Isabel

As you get older, your quality of life depends on how many pills you take. Really?

I heard this statement from a close person: that as you get older, your quality of life depends on the number of pills you take. People in their circle seemed to agree. I would probably have agreed years ago too, when I wasn’t aware that there is broader view of health that goes beyond justContinue reading “As you get older, your quality of life depends on how many pills you take. Really?”

Baked Empanadas: A Healthier Twist on a Classic

Empanada, or empanadillas as they are called in my country, are a traditional Hispanic dish, usually filled with meat or fish and deep fried in oil. Served as tapas or as part of a casual meal, empanadillas are delicious, but can also be high in calories and saturated fat. So I came up with myContinue reading “Baked Empanadas: A Healthier Twist on a Classic”

Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Chronic Illness

I have a question for you: If you could choose between taking a prescription pill throughout the rest of your life, or not taking any, what would you choose? I don’t think anybody enjoys taking pills (and much less paying for them), so I am going to assume that you’d rather not take any pillContinue reading “Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Chronic Illness”

Unlock the Health Benefits of Beans

Beans usually get a bad rap. In my experience, they are thought to be high in calories, high in carbs, difficult to digest, and with low quality protein content (“incomplete”). Furthermore, in some countries, like my country of origin, they are usually consumed in heavy dishes loaded with fat and animal products (judías con chorizo,Continue reading “Unlock the Health Benefits of Beans”

Lessons from the Farmer and the Horse: A Mindfulness Journey

Are you familiar with the story of the Farmer and the Horse? I was first introduced to it during meditation, quite recently. It deeply resonated with me. Interestingly, I have run into this story multiple times ever since, in different formats and even languages. Here is the story: The Farmer and the Horse There wasContinue reading “Lessons from the Farmer and the Horse: A Mindfulness Journey”

Lifestyle for Better Heart Health (part 2: exercise, tobacco, stress, sleep)

As promised, here is the second part of the “Lifestyle for Better Hearth Health” series, where I will be covering exercise, tobacco, sleep and stress. For diet, please refer to the first article. A healthy diet, along with exercise, helps us manage most lifestyle factors related to cardio vascular health: healthy cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure,Continue reading “Lifestyle for Better Heart Health (part 2: exercise, tobacco, stress, sleep)”

Plant-Based Bolognese: A Nutritious Twist

I came up with this recipe looking for ways to use some canned lentil leftovers, in a way that would sort out a few weekday meals. Lentil bolognese is a classic in plant based diets. Here, I am pairing the lentils with walnuts, for a more complete amino acid profile (that is, complete plant-based protein).Continue reading “Plant-Based Bolognese: A Nutritious Twist”

Healthy Watercress and Turmeric Soup

I love watercress!! Along with Kale, mustard greens, and collards, watercress has the highest nutritional density or ANDI (Aggregate Nutritional Density Index). Watercress is not as common in the USA as their peers, nevertheless it can be found bagged in some large grocery chains, and in bulk in health and Asian stores. I get itContinue reading “Healthy Watercress and Turmeric Soup”

Lifestyle for Better Heart Health (part 1: diet)

The month of February is associated with love, as of Saint Valentine, the patron of lovers, is commemorated on the 14th. And love is symbolically associated with the heart. But there’s another important thing to consider in February as well: your cardiovascular health, that is, the health of your heart, your blood vessels, and theContinue reading “Lifestyle for Better Heart Health (part 1: diet)”

Easy Vegan Lentil Soup for Optimal Nutrition

Let’s learn how to cook and extra healthy and easy lentil soup! Even if technically it is not necessary, I always advice to soak your lentils. This reduces the “anti-nutrient” content (phytates), helping with digestion and increasing nutrient absorption. It also shortens the cooking time, although lentils cook fast anyway. I like to add limeContinue reading “Easy Vegan Lentil Soup for Optimal Nutrition”