai (Purple Funk) and Jivealime (pineapple with lime) and kid friendly packaging this is a terrific snack for both kids and grown-ups. All flavors are made with 100% real fruit with no sugar added and calories for a fairly good size serving range from 90-120. I’ll be snacking on these whenever I run out of fresh fruit in the house!

Dr. Melina Pick

Filed Under: freeze dried fruit, healthy snacks, kids snacks
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