25 Great Health Tips c/o Dr. Oz

 The doctor is in...Men's Health :)

 

The other day I came across this article. Yes, I do read Men's Health regularly; I find it highly relevant. I jest, but the title piqued my curiosity and I found myself clicking through the slide show to see if I was doing something right (because if Dr. Oz says so, it has to be right, right?)
So it turns out I'm following quite a few of his health tips (and there's some I couldn't possibly follow, from an anatomical stance :p), so I guess I'm on the road to good health.

Which of these tips are my top five?

1. Laughter. It definitely is the best medicine. If I'm having a lousy day, or I'm about to hang from the ceiling like a cat from all the stress, I take a time out, watch the Mindy Project, or just have a conversation with my sisters (some of the funniest people I know), and I feel so much better.

2. Tasting the rainbow. No, not Skittles; fruits and veggies. I've long know how important colourful foods to maintaining a healthy system and I've made great strides integrating these into my daily food options, though I have to count and see if I'm eating the nine fistfuls.

3.Yoga! I'm not a yogi master yet (goodness knows if I'll ever reach that level of flexibility/strength), but when I am doing yoga is when my body feels less sore and so much more flexible, and it really is a stress reducer. Sometimes I've been so relaxed (or tired?) that I've found myself nodding off during the breathing exercises.

4. Avoiding the fads. I've never been a proponent of those quick weight loss methods, if only because I hate putting restrictions on what I eat. And I could never live with a diet that consisted mainly of meats (Dr. Atkins :|). The main thing to remember: good things take time; lose the junk food, get physical and in due time, you'll be fit!

5. Dance, baby! Zumba, anyone? I can't honestly say I've ever seen a fella at Zumba class (save for one insanely talented instructor I had). Regardless, this is one fitness class I look forward to all week. I have fun, I burn calories, I laugh and at the end of the hour I feel fantastic. Dancing to stay fit? Get your groove on, people.

What are your top tips for great health?

Double the Chocolate!

 That's an old zucchini from the fall that I forgot to freeze. Amazingly it's not decomposing.

 

School's out for summer....not quite forever, and no, I did not blow it to pieces (I should probably not even joke about that. Red Flag!!!). In all seriousness, though, I'm so relieved to be done with the majority of my coursework. Now I can take a brain break, and give my poor old kitchen some much needed attention. Whenever I want to celebrate something, I always look for chocolate. Good grade? That deserves some chocolate! Aced an interview? Why, I think a chocolate cookie is in order. Survived a Kinesis class? Two squares of dark chocolate wouldn't hurt :) So it's only fitting that I celebrate the end of the semester with some chocolate, while keeping it healthy!

The zucchini in this recipe (yay for fall freezing!) makes for a deliciously moist muffin, and if you can find some cacao nibs and grind them up (I used a coffee grinder) to use in place of the powder (I never have cocoa powder :|), you'll be in chocolate heaven! Also, the original recipe makes something like 20 muffins; I halved it, but you can double up.

 Healthwise Ultimate Chocolate Zucchini Muffins ( adapted from Iowa Girl Eats)

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 cup ground cacao nibs (you can add an extra tablespoon to up the cocoa)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.  Beat the coconut oil, unsweetened applesauce, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and mix to combine.  Next, add vanilla and buttermilk and mix to combine.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa nibs , baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, mixing until just combined before adding the next batch. Lastly, add the zucchini and chocolate chips and mix to combine.
3. Spoon the batter into lightly greased muffin liners, about 3/4 full. Pop in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick/knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy! (or take the risk and eat it warm...so gooey!)