Posts Tagged ‘Food’

Teen and Healthy Food

Adolescence is a time of rapid growth. In fact, teenagers gain almost 50 percent of their adult weight during the teenage years. Yet they are less likely to eat a dietary food. Adolescence know it’s important to eat right, but many teenager don’t understand a basic nutrition. They skip breakfast and always choose to many high-fat food when snacking at fast food restaurants. Maybe the worst offenders are teenage girls who diet all the time and avoiding healthy food they think are “too fattening.”

Good eating habits begin in early childhood, and that’s when parents should start setting a good example. During the teenage years, however, parents have to be more subtle about guiding food choices. They can’t control what teens eat or don’t eat during the day, but they can offer healthy choices at home. Teens are impulsive eaters, usually munching on what’s right at hand. So stock the refrigerator with healthy snacks. Serve a nutritious dinner and try to make mealtime enjoyable. Also, be flexible about the time you eat dinner, taking into account a teenager’s often hectic schedule.

If your teenager avoids eat healthy foods because they think they’re fattening, nagging won’t help. Many experts believe this is the time for parents to step back, while continuing to offer healthy alternatives. Teens can be encouraged to eat fruits, cottage cheese and yogurt. Skin milk and fruit juice are other good choices. Getting teens to eat right can be a tough task, but don’t give up. Now more then ever is the time to tech them. You are what you eat

Eating Healthy Food – The Natural Way To A Healthy Living

If you dream of having a healthy and fit body for the rest of your life, it is important to make sure that you have in your lifestyle eating healthy cooking. If this will be a part of your life, you should expect yourself to be physically fit.

Some people think that eating healthy cooking can sometimes be too boring. It is because they think that the food options connected with eating healthy cooking are too bland and the choices are too limited, Sometimes, they just to eat that greasy pizza. Every intake of food must me moderated to ensure that you will be safe. However, the more careful you are about yourself, the lesser chances you have of having risks and health problems in the future. Just like what the old saying says, “better safe that sorry.” Who woul want to put dirty oil into his car just because he does not want to do extra mile of driving? Or would you not want to spend extra time just to make sure that your car is in proper maintenance? These questions could also be applicable with eating healthy cooking. Yes, you really have choices on the foods that would eat, but you have to think also that the food that does not bring you good would bring you harm.

Using boring as an excuse for not eating healthy foods is not a valid excuse You have tot hink of how do unhealthy food do to your body and health. As time passes by, more and more restaurants are offering eating healthy cooking. These kinds of restaurants think of more ways on how do healthy foods be appealing and more tasty to the consumers. And the means now are becoming endless.

Eating healthy cooking is just as simple as choosing a nonfat dressing over a fattening dressing for your favorite salad. Also, you can choose salsa as a great salad topper! Aside from being full of flavors, salsa offers healthy ingredients on it, not to mention the little fat that it could give you. More so, spicy foods helps in speeding up the metabolism. So why not choose the spicy salsa?

Some individuals may think that chaging their eating habits to eating healthy cooking is too hard. However, this is not always the case. If you are really determined of living a healthy life, things will just be simple. These simple changes can bring great difference. Eating healthy cooking might just be one of the best choices that you can make in your life. Do not deny your body of the benefits that it deserves. The better benefits shall follow.

How to Make Healthy Food Choices

People are struggling with maintaining healthy food choices. It is not surprising because they are constantly bombarded with conflicting information about what’s healthy and what’s not and they are also given numerous choices when it comes to food products. With all these choices and information, it is not inevitable that people will end up confused. You probably share the same confusion. Who can blame you?

If you would visit a local grocery store, you would find numerous aisles of different foods. If you would go to a restaurant, you would find pages after pages of menus. With so man food choices, you probably are finding it hard to stick to your “healthy foods only” diet. To make sure that you would go home with a bag full of healthy food choices, here are some tips that you should definitely take note of.

