Why not fast food?

Image via Wikipedia

Well, Most of us knows that the physical health affects our mental health, I think you probably are aware that fast food has extremely high amount of calories, high in fat as well as sodium and carbohydrates than protein, vitamins and minerals, So if somebody is constantly eating those fast food, they'll going to be getting all those extra energy fuel for their body except that it's not going to have the vitamins and minerals that the body need.

So if you are consuming fast food on a daily basis, maybe not everyday but maybe every other day. You are still be getting high amount of calories with really low nutrients, so now your body is constantly needing the nutrients that you are not getting from the food, so I think that it contributes to food cravings, basically a food craving is your body wanting and saying that he needs those nutrients, so you are always hungry and always looking for food. and you may eat a meal and shortly after that you are hungry again and so you are looking forward for another meal.

now remember all those energy you get when you eat at fast food, in just few days of eating them constantly, You will now feel irritable, grumpy i must say. You may have that energy back if you eat again, but it will soon fade away, the fast food really does makes you fat and not getting any food nutrients that we need. So this maybe hard but this must be stop. Maybe once in a while is ok, but everyday? or every other day? think again. So when you are hungry why not grab something healthy.

The health benefits of White tea.

There are just so many teas right now in the market. And i know that all of them has its own health benefits. Among all of this teas, my daughter fell in love with the green tea, I really do enjoy the original tea but she just love green tea. But she always ask me the difference of the green tea and the white tea. She tried the white tea and she said that she thinks that white tea is now her favorite, so, what exactly is white tea and its health benefits?

White tea gets its designation from the fine, silvery white hairs found in the unopened buds of the camellia sinensis plant. White tea leaves have a striking appearance.

Largely produced in China and deeply revered during the Song Dynasty that flourished from the 900s to the 1200s, white tea possesses a light, delicate, slightly sweet flavor that sharpens the senses without overwhelming the tongue. White tea may have lower levels of caffeine than green tea.

Some of white tea health benefits are as follows:

• White Tea may help prevent heart ailments.

• White Tea can fight stroke by reducing the accumulation of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

• White Tea can lower blood pressure and improve the function of the arteries.

• White Tea may help fight cancer by attacking the free radicals that inflict damage in the cellular level.

• White Tea promotes strong bones.

• White Tea contains high amounts of anti-bacterial and anti-viral agents thereby promoting general well-being.

• White Tea promotes healthy teeth and gums.

• White Tea helps in protecting the skin from damage and may even reverse some of the damage wrought by free radicals.

• White Tea may reduce blood sugar and help alleviate the symptoms of diabetes.

We may all have different tastes when it comes to tea, but you could always try new ones and you might find it very beneficial to you.

Source:

www.teabenefits.com

image courtesy of islandteashop

Guilty chocolate lovers?

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Who wouldn't want it? a lot of people just can't resist even the smell of it. I am one of those people who is guilty of this but, i just got this news about how a simple brisk walk could reduce chocolate cravings.

Most of us know the benefits of different exercises and how it help people to manage their lifestyle especially those smokers and those who've been to different drugs. The researchers now has shown that this concept may be true for different food cravings.

In London, Researchers held a study for three days of abstinence, They asked 25 people who are chocolate fanatics to have a 15- minute of brisk walk or rest. A professor in Exeter University, Adrian Taylor tells that they were having a study how physical activities reduces cigarette cravings and this study is the first one that has linked exercise to lessen your chocolate cravings.

They all engaged those chocolate lovers to tasks that would normally induce their chocolate cravings. All participants who exercise showed a much lower chocolate cravings compared to those who just rest.

And guess what ladies this study showed that 97% of women experienced those cravings compared to men whose only 68%. Chocolate has active constituents that enhance our moods, that's why it may help us to relax, especially when were stressed. But eating chocolate might turn into habit. So you may want to take a brisk walk before you grab a chocolate.

image courtesy of retrothing.typepad.com

Healthy diet? Get nutty.

