Seven Simple Ways to Eat Healthier

Learn to maintain balance in your life

The key to better health is learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy nutrients. The choices we make greatly affect our health. Making a few simple healthy and nutritious changes in our dietary choices can have a profound and positive impact on our health, well-being, energy levels and life span. For instance . . .

• Healthy proteins provide the amino acids our bodies require to build and repair lean body mass (like muscles, skin, hair and nails), and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and chemicals. Good sources include wild salmon, beans, legumes, soy products (tofu, tempeh, TVP), seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) and peanut butter.

• Unhealthy proteins are loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics (like beef, lamb, beacon and sausage). While they give your body the needed amino acids, they also clog arteries and compromise your immune system.

• Healthy fats are unsaturated fats (mono and poly), omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Good sources of these fats include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, ground flax seeds and walnuts. They help your body absorb fat-soluble antioxidant micronutrients like vitamins A, E, D, and K, and lycopene.

• Unhealthy fats are saturated fats and trans fatty acids (trans fats), like butter and margarine. These fats contribute to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension and obesity.

• Healthy carbohydrates are high in fiber and are considered complex carbohydrates. Good sources include rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat, broccoli, squash, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans and whole fruit. These help lower cholesterol, aide digestion, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce caloric intake.

• Unhealthy carbohydrates are high in sugar and are called simple carbohydrates, like candy, white bread, sodas, ice cream, cake and cookies. These spike blood sugar and insulin levels, and increase caloric intake (they are considered empty calories).

Eating nutrient-dense foods that are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber help the body function optimally, promote overall well-being and improve digestion. These nutrients also help fight and prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes, strengthens the immune system, slows the aging process, increases energy and improves cognitive performance.

Additionally, as we age our appetite lessens, making it even more critical to choose foods wisely. When every bit counts, picking foods with the highest nutritional profile is more important than ever.

An easy way to make your nutritional choices is to look for foods that are bright in color, for they usually contain more beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. For example, red and pink grapefruit have the heart-healthy cancer-fighting antioxidant phytochemical called lycopene while white grapefruit does not. Here are seven more simple ways to start eating healthier.

1. Switch from iceberg lettuce to romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce has more vitamins and minerals like vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium and potassium. It also has more fiber than iceberg lettuce.
   
   
2. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice naturally has more fiber and riboflavin, and less sugars than white rice. It is digested slower and is more filling.
   
   
3. Switch from white bread to whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. Whole-wheat and whole-grain breads have more fiber, iron and potassium. Slice per slice, they are more filling and satisfying than white bread.
   
   
4. Drink iced teas (black, green and herbal) instead of sodas. Black, green and herbal teas provide antioxidants and phytochemicals that enhance your health. Unlike sodas, you can control the sugar content when brewing your own iced teas.
   
   
5. Choose whole-grain or whole-wheat cereals with bran instead of sugar-coated cereals. Whole-grain cereals and whole-wheat cereals with bran naturally have more protein, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than sugar frosted cereals. Besides having less sugar, they are metabolized slower and are more filling. So you have more energy during the day and you will not get hungry right away.
   
   
6. Switch from cow’s milk to fortified soymilk. Soymilk contains no cholesterol or hormones, and is extremely low in saturated fat. It also provides isoflavones and other beneficial phytochemicals that promote good health. Fortified soymilks also contain easy to absorb calcium, vitamins D and B6, and some even add extra antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, and E), folate and omega-3.
   
   
7. For dessert, have frozen fruit sorbet instead of ice cream. Frozen fruit sorbet is fat and cholesterol free and has more fiber. It is also loaded with antioxidant vitamins A and C, and contains beneficial phytochemicals.
   

To get you started, try this deliciously nutritious homemade sorbet recipe by Monique N. Gilbert. It is cholesterol-free, and high in antioxidants and fiber.

Strawberry Orange Sorbet

1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup fortified soymilk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey

Blend in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.

How to Choose Food for a Healthy Skin ?

