28Dec/110
Foods That Help Burn Belly Fat
The type of fat that is stored around the waistline, visceral fat, is more metabolically active and is easier to lose than the type of fat stored in other parts of the body. So most people when they lose weight will start to lose weight in the abdominal region first.
Following is a list of foods that will help you burn belly fat faster:
1. Oatmeal - Oatmeal breaks down slowly in your stomach so it doesn't cause a big spike in your insulin. It is also high in fiber. Both of these factors help to raise your metabolism and burn fat. Having oatmeal for breakfast can raise your metabolism by as much as 10% so you will burn fat at a higher rate.
2. Almonds - Eating almonds which are a high protein, high-fat food, increases your calorie burn for several hours after consumption. They are very filling so they help control your appetite. Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats which lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes.
3. Eggs - Egg protein, like other protein, helps build muscle which in turn burns fat. Protein has the added benefit of helping you to feel full longer. It also takes more energy to digest protein than fats or carbohydrates. Eggs are also high in choline, folate, and lutein.
4. Cruciferous vegetables - Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, Swiss chard, and bok choy) are all high in folate. The more folate in your diet, the lower your risk of obesity. Folate also decreases your risk for heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, and depression.
5. Whole grains - When insulin levels spike, it signals the body to store fat. Whole grains are digested slowly so they do not cause a quick rise in your insulin level. One study found that people who ate whole grains lost more than twice as much belly fat as those who ate refined grains. Whole grains are also high in fiber which helps curb your appetite.
The more weight you have to lose, the more quickly you are likely to start losing fat in the abdominal region first.
By: M Conley Stone
28Dec/110
Swiss Chard – What Do I Do With That?
Originally, all foods were "organic" - grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking.
Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not only deficient in
nutrients but also full of pollutants and farm chemicals. The modern denaturing of
foods through massive refining and chemical treatment deeply affects their
Energy qualities, making them devoid of the exact boost that we should be
getting from our food.
Here is a great recipe for the summer using some yummy, organic Swiss Chard:
Organic Swiss Chard
1 or 2 bunches Organic Swiss chard
1/8 teaspoon Brittany sea salt
2 teaspoon Organic virgin olive oil
4 lemon wedges
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. This recipe works for many different cooking greens like: collard greens, turnip or
beet tops, mustard greens, spinach, tat-soi, and rapini (broccoli rabe)
2. Wash chard well to remove all sand and remove all tough stems.
3. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil about 1/2 inch of water and drop in the Swiss
chard leaves.
4. Return to a boil, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes until leaves are tender.
5. Add salt and remove from heat.
6. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.
7. Add oil to the reserved liquid and pour desired amount over the chard before
serving.
8. Serve each portion with a lemon wedge and sesame seeds.
9. Enjoy!
To your energy and success,
By: Heather Dominick
27Dec/110
Winter Vegetable Gardening – Harvest Year Round
Let's say that winter is approaching and you're sad at the prospect of no fresh vegetables on the table. Don't be sad - be happy that you have an opportunity to be a vegetable gardener all year long.
With the simple addition of clear coverings, you can coax any number of vegetables into providing you with a nice harvest well into the winter. With a little planning, your season of vegetable gardening doesn't have to end with shorter and colder days of winter.
My experience in November in Wyoming, with temperatures in the teens and twenties, shows healthy and vigorous turnips, lettuce, bok choi and Swiss chard in a single layer greenhouse. The greenhouse isn't heated either.
How in the world can you do that without heat? It's easy, just select cold hardy plants that enjoy cool and cold weather. There are about 20 varieties that I can think of, including:
kale broccoli Brussels sprouts turnips cabbage snow peas lettuce Swiss chard collards carrots radishes
And, the list goes on and on. Some seed companies provide fall and winter seed catalogs, so you won't have to look far for advice.
The trick is to watch how you water, double cover the plants, and harvest when temperatures are well above freezing. That should be easy enough. Let's look at how these factors come into play with a winter vegetable garden.
Water - excess water gets into plant cells and then kills them when it freezes. Water lightly or not at all during the winter months. Evaporation will be low anyway, so going weeks or months without water won't hurt your crops.
Coverings - the trick with covers is to use them to retain natural heat from the soil and capture heat from the sun. Think of them as a greenhouse within a greenhouse. Whether you have a greenhouse or a high tunnel or a hoop house, using a row cover inside of that structure will make a big difference in changing what the plants "see" in terms of season.
Harvest during the day - to make certain that temperatures are up above freezing and the plants have a chance to recover from the cold night. If you don't, you'll have mush on your hands.
