Healthy B.P.M.

Barbecues are a great way of having fun and eating tasty grilled morsels but I don’t think you can make a habit out of it. During grilling carcinogenic compounds called heterocyclic amines
(HCAs) are released. These compounds are really dangerous and are even present in the fumes of charbroiled meat.

Grilling has to be done safely. Here are some suggestions based on research from the American Institute for Cancer Research and others.

-Marinate meat using acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar. Garlic and herbs help cut down HCA production as well.

-Cook at a low temperature. Raising the grate also helps.

-Cook the meat first and then grill it later(preferably in small portions) just for the flavor.

-Trim visible fat from meat as this prevents excess burning.

-Aluminum foil or a metal pan placed between the meat and the coals catches any dripping fat.

-Grilled vegetables are safer since these don’t release HCAs.

Read this link:
http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pub_fg

heterocyclic amines, grilling

Oils are used while baking,frying and for salad dressing as well. Being aware of the good fat and bad fat in the cooking oils you use can help you make the right choices while cooking.There are some things you should know about cooking oils:

1. Try to avoid oils like palm oil,coconut oil and vegetable shortening. These are high in trans fat and saturated fats. Oils you could use are canola oil,olive oil and flax seed oil since these oils contain good fats like mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

2. Canola oil is a bland-tasting oil that contains alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat that is a must have in your diet.

3. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in flavor and high in nutritive value. Olive oil contains phytochemicals and helps in loweing cholestorol. It is a staple of the healthy Mediterranean diet.

4. Contrary to belief coconut oil is a healthy high-heat cooking oil and a nutritious shortening substitute while baking.

5. A moderate amount of coconut or olive oil while cooking and flax oils for dressings improves the levels of Lauric Acid, Omega-3 and GLA fatty acids in your body.

For more oil facts read this link:
http://life.familyeducation.com/foods/nutrition/36579.html

trans fat, canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, alpha linolenic acid, Lauric Acid, Omega-3 and GLA fatty acids, Mediterranean diet

Junk food is food that is high on sugar,fat and salt. A lot of the fast food that we eat and processed foods and even home food combinations can therefore come under the junk food category.

This is a list of junk food:
- Donut:
- Biscuits:
- Chocolate
- Mayonnaise
- Soft drinks
- Chips and French fries
- Icecream
- Mutton Biryani
- Fois gras
- Roast Duck

Wait a minute…this list is bizarre! It contains a whole lot of food that we get in hotels and at home. So junk includes everything that’s mouth- slurpingly delicious, not just fast food. The junk food controversy has led to statements like :There is no junk food…only junk diet.” I think that’s interesting.If you live on hamburgers and fries, you are headed for severe diet problems. Indulging on a donut once in a while won’t do much harm provided you burn it with regular exercise. Junk food provides you calories and energy but since these are sometimes deficient in vitamins and fiber, they don’t make a good substitute for organically produced foods.

Read this artice:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4304118.stm

junk food, fast food, vitamins, fiber

This site http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php has a list of the hundred healthiest foods in the planet! The foods have been selected on the basis of :

-Nutrient value
-Whether they can be produced organically
-Affordability
-Taste value
-Accessibility(whether you can find them in any supermarket or nearby store)

The largest group not surprisingly contains fiber, plants ranging from asparagus to yams and fruits ranging from apples to watermelons. Nuts,grains,poultry,natural sweeteners and drinks like green tea also deserve mention.

nutrients, organically, green tea

The diet secrets are out in the open. Fitness literature is overflowing. Everyone knows what their BMI is. Everyone knows how much energy is invested in a single calorie. But when it comes down to exercising, we make excuses.

There are just so many jobs to get done.

The kids have to come home from school.

Office was taxing today.

Today I had to do my laundry.

Who is going to diet at this age?

I lived without dieting all this while. What’s the big deal?

I’d rather be fat than skinny and flat -chested.

I am just not MOTIVATED.

I think that the only place that motivation can come from is FEAR of death. We will all die. But we can’t just take our health for granted. We have an obligation toward our selves and our bodies just as we do toward our children and our community. Trying to keep fit is a duty we have toward our bodies.