Almonds, peanuts, pistachio, cashew, walnuts, hazelnuts etc. Who doesn't like nuts?, I only know few people who dislike nuts, Mainly because of health problems and they can't take it. but the rest just all love nuts. When you start eating, sometimes you just can't stop. It's hard to tell yourself. " okay go get 3 pieces only! " We usually end up with a handful or two handfuls or even three. There is nothing wrong with that As long as you have to know when to stop. Nuts are usually high in calories when taken in large amounts. You should at least eat 2 ounces of nuts a week.

You may want to add nuts in your diet but you have to balance it. when nuts are combined with other very healthy foods, The results can be surprisingly remarkable. You can try to switch your unhealthy snacks to nuts, such as potato chips or high calorie cookies and chocolates. Nuts may not cure any diseases directly but its a step or a way to help battle those illness.

Here are the lists of benefits you get from being nutty, i mean from eating nuts.

It has arginine, a substance that may help you improve the function of your blood vessels.

Nuts has mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which is good for the heart. So if you love your heart eat nuts.

the omega-3 usually found in walnuts, another helpful fat that helps heart problems.

And finally nuts may helps you lower cholesterol. Again, good nutrtion works best with a well balanced diet. So don't just grab some nuts and eat as much as you can. Balance it. ! happy eating!


image courtesy of healhtnut.org

Tea party?! When is the best time to drink tea?

Tea. Whether it's green tea, black tea, white tea, red tea, name it i like it. I got this habit of drinking all sorts of health drinks, fruit juices, coffee, tea, milk etc. from my grand father. I admire him for having a healthy body and maintain it for such a long time. Even if he already passed away. He left our world not young. But very old and wise.

There are so many benefits of tea. but when is the best time to take it? My grandpa used to tell me that the best time to take tea is in the morning. It will help you boost your metabolism. It will also help you to feel better when your sick.

I still think that you can drink tea anytime you want but it depends on what type of tea you drink, Most green teas has caffeine, so if you'll love this type and like to drink a lot in the evening, you may want to drink less in the evening. but i think it would be ok to drink tea anytime of the day. If the tea is decaf then maybe a cup or two in the middle of night won't hurt your eyes. but if you love sweetened tea, A cup in the morning may be good for you but not too much at night.

So for all those who are not sure what time to drink tea, You may want to check what type of tea are you drinking and you can adjust from there. And you can host your own tea party. Have a great tea time!

Eating healthy part 2: Durian. The hate me or love me fruit

Is this a healthy food to try or a fruit to avoid?

Durian. The first time i tried this was when i was 11 years old, The smell is really bad, and i just don't like it.. But that was then,(when i was young i tend to hate odd looking fruits) Well, I like it now more than before. My sister often tells me that people has only two views for this fruit " Hate it or Love it" All i can say is that I'm in between. It is known in South and East Asian Countries as the "King of all fruits".

Tracy asked me last time about the fruit with porcupine type skin. Well, there were 3 fruits on my mind that day. But for now I'll post Durian first. The smell may repel you but it really tastes good. So, What are the health benefits that you could get from Durian?

Durian is packed with proteins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytonutrients.

I can still remember my granny used to tell me that you can't just pick this fruit from a tree and eat. You have to wait for this fruit to fall from the tree. And wait for few more days until it ripened before you can actually eat it. This fruit is known to be high in Tryptophan,

Tryptophan increases brain levels of serotonin and melatonin, both are known as sleep-inducing hormones. So it helps to relaxes your brain and get sleepy. This fruit maybe consider as a good sleeping aid. If your travelling to South East Asian Countries, you may want to give this fruit a try. Expect that the smell would be unpleasant but it's worth the try.

image courtesy of www.nurulrahman.com

Eating healthy? Try dragon fruit.

Another healthy food to add in your healthy diet is Dragon fruit. This dragon fruit is really new to me, but i know that it has been in the American/ Asian market for ages. I'm just curious how so many people in my country are now getting into this, This fruit was originally from Mexico,South America, Vietnam,Taiwan and South East Asian Countries. And whenever a new and healthy food is out I always make it a point to try that "something new to me" food and prove it to my self.

