Tag Archives: thebestlife.com

4 Things Bob Greene Does Before Every Outdoor Summer Workout

Planning on taking your workout outdoors this summer? Great idea! I’ve always been a big fan of exercising outdoors. The changing scenery can be stimulating, the breezes are refreshing and being out in nature is mood boosting.

But before you head outside, make sure to take the proper precautions so you don’t get burned. Here are four things I do before every outdoor workout:

Plan ahead. If I know it’s going to be a particularly hot or humid day, I plan my workouts for early morning or early evening. That way, I can avoid being outside during the warmest part of the day—between 10 am and 4 pm. If you can only exercise during these times you have a few options:

Try a water workout.

Do something in the shade, like a hike or bike ride on a tree-lined route.

Move the workout indoors. (more…)

Posted on July 1, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

Your New Summer Favorite: Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad

By Janis Jibrin, RD, Best Life lead nutritionist

Visiting Washington, D.C.? If so, you’ll inevitably wind up in the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown, which is also a bustling shopping mecca. My favorite place to have a bite is Kafe Leopold, a hidden oasis removed from the noise and crowds. The cuisine is loosely Austrian, and it happens to have some of the best salads in D.C. (Although, if you’re in a more decadent mood, the sausage, sauerkraut and spicy mustard is wonderful, as are the pastries).

I’d always loved Leopold’s Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta salad, but it just got even better—and more striking—after brand new executive chef Marcellus Coleman got ahold of it. He let me into the restaurant’s kitchen so I could watch him prepare the salad.

What to do with the rest of your watermelon? Turn in into yet another salad!

(more…)

Posted on June 24, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

The Freshest Produce Picks for Early Summer: Here’s What’s Ripe in June

By Team Best Life

Nothing says summer like a garden full of fresh vegetables or a farmers market bursting with juicy, in-season fruit. It’s hard to beat the taste of a just-picked sweet tomato or a fragrant strawberry. Whether you eat them plain or toss them into a favorite dish, they’re sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.

Ready to kick off the summer? Try one of our four favorite June produce picks:

Broccoli. If you grow your own in a garden, you’ll likely start to see small heads soon. For a more tender and mild taste, try to harvest the heads and leaves before they grow too large. Don’t have a green thumb? Look for small heads of broccoli at your local farmers’ market early in the season. Use them to whip up this Fresh Broccoli Salad, which makes for a healthy barbecue side dish.

Raspberries. You can get most berries year-round, but early season raspberries are especially delicious. Look for black raspberries, which are available in many parts of the country in June. In this Raspberry Pistachio Chicken, they make a tasty topping. (more…)

Posted on June 17, 2023 by Jessica Cassity

Strength Training and Cardio Effective at Edging Out Stress

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

If you’re like the majority of Americans—67 percent of them, to be exact—then you’re stressed out. And your stress may trigger physical symptoms, like fatigue or upset stomach, as it does in 72 percent of Americans, according to an American Psychological Association survey. These symptoms are bad enough, but stress can be even more destructive, causing chronic inflammation, depression, heart disease, and other conditions.

There are many ways to combat stress, including meditation, social support, building your confidence, and coping skills, but exercise is near the top of the list. Exercise primarily refers to aerobic exercise (cardio), but a few studies also indicate that strength training is a good stress-buster as well.

Getting sweaty is exceptionally effective because it attacks stress from so many angles. When you regularly work out, you’re:

Likely to have lower levels of substances that spike stress and depression, such as cortisol and other stress hormones, inflammatory compounds and free radicals.
Apt to have a tamer cardiovascular response to stress; your heart rate and blood pressure don’t rise as high, and come back down more quickly. (more…)

Posted on June 10, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

6 Secrets for a Healthy Backyard Cookout

By Team Best Life

Spring is in the air and so is the smell of smoky, mouth-watering barbecue! As you prepare to pick up your spatula and fire up the grill follow these six barbecue basics for a healthy and tasty meal:

Look for lean.
Opt for lean meats to keep calories and fat in check. Try burgers made with lean beef (95 percent), buffalo burgers with naturally lean ground buffalo meat, turkey burgers, or veggie burgers (try this tasty recipe). As for steak, look for T-bone or different cuts of sirloin and flank steaks, or buffalo steaks, which are naturally lean. And don’t forget to remove the skin from poultry; it’s loaded with fat.

(more…)

Posted on May 13, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

16 Foods for a Clear Complexion and Younger-Looking Skin

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Showing a little more skin now that the weather has warmed up? In addition to sunscreen and moisturizers there’s another equally important way to care for your skin—from the inside. Just as there are nutrients particularly critical for the eyes, brain and heart, certain vitamins and phytonutrients are key to radiant, clear skin. By happy coincidence, many of those nutrients are in abundance in spring and summer produce. So, make sure to toss the following in your cart:

Cantaloupe and strawberries. They’re rich in vitamin C, which nourishes skin in two ways. As an antioxidant, this vitamin helps destroy skin-damaging free radicals caused by UV light. Plus, vitamin C is needed to form the protein collagen, which firms up skin and gives it elasticity.

