3 Excellent Ways To Prepare Fish That's Great For Your Heart

Fish Offers Numerous Nutrients When It Is Cooked Properly 

Fish is a nutritious protein food that dietitians recommend eating several times a week. However, you must prepare fish in particular ways to provide the most benefits for your heart. While you might buy a healthy type of fish at the supermarket, you can ruin the food with the wrong types of cooking methods. First, make sure to buy the most nutritious fresh, frozen or canned fish at a local grocery store. Here are some types of nutritious fish available at supermarkets:

• Rainbow trout
• Mackerel
• Perch 
• Herring 
• Tuna
• Cod
• Salmon 

Use fresh fish as soon as possible because this food spoils quickly. Fish contains several nutrients, including: 

• Vitamin B2
• Calcium
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Potassium
• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Iron
• Magnesium 

To prepare fish in a healthy way that preserves the nutritional value, you should use one of three cooking methods. 

Fish Cooking Method 1: Steaming Fish 

If you want to have tasty fish for lunch or dinner, then learn how to steam this food. Buy a specialized steaming basket that is made of metal or bamboo. You will place this device over a pan or skillet that is filled with water. When you set the skillet or pan on a stove’s burner, the steam from the boiling water cooks the fish without removing any nutrients. In addition, the steam doesn’t add any calories from cooking oils. You can cook fish without any seasonings, but you can also rub in flavorings such as garlic, pepper or chili powder. It is possible to place the fish directly in the steamer basket, but many chefs recommend wrapping it in aluminum foil first. Most fresh fish will steam in five to nine minutes, but frozen fish takes longer to cook. 

Fish Cooking Method 2: Grilling Fish

Another healthy way to prepare fish is by grilling it outside over wood chips or charcoal. Make sure to only use your grill outside, and keep the fish refrigerated until it is time to cook the food. You can make a marinade for fish to give it additional flavor without making it a high calorie meal. You can mix your marinade ingredients in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Make a fish marinade with these ingredients:

• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Garlic cloves
• Pepper
• Salt 
• Basil

By marinating the fish for several hours, it will have a delicious flavor. To keep the fish from falling through the grill’s metal slats, use a grilling basket that holds the food inside. It takes only a few minutes to grill fish, and you can cook extra to refrigerate for meals later in the week. 

Fish Cooking Method 3: Baking Fish

Baking fish in an oven is an excellent way to cook this food. You can use a glass or ceramic dish to bake fish in a traditional oven. To keep the fish from sticking to the bottom of the dish, use a small amount of olive oil. You can cook pieces of fish plain, or you may want to add other ingredients, including herbs or sliced vegetables. Some of the vegetables that taste great with baked fish include bell peppers or tomatoes. Bake fish at a medium-high temperature for approximately 20 minutes. The baked fish tastes fantastic with side dishes such as brown rice or dark leafy green salads. 

The 3 Best Benefits of Strength Training

Regular weight training can benefit people in a number of ways. It helps increase muscle mass, prevents illness and promotes mental health.

Adults should engage in 20 to 30 minute strength training sessions at least two to three times per week. The exercises should involve all muscle groups. Studies show that, in addition to muscle mass and strength, resistance training preserves bone density and promotes vitality. Weight training improves mobility, promotes weight loss and provides relief for a variety of ailments as well as improves the recovery rate from illness. Research conducted by the National Institute of Health shows that strength training combats weakness and frailty along with their potentially debilitating consequences.

Strength, Flexibility and Stamina

As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass. Men and women lose approximately 1 percent of their bone and muscle mass each year after puberty. Lifting weight counteracts this natural process and increases the size of muscles and increases bone density, which helps ward of osteoporosis. Working your muscles through a full range of motion improves your flexibility. This reduces the risk for muscle pulls and back pain. It also strengthens tendons and ligaments, which lowers the risk of back, knee and other joint injuries. Along with better body mechanics, stronger muscles help you to maintain good posture and balance, which improves stability. You can reduce your risk of falling by 40 percent. Physical exercise increases your overall energy levels and gives you more stamina. Increased muscle mass will give you more strength and endurance to perform everyday tasks like walking up stairs and carrying groceries as well as engaging in the leisure activities that you enjoy.

Improved Physical Health

Increased muscle mass boosts your metabolism and burns more calories. Along with helping you lose weight and keep it off, strength training has several other physical health benefits. It increases the level of good cholesterol and decreases the amount of bad cholesterol. This reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure as well as other cardiovascular diseases. According to the American Diabetic Association, weight training improves insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Resistance training also helps manage arthritis pain. Exercise keeps the muscles around the affected areas strong while it lubricates joints and reduces bone loss. It also helps to control joint pain and swelling. Regular exercise boosts the immune system helping to ward off colds, the flu and other illnesses while reducing recovery times.

Better Mental Health

Sleep problems plague millions of Americans each year. A study published by the Centers for Disease Control revealed that more than 30 percent of adults do not get enough sleep on a normal basis. Regular exercise may be the solution. Weight training promotes a good night’s sleep, which helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Restful sleep also helps improve memory and other cognitive functions. You will be more alert and in a better mood. Resistant training helps you to fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. This will make you feel better when you wake up. Your improved body image and sense of accomplishment as your stamina and strength improve will increase your self-esteem. As you get stronger and feel better, you ability to handle stress will improve. Clinical studies show that regular exercise in one of the best tools for effectively managing stress.

Strength training should be an integral part of your overall fitness program. Speak with your doctor about an exercise regime designed for your individual needs. As you continue with the program, you will notice an improvement in your physical and emotional health, which improves your quality of life.