Shop Only When You’re Not Hungry

Go to the grocery store only when your stomach is full. This does not need much explanation. Doing your grocery when your stomach is empty would definitely tempt you to buy anything that catches your fancy. You’d be practically throwing your “healthy food choices” list out of the window. It is best to do your grocery shopping after you have eaten your breakfast in the morning or your dinner in the evening.

Choose Canned or Bottled Products Carefully

First of all, if you are going to buy meat, vegetables and fruits, do not buy those that are packed with oil. If you need to buy these food products, make sure that you buy those that are packed in water. Chances are the water will likely reduce the calories in meat products. Do not buy products that are labeled “hydrogenated”. These products practically scream, “Fats!” You need to have a discerning and careful eye when it comes to sneaky wordings in packages. This is one way to make sure that you only end up with healthy food choices.

You should also avoid products with high fructose or glucose content. Many products like juices and soft drinks are loaded with high fructose content. When you see these words “high fructose” in a grocery product, you should definitely stay away from it. These words basically mean that you would be drinking something with 100% pure sugar in it.

Many manufacturers add high fructose to their products in order to save money. Unfortunately, this causes obesity and diabetes. Examples of this are pancake corn syrups. This is why it is very important that you first check product labels before you buy anything. To be able to make healthy food choices, you need to make sure that you are making informed choices.

Buy Organic Meat and Poultry

When purchasing meat products like beef, pork and poultry, you should definitely consider opting for organic products. These are free from growth hormones, steroids and other chemicals. When buying poultry, you should look for free range chickens because they often tastes delicious than caged chickens. You should also get skinless chicken because bad cholesterols and calories in chickens are concentrated on their skin.

When buying organic foods, it is better to buy them locally. Not only will you help your community’s economy, you will also save energy. This is the additional bonus you get from making healthy food choices.

Make Wise Grocery Product Choices

First of all, you should make sure that you opt for low sodium prepackaged foods. If you are too busy and you have to resort to buying frozen dinners and canned foods, make sure that you get packages with the lowest sodium count. Making these simple healthy food choices will ensure that you will avoid various illnesses like hypertension or cardiac problems.

If you are one of those people who would like to avoid dairy products, you can opt for food alternatives like broccoli. This vegetable is packed with calcium, so you would still be getting the nutrient despite the absence of milk or cheese in your diet.

When buying breads and cereals, you should opt for whole grain foods. Also, make sure that you always read the labels and get products that are low in fat or zero in fat. You can still give in to your sweet cravings without necessarily placing yourself at risk of developing diabetes.

Eating healthy involves making healthy food choices. You need to make sure that every food that gets into your grocery basket is healthy for you and your family.

Dry Skin Rash ? How to Recognise Food Intolerance

Food intolerance in the west is on the increase. More and more people are suffering with allergies to foods, substances and the environment.

You can recognise food intolerance when you suffer a physical reaction after having eaten a certain food.

The type of physical reactions most common include the break out in a rash or itchy fit. Or you suddenly experience difficulty in swallowing, or the swelling of the face, eyes or tongue. Nausea and dizziness are also quite common.

A lot of sufferers develop eczema over a period of months and years. Food intolerance is created through your eating habits or a dramatic health change.

Look at the following and see if you recognise any of these as habits you have developed.

Dry Skin Rash – How to Recognise Food Intolerance #1 – Do you intentionally vary the type of foods you eat on a regular basis? There are thousands and thousands of edible food plants on this planet. But as creatures of habit we usually eat between 10 and 20 of such foods regularly.

This predisposes us to having an altered immune reactivity to these foods. The nutrients we derive is limited and we are missing out on the opportunity to expand our nutrient base.

Dry Skin Rash – How to Recognise Food Intolerance #2 –

Are you someone that is prescribed antibiotics on a regular basis. Antibiotics tend to alter bowl bacteria and inhibit probiotics contained in the digestive system. Antibiotics affect the functioning within the intestinal lining.

Antibiotics lowers intestinal immunity and encourages growth of unwanted bacteria.

Worse still, repeated courses of antibiotics will cause some digestive imbalance and tends to encourage the rapid growth of yeast in the colon.

