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AI 101: AI Explained
Do you struggle with AI? Have parents, friends, and others who struggle with terminology and understanding what AI is good for?
The guide defines basics terms that are often mentioned in numerous online videos and definitely can be confusing to a new user.
Check out my guide, free to use, no data collected.
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Which supplement should I take? #Supplement Explorer
Are you always on your phone looking at which supplements you should take? Do you look at reviews? How do you decide what to buy?
As someone who has been in the nutraceutical industry for over 10 years, I’ve worked with many suppliers and companies to understand why an ingredient is chosen, what research is behind it, and how to sell it to a consumer, so if you are looking for some answers to questions you may have, drop a comment, or even better check out the Supplement Explorer on the site. It is free to use, 3 questions, and a simple output. No info is stored.I made the Supplement Explorer purely for my use and then thought, well, if it is useful for me, maybe it is useful for others. The tool is not affiliated with any company or brand, but was just a way for me to showcase what I find useful. If you use it, do give me feedback as to what you’d like to see it on too.
Stay well and remember, before taking any supplements, check with your doctor if it is a good fit for you or not!
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#DYK: Grocery Shopping Online?
How do you get your groceries? Do you drive to your local supermarket and spend about 30 mins to an hour with your grocery list and pick up the items you want or do you browse the store until you find what you want or do you go when you are hungry and buy too much of stuff that you don’t need? I’m sure many of us have fallen into one of those scenarios but did you know that grocery shopping online is becoming a huge trend.
As our lives get busier, we often find ways to eliminate the mundane activities that consuming a lot of time, hence we shop online. Perhaps, you have bought groceries via Amazon Prime Pantry and get it delivered or maybe you have used Amazon and Wholefoods relationship to get food delivered to you or you have tried some of the other sites like Thrive Market or Google Express or Brandless to find items? All these sites are serving one purpose, convenience!
However, a huge limitation of grocery shopping online is most of the time you are only able to get packaged items and rarely fresh items like fruits and veggies, unless you live in a town where Wholefoods and Amazon’s partnership benefits you with same day delivery–which, unfortunately, most of don’t receive. So what can you do?
One great option is to see if you can order ahead online what you want from your local grocery store so that you can swing by on your way home from work and pick it up. Of course, the downside is that someone is picking up the fruits and veggies based on their choice and not yours so that may be a con but on the other hand, it is like going to eat out, someone else is preparing your meal so is it really a con? Personally, I like to touch and feel the produce so I’m OK with not ordering fresh produce from my local grocery store online and would rather take the 15 mins to go find what I want but each person’s situation is different.
Another way, that most people can avoid food waste is by buying meal kits like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, etc. as you get enough food (fresh items too) for certain recipes–all pre-weighed. The downside with meal kits is there is a lot of packaging waste because they have to keep the food cool or vacuum packaged so it is fresh when it arrives to you, so you have to pick and choose what is important to you–convenience or the environment?
With plenty of choices available to the consumer, why should grocery shopping be hard today? There are plenty of ways to get food on the dinner table without going for fast food so choose wisely the service that works best for you and eat healthily!
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#DYK: What should I look for when buying supplements?
Have you ever wondered what you should look for when buying a supplement? I mean, we all know that we want to take a multivitamin or need biotin for skin, nails, and hair or that we should look at reviews on Amazon before purchasing them but are our purchasing decisions correctly based?
What I look for when I buy a supplement is what will it do for me? If I am low on Vitamin D, should I really be buying a multivitamin when Vitamin D is only at a low level and is one of the many components in it or should I buy an actual Vitamin D supplement? Another area that I consider is the dosage? For example, is 250 mg of Vitamin C a day enough for me or do I need to take 1000 mg a day to help my immunity? Finally, another thing that I look at is the price. Why is price important? You want to make sure you get the right product and that it lasts a while. Though a 1000 mg is going to be more expensive per pill, the dosage is higher and the benefits outweigh the cost. Often times, you can find the supplement you need on BOGO (buy one get one free) so keep a lookout for those deals. You should also consider why are you buying the supplement when you are purchasing one, is it because you need an improvement in an area or are you truly trying to supplement your diet? This can be a huge factor in determining what you spend and what you buy.
