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Raging Hormones!

Funny how boys deal with raging hormones when they become adolescents and yet again when they become older.  Sad news is, men’s testosterone is at its peak when men reach the age of 17 or 18 then it just goes downhill as they approach their 30s or 40s.

Like women going through menopause, men go through a medical condition when they reach the age of 40 to 50 and this is called andropause.  This is characterized by decrease in the testosterone level in a man’s body and can result in a decrease in the ability to function sexually, a decrease in the levels of red blood cells in the body, decrease in muscle bulk, as well as decrease in bone density.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy is a good solution in alleviating these symptoms and giving men back their vigour so that they can enjoy the prime of their lives to the fullest.  It’s more common to hear women getting hormone replacement treatments, but more and more, this procedure is becoming more popular among our male patients because of the numerous benefits.  Hormone balancing for men can make men leaner and can improve bone density.  Testosterone replacement therapy can also revive a man’s sexual interest and stimulation which can help in maintaining a healthy relationship with their partners.  It contributes to maintaining a healthy neurological structure, helps alleviate depression, and has been found to induce fat loss in some of our patients.

Call us today at 904-694-0992 and schedule a consultation with Dr. Capasso to learn more about hormone balancing for men and how it can benefit you.

Posted on September 15th, 2013

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Healthy Weight Loss in Jacksonville Beach: Carbs Ain’t the Enemy!

You’ve probably been told over and over again that you need to shun carbohydrates to win the weight loss battle. While there’s a hint of truth to it, carbs are actually not to be blamed with the extra pounds you’re carrying. The Thin Centers medical team who promotes Jacksonville Beach healthy weight loss programs educates their clients that there are a lot of factors to consider, apart from carbohydrate intake, when it comes to weight loss.

Whole Carbs vs. Refined Carbs

You might find it interesting that the top 10 countries with low obesity rates have high levels of carbohydrates in their daily diet like rice, corn, and sweet potatoes.

Carbohydrates, by and large, cause insulin spikes whenever you consume them. Insulin transports the sugar from the carbs to your fat cells, making you gain weight. However, it’s interesting to note that not all carbs are created equal — there’s the refined carbs on one side and the whole (unprocessed) carbs on the other.

The aforementioned insulin spikes are actually a result of consuming refined carbs rather than whole carbs. The more processed the carbs, the greater the chances of having abnormally high insulin levels in your system.

Whole Food Means Good Food

Below is a sample list of whole carbs that are actually good for you!

1. Fruits – While the fructose (the main sugar in fruit) is converted to fat in your liver, fruit sugars are actually good for you! The fiber is even an added bonus.

2. Oatmeal – Real oats that is, like rolled and steel cut oats. Steer clear of instant and flavored oats which are already heavily processed.

3. Brown Rice – Brown rice has been found out to actually have 4 times more fiber and lower glycemic index than white rice.

4. Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse filled with Vitamins B6, D and C! They also contain trace amounts of iron which play a variety of roles in your body — from strengthening your immune system to metabolizing protein.

5. Beans- Very rich in carbs, beans are an excellent source of folate, protein and iron.

When it comes to carbs, your best bet would be figuring out which works for you and which doesn’t. Let us help you out by scheduling your first visit and consultation at our Thin Centers clinic in Jacksonville Beach. Call us at 904.694.0992 or fill out this contact form!

 

Posted on July 2nd, 2013

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Tilapia with Vegetable Topping

Sauteed tilapia with a fresh vegetable topping.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 18 oz tilapia fillets , cut in to 4 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 cooking spray
• 1 floz paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped onion , peeled and sliced
• 2 medium garlic cloves , peeled and crushed
• 1 medium celery stalks , thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup medium green bell peppers , seeded and finely chopped
• 1 medium tomatoes , chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tbsp chopped parsley , chopped
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

• Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Set over medium-high heat until hot.
• Sprinkle fish fillets with paprika, then place in hot skillet and brown 4 minutes on each side. Remove to platter.
• Add olive oil to skillet and heat. Saute onion until golden.
• Add garlic, celery and green pepper and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
• Add tomato and thyme; bring to a boil and then reduce heat.
• With skillet tightly covered, let simmer for another 10 minutes, or until celery is tender-crisp.
• Remove vegetable mixture from heat, stir in parsley, salt and hot pepper sauce, then let stand for 5 minutes to absorb flavors.
• Place fillets back in the skillet and cover with vegetables. Cover skillet and keep warm until ready to serve.

Additional Information

For a less expensive, equally good substitute, try snapper or flounder.

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Low Carb, Low Fat Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad

A healthy salad made with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and pepper.

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 10 oz frozen broccoli florets, one 10 ounce package
• 10 oz Cauliflower, florets, frozen, one 10 ounce package
• 1 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2medium red bell peppers, seeded, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp fat free mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 1 medium garlic cloves , peeled and finely minced
• 1 tsp Stevia sweetner, equal to 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

• A few hours before using, pierce the broccoli and cauliflower bags and allow to defrost and drain in the sink.
• Squeeze excess water from bags and place contents in a bowl. Add carrot and red pepper.
• Mix dressing with a whisk or shake in a jar and pour over vegetables. Gently toss.
• Garnish with 1 sliced red onion.

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Curried Flounder

Spicy flounder fillets baked with curry powder, onions, and peppers.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 24 oz flounder fillet (3 oz. each)
• 2 fresh green onions, minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 tsp curry powder
• 1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions

• Rinse fillets in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and then place in shallow baking dish.
• In small bowl, combine green onions, garlic, curry powder, and pepper. Rub over surface of the fillets.
• Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
• Remove fillets from refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pour olive oil into pan. Add filets, turning once to coat with olive oil. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with fork.

