Why You Should Avoid Packed Juices

Everyone is aware of the 4 to 5 fresh fruits and vegetables intake
recommended by the FDA to stay healthy. But at times I find it very difficult to reach the daily quota of fruits. That is until I discovered the virtues of home-made fruit and vegetable juices which is surely the most convenient and easiest way to meet that recommendation.
Fresh home-made juices are important in a diet to maintain a good health. They are also very tasty and packed with natural vitamins, fibre, minerals and flavonoids (antioxidants).

Health benefits of fruit based juices are:

1. Protection against premature aging of body cells. This property is conferred by the presence of flavonoids which are excellent antioxidants and also by vitamin B, C and E. Flavonoids are also important due to their antiviral, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities.
2. They contain elements that act as barriers against sunlight or more precisely ultra-violet rays.
3. They help in lowering risk of developing cancers.
4. They contain chlorophyll which help in the synthesis of oxygen-carrying compounds (hemoglobin) in the blood.
5. They contain fibre which enhance nutrient absorption and reduces the number of fat molecules reaching the blood stream.
6. They contain vitamin C that prevents scurvy disease which is the bleeding of gums and dislodging of tooth from their cavities.
7. They contain metals like iron which prevent deficiency disease like anemia which is a condition where the body cannot carry enough oxygen to all parts of the body.
8. They prevent dehydration of cells as they contain 65% of clean and pure water.
9. According to recent studies fruit juices can cut the risks of contracting Alzheimer's.
10. Unlike certain rumors fresh fruit juices does not cause weight gain.

HOMEMADE JUICES V/S PACKED JUICES
Five reasons to choose homemade drinks over packed beverages.

1. Most packed juices are stuffed with sugar which make these beverages more caloric than a fresh blended fruit.
2. Natural fruits does not contain any artificial food colorings or additives which are often not very good to our body. Such fruits juices can be distinguished from a homemade juice through the light or strong coloration of the tongue upon consumption.
3. The skin which contains much fibre are removed in packed juice. Skin of grapes and other fruits contains cancer preventing molecules.
4. Many fruit juices are boiled before packing to kill bacteria but in the process important vitamins and natural elements, essential to the body are destroyed.
5. The packed fruit juices are filtered from pulps before canned and boxed to maintain a good fluidity. These pulps contains most of the antioxidants. And those drinks labeled with added pulp are not very viable because there are no guarantee that it is the original natural pulp which is redded.

Ref: Raw Foods - Benefits of Juicing & Diethack.com

 

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Top 10 Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Veggies

Which fruits and veggies pack the most powerful antioxidant punch?

Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University figured it out by measuring various fruits and vegetables for their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), a fancy way of saying their antioxidant power. Here are the top 10 performers in each category:

 
Fruits
1. Prunes
2. Raisins
3. Blueberries
4. Blackberries
5. Strawberries
6. Raspberries
7. Plums
8. Oranges
9. Red grapes
10. Cherries

Vegetables
1. Kale
2. Spinach
3. Brussels sprouts
4. Alfalfa sprouts
5. Broccoli flowers
6. Beets
7. Red bell peppers
8. Onions
9. Corn
10. Eggplant

Ref: Reader's Digest

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Stay Healthy on Your Next Flight #2

Let's continue our journey onwards from my previous post to learn more tips about landing safe and healthy after a flight.

7. Avoid sitting with your legs crossed. Instead, prop your feet on some carry-on luggage to make yourself more comfortable.

8. Get to the airport two hours early so you can request a seat change to the exit row. You will have oodles more room to stretch your legs, reducing your risk of blood clots and improving your mood throughout the entire flight. Unfortunately, you can only book the exit row seat at the airport. Use those extra two hours to get in some power walking through the airport. In case you don't get there early enough, book an aisle seat. At least you'll be able to get up and walk around without climbing over your neighbour.

9. If you can afford it or arrange it, travel business class. The fabric seats in economy class are perfect havens for dust mites and other allergens and germs. Often, seats in business class are leather, which are more hygienic.

10. Bring a fully charged cell phone preprogrammed with airline reservation telephone numbers. If your flight is delayed or canceled, you can immediately call reservations to rebook. Much quicker (and thus less stressful) than standing in the customer service line.

11. Bring a bottle of water and a bag of healthy snacks in your carry-on bag even for what should be a short flight. Not only do fewer airlines serve food these days, but unexpected delays (like sitting on the tarmac for 90 minutes while the wings are de-iced) can send your blood sugar plummeting.

12. Carry a large, empty plastic coffee mug (the kind with a top you can sip through). Ask any restaurant in the airport to fill it with ice and water. Bingo! Free water to maintain hydration. On the plane, have the attendant refill it. Much better than the tiny cups of water they usually provide.

13. When booking flights, book the first flight of the day. It's most likely to be on time, so you're less likely to get stressed. It's also most likely to be freshly cleaned.

14. Keep your nasal passages and ears clear by taking a decongestant as directed for 24 hours before your flight. This will shrink the membranes in your sinuses and ears.

15. Chew gum, swallow vigorously, or yawn widely when the plane is taking off or landing. This will equalize the pressure in your middle ear.

