The Fluoride debate: Are We Biting off more than we can Chew?“0 Comments”
admin | 4:32 pm | September 21, 2011 | Uncategorized
You may remember your mother insisting you take fluoride tablets for healthy teeth. I remember raiding my mother’s medicine cabinet and chewing on those little white tablets as if they were sweets. I also recall eating blobs of my favourite tasting toothpaste after brushing. Sadly though, when my adult teeth grew, I ended up with something called enamel fluorosis, – a consequence of excess fluoride ingestion and which required me to have my teeth capped “Hollywood-style” to hide the results (mottling and discoloration). Enamel fluorosis is an example of what can happen when we take in much too much fluoride, but research is saying that even small amounts of fluoride (like those found in water supplies) are a health hazard for both children and adults.
Regulations to fluoridate water supplies were originally implemented to help deliver the mineral (which is said to assist healthy tooth development) to the population at large. According to Karl Lobout, water quality specialist at Rand water, our water does in fact contain a very low concentration of fluoride at just 0.2 parts per million. He states, “We don’t believe that water is the right vehicle for fluoride transmission and at the same time, fluoridated water is bad for the environment”. Not all of South Africa is serviced by Rand water however, and some areas, and especially borehole sources of water can contain very high levels of fluoride, explains Labout. Fluoride supplements, fluoride toothpastes and dietary sources are additional vehicles through which we ingest fluoride. Orlando Rojas, a Pretoria based holistic dentist, believes we should not be taking in any fluoride at all, that it is not an essential mineral to dental health and that there are safer and more effective ways to prevent tooth decay. However, the majority of South African dentists (and dentists world-wide) continue to prescribe fluoride treatments and toothpastes.
The fluoride issue remains quite a contentious one, but the anti-fluoride movement seems to be gaining some ground recently. A 500-page review of fluoride’s toxicology was released in 2006 by a panel of experts appointed by the National Research Council (NRC) in the U.S. The NRC concluded that the safe drinking water standard in the U.S. for fluoride of 4 parts per million is unsafe and should be lowered. The panel reviewed a large body of literature in which fluoride has a statistically significant association with a wide range of adverse effects in both adults and children. These include an increased risk of bone fractures, decreased thyroid function, lowered IQ, arthritic-like conditions, dental fluorosis and, possibly, osteosarcoma (bone cancer). In fact, up to 32% of Americans suffer from some form of dental fluorosis according to the report. Later that year, the American Dental Association made a policy change that recommending that only purified, distilled or demineralised water should be used to prepare infant formula during the first 12 months of life. They also urged that children under two years of age stay away from fluoride toothpastes, supplements and mouth rinses unless prescribed by a dentist.
It is not just the safety of fluoride that is under scrutiny though, but also it’s effectiveness. Another 2007 report issued by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology concluded that fluoride added to the public water supply, or prescribed as controlled-dose supplements, in addition to causing adverse effects, delivers no discernible health benefit. The Fluoride Action network (FAN), a U.S. based orgonisation made up of environmentalists, scientists and medical professionals, issued a statement in 2008 calling an end to all fluoridation world-wide.
Despite the hype, Dr. Norman Cahi, A Johannesburg dentist still prescribes fluoride in his practice. Cahi does not believe fluoride to be a poison, especially since we can ingest fluoride through many dietary sources including soya, dairy products and tea, he explains. He also states that since South African water supplies are very low in fluoride, we may be lacking in this mineral (According to Cahi the recommended safe and optimal levels are 1 part per million). Up to 50% of dental disease can be arrested by using fluoride at therapeutic doses, says Cahi. He delivers and prescribes topical and systemic fluoride to children and adults at risk for dental decay. He also often recommends a fluoride releasing dental sealant for children aged five to seven years at high risk for dental decay. Cahi does not believe that fluoride is for everyone though and states that a thorough case history should be taken before deciding whether or not a patient actually needs therapeutic fluoride. For example, explains Cahi, a child fed on soya infant formula mixed with fluoride-rich borehole water would not need to be treated with extra fluoride. One also needs to look at how much toothpaste a child may be swallowing, suggest Cahi, as many children under 8 years of age tend to swallow large amounts. Caretakers should educate children on proper rinsing and spitting out methods to prevent excessive swallowing of fluoride toothpaste.
