What is an ANDI Score?

We all know that veggies and fruits are wonderful for our bodies, but have you ever thought about which are more nutrient than others?  You may be eating a lot of a particular vegetable/fruit that has a low antioxidant content compared to another option. 

What is an ANDI Score? 

ANDI stands for “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index.”

An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient contents.

ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating a range of micronutrients including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants capacities.

The higher the concentration of these elements in a food per calorie, the higher the score.  For instance, kale, a dark leafy green, scores 1000, while soda scores a 1.

scoThis picture is of Broccoflower.  It has an ANDI score of over 700.  It is so important to understand what kind of nutrients/ingredients are in your food.  Processed food pretty much has ZERO nutrition.  To stay healthy and live long, you have to boost your immune system with food that is jam-packed with vitamins.  Teach yourself and your taste buds to eat the right kind of foods.  A great tip is to buy food closest to its natural form.  Eat Healthy and Live Long!

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  This weekend not only gives thanks to our troops for all they do for our country, but it also entails swimming, boating, driving long trips, eating a lot, late nights, dancing and much more.  I had a very stressful week last week with some family issues, then we had to drive 5 hours to Atlanta and back, boating and lifting my precious daughter all day.  My back was Out!  No, not painful, but it was out of alignment.

Many people suffer from headaches, allergies, sleep issues, bowel problems, infertility and don't realize it could be from their back being out of alignment.  Chiropractic care is not just for those in a major accident or a sports injury. 

It is about Prevention!

Research has shown that chiropractic care boosts the immune system. Chiropractic adjustments relieve stress from the nerve system, which is a critical link and has governing role over the immune system.
Consider the following:

• Spinal lesions, similar to vertebral subluxation complexes caused by misalignments, are associated with exaggerated sympathetic activity, which releases immune regulatory cells into the blood circulation and alters immune function. The nervous system has a direct effect on the immune system due to the nerve supply to the important immune system organs. ^{1, 2, 3}
• White blood cells, which eat and destroy bad cells, are enhanced through chiropractic care. ⁴
• HIV positive patients adjusted over a 6-month period showed a 48% increase in CD4 cells, an important immune system component. ⁵
• The chief of cancer prevention at New York’s Preventative Medicine Institute found that people who received regular chiropractic care over a five-year period had a 200% greater immune competence than those who had not received chiropractic care. The chiropractic group showed a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer and other serious diseases. ⁶

Chiropractic care for maintenance of a strong immune system should be a standard regimen for everyone. Typically, patients on a maintenance schedule will be able to hold their chiropractic adjustments from 1-3 weeks, depending on stress levels. However, in times of immune system suppression, a patient can have their spine examined for misalignments several times per day to ensure their nerve systems are free of interference. Wellness chiropractors and Maximized Living doctors use several objective technologies to check for diminished nerve supply, the presence or absence of subluxations, and how well (and how long) their patients are holding their adjustments. - www.maximizedliving.com

Subluxations put pressure on the nerves and keep the nervous system from functioning properly.  By getting an adjustment and aligning the spine, it takes away the nerve interference.  Clearing the way for uninterrupted communication from your nerves to your brain.  This results in a strong immune system.

I went and had an adjustment today and I love how I feel after.  My hips feel square, my upper back has less soreness and my jaw is back in place which stops my headaches. 

Check out a Chiropractor in your local area.  I love the techniques from Life University in Georgia.  So I try to find a Chiropractor who graduated from Life. 

Lets get cracking.  :-)

Healthy dinners do not have to be difficult to make!

I use to think that eating healthy would be very hard.  I never had the urge to learn how to cook or bake.  I was lucky to have a wonderful mom who was an amazing cook, as well as my grandmother.  I guess I was a bit spoiled.  As I grew into an adult, I was the typical Lean Cuisine cook or I would just go out and eat. 

It wasn't until I moved to Fargo, ND where we were at home much more due to weather and I had a bit more time on my hands.  I had several family members and friends develop the Big "C"....CANCER and I started to freak out.  I started to read deeper into what was going into what I ate.  I am still learning everyday, but I have also learned that eating healthy does not mean cooking it has to be crazy difficult either. 

