Let's Get Healthy Diets

Tempeh Making

2009-10-15T20:09:26.826-07:00

Tempeh is a chunky, tender soybean cake, especially popular on the island of Java, Indonesia as a staple source of protein. Tempeh making is a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds whole soybeans, sometimes mixed with other grain such as rice or millet, to form a rich cake with a smoky or nutty flavor. As in most fermentations of food, tempeh making needs a starter. Tempeh starter is a dried mixture of live Rhizopus spores with substrate, either soybeans or rice. To produce good quality tempeh you need a starter with a very high count of desirable Rhizopus molds and contain no contaminating, coliform or pathogenic bacteria. Tempeh can be produced by two Rhizopus strains: Rhizopus oryzae or Rhizopus oligosporus. Traditional starter in tempeh making is either a piece of the previous day batch tempeh or one especially made by placing a handful of cooked soybeans inoculated with the previous day batch tempeh between two perforated banana, teakwood or hibiscus leaves, allowing them to incubate for a few days until black spores cover the beans, and finally drying them in the sun. The latter is used by rubbing the leaves above the soybeans to be inoculated. Although this type of tempeh starter can easily be contaminated with other molds or bacteria, the climatic conditions in Indonesia are so ideal for tempeh fermentation that this type of contamination is not known to cause problems. In Western countries, however, tempeh making always use pure cultures to ensure consistent quality and to minimize failed batches. Tempeh making starts with soaking, de-hulling, and partly cooking the whole soybeans. Soaking is done for 6 to 18 hours. To de-hull and split, the beans are squeezed with kneading motion and rinsed clean with water. In Indonesia, traditional tempeh makers soak the beans in a river and stomping them with their feet in large bamboo woven baskets submerged in the river to de-hull. Cooking is done for about 30 min or till al dente, then the water is drained off but the heating is continued for a few minutes on medium heat to dry the cooked soybeans. Then they are allowed to cool down to below 35°C before mixing in the starter. A mild acidulent, usually vinegar, may be added either while soaking or before boiling to lower the pH and create an environment that favors the growth of the tempeh mold over competitors. Spread in thin layer, the beans are fermented for 18 to 36 hours at around 30°C (86°F). Due to its climate, in Indonesia tempeh making doesn’t need incubators. The inoculated beans is simply buried under a pile of leaves to keep it warm and, if necessary, fanned to cool it off. In good tempeh, the beans are knitted together by a mat of white mycelia to form a compact cake. Under lower temperature, or higher ventilation, gray or black patches of spores may form on the surface—this is not harmful, and should not affect the flavor or quality of the tempeh. You can do your own tempeh making. The starter, you may get it over the internet at http://www.tempeh.info. For 250 g of soybeans you need about 3 table spoons of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of tempeh starter. Use perforated cling film, or perforate empty milk or juice carton, zip-lock sandwich bags or ordinary plastic bags as the packaging. The holes should be thick (about 0.6 mm in diameter) at a distance of about 1 cm to allow the mould to breathe. Press the mix flat to total thickness of max 3 cm. Place the packed beans in an incubator at 30°C (86°F) or at a warm place for about 36- 48 hours to allow fermentation to take place. [...]

Tempeh

2009-09-15T21:01:08.894-07:00

Tempeh, or tempe in Javanese, is a traditional food made by natural culturing and controlled fermentation of soybeans by two strains of Rhizopus molds: Rhizopus oryzae or Rhizopus oligosporus, that cover the beans with their mycelia to form a cake. It is a staple source of protein in Java made from whole soybeans. The retention of the whole bean and the fermentation process give tempeh a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins, plus firmer texture and stronger flavor compared to tofu. Its rich nutritional value makes tempeh used worldwide in vegetarian cuisines, partly as meat analogue, while long before it was referred to as “Javanese meat.” Tempeh is made by soaking, de-hulling, and partly cooking the whole soybeans, and then lowering the pH, usually with vinegar, to create favorable environment, and mixing with fermentation starter containing the spores of the Rhizopus fungus. This mix is then allowed to ferment for 18 to 36 hours at a temperature around 30°C (86°F). To produce good quality tempeh you need a starter with millions of the Rhizopus spores and contain no contaminating, coliform or pathogenic bacteria. It is often extended with sterile rice flour or starch to standardize the spore count. In Indonesia tempeh starter is either a piece of the previous batch tempeh, or dried starter made by incubating a handful of cooked and inoculated soybeans between two hibiscus leaves for a few days until black spores covering the soybeans and then drying them in the sun. To use the spores, the hibiscus leaves are then rubbed above the soybeans to be inoculated. These types of starters are vulnerable to other molds or bacteria contaminations, but the climatic conditions in Indonesia are so ideal for tempeh fermentation that the contamination is not troublesome. In Western countries pure cultures are used to insure consistent quality and to minimize failed batches. Tempeh keeps well frozen for several months and refrigerated for about 10 days. As with other fermented products, a little mold on the surface of tempeh is harmless. Since whole soybeans are used, tempeh is fiber-rich. It is also a generous source of calcium, B-vitamins and iron. Fermentation makes the protein in tempeh more digestible, and the Rhizopus culture greatly reduces the oligosaccharides associated with gas and indigestion. In traditional tempeh making, the starter culture often contains beneficial bacteria that produce B12 vitamin. Tempeh has a smoky, nutty, meaty, and mushroom-like flavor. In Indonesia it is usually consumed with rice or as a snack. Its tender, chunky and chewy consistency makes it an excellent addition to a variety of foods. Tempeh on the grill is delicious; frozen can be well grated to replace ground beef, as in tacos; fresh is suitable for marinades and deep fried; and dried provides an excellent stew base for backpackers. Tempeh can also be used in chili, stir fry, soups, salads, spaghetti sauces, sandwiches, and casseroles. Vegetarians use it as a substitution for breakfast meats, such as sausage and bacon. [...]

Fermented Soybean Products

2009-09-07T23:27:06.820-07:00

Some soy foods are made by fermenting soybeans. In the process soybeans are inoculated with some microbes, mostly done with a starter, to push the process in the desired direction. These fermented soybean products contains higher amounts of calcium and vitamin K2. There are many fermented soybean products in the Asian, especially East Asian cuisines; miso, tempeh and natto are among the many. Miso Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting, most typically, soybeans, with salt and the fungus kōjikin, resulting a thick paste used for sauces, spreads, and pickling vegetables or meats. A Japanese soup called Misoshiru use this high in protein, vitamins and minerals fermented soybean product as a mix. Miso is a source of Lactobacillus acidophilus. This fermented soybean product also contains lecithin, a kind of phospholipid that is effective in the prevention of high blood pressure. Some experts suggest that miso can help treat radiation sickness. However miso contains salt, which is essential to animal life in small amount but may cause a variety of health problems in excess. Tempeh Tempeh, or tempe in Javanese, is made by fermenting soybeans with Rhizopus molds strains, Rhizopus oryzae or Rhizopus oligosporus that binds the soybeans into a cake form. This fermented whole soybean product is chunky, tender and is consumed daily in Indonesia as part of the main meal, or as a snack. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a high content of protein, which is more digestible, dietary fiber, and vitamins. The Rhizopus culture also greatly reduces oligosaccharides that are associated with gas and indigestion. In traditional tempeh making, the starter culture often contains beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins such as B12. Tempeh is also a generous source of minerals such as calcium and iron. Its nutritional value makes this fermented soybean product used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine, partly as meat analogue; while traditionally it is referred to as “Javanese meat.” Nattō Nattō is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis. A popular breakfast food, protein-rich nattō, together with miso, formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. There are also other traditional Bacillus subtilis fermented soybean food products in many other Asian countries. Nattō contains large amounts of Vitamin K, and a much larger amount of polyamine than any other food. Vitamin K involves in the formation of calcium-binding groups in proteins, assisting the formation of bone and preventing osteoporosis, while polyamine suppresses excessive immune reactions. According to a study, fermented soybean products also contain a very important Vitamin for the skin, PQQ. Some substances in nattō is said to be good for reducing blood clotting and avoiding thrombosis, as in heart attacks, pulmonary embolism, or strokes. This fermented soybean product may also prevent amyloid-type diseases such as Alzheimer. [...]

