Good Food For Healthy Skin - What to Eat to Look Beautiful

Is it enough to get healthy food for healthy skin? You might still need to use natural skin care products, but you can never go wrong with going for healthy food.

Do you want fabulous skin? Everyone does. We all want youthful, vibrant and beautiful skin. Even though each of us has a different skin type, you can be sure that good and natural food would result to beautiful skin, no matter what your age is and no matter what your skin type is.

So how do you choose the food that you would eat? Here are foods for healthy skin that you might want to add to your regular food intake:

Foods rich with fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are needed for your skin to be able to generate healthy cell membranes. These membranes act as passageways for nutrients to come in the skin, and waste to get out. You can find these fatty acids in salmon, canola oil, walnuts and flax seed.

Good oils. Oils keep your skin soft and smooth. Make sure that you use quality oils for your food, such as those that are prepared through cold-press or expeller. You can also look for extra virgin oil to achieve the best results for your skin.

Foods rich with selenium. Selenium protects the skin from diseases and keeps it youthful. Recent studies that skin with high levels of selenium have more protection from skin cancer. You can get your selenium from whole-wheat bread, cereals and muffins, as well as from tuna, brazil nuts and turkey.

Green tea. Tea has been deemed to have a lot of health benefits, and these include keeping your skin healthy and beautiful. It is one of the best foods for healthy skin, and its benefits cannot be underestimated. It protects your cells and helps prevent skin cancer and other skin-related diseases. Whether taken orally or applied directly on the skin, green tea's anti-inflammatory properties would surely give your skin the healthful glow you want to achieve.

Water. Good hydration would complete your set of food for healthy skin. Make sure that you drink two liters daily. It is recommended that you get mineral water so that you also drink minerals that would aid in cell regeneration.

Along with food for healthy skin, you can also purchase natural beauty products that contain the essential nutrients that your body needs. Stay away from those that contain harsh chemicals. Stay naturally beautiful for a long time by taking care of your skin properly, like I have done.

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Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Weight Loss

If you are looking for healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss, you have surely come to the right place. At this point in time, the number of people who are becoming more and more health conscious is increasing by the day. With the hype from the media as well as initiatives by the government to promote healthier eating, many people are searching high and low for ways to lose weight responsibly without starving themselves. And there is definitely a solution for that.This is where smoothies come in!

Contrary to popular belief, smoothies can substitute for a meal or two during the day without endangering your health. There are numerous healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss that you can make yourself in your own kitchen. Breakfast is a great time to indulge in a smoothie instead of a calorie-packed and oil-ridden meal. Smoothies are easy to make, delicious and highly convenient as you can take them with you and drink them on the way to work or school. One of my favorite breakfast smoothies is the banana-berry smoothie. For this recipe, all you need is 1 ¼ cup of orange juice, 1 medium ripe banana, 1 cup of frozen berries, ½ cup silken tofu, and 2 crushed ice cubes. Throw all the ingredients in the blender and blend until it is smooth and frothy. You may also add a tablespoon of sugar if you wish. This smoothie is so healthy that it composes 93 percent of the required daily value of vitamin C! It is also nutritionally equivalent to 1 ½ fruit and ½ portion of lean meat.

One smart way to incorporate smoothies into your diet would be to substitute your usual dessert or afternoon snack for a delicious smoothie. There is no shortage to the number of healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss that you can try. You can even turn it into a fun bonding activity with your child by creating the smoothies together! Another delightful recipe that even your child might enjoy is the banana-cocoa soy smoothie. Inspired by the banana split, all you need for this recipe are 1 banana, 1 tablespoon of honey, ½ cup silken tofu, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and ½ cup soymilk. Slice the banana and then stick it in the freezer. In the meantime, throw in the tofu, honey, cocoa and soymilk in the blender until smooth. While the blender is running, grab the banana from the freezer and add the banana slices one by one through the hole in the lid. Keep the blender running until the mixture is smooth. This smoothie recipe is one of the healthier ones as it contains vitamin A and vitamin C (15% daily value), magnesium (29% daily value), potassium (21% daily value) and iron (20% daily value).

All in all, don't make the mistake of thinking that healthy smoothie recipes for weight loss are impossible to find! They exist and they are delicious and effective!

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Healthy Chicken Recipes - Making Healthy Recipes Using Chicken Meat

Is your being health conscious that serious? Stay healthy without depriving yourself of animal meat. You can always use chicken meat which is a healthier choice as most sources approve. Here are several recipes that use chicken meat to make healthy dishes.

Chicken breast with mushroom cream sauce is just one of the healthiest chicken recipes. This recipe is appropriate for diabetic people. A serving includes low-calorie, low carbohydrate and low sodium content. It is gluten-free and is great for maintaining a healthy weight. If you are serious in being healthy, you can use small cuts of chicken breast.

Another healthy recipe using chicken meat is the Herb Garden Chicken Breast. This recipe is basically filled with herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary. It also has an added squeeze of fresh lemon and a pressed garlic clove. The herbs are made into a sauce that is drizzled over the chicken after it is cooked. The dish is served healthily when the chicken skin is removed.

The Sloppy Chicken Joes are made very delicious and healthy at the same time. It is still filled with vegetables and an added tomato, therefore providing more nutrients from the veggies and Lycopene from the tomatoes. It also has cheese on the recipe for an additional calcium source and the chicken meat as the protein source. Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, the recipe comprises 24 grams of total fat and 600 calories that could keep you going during the day.

Chicken and Biscuits is another healthy recipe that you and your family will surely love. In a basic 2,000 daily calorie diet, this recipe is filled with only 15 grams of total and 300 calories. The recipe includes healthy veggies like potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, mushrooms, garlic, thyme and sage. It has 3 grams of fiber which helps in the fast metabolism. It also gives you 18 grams of protein, 22DV% of Vitamin C and 16DV% of calcium.

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Quick Cheap and Healthy Dog Food Recipes

If you feed your dogs manufactured dog food do you really know what you are feeding them? I recently came across a class action lawsuit that been filed against various pet food manufacturers, having read the details and done further research I decided that I couldn't safely feed my dogs any manufactured food so I needed to research some healthy homemade dog food recipes. The priorities when looking for good recipes was to ensure that the food would be healthy, it would be quick to prepare and it would be cheap.

My first stop was my local butcher who I use every week. I explained to him that I was going to make my own dog food and asked him what he could supply that was cheap. He now happily provides me with a large bag of off cuts and meat that would soon be out of date every Saturday evening. I you don't have a local butcher speak to the local supermarket and see what they can provide you with. You'll often find that they drastically reduce prices on meat that will soon go out of date.

After sourcing the meat I then managed to source a supple of cheap vegetables from the local farmers market. Many farmers use to throw away misshaped or bruised vegetables at the end of the market, not anymore! The final ingredient I sourced was large catering packs of brown rice. The rice is very nutritious and helps to bind the food together.

Now that I have assembled all the ingredients it's time to prepare the food. A really quick and simple recipe is to take 2 cups of cooked rice, 1 cup of meat which can be raw or cooked and a cup of grated vegetables, carrots and cabbage are good but try to avoid onions. Mix all these together with a small bit of lard or vegetable oil and feed to your dogs. I can guarantee that after only a few weeks on a menu like this your dogs will be fitter and healthier than before.

There are a few things you need to be aware of before you start to change your dog's diet. Firstly their digestive systems aren't as advanced as human ones so you'll need to change their food gradually over a few days. Start by adding a small amount of your homemade dog food to your dog's meal mixing it with the normal food. Over a period of three to four days gradually increase the amount of homemade food and reduce the manufactured food. Always ensure that you keep plenty of fresh water available for your dog to drink with his meals. Small dogs need only to be fed once a day while larger dogs should be fed twice.

By choosing simple homemade dog food recipes it is possible to extend your dog's life span significantly and to save money. Why not try it for a month and see the improvement in your best friend.

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Eat Healthy Chinese Food

Some people will write Chinese food off as fatty and full of MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate). Saturated fats and excess salts are considered bad for the heart and so it follows that Chinese food is unhealthy, right?

Wrong Some Chinese dishes, corrupted to become popular to western palates, fit this bill. Authentic Chinese food is not fatty, and MSG, if used at all, is used sparingly. In fact Chinese food has a long history of being directed towards promoting health; a much longer one than any local 'fad' in the west.

Some history

Although united 2000 years ago, China never developed a state system for healthcare until recently. Citizens had to take their own measures when sick, and since these were often too expensive, that meant avoiding sickness in the first place if at all possible.

The first principles of food therapy were established nearly 4000 years ago, though it was only during the Tang Dynasty (608-906 AD) that this form of knowledge became really popular. Four 'pillars' were identified as crucial to staying healthy: lifestyle, diet, exercise and mind. Of these diet was considered the most important, probably as it was the one over which people had the most control.