I am not quite to the point where I make all my own sauces, but that is my next goal.  In the meantime, I buy all organic meats, dairy, fruits and veggies.  Those are the staples that you should really try to buy organic.  As far as sauces, I still buy BBQ Sauce, regular dressings and so forth.  But I will let you know when I have the knack to make quick sauces that are all organic.  :-)

Ok, so here are some great quick meals.  I love the Four Seasons Italian Dressing mix.  I get the box with several packets in it from Walmart.  Super cheap and it goes a long way.  I have two healthy dishes that I make with it.  One is Italian Chicken.  I defrost my organic chicken, mix the Good Seasons Mix with Olive Oil, Vinegar and water and then marinate it on the chicken.  Simple!  I add salad and a Carb (Pasta, sweet potato, Quinoa (this is a protein)) to it.  Bam!  That is my healthy meal.

Another idea using the Good Seasons Dressing is also thanks to my wonderful Momma, Pat Moravek.  Buy ORGANIC or FRESH Cod.   Defrost the Cod, add the Four Season Dressing and lightly bread it with Pepridge Farm breading.  Again, add salad and a small portion of pasta or a potato, rice or Quinoa.  Bam!  Simple.  You will love it. 

Last night, I was feeling a bit frisky and wanted to be creative,on my terms of course, and I took two gorgeous ORGANIC orange bell peppers, cut the tops off and stuffed them with a tuna salad.  I took 4 cans of tuna, added 2.5 tbs of REAL Mayo (always stick with the real stuff.  Don't be afraid of real fat.  It is actually better for you than the fake/diet stuff) , I cut up 3 small sweet pickles, add diced onions and mixed it all together.  YUM!  You can even add lime juice for a bit of taste, salt and pepper too.  I stuffed the tuna salad in the bell pepper, added pasta on the side and lots of salad.  It was such a spring/summer dish.  Very Festive.  We all loved it. 

I get a lot of my meal ideas from Beachbody's Meal Planner.  They usually are only 15 min. prep time and 20 min. to cook.  Let me know if you are interested in learning more.  :-)  Please share your healthy recipes on here too.  I would love it.

5 Signs Your Body is Toxic

By Kim Kash

Do you sleep 8 hours but wake up groggy? Are you perpetually grumpy? Do you crave sugar? Are you gaining weight even though you’re exercising regularly? Is your cholesterol through the roof even though you think you’re eating right? If this sounds a typical day for you, your body may be overloaded with toxins. Toxins that are causing you to gain weight, feel fatigued, and crave all the wrong foods. How did this happen? 1. You have a hard time losing weight. Possible Cause: In modern society, toxic chemicals are everywhere. They’re in the processed food you eat, the plastics you handle, the cigarette smoke you breathe in, and more. Some of these pollutants may trigger disruptions in the body’s endocrine system and this can cause you to gain weight. Solutions: The harsh truth is that ridding your world of all toxic chemicals and pollutants is nearly impossible. But, you do have some control. Choose to eat more whole foods. Package and reheat your foods in glass instead of plastic. Stop smoking. These solutions do require some effort, but once you start to see the numbers on the scale go down, you’ll feel rewarded for it. 2. You’re always tired. Possible Causes: Toxic chemicals in the environment and in the foods you eat could be the culprits here too. If you’ve been feeling severe fatigue for more than six months, you could have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Other symptoms may include forgetfulness, joint pain, irritability, depression, and achy muscles. Another possible cause for your exhaustion could be mercury poisoning if you eat a lot of fish or shellfish or have mercury fillings in your teeth. Solutions: Once again, you’re not going to be able to avoid all toxic chemicals, but you can stop smoking, choose glass and other products over plastic, and eat less processed food. If, your doctor determines that you have mercury poisoning, steer clear of fish and shellfish for some time and have any mercury filings replaced with a non-toxic alternative. 3. Your cholesterol is too high. Possible Causes: If you are overweight or obese, your weight is one cause for your high cholesterol. Obesity can decrease your HDL (good cholesterol) numbers and increase your triglyceride numbers. Triglycerides are particularly dangerous as they can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If you are in good shape, your high cholesterol may be due to certain medications such as beta-blockers, estrogen, and corticosteroids. Solutions: To put it simply: lose weight. If that’s not an issue but you can’t ditch the medications that are causing your elevated cholesterol levels, eat foods–such as oatmeal, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon and halibut, nuts, and olive oil–that can help you in your battle against those numbers. 4. You crave coffee, sugar, or junk food. Possible Causes: The foods themselves. When you eat caffeine, sugar, and other unhealthy foods, they often cause your serotonin and/or your sugar levels to spike…and then sink to lower than they were before you ingested that food. Talk about creating an unhealthy cycle! Solution: Kick your junk food habits. Expect a withdrawal period during which you’ll be cranky, have headaches, and feel fatigued, but this will likely subside within a day or a few days. 5. You’re grumpy. Possible Causes: Likely, your irritability is caused by a combination of the environmental and food toxins that might be causing your other issues as studies have revealed that chronic exposure to low levels of environmental toxins can lead to depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Solution: The best way to feel better is to eat better, lose weight, exercise (it boosts the serotonin levels in your brain that help keep you happy), and make smarter decisions when it comes to what chemicals your exposure yourself to. Admittedly, making major changes to your lifestyle is difficult. But, we also want you to feel healthier and happier. That’s why we recently launched the Beachbody Ultimate Reset. It’s a 21-day program that will help you curb your cravings, lower your cholesterol, feel more well rested, and more. Isn’t it time to stop feeling toxic and start feeling better?