Soybean and Its Usages

2009-08-31T22:15:18.643-07:00

Soybean is the most widely grown and utilized legume in the world and one of the most well researched, health-promoting foods available today. Containing about 40% on the dry weight-base of protein, 35% of carbohydrate, 20% of oil and about 5% of ash, it is one of the richest and cheapest sources of vegetable protein provided for millions of people, an important source of vegetable oil and also ingredients for hundreds of chemical products. As an excellent source of protein, economically soybean is the most important bean in the world, the most nutritious and most easily digested food of the bean family. It contains a significant amount of essential amino acids, as well as a high levels of essential fatty acids including omega-3, numerous vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and iron, isoflavones, and fiber. Soy protein is the nutritional equivalent of meat and eggs for human growth and health, and with less saturated fat and cholesterol content, consuming soy protein tends to lower cholesterol levels, while consuming protein from animal sources tends to raise them. Just one cup of soybeans provides 57.2% of the Daily Value for protein for less than 300 calories and only 2.2 grams of saturated fat. Also, because soybean contains no starch, it is a good source of protein for diabetics. Many processed foods use soybean as the primary ingredient, including many meat and dairy product substitutes, and baby foods. In Asia it is extensively consumed in the forms of soybean milk and tofu, fermented products such as soy sauce, tempeh, natto, and miso, sprouted for use as a salad ingredient or a vegetable and may be eaten roasted as a snack food. Soybean may reduce the risk of colon cancer, possibly due to the presence of sphingolipids as well as fiber. The fiber in soybean is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins and remove them from the body. It also provides preventative therapy for several other cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. Soybean may also prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. However, as with many dietary health claims, there are opposing viewpoints on the health benefits of soybeans. Some negative effects of soybean are reported, including allergic reactions, kidney or gallbladder problems due to measurable amount of oxalates, and thyroid problems. For human consumption, soybean must be cooked with "wet" heat in order to destroy the trypsin inhibitors{serine protease inhibitors}. It is not advisable to eat raw soybeans. Soybean’s oil can be processed into vegetable oil, margarine, shortening, and vegetarian cheeses. It is also the primary source of bio-diesel in the United States. Industrially, the oil is used as an ingredient in paints, adhesives, fertilizers, sizing for cloth, linoleum backing, insect sprays, and fire extinguisher fluids. Soybean is also used in soap, cosmetics, resins, plastics, inks, crayons, and solvents. Since 2001 it has also been used as fermenting stock in the manufacture of a brand of vodka. [...]

Soy Foods, Healthy Foods

2009-08-20T17:22:40.165-07:00

Soy foods are considered as healthy foods because soybeans are nutritious. Dry whole soybeans contain (by weight) 40% protein with a significant amount of complete essential amino acids, 35% carbohydrate mostly dietary fiber, 20% oil including omega-3 fatty acids and about 5% ash with B vitamins, molybdenum, manganese, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and potassium. Soy foods are varied from vegetables like edamamé and soy sprouts, flavor enhancer like hydrogenated vegetable protein, miso and soy sauces, dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese, and ice cream, to flour substitutes that enable wide variety of healthy foods. The complete protein profile makes soybean the best meat alternative with less cholesterol and saturated fat content. A wide variety of vegetarian foods, including meat imitator, are soy foods made from textured vegetable protein. Isolated soy protein is used in healthy foods as highly digestible source of amino acids. Most carbohydrates in soy foods are dietary fiber. Some processed foods are made healthy with soy fiber like okara, soy bran, and soy isolate fiber. Soy oil is the most widely used oil in the U.S. It is cholesterol-free, high in polyunsaturated fat and also made into margarine, shortening and whipped toppings. Fermentation process in soy foods such as tempeh, natto, miso and soy sauce may lowers the high phytoestrogens content and breaks down the beans' complex proteins; so whole soy fermented products like tempeh and natto are more easily digested healthy foods than the original soybeans. Sphingolipids in soy foods may reduce the risk of colon cancer. American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agree that diets that include 25 to 50 grams of soy protein a day can help to lower levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, that is known to build up in and clog blood vessels leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, so long as they are low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Soy foods from whole soybean, such as tofu, soymilk, soy-based burgers, tempeh, and soy nuts, may also similarly qualify as healthy foods if no fat is added to that present in the whole soybean. Soy protein is also effective in supporting kidney health, and may cause calcium to be better utilized, helping to support bone health. However, some substances in soy foods are suspected to cause health issues. These include phytic acid that may reduce vital minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc, and cause growth problems in children; trypsin inhibitors that may interfere with protein digestion and cause pancreatic disorders; some types of phytoestrogen that may promote breast cancer in adult women, disrupt endocrine function, cause infertility and hypothyroidism; aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and kidneys; and oxalates, that may crystallize and cause health problems, and interfere with absorption of calcium. Cooking or fermentation may reduce some of those substances; however, for individuals with related health problems it is better to avoid soy foods and choose other healthy foods. [...]

Nutrition to Lose Weight Fast

2009-08-06T22:01:21.745-07:00

Fiber Fiber can help you lose weight fast. This nutrition keeps the right amount of water in your intestines, making your digestive system work more efficiently and helping to keep things moving through your bowel regularly. Fiber rich foods also low in calories and bulk you up so make you feel fuller for longer while reducing your calorie intake. There is also evidence that fiber in the diet can help prevent stroke and heart disease and ease the effects of diabetes. The average person can lose 9-10 pounds in one year just from doubling their fiber intake aim for 25grams per day (the average for most adults is just 8grams). Fiber rich foods include strawberries, apples, figs, chickpeas, potatoes (with skins), broccoli, brown rice, beans, bran and nuts. Our bodies can’t digest fiber so it simply goes through the body. During the elimination process this nutrition cuts calories consumed, and hence help lose weight fast by attaching to protein and fat that you eat along with it and removes them as well. Good Fats There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats are another nutrition that help you lose weight fast by providing you with essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acids) that can actually help your body burn fat more efficiently and that are needed for normal reproduction and growth, production of prostaglandin – a hormone like compound that regulates blood pressure, prevents blood clotting and lowers the risk of heart disease. Get at least three portions of oily fish a week. Good choices include salmon, mackerel, herrings and sardines. Good Carbohydrates Don't believe what you read about carbohydrates being bad for you. A diet containing good carbohydrates such fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans together with moderate fats and calories, will help you lose weight fast. This nutrition will also help you combat hunger pangs as they are slowly realized into the body. The best carbohydrates are the ones with no refining or processing. High Quality Proteins Quality protein is an effective nutrition to lose weight fast because it suppresses the appetite and keeps you full for longer periods. It also balances out carbohydrates by preventing insulin spikes that cause energy loss and sugar cravings and helps to maintain muscle mass which is important in the fat burning process. Good choices include fish, shrimps, low fat cottage cheese, low fat yogurt, skimmed milk, egg whites. Since a lot of them are often high in calories, some people combine protein foods with certain low in calories and high in fiber plant foods. A diet based on increased levels of high quality protein has been shown in a number of studies to give an added boost to dieters by helping them lose weight fast, increase loss of body fat, and reduce the loss of muscle tissue. Most experts recommend a diet containing 25 - 35 percent of this nutrition for weight-loss and between 20 - 25 percent protein for weight maintenance. [...]

