What the Heck is CoQ10, and Do We Need to Take it?
Having been a health care practitioner for almost ten years now, I have had my fair share of experience with vitamins, minerals, juices, special powders, superfoods, and dietary supplements in general. I have done it all, from making the daily breakfast smoothie chock full of protein and vitamin powders, to taking a combination of seven or eight vitamins a day, so I know how tedious it can be. I found myself thinking, why can’t I just take a Flintstones chewable like I used to give my daughter? But of course, there is no easy fix or magic pill for a healthy lifestyle.
There is, however, Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10.
CoQ10 is a key nutrient in boosting your cells’ energy levels. Found in every single cell, your body naturally produces CoQ10, but at the age of about 25, the level of production decreases dramatically. Some nutritionists believe that this change in production contributes to a decline in mental and physical energy that a lot of people in their 30s and beyond notice.
Cellular energy is directly linked to so many aspects of health, it’s no surprise to learn that CoQ10 is commonly used in treatment for heart conditions, diabetes, migraines, muscular dystrophy, and many other conditions. Additionally, CoQ10 has been shown to strengthen the immune system and even fight breast cancer. There’s even being research done right now studying the effects of CoQ10 on lifespan and longevity.
One way to incorporate more CoQ10 into your life is through meals. Foods such as spinach, broccoli, peanuts, wheat germ, and eggs are great sources, along with whole grains and the heart, liver, and meat of beef, lamb, and pork. However, as much as I personally prefer to get my nutrients form whole foods, it’s important to note that eating these foods is not usually a sufficient substitute for taking a supplement, so you should consider including both into your healthy habits.
From the research being done, it seems like everyone over 25 should be taking a CoQ10 supplement, even if you already have a healthy diet and lifestyle. In addition to aging, smoking also decreases your body’s ability to produce CoQ10, so smokers should be sure to get their hands on some CoQ10.
CoQ10 is a great addition to your anti-aging arsenal, and can boost your day-to-day energy on a cellular level. I know I’ll definitely be trying it out!
“This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show” Click here and check it out!
What Does an Anti-Inflammation Diet Have to do With Longevity?
So many people are looking for that special diet that will change everything about the way they look and feel, but I’ve started to notice that most of the diets out there are more like programs rather than lifestyle changes, focusing on a quick fix, and not long-term health.
However, in the search for a comprehensively anti-aging lifestyle, I’m hearing more and more people talking about the role of an anti-inflammation diet. I found it a little odd that there were no really concrete rules or regimens, such as a gluten-free diet or a açai super-fruit diet, so I asked myself what, exactly, does “anti-inflammation” mean when it comes to our food and the way that it interacts with our body?
As it turns out, all food can be divided into three categories based on how they affect us on a cellular level: pro-inflammatory, neutral, or anti-inflammatory. By choosing an anti-inflammatory diet, not only can we slow down the affects of aging on our cells, but also fight against heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.
The good news is that anti-inflammatory foods are easy to find and delicious to use. For example, whole grains, all kinds of beans, and nuts and seeds are all great anti-inflammatory foods. Even better news? Natural dark chocolate and red wine are also anti-inflammatory, and high in antioxidants, and can slow down the affects of aging.
Another really important thing to include in your anti-aging diet is a variety of richly colored fruits and veggies, especially cabbage, onions, and garlic.
Doctor Andrew Weil, creator of the Anti-Inflammatory food pyramid (http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02995/Dr-Weil-Anti-Inflammatory-Food-Pyramid.html), says, “Following an anti-inflammatory diet can help counteract the chronic inflammation that is a root cause of many serious diseases, including those that become more frequent as people age. It is a way of selecting and preparing foods based on science that can help people achieve and maintain optimum health over their lifetime.” With that in mind, here are a few recipes that are high in anti-inflammatory foods, not to mention really tasty.
Recipes from: The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica K Black, N.D.
