Last week at work, Aetna Health Insurance announced great news!

Chairman and CEO Ron Williams, and Chief Medical Officer Lonny Reisman, M.D. along with former President Bill Clinton, announced at a press conference in New York City, an innovative new program aimed at fighting childhood obesity.

“The Alliance Healthcare Initiative," a collaboration among national medical associations, leading insurers and employers, marks the first time that children will receive comprehensive health benefits for the prevention, assessment and treatment of childhood obesity before health complications such as diabetes occur.

If we teach people at an early age that eating healthy and moving more is important, an entire generation of Americans will live healthier and longer lives," said former President Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and co-leader of the "Alliance for a Healthier Generation."  "I am grateful that our collaborators in “The Alliance Healthcare Initiative" understand that combating the childhood obesity epidemic is going to take a comprehensive approach to care. “ I hope that other employers and insurers follow the lead of these organizations.

Through its focus on prevention, “The Alliance Healthcare Initiative" offers an innovative approach to addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity in the U.S. Today nearly one in three children in the U.S. is overweight or obese and childhood obesity costs our nation nearly $14 billion a year in direct health care costs. 

"The Alliance Healthcare Initiative” represents a landmark agreement in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity," said Timothy J. Gardner, M.D., FAHA, president of the American Heart Association and medical director, The Center for Heart and Vascular Health at Christiana Care Health System (DE). "The program will allow children and their families for the first time to have access to these preventive medical services in most regions of the country."

“The Alliance Healthcare Initiative" is the health benefits component of the "Alliance for a Healthier Generation."  The "Alliance for a Healthier Generation" was founded in 2005 by the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association to create a healthier generation by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats — childhood obesity!

Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

I’m always on the hunt for the best tasting protein-packed, low carb bars to supplement my post workout needs or even replace a mini meal!

Here is one of my favorite low carb protein bars that you should definitely try!

Doctor’s CarbRite Diet Protein bars are so yummy!

Here are more reasons to switch to this bar:

• SUGAR FREE
• GLUTEN-FREE
• NO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS (aspartame, splenda or saccharin!)
• NO HYDROGENATED OILS
• NO TRANS-FATS
• LOW CALORIE (180 +)
• LOW CARB (2-3g Net Carbs)
• HIGH PROTEIN (17g +)
• DELICIOUS FLAVORS (Toasted Coconut, Brownie, Peanut butter Chocolate, Smores, Raspberry Truffle, Lemon and More!!)

This is not a paid advertisement (I promise!)

I just want you to have access to as much information and products to help you with your fitness and weight loss goals. I promise that you’ll love the taste! My favorite is the “Toasted Coconut“.

If you have other yummy suggestions whether it’s a protein bar, shake or supplement please drop a comment. Let’s help each other stay fit and healthy!

Love,

Ghada

 Last weekend, I had to take a work trip to Los Angeles California to attend a Skin care & Spa show.I usually plan my restaurants ahead of time, looking for healthy and tasty options. It was a beautiful sunny day in LA, so my friend Joe and I decided to just start walking downtown and see what  we could find.

I could tell that the area I was strolling through was the Jewelry District filled with stores selling lots and lots of diamonds! I kept it moving and came across the cutest alley that was laid with rustic brick. A big sign at the entrance read “St. Vincent’s Court”. As I walked through, it felt as if I was in another country because of the colorful store fronts, cafes and mini eateries that featured Turkish coffee, gyros, pizza. The crowd was small and I noticed that many were of Persian or Israeli descent.

As we approached the end of the alley, a bright red canopy stood out that read “Farid’s Restaurant: Persian Cuisine“. Hmmm… you know what? I don’t think I’ve ever tasted Persian food before and surprisingly, Joe never did either. So we checked out the menu pasted on the window and decided to give it ago.

Since it was 70 degrees and sunny with no chance of rain, we sat outside to get a dose of Vitamin D. I opened the menu again to take a better look at the menu incase I missed anything. I noticed that Persian food incorporated grilled meat and fish dishes, healthy stews, rice and bread, fresh salads and dips, spices and herbs like saffron, dried limes, cinnamon and parsley, and lots of vegetables.

Sounds good to me!

Being our first time dining Persian, we wanted our first experience to be memorable, so we asked the waiter to recommend his favorite items.

For starters, we ordered a Shirazi, a Persian salad that consists of chopped grape tomatoes and cucumbers, topped with olive oil, onions, fresh lemon juice and parsley.