Food plays a central role in Chinese culture. Cooking healthy food for the family is a lifelong profession for most women. Children are brought up with some knowledge of the health properties of their food and dietary restrictions are commonly understood and observed. Eating healthily is almost an obsession and forms an unspoken bond between family members.

Some background

Traditionally, foods are classified in 4 groups:

Grains are for sustaining

 

vegetables for filling

fruits for supporting

meats for enhancing

Using modern terminology we can identify Grains as equivalent to carbohydrates, vegetables as roughage, fruits as vitamins and minerals and meats as protein.

A balance of 40:40:10:10 is considered ideal, with perhaps some variation in the balance between vegetables and meats.

Note that dairy products do not feature here. Most Chinese do not eat any dairy foods after childhood and, in fact, become intolerant to them as young adults.

It all comes down to what you choose

Bearing just this little bit of knowledge in mind it is possible to order better and more healthy Chinese food. By definition that will also be more authentic Chinese food.

Steamed rice is the staple of choice at any Chinese meal and if cooked properly should be tasty. Forget the various forms of fried rice and try it next time.

Avoid dishes in which meats have been coated and deep fried. The batter soaks up fat whereas fat used to stir fry meat and vegetables forms only a thin film. A little bit of fat is fine (and indeed necessary) but keep it reasonable.

Avoid dishes with sauces. These are laden with sugar and are often the culprits if excess MSG is being used.

Finally, watch what you are drinking. Boiled water and tea are traditional, though usually only before and after a meal not during the actual eating.

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List of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods

HEALTHY

Healthy food diets don't have to be all about vegetables and fruits. Meats and poultry can be part of a healthy food diet when used properly. It is also important to include enough proteins in any diet. Eating too little protein is a problem in many countries, which sometimes have high rates of (PEM) protein-energy malnutrition. Meats and poultry are the biggest contributors of protein to your diet. If meat and poultry items are not in your healthy food diet, replacing the proteins they provide are going to require you to learn more about complete, incomplete, and complementary proteins. Healthy foods will always add to your body and will never subtract anything away. Below is a list of healthy foods.

# Sauce Alternatives:

* Vegetable Purees

* Coulis

* Salsas

* Relishes

* Chutneys

* Compotes

* Mojos

Many of the classic sauces you may use are high in fat. Try to use alternative sauces like pureed vegetables. Sauces made with vegetables are light and low in fat and kcalories.

# Nuts and Seeds:

* Nuts:

o Almonds

o Macademian nuts

o Filberts

o Walnuts

o Pinenuts

o Brazil nuts

o Cashews

o Pistachios

o Pecans

* Seeds:

o Flax seeds

o Sunflower seeds

o Sesame seeds

o Pumpkin seeds

Nuts and seeds pack a good amount of vitamins and minerals, plus fiber and proteins. Particularly, nuts contain some fat. Luckily for people who love eating nuts, most of the fat is monounsaturated. Seeds contain less fat and more fiber. The fat and fiber seeds contain will make you feel full longer. Nuts have been linked to reduction in heart disease. The monounsaturated fat in nuts will help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the bad kind.

UNHEALHTY

It was stated earlier that protein is required in any diet. However, too much protein has no benefits. Eating more protein than you need may add kcalories beyond what you require. Extra protein is not stored as protein but is stored as fat if too many kcalories are taken in. Diets high in protein can also be a concern if you are eating a lot of high-fat animal proteins such as hamburgers and cheese and few vegetable proteins. Eating too many high fat animal foods will raise your blood cholesterol levels. Higher blood cholesterol levels increase your risk of heart disease. High intakes of animal proteins are also associated with certain cancers, such as cancer of the colon and its no secret that too many high fat foods increases the chances of gaining weight. All the foods below when consumed too much become unhealthy foods.

# High Fat Cheese:

* Blue cheese

* Brie

* Feta

* Gouda

* Light cream cheese

* Limburger

* Mozzarella, whole milk

* Parmesan

* Provolone

* Ricotta, whole milk

* Romano

* Swiss

* Tilsit, whole milk

* Cheddar

* Colby

* Cream cheese

* Monterey Jack

* Muenster

* Roquefort

Cheese is an excellent source of nutrients like protein and calcium. Still, because most cheeses are prepared with whole milk or cream, they are also high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Ounce for ounce, meat, poultry, and most cheeses have about the same amount of cholesterol. Cheeses tend to have much more saturated fat. Trying to figure out which cheeses are high in fat can be confusing, because there are so many different kinds. You have whole, part skim, low fat, processed, and many more. Not all reduced fat or part skim cheeses are low in fat, they are just lower in fat than similar natural cheeses.

# Foods High In Cholesterol (120 milligrams or more per serving):

* Biscuit with egg and sausage

o 1 biscuit= 302 amounts of cholesterol

* Egg, cooked

o 1 large= 212 amounts of cholesterol

* Shrimp, breaded and fried

o 6 to 8 shrimp= 200 amounts of cholesterol

* Duck, roasted

o 1/2 duck= 197 amounts of cholesterol

Cholesterol in your blood builds up in the plaque that clogs arteries and is a risk factor for heart disease. Cholesterol is found only in foods of animal origin, like meat, poultry, milk, milk products, fish, egg yolk, and organ meats(liver, kidney, sweetbreads, brains). Egg yolks and organ meats contain the most cholesterol. One egg yolk contains 213 milligrams of cholesterol. About 4 ounces of meat, poultry, or fish (trimmed or untrimmed) contains 100 milligrams of cholesterol. Shrimp is an exception, which is higher in cholesterol. Eggs, meat, and whole milk provide most of the cholesterol we eat and are also sources rich in saturated fat.

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Stay Young Secret - With Healthy Food

Taking care of your skin is not as hard as it seems. You don't have to go to the expensive skin care center just to have younger looking skin. You can do it yourself in many ways including keeping your diet balanced with enough nutrients.

Consuming vegetables as the alternative way of renewing your skin cells from inside out, will provide you with a better result than if you apply chemical substances on your skin. It can also be considered as the cheapest way as well. It is all started by arranging the food you eat. You can start by choosing diet portion containing the green salad, fish, and the berry fruits for your lunch or dinner. Green salad with olive oil dressing will supplies you minerals and vitamins your body needs to make the skin looks bright. You can also choose a fish that contain omega-3 fatty acid which is required by your skin to avoid the premature aging. The berries are also containing antioxidant that will be useful to decelerate the skin aging process.

It is important to notice that you only consume low carbohydrates and sugar foods on your breakfast. A large consumption of sugars will make them attached on collagen and make your skin stiff and also look older than it should be. The attached sugars on collagen will also be the cause of inflammable skin. In addition, the sufficient amounts of water consumption will also contribute in helping your skin hydrate while supporting its supple. So, it is true that we do not have to spend a lot of cash just to have the younger looking face. All you need to do is just simply entering your kitchen and manage the proper foods in order to supply enough nutrients for your skin and say goodbye to the artificial chemical substances.

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West African Food - All About Healthy Eating Habits!

Unlike many other parts of the great African continent, West Africans can boast of more healthy eating habits. Nigeria and other coastal parts of West Africa are generally fonder of chilies in food than other African cuisine entertains. Many coastal recipes include fish prepared in different ways. Often the fish is marinated in ginger, tomatoes, and cayenne, and then cooked in peanut oil.

Thanks to the influence of French cooking styles in Senegal, chefs often use lime juice, chopped vegetables including scallions, garlic and marinades as additions to their meals. One would also find that peanut oil, palm oil, and often coconut oils are common ingredients in all dishes. The black eyed pea is a staple of West Africa. Okra, known also in South America, is native to Africa. It is often used in many dishes to thicken soups and stews. With regards to the fruits bananas and coconuts are of particular importance.

Within each locality one will find that there are numerous wild fruits and greens that are used in all different manners of cooking. Yam feast days are common, this often accompanied with eggs. West African cuisine delights in the making of croquettes particularly when made of yams and fried in peanut oil. Along with the banana and plantain, which is really the starchy vegetable form of banana, these comprise the most important elements of the diet.

Basic cooking techniques of West Africa often combine fish and meat. In fact a very popular and highly flavored stew of this is made by adding flaked and dried fish to heated oil and combined with chicken, yam, onions, chili oil and water. Most West Africans don't fancy hard meat and as a result, one would find that beef and mutton are not common in West Africa. It is in fact used mostly as a condiment; as it is very tough. Thus the West African diet tends to be a little healthier above the other cuisines of Africa as it boasts of fish and chicken based meats.

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The Dancing Gourmet: A Ballerina's Healthy Recipes for Fitness

Linda Hymes shares a full repertory of delicious, healthy recipes that are fit for dancers and non-dancers alike in The Dancing Gourmet: Recipes To Keep You on Your Toes. Heck, these are recipes to keep you fit. Hymes knows the secrets of preparing tantalizing dishes that won't add to your waistline- she trained at the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York City before becoming a professional ballerina for fifteen years. After retiring, she pursued her greatest passion- food- and attended the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu in London.