Processing and Eating Healthy

2009-07-31T02:36:01.590-07:00

For eating healthy you have to know the foods you’ll eat. Processed foods may be convenient, but most processing changes the food’s structure and therefore changing the way the body reacts to it. To ensure eating healthy the food you eat should be more in its natural form or moderately processed. Whole foods are the least processed foods. The lack of processing allows the food to keep most of the nutrition. Whole grains like whole wheat, oats, barley and brown rice are good sources of dietary fiber and other nutrients not present in their refined forms, so are the best choices for eating healthy. Here’s some information. Bottled Juice In bottled juice processing, the fruit is separated from its fiber, pasteurized and mostly added with preservatives. Lacking fiber, the sugar in juice enters the bloodstream much faster, and hence affects insulin levels; pasteurization decreases vitamins content to some extent; and preservatives like brominated oil has been linked to major organ system damage, birth defects and growth problems. For eating healthy, you’d better make your own juice with a super blender that crushes all the fiber in the fruit or, better still, have fresh fruits.Homogenized Milk Mechanical homogenization exposes milk to high heated or pressured processing that may damage its fat particles so the body cannot break them down, increasing the risk of rancidity and oxidation which may contribute to heart disease. Easily separated creams in pasteurized or fresh milk may be inconvenient, but they are better choices for eating healthy Canned Foods Cooking in canned foods processing destroys about one-third to one-half of the vitamins A and C, riboflavin and thiamin, 5% to 20% more are lost during storing. Salt and preservatives addition may harm the body furthermore. Fresh foods are more nutritious than canned or frozen ones, so more suitable for eating healthy. Cooking Oil In most cooking oil extraction the seeds are subject to crushing, high heating and heavily pressing that damage naturally occurring vitamins, like Vitamin E, and produce dangerous free radicals. Toxic solvents, usually hexane, are sometimes used to increase yield and may still remain in the oil up to 100 parts per million after boiled off. High heat processing also produces residues coming off the metal containers used. Your choices for eating healthy are cold-pressed extracted oils, such as olive and coconut oils. Instant, Refined, Enriched and Fortified Foods Instant food processing converts naturally occurring soluble fiber into an insoluble form, which may cause unnecessary spikes in blood sugar. This also happens to refined foods. The refining process also removes or destroys many vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other nutrients. "Refined" foods, such as white flour and white sugar, significantly reduce B vitamins in the body. Enriched and fortified are only made up strategies to compensate processing lost while increasing shelf life, color, flavor, smell, consistency, or convenience. The additives are oftentimes of lower quality. Pasteurized milk is fortified with synthetic Vitamin D (D2), which many children react to while the natural form (D3) helps inhibits skin and prostate cancer, stimulates bone density, and increases the absorption of Calcium and Phosphorus. For eating healthy, forget about convenience and have more whole, raw, or unprocessed foods. However some traditional processing turns our foods into better choices of eating healthy, for example: Fermented Foods: Sauerkraut Traditional lacto fermentation helps keep vegetables edible without freezing or canning. The process increases the foods’ nutrition, produces probiotics that promote healthy flora in the body and converts natural sugars and starches to lactic acid; so it’s better for health, flavor and taste. [...]

Nutrition in Diet Plan

2009-07-28T02:37:09.694-07:00

Fats contain 9 calories per gram, so this nutrition should be limited in a weight-losing diet plan. Saturated and trans fats may increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol level and hence your risk of heart disease, so limit your intake to 20 grams of saturated fat and close to 0 grams of trans fat each day. However, "good" fats, such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and low- or nonfat dairy products can be beneficial to your overall health. Monounsaturated fatty acid is the most important nutrition in a diet plan called Mediterranean diet, and is rich in nuts, legumes and especially olive oil. According to a study at the University of Athens Medical School, consuming large quantities of these, fruits and vegetables, keeping alcohol intake moderate and avoiding too much meat are the main components of the diet that showed to improve health and help people live longer. Fruits and vegetables are included in many diet plans because they are low in calories, high in fiber, and contain unique nutrition, phytochemicals, or antioxidants, that boost your health. Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different sets of phytochemicals that provide different health benefits, as follow: · Lycopene in pink grapefruit, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon helps fight lung and prostate cancers. · Anthocyanins in concord grapes, blueberries and prunes may prevent clot formation and so heart disease and lower risk of cancer. · Lutein in spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and bok choy may reduce risk of heart disease and stroke and prevent age-related macular degeneration, folate, in dark green leafy vegetables may prevent heart diseases and sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables can detoxify cancer-causing chemicals in the body. · Beta carotenes in carrots, mangos, pumpkin and oranges may prevent cancer, particularly of the lung, esophagus and stomach, reduce risk of heart disease and improve immune function. · Anthoxanthins and allicin in cauliflower, mushrooms, banana and onions can help lower blood pressure and protect against stomach cancer. After a gastric bypass surgery the nutrition in your diet plan should help you lose weight, while maintain your losses and still get adequate nutrition with limited food intake. Start the first few days with liquid diets – water, broth, juice, milk and cooked cereal, then pureed foods for about a month while your stomach heals, afterward easy-to-chew foods – cooked vegetables, soft fruits, and ground or canned meats like chicken, ham, fish and some shellfish. Temporarily avoid difficult to digest red meat (at least a year, or 10 months if lean and ground), spicy foods (four to six weeks), fruit and vegetable skins (six months), carbonated beverages (six months), and bread (one year). You'll need protein-rich foods (lean meat, yogurt, liquid meal replacements, smoothies, eggs) to help your body recover, multivitamin plus additional calcium and vitamin D3 to help your body absorb certain nutrients, also extra iron, folate and vitamin B12. While not eating fish, you are recommended to take fish oil supplements starting two weeks after surgery. [...]

Weight-loss after Pregnancy

2009-07-25T00:08:34.078-07:00

In average mothers gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy, shed 12.5 to 14 pounds during the birth, and have to loss about 12 to 21 pounds of excess weight to regain the pre-pregnancy figure. Since the body needs to recover, weight-loss after pregnancy is not recommended until about three months following childbirth. Just as weight-gain during pregnancy, weight-loss after that should better be done slowly and steadily; another nine months is considered appropriate for that. In general, losing more than 2 lb a week is unhealthy. Check the following for the purpose. Breastfeeding At least for the first 12 months breastfeeding may give you weight-loss after pregnancy. It makes your body expends about 200 to 500 calories everyday, and, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, it helps your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size and shape by releasing a number of hormones into your body. However, for many women, pregnancy may cause permanent changes such as softer bellies and wider hips or waistlines. Also, for weight-loss after pregnancy, it’s best to combine breastfeeding with healthy eating and exercising to avoid gaining weight instead. Healthy Eating You need a healthy balanced diet to heal and recover from childbirth at least for the first three months. Even if you’re not breastfeeding, don't rush out to dieting. Start your weight-loss after pregnancy program when your body has begun to recover and your period has returned to normal. Even breastfeeding women could diet as long as they could maintain to have at least 1800 calories a day to keep mothers and babies healthy. Your high nutritional foods should be low in fat, nutrient-dense and high in fiber to get enough calories everyday. Breastfeeding women need 4 servings of dairy foods or other calcium-fortified foods. For portion sizes and number of servings within other food groups, follow the Healthy Eating Guidelines. All new moms, regardless of weight, should focus on nutrition, not on weight-loss! If you're breastfeeding, your baby's nutritional needs outweigh your need for a slim body. The best way to get weight-loss after pregnancy is by expending more energy than you take in. To lose roughly a pound a week, cut out 500 calories a day from your intake and perform regular moderate exercise. Exercising There are many benefits of exercising beside for weight-loss after pregnancy. It alleviates post-partum depression, improves your mood, and boosts your confidence and energy level, so that you could better adapt to your new situation, meet the demands of motherhood, and battle the fatigue of caring for a newborn without interfering with your breastfeeding. However, wait six weeks after a vaginal birth and eight weeks after a c-section, and choose low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming or yoga. Yoga is perfect for in-home working out; walking is one of the best and don't require special equipment. Six to eight weeks after giving birth you may involve your baby in the exercises for weight-loss after pregnancy to stimulate them. [...]

