Turkey vs Beef

As most of my friends & family know, I am not the most adventurist eater in the world. I like to stick to what I know I like & that's pretty much it. But as I'm getting older (and my body is changing!) I have decided to start trying new things...things that are maybe a little healthier. I have always liked turkey...I think it tastes great! However, I haven't always been so keen on the idea of eating ground turkey. I think it's because I have always seen turkey cooked whole at holidays & that's just how I have become accustomed to eating my turkey. Then a little over a year ago I was at a friends house for dinner & they decided to make turkey tacos...YUM! It changed my whole outlook on turkey! Now I will substitute turkey for anything I can & actually prefer the taste over beef!

We all know white meat is better for you than red meat but some people may not be familiar with why exactly that is, so lets do a little comparison.

• A recent study shows that N-nitrosos compounds form at a higher rate in the large intestines if a high amount of red meat has also been consumed. These compounds don't form as rapidly if a high amount of white meat has been ingested. N-nitrosos compounds have been shown to be carcinogenic & have been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
• Multiple studies have shown links between red meat and an increased risk of heart disease & type II diabetes. White meat has not shown the same results when studied.
• Turkey has also been known to help maintain stable blood sugar levels based on the amount of protein it contains. Turkey is able to move through the digestive system at a steady rate that allows for better absorption of vitamins & nutrients as a result of the protein levels.
• One serving of turkey contains 6% more of the amino acid tryptophan than a serving of beef and about 100 less calories. Tryptophan has been shown not to make people drowsy like most people think, but rather to help prevent niacin deficiency & raise serotonin levels.
• White meat is typically more healthy than red meat since the majority of the fat is found in the skin leaving the meat leaner.

Now to the fun part...cooking with turkey!! I try to substitute turkey breast into my meals whenever I can. You don't have to come up with new recipes, just use the ones you have with beef or chicken and change the meat to turkey.

• Turkey Burgers are one of my all time favs!! I just make them the same as I would make hamburgers. Mix my ground turkey with diced onions, a little garlic salt & maybe a little worshishire sauce. Toss it on the BBQ and top with sliced avocado & crumbled blue cheese. It's really quick & anyone that has made hamburgers before can make an amazing turkey burger!
• Turkey Tacos is also really good. When I make tacos I don't use the prepackaged taco seasoning, I use fresh spices and herbs. I will typically just toss in some cumin, coriander, Cayenne pepper, onions & garlic. Then add a little water and let it simmer down. Then top with all sorts of good stuff...lettuce, peppers, onions, cucumbers!
• Turkey Meatloaf, Turkey Chili, Turkey Noodle Soup, Turkey Meatballs...the list of possibilities goes on and on!

Start The Year Off In A Better Mood!

What could be better than starting the new year in a positive frame of thought?!?

People ask me on a regular basis how I stay as positive as I am. Like everyone else, I have a lot going on in my life. I'm going to grad school 2300 miles away from my family & friends...husband included. I'm still trying to figure out some of the little things in life, like how to start a BBQ, what to do when your tire blows out & how to truly be a strong, independent person. To some people these things may seem trivial, but to someone who has never had to do them, they can cause a good amount of stress. The things that I do different from other people are what I'm going to discuss here.

The first thing that has to happen is making a commitment & realizing why being happier is important. For me, it has been pure survival. I don't live near my family & I didn't have any friends when I first moved out to Missouri. Knowing that people don't like negative people I didn't have a choice but to maintain my positive outlook on life. I knew what I needed to do & essentially that's what I did. This one may take some conscious thought in the beginning but soon it will become second nature.

I also make it a priority to surround myself with people who I respect & who have the same traits as I want to have for myself. For me, this includes people who have a positive, upbeat personality, who have goals similar to myself & who are confident, open minded & nonjudgmental. Of course there are other things I look for when deciding who I want to share my time with but those listed are essential qualities for people who I maintain a close relationship with.

I go out of my way to read positive affirmations on a daily basis too. Facebook has some great groups that can be very uplifting. The two that I frequent are Positivity & The Power of Positivity. They both post affirmations & quotes multiple times a day. My favorite from today is a quote by Napoleon Hill. "There are no limitations except those you acknowledge. Whatever you can conceive & believe, you can achieve." There are a lot of great books out there that are only affirmations & positive thoughts as well. If you would like some suggestions just let me know...I have lots!

I also get "Notes From The Universe" emails sent to me 5 days a week from www.tut.com. It's just a short, positive email that always seems to fit what's going on in my life. It's pretty simple to sign up & it's free which makes it even better. Just go to the website, answer a couple questions, put in some things you want out of life & you're good to go! I have had days where I end up racing out the door & didn't have time to check my daily Note before starting my day. I notice a clear difference in my mood on those days compared to others, so I know this is a good thing for me to keep up with. I also decided to take this one another step further. I printed out some of my favorites, posted them on a cork board and hung it in my closet where I know I look everyday. I read a couple extra Notes every morning as I'm picking out what I'm going to wear!

Other things that have helped me out along the way...eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting adjusted, acupuncture, drinking lots of water & getting a good amount of sleep...all of which have other health benefits too!! :)