Category Archives: Food

Start you day with a Healthy Breakfast

September 28, 2010 Philip McCarthy

museli

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To start the day right, you have to eat right, too. I have listed below the top 5 breakfast foods according to their nutritional value. The list is arranged from fifth to first, with the fifth being the least healthy and the first the most packed with nutrition. Some of you may agree with this, others may not. Regardless, here is my top 5 list:

5. Sausage & Bacon
Let’s face it, though bacons and sausages taste the most delicious among my top 5, they are definitely unhealthy. However, they serve a different purpose. Sausages and bacons work as a double-edged sword. Rather than a nutritional booster, sausages and bacons are more of a mental booster. It is a known fact that the major content of sausages and bacons are fats, calories and cholesterol, making it a bad choice for breakfast. However, the “guilt” feel and the mental suggestions of working out given by eating sausages and bacon takes it up a notch as a top choice for breakfast. I’m sure you’d be working out after feeling fat when you eat bacons and sausages. In a more positive light, these foods are meat – sources of protein, albeit in little quantities.
You can prepare these foods boiled or with little oil, and partnered with high fiber bread and poof, you get a semi-healthy meal. Be sure to eat small amounts, though, and balance it with fiber.

4. Oatmeal Pancakes with Fruit
Yes, you heard me and read it correctly – oatmeal pancakes. Pancakes are delicious, but they are not that nutritious. Oatmeal on the other hand, is very nutritious, but with the grainy taste, it makes it very difficult to eat it. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you need to eat tasty food. Mix the oatmeal with pancakes, and top it off with fruit. This recipe gives you the full amount of fiber, carbohydrates and protein you will need for the day. Not only this, oatmeals contain fiber that is clinically found to be aiding in the lowering of cholesterol levels. Dietary fiber found in oatmeal also aids digestion.

3. Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Now you’ve got sources of carbohydrates and fiber, next you will need protein to build those muscles. Eating meat is good, but it may take in fat and oil as well. By far the best choice is a low-fat source. Try low-fat cottage cheese. Cottage cheese contains the protein “Casein” which is technically the slowest protein when it comes to breaking down. As your body just got up from a night of fasting, you will need all the protein you need until lunch time.
2. Oatmeal / Low Fat Granola
Second to the top one breakfast choice is by far the most versatile food I have ever encountered. Eat it as a hot cereal, a cold drink, and even an energy bar, oatmeal and granola will surely give you that nutritious kick in your breakfast. Topping this off with milk creates a balanced and perfect breakfast.

1. Muesli
If oatmeal and granola is just secondary in the top choice for breakfast foods, then what is the healthiest? The answer is a hundred year old recipe from a Swiss doctor called the muesli. Muesli is claimed to be the perfect breakfast recipe – made up of oats, nuts and fruits which are usually berries. To add taste to the muesli, milk or yogurt may be added. Basically, muesli is the perfect breakfast food because it contains optimum amounts of protein, calcium, fatty acids and has a good ratio of the complex to simple carbohydrate levels. Aside from this, the nuts and fruits contain antioxidants, and vitamins. Not only is muesli healthy, it also is very delicious.

Source: www.101weightloss.com

Fruits Recommended For Diabetics

August 26, 2010 Sophie Parker

Fruits For Diabetics

Fruits for diabetics can aid in the general wellness of the patient with diabetes. However, there are certain steps to make sure that the fruits to be consumed would not raise the general blood sugar level of the person with diabetes. The following are easy means to determine whether the fruit to be eaten would be beneficial or neutral or harmful to a diabetic patient.

In the drive to lower blood sugar, there are several methods that may be employed, though not all of them are in the vast realm of diet. Your blood sugar range is directly dependent on the ways and means that you employ to control it; and controlling it is of utmost importance, because you can even go blind if your glucose levels spike.

Diabetes bad food includes those that have high glycemic indexes for glucose- which includes those foods that are high in saturated fats and uncontrollably high amounts of sugar in any of its forms- from milk sugar to fruit sugar. Which brings us back to our main concern- what kinds of fruits can a diabetic eat?

Fruits for diabetics are usually those fruits that have high fiber content and have low sugar content. If we take these criteria and apply it, the first fruit that would come to mind would be the high and mighty avocado. But beware; this fruit has a lot of calories in it- so if you want to quaff a particularly large avocado, make sure that you would be able to regulate your calorie intake the rest of the day.

Mangos, currants and apples are also good sources of nutritional fiber- and their sugar index is from low to mid-high. Do not be afraid of eating apples, oranges and bananas. Now more than ever do you need a strong immune system? lowering blood sugar can be achieved by having more fiber in your body and through exercise.

Diet for high blood sugar should consist not only of fruits that have been mentioned above but also plenty of bitter and dark green vegetables- these are chock full of the necessary nutritive elements that would help regulate your blood sugar as your medication also does its job. Our aim here is not only to use fruits to lower blood sugar but also to obtain over all health.