Five Minute Breakfast (can’t beat that, and it’s a warm breakfast too)
1 cup leftover cooked brown rice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/8 cup raisins
¼ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup rice milk or almond milk or other milk alternative
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on the stove. Add milk to cover the rice for a cereal consistency. Warm over moderate heat to desired temperature and serve.
Serves 2
Nutritional Information:
370.5 calories~11 g protien~40.7g Carb~5.2 g fiber~20.4 g total fat-This recipe is chock full of nutritional value, Omega 3’s, folate, and remember cinnamon is great for regulating blood sugar.
Dianne’s Personal note:
I started doing this with my leftover brown rice years ago and found it such a great alternative to oatmeal. (I still love oatmeal, but great for a change)
Substitutions:
Any nuts and seeds you like and you have on hand. I also really like dried cranberries instead of raisins..
Quinoa Vegetable Salad (this can be for lunch or dinner)
2 cups leftover cooked boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
1 cup cooked quinoa or 1/3 cup dried quinoa
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
¼ cup walnuts
1/3-cup raisins
1 ½ tablespoons organic mayonnaise (w/ no preservatives or hydrogenated oils)
4 large lettuce leaves (for serving)
If dried, cook quinoa according to directions
Toss all ingredients together, and serve chilled over lettuce leaves.
Serves 4.
Nutritional Information:
284 calories~20.8 g protien~31g carbs~3.7g fiber~9.4 total fat
Quinoa is a high-energy grain and a complete protein. It contains more calcium than milk.
Substitutions:
You can substitute many different kinds of chopped fruits, nuts or raw vegetable. You can use cooked or canned salmon in place of chicken, or just completely leave meat out.
Dianne’s Personal Note:
I would add scallions, zucchini, avocado and I would prefer to leave out the mayo and add olive oil and lime juice. Just my personal preference.
I hope that you gained a little insight about how an Anti-Inflammation Diet can affect the aging process… Please leave a comment and let me know.
“This entry has been posted as part of Prevention Not Prescriptions Tuesday hosted by The Kathleen Show” Please check it out here!
Self Love: What Does it Mean to You?
What comes to your mind when you read the words “self love”?
Some women find this term confusing. They may have been given a message all their lives that if you want to be a good person, you must be self-less. This is simply not true. You can love yourself (in a healthy way) yet at the same time show love for others. In fact… before you can truly love someone else, you must first learn how to love yourself!
Self love has deep meaning. The degree to which you love yourself reflects how much you truly can love and give to others. Self love is the foundation for living. It means you care about yourself enough to take risks, meet your physical and emotional needs, and do what’s necessary to create a great life.
What type of risks might you take? Stepping into your fear of the unknown, making a bold move toward something new and different… these are risks worth taking because they can improve your quality of life and help you learn what makes you happy. Improving your life and increasing your happiness are essentially ways to love yourself!
What about meeting your physical needs? Your body requires good, healthy food and clean water in order to thrive and survive. Your muscles need exercise to keep your blood, or life force, circulating. These are needs that, when we feel down about ourselves, we might tend to neglect. Choosing to eat junk foods that provide temporary comfort but ultimately leave our bodies worse off is no way to show love to ourselves! Honor your body, and your body will do its best to not let you down.
Finally, we all have emotional needs: the need to give and receive love and affection; the need to be acknowledged, listened to and understood. All of these things validate us and feed our sense of self worth. When you are in love with someone, how does that feel to you and how do you express it? You probably tell them how much you love them. You probably show it in how you look at them, speak to them and listen to what they say. You show concern when they are sad or angry, you care about what they think. You support them. Likewise, seeking a partner who provides this kind of support and understanding is a way to love yourself.
For me, self love is an expression of devotion toward myself, and a consistent way of being and behaving. Consider this: the more authentically you live by your own set of convictions, the more likely you are to one day attract real, lasting love. That means… finally!… a partner who appreciates the person you are, and is ready to love you precisely because of your beautiful qualities.
