Myths, Facts And Green Smoothie Benefits For Your Health

Unless you have been hiding in a cave, we are sure you have heard of the astounding health benefits of your green smoothie. But are green smoothies as nutritionally impressive as they seem?
Keep in mind when making delicious green smoothies, you should add healthy fats to your greens. Since vegetable nutrients are better absorbed when ingested with fats.
Try adding full-fat coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, Greek yogurt, or nut butters to increase vitamin absorption. Find out if green smoothies are the best way to get your nutrients in this great article from One Green Planet.

Green Smoothie Benefits

by: One Green Planet
Green smoothies have attracted massive fans from the health community for decades…celebrated for their impressive nutrient content, convenience, and ease of consumption. There are even full books dedicated solely to green smoothie recipes, like Victoria Boutenko’s Green Smoothie Revolution and the recent Bo Rinaldi’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Smoothies. In fact, I advocate their benefits everywhere I speak, included recipes for green smoothies in both of my books, and even demonstrate them on shows like Reluctantly Healthy and The Dr.Oz Show.
However, there are some allegations floating about, accusing green smoothies of being harmful. They include:

• Raise blood glucose levels
• Enable the consumption of too many calories at one meal
• Damage endothelial cells, cause metabolic syndrome, obesity, fatty liver, etc. due to the high levels of fructose
• Can lead to kidney stones since leafy greens have high oxalate content

Let’s break these down…

Blood Glucose Levels

Overall, there is no science that I am aware of directly implicating green smoothies as suspect in any of these accusations. There is, however, evidence supporting similar issues that people are hypothesizing that apply to green smoothies, too. For instance, we know that fruit juice typically raises insulin levels quicker than the whole fruit because the fiber is removed.
However, with green smoothies, the fiber remains, only it is broken down and may go through the digestive tract quicker than in its whole form. If you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, or are concerned about this, you can slow down the glycemic response (and accompanying insulin release) to a green smoothie by:

• Adding some fat or protein to the smoothie via seeds or almond milk, for instance
• Using more leafy greens and other vegetables (celery, carrots, or avocado) and less fruits
• Choosing higher-fiber fruits like berries, mango, and pears over lower-fiber fruits like bananas and grapes
• If you have diabetes and notice an elevated blood glucose response after trying these adjustments, perhaps you are sensitive and should avoid them.

Calories

When it comes to calories, most vegetable and fruit smoothies can contain anywhere between 200-500 calories per glass. My enormous It’s Easy Being Green Smoothie from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition provides 460 calories for a whopping 36 ounces (equal to 4.5 cups)!
It is so filling, I dare you to finish it! Thus, you can easily control for the calories simply by making a smaller smoothie, using it as a meal replacement, or compensating with the rest of your meal to fit your caloric requirements.

The Fructose Controversy

There is indeed evidence that high intake of fructose may lead to metabolic syndrome, obesity, fatty liver, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and even kidney disease (here and here, for example).
But what is fructose? Fructose is a simple sugar, a monosaccharide. For centuries, fructose was primarily consumed from natural sources like fruits and honey.
In the last few decades, a main source for fructose became sugar, a.k.a. “sucrose,” a disaccharide with equal parts fructose and glucose. Additionally, man created high-fructose corn syrup in the 1970s, offering up an opportunity for food manufacturers to save money, utilize the excess corn supply, and sweeten processed foods.
Fructose consumption skyrocketed from approximately 4 percent of total calories before the year 1900 to an estimated 12 percent of calories now.
But just because fructose may be up to no good doesn’t mean that the naturally-occurring fructose in fruits and vegetables have the same impact as the sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup.
This study and this one differentiate and note that not all fructose is the same, pointing out that fructose in fruit comes packaged along with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that may outweigh any potential risk.
In this letter to the editor from the Journal of The American Dietetic Association, it is postulated that the evidence pointing to fructose alone as cause for these chronic conditions may not consider excessive calorie intake as a possible confounding variable. It also suggests we need good human trials before we make conclusions on the metabolic effects of fructose.
By the way, the only research on endothelial cell injury that I found was this study that used pure fructose and was performed on rats.