Dry Skin Rash – How to Recognise Food Intolerance #3 –

This one applies to women specifically, the long term intake of the contraceptive pill.

The contraceptive pill can cause food intolerance in certain people. Hormones in the pill affect certain liver detoxification enzymes. The contraceptive pill also depletes vitamins and trace minerals in the body.

Five Common Causes Of Stomach Pain

Low Stomach Acidity

This happens when the acid in your stomach cannot digest the food as it is too weak. It will sit in the stomach for a long period of time and cause symptoms such as bloating and acid reflux. When the food finally does pass, it can lead to irritable bowel syndrome. One of the potential causes of low stomach acidity is a pinched vagus nerve in the neck. See a kinesiologist to get some relief.

H\. Pylori (Helicobacter Pylori)

H. Pylori is a bacteria that wears away at the lining of the stomach and makes it’s way into the lining. This can create a peptic ulcer which has many negative symptoms including stomach pain, heartburn, difficulty breathing, nausea and others. While H. Pylori is usually treated with a combination of antibiotics, some people may seek natural H. Pylori treatment instead.

Candidasis

Candidasis is caused by an intestinal overgrowth of a yeast called Candida Albican. Candida Albican is a normal fungus that is usually kept in check by the immune system but sometimes grows out of control. Candidasis can actually be caused by antibiotic use, which weakens the immune system. The most common cures are probiotics and a change of diet.

Poor Food Choices

This one seems like a no-brainer but it still one of the most common causes of stomach pain. Simply eating the wrong food or wrong combination of foods can cause irritation. Proteins and carbs, for instance, do not digest well together. Another reason may be an intolerance to certain food. Pay attention to what foods you eat and when you feel sick. This will help you decide what to eat less of or cut out of your diet entirely.

Drinking Too Much Before a Meal

Most people don’t know that drinking too much before or during a meal can cause low stomach acidity, leading to discomfort among other problems. It is suggested not to drink a large amount of fluids before a meal, and to only drink small amounts while eating. Drinking too much around mealtime slows down your metabolism.

By Nate Miller

Find out more about H. Pylori, a common cause of stomach pain, at H. Pylori Treatment

28 Ways to Cut Calories Effortlessly

An extra 40 calories per day may not seem like much, but consider this: If you were to cut a mere 40 calories a day from your diet, you would lose at least a pound in three months, or four pounds in a year!

Making small changes to your diet every day to help reduce your calorie intake will help offset weight gain over the year, and possibly even help you to lose weight! Try some of the ideas below to help you reduce your calorie intake. The more tips you implement, the more calories you cut from your diet!