The Dancing Gourmet is a perfect marriage of gourmet food and elegant aesthetic. Anyone who loves ballet or who wishes to look like a dancer by eating right will enjoy the mouth-watering, colorful photos of food and Hymes during some of her finest dancing moments- both seem to jump right off the page. The Dancing Gourmet is flavored with humor throughout it pages: the recipes are categorized by ballet's positions of the feet, from first position (appetizers and small plates) through fifth position(entrees). The final section involves the prerequisite visit to the Land Of the Sweets (a reference from the second act of the much-beloved Nutcracker) which no ballet career or gourmet dining experience should be without.

Eating right doesn't have to be a punishment. In fact, it can be quite pleasurable. Choices from the third category of salads (not just rabbit food!, according to Hymes) such as the grilled chicken salad with spicy blackberry dressing, thai eggplant salad with pickled garlic, and sole and salmon twirls with maple glaze are appealing, or curried banana balls with masoor daal and cold sesame soba with tofu for the vegetarian crowd. Top it all off with a cup of fresh-brewed chai and a slice of pavlova cake. Brava!

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Healthy Food Choices For Diabetics

There is no question that diabetes is a challenging illness and it is essential when suffering with diabetes that you extra time to understand the food you eat. You are what you eat and to a grave degree you will feel how you eat.

If you begin to make the wrong food choices you will make this illness even worse and that is the last thing you want to do. As a result of which it is imperative that you start to eat a healthy diet.

Let's break down some foods and explain how they can help. First off let's take fiber; fiber is wonderful because it helps to manage your blood sugar levels. It accomplishes this by limiting and restricting refined sugar consumption. You can get plenty of fiber from fruit, vegetables, beans, peas and whole grains.

Protein has its benefits as it helps us to feel more satisfied, in other words less hungry. For example let's say you had two meals, one packed with carbohydrates and the other high in protein, the latter would sustain you longer.

The bottom line is this protein does not require as much insulin, carbs get absorbed quickly and that is why you have highs and lows when eating meals with carbohydrates.

That is not to say that you cut out carbohydrates, everything has its place and the body needs at least thirty grams per day. In terms of protein you need not worry, eat as much as you like. So basically cut down on carbs and eat plenty of protein.

Food that contain carbohydrates include, bread, pasta and potatoes. Let's quickly move on to fats, you want to avoid saturated fats that come from dairy products, unsaturated fats are ok in limited amounts. Your best fats are monounsaturated.

In conclusion balance is the key and understanding what you eat and the ingredients therein is imperative.

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Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Recipes - Two Quick, Easy, and Healthy Recipes

Boneless skinless chicken breast recipes are easy to make, quick to get to table, and good for you. The most common way to prepare them involves oven cooking to reduce fat content that frying may not offer.

However, if small amounts of olive oil are used for frying many recipes can be developed which are faster than oven baking and just as nutritious. One such recipe is Chesapeake Chicken.

Chesapeake Chicken

Chicken breasts

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. butter

1 to 2 Tbsp.Old Bay seasoning

3/4 cup Low fat whipping cream

Fry chicken breasts in olive oil and butter until almost cooked (15-25 minutes)

Add Old Bay seasoning to taste (2 Tbsp is a very spicy amount)

Add low fat whipping cream

Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally

Oven Baked Chicken Breast

This low fat meat should be a vital component of any healthy diet plan. It is a relatively inexpensive source of quality protein.

As tasty as this is you have to remember that you don't need as much protein as Americans usually eat every day. Your daily protein requirement is a piece of meat approximately the size of a pack of playing cards. Keeping that visual in mind will help you determine proper portion size.

Oven Baked Chicken Breast With Onions And Bell Pepper

Chicken Breasts

2 medium onions, sliced

2 bell peppers, cut into rings then halve rings

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

Sea salt to taste

Coat the chicken breasts with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and place into baking pan

Sprinkle chicken breasts with sea salt

Bake chicken uncovered in 350 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes

Place onions in a skillet with 1 Tbsp. of butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil then sauté until translucent

Place bell pepper in a separate skillet with 1 Tbsp. of butter and and 1 Tbsp. olive oil then sauté until slightly browned

Serve with a side of sauteed onion and bell pepper. Place the onions on one side of the chicken breast and peppers on the other. This will add visual interest to your dish and keep the flavors separated.

A side dish of whole grain pasta and marinara sauce (marinara from a jar is fine) will add a great accoutrement to this dish. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Served with a hearty red wine this simple meal becomes an elegant offering fit for guests.

Begin the meal with a large salad or raw vegetable platter. This will give you the raw food enzymes that are destroyed when food is heated. Such a diverse offering will give you a wide array of nutrients.

The sea salt adds minerals to your foods. Olive oil is very "body friendly" and is always a welcome addition to any dish. Butter offers wonderful flavor and "anti-stiffness" factors. Red wine offers anti-oxidants and is therefore part of a heart smart diet.

Now you have two great boneless skinless chicken breast recipes you can eat knowing they are offering you vital nutrients to make you healthier. Great taste, when combined with "body friendly" versions of your favorite recipes will allow you to eat healthy and not feel the least bit deprived.

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12 Healthy Healing Foods From the Bible

Why does our society seem to seek every way to overcome sickness and disease other than looking in the best Instruction Manual that's been around for thousands of years? Why do we avoid the simplicity of the basics when it comes to our health? The "basics" I refer to are eating healthy foods, getting regular exercise and adequate sleep.

Of course, the best instruction manual I am referring to is the Bible and there must be hundreds of books out there educating us on the importance of adequate exercise and sleep. Yes, there are scads of books on what to eat, too, but if they tell you to eat something that seems to contradict what the Bible says is OK, you probably should do some serious research before incorporating it into a regular eating plan. 

There are actually some diet/eating plans being promoted that in the long run, may not be very healthy. What a shame if you lose weight, for example, and then have a heart attack because you were eating way too much meat or didn't get adequate nutrition.

Do I even need to mention some things you should obviously avoid if you want to experience optimum health? Folks, as much as I hate to list anything, this is what I see around me in abundance: fried foods, sugar in just about everything it seems, artificial sweeteners, meals heavy in meats with few vegetables and fruits, almost all cooked, (very little raw foods), and diet drinks.   

The foods listed in this report are by no means all the "healthy" foods mentioned in the Bible. They should, however, provide you with some guidance in your food choices.

1. Apples. Song of Solomon. Apples are considered to be the "all around health food." They are high in flavonoids, fiber and Vitamin C. Some of the apple's healing powers include:

A.      They lower both bad cholesterol and high blood pressure

B.      The juices in apples are highly effective virus fighters

C.      They help stabilize blood sugar, an important factor in controlling diabetes

D.      They suppress the appetite without robbing the body of necessary nutrients

E.       Depending on the need, they prevent constipation or help treat diarrhea

One caution: conventionally grown apples may be highly sprayed with pesticides and coated with wax. Purchase organically grown apples when possible.

2. Barley. Deuteronomy 8:8, Ezekiel 4:9. Barley's high fiber content can help keep us regular, relieve constipation and ward off a wide variety of digestive problems. It also may help block cancer. Barley is full of beta glucans, a type of fiber that can lower the risk of heart disease by reducing the levels of artery-clogging LDL.

3. Coriander (Cilantro). When the children of Israel wandered in the desert and received manna from the sky, they described it as looking like coriander seed. Since then coriander has been called "the healer from heaven." Coriander is recommended for indigestion, flatulence (excessive gas) and diarrhea. Externally, it's used to ease muscle and joint pain. Recently, scientists began looking at coriander as an anti-inflammatory treatment for arthritis. Other research has demonstrated that it reduces blood sugar levels, an indication that it may prove to be a useful sugar management tool for diabetics.

4. Fish. Luke 24:42-43. Fish is low in cholesterol and contains healthy polyunsaturated fats. Fish is a rich source of protein, potassium, vitamins and minerals with only a moderate amount of sodium. Eating fish:

* Thins the blood

* Protects arteries from damage

* Inhibits blood clots (anti-thrombotic)

* Reduces blood triglycerides

* Lowers LDL blood cholesterol

* Lowers blood pressure

* Reduces risk of heart attack and stroke

* Eases symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

* Reduces risk of lupus

* Relieves migraine headaches

* Fights inflammation

* Helps regulate the immune system

* Inhibits cancer in animals and possibly humans

* Soothes bronchial asthma

* Combats early kidney disease

The key to the healing powers of fish lies in the omega-3 fatty acids. These are particularly concentrated in cold-water fish such as anchovies, bluefish, herring, lake trout, mackerel, sable fish, whitefish, flue fin tuna, salmon and sardines. Note: in deciding between "healthy" and "unhealthy" fish, you can get specific instruction from Lev. 11:9. Eat only fish which have both fins and scales.