Kidney Stones and Oxalates

Only about 10 percent of the population experience kidney stones in their lifetime. The most common types of calcium stones are listed in this table from the Canadian Medical Association; of which the hyperoxaluric one is associated with excessive consumption of leafy greens and other veggies.
Concerns over green smoothies and kidney stones are in relation to the hyperoxaluria type. Oxalates are salts of oxalic acid, an organic acid found in many fruits and vegetables. They are normally formed into soluble salts and excreted in the urine. However, excess levels may lead to the formation of calcium oxalate stones in the kidney.
This condition is very rare, usually genetically-based or may be due to dietary causes, like low calcium intake. In fact, increased intake of dietary calcium is recommended to reverse hyperoxaluria and prevent stone formation. Dehydration can also be a factor contributing to these types of kidney stones.
For the rare circumstances where there are kidney stones from hyperoxaluria, restricting oxalates may be warranted. There is also evidence suggesting that higher dietary intake of calcium may be protective against kidney stones, a mineral also abundant in leafy greens.
Because of the extreme rarity of kidney stones due to oxalate intake and the fact that most people don’t even come close to overconsuming these foods, avoiding them is unwarranted. There are far too many benefits from their consumption to risk foregoing them.

Speaking of Green Smoothie Benefits…

Here are just some of the myriad reasons to bring back the love of green smoothies:
It’s a very convenient and efficient method of consuming adequate servings of fruits and vegetables.Only between 9.5 and 14 percent of the U.S. population takes in the minimum recommended intakes of fruits and vegetables…and that number includes fries and ketchup!
Fruit and vegetable pureed drinks significantly increase “dietary and plasma phytochemical concentrations with a trend towards increased endothelium-dependent vasodilation.” (George, et al, 2012) This, in turn, decreases one’s risk for most chronic diseases.
So many of us have a tough time remembering to chew our food well enough. Nutrients in plants are trapped within their cell walls. Humans are not designed to break down cellulose (plant fiber). Thus, blending the plants breaks down the cell walls for you, releasing the nutrients, and enabling adequate absorption of nutrients…

Read more: http://dailysuperfoodlove.com/2277/myths-facts-and-green-smoothie-benefits-for-your-health/#ixzz2qz8TYNI5

30 minutes of exercise better for weight loss than longer workouts

Contrary to what you might have thought, just 30 minutes of exercise a day could help you lose more weight than daily hour-long sessions, according to Danish researchers.

They split a group of 60 moderately overweight Danish men into two groups and instructed them to exercise vigorously for either 30 minutes or an hour a day for 13 weeks.

By the end of the study, those who did half an hour a day lost 3.6kg compared with 2.7kg for those who exercised for an hour.

The researchers believe it's because those who scheduled less time for formal exercise included more incidental activity throughout their day, whereas those who blocked out an hour a day were more likely to put their feet up.

"The subjects in the test group that exercised the least talk about increased energy levels and a higher motivation for exercising and pursuing a healthy everyday life," said Associate Professor Astrid Jespersen from the Unviersity of Copenhagen.

"They take the stairs, take the dog for an extra walk or cycle to work. In contrast, the men who exercised for one hour a day, after training, felt exhausted, demotivated and less open to making a healthy change."

Australian exercise guidelines suggest people aim for 150 minutes of exercise a week, which is roughly 30 minute sessions on five days.

Professor David Dunstan, head of physical activity at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, told ninemsn this study proves that we all need to increase our movement throughout the day.

"I'm encouraging people to consider movement from the time they wake up until they go to bed," he said.

"It's great to get 30 minutes of exercise in the morning, but to sit on our backsides for the remainder of the day is not beneficial. Try to think about reducing sitting time throughout the day. We need to think of movement as an opportunity not an inconvenience."

Dr Nathan Johnson, from the Sydney University faculty of health sciences, told ninemsn that you don't need to exercise in solid chunks.

"Do at least 10 minute blocks and accumulate it throughout the week. For most people a brisk walk is enough. It doesn't have to be structured," he said.

Dr Johnson also said that it's a better idea for people to focus on reducing abdominal fat, than worrying about purely what's on the scales.

"If you can lose fat from the abdomen, your risk of disease improves, even if you don't change on the scales," he said.

"Weight loss is a good goal, but waistline reduction shows you're losing fat from the right areas."

The study was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.

For the video and article by Kimberly Gillian, look at http://health.ninemsn.com.au/fitness/8726562/30-minutes-of-exercise-better-for-weight-loss-than-longer-workouts or click on the video's picture.