So here's another one on my list, Dragon fruit. So what exactly is a dragon fruit? This unusual looking fruit, brightly colored and named Dragon fruit is also known as Pitaya. I heard there's a story behind why it's called Dragon fruit, but don't know the exact story.

At first, i found the fruit a little scary, because it reminded me of the plant from that movie" little shop of horrors " the plant that feeds on human blood and flesh. hahaha! (I'm sorry but i was six then, and even though it was a comedy movie it scared the hell out of me.) But this fruit won't eat you but you will eat this fruit.

This healthy food is rich in vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C. Here are the rest of the nutrients that you can get from the dragon fruit.


Protein, Niacin

Fiber,Iron

Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Calcium, Vitamin A

It also has antioxidants, and we all know how antioxidant helps our body to prevent certain diseases or even cancer. This is one vitamin-packed fruit.The dragon fruit is best eaten by cutting the fruit in half and scooping the flesh out, like eating a sherbet. And best eaten when chilled. It has a refreshingly sweet taste. SO the next time you're looking for a new and healthy fruit to eat. Look for the dragon fruit. The name is too big to forget.



images courtesy of www.nutrexsolutions.com and
www.thirteenmonths.com

Related articles by Zemanta

• Read About Vitamin C (articlesbase.com)
• Acai Berry Juice - the Secret to a Healthy Life (articlesbase.com)
• Vitamins That Can Help Your Heart (articlesbase.com)
• How To Make Your Juice An Anti Aging Elixir (after50health.com)

Healthy food, dried fruits?

Image via WikipediaHealthy food:Dried fruits or frozen fruit, which one is better? I love fruits no matter how it's done dried, frozen and of course fresh.

The nutrients of dried fruits depends on how long the fruit was around before it was dried. Some commercial dried fruits may contain an additional sulfur dioxide which can lead to asthma for some people, Now, you might be asking why sulfur? The sulfur is used to "fix" the color of the fruit.

But there are also no-sulfur dried fruits available in stores that you can try. So, what nutrients do you get from dried fruits?Here are some vitamins that you can get from dried fruits

Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6,

pantothenic acid

and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium,

phosphorus, potassium, sodium, copper, manganese)(courtesy of Wikipedia).

And because of water loss, that was experienced while it was dried. Dried fruits has a stronger taste or flavor. But these process also destroys most of the Vitamin C in the food, The levels of Vitamin C has been greatly reduced compared when it was fresh.

But i just want to share my favorite dried fruit... mangoes. i love 7D dried mangoes, This is just the best dried mangoes on the planet.

Health food, Noodles from seaweeds and vegetables.

Last time, i wrote about how popular Camel's milk now in UAE,. In the Philippines The government is now introducing veggie noodles. Through the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of Department of Science and Technology.

They developed different types of noodles that were made out of different vegetables, like squash,jute leaves and other green leafy vegetables, not to mention seaweeds too.
Vegetables are known to be very rich in vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, iodine, iron, protein and a lot more.

Noodles that are made of squash are pasta, instant noodles, and fresh miki or eggless noodles. Seaweeds and jute leaves were made as instant spaghetti, flat noodles and iodine-rich fresh miki.These noodles was first made for a feeding program to the less fortunate. Especially those who have Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), Iodine Deficiency Disorder(IDD) and Protein Energy Malnutrition. This is just on time right now, While the price of flour(one main ingredient of noodles) is constantly increasing in the world market.

Based on FNRI 50-gram serving of squash noodles, can give 16 % of energy, 20% of protein and 24% of Vitamin A. Which is just enough for recommended Energy and Nutrient intake for children ages 4 to 6 years old. While noodles made of jute leaves can give us 15 % of energy, 18 % protein and 36% of Vitamin A. And seaweed(guso) noodles/ pasta can give us 12 % protein and 22 % of iodine. These may not be much, but it's better to eat veggie noodles than just the plain ones.