What we can recommend for the long run, alongside a fixed diet with lots of good fruits in it is for a diabetic low carb diet that will help ease the burden off stressed body systems. Fruits for diabetics can only achieve so much- what is needed is a comprehensive approach that would be able to safeguard all possible routes of relapse and infection. These are two of the worst enemies of diabetics worldwide, and it is only through conscious effort can they be defeated by the lone diabetes warrior.

All in all, fruits for diabetes is only one of many ways that you can combat the dreaded disease.

Resources:

ezinearticles.com

Wikipedia

Natural Ways To Take Control of Your Blood Sugar Level

August 17, 2010 Patrick Tennyson

Take control of your blood sugar the natural way

There are plenty of ways to lower blood sugar; the best way to go about it is to tell yourself first that it is possible to control your blood sugar without being wholly dependent on pharmaceutical remedies. Once we’ve convinced ourselves that it is possible to take control of our disease with the things that we normally can do alongside our medication, our body’s resistance and strength will follow suit.

Diabetes is not a disease of the old. According to recent statistical data from various medical centers around the world, the incidence of juvenile diabetes is steadily rising due to one factor mainly: environmental. Because the youth in general no longer are encouraged to eat organic food and to exercises to burn off excess calories, the rise of diabetes is exponentially rising. There have even been reported cases of diabetes type two on children as young as four years old. Though this is issue has another cause.

To lower blood sugar, you need to take a few easy steps, and assuredly, you will be able to take control of your blood sugar the natural way:

1. Physical activity- it is a known fact that diminishing physical activity has dire consequences for the body, for the simple reason that the human body cannot in any way handle excessive loads of fat and sugar for prolonged periods of time without the internal systems taking damage.

2. Diet- undoubtedly you have been warned of the dangers of not altering your diet once you have been diagnosed with diabetes. A good diabetic diet should consist not of red meat, but instead, lots of vegetables with fiber and lean meat or what they call white meat.

3. Outlook- having a positive outlook in life would undoubtedly boost your immune system. So if you have been a lifelong cynic, perhaps it is time for you to remove the negative thinking from your own life. It has been proven medically that the body is physically affected by the way we think- and this goes the same about lowering your blood sugar.

4. Food supplements- there are plenty of food supplements out there that you can purchase to get a normal range for blood sugar. The fact remains that these are only supplements and will only be effective If you use them in combination with the right diet and proper exercise.

5. Sufficient rest- because diabetics are always in a state of constant battle for normal blood sugar levels, it is important to note the importance of sufficient rest versus too much sleeping. According to recent studies, too much sleep is harmful for the body. The recommended hours of sleep for individuals is eight hours a night.

Even if you don’t have diabetes yet, make sure to educate yourself thoroughly about diabetes signs and symptoms. It is far better to catch it early than when you already have it in your body. There are other ways to lower blood sugar- it’s your task to find the ones that would work for you the best.

Resources:

ezinearticles.com

wikipedia

Ill-effects of Junk Food on Health.Avoid Junk Food Totally.

August 13, 2010 Philip McCarthy

Ill-effects of junk food

Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value. Junk food typically contains high levels of fat, salt, or sugar and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate. Rich in additives, junk food is lacking in proteins, vitamins and fiber, among other items.

Junk Food popularity

It is popular with suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration. It is also popular with consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of flavor. Consumption of junk food is associated with obesity, heart disease, diabetes and dental cavities.

Here are some junk food facts that help you understand the harmful effects of eating them. Some of them are long term while others are short-term effects.

Lack of energy:

This is known as a short-term adverse effect resulting from eating junk foods. As junk foods don’t provide you with essential nutrients, even though they can be very much sufficing, you feel weakened. Consuming deficient nutrients could be as a supplement.

Poor concentration:

This is another result of junk food habit. These are traced to affect in immediate and medium term periods. When you have a sumptuous junk meal rich in oil you feel drowsy and fail to concentrate. Over sustained periods of junk food eating, blood circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Lack of vital oxygen, nutrients and proteins particularly can stale your grey (brain) cells temporarily.

Heart Diseases:

Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. Myocardial infarction (a sever heart failure) is due to plaque formation in arteries which demands heart to put in extra effort to pump blood on the down stream. On the up stream, there is lack of returning blood to heart. This causes two damages to heart – heart fatigues by the continuous extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply.

High Cholesterol

Apart from forming plaques and constricting arteries, cholesterol also affects liver where it is metabolized. High cholesterol from junk food and diet strains liver damaging it eventually. This is a long term effect.

So whatever age group you belong to, junk food is not good for your health. Over the long term junk food increases your chances of developing several health problems as enumerated above. Special attention has to be given to children and teenagers who love to eat junk food in excess. They love to consume hamburgers, fries, shakes, soda, potato chips, candy, ice cream and other snack foods. Only when eaten in moderation, junk food can be included in your diet.