I loved the tangy fresh taste of the cold salad mix. I ate a few bites and saved the rest to eat with my main meal.

Oooooo! What next!

Flat Persian oven brick bread was complimentary and served soon after. It looked very fresh and filled with whole grains, so I just took a bite then put it a side. Very good!

This next appetizer was out of this world! It’s called a “Kashk-O-Badmjan”. It’s prepared by sauteing eggplants and spiced with saffron, dried mint then topped with plain yogurt. The proper way of eating this, is to dip your flat bread into it and enjoy bite sizes until your meal arrives. Instead of using the bread, I just scooped it with my spoon and ate it straight! It was still delicious!

Oh my! Is that our meal? The aroma of the “Chicken and Beef Koobideh” dish was so appetizing.

As you can see from the image, the Koobideh is similar to a Kebab but it differs in shape (wider), length (much longer) and in spices (saffron is the main ingredient).

The dish was served with “Chello” which is the Persian name for rice. 

It was sooo good, but it was way too much food for my belly. Plus, I filled up on salad and a few bites of the eggplant dip. I asked for a box to pack up the rest for later.   

I always like to end a meal with a warm beverage to soothe my stomach and have an excuse to relax and chit chat some more, so Joe and I ordered some “Chai” (black tea) and sipped away as we discussed life.

Joe and I were so pleased with our experience and thanked the manager for the delightful cuisine and great service. We will definitely eat there again!

So if you some how find yourself in LA, I would highly recommend Farid’s Restaurant: Persian Cuisine. St. Vincent’s Court. 635 S Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90014 (213) 622-0808

Weight loss studies show that no 2 people unless they are identical twins, will process calories exactly the same way.

Some of the variables to take into consideration are:

• Strength
• Aerobic Capacity
• Body fat %
• Body fat distribution
• How much you move around on any given day
• How many calories you burn during digestion
• Resting Metabolic Rate

Different studies attach different numbers to all of these variables but most seem to settle into the range of 30 to 40%.

So when you lift for example, your genes probably determine about 30 to 40 % of the results you will get . When you diet, your genes weigh in on how your body reacts i.e. how much fat you lose, where the fat comes off at the degree to which your metabolism slows down.

But here is a really cool fact to know,

EXERCISE intensity trumps GENETICS! That’s right the harder you work the less influence your genes have on the results of that work! The tipping point seems to be when you work at a pace that requires 6 times the energy you’d use at rest or what researchers refer to as the “6 METs” for short.

SO STOP BLAMING ON FAT GENES AND START WORKING HARDING FOR BETTER RESULTS! LET’S KEEP IT MOVING SMALL WORLD BEAUTIES!!!!!

 Shaneek AKA Miss Murder

First of, I didn’t even know that the Vatican had a newspaper! Does it have a classified sections, holy sports or maybe religious friendly comics? Hmmm… I’d love to read it! 

The Vatican Newspaper recently released a report showing how differently men and women sin. The study was performed by Msgr Wojciech Giertych, a theologian to the pope. He gathered his data through listening to confessions

(By the way, the Pope is really upset because the confessions have dramatically decreased by over 30%. Not confessing puts a person a risk of decreasing their spiritual rhythm. So get back in those booths and air your dirty laundry!)

The TOP Sins of Men are:

• Lust Ha ha ha.. I didn’t need the vatican to tell me that)
• Gluttony
• Slothfulness
• Anger
• Pride
• Envy
• Avarice/ Greed

The TOP Sins of Women are:

• Pride
• Envy
• Anger
• Lust
• Gluttony
• Slothfulness

I thought this comment was very funny:

Chanel Turner from Canada writes: ah come on- everyone knows womens’ number one sin is envy- followed by mean spirited gossip- generally towards a woman, prettier, smarter, taller, thinner, richer or with better shoes! — then the gang approach to destroy said target of envy– remember the witch hunts!

This study was conducted through collecting “Catholic confessions” but I’m sure the findings can be assumed to fit most people.

Omg! Are those fake Jimmy Choos! Ewww.. Mine are totally the real deal! She’s a b#@*%

Just Kidding.. Please shoot me if I ever talk like that.

It just seems natural to lick my finger after a sharp paper cut. Am I being a baby about it or is my body trying to tell me something?