Preventing Tooth Decay- Alternatives to Fluoride
Dr. Rojas offers advice for preventing tooth decay, without the use of fluoride toothpastes, gels or fluoridated water. According to Rojas, general health and dental health cannot be separated. “Nothing beats a good diet and the restriction of refined sugars”, explains Rojas. Brushing your teeth properly is what does the trick, says Rojas. He prescribes natural toothpastes free from detergents (like sodium laurel sulphate), fluoride and chemicals. “Many of them contain natural ingredients and herbs that provide excellent protection against decay and gingivitis”. To prevent tooth decay, he uses calcium phosphate preparations, which have proven preventative properties. “I have been using it for my patients and my own children for a long time, even in a controlled manner in lactose intolerant children without any problems”, says Rojas. “ Individuals without established periodontal disease flossing remains absolutely mandatory”. In South Africa we don’t have chemical free floss, so at least avoid the fluoridated variety, he advises. Rojas believes that tongue scrapers are great for helping in the control of bacterial colonization by reducing oral pH help to protect teeth as well. He also advocates the use of chemical free mouthwashes and electric toothbrushes for optimum oral hygiene.
A copy of the article also appeared in Business Day Health News
Smart Snacks for People on the Go!“0 Comments”
admin | 3:54 pm | August 10, 2011 | Uncategorized
The corporate lifestyle can pose a real challenge to the attainment of a healthy, balanced diet. Skipping meals, bad meal planning, eating on the run and relying on quick shops and vending machines for snacks are just some of the challenges we face as we juggle work and life. Ideally, busy people, and especially those of us that also remain fairly active throughout the day, should plan to eat three balanced meals a day and include two to three healthy snacks in between meals.
Regular snaking is particularly important in the context of a high stress environment. Our brain and pituitary gland respond to stress by releasing adrenocorticotropic hormone. This stimulates our adrenals to increase production of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, which essentially increase the metabolic rate, preparing the body for stress. Our energy reserves are burned up faster, which means we need to eat more regularly in order to keep blood sugar levels, and energy more sustained. Stress also means that our bodies’ nutrients get used up more rapidly to meet the increased biochemical needs of metabolism. So the more nutritious snacks we eat, the more essential nutrients we get in to replace those lost during stress.
The secret to healthy snacking lies in eating the right foods, in the right amounts at the right times.
The right foods
Choose snack foods that are as close to nature as possible. The following make ideal choices:
Fruit
Fruit is a source of carbohydrate energy and is packed with fiber, vitamin C and minerals. Fresh, raw fruit contains its own enzymes and is digested easily and naturally on its own. During times of stress, when blood is diverted from the digestive system to other organs, fruit is a perfect snack. Fruit can also form the basis of a meal, like a breakfast smoothie or fruit salad.
Dried fruit is also an option, and will provide similar nutrition to fresh fruit. The problem with dried fruit is portion control. It is very easy to eat 10 dried peaches but it would take you much effort to eat 10 fresh peaches. So as long as you control for portion size, dried fruit is a suitable alternative to fresh fruit.
Fruit generally also has a very favourable low glycemic index (GI), which means that it delivers its carbohydrate slowly into the body resulting in a sustained release of energy. Deciduous fruits (like apples, pears and plums), citrus fruits and berries have a lower GI than tropical fruits (like bananas, papino and mangos).
Vegetables
Vegetables provide the lowest kilojoule snack with the highest fiber and antioxidant content. Vegetables also have a naturally low GI. Raw veggies, like carrot sticks, sugar snaps; broccoli and cauliflower florets and baby tomatoes for example make an excellent snack. In winter, you could make a pot of thick vegetable soup and take to work in a flask for a warming snack.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds are powerhouses of energy in the form of essential fats and are mostly comprised of mono-unsaturated fats, which help replace saturated animal fats in the diet to improve lipid profiles and prevent heart disease. Nuts also contain a good amount of protein and are rich in B vitamins and many essential minerals, like magnesium. Any nuts or seeds are acceptable to eat as all have a similar fat content. Almonds are often referred to as “the king of nuts” as they are the most nutritionally balanced. Brazil nuts contain large amounts of the antioxidant mineral selenium and flaxseeds and walnuts are particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Throw some nuts and seeds over your breakfast cereal, add them to a smoothie, smear nut butter on wholegrain toast or crackers or simply chew on a handful for a satisfying snack.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a good source of calcium and the B vitamin, riboflavin. Yogurt is also a complete protein source, which means it contains all 8 essential amino acids. The fat in yogurt is saturated fat and excess consumption has been linked to chronic diseases of lifestyle, like heart disease and cancer. However, compared to cheese, even full cream yogurt has a relatively low fat content of about 5g per 100g (cheese contains about 20-40g fat per 100g). Low fat and fat-free yogurts contain less than 3g fat per 100g and less than 0.5g fat per 100g respectively. Yogurt also has a very favourable GI, which means that it delivers it carbohydrate slowly into the body resulting in a sustained release of energy.
