Tips For Tackling Spring Cleaning

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

The winter months are slowly but surely coming to an end, which means that it’ll soon be time for spring cleaning! A little bit of extra sunshine and the touch of warmth in the air is perfect for motivating you to take on some of those deep cleaning tasks that might have been overlooked or ignored during the winter. While you might want to just put your head down and tackle the mess, being mindful and methodical about your approach to cleaning can make the whole process smoother. Read on for some practical tips for effective deep cleaning!

Split up chores: When it comes to deep cleaning your house, it might feel tempting to try to get the whole thing clean in only a few days. But that isn’t always the most effective approach, as you might not be as detailed in your cleaning to help speed up the process, or you might feel burnt out early on. So instead, try splitting up your chores over a week or so, and purposefully tackle certain rooms or areas and clean them thoroughly. Remember, it’s not a race!

One room at a time: If you’re anything like me, you might find yourself jumping around from room to room doing a little cleaning here, and a little cleaning there. And at the end of it all, you’re left with a couple different half-cleaned rooms. So, an easy way to avoid that is to make yourself focus on one room at a time. Don’t stop cleaning a certain area until it is completely clean to your liking!

Start with the most rewarding tasks: While it is said that it is better to save the best for last, that isn’t necessarily true for cleaning. By starting with the most fun task (if it is even possible for a cleaning task to be fun) or the most rewarding task, you’re setting yourself up for a more productive time cleaning, as you’ll be more motivated to continue.

Have supplies and keep them organized: There is nothing worse than going to clean something and discovering that you’re all out of your favorite cleaner or that you don’t have any more scrubbers. So, make sure that you’re well stocked up on all your go-to cleaning products and have them in a neat, accessible place to make your spring-cleaning efforts more enjoyable and productive.

Take care of yourself: Finally, take care of yourself and keep yourself in a good mood when tackling all that cleaning. Wear comfy clothes, make yourself a good cup of coffee, turn on some music. The moment you cease to be in a good mood your productivity is going to plummet, and things might not get as clean as they could be.  So, just take a little bit of time to make sure that you’ll be in your prime!

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a super daunting task! Try out some of these tips to keep yourself motivated and to make your cleaning efforts as effective as possible!

For more articles like this, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

 

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Spice Up Your Diet and Boost Your Health

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

 

One of the many things that Arizona is known for is its great Mexican food. In fact, anytime that we have family from out of state come to visit, they always ask that at least one meal that we make them good, homemade Mexican food. To me, the best part about Mexican cuisine is how spicy it can be! Until I became very sensitive to it, I absolutely loved anything spicy and would douse almost any kind of food in hot sauce. Besides just adding a spicy kick to foods, did you know that spicy foods have some pretty amazing health benefits? Salsa with tortilla chips and chilli peppers.Concept

According to registered dietician Patritia Bridget Lane, a little bit of spice in your diet can pack a really healthful punch. One of these is weight management. Peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which is known to help with weight loss in two ways. First, it boosts metabolism by helping your body break down fat and burn energy faster. Capsaicin also triggers the hypothalamus, the part of your brain that regulates hunger and fullness.

Peppers also have many other health benefits as well. Lane notes that peppers have been shown to reduce high cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, boost gut microbiome stimulate healthy gut flora, and also reduce inflammation.

So, now you can enjoy your spicy Mexican foods even more, because besides being incredibly delicious, you’ll also be getting some pretty good health benefits from all the chilies! Also, while us Arizonans known how to cook up some pretty great homemade Mexican food, it wouldn’t be possible without all the Arizona famers who grow us some pretty great ingredients to use! Whether it be dairy products, meats, pinto beans, or chilis, Arizona has it all!

For some yummy Mexican food recipes, or for information on where to find locally grown products, check out the Fill Your Plate website!

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Mediterranean Diet Snacks

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

For those who start a new diet, the adjustment can sometimes be a little difficult. If planning meals that fit within a diet wasn’t hard enough, finding snacks can be just as hard if not harder, as many of the typical, convenient snacks don’t comply with most diets.  In this article, we’ll specifically be looking at snacks that fit the Mediterranean-style diet, but some of them can also cross-apply to other diets.

mediterranean diet pyramid

Here are some facts about the Mediterranean Diet so you can decide if it may work for you (photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com)

When it comes to the Mediterranean diet as a whole, the main goal is not necessarily to limit or restrict certain foods or calories, but rather to eat whole, natural foods, and it specifically emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, poultry, seafood, and healthy fats. So, snacks that fit within the Mediterranean diet just have to align with those kinds of foods.

