» Food habits

Food to effectively fight cold

cooldude — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:53:16 +0000

Getting a cold can be the worst form of sickness, it makes you feel weak and low in life and the frequency in which it occurs is all the more annoying. In fact spending money on the medicines and then realizing none of it works in improving your condition can leave you very perturbed. However you can fight cold with some home made ingredients. You might think that preparing these home remedy ingredients are troublesome but there are simpler ways to prepare them too without having to spend too much additional money and time in your kitchen.

Ginger tea is a great relief especially for sore throats. It fights cold virus that causes sore throat and sickness. The other remedy is by warming up two cups of water and then adding on the juice extracts of lemons into the warm water. Put one tablespoon of honey in it and stir it well. A dash of cayenne pepper can do wonders after you drink the mixture. The relief that you get from this drink cannot be provided by any other mixture.

Nutritional value of white meat

cooldude — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:31:03 +0000

Do you have a sweet tooth for steak? Well if you often indulge in feasting on meat, especially white meat, you should be aware of its nutritional value. But if you are not, then this article will enlighten you with the necessary information.
White meat comprises more broad fibres than red ones. These are generally obtained from domestic chicken and turkey breast meat. White meat is juicy, due to the extra glycogen content. Unlike red meat, which has a higher saturated fat content, white meat minimizes the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
In contrast to red meat, white meat also has lesser iron, zinc, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, amino acids. So if you consume only white meat, it can lead to zinc and iron deficiencies in your body. To counter it, you also need to consume wholegrain, breakfast cereals or legumes, so as to restore the balance of zinc and iron in the body.

Is your food safe for eating?

cooldude — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:58:15 +0000

If you are on a proper nutrition diet chart, you need to know the pros and cons of your food habit. Whatever you consume on a daily basis needs to undergo a thorough check at your end. The big question for you should be – Am I eating the right kind of food? Is the food I am consuming safe? Often people don’t realize and just start off cooking their meals. The chemical effects some of the edible products have are irreversible. So, what precautions should you take during the preparation of your meals?

You should always wash the vegetables once to ensure that there are no fertilizers or harmful chemicals stuck to it. You need to understand that too much of oil can be harmful to your heart due to the high cholesterol content. Last but not the least; you should boil your food to kill any kind of bacteria.

Importance of Dietary Supplements

cooldude — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:10:37 +0000

To lead a healthy lifestyle you need a balanced diet. A balanced diet is a diet which comprises of all the essential nutrients. For healthy living the medical community has prescribed some specific quantity. But what can you do if you miss out on the amount of one of the essential ingredients or more? You take refuge of dietary supplements.

These come in the form of liquids, powders, capsule or pills to make up for what you missed. There are also multi formula supplements which allow you to make up for more than one type of nutrient like the multi vitamin tablets. These supplements have evolved in such a way that now they are even equipped to deal with other health issues like obesity or weight issues. There are even some dietary supplements which are prepared from herbs or botanicals. So if you have such a hectic life and you are not being able to effectively manage your dietary requirements, help is available in the form of dietary supplements.

How to deal with eating disorders?

cooldude — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:42:58 +0000

Eating disorders are just like any other psychological disorder or mental disorder. Mostly it is found that women suffer from it, because they want to be as skinny like some supermodel, or celebrity that they admire. They aspire to be like them and it all starts with avoiding food or following a particular diet that their stars follow.

Sometimes what happens is that people are obese and due to their overconsumption of food, they are teased about it. Over a period of time they start ignoring food to an extreme limit. This deprivation of food, obviously also deprives the person from the basic nutrients too. This leads to further health problems and mental problems like memory loss. You need to deal with these people with care. You need to talk to them and know their inner thoughts. This talking out is required more for people who are generally quiet. With proper care and interaction these people can be helped and you might also need medical supervision.

