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Thursday 27 August 2009
Monday 8 June 2009
How to Lose Weight After Menopause
Weight loss after menopause is not easy and most people start to gain weight when entering into peri-menopause due to changes in hormonal balance. On average a woman will gain 1 to 2 pounds a year during those years of change and weight gain around the abdomen is one of the most common complaints of menopausal women. The sooner this is addressed the easier the transition past menopause.
Tips on how to lose weight after menopause:
• Walk as much as possible, park your car a little further and walk. Join a walking group if you don't feel confident walking on your own. Now is the time to purchase a pedometer and walk 10.000 steps a day • Take the stairs • Avoid sugar or artificial sweeteners • Eat a sensible diet: more green vegetables, less "bad" fats • Learn to relax with meditation, stress can lead to more sugar consumption and over eating • Cut back on bread and pasta • Drink more water, eight glasses a day is recommended • Cut back on coffee and try to drink it black or use skimmed milk • Drink green tea • Take up regular exercise, dance to your favourite music for 30 minutes a day • Replace TV snacks with raw vegetables and fruit • Completely give up sodas of any kind, they contain a lot of sugar or aspartame both to be avoided • Replace your evening meal with a homemade vegetable soup • Eat more small meals as opposed to 3 main meals a day • Choose wholemeal pasta and bread • Add more omega3s to your diet by eating more sardines or salmon, these can be purchased fresh or if in cans decide on the ones in spring water instead of in oil.
To lose weight after menopause takes some work and maybe some lifestyle changes. The rewards are not just weight loss but also improved health, with those changes you will find your well being greatly enhanced as a result. There are many things you can do to not only lose the weight and keep it off, but you can also find out how to live a better and longer life while staying fit and healthy.
Teenage Weight Loss Tips
Are your children overweight? If you have a teenager who is inspired by a celebrity body, your life can be pure misery. He or she is desperate to find a weight loss plan that works.
The first step before jumping into a weight loss program for teens is to ensure that you have the basics, and whether you have tried the program dutifully. This means regular exercise and adequate rest according to their capabilities and skill levels - which can then lead to increasing the frequency and level of fitness when needed. It also means the reduction of fast food and junk food and eating a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables and fiber.
Also, make sure any snacks in between meals are avoided because it is the best way to stack weight and ruin all his good work. Drink at least one and a half liters of water a day. This forms the basis of weight loss and should be encouraged. If you tried these basic principles, and are still struggling to lose weight, then a weight loss program might be needed for your teen.
Whatever program you choose, there are some points you need to do to ensure that the plan works. People often advise to cut down on food, because eating causes weight gain and thus slows down their daily diet plan. If this is true that people try to compromise on what is considered a luxury food in order not to miss out.Soon you will contest on the system which works against you because it does not prepare you mentally.
Practically, you need to use your common sense and judge for yourself or a plan for you. For example, the program I recommend allows you to choose the type of food and invites you to eat so it is not restrictive at all, so you can view the program and see if there is something for you.
Some weight loss plans does not include regular exercise which is important. For a younger person regular exercise is important. Weight loss plans for teens is always a good idea and it can be aided greatly through the discovery of a successful program which not only helps people lose weight, but also helps them gain confidence and high self-esteem which will be discussed in the new system of weight loss: lose weight quickly and keep unwanted fats out
Think you can lose one to two pounds per week in a safe weight loss diet?
I used to think it is not possible. But now, you could lose all the weight you want, and keep the size you want forever, and you can get there quickly. Why wait longer than necessary? Check out my blog below to see how you can get there.
The Basics of Weight Loss Diets
We all love bread (in its various forms), it is simple, cheap, always available and mostly tasty. Bread fits in on virtually any time of the day. But what do you actually know of this simple food? Did you know that white bread is probably the one worst way to provide your body with carbohydrates?
Did you know that white bread is so light in weight that it takes almost a third of a loaf to make a grown person feel full? You didn't? It's OK, most people don't know that. One of the big misconceptions regarding diets is that only sweets and fat cheese can make you fat. I'm telling you right now, white bread makes you fatter. If you are on a diet and you are eating white bread - you need to know that you're disrupting your own efforts. Let's get serious for a moment, 100 grams of white bread contains 270 calories that's approximately 3 slices. 100 grams of Whole wheat bread contains 210 calories but will make you feel a lot fuller.