My early spring vegetable gardening experience shows that lettuce can go down to 9 degrees F with a simple covering within the greenhouse. If lettuce can do it, then there are so many other cold hardy crops that can easily do it. Kale is perhaps one of the most cold hardy crops, so it is on the top of my cold weather vegetable gardening list.
Be bold, be adventurous, and don't surrender at the first sign of fall. Get yourself a simple structure and row covers to extend your harvest well into the winter months. Fresh vegetables are meant to be enjoyed all year long - from your garden.
By: Clair Schwan
12Dec/110
Can Migraines Be Helped by Taking Vitamins?
The Best Migraine Vitamins and Minerals
Magnesium
Have you heard about magnesium? These days magnesium is one of the most popular natural supplements for the treatment of migraines. Why is this? Many headache and migraine sufferers are believed to have a magnesium deficiency. If you wish to add magnesium to your diet try to eat more clams, whole grains, beans, greens (like spinach, swiss chard, and even seaweed), and nuts/seeds. Supplementation is also an easy option as magnesium supplements can be found in most grocery and health food stores for relatively little money. Typically, 400 mg is the amount most people would begin supplementation. Just make sure that if you are trying to increase the magnesium in your diet that you avoid foods and behaviors that cause your body to excrete magnesium such as drinking too much coffee or alcohol, and eating excessive amounts of high fat processed foods.
Riboflavin
Taking 400mg of riboflavin (vitamin B2) has been show to help migraine sufferers by reducing how often one develops headaches. What foods are highest in riboflavin? Meats such as beef and lamb, yeast, and mushrooms.
Fish Oil (Omega-3 Fatty Acids: EPA and DHA)
Omega-3 supplementation can help prevent migraines as well as reduce pain during an attack. How much is recommended? Any amount that guarantees a concentration of concentration of 360mg of EPA and 240mg of DHA. Make sure that the supplement you buy contains both EPA and DHA and not just ALA (alpha-linollenic acid) otherwise you will not get sufficient active ingredients.
Vitamin C
You already know that vitamin C can help prevent colds, but did you know that vitamin C can also prevent migraines? Its true! The recommended dosage is 2,000mg per day and this can be consumed quickly and easily by taking two packets of the powdered vitamin C blend "emergin C."
Remember, while many people are able to take vitamins and minerals successfully to treat headaches and migraines, there will always be people who have existing health conditions or who take prescription medication with which these supplements may interfere and cause serious side effects. Always check with your doctor before making any changes to your current prescription medicine or natural supplement program.
By: Lana R. Howard
8Dec/110
Foods Rich in Phytochemicals Prevents Diseases and Helps You Achieve Optimum Health
Phytochemicals are special substances found in plants, specifically in the pigments of plants where they are most significant. There is clear evidence that this substance can help you prevent degenerative diseases and help you live a long healthy life.
Plants and vegetables have different phytochemicals in them so it is important to eat a variety of them for you to get their full benefits.
Below is a list of foods rich in essential phytochemicals.
o Grapes - grapes preferably Red ones contains a compound know as polyphenols which is an antioxidant. This is beneficial in improving your cholesterol, help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
o Oranges - they contain limonoid which is found in that white stuff you see separating each section. Limonoid is known for its antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial capability.
o Blueberries - they contain anthocyanidins, an antioxidant that can battle free radicals in your body that can damage cells.
o Dark Green Leafy Vegetables - collard greens, mustard greens, watercress, swiss chard are among the best that contains powerful antioxidants. These greens have in them carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin which benefits eye sight. Plus studies have shown people who consume foods rich in carotenoids live longer and less likely to die from diseases.
o Apples - in addition to providing you with the fiber your body needs, they also contain flavanoids which is known for their antioxidant activity.
o Tomato - rich in lycopene which is also a carotenoid and lycopene is beneficial in protecting you from prostate and skin cancer.
o Walnuts - contains lots of essential fatty acids and ellagic acid which can also be found in raspberries, strawberries, cranberries and pecans as well, is also known for its antioxidant capability.
o Spices - cayanne, ginger, rosemary another great source of antioxidants.
o Mushrooms - shiitake, maitake and other Asian type mushroom contains Beta Glucan. This is special phytochemical that has been proven to help keep your immune system healthy and strong.
Many of us eat these foods already maybe with the exception of the dark green leafy vegetables but now that you know the benefits that they provide we need to be more conscious in incorporating these foods in our diet on a daily basis.
I don't know about you but I plan to a centenarian. Don't know what that is, look it up. Cheers.