16. Skip the alcohol during the flight. The air in the plane is dry enough; alcohol just dehydrates you even more. Same with caffeinated drinks.

17. Resist the temptation to remove your shoes during the flight. You'll end up with swollen feet due to the low air pressure in the cabin, and your shoes will be uncomfortable when you put them back on.

18. Dress in layers. Planes are often too hot or too cold. Stay in control of your own temperature by having layers to add or subtract.

I hope you'll have a healthy flight and a safe landing!!

Ref: Reader's Digest & Stealth Health

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Stay Healthy on Your Next Flight

There's only one way to really enjoy flying: Buy your own plane. The rest of us are stuck with missed and canceled flights, sardine-can cabins, and humiliating security procedures, all of which are enough to send our stress levels soaring.

Add to that the physical tolls extracted by cabin air literally drier than the air in the Sahara, changing cabin pressure, and hours of sitting in a chair seemingly no wider than your hips, with someone's seat back in your lap, and you'll understand why the following tips are so critical when you take to the skies.

1. Three days before your trip, start boosting your immune system with doses of vitamin C. There are more germs circulating in the air on planes than you can shake a stick at. Don't ruin your trip by getting sick.

2. Take an aspirin the day before a long flight, the day of the flight, and for three days afterward. Have you heard of deep-vein thrombosis, also known as economy-class syndrome? When you sit without moving around for long hours, the blood pools in the legs. That could lead to a blood clot, and if that blood clot travels to your lungs or another important organ, it could be deadly. Aspirin thins the blood, making clots less likely.

 
3. Pack three chamomile tea bags in your carry-on bag. When the airline attendant comes around with drinks, ask for a cup of hot water and dunk the tea bag. The herbal tea will soothe your travel jitters and relax you enough so you can get some sleep on the plane, arriving refreshed.

4. Use a backpack for your carry-on so you can take the stairs in airports instead of the elevator or escalator. You'll probably have the stairs all to yourself, and it's a great way to stretch your legs and burn a few calories before you get onboard. As you wait for your flight, power walk through your terminal. "I can rack up a couple of miles just by ambling to and from the gates and circling the baggage carousel," says Ian Adamson, an exercise physiologist and adventure athlete who spends roughly seven months of the year traveling to races.

5. Get up and walk between meals, and use that time to stretch. Do the following stretching exercises at least once every hour during the flight, courtesy of Adamson:

• Standing in the aisle, stretch your calves by taking a large step back with one leg and reaching into the floor with your back heel.
• Also while standing, stretch your torso and back by twisting gently from side to side.
• Then, when seated, stretch your arms, shoulders, and upper back by extending one arm overhead, bending it, and placing your palm against your shoulder blade. You can use the other arm to increase the stretch.

6. In your seat, perform these six exercises every half-hour. They will keep the blood flowing and help prevent stiffness.

• Raise your shoulders and rotate front to back, then back to front.
• Drop your chin to your chest. Nod yes, then nod no, pointing your chin to one shoulder, then the other.
• Clasp your fingers together, palms facing each other, then stretch your arms out straight in front of you, palms facing out.
• With your heels on the floor, pull your toes up as far as possible. Hold for a few seconds, then release.
• Lift one foot slightly off the floor and make small circular motions in each direction with your foot. Repeat with the other foot.
• Lift one heel as high as possible while keeping your toes on the floor. Hold for a few seconds, then release. Repeat with the other foot.

We'll continue our journey of learning to staying healthy on a flight in my next post...........

Ref: Reader's Digest & Stealth Health

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Are You Normal or Nuts?

Do you talk to yourself ? Cry at chocolate commercials? Forget where you left your keys?

We all try to pass ourselves off as a regular person, with normal behaviours, but experts know it better. The truth is you as well as me have a few truly bizarre habits.

How do experts know that ? Well, because we all have them. Weirdness itself is normal -- and makes us human. But while there's a big fat line between deviancy and  quirkiness, it's not always so easy to tell the difference between that "cute" little thing we do and a behaviour that may truly be harming us, or others.

I recently read answer to a question I am sure you too have been wondering about since always.

Question:

How come I can remember everything I did, said and wore in second grade, but I can't remember where I left the car keys this morning? Is this early senility? I'm only 40 years old!

Answer:

Here's the answer by William Speed Weed published in Reader's Digest

Though some short-term memory loss is normal as we age, it usually doesn't signal early senility. And you probably don't actually remember everything you did, said and wore in second grade. What you remember is a handful of outfits and maybe a dozen key episodes. This was possibly an important year for you developmentally, and you crystallized these particular events into your long-term memory by recalling them many times and telling other people about them.

"These memories are accessible now because you really paid attention to those events when they occurred," says JoAnna Wood, a research psychologist in San Antonio who has done numerous behavioural studies for NASA. "But this morning's car keys? Not so much. You were probably thinking about important things like work, what to have for dinner, and the bills you need to pay," so you spaced out on the keys. In long-term memory, we enshrine a few good moments from each passing year, and those that stick, stick well. In short-term memory, which uses a slightly different part of the brain, we try to keep track of the flurry of things in the immediate moment, and often those things slip. The solution is to take the car-key problem away from your short-term memory: Hang a hook by the door and put your keys there every single time you come in.