5. Garlic. One of the world's oldest healing foods. By the time of Moses, garlic was already being used as an anticoagulant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent, as well as a relief for flatulence, a diuretic, a sedative, a poultice and as a cure for internal parasites. Research suggests that garlic may help protect against heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure. It contains allylic sulfides, which may neutralize carcinogens. In fact, garlic has been linked to lower rates of stomach cancer, too. It is heart-friendly, with scores of studies showing its astonishing ability to fight hypertension, prevent blood clots and lower cholesterol.

6. Fruits, Berries, Grapes. Numbers 13:23, II Samuel 16:1-2. Grapes were the first thing Noah planted after the flood. Grapes were eaten fresh, dried and eaten as raisins just as we do today, and pressed into cakes. However, most of the crop of the vineyards was made into juice, wine and vinegar. A cup of raw grapes contains only 58 calories, 0.3 grams of fat, zero cholesterol and vitamins A, B and C. Grapes also contain important minerals such as boron, calcium, potassium and zinc. 

Grapes may be helpful in preventing osteoporosis, fighting tooth decay, heading off cancer and fighting off viruses. Other health-giving fruits include figs, melons, and pomegranates.

7. Legumes. 2 Samuel 17:28-29, Genesis 25:34. As reported in the book of Samuel, beans were among the highly nutritious foods sent to feed King David's hungry army and restore their strength for the hard times ahead. Beans have a lot of soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL and reduce blood pressure. The fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels stable, stave off hunger, and even reduce the insulin requirements of people suffering from diabetes.

Beans are a great source of protein as well as being packed full of vitamin C, iron and dietary fiber. Beans help lower blood pressure and reduce the "bad" cholesterol that today's research has shown to be the cause of so much devastating heart trouble --- a rarity centuries ago. Beans contain chemicals that inhibit the growth of cancer. They help prevent constipation, can stop hemorrhoids and other bowel-related problems from developing, and help cure them if they do.

8. Nuts, including almonds, pistachio nuts and walnuts. Song of Solomon 6:11, Gen. 43:11. Botanists today believe that Solomon's "garden of nuts" referred to in Scripture was a rich grove of walnut trees. At the time, walnuts were prized for the oil they produced, which was regarded as only slightly inferior to olive oil. The fact that walnuts were a delicious treat and highly nutritious was an added bonus. Nuts contain the right mixtures of natural ingredients whose benefits include cancer prevention, a lower risk of heart disease and help for diabetics. The oil found in walnuts is considered helpful because it is one of the "good guy" polyunsaturated fats and tends to lower blood cholesterol levels. Note: it's best to avoid roasted nuts since they have been found to carry carcinogens, which could lead to cancer growth, so buy your nuts raw.

9. Olives. The olive was one of the most valuable and versatile trees of biblical times. It is mentioned frequently throughout the Bible. Probably the most famous reference to olive oil and its healing powers is in the parable of the good Samaritan, in which the Samaritan cares for a beaten and robbed traveler, treating his wounds with oil and wine. Olive oil, mixed with wine, was even used to soften and soothe bruises and wounds. Known benefits of olive oil include:

* Lowers blood cholesterol            

* Reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels

* Retards cancer growth

* Reduces the wear and tear of aging on the tissues and organs of the body and brain

* Reduces gastric acidity

* Protects against ulcers and aids the passage of food through the intestines, helping to prevent constipation

* Reduces the risk of gallstones

* Aids normal bone growth

One CAUTION: olive oil has a slight laxative effect, so add it to your diet gradually. 

One TIP: the more pure the olive oil, the better, so spend a little extra and get Virgin Olive Oil.

10. Onions. Numbers 11:5. Like its cousin, garlic, the onion is noted as a cure-all. And the folk healers hold it in high regard as far back as 6000 years or more. At least 3000 years before the birth of Christ, onions were treasured both as food and for their therapeutic value --- particularly in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems. Some facts about onions:   

* Taken internally as a tonic to soothe intestinal gas pains

* Taken internally to alleviate the symptoms of hypertension, high blood sugar and elevated cholesterol

* Some people attribute their long life to a diet that includes high concentrations of onions and yogurt

* The juice of an onion and a syrup made from honey has been used to treat coughs, colds, and asthma attacks

* A tonic of onions soaked in gin has been prescribed for kidney stones and to eliminate excessive fluids

* Modern herbalists recommend onion syrup as an expectorant (it helps eliminate mucus from the respiratory tract)

* Onions can raise the good and lower the bad cholesterol

* Onions can slow blood clotting, regulate blood sugar, break up bronchial congestion and possibly prevent cancer

* Onions possess a strong antibiotic that kills a variety of bacteria

* Have been used externally as an antiseptic and a pain reliever

11. Wheat. Jeremiah 41:8, Ezekiel 4:9. Wheat was the "staff of life." Biblical people ate their grain boiled and parched, soaked and roasted, and even ate it green from the stalk. It was pounded, dried or crushed to be baked into casseroles, porridges, soups, parched grain salads and desserts. Ezekiel's bread was intended to be a survival food during the dark days of the Babylonion conquest because it contained wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt. Wheat bran is high in insoluble fiber. The fiber protects us against constipation. It helps prevent intestinal infections, hemorrhoids and varicose veins. It also improves bowel function and guards us against colon cancer.

12. Wine. I Timothy 5:23. John 4:46. Making wine from grapes is one of the most ancient arts and the beverage of choice in the Bible. According to Genesis, one of the first things Noah did after the flood was plant a vineyard so he could make wine. Researchers are now rediscovering what the physicians of the Bible knew centuries ago. In moderation, wine has a profound impact on our health and healing. Just a single glass of wine a day may be enough to raise the good cholesterol by 7% and help the body put up a barrier to a variety of cancers.

Wine appears to help stop heart disease and cancer. A study at the University of Ottawa in Canada concluded that there is a clear link between wine consumption and lower rates of heart disease. Countries where more than 90% of alcohol is consumed in the form of wine have the lowest rate of heart disease deaths.

A British study of 100 men and women discovered that a single glass of wine or sherry everyday increased the HDL or good cholesterol. When the group abstained from drinking wine, the HDL level decreased.

Red wine also seems to increase the body's defenses against cancer. White wine may carry some of the same therapeutic benefits, but research so far seems to indicate that red wine is the most effective cancer blocker. Note: be sure to drink only in moderation. Ephesians 5:18.

As you can see, the Bible lists a lot of foods, foods that are actually available to us today, that we could be consuming to prevent illness, serious diseases and many trips to the doctor. Good health is not that difficult, but you do have to work at it a bit. It's a balance of what you eat, exercise, sleep, avoiding stress, taking vitamin supplements. And strange as it may seem, the Bible is actually a complete instruction Manual for all of this.

In conclusion, the 12 healing foods listed here are only a partial list of healing foods found in the Bible. However, this report provides abundant evidence that God has placed on this earth, many health-giving foods for our consumption. A person who makes a serious effort to daily eat some of these health-giving foods, while avoiding health-destroying foods, certainly can expect to reap the benefits of a healthier body.

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Healthy Eating-The Debate Continues

There are few things as controversial as exactly what constitutes 'healthy eating'. Everyone wants to eat more healthily, and producers of food want their customers to believe that whatever they're selling will help them do that. Somewhere along the line, the truth gets lost in the noise.

In objective terms, most nutritionists agree that the best path to healthy eating is to eat all the different food groups in moderation. These means to avoid fad diets that restrict one food group and go overboard with another, and not to eat too much of whatever your favourite food might be. The key is to eat some carbohydrate, protein and fat at each meal, hopefully balancing out things like pasta and rice with meat or other fats and proteins.

However, it is also necessary to restrict calorie intake, which basically means not eating too much overall. How many calories you need varies depending on your gender, how old you are and what kind of work you do, but somewhere between 2000-2500 calories per day works as a general rule.

A more controversial part of the drive towards healthy eating is that some food ingredients are generally considered to be unhealthy in any quantity - and the big food manufacturers aren't happy about this, because these ingredients tend to be cheap, or tasty, or useful, or all three. Preservatives are a good example, as are pesticides and sweeteners, and consumers' attempts to avoid these have led to manufacturers being forced to go to all sorts of lengths to remove them from their foods.

Governments have got in on the healthy eating act, too, with many of them mounting campaigns on it in an effort to drive down obesity and other food-related conditions. The most common one is the message to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, which has led to a marketing feeding frenzy, with other campaigns including anti-salt, pro-oils, anti-trans fats, and sometimes anti-junk food in general.

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Chiropractic, Children and Healthy Eating

Every parent wants their child to grow up to be healthy and happy. To become a healthy adult it's important to invest in a child's health while they are young. Chiropractic care for children aims to assist children to develop into adults who have healthy bodies that are free of disease. There is nothing more important to growing bodies than eating the correct foods.