Heart Healthy Recipes

2009-06-28T06:36:53.339-07:00

You don’t have to lose flavor to gain health. Heart healthy recipes require no secret ingredients. There are simply lower in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterols, and total fats, high in fiber and good fats such as omega-3s aside from essential vitamins, and minerals, reduced in sodium, plus have fewer calories. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that saturated fat should make up less than 7 percent of total caloric intake, trans fats less than 1 percent, cholesterol less than 300 mg per day for most people, or less than 200 milligrams a day if you have coronary heart disease or LDL cholesterol level 100 mg/dL or greater, and total fats (mostly from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats of nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetable oils) should be less than 25 to 35 percent. A raise in the blood cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, a type of “hardening of the arteries.” where arteries, including those to the heart, may narrow, and so reducing blood flow. Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol more than anything else in the diet. Fiber, especially soluble (or viscous) fiber, should be included in heart healthy recipes because it can actually help to lower blood cholesterol. You can find it in foods such as cereal grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes (including beans, peas, and lentils). Plant stanols or plant sterols in food products such as cholesterol-lowering margarines may also lower your blood cholesterol. Heart healthy recipes should also be low in salt (sodium chloride) and other forms of sodium, because salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure (hypertension). By cutting back on salt, you’ll probably lessen your taste for it over time. Limit your consumption to no more than 6 grams (about 1 teaspoon) of table salt – that equals 2.4 grams of sodium – a day. Because overweight and obesity increase the risk of hypertension, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes, which in turn increase the risk of heart disease, it is important to keep a healthy weight by calculating the calories in your heart healthy recipes. The amount of calorie you take in through your diet that’s best for you depend largely on your height, weight, activities and whether or not you have to lose pounds. However it should not exceed the amount you expend through body metabolism and physical activities. To calculate your heart healthy recipes’ calories, it’s important to know that protein and carbohydrate have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram. So, a recipe containing 500 calories, for example, may consist of about 20 grams of fats and 80 grams of carbohydrates and protein. In accordance with (AHA) recommendation, heart healthy recipes should: · consist of all of the food groups, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and fish, · limit ingredients high in calories but low in nutrients, · preferably baking, broiling, or grilling lean meats and fish, · substitute a whole egg with two egg whites [...]

Health Foods for Pregnant Women

2009-06-10T21:16:55.899-07:00

During pregnancy a woman needs health foods to provide good nutrition for two individuals. The growing baby gets all its nourishment from its mother through the umbilical cord. If the pregnant women are lacking in any nutrients their babies might lack them too. However, it doesn’t mean that a pregnant woman should eat for two. Her digestive system changes and becomes more efficient at absorbing certain nutrients. Generally, pregnancy can progress well with only very small increase in protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. While a non-pregnant woman needs health foods with approximately 2100 calories per day, a pregnant woman needs approximately 2500 calories per day, with about 10 percent of energy should come from protein, 35 percent from fat, and 55 percent from carbohydrates. In fact, most of the additional nutrient needs can be met by eating a well-balanced and varied diet. Health foods for pregnant women should include all of the food groups. The daily intake should include at least five servings of vegetables and fruit for vitamins, minerals and fiber; six servings of grain, pasta, potatoes, breads and cereals, preferably wholegrain for carbohydrates; three servings of milk or dairy products, preferably reduced or low fat for protein and extra calcium; two servings of lean meats, chicken, fish (at least two servings a week, including one of oily fish), eggs, beans, peas and lentils for protein, zinc and iron; and not too many fat-rich foods. An expecting mother should also drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluids every day and very little or no alcohol. Extra fluid may be needed during hot weather, after activity, or in cases of vomiting or constipated. Water, reduced or low fat milk, diluted fruit juices or fresh coconut juices are the best choices. Health foods choices for pregnant women should also contain vitamins and minerals essential such as: Folic acid Also known as vitamin B9, it is important during pregnancy for the creation of the baby's nervous system, blood cells and new tissue and for the immune system. Health foods containing folate – the natural form of folic acid – are barley beans, fruit, green vegetables, lentils, peas, brown rice, fortified bread and breakfast cereals. A daily intake of 400 microgram folic acid supplement is recommended for two months before conception and three months into pregnancy. Iron This mineral is vital for expectant mom and her baby to avoid anemia. Pregnant women need more iron to produce all the blood needed to supply nutrition to the placenta. Apple, carrot, strawberries and peach juices, green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, and whole meal bread are health foods rich in iron. It is often recommended that all pregnant women take a daily iron supplement from the 20th week of pregnancy. Zinc and Calcium These minerals are also needed for the development of the embryo. Extra calcium is needed for the baby's growing bones and teeth, as well as the mothers’. [...]

OBESITY AND WEIGHT LOSS DIET

2009-06-04T18:20:29.058-07:00

One of three people in the U.S. is overweight. About 20% of the population is even meets the clinical criteria for obesity. Here is some information about obesity and weight loss diet excerpted from an article in www.mothernature.com. Because excess body weight enhancing the risk for many disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, several cancers, prostate enlargement, female infertility, uterine fibroids, gallstones, gestational hypertension, and various disorders of pregnancy, maintaining a healthy body weight seems prudent. Weight loss can significantly improve physical function and vitality as well as decreased bodily pain. So, weight loss diet is very important for people with obesity. Conventional weight loss diet plan to overcome obesity includes dietary changes to limit fat and calories, increased exercise, and changes in eating habits or patterns. Dietary changes in weight loss diet for obesity include limitation of fat intake. Foods with a high proportion of calories from fat should be limited from the weight loss diet; these include red meat, dark poultry meat, poultry skins, fried foods, dairy products, junk foods, and most processed foods. Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados should be consumed in moderation while fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat dairy products (with low-fat fish for non-vegetarians) should be predominated the diet. Adequate amounts of dietary fiber are believed to be important in weight loss diet to overcome obesity. Fiber contains bulk and tends to produce a sense of fullness, helping people consume fewer calories. Foods containing high amounts of carbohydrate with high Glycemic Index (GI – a numerical value that shows certain food’s ability to raise and sustain blood glucose levels), such as white rice, baked potato, corn flakes, white bread, which promotes a more rapid return of hunger and increases subsequent intake of calories, should be substituted with a lower GI food, such as brown rice, all-bran cereal, oat bran bread, whole grains. Lifestyle changes in weight loss diet for people with obesity may include shopping from a list, storing foods out of sight, keeping portion sizes under control, and avoiding fast-food restaurants. Attending group sessions aimed at changing eating and exercise patterns, keeping daily records of food intake, and exercising and eating a specific low-calorie diet are much more successful in helping to make this lifestyle changes. Exercise has been found to enhance the effectiveness of weight loss diets. Studies have shown that exercise alone can promote weight loss in people with obesity. Preliminary research suggests that the most significant contribution by exercise may be in helping to maintain weight loss following a diet. The most successful weight-loss programs appear to use a combination of moderate caloric restriction, moderate exercise, and behavior modification, including examination and adjustment of eating habits. Diets that are low in total calories may not contain adequate amounts of various vitamins and minerals. For that reason, taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement is advocated by many types of weight loss diet plan for people with obesity. [...]