See, that's the main reason why you should not eat white bread. Aside of that, white brad contains simple carbohydrates, This means it has the same effect as plain table sugar (carbs wise). What does it mean? It means the carbs in the bread are digested quickly, They provide a boost in your blood sugar level, That makes the body release large amounts of insulin. I don't want to get into the biological details but in general, Insulin is used to level your blood sugar level, When insulin levels are high the body does not want to burn fat. In other words, the insulin tells the body to not use the fat but to keep it.
To sum up, when you eat while bread you tell your body to stop burning fat for a while. Why oh why would you do such thing? The answer is simple - you are used to it. My advice is to start getting used to better types of bread. Almost any type of bread which is not made of white flour is better for your weight loss attempts. I'm sure you understood why you should substitute your white bread but let me tell you one more thing. It's easy and doing easy things usually provides quick results.
While dieting, you have a lot of difficulties and a lot on your mind, So why not help yourself with such an easy solution that really doesn't require anything except buying different bread? I see no reason and neither should you. I hope I helped giving you push toward a healthier, thinner life. Good luck,
How Water Helps You Lose Weight in Safe Diets
We are all seeking safe diets that will help us lose weight quickly, but not kill us in the process. Right? Here's an easily overlooked factor that should be included in ALL safe diets...
The big theory - that water plays an important role in safe diets - is very popular and widespread. It is generally accepted as a key element in safe diets and few if any people argue it's effectiveness. When it comes to losing weight, we can use all the tips and pointers we can get, so let's check it out.
It seems simplistic, but safe diets are all about one thing, burning more calories than we take in. Sounds easy enough, how does water fit in?
Water is unique in that it has no calories and you never have to think twice about drinking it! Drink all you want - it's good for you! Not only do you never have to worry about it, most of us don't get enough! Make it a regular daily habit. Water helps safe diets in a myriad of ways...
First...Being calorie free means it can't screw up your diet! No extra weight gain there! In fact, drinking water before and with your meals will help you control your appetite and eat less.
Second...your system is full of toxins. Water helps to flush them out. It also helps hydrate your blood, cleanse the kidneys, assist the liver and more. There are quite a few health and general well being benefits.
Third...your brain function is enhanced by drinking water throughout the day! When you haven't been drinking enough, you start to feel tired, headachy and sluggish. Most of us have been living with these symptoms our whole lives and never realized the cause of them. A glass in the morning will help you feel alive and alert.
All safe diets tell you to eliminate sugar based drinks. Carbonated sodas, sugared fruit juices and so on. What to drink instead? Many of us reach for diet drinks, but they contain chemicals that are VERY bad for you. Water is the answer of course.
Not only are carbonated beverages packed with sugar (and sodium), but they also contain bunches of carcinogenic chemicals and food coloring. Some cause cancer, others mess up your hormonal balance, some are addictive (caffeine) and some damage brain cells.
If your diet includes them, it's not one of the safe diets and you should stop right away. They're just empty calories that pack on the pounds and offer no nutritional value. It is a challenge at first, but once you are weaned off them, you'll never return.
Try getting a water filter if you don't like the taste of the water from your faucets. Actually, you should get a filter even if the taste is no problem. Other choices could be to buy spring water.
Different brands taste differently so try several to find the one that is most to your liking.
Though it will help fill you up, water is NEVER a food substitute. Think of it as a supplement. You could drink enough so that you can skip meals without feeling hunger, but no safe diets would recommend this. It's a very bad, unhealthy idea. But, whenever tempted to reach for a fruit juice or soft drink, reach for the water instead.
To get a LOT more information on safe diets, zip over to my website. Get yourself enrolled in my "Fast Weight Loss Tips!" mini-course while it's still being offered for free.
Lose Weight Through Running
Most people engage in exercise to lose weight. Apparently, people do engage in running for the same reason. It is not enough to say that running will make you thinner. It includes a running plan and dieting.
Come up with a running plan that will make you lose weight and not just to keep your body fit. You need to have a goal on how many pounds you plan to lose with your running plan. Choose your routes properly and the time that you will spend running. It is up to you if you want to run every day, but three times a week will do.
You will notice when your body has adapted to the original plan that you have made. Always remember to upgrade your plans and increasing the length and the time that you will run. This will stimulate your body to use up all the stored energy from your body. The more your run, then the more you will lose weight.
Always remember to eat, eat and eat. It is essential for the body to eat especially for those who are running. The body will always signal you to eat when it has used up all of your energy and the nutrients available. Do not deprive your body with food; this will only do bad things for your metabolism. Remember that a good metabolism will make your body efficiently use up energy to prevent it from storing these will cause you to get fat. Remember that only eat in right amounts and never overeat.