Nutrition and children

What goes into a child's body not only has a profound effect on their health and happiness as children but also lays the foundation to their future health as adults. Childhood obesity has become an issue for an increasing number of children. This in turn has lead to a growth in the number of 'diets' for children. Any restriction of food intake for children needs to be managed carefully to ensure they are not missing out on the nutrients they need for their bodies to grow and develop.

Eating foods with the correct nutrients is vital to assist children grow healthy bodies. Healthy food assists children feel good physically and emotionally. It also gives their bodies the best chance at fighting and preventing disease. Unfortunately, many of the foods offered to children are the very foods that may actually

weaken their bodies. Most of the fast foods available, which are being consumed in increasing amounts, do not contain the nutrients children (or adults) need.

What should children eat?

What foods do children need to protect and build their health so they can get the most from their childhood and become healthy adults? Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is always the best way to start. They contain all the things the body needs such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fibre.

These things neutralize the free radicals that contribute to many of the rampant illnesses and disease so prevalent today, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and the list goes on. A good approach to ensure a child eats the right mix of foods and gains the nutrients they need is to follow the Food Guide Pyramid. The Food Guide Pyramid gives a general guide to how much of certain foods should be consumed. Each group of foods in the pyramid contains different nutrients required by the body.

Foods at the bottom of the pyramid should be consumed in the greatest quantity. Those foods at the top should only be consumed in small amounts. If you are unsure about the nutritional needs of your child or how to structure their food intake to get the right nutrients you should speak to your chiropractor who can help you, or put you in touch with a qualified nutritionalist. By ensuring your child is gaining the correct nutrients through a balanced diet and regular chiropractic checkups you are investing in your child's health today. You will see the payoff for it as they get older.

Fact

It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that your body is getting food. When your brain gets this message, you stop feeling hungry. So get fast eaters to slow down to give their brains a chance to get

the message. Source: American Dietetics association: Healthy Habits for Healthy Kids. www.wellpoint.com/healthy_parenting/mealtimetips.html

Like most parents I know that fruit and vegetables are an important part of a child's diet and too much take

away food really isn't good for me or my children. That's all great, but now that my children have started making choices about what food they want to eat it can be diffi cult to infl uence them to choose healthy foods.

I've found that keeping foods high in sugar and fat right out of the house stops any urge to snack on these things (both for me and the children). In doing this it is important to have healthy snack food as a replacement, such as fruit, crackers and vegetables, prepared in an appetising manner.

I find that take-away food can't always be avoided but I try and limit the amount and type we eat. Also, not upsizing to a bigger meal size just because it is good value can significantly reduce the fat and sugar intake.

As always one of the biggest influences on children is being a good role model. If children see you making good food choices, and enjoying it, they are likely to want to have your portion to!

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Healthy Food for Pregnant Women - Top Tips You Have To Try

Eating healthy during pregnancy is vital for your baby. No more junk food or fat meat is allowed when you prepare to become a mother. Pregnancy means a lot of responsibility, but if you are able to make some sacrifices, it is really worth it. The foods you eat during pregnancy build a healthy body and strong immune system for your baby. It's truly rewarding to see you have brought a strong and healthy child into the world.

Following a healthy eating regime, it's something every pregnant woman should do. Any diet plan includes a list of foods that are highly recommended and others that should be avoided. Before following a diet plan, it's better to see a specialist. Taking into account your medical history, a specialist can advise you on what specifically you should go for. When you are pregnant, it's essential to include in your diet, foods that contain calcium, iron, vitamins, fibers and minerals. Don't ever say no to healthy food such as brown rice, grain pasta, wheat bread, cereals, poultry, fish, egg and nuts.

For vitamins, you should eat fruits such as melons, grapes, apples, bananas, peaches, oranges and strawberries. For your health and your baby's health do eat vegetables such as spinach and lettuce. The principle of any diet plan is not to starve. If you feel like eating, go ahead and eat healthy food. Staying hungry during pregnancy does no good to your baby's development. You should give up caffeine, nicotine, alcohol if you don't want a baby with birth defects or malformations.

Do healthy diet plans specially designed for pregnant women have benefits?

Diet plans do have a lot of benefits. First of all, if you stick to it, you assimilate all nutrients needed for a perfect development of your baby. When you have a diet plan, the risk of eating unhealthy food is lower than when you have no plan at all. What's more, a healthy diet regime helps your baby have a normal weight at birth.

Another advantage is that the complications after birth are dramatically reduced. Symptoms such as fatigue, sickness and emotional fluctuations are simply diminished. Healthy eating during pregnancy leads to speedy recovery after birth. Your body recovers in a short period of time and you will be able to take care of your new born sooner than you think of. Healthy diet plans specially designed for pregnant women really give results. All you have to do is to stick to it.

Do you enjoy cooking? During pregnancy, just forget about cooking. The key to a healthy diet is to reduce cooked food as much as you can. Raw food contains more nutrients than cooked food. If you cannot enjoy eating raw food, you should choose cooking methods that retain nutrients. For example, instead of boiling vegetables you can steam them.

Pregnancy is about staying healthy. Make the best decisions concerning you diet plan during pregnancy and you'll enjoy life together with your healthy and happy new born.

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The 12 Super Foods That Better Your Health

There are 12 foods that, if eaten on a regular basis, will do wonders for your health. Do you know what they are?

If you're reading this than you already have some knowledge of how important good nutrition is. I'm a big advocate of "you are what you eat." Meaning, what you put in your body largely determines what you look like on the outside.

And if you make a serious effort to improve your eating habits, you will notice a positive change in how you look and feel.

There are 12 foods that you should be eating on a regular basis. All have their own unique health benefits and if you mold your diet around the majority of these foods, you'll notice an improvement in your health.

The list is as follows:

1. Almonds and other nuts- a great source of good fat.

2. Beans and legumes- a great source of fiber and protein.

3. Spinach and other green vegetables- a great source of phytonutrients and antioxidants.

4. Low-fat dairy- a great source of calcium and protein.

5. Oatmeal- a great source of fiber and protein.

6. Eggs- a great source of vitamin E and protein.

7. Turkey and other lean meats- a great source of protein.

8. Natural peanut butter- yes, this can be included under #1, but natural peanut butter makes eating nuts easier because you can spread it on wheat bread, bananas, celery, etc.

9. Olive oil- a great source of good fat.

10. Whole-grain breads and cereals- a great source of fiber.

11. Extra protein- a great source of protein!

12. Raspberries and other berries- a great source of antioxidants.

All 12 foods above have a high nutritional value and should be incorporated into your daily snacks and meals.

I personally bring the list with me food shopping and you might want to consider doing the same.

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Teaching Children Healthy Eating

If your goal as a parent is to have children that eat healthy food, it will be to your benefit to teach your children how to eat healthy food and make healthy choices rather than force it on them. Forcing a child to do something will only work up to a certain extent. They will end up not wanting to do whatever it is in the end because children have the tendency to express their will and independence or autonomy. The key to success is to involve them in the process and to teach them.

Teaching children healthy eating is relatively easy if you start early. It begins by exposing them to healthy foods and monitoring their diets and food intake while they're young. Apart from that, tell your children why you eat the things you eat. Letting them know the benefits of their eating what you serve is one way to entice a child to eat it. Being very frank and open with your children is one way to win them over to your side.

Another way of teaching children healthy eating is to turn the subject of healthy foods into a game or way for you and your children to spend time together. Get your child involved in the kitchen and have a list of foods you introduce to them once a week. This is a good way of introducing them to fruits and vegetables, quizzing them on the benefits of eating these foods (something you should have previously discussed), and part of the game is trying out the fruit and giving your opinions on it. You can also come up with little skits to entertain your child or buy fake fruit and allow them to play with it for a few days before showing them the real thing. Whatever you find works best as a game is probably what will work for your child.

Constantly remind your child about healthy eating and its benefits. Don't be nagging about it though. You can ask them to remind you too. Say you forgot why vegetables are important and you need them to tell you again. This will help you see how much your child has absorbed.

Also, follow a healthy eating lifestyle in and out of your home at all times. It isn't enough for your child to know the facts. They have to live the facts. Playing the game is one way to make healthy eating more tangible to them, but if you aren't inclined to do so, just find creative ways of serving healthy food to your children and consistently make healthy choices no matter where you are. Lead by example. Just remember to teach them while they're young and they will probably carry on the habit for the rest of their lives.

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Healthy, High Calorie Foods For Weight Gain

Who's sexier - Jennifer Lopez or Olive Oyl from the old Popeye cartoons? Most people would emphatically reply, "J-Lo!" Some of us are naturally endomorphs, and have difficulty losing weight. At the other end of the spectrum are ectomorphs, who are thin and actually have trouble gaining weight. Being skinny can be emotionally difficult. That may be hard to believe, especially for women, given our current "thin-is-in" culture of beauty. Others who may want to gain weight include body builders and those who are overcoming eating disorders.