The Feeding Tube Diet. REALLY?

Last night I was totally sickened to see what people will do to lose weight.  I was watching 20/20 and they did a full episode on "Losing It".  Part of the segment was about people who will actually have a feeding tube put in to lose weight.  Wow!  I sat there and was completely disgusted that people would rather go to drastic measures than to live a healthy lifestyle. 

I do not understand why people do not get it that Quick Fixes Do Not Work!  They usually cause more weight gain or other complications.  To see, mostly women, utilizing the feeding tube technique is such an odd thing to see.  They would rather look like they have a medical issue with a tube sticking out their nose and carry IV bags than get there butts moving and actually creating healthy meals.  What has our society come to?

There was another part of 20/20 where 5 people died after undergoing lap band procedures around their stomachs.  To die at the hands of diet solution?  It just isn't right.  Not only that, to spend thousands of dollars with no support after is absurd.  There are other solutions.  Solutions that are healthier, cheaper and where you have the support you need. 

You have to remember that to get anything worthwhile, you have to be diligent, work hard at it and press on!  Success only comes because of hard work.  If any of you are thinking about a dramatic weight loss procedure or diet pills, please email, text, or facebook me.  Your life is worth so much more than a quick fix.  It is worth living a long healthy lifestyle.  :-)
What are your thoughts on all of this?

MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY!

MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY!   

 Many of you read my daily posts on Facebook that have to do with living healthy, workouts, being strong, clean eating, avoiding certain ingredients, positive attitude...etc.  Well, that wasn't always the case with me.  I am going to tell you my story. 

    I was always a skinny kid.  I could eat anything and everything.  I never worried about my weight.  The funny thing is that I really didn't even know I was overweight or what we would say to young kids, Chubby, until I was told I was FAT!  It hit me like a ton of bricks.  As a young girl, weight was the last thing on my mind.  It wasn't until I turned 12 or 13 that the word FAT came into play and changed my life.  That is when I became uncomfortable with my body.  Not only was I tall, but now I am Fat.  I just felt out of place.  I went to a Catholic School where the uniforms were so unflattering and they did not put a lot of emphasis on exercise and sports.  I continued to just remain uncomfortable and eat sugar, sugar and more sugar.  My portion sizes were a mess.  I never knew anything about calories and the amount of soda I was drinking was filled with sugar.  I never thought about how many hot dogs or burgers I should eat at the ball field.  I was just having fun and I ate what I wanted. 

    When I began high school that is when I hit my breaking point.  I was beginning a new high school where I didn't know anyone and I hated the way I looked.  One day I was walking down the hall and a girl that I knew when I was in elementary school tapped me on my shoulder, welcomed me to the school and said I would be great on the Rowing team because of my height.  I knew nothing about Rowing.  What the heck is that sport?  I decided to jump in because it was the only sport where it was co-ed.  I thought it was a great opportunity to meet both girls and boys. 

     When practice began in the Fall of 1991 (I know I am dating myself), I was embarrassed because I couldn't even run a 1/4 of a mile.  I developed rashes on my inner thighs due to my Umbros(remember those shorts) chaffing em.  I hated it, but something in me told me to forge ahead.  Thankfully I did.  This was the beginning of my Fitness Career and my love for feeling strong, being competitive and reaching success.  I was one of the worst rowers in the Fall Season of Rowing.  My coach at the time told me I needed a lot of work, but if I put in my time, I would be a great rower.  I listened to Coach Jenn and worked with my team day in and day out.  By the end of my Freshman year, I was awarded the Most Improved Rower Award.  What an amazing feeling and to top it all off, I could finally run a mile without stopping!!!!

