Saturday, May 31, 2008

Sex and the City of Diet Books!


From the martinis to the Manolo's...the girls are back and I was thrilled


to attend a preview screening of the new Sex and The City movie this


week. Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte fans showed up at the


invite only screening to walk the pink carpet as photogs flashed and


TV cameras followed their stilletto steps into the theater. If you


haven't seen the flick, I don't want to spoil it...but I can tell you that you


will not be disappointed by the walk-in closet Big has built for Carrie!


All this Sex talk reminds me that many of The Dish reviews


compared our appeal and approach to the writing style of a certain

writer in that hit HBO series.


Here's what one native New York gal thought of The Dish on Eating Healthy and

Being Fabulous! (Atria Books):


If Carrie Bradshaw wrote a book on how to eat well and still fit into her fabulous outfits, this would be it. It's whimsical, but underlying it all is the serious topic of getting us to eat healthy without becoming obnoxious food cops. I love living in this city, and running into Carolyn (and her co-author Densie Webb and all her other friends) is one of the reasons why.
To order your very own DISH...visit amazon.com

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Anti Aging On The Menu



Restaurant designers know that choosing corals and pinks for dining room décor and subtle indirect lighting is flattering to guests who not only want their food to look good, they want to look fabulous, too. No one likes squinting into the glare of bright lights that scream “Where were you on the night of……?” emphasizing every wrinkle from crow’s feet to laugh lines. Choosing where to eat based on how young and attractive we feel is a vote for better atmosphere, an important part of enjoying the dining out experience. What the chef’s cooking up in the kitchen can keep you looking younger, too. So while you’re feeling sleek in the sexy interiors of Maxim Prime Steakhouse at the Glenn Hotel, you can nibble on Chef Daniel Zoby’s salad of organic greens accessorized with dried cherries and cashews followed by grilled wild salmon and asparagus to add some youth enhancing nutrients to the night.
Stop the Clock Cooking
Contemporary nutrition research not only identifies foods that can keep us slim and healthy, scientists have pinpointed nutrients associated with anti-aging benefits. These vitamins, minerals and other antioxidants fight Father Time by warding off the production of cell damaging free radicals that not only age the skin they contribute to memory loss and increased risk of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.
The star players in the anti-aging game are fruits and vegetables because they’re excellent sources of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene and hundreds of other antioxidant compounds. Dairy products (preferably non fat) from a glass of milk or a container of yogurt are youth-enhancing too because they support long term bone health. Healthy fats play a role as well in keeping cells healthy. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, flaxseed and walnuts and the mono-unsaturated oils found in olive oil, canola oil, avocados and nut butters are heart healthy and help keep skin moisturized from the inside out. Both mono-unsaturated fats and vitamin C work together to build and repair elastin and collagen in the skin. Registered dietitian, Cheryl Forberg, author of Positively Ageless (Rodale 2008) says, “We’re finding that some foods that seem quite ordinary have extraordinary health benefits.” She suggests adding a cup of tea-black or green- hot or iced to your dining out habits for even more antioxidant bang, “Tea, dark chocolate, red wine and dried fruits especially prunes are concentrated sources of potent antioxidants called flavonoids believed to fight against age-related mental decline and the inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.”
So, the Fountain of Youth really can be found if you know where to look on the menu.

Skin Friendly Food Tips
· Avoid excess alcohol and caffeine which can dry and dehydrate your skin, robbing the cells of needed water, and causing fine lines to be more visible.
· Beauty on the half shell. Oysters are a great source of the mineral zinc which is involved in wound healing and the formation of new collagen. Rather have sushi? The mineral selenium found in tuna and crab may help delay aging by reducing sun damage and protecting skin’s elasticity.
· Vitamin C is essential for the formation of collagen, which is a spongy network of fibers that keeps skin plump and wrinkle-free. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, red peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, strawberries and kiwi fruit.
· If you’re a fan of dining al fresco at outdoor cafes and sunny terraces don’t forget your sunscreen. Dermatologists remind us you don’t have to be at the beach to suffer sun damage.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Midnight Snack Attacks






Hmmmm. What looks good? Now, you may have been warned against indulging your end of the day hunger pangs and rightfully so, if those after-hours calories put you over the top of your daily caloric budget. But, when those midnight munchies strike, you often can't help yourself. So here are some suggestions for midnight snacks which can actually be good for you.