The idea behind gaining weight is not to become obese of course - so fast food is definitely out of the question. That's because obesity is accompanied by serious health risks such as heart disease and diabetes. Rather, people who want to gain weight need healthy high-calorie foods for weight gain. The healthy way to gain weight naturally is with high-protein foods - which will also build attractive, lean muscle.

The three primary nutrients for the human body are protein, which supplies amino acids; fats, which supply fatty acids; and carbohydrates, which supply glucose. These three primary nutrients are also the foods to gain weight with! Here's a snapshot of how to optimize your diet with healthy high-calorie foods for weight gain.

Protein should be the building block of every meal and snack. Protein builds lean muscle. This does not mean fast-food burgers! Be sure that your protein sources are lean: chicken, fish, or vegetarian alternatives such as beans and tofu. Red meat and dairy products are not generally recommended because they're high in saturated fat. However, there are healthy ways to eat red meat and dairy products, which we'll discuss shortly. Your serving of protein should be the largest portion on your plate. Lean protein snacks include hummus, nuts, low-fat cheese and yogurt.

Enjoy hearty whole-grain carbohydrates. This does not mean white, highly processed carbs such as potato chips, white bread and bagels! Think brown. Whole-grain carbs include items such as multi-grain crackers, whole wheat bread and basmati rice. People who are watching their weight avoid highly processed carbs and reduce their intake of whole-grain carbs to one or two servings per day. Since your goal is to gain weight, feel free to eat whole-grain carbohydrates with every meal. Seven-grain crackers dipped in hummus makes a hearty snack!

Eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. You can boost your serving intake by also drinking 100 percent natural fruit juices. Also, be sure to add a fruit or vegetable to every meal. We could change that old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" to "Five servings a day keeps sickness at bay!"

Enjoy healthy fats. Fats encourage nutrient absorption, facilitate nerve transmission, and maintain cell integrity. This does not mean eating greasy french fries! Not all fats are created equal. There are good fats and bad fats. The good guys are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol and they also increase HDL, or good cholesterol. Tasty examples are nut, canola and olive oils. Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL and total cholesterol, too. Those healthy omega 3 fatty acids that you're always hearing about are polyunsaturated fats. Salmon, fish oil, and corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Dip your whole-grain bread from a local baker in gourmet olive oil! Make a big, creamy batch of guacamole from hearty avocados--throw in some chunks of tomato and onion. These are delicious, healthy, high-calorie foods for weight gain! Avoid bad fats, as they instigate heart disease and certain types of cancer. The bad guys are saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats raise LDL and total cholesterol; they're found primarily in animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. Trans fats come from hydrogenated oils. Scientists whip hydrogen into any type of oil, even originally healthy oils, to give processed foods a longer shelf life and a creamier "mouth feel." French fries and buns, stick margarine, vegetable shortening and countless packaged foods contain partially hydrogenated oils. Read the labels, and avoid them.

If you're going to eat animal products occasionally, protect your health by doing it the right way. If you want to enjoy some red meat and dairy products as part of your healthy plan to gain weight, here are some tricks to keep bad fats in check. Opt for meat and dairy products that come from grass-fed animals, preferably from local small family farmers in your area. Now, organic and grass-fed meat is available at most supermarkets. Not only are these products vastly superior in flavor, but also contain more good fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids, than bad fats. They also have conjugated lineolic acid, and are high in beta-carotene. These nutrients plummet in ordinary mass-produced meat and dairy products, because the animals are fed corn, which is less expensive and makes animals larger. You might also be shocked to learn that the animals are often fed truckloads of stale or ruined junk food such as snack cakes from bakery outlets because it's so cheap.

Another method you can use to supplement healthy foods to gain weight is by focusing on anaerobic exercise rather than aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is moderate activity performed over an extended period of time, such as running and bicycling. Aerobic exercise burns fat. However, if you're trying to gain weight, retain a little fat to sculpt into lean, attractive muscle, and turn to anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is high-intensity with short bursts of action, such as weight lifting, sprinting and jumping. Weight lifting is the perfect anaerobic exercise for someone who's trying to gain weight. Body builders use this type of anaerobic exercise to build muscle mass, and non-endurance sports athletes use it to build power. Weightlifting creates a hard body for men that women love, and it sculpts those curves on women that men appreciate! Once you attain your desired weight, you can supplement anaerobic exercise with aerobic exercise for overall cardiovascular health.

In addition to these diet tips, you can supplement your healthy diet with protein supplements. It is often difficult to eat enough protein each day, so supplementing with a soy or whey protein shake can help increase overall intake. Everyone who is too skinny wants to gain weight, look great, and build strength. Take the next step today, and enjoy the benefits of a fit, healthy body.

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Is Pasta Healthy Or Fattening?

Many people who are trying to lose weight wonder is pasta healthy or fattening? Pasta, like many foods high in carbohydrates, often gets a bad reputation for being fattening; however, this does not have to be true.

Carbohydrates, though recently made out to be villains, are actually necessary to keep your body and mind running smoothly. When carbohydrates are broken down they provide a major source of glucose. Glucose is the primary source of energy for your body and the only source of energy for your brain. Many people who have tried to stick to very low-carb diets have suffered from low energy and bad moods. I know I would be in a bad mood if I never got to eat my favorite pastas!

Consuming too many carbohydrates can be fattening, but pasta itself is not fattening; cooked pasta has only about 200 calories per cup. Where you really get into trouble is with your pasta sauce. Pasta sauces that contain high calorie fatty meats, creams, cheese and other fattening ingredients can really make a pasta dish fattening. Tomato pasta sauces are usually not very fattening at all! Americans also have a tendency to eat too much pasta - portion control is important when controlling calories. Italians traditionally serve pasta as a side dish or as one course of a multi-course meal; not in the large mounds that are so common in the United States.

Along with being fattening, pasta has been criticized for being a simple carbohydrates and lumped into the same category as cake, pastries and white bread. The problem with all of these simple carbohydrates is that they spike your blood sugar resulting in excess insulin being secreted which encourages weight gain and a subsequent energy crash. Simple carbohydrates have a high Glycemic Index (GI) which is a number used to measure how quickly the body's blood sugar level rises after the ingestion of a food. The good news is that Pasta has a GI of 41, which is similar to pears and lower than many types of bread. And one easy way to lower the GI of pasta is to cook it like the Italians - "al dente".

Most pasta today is made from semolina flour obtained from durum wheat. This creates a firm dough which in turn also lowers the GI, while also providing a good source of nutrition. Homemade and dried pasta contain plenty of B vitamins, folic acid and iron. It's low in sodium and, despite a prevalent myth, pasta is not high in cholesterol even though it is usually made with eggs. It was once thought that egg consumption needed to be drastically reduced due to their high cholesterol content, but subsequent research has shown eggs are quite healthy in moderation and greatly contribute to the health benefits of pasta. For those on a strict diet, however, pasta can be made without eggs, while the flour and olive oil content still make this pasta healthy.

Another option is to use dried pasta. This pasta usually does not contain eggs or oil but is made from 100% semolina flour and is quite firm when cooked.  The firmness of this pasta helps lower the GI index to less than bread, potatoes and white rice while still providing vitamin B, fiber and iron. Dried pasta can be stored up to 3 years, but be sure not to store your pasta in glass containers as the sunlight depletes the vitamin B.

Is Pasta healthy in other ways too?

Yes, homemade pasta can be quite healthy. It is not difficult to learn how to make pasta and homemade Pasta can be made even more nutritious with the inclusion of whole wheat flour, spinach, garlic and herbs that add to the vitamin, mineral and fiber content of the pasta. Fiber is another nutrient often lost in modern diets, but fiber is necessary for digestive health, hormonal balance and the prevention of certain types of cancers.

There are many easy pasta recipes which make this nutritious food very convenient for modern busy cooks as well. When trying to eat healthier, you don't have to wonder "is pasta healthy" since there are many ways to prepare pasta that are. So go ahead and enjoy your pasta without guilt, just remember to go easy on the fattening meats and sauces and enjoy your pasta in moderation!

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Why Does Our Body Need Healthy Food?

In the present fast-paced lifestyle, we hardly have any time to devote to prepare extensive healthy meals to nourish ourselves and our families and therefore, we end up consuming highly processed food, which are laden with oil and sugar, and containing such chemical additives that are strictly not intended for human consumption.

Eating healthy food will charge you with loads of energy and also make you feel great from within. Healthy foods boost our body's immune system and help us in developing resistance to infections by combating disease producing pathogenic organisms that happen to enter our body. Healthy food aids in living longer and keeps your brain working more efficiently as a result of which you become more attentive and mentally sharp and alert. A healthy diet can address or prevent certain diet and nutrition related diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol and heart ailments, cancer, high blood pressure and obesity.