Running can help you lose weight as long as you stay faithful to your running plan. Running is a fun way of losing weight, so make sure that you enjoy running so that you will lose all the excess fat that you do not want.
Fruit Juice Diets
Are fruit juice diets just one big myth? Or could it be possible that simple fruit juice shakes can actually help you lose up to 1 pound per day. After trying this diet myself, I will expose the truth behind this kind of diet.
After finding a fruit juice diet on the internet, after some research on what this diet could do to my body, I decided to give it a go. According to the advertisement I could lose up to 4lb per day, but this would level out at 1lb per day. My first thought about this vast amount of weight leaving my body was, could I handle this, and also would the weight be leaving my body where I thought it would be leaving? At this point I realized that I did not have a downstairs toilet. Could I make it upstairs in time?
The fruit drinks were very simple recipes, all I needed was a juicing machine. Simple fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas and strawberries were the main kind of base for lots of the drinks. After spending a couple of days on the basic drinks, I decided to add a few extra special fruits such as cantaloupe, watermelon, carrot and spinach. I have to admit that after a couple of days of taking these drinks I did feel a lot better, not just because it was basically cleaning me out, but because I was getting lots of vitamins and minerals I probably had not been eating for a long time.
My first couple of days on the fruit juice diet were not too bad, I lost a couple of pounds and I also did not have any major body problems, which was good. I also found that I was not snacking on bad foods like chocolate and pastries, mainly because these types of drinks are extremely filling. I was having one first thing in the morning, a small drink at work in the afternoon and then a large glass in the evening. These kinds of special drinks are very easy to make, just a couple of seconds in the fruit juice machine, and they can then be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days, depending on which fruit you have used.
Fruit juice diets are an excellent way of trying to lose a few pounds, but in the long term I am not sure my body could take the cleansing it was currently getting. It is important to point out that I was also eating a balanced diet when I was drinking these juice shakes. Overall I did lose 10lbs in 14 days, but it was not the massive weight loss I was expecting.
How to Lose Weight Without Diets
Technically speaking, losing weight is simple -- just cut your daily intake of calories and exercise more. When your organism finds it cannot extract the necessary energy from the food you consume, it will start burning the fat deposits in waist and other parts of your body. So, the most natural way to lose weight is to keep to a diet, which reduces the energy your consume and do regular exercises to burn energy.
While this approach to weight loss is most natural and healthy, it is not easy. No wonder that a lot of so-called weight loss pills were developed, which make it easier to lose weight. One of the most popular categories of these pills are fat blockers and fat binders. They work by reducing the amount of fat that your organism assimilates from foods. Fat blockers (the most well-known example is Orlistat, marketed as Xenical) in particular inhibit the lipase enzyme in the intestines which breaks up fat making it ready for digestion. As a result, the fat cannot be absorbed by the organism so it passes freely through the bowel. Fat binders work by binding to the fat molecules, again making it unabsorbable by intestines. Fat blockers and binders have very nasty side effects (among them are uncontrollable foul-smelling anal discharges.) Naturally you cannot expect that removal of fats from your diet in such a way will be healthy.
Another category of weight loss supplements includes appetite suppressants. They reduce your appetite by making the organism think it is already full. One of the most popular herbal appetite suppressants is Hoodia Gordonii. Hoodia is a cactus-like plant which grows in South Africa. Its appetite suppressing capabilities were well-known by Bushman who used it during their long hunting trips. Since Hoodia Gordonii is a purely natural treatment, it doesn't have any side-effects associated with synthethic prescription appetite suppressing drugs such as Phentermine.
Real Hoodia Gordonii Plus helped millions of people around the world to lose weight fast. While purchasing Hoodia Gordonii online, make sure that it has all necessary certifications proving it is not fake.
Stop Using Low Calorie Diets - They Don't Help at All With Weight Loss
Do you want to lose weight, but you are tired of all the diets that don't work? There are too many diets that want you to eat fewer calories, but this is not the way to lose any weight. You need to stop using low calorie diets to try and lose weight because all this type of diet is going to do for you is to make you feel miserable. Your body needs so many calories a day in order for you to stay healthy.
So, why do low calories diets not work? When you eat low calories, you are hurting your body because you are really slowing your down your body's fat burning resources, which means you are ruining your chance of losing any weight. You may see weight loss for the first few days, but that will very quickly stop abruptly. Then you just get frustrated and eat even less to try and lose more weight.
This is not the way to get rid of the fat that you have. You need to stop using low calorie diets and find a method for losing weight that will let you get the foods your body needs, while also helping you lose weight.