H1N1 (“Swine Flu”) and Health Nutrition

2009-05-28T23:11:28.731-07:00

Facing the Flu H1N1 (Swine) Flu outbreak Mark D. Sisson, a health, fitness and nutrition expert stressed that good health immune system is critical. According to Sisson, the key to avoiding the Swine or any other type of flu, or lessening its impact greatly, depends on the health of the individual’s immune system and strength of their organ reserve, which is the functional capacity of one’s organs to support life. People should take some steps to ensure they have a strong immune system, including avoiding sugar and bad fats and – for some people – even grains for their bad effect on the immune system. Health nutrition, in contrast, will boost the immune system. It is no secret anymore that true immunity comes from nutrition, because proper nutrition builds good immunity. Nutrition is the most valuable point of health that boosts our immune system like nothing else can. Health nutrition is the key factor to prevent and for the recovery of disease that allows us to overcome the most devastating diseases known to mankind, and gives us a vibrant healthy life. Fresh fruit and vegetables containing health nutrition, such as broccoli, watercress, carrots and peas which contain antioxidants, apples, prunes, citrus fruits, cabbage and lettuce which contain flavonoids, as well as oily fish will boost our immune system. In general a well balanced diet that is nutrient dense and includes a wide variety of different foods will help keep the immune system healthy and working well. Research studies have found that nutrients are most effective when taken in balance of each other and are included as part of a healthy diet. Health nutrition in herbs, foods, and vitamin supplements are the source of our immunity which is missing from allopathic medicine today in favor of drugs (chemicals). Many physicians are learning nutrition and herbology and homeopathy so people will have a choice and a place to turn to nutritional oriented physicians when in need. Some health nutrition can assist in combating various viruses – including flu virus, one of the most popular one is monolaurin (glycerol monolaurate). It is a monoglycerol ester of the saturated fatty acid, lauric acid. Lauric fatty acids are present in many animals and plants, for example, in cow's milk, butter, margarine, palm-kernel and coconut oil, and also in human adipose tissue, urine, milk, and amniotic fluid. This health nutrition possesses broad-spectrum activity against fungi and viruses. Monolaurin is supposed to be effective against those viruses by breaking down the membrane, envelope or outer wall of the viruses so that they are chopped into bits, turned to liquid, and eventually are removed from our body. It is believed to work by interacting with the lipids and phospholipids that form the envelope, causing it to weaken or disintegrate, destroying their main defense and prevents the virus from 'un-coating.' By doing so, monolaurin prevents viral attachment to susceptible host cells. That's how this health nutrition inactivates the virus. [...]

Loose Weight with Water

2009-05-26T16:58:34.041-07:00

Water helps you loose weight. If you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can't get rid of a little paunch here and there, you're probably just not drinking enough water. Most people are, and they’re carrying around a few more pounds than they would be if they did drink enough water. Forget all the diet sodas because there is only one liquid that will surely help you loose weight the fastest, water. Our bodies are made up of 70% water and it is one of the healthiest things our body can get. We need to drink plenty of clean, pure water to be healthy and to loose weight, and you won't even feel like you are on a diet. Here's why: Water is essential for proper kidney function. Plenty of water is needed for this. If the kidneys are water-deprived and so functioning at a sub-optimal level, the liver will assist them. The liver itself has other functions, one of the most important ones being to metabolize fat, in which the liver converts stored fat to energy. When the liver is helping the kidneys, it can't metabolize fat as efficiently as it does when the kidneys are working on their own; and the body will store fat. So, it is important to drink water to help loose weight. In addition, failing to take in enough water each day will make the body thinks that it is entering a period of drought. The body will react by storing as much water as possible in the ankles, the hips, the thighs, maybe even around the belly to get through this drought. With proper water intake, the body figures it doesn't need to store water anymore, so it is flushing itself of the water it has been storing – hence more loose weight. Moreover, the extra water drunk to loose weight acts as an extremely effective appetite suppressant. This is because the stomach will fill with water, leaving less room for food, and causing full feeling sooner with less food, which generally means less calories. This can make it easier to be in a state of calorie deficit. It is very easy to be misguided and eat when in fact we are just thirsty. So using water to loose weight is very beneficial, but how much water is needed? The age-old standard is to drink eight 8-oz glasses or about two quarts of water a day. This is okay for the average person, but overweight people should drink another eight ounces for every 25 pounds of the excess weight. More water is also needed for those who live in a hot climate, more active or exercise very intensely. This water consumption should be spread out throughout the day. Drink three or four times a big glass of water a day, and then sip in between. Do it when you're not thirsty yet. If you feel thirsty, you're already becoming dehydrated. [...]

Ornish, A Lose Fat Diet – the History

2009-05-15T18:26:15.200-07:00

In his book, A Program for Reversing Heart Disease, Dr. Dean Ornish, M.D. developed a program that became the first diet and lifestyle program scientifically proven to reverse heart disease. Published in 1990, the book has been a long-standing New York Times bestseller. It includes a vegetarian diet plan to lose fat. Dr. Ornish first became interested in conducting research on heart disease in 1975, when he was a medical student at Baylor College of Medicine. As part of his medical training, he had the opportunity to assist cardiovascular surgeons performed coronary artery bypass surgery. Although he appreciated the skill and expertise of the physicians, Dr. Ornish considered the "treatment," was simply to "bypass" the causes of the disease in search of a temporary fix of the problem. Dr. Ornish began to research the dietary and lifestyle factors that lead to heart disease and to design clinical research trials that would allow him to study the effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle changes as a treatment for heart disease. The results of Dr. Ornish's first clinical trial, the Lifestyle Heart Trial, were published in 1990. In this study, Dr. Ornish's heart patients got healthier simply by adopting new dietary and lifestyle habits. The results of this study were considered revolutionary since, until that point, it was believed that it was impossible to stop the progression of heart disease. It also suggested a cheaper and safer weapon against cardiovascular disease than invasive procedures such as coronary artery bypass surgery. Aside from the Reversal Diet for people suffering heart disease who want to reverse its effects and lower their heart attack risk, Dr. Ornish also presents the Prevention Diet for people with no heart disease, but with cholesterol levels above 150, or with a ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (or "good" cholesterol) less than 3.0. To lose fat both diets supply only 10% of calories from fat. It excludes cholesterol and saturated fat, including all animal products (except egg whites and nonfat dairy products), nuts, seeds, avocados, chocolate, olives, and coconuts. Oils are eliminated except a small amount of canola oil for cooking, and oil that supplies omega-3 essential fatty acids. The Ornish diet also prohibits caffeine, but allows a moderate intake of alcohol, sugar, and salt. The diet emphasizes the consumption of high-fiber whole grains and legumes (beans, and peas), fruits and vegetables, and allows processed or refined foods in moderation. There is no restriction on the calorie intake so long as the diet is confined within the recommended foods. In addition to these dietary recommendations, the lose fat Program involves comprehensive lifestyle changes including moderate aerobic exercise, stress reduction techniques, peer support, smoking cessation, and nutritional supplementation. [...]