Eat right for a glowing skin. What you eat plays a major part in how your skin looks and feels. Here are a few nutritional guidelines for a glowing complexion -

1. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that is necessary for the maintenance and healing of epithelial tissues. Your skin is of course your largest expanse of epithelial tissue. Eat eggs, and low-fat dairy products to get your fix of this vitamin.
2. Eating food that is rich in beta-carotene will do wonders for your skin. This includes dark-coloured fruit and vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, broccoli and spinach
3. To keep your skin's oil production normal, you should make sure that your diet contains enough B vitamins. The best vitamin B sources are fish, whole grains, peanuts and eggs
4. Vitamin C is necessary for firm skin, as it helps to maintain collagen, the underlying support structure of the skin. It also protects your skin from damage from the environment. Citrus fruits, tomatoes and berries are all rich in vitamin C
5. Vitamin E helps to slow the ageing of skin cells by reducing the production of an enzyme called collagenase, which breaks down collagen, leaving your skin sagging and wrinkly. Sun exposure also depletes your skin of Vitamin E, making it more vulnerable to Sun damage. The best sources of this antioxidant are fish, legumes, extra lean meat, leafy vegetables and olive and sesame oil
6. Another anti-wrinkling agent is zinc. This trace mineral helps to maintain your skin's elasticity and collagen. It is found in seafood, Soya, and mushrooms

Just make sure you are getting your full of these wonder Vitamins. Nothing like a nutritious diet to get your skin glowing. And don't forget nature's miracle drink 'Water.' You can't drink enough of it!

Anaemia

Are you Anaemic?

When the red blood cells are unhealthy, due to less iron-rich protein called hemoglobin, a person is said to be suffering from anaemia. This protein is the oxygen-carrier and gives the red color to blood. In India, anaemia is more prevalent among women – from toddlers to pregnant and post-delivery women (80-90%) and the elderly. It is common among the city teenagers because of their dietary fads. Though the causes of anaemia are numerous, the commonest cause is iron deficiency, which is easily preventable. Fatigue, breathlessness, palpitation and repeated infections are some of the symptoms of anemia. Decreased hemoglobin is the commonest finding in laboratory medicine. Today, thirty percent of the world population suffers from Iron deficiency anaemia.

How to prevent anaemia:

• In infants, weaned of breast milk or after six months, whichever is earlier, include iron-fortified cereals and Vitamin C to ward off anaemia. Cow’s milk is poor in iron.
• Iron is an important for teens, especially for those who have started menstruating.
• Vegetarians need to pay extra attention to make sure they get enough iron through lentils, beans and greens.
• Cut downs on tea, as it reduces iron absorption.
• Include orange juice, cauliflower, tomatoes etc that are rich in Vitamin C in your diet to help in iron absorption. Add tomato slices to a chicken sandwich, or have an orange with a chutney/butter sandwich.
• For non-vegetarians, liver is a rich source of iron.
• See a doctor if you have heavy periods/ bleeding piles.
• Have a glass of green vegetable juice, at least thrice a week, made of spinach, coriander, with a dash of time.
• Read the labels of bread, cereals, pasta and make sure they are good brands, fortified with iron and vitamins.
• Whenever there is a dessert option of fruits like watermelon, raisins, prunes, apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, go for it.
• Avoid skipping meals or having junk food regularly, as it can lead to anaemia. Let no work pressure come in the way of nutrition.

Genetics and Miscarriage

Canadian researchers have discovered the molecular glitch that explains why so many women lose their babies late in their pregnancy. Known as foetal growth restriction, the condition strikes three percent of all pregnancies and is a leading cause of infant deaths.

Earlier research had shown that a gene producing a protein known as insulin like growth factor II, or IGF2, was critical to feed the foetus and help foetal cells divide and grow.

The Canadian research showed that the normal form of this protein has a very long chemical structure. However, to function properly when helping to build the placenta, another molecule, PC4, has to effectively work like scissors and cut the growth-factor protein to a length crucial to a healthy pregnancy.
"We have found the [molecular] scissors in some women are not sharp enough, or they just don't have enough scissors, said Dr. Andree Gruslin. Gruslin has found some success with certain interventions, but stresses she can offer no scientific research to explain their effectiveness at this point.