The right diet plan, should have you eating the right foods at the right times of the day to help you lose weight. Why? It is because you will speed up your metabolism by eating the right foods more than 3 times a day. So, you get all the foods, vitamins and minerals you need, but you only get the ones that will benefit your health and your weight loss.
Losing weight is not hard to do, but it is near impossible if you do it with the wrong diet plan. Everyone is different in how they lose weight therefore you have to thoroughly check out all available diet plans till you find the best one for you.
Just do yourself a favor and stop using low calorie diets because they don't work, no matter what you hear. The only way you are going to lose weight is by finding the right method for you. So, don't delay in finding that diet now so you can start losing the weight you want to the correct way.
Weight Loss Tips For Type 2 Diabetes
If you are like many people with type 2 diabetes, losing weight is a major goal. A goal that will help you control and perhaps even eliminate your diabetes. Unfortunately, for many losing weight is not an easy task. Add to the fact that everywhere you look there's the new and greatest diet, pill or potent promising to help you lose weight and keep it off.
It can be very hard to know who to trust or what to do to lose those unwanted pounds. Yet, if you are overweight, losing the pounds will help you get better diabetes control and greatly improve your health, your energy, and your longevity. Use the tips below to find a plan that works for you.
1. Don't attempt major weight loss alone. See a nutritionist. A nutritionist can help you develop a plan of action that will take the weight off without having you feel deprived. Plus, you won't be trying something you hope will work. You'll be getting information from a professional provider that knows what works. 2. Set your goals and your attitude for success. The mental aspect of losing weight will dictate to a large degree the amount of success you have. Focus on the benefits of losing weight. Get a mental picture of yourself without the extra pounds. Keep your focus on the positive end results, rather than using negative self-talk, or constantly complaining to yourself or others about what you can't eat, or other aspects of losing weight. 3. Get and stay active. Regular exercise is another important key to permanent weight loss. Combine aerobics and strength training to form a new more fit body for you. Exercising has many health benefits. Learn to make it a regular part of your life. 4. Focus on natural weight loss. Find and implement a lifestyle change rather than just a diet until you lose weight. Taking special pills, or supplemental nutrition drinks until you lose weight could be a big mistake. What happens when you stop using those products? The weight will come back so instead focus on adapting food choices you can make a permanent part of your life.
Saturday 14 March 2009
Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale, contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. Epidemiological studies have long suggested a connection between these vegetables and resistance to cancer. Both animal and human studies show increased detoxification enzyme levels from high-glucosinolate diets. New Research Expands our Understanding of How Cruciferous Vegetables Help Prevent Cancer
New research has greatly advanced scientists' understanding of just how cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale and
Human population as well as animal studies consistently show that diets high in cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, are associated with lower incidence of certain cancers, including lung, colon, breast and ovarian cancer. Average daily intake of cruciferous vegetables was significantly lower in those with bladder cancer than in healthy controls.
Those eating the most cruciferous vegetables were found to have a 29% lower risk of bladder cancer compared to participants eating the least of this family of vegetables.
Recent studies show that those eating the most cruciferous vegetables have a much lower risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer-even whencompared to those who regularly eat other vegetables:
In a study of over 1,200 men, conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA, those eating 28 servings of vegetables a week had a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer, but those consuming just 3 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.
In smokers, regular cruciferous vegetable consumption reduced lung cancer risk an amazing 69%!
How many weekly servings of cruciferous vegetables do you need to lower your risk of cancer? A Weekly Serving of Cruciferous Vegetables Halves Advanced Prostate Cancer Risk
Compared to men eating one serving of cauliflower per month, those enjoying a weekly serving lowered their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 52%. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian and bladder cancer. Cauliflower, a cruciferous vegetable, is in the same plant family as broccoli, kale, cabbage and collards. Tips for preparing cauliflower
Cauliflower contains phytonutrients that release odorous sulfur compounds when heated.
Spinach for your health
Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach with its delicate texture and jade green color provide more nutrients than any other food. Although spinach is available throughout the year, its season runs from March through May and from September through October when it is the freshest, has the best flavor and is most readily available.
Health Benefits
We all know that Popeye made himself super strong by eating spinach, but you may be surprised to learn that he may also have been protecting himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases at the same time.
Phytonutrient Flavonoids for Optimal Health
Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. (Many of these substances fall into a technical category of flavonoids known as methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides.) The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinomas), and in studies on laboratory animals, to reduce skin cancers (skin papillomas). A study on adult women living in
Spinach Carotenoid Combats Prostate Cancer
A carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.