Crackers
Smear some peanut butter, cottage cheese, fruit jam or mashed avocado on a wholegrain cracker or rice cake. Choose varieties that are relatively lower in fat and salt and that contain wholegrain wheat, rice or rye rather than white flour.
Health bars
Certain commercial products like cereal bars, protein bars and dried fruit bars can provide for a good snack. When making a choice, it’s always a good idea to read labels for fat and carbohydrate content, as some bars tend to be too high in one or both of these. A cereal bar should contain no more than 25g carbohydrate per bar and no more than 5g of fat (unless it is a seed or nut bar, in which case the fat content will be higher). Protein bars generally contain as much fat and kilojoules as a chocolate and are more designed for meal replacement or for after heavy sports activity then as a regular snack.
Biltong
Provided you choose a low fat variety of biltong (either fat-trimmed beef, ostrich or game biltong), it is a good high protein low fat snack. Avoid visible fatty bits and choose biltong over wors, which is much higher in fat.
The right amount
Vegetables should be eaten in abundance but limit the more starchy vegetables like sugar snaps to 1 cup at a time. Too much fruit is not a good thing because of its high sugar content (in the form of fructose), so stick to 2-4 portions per day. Nuts are high in fats and kilojoules so should be limited. A portion of nuts or seeds at one snack should be 15-30g, so plowing through a 100g bag of nuts is over-doing it. A daily recommendation for dairy products including yogurt is 1-3 portions per day and a portion of yogurt is 125ml. One starch serving is 1 slice bread, which is equal to 4 small crackers or 2 larger crackers. Cereal bars should be kept to a minimum, rather focusing on whole foods as snacks. About 3 bars per week is a good reference limit. Biltong is dehydrated, which means it would typically weight about three times more if it were fresh. About 25g dried biltong would be a suitable amount as a snack.
The right time
Eating your snacks at the right time is also of the utmost importance. It doesn’t help to skip breakfast and lunch, then eat a few snacks and dinner towards the end of the day. As a general rule, to balance blood sugar and keep the metabolism and digestion fuelled, eat something small every three hours, starting with breakfast, which should ideally be eaten within 3 hours of waking up.
Treats and Cheats
If you are someone who has become accustomed to high fat and high sugar snack foods like sweets, chips and chocolate for example, start to reduce your intake and substitute with healthier options. If you don’t really eat them much at all- don’t start now! It is important not to totally deprive yourself. Allow yourself a very small treat each day if you must, otherwise limit treats to 2 or 3 a week. 60g chewy or gum sweets, a 30g packet crisps or 40g chocolate would equal 1 treat.
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The “Real Food” Movement“0 Comments”
admin | 10:15 am | June 22, 2011 | Uncategorized
Human beings have lost the ability to appreciate real food. When last did you appreciate broccoli without over-cooking it and adding store-bought cheese sauce; when last did you make your own salad dressing instead of buying the creamy ranch dressing in a bottle or when last did you enjoy a wholegrain cooked breakfast instead of reaching for the box of processed cereal flakes? Just take a walk through your local supermarket isles and read through some of the labels on the food you buy. High fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, hydrogenated fat and a range of artificial colourants and flavourants will meet your eye. Farm fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, fresh dairy, nuts, wholegrains and legumes- these are the real foods we should be basing our daily diets on.
“Real Food” evangelist, Robyn O’Brien shares her journey on TED with food and nutrition after a dangerous allergic reaction of one of her children to a “typical” breakfast. Her investigations revealed a lot more about the food industry then she had bargained for, and her shocking disoveries prompted this video.
