Monica Cardone's Diet Diary

Remember when it was fun to go grocery shopping? Life has really changed! I was reminiscing today as I parked my car & wrestled my kids from their car seats how going grocery shopping used to involve a relaxing stroll down each aisle, casually examining entire groups of products to find the one with just the right ingredients, or the most protein, or whatever, and occasionally splurging on a bag of chips, a box of candied cold cereal or a tub of my favorite ice cream. Of course that was before I had children and before I became fully committed to trying to save them from the food-choice frustrations I’ve fought my whole life. Now, between strategically planning my shopping trip so as to avoid entire aisles of foods (the chips & carbonated beverage aisle, the candy & chip aisle, and the ice cream & frozen pizza aisle just to name a few), and trying to either navigate one of those ridiculous two-seater carts (you know, the ones that should require a CDL to steer down the aisles?) or restrain my youngest to the shopping cart seat while keeping tabs on my almost-four-going-on-23-year-old (WHY do they insist on walking directly in front of the cart? Do they enjoy being maimed?), it’s all I can do to get through my shopping list and back out to the car with my sanity, my children and my groceries in under an hour and a half. I know some day I’ll look back on these days with nostalgia and amusement – today though, I just look back on the experience of grocery shopping and think, “Thank goodness it’s over!”

Second day on Callanetics…the instructor promises amazing differences in just 10 hours (one hour/day) – I have eight more days to go!  It sounds easy when I think of it that way.

Enough with the whannie festival. Just get up and get moving. Today was one of those days where I had to remind myself that ANY action is POSITIVE action, the key word here being . . . .ACTION. And yes, I mean 5:15 in the MORNING. Insane, I know, but it’s the only time I can have to myself these days. So anyway, the alarm went off and seconds later I noticed my head being sucked back into my feather pillow like quicksand. Time for a quick pep talk — “BUTCH BULL DOG!!!” (Translation: You are tough, strong & committed, now suck it up & get your butt out of bed! – I said a “quick” pep talk, remember?)

I walked downstairs and drank some orange juice. It was 5:20AM and one eye was barely opened while the other was sealed shut by a combination of “sleep dust” and a protective instinct to shun any more light at this insane hour. I had a couple sips of sour shock, and while in my pajamas, meandered into the living room to do some exercises. I put in an old video from the 80s (but a GREAT workout for those nearly asleep  ….Callanetics! The instructor guides you through some great stretches while periodically showing clips of unretouched students fat-to-skinny pictures. Funny, that part I probably enjoyed the most! Well, that and the 80’s hair, leotards & leg warmers.  SOOOOO glad the hair hasn’t made a comeback – I’m not sure the ozone layer could handle the assault!

In the fall of 2010, science journalist Jennifer Ackerman released a new book about the common cold, entitled Ah-choo! The uncommon life of your common cold! She said that scientists used to think a cold worked just like a flu, which attacks and kills cells inside the body. But that’s not so.

Some headlines from her book

· According to research weak immune system does not allow you to be sick more easily. So think twice to buy products which strengthening the immune system to prevent flu.

· Several studies says vitamin C taken as a medicine is good for blood cells that fight infections. On the other hand, 30 clinical trials which consist 10 thousand people claims vitamin C taken a medicine isn’t so useful in the direction. The best way to get vitamin C is naturally by food.

· Here is the interesting one. Flu isn’t transmitted with a kiss.

· Laundry doesn’t kill the flu viruses.

· Your computer has 47%, mouse 45%, office phone 47% flu viruses.

· Antibacterial soaps can destroy the bacteria but do not kill viruses.

One of the greatest challenges for most individuals is sticking to a diet program once started. There is a very important reason for this. If you were to lose only two pounds a week from a diet, you might become discouraged and discontinue, especially if your friend down the street lost eight pounds per week. Fat loss unfortunately does not occur as quickly
as fluid loss. But, on a positive note, many people have lots of water weight to lose, and losing that alone can hugely change the way someone looks. It might even be possible to lose six pounds of water weight per week for several weeks, but as soon as your water weight becomes normal, the weight loss for a person with a healthy metabolism is one to two pounds per week. If you don’t know this, you can easily give up.

Researchers have discovered that the polyphenol known as punicalagin is what gives pomegranate its excellent flu-fighting characteristics. Basic items which you have to touch every day like your desk or phone can pose a threat to you because influenza viruses, can live for hours. Pomegranates are plentiful in the ‘polyphenol’ is a powerful antioxidant against influenza. This antioxidant, destroys viruses, as soon as you put it in your mouth. Moreover, pomegranates stopped the virus from replicating and spreading.

Suggestion: If you do not like the taste of pomegranate, you can mix it with pear or apple juice but pay attention not to consume with soy and milk products. Because they observe the antioxidants