Effects of Stress on Weight Loss

The effects of stress on weight loss can be quite dramatic! High stress, which raises cortisol levels in your body, stops your body from burning fat and losing weight through several mechanisms.

It seems that we experience some degree of stress almost every day of our life. Work, family, relationships, financial, and even travel can cause us varying levels of stress at certain times.

Since stress appears to be a constant in our lives, it is important to be aware of the effects of stress on our ability to lose weight and keep it off.

Even though the stresses that our ancestors experienced many years ago are vastly different to what we experience today, our bodies respond in exactly the same way. Plus, different types of stress (i.e. physical, psychological and emotional) all invoke the same response, which is an increase in the output of stress hormones, primarily cortisol.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the outer portion of the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys. It has the effect of increasing the blood sugar level, suppressing the immune system and aiding in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It prepares the body for action; it's the 'fight or flight' hormone.

Unfortunately though, there is a strong correlation between cortisol and obesity and there are several mechanisms through which cortisol may cause you to put on weight as well as stop you from losing weight.

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Here are the Effects of Stress on Weight Loss

Increases blood sugar level

Cortisol blocks the absorption of glucose into cells and also promotes the production and release of glucose from the liver, which come from amino acids that have been liberated from muscle tissue.

Prolonged cortisol production leads to constantly elevated blood sugar levels, which in turn, causes insulin levels to rise. Since insulin stops the mobilisation and utilisation of fat as a fuel source as well as promoting fat storage, losing weight becomes difficult. Furthermore, prolonged insulin levels leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is strongly correlated with obesity.

Increases muscle loss

Cortisol is the most 'catabolic' hormone in the body, which means it promotes the breakdown of body tissues, including muscle. Since muscle is one of the most metabolically-active tissues in the body a loss of muscle results in a depression of the metabolic rate, which makes fat burning and weight loss more difficult.

Increases fluid retention

Cortisol has a similar (but weaker) effect to aldosterone on the kidneys. This means it causes the retention of sodium and water along with the release of potassium. The increased water retention in the body may lead to weight gain even though the additional weight is only water and is not due to fat accumulation.

Negatively affects sleep

Cortisol is often referred to as the 'anti-sleep hormone'. This is one of the major effects of stress. Under normal circumstances, cortisol peaks early in the morning just prior to waking; it gives us the necessary 'jolt' to wake us up and get us moving. Then, as the day progresses, it tends to taper off and reaches its lowest point in the evening just before and during the first part of the sleep cycle.

People with insomnia have been shown to have high levels of cortisol in the evening, which affects their ability to sleep. Stressful events during the day may also cause high levels of cortisol in the blood stream in the evening, which negatively affects sleep.

Poor sleeping habits, as one of the effects of stress, are strongly associated with weight gain for several reasons. During sleep the body goes through the processes of repair, recuperation, recovery and rebuilding of body tissues. If sleep is impaired then this process cannot occur as effectively as it should and therefore the body's ability to rebuild lean tissues, like muscle tissue, is negatively affected. This has a negative effect on the body's metabolism and fat-burning ability.

Also, since growth hormone, our body's most powerful lipolytic (fat burning) hormone, gets produced mostly at night during deep sleep, if our sleep habits are impaired due to high cortisol levels, the body's production of this hormone also gets impaired as does our ability to burn off body fat effectively.

Affects thyroid hormone production

Cortisol has the effect of increasing the conversion of T4 (thyroxine) into rT3 (reverse tri-iodothyronine) instead of T3 (tri-iodothyronine). T3 is the most active thyroid hormone and is responsible for controlling the metabolism of all body cells whilst rT3 is the 'brake' that blocks the T3 receptors on cell membranes. Having higher rT3 compared to T3 slows the metabolism down, causes thyroid problems and makes weight gain more likely.

Lowers anabolic hormones (i.e. testosterone)

The body's production of cortisol and testosterone relies on the same precursor hormone, pregnenolone. Therefore, if the level of one hormone in the body is high, the other is low. Since testosterone is a powerful anabolic hormone, which helps to maintain and build lean tissue, it can have a dramatic effect on a person's metabolism and therefore their ability to burn fat and lose weight.

By the same token, if cortisol is high, testosterone will be low and so will the ability to maintain and/ or build muscle. This will make fat storage and weight gain more likely.