By not eating a healthy diet, it can result in the manifestation of several symptoms which can clearly be identified by your outer appearance such as adult acne, dry skin, mouth or tongue ulcers, dark circles, or anemia. Other common symptoms which indicated that your body is suffering due to want of a healthy diet include bad breath, constipation, poor digestion, irritability, frequent headaches and a feeling of depression, poor memory, fatigue, sleep disorders, etc.

In other people, not eating a healthy diet can also cause menstrual problems, diarrhea, development of asthma or other forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gallstones, polyps, mental illness or simply result in osteoporosis.

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10 Healthy Eating Slogans - Seeing Through the Hype

Healthy eating has become the ideal standard to meet. Both for you and those that want you to buy their products.

The public wants to eat healthy. Manufacturers are aware of this. So an effective advertising campaign would have their product aligned with healthy eating.

Let's take a look at some of the slogans.

10 Healthy Eating Slogans Deciphered

1. Made with 100% fruit juice

Fruit juice is healthy, so this slogan can be tricky. The statement says 'made with', which basically means it contains 100% fruit juice. This statement is not claiming to be '100 percent fruit juice'. So would 1 tablespoon of fruit juice still make this a truthful statement.

Yes. But, this product would have other ingredients like water and sugar and more accurately would be called a 'drink'.

2. Made without preservatives

I heard this pitch on a Coca Cola commercial. I had to laugh out loud. Surely, we're not to believe soda pop is healthy.

Soft drinks are made with phosphoric acid. This highly acidic base means that preservatives aren't needed.

The acidic base also causes a physiological response. The body will do its best to maintain a pH balance. So the acid must be neutralized.

Just because a product has no preservatives does not warrant a healthy eating 'crown'.

3. No artificial colors or flavors

This is good. Just make sure that this isn't the only good thing you can say about the product.

An example of this would be flour. Here the color is stripped to give the white color. Also lost are nutrients and fiber.

4. No trans fat

At first glance this looks good. But check the label to be sure that hydrogenated oil was not used.

Trans fat is a by product of the hydrogenation process. To remove it does not then make the oil healthy. It is just not quite as harmful.

5. No sugar added

Please, when you see this on a label, look further. Fruit juice can be used to sweeten. But, you don't want artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup.

6. Flavor enhanced

Ok. So what was used to make this happen. MSG is a flavor enhancer that is very common in processed foods and is widely used in restaurants. Just remember that wholesome foods do not need the flavor enhanced.

7. Fortified with...

Many products have been fortified for years. Iodine is added to salt. Vitamins are added to flour and boxed cereals.

Yet, now this practice has spread to be more of an advertising gimmick than healthy eating. You can even get fortified water.

These products don't use natural source vitamins. That would be cost prohibitive. The best way to get your nutrients is through a balanced diet.

8. Enhanced with...

This would be replacing nutrients that had been lost during processing.

Ok, right there is a good sign that you could make the product healthier yourself.

When processing is so heavy so as to loose nutrients, replacing a select few leaves out trace nutrients that were also lost.

9. Made with whole wheat

100% whole wheat is your preferred wheat choice. However, the statement doesn't claim to be 100%. So other ingredients could have been used.

Check the label to be sure no flour or wheat flour is listed. In this case you would be not getting the value of a 100% whole wheat product. Wheat flour is another name for flour and is not whole wheat flour.

10. Kid approved

Great, kids like it. Now, read the label. My kids would have eaten almost anything that was fun and sweet. Do the ingredients pass your scrutiny?

Healthy eating requires a bit of an 'eagle eye'. You verify the marketing claims against what is printed on the label. With a bit of practice, you too, will find slogans that bring a chuckle to your day.

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Steaming Food in a Food Steamer - Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is not just about choosing the right food to eat but also how you cook it. Steaming food in a food steamer is one of the healthiest, most nutritious methods of healthy eating.

The raw food diet is undoubtedly the healthiest of all diets but using a food steamer and steaming food comes in at a close second.

When you cook by steaming food in a food steamer the food never comes into contact with the water, so vital nutrients are not lost in the cooking process.

A food steamer will retain the cellular structure of food tissues as well as their aromatic composition because the heat when steaming food is gentle.

Inside a food steamer, the steaming food is wrapped in watery steam and cooking takes pace through a convection process. You will also notice that meat, in particular, stays tender and tasty.

Which Foods to Cook in a Food Steamer

Steamed vegetables keep most of their flavonoids and vitamin content, so other than eating them raw, steaming vegetables is the next best way of cooking them.

Fish is also excellent when cooked in a food steamer because it retains all of its flavors and nutrient content such as the essential Omega-3 fatty-acids found in all seafood and fish doesn't fall apart during the cooking process.

Stir-frying, boiling, grilling, and other high temperature heating methods destroy many important nutrients. If you want to maintain the nutrients and rich flavors of fresh foods, then steaming food is the key!

You can use your food steamer to steam fish, chicken, vegetables, dumplings and much more and reap the health benefits of fat-free cooking that produces crisp and delicious results.

A Food Steamer is a Healthier Choice

All it takes is a simple change to your dietary habits to greatly assist in promoting better health.

Good health and vitality go hand in hand with great tasting food, steaming food perfectly seals in all the natural vitamins and minerals of foods which are vital to maintaining a healthy and balanced diet.

A Food Steamer Preserves Vitamins and Minerals

Brown rice, for example, should be cooked in a food steamer, because this is the only method of cooking brown rice that guarantees the retention of its valuable vitamin B1.

A diet including five servings of steamed vegetables a day can help in the fight against aging and also protect against several serious diseases.

It's the abundance of vitamins and mineral salts that is so important and by steaming food you will minimize the risk of losing these vital vitamins and nutrients while cooking.

Overcooking or burning food will destroy most, if not all, of the health benefits from eating it, this can be easily avoided if you use a food steamer.

If you are health conscious you may prefer steaming food in a food steamer to other methods which require cooking oil, resulting in lower fat consumption.

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Finding Healthy Dog Food to Buy on a Budget

Are you an enthusiastic dog owner? If you are one, you must remember how it was when they first were growing up and you had to provide them with full healthy meals every day. As small as they are, those little guys could really eat. And healthy dog food doesn't come cheap. So what do you do to keep your pets healthy and still keep from burning a hole in your budget?

It can be quite difficult to compare and judge competing brands of dog food. Go to the pet section of any store and there are actually dozens of brands. Most people just throw in the towel and buy whatever has the best-looking packaging. You could either check with your friends to see what their experience has been finding healthy dog food in the store aisles. Or else, you could check the Internet out for reviews of healthy dog food. Whole Dog Journal is one of the trusted ones.

The thing about some of the cheaper brands is that while you might think you're getting away with spending less, your dog just won't be happy until he has as much nutrition as he wants. He is just going to keep asking for more. You don't really end up saving that much.

Since it's quite difficult to really judge store-bought dog food for nutrition and quality, some people just switch to homemade dog food.

Have you ever tried to rescue a lost baby bird or something and had it die on you? There are dozens of reports that turn up every year in the newspapers about how newly-converted vegans make a point of feeding their little children nothing but a vegan diet and then have their children die. The same thing happens in families that newly convert to meat-eating. For people who have always stuck to a traditional diet that is native to the local region, it can be hard to believe how much science you need to put into food preparation before switching diets.

There's nothing wrong with a vegan diet or a meat diet from a nutritional standpoint. It is just that it has to be traditional or scientific if you are to be able to survive on it. A traditional diet has been fine-tuned over the centuries to include every little thing you need to stay alive. Someone who's artificially converted to a new kind of self-designed diet simply doesn't have all of that information. And for the same reason, it can be difficult finding a well-rounded homemade diet to prepare at home when you try to feed a lost baby bird or even your own puppy dog.

There are all kinds of scientifically-prepared recipes you'll find on the Internet to make at home for your dog. And it can take quite a lot of practice to know what to include and what not to. For instance, you're never to include fruits like grapes and cherries, vegetables like onions and garlic or certain nuts feeding your dog. Look sources up on the Internet to determine what the best recipes are, and go with them. Your dog will be much healthier for it.

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Healthy Eating Facts - Slow Food Versus Fast Food

Another point of view in the attempt to keep your perfect health is the slow food concept. It is known very well that some fast food can be harmful to our health. Despite its practicality and economic values, fast food in some extend should be responsible for many health impairment, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and heart diseases. These findings are backed up by endless research and studies, since the development of food processing which is still on the go.

Consuming fast food has become a tradition in this super busy modern world. Home cooking becomes a waste of time, impractical and is left to older people who ought to do this during their good old time. At the end of the day people may forget that home cooking is actually much more beneficial to our health. Fortunately there are lots of people who are still concern about the importance of home cooking or slow cooking. Those are the people who concern about the health of their families.

Thanks to Carlo Petrini, an Italian, who start the war against fast food in 1986 through an organization called The Slow Food Movement. As its slogan is Clean, Safe and Healthy, his very aim is to re-encourage people to cook at home and serve home made healthy dishes to their families.