1. Choose fruit instead of juice: A medium orange has 60 calories, while a cup of orange juice contains 110 calories. Go for the fruit instead! (Calories saved: 50)
2. Downsize your bagel: A mini bagel has only 80 calories, while a regular medium-sized bagel contains 240 calories – and an average Einstein Brothers bagel is a whopping 350 calories! (Calories saved: 160 – 270)
3. Wrap it up: Use a 110-calorie 10-inch tortilla instead of a 240-calorie medium bagel as the base for your breakfast or lunch. (Calories saved: 130)
4. Wrap scale down: Use an 8-inch tortilla instead of a 10-inch one. (Calories saved: 50)
5. Choose light cream cheese: One ounce (2 tablespoons) of light cream cheese contains 60 calories, while regular has 100 calories. (Calories saved: 40)
6. Go Canadian: Have Canadian bacon at 90 calories for two slices instead of regular bacon at 250 calories for two slices. (Calories saved: 160)
7. Add the real thing to your yogurt: One cup of fruit flavored low fat yogurt contains 230 calories. Instead, consider having one cup of low fat plain yogurt with 1/2 cup of fresh fruit for only 180 calories plus extra fiber! (Calories saved: 50)
8. Make the mayo light: Lightening up your mayonnaise saves you 50 calories per tablespoon. (Calories saved: 50)
9. Spray it: Spraying your non-stick pan with a cooking spray costs 6 calories while using a tablespoon of butter or margarine cuts into your daily calorie budget by 100 calories. (Calories saved: 94)
10. Lighten up on butter and margarine: Regular butter or margarine contains 100 calories per tablespoon, but light butter or margarine has only 50. (Calories saved: 50)
11. Season up: Using herbs to season your vegetables instead of butter or margarine will save you 100 calories per tablespoon. (Calories saved: 100)
12. Creamy options: Trading the Ben & Jerry’s or Haagen-Dazs super-rich (20% fat) ice cream for a Breyer’s or Hood light reduced fat (6% fat) version saves 130 calories per 1/2 cup. (Calories saved: 130)
13. Cone down: Choosing a small waffle cone rather than a large will save you 40 calories. Eliminating the cone altogether will save you 60 calories for a small one, 100 calories for a large. (Calories saved: 40 – 100)
14. Choose fish in water: A 6oz can of chunk light tuna stored in oil has 275 calories. Packed in water, it has only 150 calories. (Calories saved: 125)
15. Lower the fat in your cottage cheese: Use 1% cottage cheese rather than 4%. (Calories saved: 40 per half cup)
16. Starching down: Try cutting back on your portion of rice, pasta or noodles by just 1/4 cup. (Calories saved: 45 – 60)
17. Lightening your coffee: Use 2 tablespoons of whole milk rather than 2 Tbsp half and half cream. (Calories saved: 20)
18. Make baking healthier: Replace half of the fat in a recipe with applesauce. Per 1/2 cup, applesauce contains 90 calories, but butter or margarine contains a whopping 810 calories! (Calories saved: 720 calories per 1/2 cup!)
19. Soda shocker: By drinking an 8 oz mini can of regular soda rather than the usual 12 oz size, you save 50 calories. Better yet, drink water or diet soda to save 150 calories for a 12 oz can. (Calories saved: 50 – 150)
20. The chips are down: Try a bag of baked chips instead of regular chips. (Calories saved: 70 per 2 oz bag)
21. Go fresh: Choose a 60-calorie 1/2 cup of fresh fruit instead of a 250-calorie 1/2 cup of dried fruits like raisins. (Calories saved: 190)
22. Vary your chocolate options: Instead of a 1.5 oz chocolate bar at 225 calories, consider having a cup of chocolate milk (160 calories) or a fat free chocolate pudding (85 calories). (Calories saved: 65 – 140)
23. Ah nuts: Measure out your nuts – they add up quickly! One ounce of nuts (about 23 almonds, 18 medium cashews, 18-22 mixed nuts, 15-20 walnut or pecan halves) are worth 100 – 200 calories. It is easy to eat more than this if you are not paying attention and measuring… (Calories saved: Lots!)
24. Cheers: Drink light beer rather than regular. (Calories saved: 30 per 12 oz can)
25. Wine Not?: Drink 4 oz of wine instead of 12 oz of beer. (Calories saved: 50)
26. Go lite on syrup: Two tablespoons of regular syrup contains 110 calories, but lite syrup contains only 50 calories. (Calories saved: 60)
27. Cut the juice: Have 1/2 cup of orange juice instead of a full cup. (Calories saved: 55)
28. Leaving behind: Why not leave 3-4 bites on your plate? You don’t have to finish it all if you are full. (Calories saved: Varies)

Top Four Reasons Diets Fail

What are your plans for January? Perhaps you will spend the month putting away holiday decorations and easing back into a regular schedule. And, if you’re like millions of people, your plans may include embarking on a new diet.

Not surprisingly, a 2005 study conducted by a popular weight loss franchise announced that just under half of US women admit that losing weight is a likely New Year’s resolution. With the holiday cakes and pies already devoured and out of sight, many people find the fresh start of a new year the perfect time to embark on a weight loss plan.

Unfortunately, unrealistic diet expectations can sabotage the very best intentions, leading to frustration when diets fail. If your January plans include a change in eating habits, check out our top takes on why diets fail, then use the suggested tips to choose a diet that will lead you to success.