That was expert's take on this, share with us what do you think about this ?

Do share your thoughts and opinions by commenting on my article.....

Picture Courtesy: www.cartoonstock.com

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Tea can fasten Weight Loss

One frustrating thing about trying to lose weight is the snail's pace at which the pounds seem to drop. Then there's the harsh reality that the more weight you lose, the harder your body fights to hold on to the calories it gets and the fewer calories it burns. That's usually about the time you hit the infamous weight-loss plateau -- and start losing steam. But what if you could turbo-charge your weight-loss efforts without a lot of sacrifice with simple weight loss supplements?

A study done by scientists from Japan’s University of Tokushima School of Medicine found that people who added a cup of oolong tea to their diet each day burned over twice as much fat as those drinking green tea.

Another study completed at the Suntory Research Center in Osaka, Japan revealed yet another anti-obesity property of oolong tea. The results showed that drinking oolong 15 minutes before consumption of carbohydrates curbed the sharp insulin spike that those prone to weight gain experience after eating carbohydrates. Again, for those of us without medical degrees, insulin has been pegged the body’s “fat storing hormone”, and having a spike of it every time you eat sugar or starch is essentially the Achilles Heel of weight loss.

Health Benefits of Oolong Tea:

Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea – and therefore becoming the most popular teas designed to accelerate weight loss.

Drinking two cups of Oolong tea every day not only helps shed stubborn pounds by boosting your metabolism, but also blocks the fattening effects of carbohydrates.

Oolong tea promotes beauty and health - It contains a large quantity of polymerized polyphenols. These polyphenol compounds have been clinically proven (Suntory Research Center in Osaka, Japan) to activate enzymes that cause triglycerides to dissolve, producing fat-burning effects. They also improve metabolism which facilitates weight loss through natural body processes, which:

• promotes strong, healthy teeth;
• improves cognitive functioning and mental well-being;
• preventing eczema, allergies;
• clarifies your skin, giving it a healthy, radiant glow. Being rich in catechins, theaflavins and thearubigins, these are all powerful antioxidants
• strengthens your immune system.

Impossible diet plans, starvation, joining extensive work out schedules lack the ease of stimulating body's metabolic rate in an easy to follow way. Sipping oolong tea twice each day can definitely add beautiful results to our diet programs by supplementing the much needed push to our metabolic rate that hastens weight loss.

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Smoke and Oral Health

Smoking affects us, our body, people around us and even the environment on a large scale. Talking in terms of it's effects on health, besides the link between tobacco and heart disease, stroke, emphysema and cancer (especially, lung and throat cancers), smoking leads to the following oral health consequences:

• Bad breath
• Tooth discoloration
• Inflammation of the salivary gland openings on the roof of the mouth
• Increased build up of plaque and tartar on the teeth
• Increased loss of bone within the jaw
• Increased risk of leukoplakia
• Increased risk of developing gum disease, a leading cause of tooth loss
• Delayed healing process following tooth extraction, periodontal treatment or oral surgery
• Lower success rate of dental implant procedures
• Increased risk of developing oral cancer

How Does Smoking Lead to Gum Disease?

Tobacco products damage your gum tissue by affecting the attachment of bone and soft tissue to your teeth. More specifically, it appears that smoking interferes with the normal function of gum tissue cells. This interference makes smokers more susceptible to infections, such as periodontal disease, and also seems to impair blood flow to the gums — which may affect wound healing.

Do Pipe and Cigar Smokers Experience Fewer Oral Health Risks Than Cigarette Smokers?

No.

According to results of a 23-year long study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, cigar smokers experience tooth loss and alveolar bone loss (bone loss within the jawbone that anchors teeth) at rates equivalent to those of cigarette smokers. Pipe smokers also have a similar risk of experiencing tooth loss as cigarette smokers. Beyond these risks, pipe and cigar smokers are still at risk for oral and pharyngeal (throat) cancers – even if you don't inhale – as well as face the other oral health downsides of smoking – bad breath, stained teeth, and increased risk of periodontal (gum) disease.

Are Smokeless Tobacco Products Safer?

No.

Like cigars and cigarettes, smokeless tobacco products (for example, snuff and chewing tobacco) contain at least 28 chemicals that have been shown to increase the risk of oral cancer and cancer of the throat and oesophagus (food pipe). In fact, chewing tobacco contains higher levels of nicotine than cigarettes, making it harder to quit than cigarettes. And one can of snuff delivers more nicotine than over 60 cigarettes.

Smokeless tobacco can irritate your gum tissue, causing it to recede or pull away from your teeth. Once the gum tissue recedes, your teeth roots become exposed, creating an increased risk of tooth decay. Exposed roots are also more sensitive to hot and cold or other irritants, making eating and drinking uncomfortable.

In addition, sugars, which are often added to enhance the flavour of smokeless tobacco, can increase your risk for tooth decay. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association showed that chewing tobacco users were four times more likely than nonusers to develop tooth decay.

