Why it is Important to Take Your Vitamins?

     You see them all the time on T.V. and in the grocery, but do you really know why it is important to take your vitamins? I'm sure that most of you all out there really do not believe or understand the importance. I was just the same. I believed like everyone else that vitamins were just some ploy to get me to waste my money. However, this is none of the sort. Vitamins are very important for the daily tasks your body completes everyday, growth, and maintenance ! If your diet is not healthy then you are not getting enough or any vitamins that are crucial for your body to survive. Deficiency in one vitamin can cause profound health problems! 

    First, what are vitamins? They are not energy sources, but play roles in regulating chemical reactions that allow your body extract energy from nutrients. There are two types of vitamins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble vitamins. A, D, E,  and K are fat-soluble vitamins. Which means the way the vitamins are absorbed. Below is a list of what each vitamin does to help your body function and repair itself. I will start off with Fat-Soluble Vitamins.

• Fat-soluble vitamins
• vitamin A
• Crucial for growth and reproduction
• Aids in vision and cell differentiation 
• Maintains high immunity level, healthy bones, skin, and mucous membranes
• Deficiencies
• Destroys vision and disrupts several normal body functions
• Can lead to night blindness, xerophthalmia, hyper-keratosis, infection and DEATH
• Sources
• Liver, fish liver oil, cod oil
• Milk fat, butter, and other dairy products
• Margarine, fortified breakfast cereals, and reduced fat-milks
• Spinach, carrots, broccoli, squash and sweet potatoes
• Cantaloupes, peaches, apricots, mangoes and tomatoes
• Toxicity
• Can cause DEATH, liver damage, bone fractures, skin disorders, and birth defects in newborns
• vitamin D
• Essential for bone health, may reduce cancer and heart disease risks
• Promotes healthy bone development and growth in children
• Necessary for bone maintenance in adults
• Prevents osteoporosis and fractures in older adults
• Helps reduces risk of fall with proper muscle reaction
• Sources
• Sun ( 9 - 15 minutes a day)
• Fortified foods: milk, breakfast cereals, orange juice, margarine, yogurt, grains, and breads
• Oily Fish: Herring, salmon and sardines
• Cod liver oil and other fish oils
• Egg yolk, butter and liver
• Plants are poor sources
• Deficiency
• Profound effect on skeleton, leads to rickets in children, osteoporosis and osteomalacia in adults
• Toxicity
• Sunlight does not cause toxicity but too much sun can cause sunburn and skin cancer
• Hypercalcemia: excess calcium can cause bone loss and kidney stones
• Excess calcium can leave deposits in bloodstream and other organs 
• Can affect the nervous system causing depressive illness, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite 
• vitamin E
• It is an important protector against age related chronic diseases
• Sources
• Plant and animal sources
• Wheat germ oil contains the highest concentration
• Vegetable and seed oils:
• Safflower, cotton seed and sunflower seeds are rich sources
• Corn and soybean oil
• Foods made from vegetable oils:
• Margarine, salad dressings, nuts and seeds
• Strawberries and dark leafy greens
• Animals sources are poor because of what the animal eats
• Deficiency
• Rare in the U.S. because of widespread use of vegetable oils
• Can cause cystic fibrosis 
• Premature hemolysis and anemia 
• Toxicity
• Relatively safe but over consumption can cause some problems
• vitamin K
• Crucial vitamin for blood clotting = coagulation
• Assists in bone formation
• Sources
• Plants and bacteria living in your colon
• Green leafy vegetables:
• Spinach, broccoli, green turnips and brussel sprouts 
• Vegetable oils:
• Soybean oil, cottonseed, canola and olives
• Deficiency
• Without vitamin K for blood clotting a single cut can lead to death by blood loss
• Can cause low bone density which can lead to fractures
• Can cause hemorrhages in women during menstrual cycle
• Toxicity
• Rare but can cause hemolytic anemia
• Can interfere with anticoagulant medications

Chicken and Cabbage Stir Fry

Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 of a head of cabbage, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

stir-fry sauce

spray bottle of olive oil

Directions:

Step 1: Spray olive oil in wok, place on stove and turn on medium-high. Add the chopped onion and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Step 2: Add the cubed chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add 1/4 cup of stir-fry sauce and cook for the another 5 minutes.

Step 3: Once the chicken is done, put it (along with the onions and garlic) in a separate dish. Add 1/4 cup of water to the wok and allow it get bubbly. Put the vegetables in the wok and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, occasionally stirring to make sure all the veggies are steamed.

Nutrition Facts Chicken Stir-fry Serving Size 1 cup Amount Per Serving Calories 65.18 Calories from Fat  10 % Daily Value Total Fat 1.16g 2%    Saturated Fat 0.21g 1%    Trans Fat 0g   Cholesterol 17.23mg 6% Sodium 93.26mg  4% Total Carbohydrate 7.02g 2%    Dietary Fiber 2.12g 8%    Sugars 3.74g   Protein 6.42g  13% Vitamin A (IU) 4282.88 86% Vitamin C 28.63mg 48% Calcium 38.1mg 4% Iron 0.42mg 2%

Italian Chicken Wrap Recipe

Italian Chicken Wrap
4 oz sliced chicken breast
1 roma tomato, sliced
2 tbl. of spaghetti sauce
2 tbl. of feta cheese
1 whole wheat tortilla
pinch of oregano

Directions:  

Step 1: Grill or use leftover chicken. Warm up the whole wheat tortilla on a pan for a minute. Place the tortilla on a plate and add all the other ingredients.

Step 2: Roll up the tortilla with all the ingredients and slice in half.

So simple, yet so delicious!