Top 4 Reasons Diets Fail

1. Something’s Missing
   Diets eliminating an entire food group (such as carbohydrates) and not using the full spectrum of My Pyramid are difficult to follow, and will likely lead to a slip. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “Can I eat like this forever?” A successful diet should allow choices from all food groups in moderation, and be something that you can follow for the long term.
2. Going Low
   If you eat too few calories and are constantly hungry, you risk an eventual willpower blowout, leading to a major diet setback. Successful diets are adequate enough in calories so you don’t experience prolonged deep hunger, but low enough to allow for a moderate weight loss of 0.5-1 lb per week. Looking beyond weight loss, it’s also important to understand that consuming less than 1,200 calories per day for an extended period of time is never a good idea because it isn’t enough to give your body the nutrients it needs to function best.
3. Diet. Period.
   If you’ve embarked on a weight loss regime, but have no plans to incorporate exercise, your weight loss will most likely hit a frustrating plateau. Adding exercise can keep you motivated to stick to your diet, even on the weeks when the scale won’t budge, since exercise can help you whittle off the inches. Regular exercise also increases the rate at which your body burns calories, helping you to see results faster than diet alone. Multiple research studies have concluded that the most successful diets include a combination of diet and exercise.
4. Friend or Foe?
   A 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that those who surround themselves with overweight or obese family and friends are more likely to be overweight or obese themselves. The study found that a possible explanation for the conclusions may be that your sense of “normal” weight and eating behavior can be influenced by those around you. For example, if everyone close to you is overweight or obese, your opinion may be that being overweight or obese is normal, thus you may not be motivated to lose weight. For the best success, surround yourself with family and friends sensitive to your goal, and make a personal commitment to follow through on your plans. If you have overweight family or friends, why not make a group resolution to work together for better health?

Spring Detox – Friend or Foe?

Spring is coming, and it’s time for spring cleaning your house. For some, spring cleaning may also mean a spring detox diet. But before rushing out to purchase a detox kit or trying out a detox diet made famous by celebrity endorsement, read on.

Detox Diets – What are they?

Detox diets claim to help you get rid of toxins in your body and therefore help you lose weight, feel better, and have more energy. A detox diet usually encompasses an array of activities – fasting for 3 to 10 days with the support of juice; taking multi-vitamins or herbal supplements; or avoiding sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and junk food. For some, detoxing also includes saunas, colon-cleansing, or chelation therapy. For instance, the Master Cleanse used by Beyonce instructs followers to drink cups of water with lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper added. Model Kate Moss followed another detox diet, outlined by author Nish Joshi, who promotes a strict 21-day diet of soy, poultry, fish, brown rice, steamed vegetables, lentils, beans, and green tea.

Are You Intoxicated?

There’s no doubt that our living environment is increasingly polluted. But what’s considered toxic? Different people will give you different answers. It may be heavy metals, industrial materials, pesticides, and radioactive materials. Some may say drugs, alcohol, and artificial additives. When we are diagnosed with high cholesterol, we know that our blood total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides may be too high. So what about toxic? How do we measure toxicity? How do you know if you’re intoxicated?

The Science of Detox

There are almost no studies looking at the validity of these detox diets. Australian Complementary Medicine Professor Marc Cohen published a scientific review of detox diets in Australian Family Physician in December 2007. He found that there were plenty of randomized controlled trials (RCT) on drug and alcohol detox, but none on environmental or junk food toxins. Of the clinical detox studies that exist, the majority are observational studies on a detox program promoted by the Church of Scientology. Some studies suggested that it reduced PCB, PBB, and dioxin levels. This program is also the basis of the drug rehab program used to treat World Trade Center rescue workers, with high dose niacin (Vitamin B3) and polyunsaturated oils along with exercise and extensive sauna sweating.

Appetite Effect of HFCS may be overstated

HFCS, the high-fructose corn syrup used as a sweetener in many kinds of soda, has been blamed by some as a main culprit in the ongoing obesity epidemic, because there were claims that it can increase appetite. But a new study casts some doubt on the link between HFCS and appetite boost.