Smokeless tobacco also typically contains sand and grit, which can wear down your teeth. Finally, use of smokeless tobacco products increases the risk of cancers of the cheek, gingival (gums) and inner surface of the lips by about 50 times compared with nonsmokers.

Kick the Habit

Regardless of how long you have used tobacco products, quitting now can greatly reduce serious risks to your health. Eleven years after quitting, former smokers' likelihood of having periodontal (gum) disease was not significantly different from people who never smoked.

Even reducing the amount you smoke appears to help. One study found that smokers who reduced their smoking habit to less than half a pack a day had only three times the risk of developing periodontal disease compared with nonsmokers, which was significantly lower than the six times higher risk seen in those who smoked more than a pack and a half per day. Another study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association found that the mouth lesion leukoplakia completely resolved within 6 weeks of quitting in 97.5% of patients with these lesions who used smokeless tobacco products.

Some statistics from the American Cancer Society present some other sobering reasons to quit smoking. They state that:

• About 90% of people with cancer of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat use tobacco, and the risk of developing these cancers increases with the amount smoked or chewed and the duration of the habit. Smokers are six times more likely than nonsmokers to develop these cancers.
• About 37% of patients who persist in smoking after apparent cure of their cancer will develop second cancers of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat compared with only 6% of those who stop smoking.

How Can I Quit?

Your dentist or doctor may be able to help you calm nicotine cravings with medications, such as nicotine gum and patches. Some of these products can be purchased over-the-counter; others require a prescription. Other medications (such as Zyban) require a prescription.

Smoking cessation classes and support groups are often used in tandem with drug therapy. These programs are offered through local hospitals in your community and sometimes through your employer or health insurance company. Ask your doctor or dentist for information on similar programs they may be familiar with.

Herbal remedies as well as hypnosis and acupuncture are other treatments that may help you kick the habit.

Ref: WebMD

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Eat it Slow!

In our busy lives, we can often imagine ourselves nibbling our meals in haste. We all know eating food is important if we want our systems to work, to be able to do the jobs well. Yet we ignore the importance of eating food the most effective way. Eating food slowly can do more good than what is listed on the nutrition charts of whatever you are eating.

Here are the 9 strong reasons why you should eat slowly:

1. All gain deal:

Slow eating rate doesn't have any negative effects on your health, but can bring you a number of benefits without extra cost. It's an all gain deal which won't hurt you ever in anyway.

2. Appetite reduction :

Eating slowly gradually reduces the appetite from the time you begin to eat. It takes the brain about 15-20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. And if you have no appetite, you end up eating less.

3. Portion control :

It is the direct sequel of the point #2. Slowly eating can make it much easier to eat less without feeling deprived. It takes some time to feel the fullness, so give this time to your body. Eating fast lets you eat too much before you are fully aware of it. Slowing the rate of eating can allow the satiety signals to develop before your plate is empty.

4. Keeping check on your weight :

Portion size and eating speed seem to be the part of the reason of famous “French paradox” -- the relatively low incidence of heart disease and overweight in France as compared to the United States, despite the generally high intake of calorie-rich foods and saturated fat. It is well documented that the French take longer to eat than Americans despite French eat smaller portions. Recently Japanese researches found strong positive correlation between rate of eating and body mass index (BMI) and obesity.

5. Good Digestion :

It is well known that digestion begins in the mouth, where the saliva is mixed with the food and starts to break it down into smaller chemicals that can be absorbed and nourish the body. Chewing food thoroughly promotes smooth, complete digestion. Basically the slower you eat the faster and more efficiently you metabolize the food. When food is swallowed whole it makes it more difficult for the body to absorb all the important nutrients (e.g vitamins, minerals, and amino acids).

6. Enjoy the taste :

When you eat slowly, you end up tasting your food more. Eating slowly lets you experience more of the flavors, textures and smells of the food you eat. Your food will become more interesting. Moreover, spending some time to relish the taste of food does optimum justice with cook who has spent quite a lot of time to prepare it for you.

7. Quality versus Quantity :

Slow eating may become a small step to a more healthy diet. If you won't like what you eat when you eat it slowly, probably the next time you will choose something of a better quality and enjoy the pleasures of good food. Fast eaters are more prone to consume "junk" and "fast" foods.

8. Insulin resistance

Japanese researches found that eating fast is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a silent condition that increases the chances of developing diabetes and heart disease. Also, fast eating seems to be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome (combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance).

9. Heartburn & Gastroesophageal reflux

Rapid eating may cause acid reflux. It may be especially true for people suffering from GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease).

Ref : PubMed & healthassist.net

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Can my dentist improve my smile?

From subtle changes to major repairs, your dentist can perform a variety of procedures to improve your smile. There are many techniques and options to treat teeth that are discolored, chipped, misshapen or missing. Your dentist can reshape your teeth, close spaces, restore worn or short teeth or alter the length of your teeth. Common procedures include bleaching, bonding, caps, crowns, veneers, and reshaping and contouring.

These improvements are not always cosmetic. Many of these treatments can improve oral problems, such as your bite.

