Celery
Celery provides an excellent source of vitamin C, B1, B6, B2, Folic Acid, Calcium and potassium.
It also contains Phytochemical compound called Coumarins, which are known to reduce the chances of developing cancer and also promote white blood cell activity.
They are also great in treating migraine headaches and Rheumatism.
I generally add celery to soup, salad, and have them as snacks. I used to get migraines on a regular basis, however it has now been some 6 years that I have not suffered from migraines as a result of increasing my consumption of celery. Celery can be juiced with other fruit to make a delicious drink.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Raspberry
Has one of the highest contents of Fibre amongst fruits. They are very rich in vitamin C. in fact one cup full will provide 50% of the recommended daily intake.
They also have a considerable amount of vitamin B, folic acid, magnesium, iron and copper.
Studies have shown that with regular consumption they will help with inflammation, pain, and degeneration of eye sight due to old age.
They also have anti cancer benefits.
WASABI
Studies have shown that wasabi can kill a number of cancer cells. They can reduce the possibility of
blood clotting and help the body’s defences to destroy cells that have started to mutate.
It is also anti bacterial and anti fungal.
Wasabi is rich in beta carotene and is known to aid asthma sufferers.
So eat as much of it as you can. I generally have Sushi with plenty of Wasabi twice a week minimum as a meal and 4 times a week as a snack.
Add Raspberry to your fruit smoothy every day or at least three times a week.
Has one of the highest contents of Fibre amongst fruits. They are very rich in vitamin C. in fact one cup full will provide 50% of the recommended daily intake.
They also have a considerable amount of vitamin B, folic acid, magnesium, iron and copper.
Studies have shown that with regular consumption they will help with inflammation, pain, and degeneration of eye sight due to old age.
They also have anti cancer benefits.
WASABI
Studies have shown that wasabi can kill a number of cancer cells. They can reduce the possibility of
blood clotting and help the body’s defences to destroy cells that have started to mutate.
It is also anti bacterial and anti fungal.
Wasabi is rich in beta carotene and is known to aid asthma sufferers.
So eat as much of it as you can. I generally have Sushi with plenty of Wasabi twice a week minimum as a meal and 4 times a week as a snack.
Add Raspberry to your fruit smoothy every day or at least three times a week.
Monday, June 28, 2010
When having your lunch you should consider the following.
Not many places add nuts to salads however it is one of my most favourite things to add to salads.
I have a mixture that I always stick to and it consists of walnuts, cashew nuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and raisins.
You should make sure to carry some with you every day. All you need is a small toper ware
I also always but always have chillies with my lunch. In fact I carry chillies around with me along with my nut mixture. Fresh chillies are fantastic but you can also have them in their powder form.
The benefits of chillies are endless. But I mainly have them for their amazing taste, assistance with the digestive system and their slimming effect.
Don’t worry about what people may think about you carrying nuts and chillies around with you. The results are so amazing that your friends will be doing the same in no time!
CHILLIES
Chillies are a fantastic source of vitamin C, A, B and E. They contain seven times more vitamin C than oranges!
Chillies are also excellent for slimming as they burn calories by increasing the metabolism.
It’s a great antioxidant which fends against cholesterol. It is very beneficial to asthma sufferers.
They also stimulate the natural production of endorphins which make you happy!
Not many places add nuts to salads however it is one of my most favourite things to add to salads.
I have a mixture that I always stick to and it consists of walnuts, cashew nuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and raisins.
You should make sure to carry some with you every day. All you need is a small toper ware
I also always but always have chillies with my lunch. In fact I carry chillies around with me along with my nut mixture. Fresh chillies are fantastic but you can also have them in their powder form.
The benefits of chillies are endless. But I mainly have them for their amazing taste, assistance with the digestive system and their slimming effect.
Don’t worry about what people may think about you carrying nuts and chillies around with you. The results are so amazing that your friends will be doing the same in no time!
CHILLIES
Chillies are a fantastic source of vitamin C, A, B and E. They contain seven times more vitamin C than oranges!
Chillies are also excellent for slimming as they burn calories by increasing the metabolism.
It’s a great antioxidant which fends against cholesterol. It is very beneficial to asthma sufferers.
They also stimulate the natural production of endorphins which make you happy!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
LUNCH
Generally speaking lunch should be a hardy meal. However, every one works and as a rule a big hardy meal will get you all warm and fuzzy and ultimately sleepy.
So as we can not all be sleeping on the job from mid day onwards, we should aim at making lunch small but very healthy just enough to keep you going to your afternoon snack!
What I usually to do in order to prevent myself from eating too much at lunch time and in one sitting, is to have some thing small to eat a couple of hours before.
This snack before lunch is usually either a prawn or crab salad at around 11.30 or some sushi with a large helping of Wasabi.
These days it is so easy to buy yourself a ready prepared box of sushi or seafood salad on your way to work. Every super market brand does it.
Please avoid the sandwich and crisps section and move swiftly along as I know how tempting they can be and there is nothing like comfort food!
If you adopt my policy then by the time lunch time arrives one can be sensible about what one eats and how much of it one consumes.