By: Jonathan Marcus
8Dec/110
Learn How to Cook Delicious and Tasty Weathervane Scallops
Weathervane scallops are the largest scallops around. They are one of the several species of true scallops found in the Pacific Ocean. Their sweet, succulent meat is considered a delicacy and they make an exquisite addition to any meal. Diners all over the world from Shanghai to San Francisco, enjoy these scallops. The Weathervane scallop harvest is a mere fraction of that of the East Coast harvest; so it is really a delicacy.? Although many weathervane scallop recipes favor searing, there are a number of manners for preparing these great tasting scallops.
When cooking scallops, be sure not to overcook them as they get tough and chewy quickly. As soon as they turn translucent to being opaque, they are done. It usually takes about six minutes to cook them. A simple but elegant dish, seared Weathervane scallops with green sauce, a mixture of garlic, ginger, green onions, basil and spinach blended in a food processor, makes a wonderful starter to any formal dinner. Just be careful not to over sear the scallop, otherwise it will lose its sweet, meaty flavor.
Another of our Weathervane scallop recipes involves a citrus marinade with Swiss chard and dill cream. This recipe brings out the clean scallop flavor. The citrus overtones bring out the delicate sweet taste. Try it with wine. You need about eight Alaskan Weathervane scallops, olive oil, orange juice, shallots chopped, grape juice, and salt and pepper. Mix together the juices oil and shallots. Marinate the scallops in the dressing for 20 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes. As for the Swiss chard, toss with any remaining dressing and serve with a mixture of crme fraiche, dill and caviar. This recipe is perfect for a formal brunch. Serve with champagne or sauvignon blanc.
Here are a few more weathervane scallop recipes and ideas. Bake your scallops with some heavy cream, bread crumbs and butter. Or try making scallop sushi, using nori, sushi rice, cucumber, avocado and roe. Serve with wasabi mayo dipping sauce.
Another way to prepare weathervane scallops is to grill them on skewers or broil them in the oven. Add a light marinade to keep the scallops moist and fresh, and you have yourself a great meal right there!
By: Allie Moxley
8Dec/110
Healthy Eating – How I Got Fast Relief From Arthritis Joint Pain With Healthy Eating
Healthy Eating -How I relieved arthritis fast with healthy eating
When I first started having joint pains, my doctor told me to take a pain killer. He was not writing prescriptions for join pain because of bad press. I did not get the relief I expected from supplements. Eating healthy on the other hand quickly worked for me.
Eating healthy brings permanent relief, flexibility and a chance to maintain an ideal body weigh.
To get rid of inflammation, I used fresh citrus like lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges to get Vitamin C. I had a glass of water with the juice of a piece of fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice every morning. This helped me to drink more water and avoid the sugar from large amounts of juice. This healthy eating habit dissolves inflammation caused by sugar.
Foods like berries, cherries plums and the ubiquitous apple have bioflavonoid that can remove toxins from joints, ease pain and speed up healing. I made quick 20 second healthy eating smoothies in a Vita Mix blender. I added almond butter as good fat and almond essence as flavor in my smoothie. Almonds have an aspirin like acid pain reliever. .
For healthy eating, I choose greens such as broccoli, kale, bokchoy, Swiss chard and spinach which were steamed, saut?ed, or micro waved. I cooked with lots of onions, and parsley to improve my condition super fast. And it worked! You can do this too. Use the healthy eating recipes in my book - Eat Yourself Younger Effortlessly .the easy way to slow aging, feel great and look good.
When cooking use small amounts of water to braise or boil. Cook for between 5 to 10 minutes. You get super benefit if you do not overcook greens.
I cooked with grape seed and olive oil that have Alpha-linolenic Acid. (ALA), known to sooth joints. I use walnut and extra virgin oil to make salad dressings. These oils have catechins, bioflavonoids known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. I take Seven Seas cod liver oil the absolute only supplement that speeds up joint healing.
For healthy eating drinks I use black, green, or herbal teas. I increased my water by 16 0zs per day.
Eat good protein such as sardines and salmon. It is essential for healthy eating. Add a low carbohydrate protein powder to your smoothies and juice drinks. This increases enzymes production. Enzymes are needed for building of new bone and muscle supportive tissue. In crease your activity. Jump for joy and enjoy your pain free movement
By: Celia Westberry
7Dec/110
5 Super Foods For a Healthy, Energetic Body
Would you like to know about some super foods that will get you healthy and your body energized? That's what I thought. Some of these foods you may already eat and that's great. It's not hard getting healthy. What makes getting healthy difficult is the motivation factor and making eating healthy a lifestyle.
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Are we relying too much on vitamin supplements rather than the real thing??Did you know that many of the nutrients we receive from the foods we eat come from raw fruits and vegetables? This is why it is very important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in our diet to ensure nutritional balance.