This Slow Food Movement at this moment has become a global organization with specific missions in each and every country over the world. One of its missions is to promote healthy local food of every country using natural food stuff and avoid the usage of preservatives or chemical substances.

I think that most of the families are still do the cooking at home, and dine out once in a while. And I also believe that the incidence of high blood pressure is quite low in these types of families, unless not all of the family members eat at home. The role of a housewife and mother become extremely important. She is the one that should be able to gather the whole family at the dining table to enjoy homemade healthy cooking, which she prepared with love and care.

#1 - Preparing home made dishes is actually not an easy task. It needs the knowledge of healthy food ingredients and effort to buy and select the ingredients in traditional markets or directly from the farmer. Here are some directions on how to prepare healthy food at home as recommended by the Slow Food Movement:

#2 - Set fresh ingredients as first priority. Buy them in traditional markets or directly from farmers. Traditional markets are the shortest distribution channel of fresh food. Our body needs fresh food ingredients that are just or recently harvested. Vegetables cannot be stored overnight since the stalls are usually not equipped with freezers to keep them fresh.

#3 - On the other hand, there is a great possibility that vegetables sold in supermarkets has been kept for quite a long time, even for a week. This will decrease the nutrition value of the vegetable. This also counts for fresh meat and fish.

#4 - When buying fresh ingredients in traditional markets you should be aware about the usage of dangerous and illegal preservatives like formalin and the usage of prohibited food colorings

#5 - Replace the usage of instant spices and mono sodium glutamate (MSG) with the fresh ones like shallots, garlic, onions, celery, ginger, white pepper and sesame oil.

#6 - You can prepare your homemade "instant spices" by freezing your blended spices in an ice tray or put it in a food grade plastic bag. You can then use it as needed and keep the rest in the freezer.

Well, I may conclude that this slow food concept is a good tradition. Enjoying home made cooking, like I do, is really a good contribution to health. The choosing of what to eat and what ingredients are needed is fully at your discretion. Other benefits are that you may save a lot of bucks when cooking at home and at the same time avoid the temptation of bad food outside. Isn't it?

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Why is Junk Food Unhealthy?

Junk food can be very unhealthy for people if eaten too much and on a regular basis. Many nutritionists will advise people not to eat lots of this kind of food and to not include it in their diet as a regular nutrient. It has different reactions on different people and can affect their health in many ways.

Junk food often includes a very high content in salt, sugar and fats that can affect our cardiovascular functions; this is because the high content in fat will cause our arteries to clog causing our heart to suffer because it is put under a lot of strain. The high content in sugar that is found in many types of fast food can cause us many different types of illnesses and it can also ruin the enamel on our teeth causing them to rot.

The high content in salt is also very unhealthy and can also cause problems in our heart. People who suffer from obesity or that are over weight have a higher risk of cardiovascular problems caused by the higher fat and salt contents. This is because people who have weight problems have normally got heart problems already due to the fat around the heart. By adding more fats and salts to their organism they have a higher risk of heart problems.

Any person that eats this kind of menu on a regular basis has a very high risk of suffering with heart problems such as heart attacks. Junk food is not a healthy food at all and because of this it is advised to eat and drink very little amounts of these types of foods. Even for healthy people it is not advisable to eat lots of fast food.

For those people who like to eat junk food it is advisable to maintain a healthy diet on a regular basis and only eat it on rare occasions. If eaten on a very small basis the risk of illnesses that it can cause will be reduced.

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So-Called "Healthy" Foods to Avoid at All Costs

Healthy weight loss is all about choosing the right diet, eating the right kinds of food to give your body the energy it requires and avoiding the foods that take us away from our goal of losing or maintaining a healthy weight. Just as there are some foods we should eat on a daily basis, there are some presumably "healthy" foods we should avoid at all costs.

Fruit Juices-Fruit juices can wreak havoc on your healthy weight loss plan. You are essentially removing the vitamins, fiber, and other healthy benefits found in the skins and meat of the fruit, and getting a super dose of the sugary liquid. Think about how many apples you have to squeeze to get a glass of apple juice...let's say 4-5. In drinking the juice you are consuming 4-5 apples worth of sugar. Even though it is from a healthy source, it is still sugar, and you threw away all the healthy benefits of the apple, for example, the fiber. And that's if you drink straight, fresh-squeezed apple juice. The store-bought version, which adds insane amounts of sugar, is 10 times worse. Avoid the juice and just eat the whole apple instead with a glass of water.

Salad (toppings)-Salad itself is obviously very healthy, but the stuff we pile on top of the salad is where we can get into trouble. Take a perfectly healthy, low calorie salad full of fresh, crisp, colorful veggies and add bacon, piles of ham, chopped eggs, cheese and croutons, then smother it in salad dressing and you have devastated your healthy meal and your calorie intake. Stick to a nice variety of colorful vegetables in your salad, add a little ham or egg for protein, skip the cheese and croutons, and use olive oil or vinaigrette dressing. If you must use creamy dressing like ranch or blue cheese, keep it on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing and then in your salad to get a little dressing with each bite. You'll have dressing left over and you won't destroy the health benefits nor the point of eating a salad.

Whole-wheat products-Whole-wheat products are misleading. Most have nearly as much fat, carbohydrates and calories as regular white bread. They may or may not have more fiber than products made with white flour. Multi-grain products are just as bad. You want to look for whole-grain products for a healthy option.

Artificial sweetener-Your body cannot tell the difference between real sugar and artificial sweetener. Your body metabolizes them both the same way. And studies show that artificial sweetener can actually make your body crave more sugar, so you might subconsciously reach for foods that have high levels of sugar in them. Your best bet is to consume real sugar, but just reduce your sugar intake and keep it under control.

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The Best Banana Pudding For A Healthy Alternative

This banana pudding recipe, a healthy alternative to the rich chocolates for dessert is not only low carb but it is also quite tasty.

This recipe is very simple and has been known to hook my own family a time or too, like at the family reunion when my little cousin squealed about how he needed to 'nana puddin' to finish his meal. This is a classic recipe around our dinner table and the banana pudding recipe is sure to be a frequent guest at our family dinner table.

INGREDIENTS:

1 box sugar-free Jello instant banana cream pudding mix

1 1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 tub sugar-free Cool Whip, thawed

Optional: 4 oz container plain low-fat yogurt (about 1/2 cup)

1 box sugar-free vanilla wafers

4 medium, ripe bananas, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1) Add pudding to cold milk and whisk for two minutes until thickened. Fold in yogurt (if using) and whipped topping.

2) In a medium bowl layer half of the wafers, then half of the sliced bananas, and finally cover all with half of the pudding. Repeat.

3) Cover with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours, or preferably overnight.

For those of you who are lactose intolerant and cannot enjoy this delicious dessert, feel free to substitute the ingredients to suit your needs. For example, you can use Lactaid skim milk instead of regular milk. You can also omit the yogurt because, remember, it is optional.

For the rest of the people enjoying your dessert who are not lactose-intolerant, the taste of this delicious healthy alternative to the traditional banana pudding will still be nearly the same. So if you want to work towards eating more healthy foods, then this dessert recipe might be a good choice for you. A healthy banana pudding recipe is a delightful taste bud teaser.

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Weekly Menu Planning - Healthy Foods Instead of Fast Food

Is going through the drive through of one of your local fast food restaurants becoming a way of life for you? Do you wish you had more time to pack your lunch daily or prepare a good meal for your family at night?

Well, you can do both, and it won't take all day. One of the best ways to prepare your lunch daily and your dinners weekly is to plan. A good plan gets you where you want to be. Someone once said, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Don't be a failure when it comes to preparing meals for yourself and your family.

Meal planning is a task that can easily become a part of your routine and it will save you time and money. Here's how to get started today.

Take one week at a time. So not to get overwhelmed from the beginning try planning meals for one week at first before tackling 2 week or even monthly meal planning. One week's meals planned and a matching grocery list will have you on your way to great homemade meals in no time.

Make out a menu. That's right, sit down with a pen and paper make columns and rows and write out meals for each meal for everyday of the week. You know muffins for breakfast, a green salad for lunch, a hearty beef stew dinner in the crock pot for your evening meal, continue for every day of the week, taking into account busier nights so that you have time to prepare.

Write a coinciding grocery list. Using your meal plan write out a grocery list for the items not already in your pantry. A list saves you the time of wandering the isles trying to remember what you need for your meals for the week.

Stick to it! Living life with a meal plan takes some getting used to, so give it time. You might not accomplish successful meals everyday of the first week, but as time goes by you'll grow to love having a plan set when you are hungry for dinner.

Menu planning really is a popular concept that more and more people are buying into; you can even find programs out there that will plan your meals for you. So, if you hate to plan hire someone to do it for you. Either way, make a plan so that you will have healthy meals every day of the week.

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