Inner Beauty

There's a lot more to beauty than the skillful application of make up. Eyeliner doesn't give you beautiful eyes. It merely enhances what you already have.

And a lot of what you have comes from within. The mind- body connection in beauty is amazing. Why do some people with good features and excellent skin still lose out to others who are not so perfect? It's their inner beauty that's lacking. External beauty is about features and make up. Inner beauty is about charm, appeal and the ability to captivate.

If you don't work on your inner beauty, you're likely to lag behind in a world where personality matters.

Remember, with no inner glow, no amount of make up can make you beautiful. An inner glow lets your real beauty shine through.

Isn't it time you paid attention to what really matters?

Did you know…?

Frowns cause wrinkles, and add a stressed look to your face. It makes you a prickly creature.

Smiles light up your eyes and add a welcoming glow to your face. You blush a little with every genuine smile.

Your eyes reveal your inner thoughts. They're the windows to your soul. Discard toxic thoughts - they distort your features. Let the light within reflect in your eyes.

A calm mind depicts a serene beauty. Turbulent thoughts flaunt themselves in your face, posture and gesture. Attract people with your poise.

Self-esteem helps you stand straight (beautiful posture) and look people in the eye while you talk. You do not slouch or have shifty eyes or mumble. Confidence certainly makes for a more beautiful picture.

Happiness attracts people like nothing else can. Be happy and you'll find people flocking to you. Your positive aura acts like a magnet.

Depression and sorrow does diminish appeal. People will keep away. Just like your happiness enlivens them, your depression will pull them down.

Tips for "Diet/Fitness"

• Stretch out your right leg with your foot flexed as high as you can in front of you visualizing lifting your knee. Lower your leg and then do 15 reps. Switch sides and repeat the same exercise.
  
  
• Eat three well-balanced meals a day. Have proteins, fruits, vegetables and a little fat everyday. Your body requires appropriate fuel to work effectively all through the day.
  
  
• Often when you crash diet, you don't loose the right kind of weight. You loose muscle, bone and water. But the fat remains as it was before you started dieting.
  
  
• Eat more vegetables, whole grain, lean meats and fiber-rich food. Don't eat junk food. Drink lots of water and other fluids. More so in summer, as sweating could lead to dehydration.
  
  
• If you want to be fit, exercise. You need to exercise everyday. Even if it is just walking, do it. Your health and fitness is in your hands.
  
  
• Lie on the floor with your arms extended on each side and your legs straight up in the air, spread out so that both feet are past your shoulders. Your toes should be pointed. Squeeze your inner thighs
  
  
• Lie on your back with your legs straight and together. Keeping your arms at your sides, raise your head and shoulders above the floor until you can see your heels. Lower your head to the floor. Repeat
  
  
• Lie on your abdomen. Place your palms close to your chest. The knees and the feet should be kept straight. Breathe in and then lift the head and the chest. Look up, breathe normally and come down. Sta
  
  
• Daily intake of salads, whether grated or cut into small pieces, add to the fibre content in the diet. Carrots, beetroots, tomatoes, celery, lettuce and onions are healthy ingredients for salads.
  
  
• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Squat down, placing hands flat on the floor alongside of or in front of your feet. Jump and push both feet back, straightening your body into a push-up.

The Elixir of Youth

If YOU've been trawling the glamorous stands of your local cosmetics store for the perfect fragrance, there's one ingredient you should be asking for - grape fruit. it seems this citrus fruit is hot property in the scent world, because it supposedly makes a woman seem younger to men - six years younger, in fact. in a recent experiment by Dr. Alan Hirsch at The Smell and Taste Institute in Chicago, several middle aged women were smeared with broccoli, banana, spearmint leaves and lavender. but none of these scents made a difference, until the grapefruit came along. when male volunteers were asked to estimate a woman's age, their guess was considerably lower than reality.