If you are not one for salads or sushi then have a tomato soup or some cottage cheese with an apple and some rivita.
Generally speaking lunch should be a hardy meal. However, every one works and as a rule a big hardy meal will get you all warm and fuzzy and ultimately sleepy.
So as we can not all be sleeping on the job from mid day onwards, we should aim at making lunch small but very healthy just enough to keep you going to your afternoon snack!
What I usually to do in order to prevent myself from eating too much at lunch time and in one sitting, is to have some thing small to eat a couple of hours before.
This snack before lunch is usually either a prawn or crab salad at around 11.30 or some sushi with a large helping of Wasabi.
These days it is so easy to buy yourself a ready prepared box of sushi or seafood salad on your way to work. Every super market brand does it.
Please avoid the sandwich and crisps section and move swiftly along as I know how tempting they can be and there is nothing like comfort food!
If you adopt my policy then by the time lunch time arrives one can be sensible about what one eats and how much of it one consumes.
If you are not one for salads or sushi then have a tomato soup or some cottage cheese with an apple and some rivita.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
LEMON
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, Folic acid and potassium. They contain a Phytochemical called Lemonene which has anti cancer properties and is also known to dissolve gallstones.
The highest concentraton of Lemonene is found in the white fleshy part just under the yellow skin. So I suggest that you slice it in to thin slices and eat it with its skin on or use in cooking or use with drinks to add a refereshing zest.
My children have both picked up the habit of eating lemon with its skin just like me. It may take a few goes before you get used to it.
MANGO
A super fruit due to the vast numbers of vitamins and nutrients it contains.
The main vitamins provided by Mango are vitamins A, E and C and it aids in preventing prostate and skin cancer.
Rich in beta-carotene which gives it its colour, it helps to fight the damage caused by the sun to the skin and eyes.
BLUEBERRY
Blueberry has the highest content of antioxidants out of all the other fruits. It is anti inflammatory, anti blood clotting and anti bacterial.
It is also anti aging. I eat a box full every day!
A great fruit to help with symptoms of diarrhoea and food poisoning.
Experiments have also shown that it helps alleviate the effects of Alzheimer’s.
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, Folic acid and potassium. They contain a Phytochemical called Lemonene which has anti cancer properties and is also known to dissolve gallstones.
The highest concentraton of Lemonene is found in the white fleshy part just under the yellow skin. So I suggest that you slice it in to thin slices and eat it with its skin on or use in cooking or use with drinks to add a refereshing zest.
My children have both picked up the habit of eating lemon with its skin just like me. It may take a few goes before you get used to it.
MANGO
A super fruit due to the vast numbers of vitamins and nutrients it contains.
The main vitamins provided by Mango are vitamins A, E and C and it aids in preventing prostate and skin cancer.
Rich in beta-carotene which gives it its colour, it helps to fight the damage caused by the sun to the skin and eyes.
BLUEBERRY
Blueberry has the highest content of antioxidants out of all the other fruits. It is anti inflammatory, anti blood clotting and anti bacterial.
It is also anti aging. I eat a box full every day!
A great fruit to help with symptoms of diarrhoea and food poisoning.
Experiments have also shown that it helps alleviate the effects of Alzheimer’s.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
One of my favourite snacks is Greek yogurt with bananas and crushed walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
Or hummus mixed with some olive oil with rice cakes. You can also off course have your prepared vegetables with hummus. They make a great snack for those moments when you want to eat some thing but you are not quite sure what.
Get creative with healthy food and when you find a winning combination write it down and stick to it.
Encourage your children to snack on healthy food and steer them away from the obvious junk that they usually snack on. This will ensure that they build healthy habits towards food. The first step towards this is for them to have a great role model
Obviously it is generally easier to go for healthy options when you are at home, or you work from home or when your place of work offers the use of a kitchen or a fridge.
If you are anything like me then you will not be able to sit down and have a proper meal due to shortage of time and will only have time to have short snacks.
As ideal as this maybe if we consider that six snacks a day are better than three big meals, it is vital that you make your snacks count and to make sure that you cram in as much goodness in to your snacks as possible.
Or hummus mixed with some olive oil with rice cakes. You can also off course have your prepared vegetables with hummus. They make a great snack for those moments when you want to eat some thing but you are not quite sure what.
Get creative with healthy food and when you find a winning combination write it down and stick to it.
Encourage your children to snack on healthy food and steer them away from the obvious junk that they usually snack on. This will ensure that they build healthy habits towards food. The first step towards this is for them to have a great role model
Obviously it is generally easier to go for healthy options when you are at home, or you work from home or when your place of work offers the use of a kitchen or a fridge.
If you are anything like me then you will not be able to sit down and have a proper meal due to shortage of time and will only have time to have short snacks.
As ideal as this maybe if we consider that six snacks a day are better than three big meals, it is vital that you make your snacks count and to make sure that you cram in as much goodness in to your snacks as possible.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
In order to battle hunger during the day especially when un planned, make sure you carry with you some nuts such as un salted Almonds or walnuts and raisins.