The color of squash noodles are bright yellow. While noodles from vegetables are all green. These noodles are firm and don't have unpleasant smell. and has a fine texture compare to those commercial noodles.




image courtesy of www. allposters.com

Healthy food to super food?

Experts gave the latest range of foods that they call super foods. This superfoods will be good to our health if consumed often. Because it prevents cancer, Heart diseases, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Super foods are blueberries, salmon, walnuts, soy, yogurt, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, hot peppers and almonds. Most of these super foods are known to prevent illnesses. But it is still important to know that taking these foods will not cure or prevent diseases immediately. But well-balanced and planned meal with will be the key to a healthy body. So super foods or just your good old healthy foods, They both need balance diet

Here are some of the simple strategies to make those Healthy foods, super effective.

1. Make sure that half of the grains that you consume are whole grains. Whole grains are very popular in preventing heart diseases, Cancer, Gastro intestinal health, Diabetes and definitely good in weight management.

2. When choosing protein-rich foods try to choose lean protein sources like fish, chicken, low-fat beef, soy at legumes. It makes you feel full without the guilt, thus making you stick to your diet. But still getting the right amounts of protein.

3. Limit your sugar and salt intake, read the label. Reading labels will let you know if you just take the right amount of sugar/ salt or not.Try to make this a habit and it will help you in the future.

4.. Try to choose calcium-rich foods, like low-fat cheese, milk and yogurt.

5. Eat fruits, Fresh fruits. There is a big difference with fruit juices in carton boxes and instant fruit juices. You can drink these juices but try to limit and get used to eating fresh ones.

Eating healthy doesn't mean you are healthy. You got to plan and balance what you eat and make those health foods super effective so Happy eating!

Eating healthy, Healthy foods on a tight budget!

Image via Wikipedia You have to get a variety of foods that include proteins, carbohydrates, beneficial fats, vitamins and don't forget the water! It is essential too.

1. You can get your protein from animal sources - (lean meats like chicken), vegetable sources - (beans, legumes, soy.) or you can get it from fish too.

2. Everyone needs Omega 3 essential fatty acids which you can get from fish like salmon, or you can buy ground flax seed (it has a nutty flavor) for less than $3 and spinkle it on cereal, salads or anything you like.

Here are some great, low cost meals to try:

• soup (you can make enough for a few days) - you can start with vegetable stock and add leftover meats and veggies.

• chili (you can make a big batch and freeze for later) - buy dried small red beans and soak overnight and put in some carrots and tomato paste and any other veggies you have. It's great and can be made with or without meat. You can even add tofu (cheap and very healthy.

• fruit and vegetable salads -you can make a great meal with chili and salad and soup and salad.Try to get your fruits and vegetables from a local farmer's market - you can get some good prices and you will also be eating seasonally which will give you variety. You don't have to buy organic - just be aware that some fruits and vegetables in the supermarket have more pesticides than others, i.e, apples, green and red peppers, peaches, etc.High nutrient vegetables like sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes and carrots can all be used in recipes that can be frozen.
  

Keep the trimmings from your salads and cook up with water to make a great vegetable stock for using in soups and gravies.
Casseroles also work well and can be frozen.

For carbohydrates try:

• Whole grain bread, Starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots

• Cereals (oatmeal is great and you can add half a banana and berries or any fruit that suits your taste buds.)

Always remember that the more processed the food the more expensive it usually is. Don't forget to use coupons from the paper and you can print some from the internet. Being healthy doesn't mean you have to spend a lot.

Breastfeeding: how to increase breast milk fast.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Normally breast milk is increased by eating green and leafy vegetables but taking the right multivitamins can enhance milk reproduction more especially after taking birth.

I have talked to a lot of moms who used to have the same problem as i do. Not enough breast milk supply. But my OBgyne gave me Natalac. And i must say it really works, within just few hours after taking it. It is made by mallungay leaves or moringa. This is i think the most popular capsules here in our country(Philippines) that will surely increase your breast milk . And it's been around for so many years already.