      Fast Forward a few years - Senior year I was on the Varsity team at Simsbury High School rowing in what we thought was the big time baby.  :-)  We loved every minute of it and our training was taken to another level.  I went from not being able to run a 1/4 of a mile my Freshman year to running 6 miles a day straight through.  I was on top of the world.  I was losing weight, BUT my nutrition was horrible. 

     Needless to say for being one of the worst rowers my Freshman year of high school, I stuck with it, I worked hard, I cried, I rejoiced and was SUCCESSFUL.  I went on to row Division I at the University of Connecticut.  I was a Varsity Rower my entire way through.  It was an amazing experience.  I worked out 4-6 hours a day with my team and I was in the best shape of my life....so I thought. 

       After graduating from UConn, I went onto the working world.  This is where my weight would be tested again.  I went from 4-6 hour a day workouts to a sedentary job and fast food all around me.  In just 2 years I had gained 30lbs back.  Ugh!  I felt like that young girl in middle school again.  I was working out, but not losing weight.  I would hardly eat anything and then binge or I would eliminate a very important food group and then binge.  It was a vicious cycle.  I had no guidance.  I didn't know where to turn to. 

       Years went by and I would yo-yo.  I seemed to get on the straight and narrow right before I got married.  I actually began to read articles on nutrition.  How certain ingredients impact the body.  I also joined a gym that had an amazing Bootcamp and man, did we get our butts kicked 3 days a week. ha,ha  But no matter how hard I worked out, nothing changed until my nutrition did.  I added more veggies into my diet and fruits.  That helped dramatically, but I still wasn't on the right path.  But I was ok with my weight.

       Once I got pregnant, I thought I would have no problem dropping the baby weight.  I had become a Fitness Instructor, taught 2 -3 classes a day sometimes and felt it would not be an issue.  Well, it was.  After I had my precious daughter, I ballooned back up...20lbs heavier.  I was at a loss.  I couldn't get to the gym like I wanted to and I lived across the country from family and friends.  I just wasn't happy. 

        It wasn't until a dear friend of mine, Katy Gillis, contacted me about becoming a Beachbody Coach and starting an at-home-based program.  It actually took me a long time to get back with her because I had always been a gym rat.  Work out at home?  Are you kidding me?  But then I hit the wall.  I saw the pictures from my daughter's Baptism (6 months after she was born) and I still looked 5 months pregnant.  I was so upset and called Katy and began my journey as a Beachbody Coach.  I needed to learn about not plateauing with my workouts, eating right and working on my personal development.  I never thought that negative thinking contributed to my weight gain or basically preventing me from getting to what I consider success.  My journey is still a work in process, but I cannot thank the Beachbody Community enough for helping me learn to eat clean and that doesn't mean depriving yourself, also for teaching me that reading books on confidence/success/working with people WILL help get your mind on the right path and of course the amazing workouts.  I change my workouts every 60-90 days and my body is always shocked.  It is constantly changing, getting stronger and getting healthier.  So here I am 34 years old and I truly believe I look better than I did at the age of 13 years old and 18 years old in the pictures I have posted below. 

      Anyone can change, you just have to commit to it, find the right coach, keep working at it and celebrate your successes.  I look forward to Being Your Beachbody Coach and seeing your transformation.  Change Your Life Now!!!!

The top picture is me at 18 years old and the one below it I am 13.  The one to the right is me 6 months after having my daughter trying to hide my belly.  The one of me with my daughter on the slide was taken May 5, 2012!!!

Hi Everyone,

I am so excited to welcome you to my new Blog!!!!  This is my very first time doing a blog and can't wait to share with you my thoughts, tips and advice on Fitness, Health, Personal Development and overall Wellness.  This is where you are going to get the inside scoop.  Real questions will be answered, real emotions will be used, I will express what workout programs are hot and what is not and so much more.  :-) 
This is just my intro.  My next post is going to be all about me, my background and how I became a Fitness and Health junky!!!!  I look forward to you all reading what I have to say and remember......ask me any questions you may have on food, exercise, drinks, ingredients, diseases, how to do a specific workout move...etc.  If I don't know it, I will research it to find out. 

If you are looking for a Fitness Coach, I am your girl.  I have the whole package through Beachbody!!!  Bring It!!!

 www.beachbodycoach.com/cherirudolf

www.facebook.com/cmoravekrudolf