Food Advice

Fill this in your heart

2007-06-05T03:35:00.000+08:00

Consuming these five superfoods can keep you healthy. Researchers have whipped up a new recipe to fight heart disease, and it's delicious. It's a selection of five superfoods, each shown to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and other heart disease risk factors. Working all five into your diet could cut your risk by 76%, according to a report in the British Medical Journal.

Garlic

A couple of teaspoons (3/4 ounce) weekly; cuts risk by 25%.

Fruits and Vegetables

Five or more servings per day; contain antioxidants; cuts risk by 21%.

Fish

A serving the size of a deck of cards (4 ounces) four times weekly; contains omega-3 fatty acids, which slow formation of artery-clogging plaque; cuts risk by 14%.

Almonds

A large handful (2.5 ounces, or about 50 nuts) a day; contain vitamin E; cuts risk by 12.5%.

Dark Chocolate

Up to one large candy bar (3.5 ounces) a day (less if you're dieting); contains polyphenols; cuts risk by 21%.

Food Addiction Can Lead to Death !!!!

2007-06-05T00:25:00.000+08:00

Food has been described as ambrosia and the elixir if life. For some, eating is a biological necessity for others it is a passion that can turn into an obsession. Experts define food addiction to be a disorder where the addict is preoccupied with food, the availability of food, and the pleasure of eating.

There are three recognized addictions:

• Overeating, where the addict has no control over the amount or the number of times he eats. The person has no concept of being overweight or the servings a person must eat normally. Being an overeater, the addict will indulge in uncontrolled eating binges. Being obese, the addict will be prone to hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis, and cancer.

• Bulimisa Nervosa, where the addict binges and then tries to maintain weight by vomiting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, or even fasting. Such addicts will develop dental problems like thinning of enamel, excessive number of cavities, swollen salivary glands, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, as well as calluses and scars.

• Anorexia Nervosa, where the addict fears weight gain and so starves himself. Obsessed with weight gain and body shape anorexics will exhibit obsessive behaviors in maintaining themselves. In the process, they develop problems like disruption of menstrual cycle, emancipation, hair loss, unhealthy skin pallor, and a lack or fluids.

The most common health problems are obesity, alcoholism, diabetes, bulimia, food allergies, and food intolerance.

The signs that you are addicted to food are:

• Uncontrolled cravings for particular foods. Some are addicted to sweets, others to soft drinks, yet others to coffee.

• Continuous or frequent eating. No fixed meal times an addict will eat throughout the day.

• Sharpened hunger on consumption of specific foods.

• Anxiety attacks, feelings of nervousness, low sugar, a headache, stomach gripes and grumbles.

• Withdrawal symptoms.

• Fatigue.

• Extreme irritations.

• Intolerance to foods.

• Feelings of guilt at having eaten.

The very cornerstones to curing the addiction are to:

• Identify and avoid what are known to be trigger foods or drinks.

• Put into practice a diet that is nutrient rich, healthy, and helps maintain or loose weight.

• Make lifestyle changes. Adopt a healthier lifestyle and include plenty of fresh air as well as exercise.

• Focus on personal and spiritual development. Seek inner peace, calm, and joy. Practice meditation and deep breathing.

• Plan to have activity filled days to distract the mind from food.

Why You Should Drink Green Tea

2007-06-04T23:44:00.000+08:00

Even if you have a niggling doubt that you may be a food addict you must seek help. Nip the problem in the bud before it grows into something unmanageable and serious. You must consult a nutritionist, doctor, psychologist, or an eating addiction center or specialist. There are programs run by groups like Overeaters Anonymous that run 12-step programs which are extremely beneficial.

In the Asian nations green teas has been enjoyed for a long time for a number of reasons, including both taste and health. The western world and the medical community have recently started to recognize the many benefits of choosing to drink green tea. The great reasons to drink tea are discussed briefly below.

Reason 1: A Vacation from the OrdinaryEach day most peoples consume at least a few cups of coffee. In the supermarket today there are countless different flavors available, although sometimes you will want to truly escape from the ordinary. Green tea might just be the change you want with its grassy flavor and sweet, nutty aroma.

Reason 2: Green Tea Chock Full of AntioxidantsFor centuries green teas has been drunk and enjoyed for its healing properties. The western medical world is beginning to see why with the advances of science. Since green tea contains antioxidants it is a great reason to drink it. These antioxidants have been proven to help in the growth of healthy cells and increase the energy needed for daily life activities.

Reason 3: Escape the Caffeine JittersCaffeine jitters can result for some people who drink coffee. Everyone experiences at some point the bodies feeling after a last cup of coffee when it starts to shake as if in preparation for liftoff. This is why many have decided to give up coffee altogether. Green tea is a great reason for these consumers since it is a different, milder form of caffeine. When it comes to the jitters caused by caffeine most green teas that aren’t decaffeinated seem to have a milder effect. There isn’t an exact known reason for this, but for many it is easier to stay awake during the business day by drinking green tea.

In the list of reasons to drink green tea these are just a few. Depending on your personal taste preference and why kind of health benefits you want there may be many other benefits of green tea. Green tea will help you feel better and more inclined to face the day no matter what your reasons are.

Chocolate is healthy !!!!

2007-06-04T16:57:00.001+08:00

This is proven fact; although many in our diet obsessed western cultures would have you believe that it is not. Most diets today followed by people unhappy with their weight ban chocolate and categorize it as one of the "bad" foods that people should not eat!

BUT chocolate is healthy, very healthy in fact. Cacao, from which chocolate is made is one of the greatest sources of anti-oxidants, it provides us with magnesium, potassium and other useful amino acids which help our bodies.

What is not good for us is over sweet sugar laden chocolate confectionary which contains very little REAL chocolate. REAL CHOCOLATE is a bar or tablet made from cacao, cacao butter and little else besides, but can also include high quality handmade pralines' which are chocolates filled with chocolate fillings. Pure chocolate is even healthier than milk chocolate and white chocolate, but good quality chocolate of all these colors is infinitely better than the modern confectionary.

Chocolate, derived from the tropical plant Theobroma Cacao was brought to Europe in 1528 by Cortes. Until 1615 it remained a secret of the Spanish until King Louis XIII married the daughter of the king of Spain. She introduced chocolate to the French court, the French love of chocolate has not ceased since.Several recent studies have confirmed the positive role that chocolate can play in our diets. We are all told we must eat foods laden with anti-oxidants, and we should eat foods high in vitamins or minerals. Chocolate is a product which has a high source of these important elements.

Eating REAL CHOCOLATES which are not too high in sugar can be beneficial to your health. As with all eating this needs to be in moderation but CHOCOLATE is beneficial to your health. TRUE and thankfully so!So many diets today want us to give up everything and only eat certain foods. But eating a balanced diet with all the food groups, eating smaller portions, yet eating three times a day a full meal is far healthier than the way most people eat today.

One exception I know of is the French. A great French book entitled French Women Don't Get Fat details exactly why they don't - yet they eat chocolate and eat all food groups. The secret lies in eating smaller quantities of high quality produce, and doing it in a reverent way. If you sit down three times a day to a proper meal then snacking becomes unnecessary as you will never be hungry, always enjoy your food AND be able to enjoy luxury foods like chocolate without having to worry about your figure. French women eat dessert twice each day! At lunch and dinner, and seldom go a day without eating chocolate in one form or another. Coffee is also a ritual, always one small cup accompanied by one small chocolate. Learn to savior high quality coffee, with high quality chocolate both in small amounts. It is healthy, beneficial to your health and there is no guilt involved since you only had a little of both.