Once you have determined what dosage and where to buy it, you should consider talking with your doctor as well to make sure the supplement doesn’t interfere with your meds or current lifestyle. Without a good diet and exercise, supplements are not going to be miracle pills to fix you so that’s important to remember too.
If you are someone who likes to research/Google before buying something, then perhaps certifications are important for you and label status is important so you may want to see if the USP symbol is on the supplement (indicates meets United States Pharmacopeia standards) or that the product is vegetarian or that it is made with non-GMO ingredients. For others, it matters that the product has no Chinese ingredients so definitely research if these factors are important for you as not all of these are called out and usually if you reach out to the manufacturer they will answer your questions.
The only time that I look at reviews usually is if I’m buying something online and it needs to ship to me. I’m hoping the reviews tells me that the shipping was excellent and that the product arrived in tact. Using reviews to determine if a supplement works for you is basically a shot in the dark because everyone’s body chemistry and lifestyles are different so the effect could be none to less to exactly what you need so tread cautiously.
Remember, supplements are supposed to be just that supplements not a substitute for healthy eating or a replacement for healthy eating.
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#DYK: Why are people getting sick from food?
If you have watched the news lately or read stories online, I’m sure you have seen an increasing presence of bacterial infections from the food we are consuming. One of the most famous news stories that you have heard about is Chipotle’s problem of people eating there and getting sick with a restaurant in Ohio even shutting down. Or maybe you are aware of the tainted romaine lettuce? Why is this happening?
Well, first there is more awareness of all these outbreaks due to social media. Seems like everyone is a reporter these days so as they say bad news travels fast. Having a social media presence can be a boon as well as a curse for companies especially those that are restaurants. No one wants to hear a person got sick after eating there, right? But this still doesn’t explain what is causing people to be sick.
When we cook at home, we are hopefully following safe practices like boiling the water, checking the meat temperature to see it is done, washing our hands before cooking, etc. but when you are eating out, some of those parameters are out of your control. Hence, fish, dairy, chicken, and veggies are quick to develop salmonella and E. Coli, both of which are bacteria that in high amounts can result in severe diarrhea, kidney failure, heart disease, and even death.
Outbreaks are increasing not only because farming practices are being revved up to the point that output is more important than quality but also because there is no governing body who can be everywhere at the same time to ensure the food that is making its way to the consumer is produced in the best, safe manner it can be.
What can you do to keep yourself safe from food-borne illness? Watch the news or read online about possible outbreaks. Be aware of what you are eating and where you are eating. Of course, eating a home-cooked meal is always the best option but we can’t do that always. Finally, workout! The fitter you are, the better your body can fight off the illness. There is no guarantee you can always find quality food everywhere but you can definitely be aware and lead a healthy life to mitigate some of those risks.
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#DYK: Plant-based milk is being debated–is it really milk?
Did you know there is an ongoing debate in the US about whether plant-based milk like almond, pea protein, cashew, soy, coconut and such should be called milk?
The reason there is a debate today is that those on the dairy side feel that people are drinking less dairy milk because they can buy these kinds of milk right next to the dairy milk and thus farmers are losing money, not to mention dairy milk provides superior nutrients compared to non-dairy milk. On the other hand, plant-based milk suppliers are saying that the consumer understands the difference between dairy milk and non-dairy milk and that they might be choosing these alternatives for other health benefits including that they may be lactose intolerant or just want something different to drink. Plus, plant-based milk tend to be fortified with nutrients so though they may not have all the nutrients like dairy milk, they do provide some of the nutrients you seek. Furthermore, plant-based milk manufacturers just see the word milk as being a generic term and feel that consumers know that you can’t get milk from cashews, almonds or peas!
Which side are you on? Do you find the debate pointless because you know the difference between dairy milk and plant-based or do you think there should be a different word for plant-based milk like beverage (for example, instead of almond milk, it would be almond beverage)?