Bleaching

Bleaching is a common and popular chemical process used to whiten teeth. Some people get their teeth bleached to make stains disappear, while other just want a whiter shade.

Discoloration occurs in the enamel and can be caused by medication, coffee, tea and cigarettes. Discoloration also can be caused by your genetic make-up or simply getting older.

Bleaching can be performed by your dentist in the office or, under dental supervision, at home. Many patients enjoy bleaching at home because it is more convenient. Treatment begins when your dentist creates a custom mouthpiece to ensure the correct amount of whitening solution-10 percent to 20 percent carbamide peroxide-is used and that your teeth are properly exposed. Typically, whitening at home takes two or three weeks, depending on the desired shade you wish to achieve. Whitening in the office may call for two to six 45-minute visits to your dentist's office.

Bonding

Bonding is tooth-colored material used to fill in gaps or change the color of teeth. Requiring a single office visit, bonding lasts several years. Bonding is more susceptible to staining or chipping than other forms of restoration. When teeth are chipped or slightly decayed, bonded composite resins may be the material of choice. Bonding also is used as a tooth-colored filling for small cavities and broken or chipped surfaces. Additionally, it can be used to close spaces between teeth or cover the entire outside surface of a tooth to change its color and shape.

Crowns, also known as caps, are used in cases where other procedures will not be effective. Crowns have the longest life expectancy of all cosmetic restorations, but are the most time consuming.

Veneers

Veneers are placed over the front teeth to change color or shape of your teeth. Veneers are used on teeth with uneven surfaces or are chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain or plastic cemented over the front of your teeth. Little or no anesthesia is needed. Veneers are used to treat some of the same problems as bonding.

This treatment is an alternative to crowns, which are more expensive. The procedure requires your dentist to take an impression of your tooth. Before the custom-made veneer is glued directly onto the tooth, your dentist will lightly buff the tooth to compensate for the added thickness of the veneer. Once the cement is between the veneer and your tooth, a light beam is used to harden it. Porcelain veneers require more than one visit because they are fabricated in a laboratory. Veneers have a longer life expectancy and color stability than bonding.

Contouring and reshaping

Tooth reshaping and contouring, is a procedure to correct crooked teeth, chipped teeth, cracked teeth or even overlapping teeth in a single session. Tooth reshaping and dental contouring, is commonly used to alter the length, shape or position of your teeth. Contouring teeth may also help correct small problems with bite. It is common for bonding to be combined with tooth reshaping.

This procedure is ideal for candidates with normal healthy teeth, but who want subtle changes to their smile. Your dentist will take X-rays to evaluate the size and location of the pulp of each tooth to ensure that there's enough bone between the teeth to support them.

Which procedure is right for me?

Your dentist can answer many of the questions you may have about techniques used to improve your smile. The condition of your teeth and desired result you want often dictates the best procedure. If you are considering a treatment, there are a few questions you can ask your dentist before deciding if a particular procedure is right for you.

• What will the changes look like?

• What should I expect through the course of treatment?

• What type of maintenance will be required?

Your dentist will answer questions you may have about the procedure, maintenance and price to help you choose the treatment that best suits you.

Ref : Academy of General Dentistry

Picture courtesy: www.teethluver.com/ , http://www.drlarrystone.com/ls_veneers.asp , http://www.smilebuilderz.com/, http://www.dettmerdds.com/smiles.html

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Conquer Your Cravings

It's 8:00 p.m., and you're sitting comfortably in front of the television when suddenly the urge hits:
You must have a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream. You can't stop thinking about it. Your craving is so intense that if you don't find ice cream hidden in the back of your

freezer, you may even run out to the store to pick up a half-gallon.
We've all experienced those strong urges for a particular food -- whether it be ice cream or greasy French fries. So how do you prevent your craving from turning into an out-of-control binge? Nutrition experts offer these simple tips to tame your urges.

Let it pass. Studies suggest that the average craving lasts only about 10 minutes, so try to let the urge subside before you even walk into the kitchen or toward the vending machine.

Practice portion control. While it's okay to slip up occasionally, you need to keep an eye on how much you're eating. Try to prevent yourself from overindulging by placing only a certain amount of food in front of you. For instance, try putting potato chips in a small bowl rather than eating them right out of the bag.

Reach for healthy substitutes. Try to eat a similar food that has a better nutritional value than the one you crave. A glass of chocolate skim milk instead of a candy bar is a healthier choice. Or, instead of regular ice cream, try low-fat frozen yogurt.

Don't be too restrictive. Any food is okay in moderation and depriving yourself may lead you to overeat something else.

Write it down. Keep track of your cravings in your journal to determine if your emotional state is the underlying trigger. Once you figure out what's causing your urges, try looking for other ways to address those emotional needs. If you're having a stressful day, take a break and go for a walk or call a friend. If you're feeling down, try renting a funny movie.

Ref : ChangeOne.com

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10 Bad Eating Habits That You Must Correct At All Cost

You are a little chubby, you discover that you took a few kilos… It's time to react! But before you start a diet, it is necessary to overcome your bad eating habits.

