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The sun is blazing, the beach is calling and casual attire is de rigueur. All things considered, summertime should be the easiest time of the year to relax, no? Remember the good ol’ days of trading in schoolbooks for beach reading, hopping into the car with your closest friends in search of the best tanning spot, and vegging out til the mosquitos forced you inside? Now frivolous reading can make you feel guilty, squeezing too many into a car makes you gasp, and “vegging” is a verb used to describe sneaking the greens onto the kids' plates. Why is it that something as simple as relaxation gets more and more difficult as we get older? We worry about our families, then we worry about our jobs, our homes and oh, yeah… our health! But, all these additional responsibilities (not to mention better reasoning skills), should mean all the more reason to take the time to relax, bend the rules, and take it easy! Do you realize that Americans—even with our wealth and medical advances—have a shorter life expectancy that many of our European peers? You want to know why? Because we work too hard, stress out too much and eat like, well, uh…Americans! In other words, there are actually studies that show that relaxation is key to enjoying a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life. Say no more…permission to kick back has been granted. And by kicking back, I don’t mean bingeing like there’s no tomorrow (or else, perhaps, there won’t be), but rather looking overseas to the French as a good example. You've probably heard of “the French Paradox”. Here's a culture based on enthusiastic eating and daily drinking, yet they produce some of the healthiest seniors in the world. But the deal is, instead of sitting down in front of a 12-inch platter piled high with fried chicken, these folks indulge healthfully—relaxing over a meal with family, not eating on the run. It’s about enjoyment, not overeating. Quality over quantity. Translation: Chill out and feed your family right! Enjoy preparing unique foods with interesting seasoning so that you and your family will enjoy every bite. Use foods like California Ripe Olives, peppers and capers that pack a lot of flavor without taking much effort at all. And most of all, never eliminate entire categories of foods like fats or carbs from your diet in the name of good health. It's important for people of all ages to eat a well-balanced variety of foods including monounsaturated fats from foods like California Ripe Olives, avocados and olive oil, fiber from whole grains, vitamins from fresh fruits and vegetables, and protein from fish, poultry, dairy and lean meats. Even better, it’s actually the tastiest way to live! Hungry for more ways to live a longer healthier life? Check out the latest nutrition news and fat facts. TOP Aging with Taste Good habits start young, but it’s never too late to introduce enjoyment into anyone’s life. Whether you’re feeding a family of four or a solo senior, great taste matters! So does sitting down for an enjoyable meal with family. So make it happen. Rather than reaching for a bag of chips between meals, pick up the phone and get the grandparents over for some grub. And don’t assume that your seasonings are too exotic. It’s a proven fact that the sensitivity of our taste buds decrease with age, so spice it up!
Cheeseburger in Paradox Traditionally we think of foods like cream, butter and eggs as the French paradox ingredients…The ones they seems to be able to use regularly without getting into trouble. Why? Probably because not only do these guys eat different foods than we do, they eat differently. I'm talking portion control, not nibbling between meals and cooking for themselves rather than relying on fast food fixes. The truth is any food can fit into this "French Paradox…even something as American as the cheeseburger. To prove it, I'm throwing in this recipe that's just a little bit more indulgent than my norm. With this true quarter pounder you'll be surprised to find how satisfied you can be even without the French fries. TOP
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