You must keep in mind that there are limits to how much nuts you can consume in any one day or week.
Most people think that because some thing is good for you than one can consume as much of it as possible without any consequences.
WRONG!
I remember having told my mother about having nuts as snacks and as she loves them any way she started having a hand full every half an hour and in between meals!!
Need less to say the next time I saw her she had put on an obvious amount of weight and was totally puzzled by how this had happened!
So keep the amount of nuts you consume to only one hand full and I don’t mean for it to be spilling out of your hand, but you should be able to comfortably close your fist!
However half a walnut a day is sufficient enough to achieve this. Walnuts areNuts contain good fats. for example Walnuts which are classifies as a super food contain large amount of Omega 3 which is known to aid in eliminating cholesterol and aid against Cancer, blood pressure and depression. They are also found to aid against memory loss.
classified as warm foods and Excessive amounts of it will result in weight gain
and oily skin which in turn will mean your skin will break out in pimples.
Almonds should be eaten unsalted. If you find fresh almonds then great otherwise you can try soaking dried Almonds in some hot water and salt to soften them up.
Cashew nuts are very fatty and you should only use a hand full crushed in salads or mix them in rice to add taste and texture.
Carrots are a powerful antioxidant. They are anti aging and help protect the skin against sun damage and wrinkles.
In fact they are known to reverse the effects of sun damage on the skin.
They contain a large amount of beta carotene which gives it its orange colour. The body converts beta carotene in to Vitamin A which is essential for good vision and protects against liver disease and hardened arteries.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
I would like to tackle the subject of snacking at this juncture as this particular topic is one of great concern for most of us.
Snacking is good!
Yes you heard correctly, snacking is good!!
But before you run to the fridge and set up camp, lets go over what kind of snacks and why.
As I mentioned earlier the body should ideally receive food regularly in small quantities, say around six to seven times a day.
So having six snacks a day is much better for us than three large meals a day. It is therefore wise to always have some healthy options available for snacking in your fridge or your “yummy cupboard “as my kids and I call ours!
It is vital that you always have healthy things ready and prepared for snacks, as the lack of healthy options will ultimately end in disaster and by disaster I mean that one will turn to unhealthy easy options.
I am regularly disappointed at the lack of snacking food at people’s homes.
I normally always have the following ready and prepared.
Carrot sticks
Celery sticks
Cauliflower
Hummus
Greek yogurt
Rice cakes
Cheese
Cucumber
Mangoes
Zucchini
Cottage cheese
It is very easy these days to buy pre prepared vegetables and fruits like carrots and cauliflower, mangoes and pineapples. To prepare things like celery, cucumber and zucchini does not take long.
Fruits are essential to a healthy balanced body so make sure you always have your favourite fruits in a fruit bowl on your kitchen table or counter where you can see them and they are easily accessible to you and the other members of your family.
Lets concentrate on CARROTS.
They are sweet, crunchy and full of the stuff that keeps you looking young!!
Yes Young!!
It is a powerful anti oxidant and its anti aging which helps to keep the skin protected against sun damage and wrinkles.
In fact carrots reverse the effect of sun damage on the skin. Carrot juice has been found to have considerably LESS benefits than actually eating carrots themselves.
So eat them raw, grated in to salad, bake them, boil them, mash them, make them in to a pie or just cut them up in to small pieces with some lemon juice accompanied by hummus.
However you choose to have them is irrelevant, as long as you make sure you consume plenty of it especially if you live in hot sunny climates or are about to visit a hot country and expose your skin to the harsh sun.
Snacking is good!
Yes you heard correctly, snacking is good!!
But before you run to the fridge and set up camp, lets go over what kind of snacks and why.
As I mentioned earlier the body should ideally receive food regularly in small quantities, say around six to seven times a day.
So having six snacks a day is much better for us than three large meals a day. It is therefore wise to always have some healthy options available for snacking in your fridge or your “yummy cupboard “as my kids and I call ours!
It is vital that you always have healthy things ready and prepared for snacks, as the lack of healthy options will ultimately end in disaster and by disaster I mean that one will turn to unhealthy easy options.
I am regularly disappointed at the lack of snacking food at people’s homes.
I normally always have the following ready and prepared.
Carrot sticks
Celery sticks
Cauliflower
Hummus
Greek yogurt
Rice cakes
Cheese
Cucumber
Mangoes
Zucchini
Cottage cheese
It is very easy these days to buy pre prepared vegetables and fruits like carrots and cauliflower, mangoes and pineapples. To prepare things like celery, cucumber and zucchini does not take long.
Fruits are essential to a healthy balanced body so make sure you always have your favourite fruits in a fruit bowl on your kitchen table or counter where you can see them and they are easily accessible to you and the other members of your family.
Lets concentrate on CARROTS.
They are sweet, crunchy and full of the stuff that keeps you looking young!!
Yes Young!!
It is a powerful anti oxidant and its anti aging which helps to keep the skin protected against sun damage and wrinkles.