Increases appetite

Appetite is primarily controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain. It responds to a variety of stimuli, particularly a group of steroid hormones known as 'glucocorticoids'. Cortisol is one of the most powerful glucocorticoids and therefore has a stimulatory effect on a person's appetite. An increase in appetite often results in an increase in food intake and resultant weight gain or inability to lose weight. Therefore lowering cortisol may help to lower appetite.

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How to Lower Cortisol (and Stress) Levels Effectively

Due to the various effects of stress mentioned here, high cortisol (stress) makes it very easy to put on weight (including fat) and very difficult to lose it. However, high cortisol (and stress) levels may be lowered effectively by relaxation techniques, meditation and breathing exercises. In today's society though, we are often too busy (and stressed!) to take the time to perform these exercises. It is sometimes easier to simply take a supplement!

BCN's Rhodiola Advanced is a powerful stress-relieving herb that has been shown to lower the effects of stress quickly and easily. It has been used in Russia and Scandinavia for decades! Also, Rhodiola Advanced has standardised levels of active ingredients to ensure you get maximum benefits from the product.

If you are suffering from high levels of stress in your life then BCN's Rhodiola Advancedmay be just what you need to reduce the effects of stress in your body and start losing weight!

Written on: http://www.quick-weight-loss-principles.com/effects-of-stress.html

Raw Food Benefits - Uncommon Tips for the Uncommon Eater

If you eat raw, you're most likely idealist like me. You want the energy to do the things you want. You want to look good in your body and feel good in your mind. And you want to avoid the ailments of modern society. Experience and study have shown that these guidelines help bring about that favorable lifestyle.

Optimal Digestion: Chewing and Liquids

Digestion doesn't begin after you swallow. 80% of the enzymes that break down fats, sugars and proteins dwell in your mouth.

Cooked food doesn't usually require much chewing so most people aren't keen on using the old jaw bone. But simply chewing more makes meals more nutritious! More of the food becomes usable to the body. It goes toward building muscle and energizing you instead of being stored as fat. 

• Chew your food until its warm and sweet.

Warmth means proteins and fats are being broken down. Sweetness indicated that sugars are burning.

People usually have a beverage with their meals. But liquids swish digestive enzymes out of the mouth. It takes at least 20 minutes for the mouth the gain its normal digestive power after drinking.

• Enjoy drinks about half an hour before meals

Having green juices 30 minutes before eating solid food actually boosts digestion. The vegetable juices stimulate enzyme activity.

Food Combining: Melons are good.. ALONE

The common melon digests in about 20 minutes. Other foods take 2 hours or more. Throw a melon in with slower digesting foods and it will ferment. This doesn't exactly feel the most pleasant and might leave you gassy.

• Melons go in alone

You really shouldn't eat unsoaked nuts and seeds at all. Every one of them (except hemp) contains enzyme inhibitors that stop your digestive enzymes from properly breaking down food.

But if you do decide to eat some unsprouted almonds or some dried sunflower seeds, don't combine them with others foods. Their slow digesting proteins take the longest to digest. Other foods will be over digested, causing bloating and nausea.

• Combine only soaked nuts and seeds with other foods

Usually sweet and acid fruits (example: pears and sour apples) don't mix well. They call for two different digestion responses. A confused stomach expends a lot of valuable energy and leaves you drained.

Don't mix sweet and sour fruits.

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There is one exception. Lemons have proven themselves very versatile! They promote digestion when combined with just about anything.

We went (or are going) raw because we want to look and feel our best. Simple tips like these make all the difference. Little distinctions help you get the results you want and keep moving forward. Why try to figure it all out on your own? Experienced raw fooders want to give you their wisdom so you don't have to suffer the trial and error. So take advantage of this Free Raw Food Diet Presentation and discover the proven raw food diet strategies of thriving raw fooders.