Spinach Flavonoid Combats Ovarian Cancer
Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to spinach, foods richest in kaempferol include tea (nonherbal), onions, curly kale, leeks, broccoli, and blueberries.
A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus). Int J Cancer. 2007 Apr 30; Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):727-47.
Helping You Bone Up
The vitamin K provided by spinach-almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves and over 1000% of the Daily Value in one cup of boiled spinach (which contains about 6 times as much spinach)-is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 helps prevent excessive activation of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone. Additionally, friendly bacteria in our intestines convert vitamin K1 into vitamin K2, which activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone. Spinach is also an excellent source of other bone-building nutrients including calcium and magnesium.
Cardiovascular Protection from Spinach
For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to spinach in their number of helpful nutrients. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. These two nutrients are important antioxidants that work to reduce the amounts of free radicals in the body; vitamin C works as a water-soluble antioxidant and beta-carotene as a fat-soluble one. This water-and-fat-soluble antioxidant team helps to prevent cholesterol from becoming oxidized. Oxidized cholesterol is able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, where it can cause blocked arteries, heart attack or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin C and beta-carotene can help prevent these complications, and a cup of boiled spinach can provide you with 294.8% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin A along with 29.4% of the DV for vitamin C.
Top 10 foods to control cholesterol
Research shows that more than 5.5 million South Africans are at risk for disease due to their high cholesterol levels. Are you one of them?
Then you might be interested to know that certain foods can be particularly useful in controlling your cholesterol levels. We did the legwork for you and listed them here.
Note that these foods are arranged in random order, and that being listed first doesn't mean that the specific food or food group is superior to any of the others. Also keep in mind that it's essential to always follow a varied diet that contains foods from all the different food groups.
1) Olive oil and olive products
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. Research has shown that foods with a high monounsaturated fatty acid content lower 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and increase 'good' high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Anyone with raised cholesterol levels needs to increase his HDL cholesterol and lower his LDL cholesterol levels, which olive oil and products made of olives, will promote.
Have 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil a day over salads or use for cooking, and add some olives to your salads. Keep an eye open for margarine made from olive oil as this also has the benefit of a high monounsaturated fatty acid content.
2) Polyunsaturated, 'lite' and Flora pro-activ margarine
Soft or tub margarine with a high polyunsaturated fatty acid content will also help to lower LDL cholesterol.
Then there are the 'lite' margarines, which have a reduced fat, energy and salt content – all factors that can contribute to heart health.
Flora pro-activ margarine has been specially developed to lower LDL cholesterol by up to 25% if you use it every day. This type of margarine contains added plant sterols that prevent the uptake of fats from the diet and lower blood fat levels. You can use this margarine to replace butter or other types of margarine on bread and cooked vegetables.
3) Legumes
Legumes include dry, cooked or canned beans, lentils, peas and all the soya products (soya beans (cooked or canned), soya mince, cubes, milk, tofu and tempeh).
Legumes have a high dietary fibre content and are rich in protective nutrients, including minerals, B vitamins and phytonutrients. These nutrients protect the heart and the dietary fibre content lowers cholesterol and energy intake.
Legumes are also naturally low in fat and don't contain any cholesterol. On top of this, they have a low glycaemic index (GI). The South African Food-based Dietary Guidelines recommend that we should eat dry beans, peas, lentils and soya regularly.
Make an effort to eat legumes at least 3-4 times a week, or even better still, every day.
4) Fat-free yoghurt and other fat-free dairy products
Full-cream dairy products and most cheeses have a high saturated fat content and need to be avoided if you have raised cholesterol levels.
However, this doesn't mean that you should cut out this food group altogether. Cutting out dairy products will deprive you of calcium, a mineral that's essential for the healthy functioning of the heart and many other important roles in the human body, such as the prevention of osteoporosis.
You can, however, use fat-free milk, yoghurt and cottage cheese in a low-cholesterol diet. Once the fat has been removed from a dairy product, it also removes practically all the cholesterol.
Fat-free yoghurt is a particularly good choice as it is rich in protein, calcium and Lactobacillus microorganisms which may help to lower blood cholesterol levels.
5) Antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables
All fruits and vegetables can help to lower cholesterol and protect the heart. Two groups are particularly useful, namely those fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, or rich in beta-carotene.
a) Vitamin C
Foods rich in vitamin C include all the citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, lemons and naartjies), all berry fruits (cranberry, strawberry, blackberry etc.), guavas, spanspek, mangoes, the entire cabbage family (green and Chinese cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts), as well as sweet and chilli peppers
b) Beta-carotene
Foods rich in beta-carotene include all dark yellow fruits (apricots, yellow peaches, spanspek and mangoes) and vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potatoes, butternut, carrots) and all dark green vegetables (broccoli, cabbage and spinach).