In fact carrots reverse the effect of sun damage on the skin. Carrot juice has been found to have considerably LESS benefits than actually eating carrots themselves.
So eat them raw, grated in to salad, bake them, boil them, mash them, make them in to a pie or just cut them up in to small pieces with some lemon juice accompanied by hummus.
However you choose to have them is irrelevant, as long as you make sure you consume plenty of it especially if you live in hot sunny climates or are about to visit a hot country and expose your skin to the harsh sun.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
GREEN TEA
Green tea has been used for its medicinal benefits for over 4000 years. It is rich in Calechin polyphenols which is a powerful antioxidant.
It inhibits the growth of cancer cells and kills them without harming good cells and stops the abnormal formation of blood clots.
The reason why green tea has such special benefits is because the tea leaves are steamed. The process prevents the EGCG ( epigallocatechin gallate) from being oxidized.
Green tea also stimulates the metabolism to burn fat.
WHITE TEA
White tea is made from tea buds before they are fully grown when they still have the white silvery fuzz covering the buds.
The leaves are only steamed and not processed further and so therefore they contain more pholyphenols which fight to eliminate cancer cells.
White tea is more potent in it's effects than green tea.
So I hear you ask how you can put your knowledge of green and white tea to good use!
what I do is to drink either one just before exercise, as they increase the Metabolic rate for up to an hour after consumption and therefore the body will burn more fat during the exercise period. You could also add green or white tea to your water for use during your exercise if your exercise lasts longer than an hour.
I also have green or white tea after every meal in order to speed up the digestion and fat burning process. It is a potent Antioxidant and a necessary part of one's daily diet so try and drink as much of it as you can.
Green tea has been used for its medicinal benefits for over 4000 years. It is rich in Calechin polyphenols which is a powerful antioxidant.
It inhibits the growth of cancer cells and kills them without harming good cells and stops the abnormal formation of blood clots.
The reason why green tea has such special benefits is because the tea leaves are steamed. The process prevents the EGCG ( epigallocatechin gallate) from being oxidized.
Green tea also stimulates the metabolism to burn fat.
WHITE TEA
White tea is made from tea buds before they are fully grown when they still have the white silvery fuzz covering the buds.
The leaves are only steamed and not processed further and so therefore they contain more pholyphenols which fight to eliminate cancer cells.
White tea is more potent in it's effects than green tea.
So I hear you ask how you can put your knowledge of green and white tea to good use!
what I do is to drink either one just before exercise, as they increase the Metabolic rate for up to an hour after consumption and therefore the body will burn more fat during the exercise period. You could also add green or white tea to your water for use during your exercise if your exercise lasts longer than an hour.
I also have green or white tea after every meal in order to speed up the digestion and fat burning process. It is a potent Antioxidant and a necessary part of one's daily diet so try and drink as much of it as you can.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
As with the croissants a fry up breakfast is ok once in a while but try to grill everything as much as you can and have poached eggs instead of fried.
Eggs are another great food to start your day with. Try soft boiled eggs with very little salt and some toast. You could even soldier them!
Off course having breakfast is time consuming and if you are one of those people who leave yourself just enough time in the morning to fall out of bed
and in to the shower and are still adjusting your clothes when running out the door, then I suggest you make yourself a fruit smoothy in the mornings.
Mix your favourite fruits in a blender with some yogurt, a touch of honey and some ground pistachio’s to top it off. It is an incredibly healthy option to grabbing a bite from the small news agents in the underground station, which generally tends to be a bar of chocolate!
If like me you love nothing more than a cup of tea in the morning then try and make it herbal tea, Although, resisting a cup of English breakfast with milk is as hard as resisting the latest pair of Choo’s!! Ok maybe not quite as hard!
You must try and switch from having black tea with milk to herbal.
I drink any thing between 10 to 15 cups of green or white tea a day. It is my only form of water in take as I do not like the taste of water.
Drink as much green, white or any other herbal tea as you can. They have amazing health benefits as I will explain later.
BANANAS
Bananas are very rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C; are a good source of fibre, magnesium and biotin. However bananas are full of calories and sugar and they have lower water content than other fruit.
Bananas are known to help with heart function, blood pressure, assist in lowering cholesterol and the gastrointestinal tract and regulating bowl function.
They are great to give to kids whilst travelling as they seem to have a calming effect and assist with sleep.
Eggs are another great food to start your day with. Try soft boiled eggs with very little salt and some toast. You could even soldier them!
Off course having breakfast is time consuming and if you are one of those people who leave yourself just enough time in the morning to fall out of bed
and in to the shower and are still adjusting your clothes when running out the door, then I suggest you make yourself a fruit smoothy in the mornings.
Mix your favourite fruits in a blender with some yogurt, a touch of honey and some ground pistachio’s to top it off. It is an incredibly healthy option to grabbing a bite from the small news agents in the underground station, which generally tends to be a bar of chocolate!
If like me you love nothing more than a cup of tea in the morning then try and make it herbal tea, Although, resisting a cup of English breakfast with milk is as hard as resisting the latest pair of Choo’s!! Ok maybe not quite as hard!
