Friday, September 10, 2010
Late Summer Salads-Healthy and Nutritious Eating
Since hard frosts are upon us in Teton County, Wyoming, I am working to use up all the rest of my garden greens and veggies before they die off. I made this yummy salad out of my salad greens, two organic tomatoes and an organic peach. I used some light Caesar salad dressing. This was filling enough for a dinner meal but contains only 175 calories. I got the benefits of all the vitamins and antioxidants in the salad, as well. Yum!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Commentary on a Youtube video by Dr. Lisa Hark
I found Dr. Lisa Hark's video on youtube, and while I think she gives some terrific advice, I would add as a tip, eat breakfast every day and make sure you are eating something made with protein in that meal. Whether it is a protein shake, peanut butter with an apple, an egg white omelet or even a hard boiled egg, protein will take longer to digest than that bowl of cereal or toast and will have you feel fuller longer. You may make it all the way to lunch without needing a snack if you have a more nutritious breakfast. See my comments below for more details.
How Far We Are from a Healthy Lifestyle...
I read an article today that shocked me. It cited a 2005 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, that examined the top five healthy behaviors--not smoking, exercise, healthy diet, managing stress and preventative health care like mammograms and colonoscopies. The study indicated that of the 153,000 people surveyed in 2000, only 2-4% of Americans do all of these things!
With the rising cost of health care--Obamacare or not--I guess I figured more people were living like me, trying to do everything to stay healthy and out of the doctor's office. I guess that study only justifies why I should continue to write this blog and maintain this website!
Please comment on which of the five healthy behaviors you are doing, and which you are not.
With the rising cost of health care--Obamacare or not--I guess I figured more people were living like me, trying to do everything to stay healthy and out of the doctor's office. I guess that study only justifies why I should continue to write this blog and maintain this website!
Please comment on which of the five healthy behaviors you are doing, and which you are not.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Green Tea--Why you should drink more of it.
I found this terrific article on the benefits of green tea on www.about.com. I have been feeling under the weather, and decided to drink lots and lots of green tea for a few days. It seems to be helping to ward off whatever beginnings of a cold I was experiencing.
The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)
Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
* cancer
* rheumatoid arthritis
* high cholesterol levels
* cariovascular disease
* infection
* impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Other Benefits
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm
The Miracle of Green Tea
"Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one." (Ancient Chinese Proverb)
Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as green tea? The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. In her book Green Tea: The Natural Secret for a Healthier Life, Nadine Taylor states that green tea has been used as a medicine in China for at least 4,000 years.
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.
To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:
* cancer
* rheumatoid arthritis
* high cholesterol levels
* cariovascular disease
* infection
* impaired immune function
What makes green tea so special?
The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.
Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.
Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.
Other Benefits
New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.
Harmful Effects?
To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa011400a.htm
Monday, September 6, 2010
Meridia, DASH and Jump Start Diets, Sensa and Power Foods
After European regulators banned Meridia for its heart attack and stroke side effects, the FDA announced it would be reviewing the diet pill again this month. If you are on Meridia and have family or personal risk of heart attack, you may want to suspend using it now.
The NIH has released details of its DASH diet, which lowers high blood pressure and focuses on eating non-processed foods. I have included a link to the NIH website description of the diet.
I also found a "jump start" diet that, when combined with exercise, can get you motivated and back on track after a summer full of cook-outs and parties. The diet is the design of the BMC Cycling Team doctor.
You may have seen Sensa advertised on line. Its premise is that when sprinkled on food, it affects how you smell and makes you less hungry. Doctor designed and advertised as all natural, it will now be sold in GNC stores.
Finally, there is a story about the top 10 Low Carb Power foods for you to review. Have a great week!
Meridia Leads to Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke—FDA to Review Drug Again this Month http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100901/weight-loss-pill-meridia-ups-heart-attack-stroke
DASH Diet Plan http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr97/Dash.htm
Jump starting your diet with this two week diet and exercise from the BMC Cycling Team Doctor http://www.secondact.com/2010/08/jump-start-weight-loss-with-two-week-diet/
Sensa Goes Retail at GNC Stores http://www.healthnews.com/nutrition-diet/weight-loss/sensa-weight-loss-system-goes-retail-4440.html
Top Ten Low Carb Power Foods http://www.indyposted.com/84345/top-10-low-carb-power-foods/
The NIH has released details of its DASH diet, which lowers high blood pressure and focuses on eating non-processed foods. I have included a link to the NIH website description of the diet.
I also found a "jump start" diet that, when combined with exercise, can get you motivated and back on track after a summer full of cook-outs and parties. The diet is the design of the BMC Cycling Team doctor.
You may have seen Sensa advertised on line. Its premise is that when sprinkled on food, it affects how you smell and makes you less hungry. Doctor designed and advertised as all natural, it will now be sold in GNC stores.
Finally, there is a story about the top 10 Low Carb Power foods for you to review. Have a great week!
Meridia Leads to Higher Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke—FDA to Review Drug Again this Month http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20100901/weight-loss-pill-meridia-ups-heart-attack-stroke
DASH Diet Plan http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/apr97/Dash.htm
Jump starting your diet with this two week diet and exercise from the BMC Cycling Team Doctor http://www.secondact.com/2010/08/jump-start-weight-loss-with-two-week-diet/
Sensa Goes Retail at GNC Stores http://www.healthnews.com/nutrition-diet/weight-loss/sensa-weight-loss-system-goes-retail-4440.html
Top Ten Low Carb Power Foods http://www.indyposted.com/84345/top-10-low-carb-power-foods/
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Water, Water, Water-Chefs Going Vegan and Running Away
I know that I beat the idea of drinking more water like a dead horse, but here is more proof that drinking more water aids in weight loss:
New Virginia Tech Study in the Economist Magazine http://www.economist.com/node/16881791?story_id=16881791http://www.economist.com/node/16881791?story_id=16881791
Big Name Chefs Move to Add More Veggies, Less Meat to Entrees http://www.chicoer.com/lifestyle/ci_15887009http://www.chicoer.com/lifestyle/ci_15887009
My program focus has been on diet, rather than exercise, but here is a good article on the benefits of running http://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/lose-weight-running_b_673584.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/lose-weight-running_b_673584.html
New Virginia Tech Study in the Economist Magazine http://www.economist.com/node/16881791?story_id=16881791http://www.economist.com/node/16881791?story_id=16881791
Big Name Chefs Move to Add More Veggies, Less Meat to Entrees http://www.chicoer.com/lifestyle/ci_15887009http://www.chicoer.com/lifestyle/ci_15887009
My program focus has been on diet, rather than exercise, but here is a good article on the benefits of running http://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/lose-weight-running_b_673584.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/lose-weight-running_b_673584.html
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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