Written by Angela R Parker at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Raw-Food-Benefits---Uncommon-Tips-for-the-Uncommon-Eater&id=6328136

Juice Weight Loss Recipes - A Sweet Way Towards a Perfect Body

Today, losing weight can now be done in a very juicy way. Unlike other weight loss methods, juice weight loss recipes do not oblige you to eat boring food and to indulge in tiring exercises. Before, the perfect juice for losing weight is a glass of water with a splash of lemon. However, there are a lot of other more exciting juice recipes that can help men and women to be perfectly fit today.
What is good about these juice recipes is that they give natural vitamins to your body that are of no question great for your health. Fruit and vegetable juices can make the stomach feel full considering the fact that it actually is not a full meal. This is actually fine since weight loss juices can give you the nutrients you can get from a full meal.
Diet juices can be made in a lot of variations, from a single fruit to a combination of two or more. It can also be a mix of a fruit and a vegetable. Whatever you wish to combine, that is fine as long as you get to enjoy it. Here are some juice weight loss recipes that can become your exciting weight loss buddy daily:

• Flying Orange Juice. This is made out of two pears, three grapefruits plus one sweet potato. Indeed, this is a sweet and refreshing drink, without any hangover.
• Papaya Passion. To have this, you must prepare a combination of one medium-sized papaya, one red apple, and five pitted dates on it.
• Strawberry Delight. This includes a refreshing blend of around four to eight strawberries, one to two bananas, and about eight to 10 dates.
• Potassium Drink. This juice differs in any other weight loss juice recipes because it is richer in vitamins and it contains potassium. This is a blend of one celery stalk, a handful of spinach, a handful of parsley, four carrots, and half a lemon.
• Joggers' Paradise.  This is another healthy juice made from a combination of one small yam, three oranges, and two pears. This juice is commonly known as muscle-blasting and power-pushing juice drink.
• Calcium Drink. A glass of calcium drink can be accomplished with a combination of three carrots, an apple, half a cup of broccoli, a handful of parsley, and half a lemon.

Moreover, these combinations of fruits and vegetables are helpful keys in detoxifying your body and are proven to be useful in internal cleansing. They also increase the vitamin intake of the body. Basically, a glass of juice done in a combination of fruits and vegetables also provides a package of vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and photochemical that is helpful for the health of your body.
So if you no longer want to suffer from your tiring exercise workouts and from your boring food diet, you can take a glass of juice and get the same results. For sure, if you have a regular intake of any of these juice weight loss recipes, you will never have to lose with your weight problem. One sip of a refreshing and sweet juice can definitely give you a sweet result.

Written by Ronald Yip at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Juice-Weight-Loss-Recipes---A-Sweet-Way-Towards-a-Perfect-Body&id=3113840

Developing a Healthy Weight Loss Plan

This has been in for a long while now; a little flab here and an extra inch there are widely regarded as being bad news. Look around and you will see weight loss representatives eager to help you start off on programs for healthy weight loss. "Healthy" -- now that is a word to emphasize. Fad diets are all over the place these days. Most often, they are not ways of guaranteeing healthy weight loss. After all, what is the point of losing weight if you end up with metabolism-related problems? Obesity does lead to health problems, but so do fad diets. So how does one come across a healthy weight loss program?

Obesity eats your energy levels and affects your self-esteem. Your neighbors might suggest a crash diet program that worked wonders for her. However, this does not mean that the same diet would work for you. Yo-yo dieting is bad news for health more often than not. Cut down on your fatty indulgences and drink some protein shakes and you could be on your way to losing fat and building muscles. On the flip side, however, you could end up with kidney troubles. Similarly, reducing your calorie intake might help you shave off a few inches in the short term. However, the weight loss might not be a permanent one.

So how does one come up with a healthy weight loss plan? Popeye, the well-known cartoon character is always shown eating spinach, while his friend Wimpy is constantly chowing on hamburgers and fries. The results are there for all to see. While Wimpy is flabby, Popeye is muscular enough to take on any villain that comes his way. It is just another reminder that the key to healthy weight loss lies in eating right.

To begin with, one's weight loss targets need to be reasonable. You can't just wake up a week before Christmas and hope to lose twenty pounds before that Christmas Eve party. Not only is this an unreasonable target, but achieving it can only be done through unhealthy means. You need to develop a healthy weight loss plan. This would involve setting reasonable goals. Tell yourself that you will lose two pounds a week and work towards it. Start slow, be patient and be persistent -- that is the secret to healthy weight loss.

It is best to visit a doctor or a qualified dietitian to figure out what would be a healthy weight loss plan for you. Each person has a different kind of metabolism combined with different health issues. You will need to chart out a suitable diet plan that will give you your daily dose of carbohydrate, calories, proteins, fats, and vitamins. You would also have to start doing some regular exercise. You could set out for a jog every morning; or you could get together with some friends and join an aerobics class. If you are the sporty type, playing tennis more often could work wonders. Healthy weight loss need not be a faraway dream if you are focused on your goal.