For more about Robyn O’Brien see:
Click Here To View The Video on YouTube
http://twitter.com/unhealthytruth
Vegetable Green Curry (Serves 4)“0 Comments”
admin | 12:26 pm | May 11, 2011 | Recipes, Uncategorized
1 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs green curry paste
2 kaffir lime leaves OR 1 bay leaf
1 tin coconut milk
2 cups firm tofu, cut into cubes
1 small sweet potato, cubed
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup snow peas
Add a Tbs of coconut milk and mix with the curry paste. Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan and lightly fry the curry paste. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Add tofu and stir. Add kaffir leaves, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer. Add the sweet potato and cook for 7 minutes, covered. Finally add bell peppers, mushrooms and snow peas and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add some fish sauce to taste of desired. Serve hot over brown basmati rice.
Lamb and Chickpea Soup (Serves 4)“0 Comments”
admin | 12:22 pm | | Recipes, Uncategorized
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 Tbs olive oil
500g lean lamb, cut into cubes
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp saffron threads
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
½ cup dried lentils
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add the lamb. Cook for a few minutes. Add the turmeric, cinnamon and saffron and stir to blend well. Add celery and onion, stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Add
the tomatoes and stir. Cook for 15 another minutes. Rinse the lentils and add to the mix. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 hour. Add the chickpeas and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
Dhal (Indian Lentil Stew)- Serves 4“0 Comments”
admin | 11:44 am | | Recipes, Uncategorized
For the Bean Pot: 
2 cups dry lentils, rinsed and sorted
(Cook lentils in enough vegetable stock to cover them plus 5 centimetres. Bring to boil until the foam rises. Remove from top and discard. Cook for 45 minutes)
For the curry paste, in a pan sauté the following in order:
1 Tbs. Ghee or olive oil
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
Let mustard seeds pop then add:
½ tsp. Fenugreek seeds
10 cardamom pods, shells removed and crushed or 1 tsp. Ground cardamom
½ tsp red chilli flakes
2 sticks cinnamon or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup leeks or onions, chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, finely chopped or 1 tsp ground ginger
1 cup vegetable stock or water
Add vegetable stock if mixture gets dry, sauté for 5 minutes then add dry spices in order:
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp coriander
Add more broth if necessary, then add:
- Tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked lentils with the curry paste. To finish off add:
½ cup chopped coriander, 1 cup low fat coconut milk (optional) and 2 Tbs. Lemon juice
Eat Wholegrains for Better Health“0 Comments”
admin | 2:56 pm | March 14, 2011 | Nutrition
Wholegrain has become somewhat of a buzzword in nutrition. A wholegrain is essentially a cereal grain that contain the germ, endosperm and bran. Refined grains, on the other hand, have the germ and bran removed. Wholemeal refers to a wholegrain that has been ground into flour.
Wholegrains are far superior nutritionally to refined grains. The problem is, most people survive on refined grains (like refined cereals, white rice, white pasta and white flour products like white bread and baked goods), when they could be thriving on wholegrains. One of the biggest challenges I face as a practicing dietician is to get people to eat wholegrains. The main reasons being the convenience of refined products and the lack of knowledge of how to prepare wholegrains.
Why You Need Wholegrains?
One of the main reasons we eat wholegrains is because of their high fibre content. Information obtained from the Women’s Health Study, which followed the dietary habits of 36,000 women for 6 years, found that those who ate the most wholegrains also enjoyed the lowest diabetes risk. Wholegrains not only contain fibre, which can mop up glucose in the digestive system, but also have lower glycemic indexes than refined foods, both of which help with diabetes prevention. Studies have also linked high fibre diets with a lowered risk of heart disease. The Women’s Health Study also showed that women consuming the most wholegrains also had lower breast cancer risks. Fibre also has the ability to improve digestive health. Wholegrains are a rich source of insoluble fibre, which increases stool bulk and decreases the transit time of waste through the intestines. Fibre also helps lower the risk of colon cancer and other bowel-related diseases.
Wholegrains are also powerhouses of nutrition. Wholegrains are rich in B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate as well as minerals like manganese, selenium, iron, phosphorous and magnesium.
Examples of Wholegrain Foods Include:
Millet
Wheat and gluten free millet also has the most alkaline pH of all the grains. Millet can be enjoyed both as a sweet porridge and as a savory grain at main meals.
Oats
It’s the breakfast of choice for millions of people, and it should be. Oats is a wheat free grain that does contain some gluten, but in a more digestible form. It can be eaten cooked as porridge or raw as muesli. Its delicious mixed with dried fruits and nuts and served with yogurt.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a grain native to South America, which has gained popularity in the West due to its exceptional nutritional content. Once cooked quinoa resembles small, almost transparent circular grains. It is delicious on its own as a side dish or missed with vegetables in much the same way as paella.