Losing Weight Recipes

2009-05-13T16:00:53.365-07:00

Dieting practice is done mostly for losing weight, especially in those who are overweight or obese. Generally there are four categories of dieting practices to promote losing weight, i.e. low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, and very low calorie. Despite the macronutrients emphasized there are relatively no difference results. A study shows that lowering calories – no matter how it’s done – is the key to losing weight. Limiting the calories you consume and burning off more with exercise is the way to do it. Although the calories are limited, the losing weight diet you consume should be balanced and complete. Choose healthier food selections like fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, beans, low or nonfat dairy products, low fat meats, fish and skinless poultry; avoid foods that are high in fat and sugars. Here is a sample of a 1400 calories losing weight diet plan, along with the recipes from shapefit.com: Breakfast Amount Item Calories 1 cup Milk – 1% 102 1/16 recipe Lemon-Almond Loaf 129 Total: 231 AM Snack 1 piece MetRx Bar 320 Total: 320 Lunch 1/6 recipe Baked Potatoes with Vegetables 296 12 ounces Coca cola- diet with caffeine 0 Total: 296 PM Snack ¼ recipe Fruit Parfait 271 Total: 271 Dinner ¼ recipe Spice Seafood Stew 204 ½ cup Rice – White, Cooked, Steamed 82 Total: 286 Grand Total: 1404 Here are the recipes: Lemon-Almond Loaf Ingredients: Low-fat cooking spray 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 medium-sized egg, beaten 1 cup low-fat milk 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/3 cup almonds, chopped Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350º 2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl then set aside. 3. Whisk egg, milk, vegetable oil, lemon peel and juice in another bowl, pour it to the flour mixture then stir until thoroughly moistened. Add almonds and mix until combined. 4. Pour batter in an 8 x 4 x 2-inch sprayed loaf pan. 5. Bake for about 45-50 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes then turn out of pan and let cool completely before serving. Baked Potatoes with Vegetables Ingredients: 6 russet potatoes 1 -- 5.75 oz. can of black, pitted large olives 4-5 green onions 2-3 carrots 8 oz. of vegetarian chili 1 bunch broccoli, cut and lightly cooked in microwave or steamed 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 8 oz. nonfat yogurt (or sour cream) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375o F. 2. Wash potatoes and poke with a fork 4-5 times. Wrap in foil or place on a cookie sheet. 3. Oven for 45-60 minutes. 4. Chop olives and green onions and grate carrots. 5. Heat chili briefly in microwave or on stove top until warm. 6. Slice open and garnish potatoes with olives, carrots, onions, broccoli, cheddar cheese, yogurt or sour cream, chili and salsa Fruit Parfait Ingredients: 1 cup apples, chopped 1 cup strawberries, sliced 1 banana, sliced 1 cup low-fat yogurt 1 cup low-fat grano[...]

Dieting For Kids and Teenagers

2009-05-09T18:20:40.632-07:00

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion for a purpose, like losing weight. To lose weight, a person may try to eat fewer calories than the body uses in order to lose body fat and decrease body weight. Some dieting practices even cut out entire categories of foods or require dieters to just eat specific food, which can deprive the body of necessary nutrients. Unlike adults, kids and teenagers are still growing and developing. Receiving adequate nutrition through a well-balanced diet is crucial for them. So, dieting is not necessary for most kids and teenagers. According to the ADA (American Diabetes Association) there has been a 39 percent increase in obese teenagers. Still, dieting is not necessarily what they need. Often time overweight teenagers can improve their health simply by being more active and eating nutritious foods in a balanced diet. Physical activity is important in securing weight loss. Energy for muscle activity is first derived from the glycogen, then from the fatty acids stored in the body. Exercise may also increase the basal metabolic rate (BMR - resting energy consumption) for some time after exercising, which leads to an additional caloric loss. Joining sports teams, hiking, cycling, or rowing are good choices, as well as more casual activities like shooting hoops at the park, dancing, or helping parents cleaning the house. Even the smallest lifestyle changes like walking to school or jogging up and down the stairs a couple of times before shower can really make a difference. A balanced diet gives the proper amount of the right nutrients to the body, such as, carbohydrates for producing energy, protein for building body structures, calcium for growing bones, vitamins and minerals for helping maintain body functions, and fiber for healthy digestion. It includes variety of foods from different food groups i.e.: · fruits and vegetables · milk and dairy products · meat, nuts, and other protein-rich foods · grains, especially whole-grain foods Based on the body mass index (BMI - weight in kilograms per meters squared of height), doctors may still recommend dieting for some kids and teenagers, usually to slower gaining weight pace, or to maintain current weight. But this should be done with the guidance of an expert, like a dietitian, who can explain how to reduce calories safely while still getting all the necessary nutrients. Being overweight can cause health problems; however, quick or “crash” dieting with pills, special drinks, and all-liquid diets, to name a few, and extreme dieting that requires skipping meals or eating only lettuce, for instance, may hurt the health even more. These dieting may lead children to consistently overeat later in their life despite adequate nutritional intake, because the brain is unable to learn how to correlate taste with nutritional value. It may also lead to eating disorder, like anorexia nervosa (starving oneself) or bulimia nervosa (eating and then deliberately throwing up). [...]

Low Carb Diet Tips

2009-05-06T21:27:33.296-07:00

Carbohydrate is a nutrient that provide 17 kJ (4 kcal) of energy per gram. They constitute a large proportion of foods such as rice, noodles, bread, and other grain-based products. Carbohydrates may be classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides by the number of monomer (sugar) units they contain. While polysaccharides – or complex carbohydrates – take longer to digest and absorb, simple sugars – abundance in modern diets – in contrast, are absorbed quickly, and therefore raise blood-sugar levels more rapidly. The spike in blood-sugar levels after ingestion of simple sugars is thought to be involved in causing heart and vascular disease. For those reasons some diets are low-carbohydrate or low-carb. These are dietary programs that restrict carbohydrate consumption usually for weight control or for treatment of obesity. The American Academy of Family Physicians’ definition of the diet is: Low-carbohydrate diets restrict caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 20 to 60 g per day (typically less than 20 percent of the daily caloric intake). The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates. Following are some tips on Low-Carb Diet: 1) Get the basic knowledge, like how to cut carbohydrates works, what foods have carbohydrates, and how to eat a balanced low carb diet, so you won’t fall into myths, like you should just eat meat all day. 2) Make a good planning of what you’ll eat so you won’t run into old habits before new healthier ones come naturally. Nothing will sabotage your goals more quickly than realizing that you're hungry but don't know what to eat. 3) Watch out the calories. Although you don’t count calories, calories do count! Let your appetite be your guide - eat when you are hungry, and stop when you are comfortable. 4) Have enough fiber, especially from vegetables and fruit, the fruit being low in sugar. There are also low carb sources of fiber. 5) Create variety to avoid getting bored too quickly and to get better nutrition. Every cuisine on the planet has low carb options or can be "de-carbed" - just skip the starch and sugar. 6) Be careful with "low carb" packaged foods, such as meal replacement bars, ice cream, and other "treats" labeled low carb or sugar-free. They often contain ingredients such as maltitol, which are just as bad as sugar in a lot of bodies. 7) Get enough exercise. Exercise is important in any diet for at least three reasons: it lowers insulin resistance; it is good for our bodies in so many ways; and it ensures us to maintain a significant weight, which by diet alone we are unlikely able to. 8) Don’t get sway from the planning midway. Don’t push yourself overboard that you’ll find the diet too much to endure and give up midway, or conversely, too easy on yourself that you are often tempted to lose up a bit and end up having carb cravings and gaining weight. [...]

Nutrition and Malnutrition

2009-05-02T18:21:08.719-07:00

Nutrition or nourishment, or nutrient is the necessary food materials provided to cells and organisms to support life and maintain body functions. There are seven major classes of nutrients, five of which are needed in large amounts (macro-nutrients), i.e., carbohydrates, fats, protein, fiber and water – the first three being sources of energy – and the remaining two are needed in smaller quantities (micro-nutrients), i.e. vitamins and minerals. Our bodies need all of the above nutrients. To maintain a healthy body it's important for us to get all of the nutrients by eating a variety of foods in a balanced diet. A healthy balanced diet contains a variety of foods including plenty of fruit and vegetables, plenty of starchy foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice, some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and lentils and some dairy foods. It should also be low in fat (especially saturated fat), salt and sugar. A lack of adequate nourishment, or minimum amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients essential for health and proper growth may lead to malnutrition. Malnutrition is a general term for a medical condition caused by an insufficient or excessive or unbalanced diet or from impaired absorption or metabolism of foods diet that may lead to underweight, stunting (or low height for age) and wasting (or low weight for height) among children, and diseases, such as kwashiorkor, marasmus and oedema. Malnutrition can occur because of the lack of a single vitamin in the diet, or it can be because a person isn't getting enough food. Starvation is a form of malnutrition. Malnutrition also occurs when adequate nutrients are consumed in the diet, but one or more nutrients are not digested or absorbed properly. While the expansion of obesity and diabetes around the world is presenting international health experts with a new agenda, malnutrition remains a global health problem that underlies 54 percent of childhood deaths each year. The abandonment of traditional diets filled with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in favor of diets with processed foods and simple carbohydrates is taking hold even among the middle class of the world’s poorest nations. Malnutrition may be mild enough to show no symptoms. However, in some cases it may be so severe that the damage done is irreversible, even though the individual survives. Worldwide, malnutrition continues to be a significant problem, especially among children who cannot fend adequately for themselves. Poverty, natural disasters, political problems, and war all contribute to conditions -- even epidemics -- of malnutrition and starvation, and not just in developing countries. For millions of people living in least developed countries, the effects of rising food and energy prices has exacerbated a living situation already filled with vulnerability and uncertainty. Where resources are scarce and prices are high, families have had to scale back on nutrients, often sacrificing quality food for the cheapest and most accessible provisions. The global food crisis impacts roughly one third of children in developing countries. Lack of micro-nutrients hinders physical and cognitive development. According to WFP, a child dies from malnutrition and hunger related diseases every six seconds. In most hunger-related deaths, the terminal event is an infectious disease, such as pneumonia or diarrhoea, because severe under-nutrition reduces resistance to infections. If the problems persist, we may lose a big part of our next generation or rai[...]