You must try and switch from having black tea with milk to herbal.
I drink any thing between 10 to 15 cups of green or white tea a day. It is my only form of water in take as I do not like the taste of water.
Drink as much green, white or any other herbal tea as you can. They have amazing health benefits as I will explain later.
BANANAS
Bananas are very rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C; are a good source of fibre, magnesium and biotin. However bananas are full of calories and sugar and they have lower water content than other fruit.
Bananas are known to help with heart function, blood pressure, assist in lowering cholesterol and the gastrointestinal tract and regulating bowl function.
They are great to give to kids whilst travelling as they seem to have a calming effect and assist with sleep.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Today I would like to draw your attention to the Aloe Vera plant.
A seemingly normal plant with one famous characteristic that we all know about. It soothes burnt skin from over exposure to the sun or first and second degree burns and wounds.
But here are some benefits of Aloe Vera you may not have known about.
Aloe Vera can be purchased in liquid form from pharmacies and tastes rather nice. You can make it a regular part of your daily or weekly diet and see the benefits in a matter of weeks. For topical use I highly recommend the actual plant itself which can be purchased from any plant store or nursery. for those who live in hot climates this plant can be found every where .
Aloe Vera is highly beneficial in treatment of Diabetes and blood Glucose levels, fatty acids and Cholesterol. It is also known to remedy Irritable Bowl Syndrome, genital Herpes and skin irritations such as Psoriasis and other extreme dry skin conditions such as Eczema.
Applied regularly on to problem areas of the skin it will smooth out the texture and relief the soreness, itchiness and discomfort related to the above conditions and in time heal it completely.
The actual plant which is fleshy and comes in two colours, green and a grey green colour is very effective. Open up the Aloe Vera leaf and use the extract directly on the problem area. The creams and soaps and other Aloe products although beneficial take longer to have effect.
Aloe Vera is anti bacterial and anti fungal and so its perfect for treating Athletes foot and nail fungus.
Another benefit of Aloe Vera which may not be common knowledge is that its topical use on the scalp will help against dry scalp, Dandruff and most importantly Hair Loss!
Yes Hair Loss!!
It actually not only stops hair loss but also helps promote new hair growth.
I must say at this point that Aloe Vera does not perform miracles and so if you have been challenged in the follicle department for some years then Aloe Vera is not the solution..
There are many studies in progress linking Aloe Vera to the Immune System. They believe that it boosts the Immune System by stimulating the production of White blood cells in the body to fight against various types of Cancer, HIV and Tumour's
There is also known benefits of Aloe Vera for Asthma sufferers.
Aloe Vera when used topically on the face helps to eliminate marks and skin discolourations left from Pimples and Acne.
Aloe Vera is rich in Vitamin's C,E,B12, Calcium and Amino acids.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
You can follow your fruit intake with a piece of toast. Give some thought to how much butter you put on your toast as dairy products although necessary are not ideal for the body. If you like your croissants and pain au chocolate then save it for once a week on a Saturday or Sunday. Do not get in to the habit of indulging yourself with oily and buttery breakfasts.
I did not quite realise just how much butter goes in to making croissants and pain au chocolate until I tried making them from scratch!! And Oh Boy!!
Muesli is a great start to the day, as not only is it rich in fruit, whole grains and nuts but it will fill you up and keep those hunger pangs at bay. You can mix your own if you feel very adventurous or you can buy them ready mixed. For variety Add fruit like bananas, or some berries to your muesli. Try not to have too much dairy milk and replace it with Soya milk or even yogurt.
Studies have shown that we loose the ability to digest animal milk from around the age of one! So if you must have milk make sure it is semi skimmed. You should also switch your children’s milk intake from full fat to semi skinned after the age of one.
One of mine and my daughter’s favourite things to have for breakfast is a piece of toast with a generous spread of Feta cheese. It is a very Persian breakfast and incredible with sweetened tea!
They also taste great with grapes.
Don’t blame me if you get hooked on it!!
Feta cheese is very rich in calcium and a small piece has the equivalent amount of the daily recommended calcium needed for an adult.
General rule is to listen to your body and it will tell you what it needs, but under no circumstances are you to pay any attention to it if should ask you for a fry up breakfast!
I did not quite realise just how much butter goes in to making croissants and pain au chocolate until I tried making them from scratch!! And Oh Boy!!
Muesli is a great start to the day, as not only is it rich in fruit, whole grains and nuts but it will fill you up and keep those hunger pangs at bay. You can mix your own if you feel very adventurous or you can buy them ready mixed. For variety Add fruit like bananas, or some berries to your muesli. Try not to have too much dairy milk and replace it with Soya milk or even yogurt.
Studies have shown that we loose the ability to digest animal milk from around the age of one! So if you must have milk make sure it is semi skimmed. You should also switch your children’s milk intake from full fat to semi skinned after the age of one.
One of mine and my daughter’s favourite things to have for breakfast is a piece of toast with a generous spread of Feta cheese. It is a very Persian breakfast and incredible with sweetened tea!
They also taste great with grapes.