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Mega Vitamins From Food and The Sun
* Grow your own sprouts /wheat grass - alfalfa sprouts are super foods. They are packed with life-giving nutrients. Alfalfa sprouts taste good in salads and sandwiches. Some sprouts such as the wheat berry sprout can be mixed with dried fruit, and because of their nutty flavor, make it a perfect nutritious, energy filled snack.
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Tip: There is strong evidence to support that wheat grass juice (sprouts that have grown into grass) eaten daily while on a macrobiotic diet can prevent disease and heal certain cancers.
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* Eat a dark leafy green salad once a day - whether you eat spinach greens, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, broccoli, and mustard greens it doesn't matter. What matters is the greens are raw or only lightly steamed. Never boil greens! Once you boil greens I would compare it to taking a vitamin supplement. Dark greens are best for health when eaten raw. They have vitamins A, C, and K, iron, calcium, and folate. They are also great sources of fiber.
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* Juice fruits and vegetables - juicing fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to get mega amounts of antioxidants. Investing in a good juicer is well worth the money and I highly recommend anyone who is interested in taking care of his or her health to buy a juicer. If your budget is not ready to buy a brand new one then you can find a used juicer at thrift stores for around $5 bucks.
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Tip: add a couple of cloves of garlic to the juicer and you will prevent sickness. (Garlic is a natural antibiotic)
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* Eat a handful of nuts and seeds daily - raw almonds, coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are nutritionally packed with goodness. These nuts are very nutritious and have good fat (monosaturated) the body needs for lowering cholesterol.?
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Tip: Pairing nuts with dried fruits such as raisins, figs, prunes and dates, make a delicious energy based snack for anyone on the go. Vitamin supplements? Who needs those?
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* Eat two or three pieces of whole, organic raw fruit a day - this isn't really as hard to do as you might think. Bring fruit with you to work. First thing in the morning eat a piece of fruit or a handful of grapes or other berry. At midday have another piece of fruit and right before bed.
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Tip: Always eat fruit on an empty stomach. Pomegranates, berries, grapes, apricots and the seeds of these fruits are full of antioxidants and disease prevention properties. Juice the seeds right along with the skins.
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Get plenty of sunshine on your skin - This is the best way, and in my opinion, the only way to receive Vitamin D into our system properly. Why are we so afraid of the sun? Because people have abused it, and now we're afraid of it. We absolutely NEED sunshine on our skin. Stop wearing sunscreen if you can voluntarily get out of the sun! Not getting enough sun is making people sick!
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When you first go out into the sun for the season, don't sit or lay in it for three hours and burn. Work your skin up to getting used to the suns rays. Only bathe for 15 minutes for the first week. Then on the second week bathe for ? hour. The third week bathe for a little bit longer.
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Skin cancer is caused from abuse of the sun. Just like all illness and disease is caused from abuse of something. If we take too many vitamins we'll get sick from them. Everything that we do in life, even if it is good for us, should be done in moderation.
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Tip: Being in the sun is how the body absorbs calcium in the body properly, so in actuality, it is two vitamins that we receive from getting adequate amounts of sun on our skin. Incorporate the above list into your lifestyle and have a healthy, energetic body!
By: Angie Lewis
7Dec/110
How To Add Leafy Green Vegetables to Your Diet
Many of us already know how good green vegetables are for our health, but sometimes it's hard to incorporate them into our daily diet except in the form of a green salad, and often that's made of iceberg lettuce which is hardly green at all.
Leafy greens are highly nutritious and low in calories. The World's Healthiest Foods site (www.whfoods.com) puts collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, swiss chard and turnip greens on its list of healthiest foods. Depending on the green, they can be high in calcium, iron, antioxidants, and vitamins A,C, and K among others. (www.whfoods.com gives a complete list.) Usually, the darker the green, the more nutrients it contains. Leafy greens are also a good source of fiber.
So, what to do with them? Well here's a few of my favorite easy suggestions:
* For collard greens or kale--Wash, remove stems, and coarsely chop a bunch of greens. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a frying pan, saut? the greens for a minute or so, then add a small amount of butter and finely chopped garlic (the butter should keep the garlic from burning). Lightly salt, and keep cooking & stirring over a low heat until the greens are tender but not overcooked. (I prefer my greens still slightly crunchy, so I don't cook them long--for me if they're dark green and mushy, they're way overcooked.) I like to serve these as a side to beans and rice. You can put them right in the same bowl.