1. Your breakfast is limited to a coffee.
It is difficult to keep all morning with such a breakfast! Try to make it more consistent and more palatable.

The Trick: Try our smart ways of eating healthy breakfasts in the morning.
And if you are sick of cereals, here are some great fuels to keep you going during the day.
Also some people complain that they do not enjoy breakfasts in the morning. Here is a take on how to feel like enjoying your breakfast.

2. You always have with you a chocolate bar in case of a hunger pang or declining form.
Cravings are often the result of skipped meals, and they result in extremely calorie snacking.

The Trick: Try to organize your diet better. And in the case of small hunger, rather eat an apple!

3. You rely on various coffee drinks during the day to keep your energy level high.
Ultimately, you multiply the calories too: two sugars in the cup, and 5 or 6 coffees a day, is already 150 to 200 Kcal added.

The Trick: Why not use the sweetener (it has become commonplace!), Or even learn to enjoy your coffee "nature"? Remember that caffeine acts on the nervous system: a good decaffeinated coffee, is also enjoyable, and less irritating!

4. For lunch, it is a sandwich and a carbonated beverage.
Though this meal keeps you full, it is not ideal when you want to eat well, and control your weight.

The Trick: Limit the damage! Order a chicken sandwich or a vegge (without butter or mayonnaise). In place of a carbonated beverage, take a tomato juice or grapefruit juice, or better water.

5. You start your meal with an egg-mayonnaise.
You know, this is not reasonable! But you do not like a salad too much…

The Trick: You can always dump the starter, and eat a piece of fruit for dessert: it is healthier! But if you do not want to give up the pleasure of eating meat or egg, opt instead for the ham - raw or cooked - fat, cheese head or ham marbling (the leaner meats), or an egg jelly (80 Kcal).

6. You use the restaurant at your workplace to choose what you do not eat at home: sauerkraut, or sausage and fries.
Why not? But every day or almost every day is not a great idea when you want to lose weight.

The Trick: For now, make a cross on french fries, with sauces and preparations which are too rich. And stick to a dish of roasted or grilled meat (or fish) with vegetables.

7. Your weak point: Cheese which you take with all meals.
If your portions of cheese are larger than the other portions of food on your plate, you may well have a very high total calories, not counting the large infusion of saturated fat.

The Trick: If you cannot live without cheese on your plate, better eat it only for breakfast. That way you will not be tempted to eat it afterwards. Choose a quality cheese, trying not to exceed 40 or 50 g (it is already a beautiful piece).

8. You eat a lot of bread.
It is a food that provide complex carbohydrates and satisfy the appetite. There is no reason to remove it completely: continue to consume it in the morning, but reduce it in your main meals.

The Trick: Put in your plate what you will eat for lunch (2 slices instead of 4, for example), and then put away the bread basket.

9. In good company, you empty easily several glasses of wine at the table.
Reserve wine for the weekends: weekdays, stick to water during meals, the drink that quenches thirst better than everything, does not distort the taste of dishes (like soft drinks) and provides no calories.

The Trick: Put on the table a wineglass and a glass of water: fill the wineglass only once, and the water glass as many times as you want!

10. When you return home from work, you like to relax in front of the TV with a drink and a snack.
The problem is that you nibble at the same time a lot of high-energy things, and you often double or triple the glass, thus the amount of alcohol consumed…

The Trick: A cup of tea, a hot shower does the trick also: to relax… It is a reflex for most people to nibble something in front of the TV, but you can also decide to settle down in front of the small screen having nothing to drink or eat at your fingertips.

Ref: www.Diethack.com

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The Good and The Bad about Beer

The Good

Source of Vitamins, Minerals and Flavonoids.

Beer is rich in many vitamins of the B group and in such minerals as magnesium. Barley and hops used in the production of beer are rich in flavonoids, which have powerful antioxidant effects.

Coronary heart disease (CHD).

There is a quite strong evidence that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has cardio-protective properties. Many research studies demonstrate a lower coronary heart disease incidence among moderate beer drinkers. Moderate drinkers are at lower risk of CHD-related mortality than both heavy drinkers and abstainers. Vitamin B6 in beer seems to prevent the alcohol-induced rise in blood homocysteine, a probable heart disease risk factor. Also, beer intake decreases blood coagulation activity (inhibiting the formation of potentially dangerous blood clots).

Cholesterol.

Moderate alcohol intake affects many processes in the body, one of which is the significant increase in HDL cholesterol - the good cholesterol. There is supporting evidence for beer’s cardio-protective effect and for its help in altering the ratio of beneficial high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to the low-density cholesterol .

Kidney stones.

Beer consumption may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. Finnish researches found that there was a 40% lower risk of kidney stones in beer drinkers.

X-Rays radioprotection.

Japan researchers found that beer helps reduce chromosomal damage from radiation exposure .

The Bad

"Beer belly".

Heavy beer drinking may promote abdominal obesity in men. Though many scientific researches attribute it to the high calorie snacks eaten along with beer and not beer itself.

Heartburn.

Beer may induce gastroesophageal reflux and cause heartburn . Beer contains powerful stimulants of gastric acid secretion.