If you live near a gym and find yourself postponing your workouts, maybe the gym equipment intimidates you and you feel out of place there. Go for a walk everyday. Ten thousand steps a day can keep you fit. A pedometer helps you to count all those steps taken. If you are just not a gizmo person, take a walk for 30 to 45 minutes. Buy exercise wear so that you will want to wear your new outfit and have your walk. If you don’t like the gym, try out yoga and tai chi. These exercises are fun to do and are extremely motivating.

Once you get the exercising right, the diet will follow. You know how hard you’ve worked to get off those calories. So you will prefer to eat healthy.

I think Dr Deepak Chopra can motivate you like no one else can:

“Most people think that aging is irreversible and we know that there are mechanisms even in the human machinery that allow for the reversal of aging, through correction of diet, through anti-oxidants, through removal of toxins from the body, through exercise, through yoga and breathing techniques, and through meditation. Most people believe that aging is normal but nobody defines what normal aging is. What we call normal may be the psychopathology of the average. Most people think that aging is genetic and yet if your parents lived to age 80+ that will add three years to your life.� For the rest of the interview read this:

http://www.intouchmag.com/chopra.html

diet, BMI, calorie, pedometer, yoga, tai chi, Dr Deepak Chopra

The Sphinx once asked: “What is it that has one voice and yet becomes four- footed and two-footed and three-footed?”

The answer:Man

He crawls on all fours during infancy, walks upright on his two feet and later on during old age depends on the cane.

Aging is something that we are all terrified of and at best try to avoid. With age come the aches and pains, the loss of balance, memory and agility. Changing your diet can help the anti-aging process. What you have to do is to restrict your calorie intake. With age, metabolism slows down and you don’t need to eat as much as you did when you were young. The ideal diet to follow is the Mediterranean diet which is high on protein,low on carb and has a limited fat intake. Contrary to belief, even when you are old you need nutrients and dietary supplements are a must-have.

Check out Mick Jagger’s anti-aging secret:
http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=9748&sc=8

Recommended foods include:

1.Wholmeal bread and whole grains provide vitamin B6 and folate.

2.Plenty of fiber like greens provide beta carotene, vitamins B6,folate and E, calcium,iron and magnesium.Fiber also alleviates constipation and other bowel movement problems. Fruits are a great source of vitamins and fiber too.

3.Pulses are high on protein and make a filling meal.

4.Eggs are a high source of protein and a good source of vitamins A and D. You can have eggs in moderation.

5.Fish provide protein,essential fatty acids and vitamins A and D.

6.Dairy products provide calcium and protein.A substitute for milk would be soy milk.

7.Lean meat and chicken are good sources of nutrients but I personally believe that it is better to go vegan as you age. At least cutting down on animal products is a good idea.

8.Cut down on sugar opt for sugar substitutes and don’t even think about junk food.

anti-aging process, restrict calorie intake, metabolism, mediterranean diet, nutrients, dietry supplements, beta carotene, protein, calcium, sugar substitutes, soy milk

How do you calculate your body mass index?

Its really quite simple. All you have to do is convert your height into meters. Multiply that figure by itself. For example if you are 5 ft 3 inches, your height in metres will be 1.6. If you weigh 48 kilos, then divide your weight in kilos by the square of your height in metres and you get your BMI.

In this case: 48/(1.6*1.6)= 18

When your BMI is 19 or below that you are underweight.Being underweight can have its problems. Your body may not be getting essential nutrients and you may suffer from anemia and fatigue. Eating plenty of healthy foods and fiber can help. Doctors also might advise you to have dietary supplements for a while.

When your BMI is from 25 to 30, you are overweight and its a clear message to start dieting if you have eating binges and start exercising if you lead a very sedentary lifestyle. You should have your regular meals but you should eat larger portions of veggies and fruits. Cut down on junk food and soda pop. Also join a gym or get into any kind of fitness program that you are comfortable with.

When your BMI crosses 30, you are obese and life starts becoming difficult with the flab. Its when your BMI crosses this figure that bariatric surgery becomes an option. Consult a doctor and talk to your dietitian. You will need a complete alteration in your existing life pattern and focus entirely on limiting calorie intake and improving overall fitness.

body mass index, underweight, nutrients, anemia, overweight, binge eating, obese, bariatric surgery

It’s not easy to eat healthy foods on regular weekdays let alone weekends. If you really want your diet plan to succeed you have to eat healthy at all times, even on weekends, even when you go to your favorite hotels, even when you go for a barbecue party….