Brown Rice
Brown rice is rice in its unadulterated, purest form. Brown rice is both wheat and gluten free. Rice can be served as part of any meal and is an excellent side dish for curries and stir-fry’s.
Barley
Barley is one of the healthiest and most fibre rich grains, but probably the most nutritionally neglected. It is wheat-free but contains gluten. It is excellent in winter soups and is also good cold added to salads or just enjoyed as a side dish.
Rye
Rye is a wheat-free but gluten containing grain that is traditionally eaten in the form of breads or crackers.
Wheat
Wheat gets quite a bad rap in the media, but as long as we eat wholewheat products we will still reap the health benefits of wheat. A Wholewheat kernel is wheat in its unadulterated, purest form and it makes an excellent salad or side dish. Most of the time, we eat wholewheat in the form of bread. Pasta and cereals also contains wheat and can be purchased in the wholewheat form.
Maize
Maize is a widely used ingredient in the food industry but its whole grain maize that is really responsible for the health benefits of maize. The rawest form of maize is a mielie. Popcorn is also a wholegrain form of maize.
Packing a Healthy School Lunchbox for Kids“2 Comments”
admin | 12:46 pm | January 25, 2011 | Uncategorized
The process of packing a nutritionally balanced and healthy school lunchbox for kids can be challenging as it is, and when confounded with rushed mornings getting yourself and the kids ready for the day, it can become an overwhelming chore. Kids also tend to ask for the wrong things, and would often rather take crisps, a cold drink and a chocolate bar to school instead of a wholesome meal. However, with a little thought and creativity, its possible to pack lunches that are nutritious and don’t come home uneaten. Here are some tips for a healthy day, including a health school lunchbox:
Start with a good breakfast
It’s still the most important meal of the day. Breakfast gives your child the fuel to kick-start the brain into motion and to provide a sustained release of energy during the day. Ideal breakfast choices include:
- Wholegrain porridge, with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit
- Wholegrain toast with low fat cheese, peanut butter or scrambled eggs
- Fruit smoothie made with low fat yogurt, fresh fruit and oats or muesli
Always try making time for breakfast, even if it means waking up a little earlier. If it’s still a struggle, try one of these breakfasts on the go:
- A fruit or cereal bar (try TruFruit or Safari fruit bars, slim slabs, Special-K or All-Bran bars) and a yogurt
- Bokomo Up-And-Go
- A yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit
- A wholegrain sandwich with peanut butter
Check out the tuck shop
Find out what kinds of foods the school tuck shop is offering. Are there some healthy choices, or is your child buying sweets, chips and fried foods? Lobby for healthy tuck shop options that include nutritious sandwich fillings, salads and healthy snack foods like yogurts, nuts and fruit. Encourage the tuck shop to serve sweets only after the first break instead of offering them early in the morning. If you feel your child is still going to buy unhealthy foods at school, then limit the amount of tuck money you give them. Or better still, discourage tuck and pack a healthy, nutritious lunch box.
The healthy lunchbox
The next step is ensuring healthy choices accompany your child to school each day. Kids get bored- so offer a variety of wholesome foods each day. The following are some suggestions for a healthy lunchbox:
- Make healthy sandwiches. Offer and encourage whole-wheat or brown bread or rolls. Low GI (glycemic index) white breads are also available. To this add a nutritious filling like low fat cottage cheese and cucumber, tinned tuna, pilchards, marmite, avocado pear with lemon juice, peanut butter and banana, mashed egg with low fat mayonnaise, lean chicken or meat slices or fish paste with tomato.
- Try adding veggies. Not all kids will cooperate but it’s worth a try. Pack tuna, chicken or cheese salads or add raw crudité veggies, like carrot sticks, celery, baby tomatoes, sugar snap peas and baby corn to the mix. Offer some peanut butter, smooth cottage cheese or tomato salsa for dipping. Try potato pr pasta salads with chopped veggies. In winter offer veggie soups in a flask.
- Up the fluid. Make sure your child receives adequate hydration throughout the day. Pack at least a 500ml bottle of water; more of your child is active. Plain bottled water, diluted fruit juice and iced teas are all acceptable additions. Avoid squashes, as these tend to be high in sugar and additives.