Fat Loss Diets

2009-04-30T22:01:42.561-07:00

Fats are macronutrients that produce the biggest energy, i.e. 37 kJ (9 kcal) per gram, compare to carbohydrates and proteins that provide only 17 kJ (4 kcal) of energy per gram. Excess energy from the food intake that isn’t used for body functions and physical activity is stored in the body, usually as fats; and hence causing weight gain. No wonder some diets are targeting on fat loss. Following are two examples: Fat Smash Diet This is a 4 phases (detox, foundation, construction and the temple), 90 days long diet plan for developing healthy eating habits and healthy lifestyle to promote fat loss and maintain a healthy weight. Phase 1 (9 days) rids the body of toxins and impurities with mainly fruits and vegetables diet and plenty of water - plus daily exercise. Phase 2 (3 weeks) establishes good eating and exercise habits, where lean meat/seafood, selected cereals and extra dairy are added and exercise is increased by 15%. Phase 3 (4 weeks) builds the diet up, pasta and bread are added, portion sizes increased and exercise is again increased by 25%. In phase 4 (remainder of the 90 days) dieters’ lifestyle achieves a balance for maintaining the desired body weight. Most foods are included in limited quantities, and exercise is set at 1 hour a day, 5 days a week. Flat Belly Diet The basic of this fat belly loss targeted diet plan is a 1,600-calorie Mediterranean-style diet with an emphasis on wholesome, unrefined foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, seeds, lean protein, and very little red meat (once a month), with the addition of a monounsaturated fat (MUFA), at every meal. MUFAs are found in olives, avocados, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, soybean, flax, and olive and sunflower oils. This 32 days diet begins with a 4-day anti-bloating jumpstart, followed by the 4-week eating plan. MUFAs have health benefits and target belly fat. They also help control satiety, so by adding in one MUFA at meals and snacks it is easier to stick with the plan and get belly fat loss. A breakfast high in MUFAs is able to boost calorie burn for 5 hours after the meal, particularly in people with higher amounts of belly fat. MUFA-rich diet helps people lose small amounts of weight and body fat without changing their calorie intake. In addition, it also prevents and controls type 2 diabetes, reduces the risk of heart disease, and helps reduce markers of inflammation. A weight loss eating plan that incorporates MUFA-rich foods into every meal tested on some panelists showed that fat loss not only happen on belly, but also all over their bodies and they felt more energized than they had in years. [...]

Keeping Diets while on the Go

2009-04-27T12:27:13.329-07:00

Keeping a diet – whether it is for weight loss, health problems or special diet like vegetarian or kosher – from our own kitchen is relatively easy, but away from home is another story. Whether we eat out or travel, some preparation should be made to maintain our diet. The following mostly excerpted from an article by Sarah Schlichter in Independent Traveler: 1. Destinations a. Research your destination regarding local eating customs. Search in websites about your particular condition for useful tips, restaurant and accommodation directories and links to local support groups in your destination. b. Call ahead. Given plenty of notice, most travel outfitters can make arrangements to meet your dietary needs. Before dining out, ask your destined eateries to fax you take out menus and choose your entree ahead of time. c. Bring a food allergy translation card, which explain your allergy or other dietary restriction in local languages of your destined country. Several companies offer these wallet-size cards. 2. Transportation a. Whenever possible, bring your own food onto the plane or train. Find out and follow all pertinent airport security rules and customs regulations. Traveling by car, keep your foods in a cooler for longer freshness. b. Most airlines can accommodate a wide variety of special diets upon advance notice requested at least 24 hours earlier. Many airlines no longer serve peanuts on flights while others will refrain serving them knowing a passenger has severe allergy. Check their website for this policy. c. Cruise lines have grown increasingly accommodating of special diets. Vegetarians in particular will find at least one option in most onboard restaurants, while other dieters should call ahead of time to make arrangements. 3. Accommodations Whenever possible, book accommodations where you can cook for yourself, such as vacation rentals, home exchanges, or a hotel with a kitchen. In some cases the owners of a small bed and breakfast may grant you access to their kitchen. 4. Restaurants a. Inside your country, chain restaurants where you've eaten in the past are good choices – you're already familiar with the menu and know which items you can eat. b. Explain your dietary needs to the waiter or chef. Don't hesitate to ask them to modify a dish – boil, broil or roast entrees and sides that usually batter-dipped or fried – or to prepare something aside from the menu — most restaurants can quickly prepare a simple dish such as veggie-only salad. c. For weight losing dieters eating out remember the following: (1). Make your earlier meals smaller; have a small, healthful snack in between to quell hunger so you're not end up overeating. (2). Order an appetizer, plus a side salad if necessary and then stick with a single entrée. (3). Choose lean cut meats like loin or flank; elect steamed, roasted, broiled, boiled, grilled, or baked poultry. (4). Avoid cream sauces, butter, oil, battered or batter-dipped and gravy. (5). Ask the server to wrap up half your meal before you start eating. (6). Banish buffets. Given more choices we tend to eat more. 5. Medical Considerations a. Make sure you have adequate medical insurance in the case of an allergic reaction. b. Research hospit[...]

Lose Weight Counseling

2009-04-24T08:06:25.525-07:00

As more people adopts sedentary lifestyle there’s an increase in obesity, which in turn raises the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers, physical and mental functioning decline resulting in increased rates of nursing home admissions, and premature death. The World Health Organization classifies about 400 million people around the world as obese. So losing weight is an important issue. More and more studies suggest that counseling could help obese people losing weight. It is a potentially simple but effective tool in the fight against obesity. Unfortunately, research shows us that most physicians are not counseling their patients about losing weight or exercising. In 2003, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTC) released clinical guidelines recommending physicians provide weight loss counseling to their overweight and obese patients. It is vital that patients are informed of how important losing weight is to maintain their good health. Introducing the subject of losing weight to a patient can be a sensitive issue — especially if patients are comfortable with their appearance and don't consider themselves as extremely overweight. Some patients may think that they have no control over their weight. They, for instance, may believe they are victims of their own genetics, when in fact other factors such as environment and behavior may also contribute to overweight and obesity. Unrealistic ideas about how much weight they need to lose or what it takes to lose weight and keep it off may also inhibit the patients' motivation. Educate patients that even a moderate amount of weight loss (5% to 10%) along with moderate activity and a modified diet can significantly decrease health risks. In counseling, patients can get good lifestyle advices that help them deal with their problems. The advice includes encouragement to keep fit, such as taking a walk at lunch and eating a healthy diet. It doesn’t entail any particular weight-loss target. This kind of counseling can bolster more aggressive weight-loss targets for overweight people. Counseling could also be done by phone or e-mail. Some studies show that phone and e-mail counseling help people sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face. A study, for example, shows that people on phone counseling lost 3.3 pounds more than those in the control group while people using email lost about a pound more. For some people talking to someone may make them feel a bit more pressured to make the change, while the key to lose weight is not to pressure people to make big changes. [...]