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Grilled Turkey Breast Cutlets

Turkey breast marinated in a spicy mustard sauce, sautéed on the stovetop.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Stevia
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb turkey breast cutlets (4 pieces)

Directions

• In medium bowl, combine cider vinegar, mustard, Stevia, black pepper, and garlic powder. Slowly whisk in olive oil.
• Rinse turkey cutlets and pat dry with paper towels. If necessary, pound breast with mallet for uniform thickness.
• Transfer marinade to sealable plastic bag. Add cutlets, turning to coat all sides. Seal bag and refrigerate one hour up to overnight.
• Coat skillet with cooking spray. Heat over high, add cutlets and lower heat to medium-high. Discard marinade.
• Cook 3 minutes on each side, or until the juices run clean.

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Tips For Successful Diet Programs

There is a lot in the news about the “best” and “worst” diet plans. What is most important are the common mistakes people make when following popular diet plans. These plans are necessarily bad (or good), but the following are some of the unhealthy mistakes people make when they “go on a diet.”

1. Saving all your calories or “points” for one large evening meal.

Often people may skip breakfast and eat a really small lunch so they can have a huge dinner. This is not a good idea because skipping meals can slow down your metabolism and make weight loss more difficult. It’s also problematic because eating one large meal can spike blood sugar. It’s better to eat three similar-sized meals per day with a small snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

2. Eating too much fruit.

Some diet plans allow fruit as a “free” food. Fruit can’t be a free food because it contains a big dose of carbohydrates. Therefore, it is important to watch portion size and count carbs. Also, avoid dried fruit and fruit juice entirely, because they contain a large, concentrated amount of carbs in a very small portion size.

3. Not balancing diet — eating too much from one food group.

Sometimes when people start a new diet plan they think they need to be extreme. For example, they might know that protein foods are good choices, so that is all they eat for a prolonged period of time. They may have an egg for breakfast, a turkey burger without a bun for lunch, and a chicken breast with some green beans for dinner. These are not “bad” choices, but this diet is not well balanced for a long term maintenance plan and is lacking in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. You should include foods from all the other food groups too, such as fresh fruit, and healthy carbs like sweet potatoes and beans. Eating a well-balanced diet is not only healthy, but is more satisfying too.

4. Practicing good portion control with pre-packaged meals, but going back to old eating habits after it’s over.

Some diet plans provide only pre-packaged food. These foods can help people learn proper portion sizes (and can be convenient occasionally). If not properly educated and transitioned to change their lifestyle with regular grocery store foods on a maintenance program, they go back to their old eating habits and regain weight. It is a good idea to learn how to eat healthy with proper portion sizes from everyday foods that you can buy at the grocery store. Remember, healthy eating is not a diet, but a long-term lifestyle change.

Here is a great recipe to throw on the grill these last warm days. It’s also a good visual lesson in proper portion size.

Chicken Kabobs

• 1 pint button mushrooms
• 1 large onion, slices into 1-inch chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 bamboo skewers, soaked in warm water
• olive oil

Fresh Ground Pepper

• Prepare an indoor or outdoor grill.
• Assemble kabobs by alternating mushrooms, onions, peppers and chicken cubes on each skewer (making 8 skewers).
• Brush all sides of kabobs with olive oil and grind fresh pepper to taste. Grill over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Serving Size: 2 skewers

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional info (per serving): 200 calories, 3 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 68mg cholesterol, 375mg sodium, 15g total carbohydrate, 3 grams dietary fiber, 27g protein

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Low Carb Sprout Salad

Sprout salad with red and yellow peppers.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz Sprouts, mung bean, mature, fresh, 1 container
• 1 medium red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 pinch fresh lemon juice , about 1 squirt of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 2 tsp sweetener (sugar substitute) , equal to 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 medium garlic cloves , peeled and minced
• 3 tbsp chili sauce (optional)
• 1 pinch salt and pepper , to taste
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)
• 2 tbsp Sprouts, radish, fresh

Directions

• Wash and dry sprouts. Place in a bowl with the diced pepper.
• Whisk the dressing ingredients together and pour over the sprouts.
• Garnish with sunflower seeds. (optional)

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Spicy Red Snapper

Try this wonderfully spiced fish!

With just 10 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time, you can be enjoying this tasty dish in no time at all. The below recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb red snapper (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish into four servings. Brush lime juice on top of fish.
In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, ginger, and black pepper; rub onto fish. Arrange fish in a baking pan. Bake uncovered at 450 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Nutrition Facts:

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 250.6

Total Carbs: 0.9 g

Dietary Fiber: 0.2 g

Sugars: 0.2 g

Total Fat: 3.4 g

Saturated Fat: 0.7 g

Unsaturated Fat: 2.7 g

Potassium: 1,046.8 mg

Protein: 50.8 g

Sodium: 304.1 mg

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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Thanksgiving Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

• 2 cup Pumpkin, canned, unsalted (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp fresh lemon peel
• 1 cup Cheese, ricotta, fat free

Directions

• Mix the pumpkin, honey, cinnamon, and lemon peel in a bowl.
• Fold into the ricotta cheese. Place in the refrigerator and let chill for 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

Makes 6 servings

Serving Size: 0.5 cup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 63.3

Total Carbs 10.7 g

Dietary Fiber 2.8 g

Sugars 4.1 g

Total Fat 0.2 g

Saturated Fat 0.1 g

Unsaturated Fat 0.1 g

Potassium 173.1 mg

Protein 4.3 g

Sodium 47.5 mg

Posted on June 26th, 2013

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