Blood pressure.

Daily beer consumption (approximately 40 g of alcohol) may increase blood pressure .

Gout.

Beer contains much higher amounts of purines than other alcoholic beverages. Researchers found that regular beer intake increases the risk of gout .

Dehydration.

Alcohol is a dehydrating agent.

Intoxication.

Alcohol is a downer that reduces activity of the central nervous system. High amounts of alcohol can turn into intoxication and hangover. The alcohol intoxication causes loose muscle tone, loss of motor coordination, slower reaction times, lowering of caution and other negative effects.

Impairment of driving-related skills.

Even low amounts of alcohol can adversely effects attention and motor skills. In fact, many serious accidents are alcohol related.

Interactions with medications.

Alcohol may interact harmfully with a great number medications: anticoagulants, medication for diabetes, beta blockers, antihistamines, antibiotics, antidepressants, pain relievers, sleeping pills.

Pregnancy.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a number of birth defects, ranging from mild to severe. Alcohol is quickly transferred from the mother's bloodstream to the baby's. Researchers have not been able to determine the exact amount of alcohol that is "safe" for the development of the baby.

Alcoholism.

Heavy drinking can develop into an addiction.

The key:

Again, moderation and wisdom. Growing evidence supporting the nutritional and health benefits of moderate beer drinking is NOT a permissive license to drink in excess. Moderate beer consumption appears to improve health. However, remember, alcohol abusers are at higher risk for all types of disease. Also, abstinents should not be advised to begin to drink solely to protect against heart disease.

Ref : Healthassist

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10 Foods that melt off pounds

Is melting off those extra pounds a secret top ranker of your new year resolutions?

While regular exercise and diet control are the "secrets" to slimness, there are foods that contain chemicals to burn away superfluous calories and to flee away those troublesome hunger pains. Here are ten foods to help you make peace with your bathroom scale:

1. Grapefruit
Myth: Grapefruits provokes breast cancer.

Reality: They are powerful fat fighters due to their high fiber content. Sugar free, grapefruit drink has fewer calories than an orange of the same weight. In the Enlightened Eater's Whole Foods Guide, Dietitian Rosie Schwartz provides that Phytochemicals and soluble fiber in citrus fruits lower cholesterol.

2. Chilies
Myth: Chilies don't just add pow to your dish; they can also increase your body's ability to burn calories for hours.

Reality: Capsaicin, the compound found in chilies, does increase your metabolism slightly, increasing the energy your body burns during digestion. But don't make it so hot that you will have to wash it down with loads of water. Eating capsaicin may curb your appetite slightly.

3. Black Beans
Myth: Beans keep you full longer than other foods.

Reality: Beans such as black beans and lentils are low in fat and rich in soluble fiber. They digest slowly and maintain the glucose levels in the blood steady. Regularly eating black or navy beans may lower your risk of colon cancer, the following study shows.

4. Apple
Myth: An apple a day keeps the doctor "and fat" away.

Reality: An apple alone is not enough. Eating several apples every day is actually a great idea. Fruits like apples and pears take time to chew and fill you up as compared to one small glass juice which contains the equivalent calories of two apples.
The following study shows that foods high in flavonoids, vitamin-like compounds countering the artery-damaging potential of chemicals, like black tea and apples actually do decrease the risk of stroke.

5. Celery
Myth: Celery is packed with water and "negative calories".

Reality: You burn more calories chewing and digesting celery than it actually contains. Celery has vitamins E and C. It's a diet food but should be featured on everyone's plate. Vegetables high in phytochemicals (celery, broccoli) can help prevent cancer.

6. Strawberries
Myth: Eat as much as strawberries as you want without gaining an ounce.

Reality: While all fruits are packed with vitamins, some are more nutritious than others. Strawberries, peaches, plums and grapes come with cancer-fighting carotenoids and appetite-suppressing fiber. But water-melon, pineapple and papaya cause your glucose level to spike. So aim for 3 to 6 daily servings of the more nutritious fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have been found to reduce heart disease.

7.Mackerel
Myth: Omega-3 fatty acids curb hunger.

Reality: It's not the omega-3 in fish like mackerel and sardines that sounds the alarm for fat limit in your brain but rather the protein mixed with the fat. The mistake many dieters make is to cut out fat completely. Fat is what makes you feel full.

8. Cottage Cheese
Myth: Cottage cheese has much less fat than cheddar cheese.

Reality: It's true. Cottage cheese is a very good source of protein. The yummy white curds are also stuffed with calcium, vitamin B-12 and some zinc and folate. Riboflavin found in cottage cheese guards against anaemia and cancer.

9. Low-Fat Milk
Myth: The more calcium we intake, the better we break down fat.

Reality: Calcium-rich foods do seem to boost metabolism. People who drink milk and eat dairy products regularly have lower weight and less body fat than those who don't.

10. Lettuce
Myth: Leafy foods like lettuce and spinach make feel stuffed with a minimum of calories.

Reality: Foods such as lettuce are bulky foods containing mostly fibre and water. They occupy a lot of space in your stomach, leaving little room for other foods. They contain also a lot of iron, folate,calcium and vitamin A, B, C and E.

