Your Guide to Week Two
Digestive Balance Is Just Around the Bend
If you have been taking Align® every day, you should be noticing that it’s easy to add the patented Bifantis® to your daily routine. If you stick with the daily program, you can be on your way to ongoing protection against occasional digestive upsets.* You’re working to promote a healthy digestive system, so keep it up.
Tips for the Week:
- Skip the fries. Eating foods high in fat can lead to occasional digestive upsets. Substitute high-fiber fruit for French fries instead.
- Don't eat at your desk. Take a lunch break and relax. When you’re relaxed, you tend to chew your food more, allowing your digestive muscles to contract and relax normally.
- Find time for a nap. Take a 10-minute escape and close your eyes for a quick power nap. Even if you don't fall asleep, the rest will revive you for the rest of your day.
- Take the stairs after lunch. Skip the elevator after lunch to help get your digestion moving. A short burst of activity will increase your breathing and heart rate. But take it easy—a hard workout right after a meal will slow down digestion. Also, you should seek your physician's advice before beginning a new fitness routine.
Recipe: Fresh Cranberry Muffins
Make these muffins to have on hand for a quick, healthy breakfast or snack.
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup butter or one stick of butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, slightly beaten
Cooking spray
Directions
- PPreheat oven to 400°F.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk.
- Stir in cranberries; make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine milk, butter, rind, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups** coated with cooking spray.
- Bake at 400°F for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pan immediately; place on a wire rack.
** If recipe size is converted, adjust number of cups accordingly.
Recipe developed by Pat Baird for the National Heartburn Alliance®
Nutritional Information (per serving of one muffin)
174 calories, 3.2 g protein, 29.2 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 182 mg sodium, 0.7 g fiber, 69 mg calcium, 1.2 mg iron
Activity Idea: 20-Minute Walk
You can feel the benefits of exercise in as little as 20 minutes a day. Try this short routine by simply walking out your front door or hopping on a treadmill. You’ll burn calories, relieve stress, and help aid digestion. Remember, you always should seek your physician’s advice before beginning any new exercise routine.
- Start with a five-minute warm-up. Walk at a casual pace on flat ground or a slight incline.
- Pick up your pace to moderate intensity for 10 minutes. Remember to stand tall, keeping your head up and your chest lifted. Keep your arms bent at 90 degrees and close to your body as you swing them back and forth. For a more intense workout, climb a hill or raise the incline.
- Cool down for five minutes. Slow down to a casual pace, decrease your incline, and let your heart rate slow to normal.