Healthy Weight

2009-04-10T22:54:30.954-07:00

A healthy weight is neither overweight nor underweight. Overweight can lead to illnesses, such as heart diseases, stroke, or diabetes, while underweight can affect your health, because your body doesn’t get enough food. For a healthy weight, consider these: Eat According to the Need An increase in body weight results from an imbalance between energy intake (food) and expenditure (metabolism, thermo-genesis and physical activity). The excess energy is stored in the body, usually as fat. Body weight gain can also result from an increasing muscle mass. So for people having regular weight training, it doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy. Make sure that you eat as much food as your body needs. Think before you eat: Do you really hungry? Is there a healthier choice? Balance the Diet To get all the necessary nutrients for keeping a healthy body, you need a balanced diet. Ban strange diets. They may work in short term, but almost all are doomed to fail. Choose healthy foods and eating smaller portions, slowly. For most people a balance diet should consist of: · More fruit and vegetables, whether fresh, frozen, canned, dried, cooked, or juiced. They should make up a third of the diet. Take at least five portions a day. · More starchy foods such as bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes, beans and lentils. They should also make up one third of your diet. Try to eat in variety and choose whole grain, whole meal or high fiber varieties whenever possible. · Less fat – especially saturated – salt and sugar. You'll probably eat some foods containing fat, like butter, cooking oils, salad dressings and mayonnaise; keep these to minimum and choose low fat varieties where possible. The same goes to cakes, biscuits, pastries, ice cream and sugary drinks. Sugared soda, fruit drinks, or juice can give you several hundred calories a day. Boil, steam, grill, poach or microwave food rather than fry or roast. Getting Physical Be more active. Physical activity is a good way of using up extra calories, and maintaining body weight. Choose activities you enjoy and do them every day. No need to join a gym, though. Some daily routines may help you burning off excess energy, for example, walking after lunch, using stairs instead of lift, walking (or jogging) for some shorter journeys or getting off the bus one or two stops earlier. Measuring Healthy Weight There's a good way to know whether or not you have a healthy weight, based on the ratio of weight to height, called the body mass index (or BMI). It based on the fact that taller people have more tissue, and so tend to weigh more. Your BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. For example, a woman 1.67m in height and weighing 65kg would have a BMI of 23.3. The healthy weight is ranged from 18.50 to 24.99, overweight is measured as 25 or more with obesity determined as 30 or more. [...]

Healthy Nutrition in Some Foods

2009-04-02T21:09:51.675-07:00

Nutrition or nutrient is the food materials necessary for cells and organisms to support life. There are seven major classes of nutrients that can be categorized as either macronutrients (needed in large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities). Carbohydrates, fats, fiber, proteins, and water are macronutrients, while minerals and vitamins are micronutrients. In general, eating a wide variety of fresh, whole (unprocessed) foods are favorable compared to monotonous diets based on processed foods. It slows digestion and allows better absorption, and a more favorable balance of essential nutrients per calorie, resulting in better management of cell growth, maintenance, and mitosis (cell division), as well as better regulation of appetite and blood sugar. Some foods can also be combined together to create food synergy that result in healthier diet. These are some examples Oatmeal + orange juice The organic compounds in both foods, called phenols, stabilize your LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or so-called "bad" cholesterol) when consumed together. Tomatoes + avocados Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a pigment-rich antioxidant known as a carotenoid, which reduces cancer risk and cardiovascular disease. Fats make carotenoids more bioavailable, or better absorbed. Broccoli + tomatoes New research shows that this combo prevents prostate cancer. Blueberries + grapes In general eating a variety of fruit together provides more health benefits than eating one fruit alone; and no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables. Apples + chocolate Apples are high in anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, while chocolate, grapes, red wine, and tea, contain the flavonoid catechin, an antioxidant that reduces the risks for atherosclerosis and cancer. Together, catechins and quercetin loosen clumpy blood platelets, improving cardiovascular health and providing anticoagulant activity. Some foods are healthier than others because they have better nutrients. Check these out: Greek yogurt Greek-style yogurt sits in its bowl like a puffy cloud because its watery whey content has been strained. It is higher in protein than the regular variety. Quinoa Quinoa is higher in protein compared to other grains. The protein is also complete, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa is also gluten-free, so it’s great for people who may be sensitive. Nut butters Rich in unsaturated fats, nut butters – like almond, cashew, hazelnut and pistachio – can help lower cholesterol levels and lessen the risk of heart disease Flax seed Flax seeds are unusually rich source of alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat well known for its anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy properties. These seeds are also high in fiber and lignans, compounds which may benefit the heart and decrease the risk of certain cancers. Dried fruits Dried fruit – cherries, pineapples, pears – are easily storable substitutes when their fresh counterparts are unavailable. Rich in vitamin A and several B vitamins, dried fruits are also a good supply of minerals, like potassium and iron. They’re high in natural sugars, too. [...]

Loss Weight Tips

2009-03-31T06:00:03.079-07:00

There are many tips of losing weight. I categorize them into four parts: I. MENU Don't cut out all the food you enjoy. Eat your favorite foods in healthier versions or get them in low amount just enough to satisfy your desire once a week. Encouraged: a. High fiber-low calorie foods like fruits and vegetables (take fruit instead of fruit juice, use vegetables to bulk up meals, balance your grains with equal portions of vegetables), cereal (take it for breakfast five days a week), nuts (take it in place of a sugary snack - nuts also high in protein) b. Eggs. Eating eggs for breakfast could result in a 2lb a month weight loss. c. Spicy flavorings: hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings provides lots of flavor with no fat and few calories, and also turns up your digestive fires, causing your body to temporarily burn more calories. d. Frozen dinner designed for weight loss (take one serving of this pre-portioned meal to keep dinner calories under control). e. Water: make it your primary drink. At breakfast you can still drink orange juice or 1-2% fat or skim milk. The calcium in dairy foods triggers a hormonal response that inhibits production of body's fat cells and boosts fat breakdown. The same goes for low-fat yogurt. Discouraged a. Prepared food that lists sugar, fructose, or corn syrup among the first four ingredients on the label. b. Cookies, regular soda, sweet orange juice, or fast-food hamburger. c. White foods like white flour and sugar. d. Coffee and alcohol; if you can’t give them up switch to ordinary coffee with skim or low fat powdered milk; and always measure alcohol consumed carefully. II. HABITS Eating Habit a. Eat only when your stomach growling; don’t eat out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or frustration. Eat slowly and calmly. Your brain lags your stomach by about 20 minutes when it comes to satiety signals. b. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. You’ll consume fewer calories and the body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger. Pack up baby carrots for snacks or mix made with nuts, raisins, seeds, and dried fruit when you're on the go. c. Don’t overlook calories in spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks. Get most of your calories before noon. The more you eat in the morning, the less you'll eat in the evening. d. Eat most of your meals at home and don't eat with a large group. You're more likely to take more eating out or with others. e. Serve individual courses with the first two being soup or vegetables rather than piling everything on one plate. f. Downsize your dinner plates or pare your portions (remove one-third of the food on your plate). The less food put in front of you, the less food you'll eat. Writing and Counting Habit a. Write everything down and be honest with yourself. It’s OK to go overboard a bit, but keep a record to maintain the average calorie intake. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you're eating. b. Use scales in the kitchen to avoid deceiving oneself Clothing Habit a. Buy some new clothes when you are down size, throw out clothes that doesn't fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will [...]

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