Don’t blame me if you get hooked on it!!
Feta cheese is very rich in calcium and a small piece has the equivalent amount of the daily recommended calcium needed for an adult.
General rule is to listen to your body and it will tell you what it needs, but under no circumstances are you to pay any attention to it if should ask you for a fry up breakfast!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284750/Lunch-How-healthy-YOURS.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1284750/Lunch-How-healthy-YOURS.html
Monday, June 7, 2010
Before farming came in to practise and increased food availability resulting in the global population boom world wide, the human body would only receive food as and when available, explaining the reason why our bodies hold on to carbohydrates and fat.
Since the human body naturally expects to starve, eating small amounts regularly will allow the body to clock on to the fact that it will be receiving food regularly and will actually start burning fat for fuel rather than storing it.
Having said that, it would be unreasonable to expect you to have broken sleep through the night just to get up for snacks! I think we can all probably do with out that, but we must understand JUST how important breakfast is to the body the start of our day.
Start your mornings with a glass of warm or hot water with some honey. For those of you with blood type A, you can also add some lemon to the hot water and honey combination.
Despite the sharp sour taste of lemon, it actually becomes alkaline once mixed with the stomach acids. This will warm up the stomach muscles and prepare it for the receiving and digesting food. It will also help cleanse the stomach.
From drinking something warm to introducing a meal, however small, you should leave a good 5 to 10 minutes. The introduction of food should be done slowly and with great thought.
Just as one would not start with a sprint at the gym but rather warm up with gentle walking or a slow jog, Give as much consideration, thought and respect to your stomach as you would the rest of your body.
Start by having some fruit. Specifically pineapples if you happen to like them. Digestion of fruit is relatively easy for the stomach; it normally takes around half an hour or so to digest fruit.
Pineapple is particularly good as it contains high levels of vitamin C, potassium; calcium and fibre is most potent when consumed on an empty stomach.
It also promotes the natural production of collagen in the body aiding the skin in looking young and plump.
Pineapple is very rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium and fibre. It promotes the natural production of collagen in the body.
Pineapple also contains some thing called Beromelain which is an anti inflammatory agent which can help with various conditions. It is very beneficial to have after operations or bruising.
Since the human body naturally expects to starve, eating small amounts regularly will allow the body to clock on to the fact that it will be receiving food regularly and will actually start burning fat for fuel rather than storing it.
Having said that, it would be unreasonable to expect you to have broken sleep through the night just to get up for snacks! I think we can all probably do with out that, but we must understand JUST how important breakfast is to the body the start of our day.
Start your mornings with a glass of warm or hot water with some honey. For those of you with blood type A, you can also add some lemon to the hot water and honey combination.
Despite the sharp sour taste of lemon, it actually becomes alkaline once mixed with the stomach acids. This will warm up the stomach muscles and prepare it for the receiving and digesting food. It will also help cleanse the stomach.
From drinking something warm to introducing a meal, however small, you should leave a good 5 to 10 minutes. The introduction of food should be done slowly and with great thought.
Just as one would not start with a sprint at the gym but rather warm up with gentle walking or a slow jog, Give as much consideration, thought and respect to your stomach as you would the rest of your body.
Start by having some fruit. Specifically pineapples if you happen to like them. Digestion of fruit is relatively easy for the stomach; it normally takes around half an hour or so to digest fruit.
Pineapple is particularly good as it contains high levels of vitamin C, potassium; calcium and fibre is most potent when consumed on an empty stomach.
It also promotes the natural production of collagen in the body aiding the skin in looking young and plump.
Pineapple is very rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium and fibre. It promotes the natural production of collagen in the body.
Pineapple also contains some thing called Beromelain which is an anti inflammatory agent which can help with various conditions. It is very beneficial to have after operations or bruising.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
There are too many opinions out there on what you should do to maintain a youthful complexion. These options range from miracle creams to special masks that can take 10 years off your face in two applications!
These options also include creams that cake against your face promising Botox like effects by preventing any skin movement!
Yes my thoughts exactly!
Then there are thousands of books published on the subject of looking healthy and young. Although most of these books are informative, well researched and very well written, they leave most of us feeling miserable at the prospect of having to make unsustainable and unrealistic changes to the way we live and what we eat!
Half way through some of these books, which usually are so long they could be considered Novels, if I haven’t lost the will to live, I find myself wondering whether there are easier ways of staying healthy or better editing which would have produced a more compressed version of the book.
So if you are also fed up with the false promises, the misleading descriptions of what creams, potions and lotions may or may not rejuvenate your skin, (which incidentally never work), the over priced skin products and only want concise, uncomplicated information about what to eat without changing your way of life, or just want to enhance your daily diet with ingredients that are beneficial to your health, Then this simple, short and fuss free book is for you.
Over the years I have tried many things for a more youthful complexion, mainly due to over enthusiastic female family members who insist on trying everything available out there and as a result I have formed my own opinions and regime.
I have always been asked what it is that I do to keep looking so young and how I keep fit, and I have never really had a specific reply as such until now!