- Pack healthy snacks. Kids should eat small regular snacks during the day for more sustained energy and concentration. Fresh or dried fruit, fruit salads and fruit kebabs, crackers with with peanut butter or avocado pear, dried fruit and nuts, low fat yogurt with a container of muesli to add, fruit or muesli bars, homemade oatcakes or oat crunchies, digestive biscuits and homemade popcorn all go down well and provide good nutrition. Add some protein snacks like lean meat roll-ups, fish cakes, a couple of sushi rolls, a boiled egg, low fat cheese wedges, minced legumes, a mini burger patty or some low fat biltong.
- Pack in some nutrients. Make sure your child is getting some of the more important nutrients for learning. Try carrots, butternut, peaches, mangos or any other yellow/orange fruit and vegetable for added vitamin A which helps strengthen the immune system. Fish is an excellent source of both iodine and omega-3 fatty acids- the essential fats that help boost concentration. Ensure that your child gets adequate protein from meats, chicken, fish, dairy and legumes; calcium from dairy, fish tinned with bones and green vegetables and iron from dried fruit, green vegetables, red meat, chicken, fish and legumes.
When it comes to planning a healthy school lunchbox that helps nurture a child’s growth and development, moderation and balance are key. It’s never a good idea to deprive children of sweets and junk foods, but it’s imperative that you set limits and boundaries. Offering a variety of healthy, nutritious foods for school and at home is one of the best things you can do to help fuel active body’s and minds and help children to reach their full potential.
Besides fruit and treats, try the following lunchbox ideas
- 3/4 cup cold wholewheat fussilli pasta, chopped peppers, baby tomato, 5 olives and 60g mozzarella cheese
- 60g woolies pre-made chicken fillets added to a chopped salad with a low fat yogurt dressing and 2 ryevita biscuits
- Bulgur wheat (3/4 cup) with grilled vegetables and 50g mozzarella cheese to make a salad
- Salmon fishcake with a yogurt and cucumber dressing
- 60g smoked salmon on a brown bagel with lettuce and capers
- 2 chicken kebabs, 4 provita with cottage cheese and marmite
- Crudité vegetables with an avocado and smooth cottage cheese dip, 20g mixed nuts and 4 fincrisps
- Tuna salad with 2 rice cakes, 1 fruit, 20g nuts and a yogurt
- Sandwich on seed bread with 6 slices low fat chicken, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato
- ¾ cup quinoa, ½ cup lentils, chopped peppers, cucumber carrots and baby tomatoes to make a salad
5 Steps to a Healthy 2011“0 Comments”
admin | 7:54 am | January 4, 2011 | Uncategorized
So many of us use the New Year as a motivation factor for starting new things, like a healthy eating or lifestyle plan. In reality a healthy eating plan should be something you follow all year, year in and year out so that it becomes a lifestyle change that you build over time, rather than just a resolution. However, all changes have to start with a resolution or intention to change, and if the New Year inspires you to do this, then now is a good time to start the process towards a healthy 2011.
Use these 5 steps to help implement and sustain the changes you need for a healthier 2011:
Step 1: Assess You Health
Before you can decide what changes need to be implemented, it is useful to see where in your life you need to change. A good pace to start is to have a medical health assessment and check your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose values. The company you work for or your medical aid often offers these tests free of charge. Routine diagnostic tests, like pap smears, bone density scans and mammograms as well as gastroscopies and colonoscopies, where necessary, can also give you a better picture of your overall health status.
Next you should look at your negative lifestyle habits, like smoking status, alcohol consumption, junk food, caffeine and sugar consumption for example. Also look at whether you are consuming enough water, fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins and essential fats in your diet. Assess your exercise habits and the frequency of your visits to the gym or other fitness clubs.
The manner in which you handle and process stress, your emotional state and your work-life balance are also important factors in determining your overall health status.
Step 2: Out with the Bad
This is where you start to remove the potentially harmful foods and practices from your lifestyle. Negative lifestyle practices that you may want to consider cutting down on or taking out of your lifestyle completely include sedentary behaviours, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, eating junk food, eating sugary foods, eating chocolate, drinking too much coffee, tea or cold drink, eating processed flour based foods (like biscuits, pastries and white bread) and eating too many fatty foods (like fried foods, fatty red meats, full cream dairy and cheese, chicken with skin).