If you have heart disease or raised cholesterol levels, make sure you get your five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
6) Garlic and other members of the onion family
Garlic has been used for centuries to promote good health. Research shows that members of the allium family, such as garlic, spring onions and other onions, can be used to lower cholesterol and protect the heart. Use garlic liberally in cooking and on fresh salads.
Researchers believe that the high garlic content of the so-called Mediterranean diet is one of the factors that makes this diet so heart-friendly.
7) Whole, unsifted or unprocessed grains
All unsifted and unprocessed grains and cereals, and the foods produced from unmilled flour, are rich in B vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre (both soluble and insoluble), but low in fat and cholesterol.
Grains and cereals made of unprocessed wheat (wholewheat and seedbread, crackers, high-bran cereals) help to ensure regularity because they have a high insoluble fibre content. On the other hand, oats and oat bran have a high soluble fibre content which can actively lower blood cholesterol levels.
Have a bowl of oats or muesli, which contains raw oats, every day to keep your cholesterol in check.
8) Fish
Researchers have discovered that people who eat fish three or more times a week are less likely to suffer from heart disease and high blood pressure. This is primarily due to the high omega-3 fatty acid content of fish.
The best fish sources of omega-3 fatty acids are fatty fish like salmon, tuna, trout and sardines, but eating any type of fish will benefit your heart.
Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce atherosclerosis, ventricular arrhythmias, blood fats, atherosclerotic plaques and blood pressure – all good reasons for eating fish regularly.
9) Venison and ostrich
South Africans are known for their love of meat, and many people who need to follow a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet are horrified by the restrictions on eating red meat.
You can, however, eat moderate portions of venison and ostrich on a low-cholesterol diet, because these meats are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Just make sure that you don't add large quantities of fat to the meat during preparation and cooking.
The present boom in our ostrich industry is due to the fact that this meat is so low in cholesterol that it has become a popular item on the menus of health-conscious people all over the world.
10) Omega-3-enriched foods
As mentioned before, the omega-3 fatty acids can play a significant role in helping to reduce the risk of high cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, modern western diets don't contain sufficient omega-3 to meet our needs.
Some food manufacturers have taken this to heart and now produce standard foods that are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. In
The eggs in particular can make a difference. The rule for egg intake is that anyone with heart problems should not eat more than 4 eggs a week. So make sure that if you eat eggs, they are omega-3 enriched, because the increased levels of omega-3 balance out the high cholesterol content of the eggs.
Top 10 sources of antioxidants
Antioxidants are magic food components. Research shows that these substances could help the body fight cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease by thwarting the action of harmful free radicals.
But which foods are the real antioxidant bombs? Norwegian and US scientists recently compiled an extensive list. In terms of the highest antioxidant content per serving, the winners were:
1. Blackberries 5,75 millimoles per 100g serving
This wonderfully delectable summer fruit came out tops. Blackberries give an antioxidant kick of 5,75 millimoles per serving.
Blackberries are also fat-free, and a source of folic acid and vitamin C, so there's no holding back. Whip them into smoothies, make a wicked fruit coulis to serve with desserts, or simply have them fresh.
You can freeze blackberries and use them all year round. This can be done by coating the berries with a mixture of sugar and ascorbic acid (ask your pharmacist), but it is generally better to freeze lightly boiled berries to which sugar has been added.
2. Walnuts 3,72 millimoles per 100g serving
Nuts are great health foods – they're cholesterol-free, generally low in sodium and a great source of vitamins and minerals. But in terms of antioxidant content, walnuts seem to beat the rest of the nut family with 3,72 millimoles per serving.
Toss these nuts into salads, mix them into muesli, or include them in rice pudding or apple tart.
Just make sure that you have no more than a handful of walnuts per day. If you're overweight, cut this amount to a handful no more than three times per week.
3. Strawberries 3,58 millimoles per 100g serving
Strawberries are sexy, fun and – best of all – so low in calories that you can eat as much as you like without giving your weight a second thought.
These fruits should also form part of your diet for another reason: they're packed with antioxidants and clock in at 3,58 millimoles of these health-boosting components per 100g serving.
There's no need to tell you that strawberries are a great addition to desserts, smoothies, salads, and even cocktails – just make sure you eat them as fresh as possible.
4. Artichokes, cooked 3,56 millimoles per 100g serving
The humble artichoke also made the top-10 list. Apart from the 3,56 millimole/100g antioxidant punch, artichokes are a good source of iron.