No short-term link between HFCS and food intake was found

Researchers from the University of Toronto investigated the effects of a sugar solution, table sugar, HFCS, and other combinations of glucose and fructose in a small study. They found that HFCS did not differ from regular table sugar in its effects on appetite and food intake later in the day. The results of this study were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in November 2007.

Editor’s Note: Is HFCS to blame for obesity?

HFCS is made by modifying corn starch so that it contains a higher level of fructose than it would naturally. As a result, high fructose corn syrup tastes sweeter than refined sugar. Table sugar contains 50/50 fructose/glucose. HFCS used in soft drinks contains 55 percent fructose. HFCS is mostly found in soft drinks, fruit drinks, jams and jellies, as well as baked goods.

HFCS should not take all the blame for the obesity trend, especially when excess caloric intake is the real culprit here. Dietary guidelines recommend that we limit added sugars to about 8 teaspoons a day for an average 2,000-calorie diet. One bottle of soda alone contains 240 calories with more than 15 teaspoons of added sugars. Replacing these 15 teaspoons of HFCS with table sugar or honey is no better; it still contains 240 calories! Excess calories cause weight gain, regardless of whether they come from HFCS, honey, or fat.

The Diet Debate: Low-Fat vs. Low-Carb

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 2008 compared three popular dietary patterns to see which one is most effective for weight loss and health benefits (including changes in cholesterol values). This study is interesting because it is one of the first to look at how these diets affect health parameters over a two-year term.

The Diet Details

Three hundred and twenty-two overweight individuals (86% of whom were male) participated in this Israeli study comparing three dietary patterns for their effects on weight loss and health factors. The diet details were as follows:

• A low-fat diet, with no more than 30% of calories coming from fat, 10% of calories from saturated fats, and 300mg of cholesterol per day. The total calorie intakes were limited to 1500 calories for women and 1800 calories for men. These guidelines were based on the recommendations from the American Heart Association for a heart-healthy diet.
• A Mediterranean diet, which was defined as a moderate-fat, restricted-calorie diet (1500 calories for women, 1800 calories for men). The goal with this diet was to include less than 35% of calories from fat while limiting red meat consumption, replacing it with poultry or fish. Monounsaturated fats, considered to be a healthier fat, were added to the diet through the use of olive oil and nuts. This diet pattern was based on a Mediterranean style of eating.
• The low-carb diet was not restricted in calories as the other two test diets were. During the first two months of weight loss, participants were asked to limit their carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day (equivalent to the carbohydrates found in one small banana), then gradually increase their intake to 120 grams per day (equivalent to 3/4 cup Raisin Bran, 2 slices bread, 3/4 cup pasta and 1 medium apple). Participants who were assigned to this arm of the study were not given any limitations on total calorie, protein, or fat intakes.

Which Diet is More Effective?

• Weight Loss? Low-Carb and Mediterranean: Although all diet groups did lose weight, there was greater weight loss in the low-carb and Mediterranean groups. The average weight loss after two years in the Mediterranean group was 4.4 kg, while the low-carb group lost on average 4.7 kg. Interestingly, the women in the study lost the most weight on the Mediterranean diet (6.2 kg on average after 2 years, compared to 2.4 kg on the low-carb diet), while the men had more success losing weight on the low-carb diet (4.9 kg over 2 years, compared to 4.0 kg on the Mediterranean diet).
• Cholesterol Values? Low-Carb: The low-carb diet group appeared to have the most favorable changes in cholesterol profiles; it was the most beneficial diet for changes in the HDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol to HDL ratios.

The Low Down on the Low-Carb Diet

Given the results of this study, it seems that following a low-carb diet is the best approach for success in losing weight and improving cholesterol values. However, it is important to note that the low-carb diet prescribed in this study is not the typical low-carb Atkins-type diet which promoted eating meat. The participants following the low carb diet were encouraged to consume vegetarian sources (or plant-based) of fat and proteins, which is not the typical all-meat approach in the Atkins-type diet.

Additionally, the results indicate that the women participants in this study had more success with weight loss following the Mediterranean-style diet. However, the study did not identify the specific changes in the cholesterol values according to gender.