Author: justchunty

I enjoy reading and writing about healthy living. I also enjoy a Mediterranean-style diet. My blog offers practical tips to help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.

Why Blueberries Are So Amazing

Blueberries are a very popular and tasty fruit.  Although blueberries are native to North America, they are grown commercially in the Americas and Europe.  They are low in calories and incredibly healthy.  Often referred to as a superfood, blueberries are an excellent source of several vitamins, minerals, beneficial plant compounds, and antioxidants. Blueberries have a … Continue reading Why Blueberries Are So Amazing

Spotlight on Apples

An apple a day is perhaps one of the most delicious prescriptions ever made.  An apple contains a dose of pectin, the soluble fiber that thickens jellies and helps lower artery-damaging LDL (bad) cholesterol.  Apples also contain a mix of antioxidants.  Flavonoids, such as quercetin, prevent LDL cholesterol from being oxidized to a more dangerous … Continue reading Spotlight on Apples

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world, second only to water.  There are three main types of tea, green, black, and oolong.  Scientific studies suggest that green tea in particular has many health benefits.  Researchers believe the antioxidants, which are mostly polyphenols, in the tea leaves are responsible for the health benefits. Green, black, … Continue reading Health Benefits of Green Tea

Go Nuts – for Walnuts!

If you've been avoiding nuts because they are high in calories, stop now!  People who eat nuts in moderation (up to two ounces a day) can enjoy a variety of health benefits.  Walnuts are tree nuts, and they are the top dog of the nut world: they contain twice as many phytochemicals as their competitors.  … Continue reading Go Nuts – for Walnuts!

Spotlight on Coffee

We used to hear that coffee was a guilty pleasure at best and a health evil at worst.  However, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that coffee can be good for you.  Their research findings show that people who drink moderate amounts of coffee daily are less likely to die from a range … Continue reading Spotlight on Coffee

Have Some Dark Chocolate

Rejoice chocolate lovers.  This decadent treat is actually good for your heart and cardiovascular system.  Chocolate comes from the cacao bean, and its cultivation can be traced back thousands of years.  The indigenous Kuna Indian  population of the San Blas Islands of Panama never get high blood pressure, and they enjoy five cups of cocoa … Continue reading Have Some Dark Chocolate

Top 5 Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Although the Mediterranean diet reflects the ways of eating that is traditional in the countries that surround the Mediterranean, you can bring the remarkable health benefits and affordable style of eating to your own kitchen.  Your local supermarket has all the fresh and flavorful ingredients needed to follow this healthy way of eating.  The Mediterranean … Continue reading Top 5 Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Choose Healthier Protein Sources

The human body is made up of over ten thousand different proteins.  Protein's building blocks are called amino acids.  Because our bodies are constantly making new proteins and because we do not store amino acids as we do fats, we need a daily supply of protein. The Institute of Medicine determined that the daily protein intake be 10 … Continue reading Choose Healthier Protein Sources

Hang Out In The Garden Of Eatin’

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.  They contain an array of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  They are also low in calories and high in fiber.  A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke; lower blood pressure; help you avoid constipation … Continue reading Hang Out In The Garden Of Eatin’

Go With The (Whole) Grains

Grains are seeds of grasses cultivated for food.  They basically come in two varieties - whole grains and refined grains.  Whole grains are intact seeds with their bran, germ, and endosperm.  Click here to see a whole grain.  The bran is the outer layer of the seed and contains mostly fiber.  The endosperm is the largest … Continue reading Go With The (Whole) Grains