Benefits of Olive – Include Olives in your daily diet.

August 11, 2010 Patrick Tennyson

Include Olives in your daily diet.

The olive tree has always been valued as a symbol of peace and happiness and is more famously referred to as the blessed tree. Olives are one of the oldest foods known to man, dating back some thousands of years in the Mediterranean region. Olives are not only used as food but also used for medicinal purposes. Olive oil is in fact treated as perfect oil for cooking purposes.

How good is Olive Oil?

he greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is – freshly pressed from the fruit!

The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of ant oxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the “good” cholesterol) levels. No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.

Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil’s protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Olives, Olive leaves and Olive oil is very good for health and imparts following health benefits:

Protection against heart diseases: Olive oil is a rich source of Omega-3 and omega -6 types of fatty acids which are very good for heart and help in prevention of heart diseases.
Protection against cancers: Studies have shown that regular use of olive oil significantly decreases the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer. This activity of the olive oil is related to the fact that there is abundance of monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid in olives. This acid lowers the production of prostaglandins there by preventing cancer risk.
Anti-oxidants in olive oil help in delaying ageing: Olive oil contains the highest proportion of anti-oxidants which protect the body from the damaging activity of free radicals. The antioxidants found in olive oil are: Vitamin E, carotenoids (vitamin A) and phenolic compounds. The antioxidants also help in preventing the damage caused by ageing, thus helping us to look young. Olive oil is the only oil which is extracted from a fruit. Thus it has some of the goodness of fruits. It is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins just like fruits are.
Controlling high blood pressure: Regular use of olive oil has shown to decrease both systolic and diastolic pressures. This could be related to the fact that olive oil reduces the risk of developing arthrosclerosis.
Providing diabetes control: Regular use of olive oil improves blood sugar control and enhances insulin sensitivity. The property of olive oil to lower levels of bad cholesterol and increase the levels of good cholesterol(HDL) further helps in preventing the development of coronary artery disease in diabetic patients.
Strengthening of immune system- regular use of olive oil strengthens the immune system thus protecting the body against various infections.
Reduces Obesity: It has been shown that diets rich in olive oil lead to greater and longer-lasting weight loss in comparison to a low-fat diets.
Pregnancy and lactation: Consumption of olive oil by the mother during pregnancy and lactation supplies the baby with a very important nutrient i.e. vitamin E. Olive oil helps in proper growth and development.
Reducing the risk of osteoporosis: Consumption of olive oil by postmenopausal women reduces the risk of development of osteoporosis and bony fractures.
Benefits to skin: Presence of a large quantity of anti-oxidants in olive oil protects the skin from damage by free radicals. Thus it delays the process of ageing.
Effects on memory- Eating a diet rich in olive oil helps slowing down the age related memory loss.

So many health benefits with a single inclusion of olives in your diet! Can you really ignore the benefits of olive?

Healthy Mind and Body for Beginners.

August 07, 2010 Grace Hampton

Healthy Mind and Body for Beginners.

We are well aware of the age old adage – Prevention is better than cure. Another one quite similar to it goes something like ‘If health is gone, something is gone…’

Most health practitioners recommend to practice having a healthy diet otherwise the most common health ailments like obesity and other minor and major health risks are likely to attack any individual who is specially not diet conscious!

A healthy diet usually comprise –

Consciously selecting and eating balanced amount of food from all food categories ie. carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and other essential salts.

A regular fitness regime which can be a brisk 45 minutes morning walk, light yoga postures or plain physical exercise either early in the morning or late evening.

If the above is followed regularly and religiously, then one can actually enjoy the benefits of a long and healthy life.

Lets plan out a HEALTHY DIET

On the onset it is better to clarify that one has to overcome many kinds of blocks and barriers while trying to execute a healthy lifestyle.

Health Professional and dieticians often complain that though the basic principle of following a healthy diet is simple but most people have a hard time sticking to it. Some of the main reasons enumerated by them include a super fast and busy lifestyle or a stressful work scenario that causes a lot of anxiety and nervous tension.

Whatever be the reason, if you really decide to achieve a healthy mind and a healthy body then nothing can stop you for nothing is really impossible for the strong minded personality.

For beginners, it is advised to blend up food choices from each food category. As a warming up procedure, try eating a large variety of fruits and veggies and try to avoid the foods that contribute to drastic weight gain. So to start with, include a balanced intake of calcium-rich foods, whole grains, and protein-rich products and avoid fatty food items like cream, oil, sweet etc. In fact its better to first chalk out your restrictions of fats, salt and sugars levels etc. so that you are able to maintain eating a healthy diet and sticking to it as well.

One word of caution though is that you must monitor your body weight regularly so as to know if your body is absorbing all the nutrients it needs.

Thus keeping the simple rules on mind and making it a point to follow it dutifully you can live health and stay healthy forever. Start working on it – Today!