(more…)

Posted on May 6, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

17 Types of Seafood You Can Eat Without Worrying (Much) About Mercury

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Lead Nutritionist for TheBestLife.com

Nutritionists love seafood for good reason: Diets high in fish are linked to lower levels of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. And for pregnant women, eating more fish can even make your baby more intelligent.

But what about mercury, a contaminant that can cause nerve damage and other problems? You’ll find the chemical in large fish like swordfish and tuna. These fish eat large quantities of small fish that are low in mercury, but over time, these small amounts concentrate in the big fish’s body.

Fortunately, there are plenty of low-mercury fish options at the seafood counter (see the list below).

* Note: Seafood with an asterisk (*) are rich in omega-3s, which help fight inflammation in the body and offer many health benefits, like a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and possibly Alzheimer’s disease.

The Purest Picks

• Arctic char*

• Catfish (U.S. farm-raised; avoid wild-caught, it may be high in contaminants) (more…)

Posted on April 1, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

12 Ways to Add Some Excitement to Your Eggs

By Team Best Life

Need a quick and healthy meal? Crack open some eggs. Eggs are a good source of high-quality protein, with about 6.5 grams of protein per large egg. And the yolk contains the antioxidants that protect the eyes as well as choline, a nutrient crucial for healthy brain function. (One egg a day is safe for most people; the cholesterol in eggs doesn’t seem to affect blood cholesterol as much as saturated fat.)

(more…)

Posted on March 25, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

It’s Spinach Season: 5 Ways to Take this Green Beyond Salads

By Team Best Life

Sure, you could throw a bunch of spinach in a bowl, toss in some standard salad toppings, cover it all in dressing and call it a day. But why not find other more creative ways to use the green, which offers a number of health perks? It’s rich in vitamins A, C, and K, plus beta carotene, calcium, fiber, and folate. And it contains antioxidants that protect your eyes and may also fight diseases, such as arthritis and some forms of cancer.

Below, we’ve offered five recipes that don’t require a bowl or dressing! But before you dig in, use these strategies to get the tastiest greens:

• Look for crisp green leaves when shopping.

• Be sure to get rid of any yellow or wilted leaves before using. (more…)

Posted on March 18, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Bob Greene’s Six No-Cost Workout Items

by Bob Greene for TheBestLife.com

Six No-Cost Workout Items

Think you need a pricey gym membership or fancy gear or gadgets to get a good workout? Think again. You can work your muscles and challenge your cardio using things you already have around your home or office. Check out these six household, office or everyday items that can double as workout equipment:

1. Stapler/Tape Dispenser
Use these office staples as weights to do arm exercises, including a lat raise: Stand straight up and let your arms hang at your sides. Slowly lift your arms up and straight out from your sides, stopping when your hands reach shoulder height (your arms will form a “T” with your body). Slowly lower your arms back down and repeat 10 to 15 times.

2. A Kitchen Drawer
Strengthen arms with a cabinet curl, a move similar to a bicep curl, using an open (and sturdy) kitchen drawer. To learn how, click here.

3. Your Desk
Lean against it to perform a standing pushup. To do it, put your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge of the desk so your thumb is under the desk and your fingers are on top. Walk your feet back away from the desk about two feet to form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels. Keep your core tight and your head in a neutral position. Lower your body toward the desk, then push back up to start. You can do it every time you stand up from your desk, or do a set of 10.

(more…)

Posted on August 27, 2023 by BestLifeDiet

HealthBuzz November 23: Holiday Gift Guides, BestLife and DIR’s Holiday Survival Guide, and Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Take a break from your Black Friday shopping to catch up on some healthy news! This week’s headlines from DIR include our 2024 Holiday Gift Guides, AB Circle Pro Paying Millions in Refunds, and the Risks Muscle-Enhancement Supplements Pose on Teens. We also have news from our partners at Best Life, Care 2, Organic Consumer, and a recipe from the blog Nook and Pantry.

2024 Holiday Gift Guides: Shop and Win This Year’s Hottest Fitness and Foodie Gear

Having trouble finding a gift for a runner, gym rat or yogi? DietsinReview is here to help with your Christmas gift shopping dilemma. There’s even a chance for you to win some highly sought after items yourself! Scan the slide show and check out the details on how you can win the hottest fitness and foodie gear this holiday season.

AB Circle Pro Must Pay up to $25 Million in Refunds

Looks like another fitness company has to pay refunds to consumers for false advertising. AB Circle Pro users were promised they could lose 10 pounds in two weeks by using the machine. Clearly, this is not a realistic goal nor is it healthy for those who used the AB Circle Pro. If you purchased an AB Circle Pro make sure you get your refund as soon as possible! Check out the article for details. (more…)

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Samantha

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