Nutrition Facts Italian Chicken Wrap Serving Size 1 each Amount Per Serving Calories 302.87 Calories from Fat  80 % Daily Value Total Fat 8.69g 13%    Saturated Fat 3.65g 18%    Trans Fat 0.03g Cholesterol 81.68mg 27% Sodium 637.89mg  27% Total Carbohydrate 23.03g 8%    Dietary Fiber 4.29g 17%    Sugars 5.15g Protein 31.64g  63% Vitamin A (IU) 745.65 15% Vitamin C 9.61mg 16% Calcium 131.77mg 13% Iron 2.39mg 13%

Middle Eastern Chicken Recipe

Middle Eastern Chicken
3 boneless chicken breast, cubed
olive oil spray bottle
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. of cumin
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. of tumeric
cracked pepper
1 tbl. of fresh grated or powdered ginger
8 roma tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 chicken boullion
1 cup of water

Step 1: Place a pan on the stove on medium heat, spray some olive oil and allow to get hot. Cube the chicken breast and chop the onion. Place both in the hot pan and cook for a few minutes.

Step 2: Season the chicken and onions with cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, and the cracked pepper. Cook until white.

Step 3: Add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, the cup of water and the chicken boullion. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes on a low temperature.

Nutrition Facts Middle Eastern Chicken Serving Size 1 bowl Amount Per Serving Calories 97.88 Calories from Fat  25 % Daily Value Total Fat 2.58g 4%    Saturated Fat 0.45g 2%    Trans Fat 0g   Cholesterol 33.27mg 11% Sodium 107.24mg  4% Total Carbohydrate 7.2g 2%    Dietary Fiber 1.68g 7%    Sugars 3.33g   Protein 12.87g  26% Vitamin A (IU) 692.48 14% Vitamin C 11.94mg 20% Calcium 22.59mg 2% Iron 0.6mg 3%

Grilled Balsamic Chicken Pasta Recipe

Grilled Balsamic Chicken Pasta
3 boneless chicken breast
1 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 onion, chopped
8-10 cloves of garlic
8 roma tomatoes
3/4 of a package of whole wheat pasta
2 oz. of fresh basil
sea salt and pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Heat up the grill and season the chicken breast with sea salt and cracked pepper. Once, the grill is hot, add the chicken breast and cook thoroughly on both sides.

Step 2: Put some oil in a pan with your spray bottle and allow to get hot. Add the onion and saute until clear. Chop up the garlic, add to the onion and saute for 1 minute. Heat up a small sauce pan and add the cup of balsamic vinegar. Allow it to reduce by half.

Step 3: Place a pot filled 3/4 of the way with water on the stove and heat to a boil. With your spray bottle add some oil so that the pasta will not stick together while cooking. Slice the tomatoes and put in the pan with the onion and garlic. Cook the tomatoes until tender so you can smash them with a spoon.

Step 4: Once the chicken is done, slice and put it to the side. By this time your balsamic vinegar should be almost reduced by half. You can add some organic sugar if you like to make it sweeter. Put it on a lower heat and allow the vinegar to thicken into a syrup. Your pasta should also be finished by this time (usually 13 minutes on medium temp.). Put the pasta into a strainer and run some cold water through it to stop the cooking process.

Step 5: The tomatoes in the pan should be almost like a thick sauce (if not add a little water). Add the fresh basil (I got mine from my garden!) and cook for 2-5 minutes. Once it is done, grab a large mixing bowl and put the pasta, the tomato and basil mixture, the sliced chicken breast and then the reduced balsamic vinegar. Mix together and it is done.

Hope you like this recipe. I love it!

Nutrition Facts Grilled Balsamic Chicken Pasta Serving Size 1 bowl
Amount Per Serving
Calories 91.83 Calories from Fat  5
% Daily Value
Total Fat 0.79g	1%
Saturated Fat 0.23g	1%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 26mg	9%
Sodium 217.59mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 9.79g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1.15g	5%
Sugars 5.6g
Protein 10.93g	22%
Vitamin A (IU) 443.49	9%
Vitamin C 8.85mg	15%
Calcium 30.03mg	3%
Iron 0.93mg	5%

Cumin Turkey Patties

Cumin spiced Turkey Patties
Ingredients:

1 lb. of 93/7 fat free natural ground turkey

1 rounded tbsp. of cumin
1 tbsp of olive oil
Directions:

Step 1: Add the cumin to the ground turkey and mix. Shape the ground turkey into 4 oz. balls and flatten them into patties.

Step 3: Place a pan on the burner on Medium/High. Next, add some oil with your olive oil spray bottle.

Step 4: Cook for 5 minutes on each side. Try adding some mustard!

Nutrition Facts Cumin Spiced Turkey Patties Serving Size 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 100.63 Calories from Fat  30
% Daily Value
Total Fat 3.33g	5%
Saturated Fat 0.17g	1%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Cholesterol 30mg	10%
Sodium 43.33mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 0g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 0g
Protein 18.67g	37%
Vitamin A (IU) 0	0%
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 0mg	0%
Iron 0.96mg	5%

Turkey Bacon and Egg White Sandwich

Bacon and Egg whites sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices of 12 grain bread

4 egg whites

3 slices of turkey bacon

Great way to start for the morning workout!

Nutrition Facts Turkey Bacon and Egg White Sandwich Serving Size 1 each Amount Per Serving Calories 321.16 Calories from Fat  45 % Daily Value Total Fat 5.2g 8%    Saturated Fat 0.45g 2%    Trans Fat 0g   Cholesterol 75mg 25% Sodium 917.52mg  38% Total Carbohydrate 23.5g 8%    Dietary Fiber 3.85g 15%    Sugars 4.26g   Protein 42.34g  85% Vitamin A (IU) 0 0% Vitamin C 0.05mg 0% Calcium 62.8mg 6% Iron 3.57mg 20%