Step 3: In with the Good
This is when you can start to introduce good lifestyle practices as well as wholesome foods into your diet. The groups that you want to focus on, include:
Fruits and Vegetables. The recommended minimum daily intake of fruits and vegetables is 5 servings per day. A serving is 1 medium fruit, 200ml fruit or veggie juice, 1-cup raw vegetables or salad or ½ cup cooked vegetables. A good start is to include 2 fruits and 3 vegetables per day.
Wholegrains. Wholegrains are carbohydrate foods that have been prepared with minimal processing and are eaten in their more natural state. Wholegrains contain more fiber and more vitamins and minerals than their refined counterparts. Wholegrains, in general, also have a lower glycemic index, which means more sustained energy for your day. Examples of wholegrains include wholewheat cereals and breads, wholegrain rye, wholewheat pasta, barley, buckwheat, bulgar wheat and legumes.
Essential fats. These are fatty acids that are essential to health and that you must include in your diet. The 2 most important ones are:
Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats help us produce special chemicals, which help the body resist illness by reducing inflammation. Getting your daily dose of omega-3’s helps support the healthy functioning of your immune, reproductive, nervous systems and heart and goes a long way to preventing diseases of lifestyle and even boosting your memory, concentration and intelligence. They also act as medicinal foods, helping to fight heart disease, arthritis and brain disorders. Best sources are fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, pilchards and sardines. Vegetable sources of omega 3’s include walnuts, flaxseed oil, pumpkin seeds and hemp oil. Dark green vegetables like seaweed, broccoli, spinach and kale are a reasonable source of omega-3 essential fatty acids if eaten in large amounts
Omega-9 fatty acids. Also known as monounsaturated fats, these fatty acids are the reason behind the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. They are particularly beneficial in keeping the heart healthy by reducing the amount of harmful fats in the blood. They may also help offset certain cancers and are rich in the antioxidant vitamin, Vitamin E. Best sources of omega 9’s are olive oil, olives, avocado, canola oil as well as most nuts and seeds.
Lean Protein. Protein provides the building blocks (called amino acids), which help maintain the structural integrity of your body and also provide the basis for hormones, immune cells and enzymes.
Good sources of protein to include at meals and snacks include leans red meats, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, legumes and low fat dairy products.
Step 4: Move
Aerobic exercise increases your heart rate, works your muscles, and raises your breathing rate. For most people, it’s best to aim for a total of about 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. If you haven’t been very active recently, you can start out with 5 or 10 minutes a day and work up to more time each week. Or split up your activity for the day — try a brisk 10-minute walk after each meal. If you’re trying to lose weight, you may want to exercise more than 30 minutes a day.
Strength training, done several times a week, helps build strong bones and muscles and makes everyday chores like carrying groceries easier for you. With more muscle, you burn more calories, even at rest.
Flexibility exercises, also called stretching, help keep your joints flexible and reduce your chances of injury during other activities. Gentle stretching for 5 to 10 minutes helps your body warm up and get ready for aerobic activities such as walking or swimming. You could also try yoga or pilates.
One does not need to rely on a gym in getting active. Being active helps burns calories. The more you move around, the more energy you’ll have. These strategies can help you increase your activity level:
- Walk instead of drive whenever possible
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Work in the garden, rake leaves, or do some housecleaning every day
- Park at the far end of the shopping center lot and walk to the store
Step 5: Relax
Relaxation and stress management as important to your health as anything else. Find time every day to do something that relaxes you- and never feel guilty about it. Make whatever it is that relaxes you more and more a part of your daily life.
Borscht (Cold Beetroot Soup)“0 Comments”
admin | 9:05 am | November 12, 2010 | Recipes
Beets are a good source of B vitamins, especially folate and are also rich in the electrolyte minerals magnesium and potassium. Beets have a higher carbohydrate content than most other vegetables, which makes then a significant source of energy. Beets are a good source of the minerals iron and copper, which help prevent anaemia in the blood (interestingly beet juice resembles blood). Beets also contain a good dose of vitamin C. The main phytochemical in beets, called betacyanin, gives it its purplish hue and is responsible for a lot of the health benefits. Borsht is typically made using sour cream, but for a lower fat version you can use plain low fat or fat free yogurt.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plain fat-free yogurt
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/2 small onion
- 1 cup cooked beets
- 1 cup crushed ice
Preparation
Place the yogurt, lemon juice, onions and beets into a food processor or blender and puree until mixture is smooth. Add crushed ice, chill and serve with a dollop of yogurt on top.
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