Almost all the mothers i know have taken this capsules and achieve good results.
Natalac capsule is a natural health food supplement. It contains 250 mg (dry weight) of superior quality Moringa leaves rich in iron, Calcium and Phosporus. It is ideal for lactating mothers whose breast milk provides the best nourishment and most natural way of caring for infants. Generations of mothers have taken Moringa leaves cooked in a broth and taken liberally to promote milk secretion in mothers with inadequate lactation. This is usually taken 1 to twice a day for just 2 weeks or depends upon your doctor's prescription.

This is not available in some other countries but you could try to look for it on ebay. and there are a lot of moringa capsules available on the internet. Just make sure to buy only to trusted sites. So moms, if breast pump is such a pain, you may want to try this.

Healthy foods: How to make toddlers eat.

Never force children to eat something that they say they "hate". Instead try to combine these nutritious food items with those that they like . For example", If your tot love hotdogs, make a sandwich with an iron-fortified hotdog, vitamin-enriched margarine, a slice of cheese, a little mayonnaise with minced carrots, and serve with glass of fresh fruit juice.

Nutrients are better absorbed when combined in a dish such as serving vegetables with meat cubes. for instance. Small frequent feedings are better for this stage since they can only eat so much with their small appetites.

Here are top must lists of healthy foods for your toddlers:

The primary food that toddlers should have in their priority list is milk. It is an excellent source of calcium and protein. It is also a good source of phosphorous, some B-complex vitamins, and Vitamins A and D. as well as some magnesium. Toddlers need fats contained in full cream milk, so low-fat or non-fat milk are not recommended. If your toddler gets tired of drinking same milk over and over, try to be innovative: add a teaspoon or two of chocolate or strawberry flavoring. better yet mix it with some fresh fruits your little ones love or make it into a nutritious milkshake.

The next in line, vegetables. vegetable provide minerals, vitamins and fiber. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach contains vitamin c and A , iron, calcium. while yellow veggies such as carrots and squash are rich in Vitamin A.

Third group and non-negotiable food are fruits. fruits are rich in vitamins and are well-liked by most kids. Bananas are rich in potassium, magnesium, and vitamin b6.

Make sure your toddler eats whole grain breads or enriched rice and cereals, as these are good source of iron, thiamin and riboflavin..

When your tots really hates the taste, try to add bitter/bland tasting veggies into their meal by making a puree or or use a juicer then hide it by mixing it to their favorite foods. It is important that we don't take healthy foods for granted. We only want whats best for our kids.

Does Wheat grass really make us healthy?

Wheat grass for good health? Image via Wikipedia Last Saturday, i learned something new... to me, but it was already known ages ago.I just wanted to share something that i found amazing.(Courtesy of Ms. Jessica Soho)
A lot of people may know wheat grass as just a grass that makes your front lawn looks pretty neat. And cows, goats and horse's daily meal.

Wheat grass is a type of grass that is rich and high in vitamins and minerals, but of course it still a grass. So for some people, they may find these unpleasant to eat or drink. But let me show you what really caught my attention, Producers of wheat grass said that There's a lot of ways to take wheat grass. But you can try to put some in a juicer so you can take the juice from it and drink it from a shot glass. They say that even the pulp has benefits too.(you can use it as a facial scrub.) They claim that one shot glass of wheat grass is equal to 1 kilo of green leafy vegetables. If this is true then I'd better get one of these.

Here are some more benefits of wheat grass that proponents claim:

help make menopause more manageable

prevent cancer, diabetes and heart disease

It cures constipation

It detoxify heavy metals from the bloodstream

promote general well-being.

improve the digestive system


This study was pioneered by Dr. Ann Wigmore , a health practitioner, nutritionist,whole foods advocate, and a doctor of Divinity.
Dr. Ann Wigmore has been helping people get well from chronic disorders for 30 years using wheatgrass. Wheat grass may or may not prevent cancer. But i strongly still believe that nothing beats a well balanced diet, So don't just rely on one food to cure a disease. Wheat grass is healthy so you can add it in your daily diet. And you may be surprised what it will truly brings to your health.