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#DYK: Fibers–keep you full?
This week, I’ll be discussing various topics under the #DYK or do you know about an ingredient or its purpose?
Fibers are in many fruits and vegetables that we eat daily. You can even go to your local Walmart or Wholefoods or even shop on Amazon for fiber supplements but why do you need fiber? The higher the content of fiber in your food, the longer you will feel full and it will be less likely that you will want to devour unhealthy foods.
One reason we make smoothies with fruit and veggies is that the fiber content helps us feel satiated. Mangoes and broccoli are fantastic in their fiber content and thus are often in green smoothies. If you don’t like smoothies, perhaps you drink a fiber drink like Metamucil? We drink these type of supplements to keep us regular. Do you suffer from diverticulosis, then perhaps you are not getting enough fiber–check with your doctor and see if that will help you.
Often, we look at the nutrition label and determine the ratio of carbs and proteins but we skip over dietary fiber but you should check it out because it will actually tell you how many carbs you are actually consuming. Remember, carbs are burned by your body for energy so if you calculate net carbs (total carbs – fiber) then you will know the true amount of carbs consumed. For example, if something has 15g carbs and 7g fiber, this product has high fiber content which will keep you full but you are only consuming 8g net carbs–especially important if you are on keto or the Atkins diet.
What types of fibers are there? Fibers fit into two categories, soluble and insoluble. As the name implies, insoluble fiber is fiber that doesn’t break down in the bloodstream and is used to add bulk to waste so that you can stay regular while soluble fibers absorb water in the digestive tract and can form a gel-like substance that can then bind to cholesterol and sugar and therefore result in blood sugar management. Most foods will have both types of fibers and therefore is listed as total dietary fiber on the nutritional panel on a product. Insoluble fiber can be found in items like potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans while soluble fiber can be found in apples, carrots, and peas.
Add fiber to your diet and reap possible benefits like satiety, blood sugar management, and cholestorel management.
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Products and Supplements
Interested in products or items that I have talked about in my posts..visit the link below on Amazon and my fave products are there for you to browse:
Check back frequently for updates!
https://www.amazon.com/shop/2howyalldoing
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Healthy Eating at Chick-fil-A
If you are fortunate enough to have a Chick-fil-A (CFA) near you, you sure are lucky. Not only has CFA always ranked consistently as one of the best fast food places to eat but it truly is an experience to be had once you walk in the door with their awesome customer service combined with great food! Yes, it is one of my favorite places to eat and when I want to eat healthily, it is a place that I frequently go to.
What all can I eat there? Well, of course, it will include chicken but I’m not limited to just grilled! You can actually have a healthy meal for under 500 calories by ordering the spicy chicken sandwich meal without the bun, skip the fries and substitute with fruit, and an unsweetened tea or coffee to go with it. Easy!
When I am on the keto diet, my go to is always the grilled nuggets and unsweetened tea with 3 fries (yes, that takes self-control) but it can be done. Eating this way, I get to enjoy eating at my favorite place and not break my diet.
A lot of folks just stick with the sandwiches when they eat at CFA but do give their salads a shot. They are so large and filling and come with chicken and dressing. Choose the dressing wisely and you will be happy with the reduction in calories–my personal fave is the spicy southwest chicken salad with avocado lime dressing.
CFA also serves breakfast but to make it healthy is a bit tougher because everything comes with a biscuit so opt for the hash brown scramble egg bowl as it has hash browns, eggs, and breaded chicken. Want to make the bowl healthier, drop the hash browns and add cheese and you won’t feel like you lost a lot of quantity in the bowl.
If you don’t have a CFA near you, I highly recommend you visit one as no matter what the company’s politics are and how you feel about them, you are going there to eat and enjoy the food and customer service.
Eat healthily, stay well!
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Healthy Eating at Burger King
Burger King is another popular fast food restaurant that has been around for sometime–who doesn’t remember the crown that they used to give out? Ah..memories but that’s besides the point, when you go to Burger King (BK), your traditional meal is a whopper, fries, and a drink but all that can easily add up to a 1000 calories or more depending on what you drink and size of your meal so what should you do?