How do you do that?

1. It’s easy to be lazy on weekends but doing exercises is the best way to rejuvenate your senses after a busy week. Be active on weekends. Get into the cleaning mode. Go out and play tennis, take your kids out for picnics and walk an extra half hour with your pet. You can catch up with lost time and go to the gym or do your yoga exercises.

2. Eat healthy on weekends. You don’t have to avoid restaurants or parties. You just have to make sensible food choices and eat limited portions of food instead of gorging on too many calories and then feeling bad about it. Have larger portions of greens and wash it down with lots of water instead of soda pop. Having your favorite sweet is okay as long as you eat in moderation.

3. Eat your regular meals, Skipping breakfast only makes you over eat later on and you gain all those calories you had lost. Try having zero calorie sauces,sweeteners and oils if you are at home. If you spend most of your working days eating out, make it a point to cook healthy meals on weekends.

Read this link:
http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=60939

diet, yoga, calories, soda pop

Tai Chi is a fantastic low-impact exercise that has been practiced in China for over 2000 years. Research had shown that Tai Chi increases your sense of well-being. Mental fitness is as important as physical fitness. It is difficult to have mental clarity and awareness in a world where our senses are constantly bombarded with new things. Exercises like yoga and Tai chi improve the quality of our lives.

If you have watched Tai Chi DVDs or have seen people practising it, you will see that is almost like a dance- a kind of interaction between your body,your soul and the atmosphere around you.Initially it is a little difficult to get into the flow of movement but once you understand how to do the exercises, preferably under the guidance of a teacher, you will notice gradual changes occurring in your body. Tai Chi improves the quality of the body’s ‘qi’ or energy and can be done anywhere at any time. There are various styles of Tai chi as is the case with yoga.

Some positive effects include:

-Toning of the muscles
-Better digestion
-Improved cardiovascular fitness
-Improved balance and coordination, especially for senior citizens
-Better sleep and alertness
-Reduces stress-related disorders due to regulated breathing

As this is at-your-pace kind of exercise, you don’t have to worry about catching up or losing out. You can do it with your friends or alone in your room. When the energy starts to flow properly, you will feel rejuvenated and be a much happier person.

tai chi, yoga, qi

Life Insurance Quote get protected

Cholestorol is difficult to understand. The liver produces it and we need good cholestorol(HDL) as it keeps our arteries from getting blocked but bad cholestorol(LDL) can lead to clogged arteries and subsequent strokes or heart attacks. We already have cholestorol in our body and we also get it from food.

If your doctor tells you that your cholestorol levels are up then he must be talking about your bad cholestorol. Some foods that can help you maintain reasonable levels of cholestorol are:

1.Wholegrain bread
2.Fruits like oranges and dry fruits like prunes and apricots
3.Breakfast cereal and bran-based porridge
4.Vegetables like onion,garlic and sweetcorn
5.Red wine(in moderation of course)

Foods that you have to stay away from:

1.Hard margarine and cooking fats that are high on trans fat and saturated fats
2.Hamburgers,burgers,lamb chops…any meat high on fat
3.Sadly biscuits,pastries,chocolates and cakes
4.Dairy products like cheese,cream and butter

Check this link for more dietary tips:
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/food/cook/health/articles/0,10103,182460_185150,00.html

cholestorol, good and bad cholestorol, trans fat, saturated fat

If you think that you can lose all that weight instantly after depriving yourself of calories the week after Thanksgiving, then you are making one big mistake. When you take in an excess of calories, your body metabolizes it but when you eat less you create a calorie imbalance. You confuse your body and end up losing muscle mass.

A lot of the diet drinks and pills out there work by playing havoc with your metabolism. Diet drinks do the same thing. You tell your body that you can drink as much soda as you like so your body says okay so everything this person drinks and eats must be calorie-free. As for crash diets, you are expected to live on skimmed milk,bananas and maybe a boiled egg for a week or two weeks and after that you probably feel so calorie-deprived that you go on an eating binge and end up gaining all the weight you had lost as well as a little extra.