Ref: www.diethackcom

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Drink (Water) to health !

We all know that water is good for us, but often the reasons are a little fuzzy. And even if we know why we should drink water, it's not a habit that many people form.
But there are some very powerful reasons to drink lots of water every day, and forming the habit isn't hard, with a little focus.The thing about it is, we don't often focus on this habit. We end up drinking coffee, and lots of soda, and alcohol, not to mention fruit juices and teas and milk and a bunch of other possibilities. Or just as often, we don't drink enough fluids, and we become dehydrated -- and that isn't good for our health.

I've made drinking water a daily habit, although I will admit that a couple of years ago I was more likely to drink anything but water. Now I don't drink anything but water and I sincerely love it.

Here are 9 powerful reasons to drink water (with tips on how to form the water habit afterwards):

1. Weight loss. Water is one of the best tools for weight loss, first of all because it often replaces high-calorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn't have any calories. But it's also a great appetite suppressant, and often when we think we're hungry, we're actually just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbohydrates, no sugar. Drink plenty to help your weight-loss regimen.

2. Heart healthy. Drinking a good amount of water could lower your risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses.

3. Energy. Being dehydrated can sap your energy and make you feel tired -- even mild dehydration of as little as 1 or 2 percent of your body weight. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated -- and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.

4. Headache cure. Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. In fact, often when we have headaches it's simply a matter of not drinking enough water. There are lots of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a common one.

5. Healthy skin. Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won't happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin.

6. Digestive problems. Our digestive systems need a good amount of water to digest food properly. Often water can help cure stomach acid problems, and water along with fiber can cure constipation (often a result of dehydration).

7. Cleansing. Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

8. Cancer risk. Related to the digestive system item above, drinking a healthy amount of water has also been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.

9. Better exercise. Being dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic activities, slowing you down and making it harder to lift weights. Exercise requires additional water, so be sure to hydrate before, during and after exercise.

How to form the water habit

So you're convinced that water is healthier, but you'd like to know more about how to make drinking water a daily habit.
Here are some tips that have helped me:

• How much water?

This is a debatable question. What's clear is that the old recommendation of "eight 8-ounce glasses a day" isn't right, for several reasons: that amount includes all dietary water intake, including food and non-water beverages; it also ignores a person's body weight, which is an important factor in figuring the amount; it also varies if you are sick or exercise. It's also not good to just drink when you're thirsty -- you're already dehydrated by then. Best is to form a routine: drink a glass when you wake up, a glass with each meal, a glass in between meals, and be sure to drink before, during and after exercise. Try to generally keep yourself from getting thirsty.

• Carry a bottle.

A lot of people find it useful to get a big plastic drinking bottle, fill it with water, and carry it around with them all day. I like to keep a glass of water at my desk, and I drink from it all day long. When it's empty, I fill it up again, and keep drinking.

• Set a reminder.

Set your watch to beep at the top of each hour, or set a periodic computer reminder, so that you don't forget to drink water.

• Substitute water.

If you would normally get a soda, or an alcoholic beverage, get a glass of water instead. Try sparkling water instead of alcohol at social functions.

• Filter.

Instead of spending a fortune on bottled water, invest in a filter for your home faucet. It'll make tap water taste like bottled, at a fraction of the price.

• Exercise.

Exercising can help make you want to drink water more. It's not necessary to drink sports drinks like Gatorade when you exercise, unless you are doing it for more than an hour. Just drink water. If you're going to exercise, be sure to drink water a couple hours ahead of time, so that it will get through your system in time, and again, drink during and after exercise as well.

• Track it.

It often helps, when forming a new habit, to keep track of it -- it increases awareness and helps you ensure that you're staying on track. Keep a little log (it can be done on an index card or a notebook), which can be as simple as a tick mark for each glass of water you drink.

Ref: Dumb Little Man

Picture courtesy: http://www.spec.bc.ca/images

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Top 5 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

Here's a list you'll want to check twice: Five ways to slash your risk of cancer.
Doing just one of the anticancer steps is better than nothing. But do all of them and you're cancer risk could drop by as much as 30 percent.

1. Don't smoke (a no-brainer).
2. Limit red meat, alcohol, fat, and . . .

List of 5, Cont'd. . . .
. . . salt.
3. Eat fruit, veggies, and whole grains -- lots of them!
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Watch your weight.

Pick and Choose, Just Pick
Although there is no surefire way to prevent cancer, making healthy choices in your daily life may reduce your risk. If you don't feel capable of following all the anticancer guidelines, at least choose to do the ones you know you have a good shot of sticking to. You can add a few more later, once you've made some progress. Baby steps are fine. And they're way better than doing nothing.

Did You Know?
Myth or fact: Cancer is not contagious.

Some cancer is caused by contagious viruses, like HIV. So in a way, you can catch cancer. You can't directly swap cancer through bloodstream, saliva, or germs, but you can pass along some of the organisms that could cause cancer in a roundabout way. This is especially true for cervical and liver cancers, as well as some lymphomas.

Ref: RealAge

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