I finally decided to make comprehensive notes of my entire food and drinks intake over a six months period and then began researching the ingredients that I regularly eat and one thing became clear. I tend to eat almost the same ingredients but within different recipes.
My observations further revealed that the ingredients in my diet are either anti aging or antioxidants. Up to this point I had never really given much thought to what the effects of my diet would be on my skin, I only knew that what I ate was healthy.
What I have learned through my personal research has changed the way I look at food and has reshaped my opinions and my definition of healthy.
I would like to reveal to you my secrets and to share with you some traditions that have been passed down to me through my family in the hope that you will also find benefits from it.
Let me just say at this stage that this book is meant to be a guide and you must use it as such. It is NOT a weight loss diet, although you will find that it will most certainly regulate your weight, not surprising considering you will be consuming the most beneficial diet for your body and skin.
Try it and only stick to parts that suit you or work for you and ditch the parts that don’t.
My life and my diet are fairly easy, as I am not one to make anything difficult or hard. I eat a bit of everything but more of some things that happen to be more beneficial for the skin and for one’s general health.
On that basis, it is very important that you do not think of this as just another diet, but to try and incorporate the advice given in to your life and diet and eventually make it a way of life. For only and only then will it benefit you long term.
Most Diet and nutritional books demand that you change the way you eat and exercise. This total and radical change is very ambitious on the part of the author as well as the reader. We are all accustomed to a certain diet and routine, according to our up bringing, culture, habits etc and to expect to change all that is unreasonable. So what I aim to do with this book is not to radically change your way of life but to encourage you to make additions to your diet to improve your health.
This can be done in stages and slowly. The last thing I would want is to cause further confusion at what to purchase and how to prepare your food!
I have seen people book in hand at super markets with trolleys full of groceries they have never bought before or ever seen for that matter with worried looks on their faces.
Such stress causing situations will ultimately fail.
The other vital factor in looking good for your age and feeling healthy is exercise. It is crucial that you do some sort of exercise or daily activity. Keeping fit is very important along side a healthy diet so leave your car at home and walk to destinations within one mile radius of your home or office.
Join in activities you enjoy or participate in new events which you can enjoy whilst you learn a new sporting skill. Try walking, yoga, swimming, running, Pilates, horse riding or anything else that takes your fancy. Pick an activity and try and fit it in to your week at least twice for an hour each time and you can increase it as you desire, if you so wish to.
It is also important to pick the right time to exercise. Studies have shown that the afternoon between 4 and 6 pm are the best time for exercise.
Mornings are the worst time for exercise as the body’s natural blood pressure is high and blood is at its stickiest. In addition to that, blood vessels are harder to open up to allow for faster blood flow, which is why most heart attacks happen between 6 am and noon.
It really is about remaining active and not about what you do. Taking the dog for a walk is also considered exercise! As long as it’s longer than just round the block off course!
I started Capoeira two years ago and find it an incredibly all rounded exercise and an impressive skill base to have.
Along side trying to make healthy additions to our diet and our life style we need to work on changing the bad eating habits we have developed over the years.
We are all prone to bad habits and we have all developed many throughout our lives. The important thing is to recognise them and take steps towards giving them up. For example if you have to have sugar with your tea or coffee, change the habit by replacing sugar with a healthier alternative.
Try honey or brown cane sugar, or have some dates along with your tea to provide the sweet taste that you so crave without the harms that sugar can cause.
If you aim to change your eating habits slowly with alternatives that provide the same effect, then it becomes easier to make and maintain those changes and they eventually become a way of life which in turn insures a successful long term regime.
Let’s touch on the subject of vitamins at this stage. There are many controversies surrounding vitamins and I personally prefer not to take vitamin supplements.
I believe that if one eats a stable and varied diet of fruit, vegetables and pulses which include all the colours then the body will ultimately receive all the vitamins and minerals required.
However, having said that, this will only be possible if you tend to like most things, off course there are those of us who may not like certain things or may not have the opportunities to have access to certain food types, in which case alternatives will have to be introduced or vitamin and mineral supplements taken.
Those lucky enough to like most food do not have a need for supplements other than Ginseng which I highly recommend for maintaining energy levels and a healthy nervous system.
I should mention at this stage that colour in fruits and vegetables are very important and you should try and eat as many different colours as you possibly can in your daily diet. I will draw attention to specific colours and their benefits later on in the book as we discuss the different fruits and vegetables.
Our health starts from the inside out, like most things, so let’s start looking at how we can begin the process.
These options also include creams that cake against your face promising Botox like effects by preventing any skin movement!
Yes my thoughts exactly!
Then there are thousands of books published on the subject of looking healthy and young. Although most of these books are informative, well researched and very well written, they leave most of us feeling miserable at the prospect of having to make unsustainable and unrealistic changes to the way we live and what we eat!
Half way through some of these books, which usually are so long they could be considered Novels, if I haven’t lost the will to live, I find myself wondering whether there are easier ways of staying healthy or better editing which would have produced a more compressed version of the book.
