Chickpeas with Arugula-Lemon Pesto

Total time to prepare: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 clove garlic
2 cups arugula
1 cup fresh basil
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 15 oz. can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained
½ tsp. kosher salt
8 butter lettuce leaves

Directions:
* Make the pesto: Combine the lemon juice, garlic, arugula, basil, oil, and pepper in a food processor. Process until the herbs and garlic are finely chopped.

* In a medium bowl, toss the chickpeas with the pesto and season with up to ½ tsp. of salt.

* Serve on the lettuce leaves.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Information:
Per Serving (¾ cup)-
Calories: 210
Sodium: 270 mg
Total Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 7 g
Fiber: 5 g

  

 
 

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Are You Increasing Your Risk of Diabetes?

Strength Training (Photo credit: Rtist MrB)

People who were sedentary for roughly 12 hours a day had higher blood sugar levels than those who were sedentary for around 9 hours. Doing less exercise and being overweight also raised the risk of higher blood sugar, but among people with equal levels of exercise or excess weight, those who sat the longest had a higher risk.

What to do: Get out of that chair whenever possible, even if it's only for a few minutes at a time. Try standing at your desk, during meetings, or during other activities where it's feasible. Walk to the bus or train (or your destination!) to minimize your time behind the wheel. Don't spend all your leisure time sitting in front of a TV, computer, or movie screen. And don't forget aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) and strength training.

Sources: Diabetologia 2013. doi:10.1007/s00125-013-2845-9. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act.2013. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-20.
 

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Are you getting enough sleep?

Main health effects of sleep deprivation (See Wikipedia:Sleep deprivation). Model: Mikael Häggström. To discuss image, please see Template talk:Häggström diagrams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although most people get around five to seven hours of sleep a night, experts caution that number should really be somewhere closer to eight hours of sleep. "The problem with being chronically sleep-deprived (as in, missing one to two hours nightly) is that the body perceives the sleep loss as a "stress," which increases levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol (which interferes with insulin function)," says Shawn Talbott, nutritional biochemist and author of "The Secret Vigor: How to Overcome Burnout, Restore Biochemical Balance, and Reclaim Your Natural Energy."

That means blood sugar regulation is compromised and you'll crave more sweets and junk food. The increased appetite for unhealthy snacks puts you at risk for abdominal weight gain, diabetes and obesity. 

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How Many Servings of Fruit And Vegetables Should You Consume?

Fruits and vegetables (Photo credit: nutrilover)

The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably need even more - I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs. regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they're organic or not.

Are You Eating For Two?

Restaurant potions tend to be huge. To help control your portions ask the waiter to immeditaly put half of your meal in a take home box and the bring the rest to your table. Chances are that half portion will satisfy your hunger and you can save the remainder for another day.

What Are The Benefits Of Exercise?

Fitball Group Fitness Class Category:Fitness Category:Challenges to physical balance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Remember, there are numerous benefits of regular exercise besides just losing weight. So, don’t base your fitness results purely on whether you are losing pounds or inches. Other important factors include having more energy, sleeping better, increased stamina and increased endurance. Or, even simply being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting as winded.



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Are Salads A Healthy Option?

You really can't go wrong with fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Salad dressings however are a different story.  I personally just use fresh lemon juice for my dressing.  

When eating out watch out for too much salad dressing. Restaurants often drown a salad in dressing causing your "lite" menu option to be not quite so. Salad dressing can easily add 200-300 calories! Ask for it on the side and try to limit your amount to about 2 tablespoons.

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