* Another idea for kale--Kale can easily be added to lots of different meals without anyone knowing. (Helpful if you're cooking for picky eaters.) Wash and dry a bunch of kale, remove stems, and then chop it up finely in your food processor (do not puree!). Put desired amounts in Ziplock bags ( I put in about a cup of chopped kale per bag), and then put them in the freezer. You can then add the chopped kale to chili, soup, stir fry or spaghetti sauce while cooking--and none of the picky eaters has to know what it is. I even add small amounts to macaroni and cheese.
* Swiss chard--Okay, if you're worried about fat, then this is not the recipe for you. Because of the high fat content, this is a recipe I only do about once a month, but it's always a hit. This is my version of Cheesy Chard.
* Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked brown rice, 1 full bunch of swiss chard, 1 large onion, olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper, 1 package of sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
1. Cook 1 cup of long grain brown rice according to the directions on the package. (Don't use white rice for this recipe because it's too light and sticky.)
2. During the last 20 minutes that the rice is cooking, chop the onion and saut? it in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until the onions start to get soft.
3. While the onion cooks, wash the chard, remove the stems and coarsely chop. When the onion is soft, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and add the chard. Lightly salt. Stir, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until the chard just wilts (this should not take more than 3 to 5 minutes).
4. Remove pan cover and layer some cheddar cheese over the chard. How much? This depends on your tastes. I use about 1/2 a small brick (maybe 4 oz) of cheddar cheese.
5. Cover the cheddar cheese with the hot brown rice and wait only a minute for the cheese to melt. Then mix the chard, cheese and rice thoroughly.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. If you want more flavor, either add the Parmesan cheese or add even more cheddar cheese. For more vegetables, you can also add chopped carrots or some garlic while the chard is cooking.
As I said up front, this is not a low fat recipe. I serve it with warm French bread drizzled with olive oil, and that's the whole meal.
So those are a few ways to add non-lettuce leafy greens to your diet, and there are many more. Some good recipes can be found in Great Greens: Fresh, Flavorful, and Innovative Recipes by Georgeanne Brennan. The U.S. government now recommends eating at least 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day for the average person, and it gets pretty boring if all you eat is broccoli, carrots, and lettuce. Add some leafy greens to your diet for more variety and better nutrition.
By: Judy Braley
4Dec/110
Silverbeet, You Can Get Kids to Eat it
One of the easiest to grow of all the vegetables, Silverbeet, also known as under the names Swiss Chard and for the coloured stemmed variety Rainbow Chard, gives a huge harvest in a short amount of time. Two plants would be enough to feed one person with silverbeet for every meal of the week
PROPAGATION
You can grow these plants directly in the ground from seed, or you will get 6 to 8 seedlings in a punnet for around $3.00 at your local nursery.
Seeds cab be sown in early spring and late summer, early autumn. Put two or three seeds in the one hole about 40cm apart and 1cm deep. Keep the seeds moist, but not wet. I prefer late autumn plantings, as I find they are less likely to bolt to seed than spring plantings.
CULTIVATION
Even though these plants will grow just about anywhere with very little input, to get the best quality out of your silverbeet, grow them in soil enriched with organic matter, such as compost or rotted manure. Keep the plants moist, but not wet. They will grow in part shade as well as full sun. It doesn't hurt to liquid feed them over the foliage with a seaweed fertiliser once a month to keep the fresh leaves coming on. Also, harvest the leaves frequently, even if you aren't going to eat them. This helps stop them running to seed. Pests to watch out for are slugs, snails and caterpillars.
So you haven't been a fan of silverbeet in the past? Try these delicious recipies and you might just change your mind about this humble vegetable.
SUMPTUOUS SILVERBEET SALAD
Even my dad, who hates silverbeet, loves this salad. It has a real smokey flavour.
1 bunch silverbeet
3 cups bean sprouts
3 rashers cooked bacon
1/2 cup roasted cashews
DRESSING
1 tblspoon white vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1 tblspoon lemon juice
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1teaspoon sugar
Shred silverbeet and put in bowl with chopped bacon, bean sprouts and cashews. Mix dressing
ingredients together thoroughly and pour over salad and toss well.
SILVERBEET & RICOTTA CANTALONNI
1packet of instant cantalonni pasta
1 tub of ricotta cheese
1 bunch of silverbeet
2 cups of grated cheese
4 cups of neapolitan or bolognaise tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Shred silverbeet very finely, mix with the tub of ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste (I always use fresh ground black pepper and sea salt).
Stuff the ricotta mixture into the cantalonni shells. Lay stuffed cantalonni in a shallow dish.
Cover with neapolitan sauce and cheese. Bake in a preheated, moderate oven for 40 minutes.
By: Jody Taberner