Here are a few snack suggestions you might consider trying:

  • Dried fruit and nuts – Apricots and almonds are a good pair, as are cranberries and cashews
  • Popcorn with parmesan and herbs
  • Veggies and hummus
  • Hard boiled eggs – Either plain or as deviled eggs
  • Fresh fruit and nut butter – Apples and peanut butter are delicious!
  • Sliced fresh vegetables with olive oil and herbs
  • Baked vegetable chips – Try zucchini, sweet potato, and while they’re not vegetables, bake chickpeas are great as well!
  • Greek yogurt – Pair with fruit, nuts, or granola

 

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure that you’re getting enough water each day. Often, we mistake our slight dehydration for hunger.

So, if you’re following the Mediterranean diet, or a similar diet, don’t let yourself feel too overwhelmed with finding good snack options. Try out some of these ideas, or come up with your own combinations of whole, natural foods!

Did you know that Arizona agriculture produces lots of yummy foods that fit into the Mediterranean diet? From eggs and poultry to fruits and vegetables, to nuts and seeds, fresh, locally grown products can be found at your grocery store or farmers market!

For more articles on the Mediterranean diet and diets in general, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

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Tulsi: Basil’s Healthful Cousin

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

When you think of basil, you probably think of how it’s used in Italian foods like pasta, pizza, pesto, or as a garnish on foods. But one that doesn’t typically come to mind is basil being used as a medicine. Tulsi, which is also known as holy basil, is a special kind of basil that originates in India and is a cousin to the typical basil used in many cuisines and seasonings today. Tulsi has been used medicinally for thousands of years due to its many health benefits which we’ll dive into below.

According to registered dietician Devon Peart, tulsi has compounds that benefit our metabolic health, neurocognitive health and mood, as well as promote our immune system and lessen infections. Some of the specific areas in which tulsi has been shown to work include:

  • Lowering blood sugar
  • Improving LDL cholesterol
  • Improving blood pressure
  • Decreasing inflammation
  • Improved response to stress
  • Improved response to anxiety
  • Lessened fatigue
  • Increased immune system function

So now you might be wondering how you can take advantage of some of these health benefits that tulsi provides. Before you go and chew on a few raw tulsi leaves after using them as a garnish on an Italian dish, be warned that while it is edible raw, it has a very bitter and spicy taste to it. Rather than eat it by itself, Peart suggests that you instead try making tea by soaking the leaves and flowers in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Another option is to find tulsi extracts, essential oils, or supplements.

Consider giving tusli a try, whether you take it like as a supplement or enjoy it as a cup of tea. I personally have used the supplement version of tulsi for digestive issues and it found that it worked wonders!

For more articles about health and nutrition, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

 

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The Scoop on Collagen

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Fill Your Plate

By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

A scoop of collagen.

Of all the different supplements that have been becoming popular in recent years, I’d venture to say that collagen has either topped or is near the top of that list. With claims of keeping skin from sagging and also keeping hair and nails from becoming brittle, there’s no wonder that collagen-rich foods and collagen supplements are gaining lots of attention. Unlike some supplements that make amazing claims about what they can do for you when really the effects are little to none, collagen is actually a very legitimate supplement that really does what it is supposed to do. Let’s look at what collagen really is and where it comes from, why we need collagen, and finally some of the best sources of collagen.

According to registered dietician Jillian Kubala, collagen is a type of protein that makes up the structure of your body’s cells and tissues. To get even deeper into what collagen is, Kubala says that it is made of 3 amino acids, glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline. These make up the triple helix structure of the collagen. Collagen is typically found in connective tissue, tendons, bones, skin, and cartilage.

Often, it’s said that we need collagen to keep from aging too quickly. While this is one benefit of taking collagen, there is a deeper reason why we need it (and subsequently get anti-aging benefits from it!). Collagen serves multiple purposes in our bodies, which Kubala says include:

  • Tissue repair
  • Immune response
  • Cell communication
  • Cell migration

Our bodies naturally make collagen, but as we age our production of collagen slows, and our existing collagen tends to become brittle and fracture, which leads to signs of aging. Additionally, Kubala says that other lifestyle factors such as excessive smoking, drinking, or sun exposure also speed up the rate at which our collagen production drops. So, this also means that all of those jobs that collagen does in our body begin to not be done as well due to the reduction of collagen. This is why as we age, it’s important to keep our bodies well-nourished with collagen.

So, what are some of the different sources of collagen we can incorporate into our diets? There are both foods that we eat that are high in collagen, foods that promote the production of collagen in our bodies, or there are also concentrated supplements of collagen that can be taken as well.

Some collagen rich foods include:

  • Bone broth or marrow
  • Meats with skin on
  • Jellyfish
  • Fish skins

Some of the foods that promote the production of collagen include:

  • Beans
  • Fish
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Citrus

Foods and supplements are both great sources of collagen. You can have one or the other, or both! For some, cooking up collagen rich foods might be an easier option, while others might prefer just adding a scoop of collagen powder to their coffee in the morning!

So, there you have the “scoop” on collagen, including what it is and what its made of, what it does for your body, and some good sources to include in your diet!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!

 

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