Why breakfast is the most important meal of the day

cooldude — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:15:52 +0000

If someone tells you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, chances are, it is probably not the first time you’ve heard of it. And if something is oft repeated, it is most likely that there are reasons behind it. Often times, breakfast becomes the difference between a well-managed fruitful day and one where you barely have the energy to drag yourself on till the night. Between your dinner and breakfast, there are as many as 10-12 hours of sleep. This means that the body is deprived of food and hence energy for a long time. When you skip your breakfast, you are elongating this time period thereby making your body go into an emergency state where it tries to conserve as much energy as possible, leaving you feeling tired and lacking in concentration.

Skipping breakfast leads you to binge eating of foods which are high on calorie content. This eventually becomes a habit, enlarges the size of your stomach and makes you obese.

Also there are studies that show that people who eat in the mornings perform better and also have a better memory. These serve as ample reason to not skip a healthy breakfast in the mornings.

Food for the brain

cooldude — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:49:08 +0000

People are literally losing their minds in order to lose their weight. Just to get rid of the weight, they are missing the essential nutrition for their brain. Fats are required for the brain, specifically omega fatty acids which is available in copious amounts in tuna, salmon, seaweed and wild fish. Fish oil, almonds and iron strengthens the brain memory power. Vitamin C regulates the hormones well and zinc fights fatigue.

If you deprive your brain of the basic nutrients mentioned above, you might suffer from mental ailments like depression and anxiety. Your memory might also weaken as a result. So it is best to take precautions before having to go for a cure. Even if you are on a diet, make sure that your diet is well balanced with all the basic nutrients like vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats included in it too. Most importantly keep your brains working with the help of games such as Sudoku, puzzles and chess. Nourish your brain and use it, do not ever let it rust.

Ingredients to Avoid on Food Labels

qwcdirect — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:32:43 +0000

If you are health conscious and do not want to feed junk to your family, here are the top health offenders that you should avoid on food labels. Any food item with artificial coloring should never find a way in your supermarket trolley. Artificial sweeteners are another big no if you want to eat healthy. Also, steer clear of items that use Monosodium Glutamate or MSG that is a flavor enhancer.

Partially Hydrogenated Oil that are high in trans fats are a common ingredient in frozen foods and bakery items, which should be avoided. Propyl Galate, a meat product preservative is also highly detrimental to your health. Food items containing Sodium Nitrate or Sodium Nitrite should also be avoided as they are generally used to mask the absence of natural and fresh ingredients. In addition to the above mentioned ingredients, it is best to keep away from food items that contain added sugar or salt.

Is Sugar Really Bad For You?

qwcdirect — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:23:47 +0000

One of the most common misconceptions that you are likely to come across while trying to plan your diet is that sugar is harmful for your body. To correct it for once and for all, not all sugar is bad for you. It is the refined white sugar that is the culprit behind earning a bad name for sugar. Over consumption of refined sugars may cause type 2 diabetes, brain inflammation, tryptophan depletion, slow thyroid function, testosterone depletion in men and even insulin resistance and dementia in extreme cases.

Starting from the basics, all sugar is carbohydrates. High consumption of processed sugar also triggers appetite thus leading to overeating that is widely responsible for the obesity epidemic that has spread in all parts of the world. However, there is no need to totally eliminate sugar from your diet. As long as you have sugar in moderation, there would be no ill-effects of the same.

High Protein Diet

qwcdirect — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:19:23 +0000

High protein diet is a common recommendation for body builders and athletes or sportspersons who need to increase their muscle weight and decrease body fat. It is also prescribed for people suffering from protein deficiency or those who want to lose weight. A high protein diet ensures that you have more energy throughout the day. As the proteins eliminate the carbohydrates from the diet, they reduce the fluid content in the body, thereby decreasing body weight in a relatively short span of time.

Apart from the obvious advantages of a high protein diet mentioned above, it also helps in boosting the level of antioxidants in the body. This in turn, boosts the immunity of the body against infections and certain illnesses such as cancer. Moreover, increasing the intake of plant-based proteins, like that found in soy, lowers LDL cholesterol and raises HDL (the good) cholesterol, thus lowering the risk of heart diseases.