These veggies also help to reduce bowel upsets and help to let good bacteria flourish in your gut.
Cook artichokes for 20 minutes with a slice or two of lemon, a bay leaf and salt. The leaves and the heart can then be eaten.
5. Cranberries 3,13 millimoles per 100g serving
The cranberry really is a super-food. Numerous studies have shown that the anti-inflammatory properties of this fruit can help to prevent and treat urinary tract, and possibly other, infections.
One reason why cranberries are so healthy, is because of their high antioxidant content (3,13 millimoles per 100g).
As cranberries are generally too tart to eat fresh, go for the canned varieties and use these in both sweet and savoury dishes.
6. Raspberries 2,87 millimoles per 100g serving
Raspberries have a long history of being used to treat conditions ranging from tonsillitis to stomach aches and also to strengthening the womb in pregnancy.
Now we know that these berries are not only a good source of antioxidants (2,87 millimoles per 100g serving), but are also high in vitamin C.
Ask your grocery store if they stock fresh or frozen raspberries, and use them in fruit salads, deserts or eat them with yoghurt for breakfast.
7. Blueberries 2,68 millimoles per 100g serving
Another berry, this time the blueberry, made the list. This only goes to show that berries really are super foods.
Apart from the high antioxidant content (2,68 millimoles per serving) there is also preliminary evidence that berries can thwart cholesterol and help prevent liver cancer.
Blueberries are not sour and can be eaten raw. This will preserve their vitamin C content.
8. Cloves, ground 2,64 millimoles per 100g serving
Who would have thought that cloves, a great addition to anything from chicken dishes to Christmas mince pies, could have magic health-boosting properties?
Well, this spice made the top 10 antioxidant list – and with good reason. It contains 2,64 millimoles of antioxidants per 100g serving.
While it's more difficult to get your daily antioxidant injection from this spice – simply because we generally use it in small quantities – you should still try to incorporate it in your diet.
9. Grape juice 2,56 millimoles per 100g serving
You already know that a daily glass of wine can kick-start your health. But plain old grape juice seems to be even better – at least when it comes to levels of antioxidants (2,56 millimoles per serving).
Research shows that red grape juice can improve cholesterol levels and inflammatory markers associated with heart disease. This action has been linked to the antioxidant content of the juice.
But be warned: grape juice has a high sugar content and can add quite a few calories to your diet. Don't drink more than one glass of juice, diluted with water, per day.
10. Cranberry juice 2,47 millimoles per 100g serving
As mentioned above, cranberries have strong anti-inflammatory effects and are particularly useful in preventing urinary tract infections.
As fresh, raw cranberries are too tart to eat, cranberry juice is the ideal way to tap the benefits of this fruit.
Try to drink a small glass of cranberry juice every day – especially if you're prone to urinary tract infections. Or combine cranberry juice with iced Rooibos tea for a refreshing summer drink.
Wednesday 11 March 2009
Understanding High Blood Pressure or Hypertension
People can have high blood pressure for years without experiencing symptoms or knowing they have it.
The upper or first number in a blood pressure reading is the systolic pressure and the lower or second number is called the diastolic pressure. According to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines:
- Normal blood pressure is below 120/80 mmHg.
- Prehypertension is systolic pressure that's between 120 to 139 or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89.
- Stage 1 hypertension is systolic pressure between 140 to 159 or diastolic pressure between 90 and 99.
- Stage 2 hypertension is systolic pressure higher than 160 or diastolic pressure of 100 or higher.
High Blood Pressure Symptoms
High blood pressure usually doesn't cause any symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms associated with high blood pressure can include:
Causes of High Blood Pressure
In most cases of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association says there is no one identifiable cause. This kind of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. Sodium intake. Excessive sodium in the diet can result in fluid retention and high blood pressure, especially in people sensitive to sodium.
- Potassium intake. Stress can raise blood pressure.
- The risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older.
- High blood pressure often runs in families.
- This type of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension.
Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure
Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
There is some evidence that the supplement CoQ10 may help to reduce high blood pressure.CoQ10 significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mean reduction 6.1 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg respectively).
Garlic
In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure.
Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Hawthorn.The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure.
Fish oil
Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Folic acid. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels.
One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure.
The 15 Healthiest Foods on the Planet
The following is a "healthy food hot list" consisting of the 29 food that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as decrease your risk for deadly illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Along with each description is a suggestion as to how to incorporate these power-foods into your diet.