Check this link:
http://www.azcentral.com/health/diet/articles/0522crashdiet.html

Catherine Zeta Jones is back in shape after her tryst with crash dieting:
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=337181&ssid=68&sid=LIF

But Matilda was not so lucky. She lived on 500 calories a day and her excessive weight loss led to her death. Read this sad story:
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=dead–33st-matilda-who-lost-10st-in-6-months-on-crash-diet-of-500-calories-a-day&method=full&objectid=18046775&siteid=62484-name_page.html

calories, Thanksgiving, metabolize, diet drinks and pills, crash diet, eating binge, Caherine Zeta Jones

Protein shakes are a great energy boost and a must-have for all the gymmers out there. What is a protein shake made of?These are basically a combination of proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates and ,in some cases, enzymes that help digestion of proteins to get easier.Proteins are the building blocks of the body and can be obtained from regular foods like milk,fish,cereals,poultry,pulses,nuts and potatoes.

There are misconceptions that having protein shakes aids weight loss but since shakes are a staple of gym goers,I guess the work-outs help you get fit and the protein helps you regain your energy after a sweaty gym session.

Check out these contrary links. While one praises the effects of protein drink, the other is a careful medical assessment of what protein drinks are all about:

http://www.weightlossguide.com/protein-shakes.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/protein-shakes/AN01332

If you have any kidney ailments it would be better to stay off excess protein. So consult your doctor before you go on to such drinks. And don’t expect miracles. You don’t put on weight with protein drinks and you don’t lose it easily either.

protein shakes, protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, enzymes

Weight loss belts seem to help many men and women dieters in television commercials but there is a lot of scepticism when it comes to judging the real effects of these ‘magical’ belts. The idea behind using the belts is that by stimulating your waist and hip regions you work up a sweat without any physical exertion your part and hey presto! The weight’s off.

I wish it was that easy. Watch the video in this link:

http://www.kahsoon.com/2006/05/03/weight-loss-belt-electrocutes-woman/

Weight loss belts have scary side effects like chances of electrocution and burn marks! Sauna belts promise faster calorie burning and quick toning up of flabby bodies. It is tempting to be losing weight while you lie down on the couch ad watch T.V. But…that’s such an ugly word,isn’t it?…but to expect a belt to jump start metabolism and remove flab is misplaced optimism.

Read the Velform Sauna Belt review:

http://www.dietbites.com/Diet-Articles-1/velform-sauna-belt-review.html

weight loss belt, dieter, calorie

We all want to gorge on sweets and stay slim.I found some low-calorie desserts that I thought I could share with you this festive season:

-Low-calorie strawberry chiffon dessert
-Low-calorie yogurt dessert
-Thanksgiving dessert
-Applesauce Bran Muffins
-Lemon Ice
-Pineapple Angel Food Cake

I’d love it if any of you have some great low-calorie recipes to share.

low-calorie desserts, low-calorie strawberry chiffon dessert, low-calorie yogurt dessert, Thanksgiving dessert, applesauce bran muffin, Lemon Ice, pineapple Angel Food Cake

There are a lot of low-fat brands out there. Help me add on to my list.

1.The I can’t believe it’s not butter spray claims to be 0 calories. The logic behind using sprays is that you can never spray as much as you spread. So even if there are calories, you don’t seem to get to taste them.

2.Low-fat yoghurt that is high in calcium and low in calories comes in many flavors. Brands like Nancy’s yogurt are popular.Read this link for more on this organic dairy product:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2001825721_nancys30.html

3.Low-fat ice cream is now out on the racks. Brands like Baskin Robbins provide a lot of options for dieting customers.

More on low-fat ice cream here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/46391/best_ice_cream_for_dieters.html

4.Egg substitutes like Eggbeaters are made from real eggs using just the whites. So they are lower on calorie content and can be stored in the freezer.

Check out this link for some more low-fat brands:
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/mealplanning/tp/lowfatfoods.htm

[tags]I can’t believe it’s not butter,calories,Nancy’s Yogurt,Baskin Robbins,Eggbeaters,organic /tags]