Scientists in the Netherlands have discovered a new benefit to Saliva. Saliva has been shown to be anti-bacterial, but now scientist revealed that Histatin, a protein found in Saliva is also responsible for healing the skin and wounds.

This discovery will help the Scientists work further towards helping more serious wounds that are not as easily healed such as diabetic ulcers and burns.

This study not only answers the biological question of why animals lick their wounds,” said Gerald Weissmann, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, “it also explains why wounds in the mouth, like those of a tooth extraction, heal much faster than comparable wounds of the skin and bone. It also directs us to begin looking at saliva as a source for new drugs.

The human body is amazing!

Love,

Ghada

I am an egg fanatic! I love me some eggs for morning, lunch or dinner. I can eat them sunny side up, over easy, poached, scrambled or my favorite; soft boiled! I love when the yolk is orange, soft and creamy.. Yay for eggs! Did you know that eating two eggs for breakfast could help you shed some weight? click here to read that post.

My favorite kind of food is party food!  Hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, light snacks and trail mix are always perfect bite sizes and I can mix and match to make a satisfying mini meal. I have to admit that the tastiest party food goes to “deviled eggs”. Delicious! Packed with protein and full of flavor, how can anyone not like them! (Unless you hate eggs).

Here is one of my favorite and simplest recipes for deviled eggs:

Ingredients:

• 6 Hard boiled eggs (boiled and peeled)
• 1/3 cup fat free or low fat mayo
• 1 table spoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon CURRY (antioxidant properties and Yummy)
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• chopped chives
• Salt n Peppa
• Paprika

Preparation:

• Boil your eggs medium to hard
• Peel eggs
• Cut eggs in half and separate your yolks in a different bowl
• Add the mayo, lemon juice, CURRY, mustard and salt n peppa to the egg yolk bowl and start mashing!
• Scoop your egg yolk mixture and place it back in your egg white halves. Try to keep all portions similar.
• Sprinkle some paprika for a tasty flavor and beautiful color
• Finish it with a few sprinkles of chopped chives
• Place your eggs in the fridge for an hour or so to harden them a little.

This is the perfect snack for any party or just a chill night with some friends. Deviled eggs look like they involved a crazy kitchen experience, but in reality you can hook them up in no time. Everyone will love you! You can make these for yourself, and eat 1 or 2 for your mini meals.

Ok, now I’m hungry… I’m going to go make some eggs. Hmmm… I think I’ll go with scrambled today.

Join me Next Sunday for another easy, nutritious recipe.

Love,

Ghada

This story has been one of the most talked about this week. R&B’s sweethearts Chris Brown and Rihanna’s relationship turned tragic when their love took an abusive twist.

By now, I’m sure that you’ve already seen the horrific photos after the couple’s altercation. Let’s just say the picture displayed a close up of Rihanna’s face showcasing her bloody swollen lip and scarred face.

Putting myself in Rihanna’s shoes, I decided not to post that gruesome after-photo on my site. I’m sure she’s going through enough.

Since the event, Chris has been charged and may face jail time (as he should), and Rihanna has returned to her hometown of Barbados to seek the support of family and friends. I wish the two youngsters the best and I hope that they can both take this tragic event and shift it into a learning experience to better their lives and career.

So why the abuse? Why do men resort to violence?

There are many factors and reasons that may spark a man to abuse their female partner. Reasons can range from economic and financial issues, family dysfunction and history, lack of spirituality, being religious, poor communication or even stress. But even after all the reasons mentioned, a man should not resort to violence. 

For the abuser, his violence is a form of control. His female partner is merely his property, his sexual object and lacks respect for her.

Most abusers are insecure with themselves and suffer from low self-esteem. Their feeling of inadequacy pushes them to be violent to feel more powerful and in control.

After their abusive assault, they may blame external factors such as a bad day at work, alcohol and drugs or even their victim.

So Why do women put up with abuse and stay?

I used to be so judgmental thinking  “I would never allow a man to do that to me” or “hell, no.. I would leave and press charges”… but, after meeting a few women that have experienced verbal and physical abuse, I now see that it’s just not that simple.

There are many reasons that can stop an abused victim from leaving.

The victim may be manipulated and degraded to a point of feeling no self-worth. She may feel in danger of being harmed if she left, so staying might spare her life. 75 % of women murdered by their abusive partners took play after they left them.