Fruits
01. Apricots
The Power: Beta-carotene, which helps prevent free-radical damage and protect the eyes. The body also turns beta-carotene into vitamin A, which may help ward off some cancers, especially of the skin. One apricot has 17 calories, 0 fat, 1 gram of fiber. Snacks on them dried, or if you prefer fresh, buy when still firm; once they soften, they lose nutrients.
02. Avocados
The Power: Oleic acid, an unsaturated fat that helps lower overall cholesterol and raise levels of HDL, plus a good dose of fiber. One slice has 81 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. Try a few slices instead of mayonnaise to dress up your next burger.
03. Raspberries
The Power: Ellagic acid, which helps stall cancer-cell growth. These berries are also packed with vitamin C and are high in fiber, which helps prevent high cholesterol and heart disease. A cup has only 60 calories, 1 gram of fat and 8 grams of fiber. Top plain low-fat yogurt or oatmeal (another high fiber food) with fresh berries.
05. Cantaloupe
The Power: Vitamin C (117mg in half a melon, almost twice the recommended daily dose) and beta-carotene - both powerful antioxidants that help protect cells from free-radical damage. Plus, half a melon has 853mg of potassium - almost twice as much as a banana, which helps lower blood pressure. Half a melon has 97 calories, 1 gram of fat and 2 grams of fiber. Cut into cubes and freeze, then blend into an icy smoothie.
06. Cranberry Juice
The Power: Helps fight bladder infections by preventing harmful bacteria from growing. A cup has 144 calories, 0 grams of fat and 0 fiber. Buy 100 percent juice concentrate and use it to spice up your daily H20 without adding sugar.
07. Tomato
The Power: Lycopene, one of the strongest carotenoids, acts as an antioxidant. Research shows that tomatoes may cut the risk of bladder, stomach and colon cancers in half if eaten daily. A tomato has 26 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Drizzle fresh slices with olive oil, because lycopene is best absorbed when eaten with a little fat.
08. Raisins
The Power: These little gems are a great source of iron, which helps the blood transport oxygen and which many women are short on. A half-cup has 218 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Sprinkle raisins on your morning oatmeal or bran cereal - women, consider this especially during your period.
09. Figs
The Power: A good source of potassium and fiber, figs also contain vitamin B6, which is responsible for producing mood-boosting serotonin, lowering cholesterol and preventing water retention. The Pill depletes B6, so if you use this method of birth control, make sure to get extra B6 in your diet. One fig has 37 to 48 calories, 0 fat and 2 grams of fiber. (Cookie lovers - fig bars have around 56 calories, 1 gram of fat and 1 gram of fiber per cookie). Fresh figs are delicious simmered alongside a pork tenderloin and the dried variety make a great portable gym snack.
10. Lemons/Limes
The Power: Limonene, furocoumarins and vitamin C, all of which help prevent cancer. A wedge has 2 calories, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Buy a few of each and squeeze over salads, fish, beans and vegetables for fat free flavor. See also: Beneficial Bytes: Lemons and Limes.
Vegetables
11. Onions
The Power: Quercetin is one of the most powerful flavonoids (natural plant antioxidants). Studies show it helps protect against cancer. A cup (chopped) has 61 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Chop onions for the maximum phytonutrient boost, or if you hate to cry, roast them with a little olive oil and serve with rice or other vegetables.
12. Artichokes
The Power: These odd-looking vegetables contain silymarin, an antioxidant that helps prevent skin cancer, plus fiber to help control cholesterol. One medium artichoke has 60 calories, 0 fat and 7 grams of fiber. Steam over boiling water for 30 to 40 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice on top, then pluck the leaves off with your fingers and use your teeth to scrape off the rich-tasting skin. When you get to the heart, you have found the best part!
13. Ginger
The Power: Gingerols may help reduce queasiness; other compounds may help ward off migraines and arthritis pain by blocking inflammation-causing prostaglandins. A teaspoon of fresh gingerroot has only 1 calorie, 0 fat and 0 fiber. Peel the tough brown skin and slice or grate into a stir-fry.
14. Broccoli
The Power: Indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, which help protect against breast cancer. Broccoli also has lots of vitamin C and beta-carotene. One cup (chopped) has 25 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Don't overcook broccoli - instead, microwave or steam lightly to preserve phytonutrients. Squeeze fresh lemon on top for a zesty and taste, added nutrients and some vitamin C.
15. Spinach
The Power: Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that help fend off macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in older people. Plus, studies show this green fountain of youth may help reverse some signs of aging. One cup has 7 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber. Add raw leaves to a salad or sauté with a little olive oil and garlic.
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