Opt for the grilled chicken sandwich without mayo or even the crispy chicken sandwich without the mayo and you can have a meal for under 500 calories. Shave off some more calories by not eating the buns and add a side salad or apple slices with a beverage of unsweetened tea or coffee or water. Not bad for a healthy alternative right?
What if you don’t want to eat chicken and are vegetarian? BK was one of the first fast food chains to have a veggie burger. Before, when you ordered a veggie burger, you got a bun with tomatoes, onion, cheese, and mayo but the last few years BK has introduced a veggie patty. It definitely is filling due to its fiber content and also comes in under 500 calories.
If you don’t like either of the above options, you can consider a grilled chicken salad and keep it under 500 calories depending on how much dressing you add. A good dressing without the high calories is always balsamic vinaigrette!
The stay-aways from at BK are the same as every other fast food restaurant–fries, soda, and dessert. Some foods are just meant to cause you to gain weight and the aforementioned tend to do that because we are satisfying a craving that we have.
Eat healthily, stay well!
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Healthy Eating at Wendy’s
I often have to travel a lot for work and sometimes with sporadic work schedules, you do have to eat fast food especially if you are in a small town with limited choices. Usually, when I travel, it is difficult to work out but eating out and controlling what I eat, I can definitely do.
Wendy’s is a fast food chain that has been around for many years and it is almost always present in small and big towns. Their menu has changed throughout the years from the burgers to now healthier options like salads but unless you are a fan of salads, you probably want some variety while eating there too.
Options to eat healthily definitely include those salads like the power Mediterranean salad that comes in under 500 calories and is loaded with quinoa and chickpeas and feta cheese. Remember to sparingly use dressings as that can up your caloric content fast! Not a fan of salads, opt for the grilled chicken sandwich which can come under 500 calories too depending on how you load it–ingredients like cheese, ketchup, etc. can quickly add up the calories. Trying to cut back on calories further, try not eating the bun. Yes, they can serve it without the bun. Finally, another option to consider is the plain baked potato? Why? Don’t overlook the sides menu because a plain baked potato has immense amounts of fiber even though it also has tons of carbs but it will keep you full due to the fiber content. Even adding sour cream and chives can result in this baked potato coming in under 500 calories. Also, always choose drinks like unsweetened tea or coffee or water to maintain the low calories in your meal. Still not sure what other healthy options are present, research what you want to eat via either MyFitnessPal app or Google and enjoy your healthy meal while out!
Remember, there is no substitute for home-cooking but sometimes life requires us to eat out so do your best and you’ll achieve the results you seek!
Eat healthily, stay well!
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Healthy Eating at Taco Bell
Maybe you are on the road or you have a Mexican craving, most likely the place you want to go to is Taco Bell because it is cheap and fast but we also know that cheap and fast food is usually not that healthy so what can you eat that is healthy while at Taco Bell?
First, most of you are probably thinking how can Taco Bell be healthy but if you have been inside their restaurant or visited their website, you’ll see that you can cut calories dramatically by just ordering something Fresco as that allows for substituting mayo-based sauces, cheeses, sour cream, and guacamole with pico de gallo, can result in you having your favorite meal with possibly 300 calories or less, whoa! Fresco style was advertised a bit but I don’t see it so much as in your face advertisement now like I did before but it is still there. Fresco style options are available for burritos, tacos, and more.
What if you don’t want to do fresco style? What can you do? Like Chipotle, Taco Bell too has a bowl options where you can add your favorite meat to beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. Just watch out as the sodium content might be high but depending on what you load it with, the calories could be under 500! If a bowl doesn’t appeal to you, you can try a chicken loader griller with the sauce on the side and still be under 500 calories.
Choosing what to eat while craving something shouldn’t be tough. Sometimes we all want a cheat meal but that cheat meal can still be made healthy at Taco Bell via the fresco style!
Eat healthily, stay well!
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