Maybe You’re Just Thirsty
Before you raid the fridge make sure that hunger is really what's fueling your mania to munch. Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. So, try drinking at least two cups of water before diving into a mid-night snack. Afterwards, you may be able to return to bed completely satisfied without eating a thing.

Late Night Sweet Tooth
If the light of the moon sends you searching for all-things-sweet, beware of ice cream and chocolate brownie cake temptations. In fact, just say “No” to chocolate because it contains caffeine which can disrupt sleep when you finally do get to bed. And the high fat content in desserts such as premium ice creams can cause indigestion when you go horizontal. So, opt for non fat yogurts if you want something cool and creamy. Or tame your bedtime sugar craving with dried fruit such as a few naturally sweet prunes which contain fiber, potassium and magnesium- a combination of nutrients that will gently aid your digestive health overnight.

Nutty Nights
Sometimes all you need is a small snack to get your through the night. And a handful of crunchy roasted nuts such as almonds offer some big nutrition rewards. This nutty snack is full of magnesium and B vitamins, both which help promote serotonin production in the brain to relax the body and mind. Not only will you cut stress, but you won't stress over the calories. Twenty-two whole almonds only equals about 100 calories.

Milk It
Whether you want to quench your thirst or need something to wash down a midnight cookie snack (choose oatmeal not chocolate chip) a simple glass of non-fat milk is not only nostalgic at bedtime it’s nutritious.
A glass of milk can help you sleep better because of the calcium content -- which relaxes muscles -- and increases the amount of tryptophan in the blood, which helps promote sleepiness. Avoid chocolate milk which contains some caffeine.

Midnight Mistakes
Certain foods are really bad choices late at night. And it’s not just the excess calories. Anything high in sugar and caffeine can keep you awake when you finally do want to sleep. And while that after-hours Chinese place sounds like fun; this is not the time for deep fried or stir fried entrees or any other high fat splurges like big burgers or double cheese pizzas. They may meet your need for midnight munchies but can cause some serious late night indigestion. Super spicy foods can cause the problem, too. If you really are hungry, have a turkey (contains tryptophan) sandwich on whole wheat bread with a glass of non-fat milk. You’ll satisfy your stomach rumblings, get a good night’s sleep and improve your chances at being gung-ho about taking that good for you walk in the morning.





Saturday, May 3, 2008

Shrimp and a Sea of Misunderstanding


Sea the Light


If you've been avoiding shrimp because you heard that these crustaceans are high in cholesterol, you're wrong and right. Shrimp do contain relatively high levels of dietary cholesterol - 166 milligrams of cholesterol per three ounces of steamed shrimp. But, they are very low in saturated fat, the kind of fat that raises blood cholesterol. It turns out that the cholesterol we eat has less of an affect on our blood cholesterol than saturated fats. So the net-net, as you cast your net to find heart healthy seafood, is that shrimp's nutritional profile places it on the list of the dietary good guys. Researchers at The Rockefeller University found that when volunteers ate shrimp along with foods that were low in saturated fat, their blood lipid ratios remained balanced. The same goes for shrimp's crustacean cousins lobster and crab.




Pass the Lemons Please



The healthiest way to enjoy shrimp is simply steamed. Add a spritz of fresh lemon or lime juice or a splash of hot sauce and you'll keep the calories low-84 calories per three ounce serving of shrimp.

Of course, if you drench them in melted butter or drown them in cheese sauce you're changing the nutritional picture by increasing the calories and the artery-clogging saturated fat content of the dish. Fried shrimp are higher in fat and calories too. In fact, you can add 100 calories per ounce when you plunge your shrimp into the deep fryer. If the fat in the fryer contains trans-fats ( the Darth Vadar of the nutritional world) you're adding an even higher risk of elevated blood cholesterol levels. If you must fry, seek out trans-fat free oils.
Other nutritional notes: Shrimp are almost fat free, high in protein, an excellent source the mineral selenium and vitamin B12 and a good source of iron. Nutritional Scorecard (3 ounces steamed shrimp): 84 calories, 0.9 g total fat, 0 g carbohydrate, 166 mg cholesterol, 17.8 g protein.