So if you are also fed up with the false promises, the misleading descriptions of what creams, potions and lotions may or may not rejuvenate your skin, (which incidentally never work), the over priced skin products and only want concise, uncomplicated information about what to eat without changing your way of life, or just want to enhance your daily diet with ingredients that are beneficial to your health, Then this simple, short and fuss free book is for you.
Over the years I have tried many things for a more youthful complexion, mainly due to over enthusiastic female family members who insist on trying everything available out there and as a result I have formed my own opinions and regime.
I have always been asked what it is that I do to keep looking so young and how I keep fit, and I have never really had a specific reply as such until now!
I finally decided to make comprehensive notes of my entire food and drinks intake over a six months period and then began researching the ingredients that I regularly eat and one thing became clear. I tend to eat almost the same ingredients but within different recipes.
My observations further revealed that the ingredients in my diet are either anti aging or antioxidants. Up to this point I had never really given much thought to what the effects of my diet would be on my skin, I only knew that what I ate was healthy.
What I have learned through my personal research has changed the way I look at food and has reshaped my opinions and my definition of healthy.
I would like to reveal to you my secrets and to share with you some traditions that have been passed down to me through my family in the hope that you will also find benefits from it.
Let me just say at this stage that this book is meant to be a guide and you must use it as such. It is NOT a weight loss diet, although you will find that it will most certainly regulate your weight, not surprising considering you will be consuming the most beneficial diet for your body and skin.
Try it and only stick to parts that suit you or work for you and ditch the parts that don’t.
My life and my diet are fairly easy, as I am not one to make anything difficult or hard. I eat a bit of everything but more of some things that happen to be more beneficial for the skin and for one’s general health.
On that basis, it is very important that you do not think of this as just another diet, but to try and incorporate the advice given in to your life and diet and eventually make it a way of life. For only and only then will it benefit you long term.
Most Diet and nutritional books demand that you change the way you eat and exercise. This total and radical change is very ambitious on the part of the author as well as the reader. We are all accustomed to a certain diet and routine, according to our up bringing, culture, habits etc and to expect to change all that is unreasonable. So what I aim to do with this book is not to radically change your way of life but to encourage you to make additions to your diet to improve your health.
This can be done in stages and slowly. The last thing I would want is to cause further confusion at what to purchase and how to prepare your food!
I have seen people book in hand at super markets with trolleys full of groceries they have never bought before or ever seen for that matter with worried looks on their faces.
Such stress causing situations will ultimately fail.
The other vital factor in looking good for your age and feeling healthy is exercise. It is crucial that you do some sort of exercise or daily activity. Keeping fit is very important along side a healthy diet so leave your car at home and walk to destinations within one mile radius of your home or office.
Join in activities you enjoy or participate in new events which you can enjoy whilst you learn a new sporting skill. Try walking, yoga, swimming, running, Pilates, horse riding or anything else that takes your fancy. Pick an activity and try and fit it in to your week at least twice for an hour each time and you can increase it as you desire, if you so wish to.
It is also important to pick the right time to exercise. Studies have shown that the afternoon between 4 and 6 pm are the best time for exercise.
Mornings are the worst time for exercise as the body’s natural blood pressure is high and blood is at its stickiest. In addition to that, blood vessels are harder to open up to allow for faster blood flow, which is why most heart attacks happen between 6 am and noon.
It really is about remaining active and not about what you do. Taking the dog for a walk is also considered exercise! As long as it’s longer than just round the block off course!
I started Capoeira two years ago and find it an incredibly all rounded exercise and an impressive skill base to have.
Along side trying to make healthy additions to our diet and our life style we need to work on changing the bad eating habits we have developed over the years.
We are all prone to bad habits and we have all developed many throughout our lives. The important thing is to recognise them and take steps towards giving them up. For example if you have to have sugar with your tea or coffee, change the habit by replacing sugar with a healthier alternative.
Try honey or brown cane sugar, or have some dates along with your tea to provide the sweet taste that you so crave without the harms that sugar can cause.
If you aim to change your eating habits slowly with alternatives that provide the same effect, then it becomes easier to make and maintain those changes and they eventually become a way of life which in turn insures a successful long term regime.
Let’s touch on the subject of vitamins at this stage. There are many controversies surrounding vitamins and I personally prefer not to take vitamin supplements.
I believe that if one eats a stable and varied diet of fruit, vegetables and pulses which include all the colours then the body will ultimately receive all the vitamins and minerals required.
However, having said that, this will only be possible if you tend to like most things, off course there are those of us who may not like certain things or may not have the opportunities to have access to certain food types, in which case alternatives will have to be introduced or vitamin and mineral supplements taken.
Those lucky enough to like most food do not have a need for supplements other than Ginseng which I highly recommend for maintaining energy levels and a healthy nervous system.
I should mention at this stage that colour in fruits and vegetables are very important and you should try and eat as many different colours as you possibly can in your daily diet. I will draw attention to specific colours and their benefits later on in the book as we discuss the different fruits and vegetables.
Our health starts from the inside out, like most things, so let’s start looking at how we can begin the process.
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