Another common reason is the fear of being alone with no support from family or friends. The victim may have revolved her life around the abuser and dependent on him financially, so for her to leave would leave her with very little to nothing.

If there are children involved, the victim may feel obligated to remain in the relationship for the sake of them. Battered women also feel that the abuse is their “fault” and that they weren’t adequate wives or partners so they stay in hopes things will change.

No person should be subjected to either verbal or physical abuse. If you’re a person that has witnessed a friend go through a similar scenario, be a true friend and help even if they claim that they’re fine.

If you’re a victim then try your hardest to seek help. Leaving will not be easy or peaceful, so be courageous and reach out for support.

Here’s a great link that you can view for abuse related support.

You deserve to Love Your Life.

Love,

Ghada

My workout routine involves both lifting weights and cardio. The weights target building more muscle for a sexy toned body and fat burning, and the cardio works to target a healthier heart and more fat loss.

I find that this simultaneous combination works the best for my body type. Everyone is different, so find what’s best for you.

After my weight training sessions, I like to finish off with 20-30 minutes of high intensity cardio.

And the award for BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK goes to…… the STAIRMASTER!!! YAY!!

I know that this piece of monster equipment looks intimidating, but once you are acquainted with each other.. You’ll become the bestest of friends.

My best friend, the Stairmaster always knows how to pump my heart rate within the first few minutes. My legs, thighs, calves and a@# burn like crazy throughout the whole session. Yes, it’s torture but the results keep me stepping.

Here are my settings:

Mode: Fat burner HIT

Time: 30 min

Level: 13-15

Why put myself through the torture of the Stairmaster?

Because it’s only 20 minutes of my whole 24 hour day. In just that little time, I usually burn 200-300 calories. Unlike the elliptical or stationary bike that allows me to be lazy, I can’t afford to do that on the monster. Because if I do, I’m going to fly off and look really stupid.

So if you haven’t ventured on the Stairmaster yet, you should definitely give it a try! It is very challenging at first, so start with a few minutes at a low intensity level and build yourself up to 20 or 30 minutes at a higher level.  Remember to always stretch before and after.

If you’re already a good friend to the Stairmaster, try wearing a weighted vest for a more intense workout.

Shocking your body with some hardcore cardio will rev your metabolism and help burn more fat.

Love,

Ghada

Earlier this week, I heard a mention about a launch of a new Cow Urine Soft drink and products.  A few days later I watched an episode of Bizarre Foods that featured a ayurvedic doctor that offered Andrew Zimmerman a purified form of cow urine that was meant for metabolizing fat… OK, now I had to jump online and do some research. 

I found a few articles discussing the launch of a new soft drink!  Apparently, an Indian company is launching a soft drink that will combine cow urine with aloe vera and gooseberry for the purpose of being a preventative for diabetes and cancer. The product will be sold in India and possibly all over the world. Hmmm… interesting..

Wow, there’s actually a Cow Urine Therapy & Research Institute based in Madhya Pradesh, India that attempts to find cures and therapies through this substance? Mr. Virendra Kumar Jain, the head of the institute has been awarded a patent by the government of India for his cow urine therapy and findings.

The patent is awarded for various therapeutic ayurvedic composition and prescribed therapy by Mr. Virendra Kumar Jain for Cancer, AIDS, Asthma, Diabetes, Psoriasis, Eczema, Heart Diseases, Hypertension, Piles, Prostate, Liver, Kidney, Female Diseases, Hepatitis, Acidity, Fits, Ulcer, Spleen, Ear, Sexual Disorders, Nose, Eye, Cough & Cold, Migraine, Headache, Gout, Spondylitis, Sciatica and other diseases

That’s an impressive list!

Cow Urine is made up of Urea (anti-bacterial agent), Uric acid (anti-bacterial/anti-cancer agent), Minerals that are absorbed better than ones found in food and other Bio-active substances and hormones.

Here are two of the cow urine infused weight loss products that claim to metabolize fat: Trimsure Syrup and Slimsure capsules.

Check out more Cow Urine Products by clicking here

So, here are my thoughts…

I am intrigued by Mr. Jain’s research and I look forward to sipping on some of that juice and watching my thighs melt away! Just kidding. Just like everything else, I’m sure you still need to exercise and maintain a proper diet to see results. I believe that everything on this earth serves a purpose, so why not cow urine! I’m all for it and can’t wait to see the launch of the new soft drink.

Love,

Ghada