So now ask yourself: How much do I love myself? How much do I express my love for myself? Answer these questions and then set out to loving yourself more each day. Today, decide that you are worth it and that the people in your life are worth it too.
About the Author:
Life Coach Susan Liddy, MA, PCC, CPCC is the founder and CEO of AspireLifeCoaching.org, a life coaching company on a mission to empower women globally. Susan is the author of the “Secrets to Ultimate Living; What you wish you knew when you were 20!” and an active contributor to many blogs, including her own blog, SecretsToUltimateLiving.com
Special Note from Dianne:
This coaching program should be a pre-requisite for every woman out there! Please check out Susan’s Passages to Empowerment Program, it could change your life!
Click here to get FREE access to Life Coach Susan’s Passages to Empowerment Video Series:
(I believe so strongly in Susan’s work, that I am helping to promote her programs. In gratitude, Susan pays me a commission for my referrals who sign up.)
Am I Too Old To Become a Famous Salsa Dancer?
Well I think my days of Treadmills and Elliptical Machines are OVER!!!
I just got back from a new “exercise” class that I absolutely LOVED! It is called Zumba!
Zumba class was a absolute blast. The hour flew by and by the end of class a was soaked in sweat and had a HUGE smile on my face! It was just so much darn fun, it felt more like a dance party than a “workout” class.
What the heck is Zumba?
So for those of you who have not heard of Zumba, it is a Latin music and dance infused exercise routine. It is high energy and everyone in the class is having an awesome time.
I spoke to one of the “regulars” in the class today who has been doing it for quite awhile, and she is completely hooked and said that our teacher today was one of the best in town, yay for me. There are several exercise clubs in town that offer Zumba and she informed me of all the good teachers to follow and which clubs they taught in and what times. I’m all set.
This is what the official Zumba website had to say: “The Zumba® program fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a one-of-a-kind fitness program that will blow you away. Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba® Fanatics achieve long-term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exciting hour of calorie-burning, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!”
Celebrity fitness trainer, “Beto” Perez, stumbled upon the concept of Latin-inspired dance-fitness in his native Cali, Colombia in the mid-‘90s. He first brought Zumba to the states in 1999 and his success has just swept the nation and the world.
I am so very glad to have found a new form of exercise and movement that I can incorporate into my life and look forward to. How about you, do you have any fun favorite ways to move and get physical? I would love to hear from you, so please leave your comments below. I am always looking for new ways to have fun exercising, thanks.
Here is a sample class that I found on You tube, but I think our class was having even more fun 
! Enjoy!
Be Well and Live Well, Dianne
Here is a Great Way to Replace Store bought Protein Bars. Recipe for Maple Nut Orbs!
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to the grocery store staring at rows and rows of protein bars.
I often like to have a mid-afternoon snack with protein to sustain my energy and keep my blood sugars stable, and protein bars usually seem like the perfect snack answer.
HOWEVER, I never like them… I have yet to find one that I think tastes fresh and delicious, so I’ve solved my problem and decided to make my own.
They are not only good for you, the are DELICIOUS! Best of all, they are so easy to make. Enjoy the video and below, I have written out the recipe for you. Enjoy!
Let me know in the comments below what you think, how you like them and which variation you like best.
Maple Nut Orbs:
- 1 cup of nut butter of your choice, my favorite is Organic Peanut Butter
- 1 cup of oat bran
- 1/2 cup of wheatgerm
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup maple syrup
- Optional: nuts, seeds, dried fruit of your choice. ( loved dried cranberries in my PB Orbs)
Directions: sooooooo easy
- Combine nut butter and maple syrup in food processor to blend together first
- Add the dry ingredients, (except the optional ingredients), blend.
- Fold in optional ingredients.
- Roll into balls or spread into 8 X 8 pan and cut into squares
- Chill
Can’t wait to hear what you think about them. You also get to meet my friend and Yoga teacher Yvonne. Enjoy.