"Lose 10 Pounds in 1 Month" (realistically)

Written by Ethan Quinn and available at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Developing-a-Healthy-Weight-Loss-Plan&id=1330590

The World's Healthiest Diets

Is the American diet really so bad that it’s time to look to other countries for help?
That’s the premise behind a spate of recent books and Web sites touting plant-heavy diets of various far-away places. Looking at traditional diets has become something of a fad in recent years. Numerous books, including The Jungle Effect and The China Study, have tried to document the link between diet and great health in various countries and regions. Researchers, for example, are still trying to understand how a sweet-potato-based diet may boost longevity on the Japanese island of Okinawa, home to a large population of centenarians. But you don’t have to wait for the definitive answer–The Okinawa Diet Plan can be bought right now.
The latest entrant is The Five Factor World Diet by celebrity trainer and author Harley Pasternak. During his far-flung travels with stars like Jessica Simpson and Hillary Duff, Pasternak noticed that people in many of the countries he visited were slimmer and ate a more nutritious diet than most Americans. The experience left Pasternak (who has a master’s degree in exercise physiology and nutrition) convinced that Americans have a lot to learn from the rest of the world.
His book lists countries with healthy diets that also have long life expectancies and low obesity rates. These metrics best capture the effects of a lifetime of good eating and exercise habits, he argues. Japan tops his list because it has a 1.5% obesity rate (for men) and an 82-year life expectancy, vs. a 36.5% obesity rate and a 78-year life expectancy in the United States. South Korea, China and Singapore also do well. France makes the list with a 6.6% obesity rate and an 81-year life expectancy, as do Italy, Spain and Greece. Pasternak’s rankings aren’t scientifically rigorous, but they may shed light on how other countries eat well and manage to stay healthy.

In Pictures: The World’s Healthiest Diets

What virtually all these countries have in common are low-fat diets rich in fish, lean protein, vegetables, fruits and beans. Plant-based diets can reduce cholesterol levels, while fruits and vegetables also contain antioxidants that may protect against cancer. Consumption of certain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may reduce heart disease risk. Many of the traditional diets only include small amounts of red and processed and salt-cured meats, whose consumption may increase risk of colorectal and stomach cancers.
Most of the countries in question practice portion control. Although they indulge in high-fat cheeses, cured pork and condensed milk coffee drinks, they rarely pig out like Americans. “Whether you adopt one or multiple things [from these countries] and bring them into your life,” says Pasternak, “you’ll be healthier and lose weight and keep it off.”
Beyond this common-sense message, science doesn’t have much to say about which traditional cuisines are the healthiest. It’s impossible to tell whether the long life expectancies of some countries are actually the result of better health care systems, not better eating habits. No researcher has developed a method to accurately measure the comparative health benefits of one country’s diet vs. another, says Harvard epidemiologist Dimitrios Trichopoulos. “We have no evidence because we don’t have a yardstick,” he says. There are indications that Japanese and Chinese diets, for example, are protective against chronic diseases and improve longevity, but Trichopoulos says that they haven’t been studied enough to say that conclusively.
The one exception, he says, is the Mediterranean diet, high in olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. A 2008 meta-analysis of 12 studies of 1.6 million subjects found that people who stick closely to the Mediterranean diet had a 9% lower death rate than people who ate the same diet less stringently, according to the results published in the British Medical Journal. Numerous other studies show it can protect against heart disease.

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But pinpointing the most beneficial components of Mediterranean diet is tough, says David Jenkins, a University of Toronto nutrition professor. “It could be pasta, bulgur, hummus, fava beans,” he says, “What we generally mean is a diet with more fruits and vegetables and less dependence on red meat.”
Trichopoulos says that traditional diets have pitfalls of their own. The Japanese, for instance, eat lots of nutrient-laden cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, and their main sources of protein are fish and soy. That’s the good news. The downside: Thanks to a preference for cured foods, they also consume colossal amounts of sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure and more strokes.
So while it may be useful to borrow dietary tips from other cultures–whether it’s rye bread from Sweden, buckwheat noodles from Japan or bok choy from China–it probably doesn’t matter exactly which things you borrow.
 Written by Rebecca Ruiz at: http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/02/healthy-diet-country-lifestyle-health-soy-vegetables.html

The top 25 healthy fruits: Blueberries, apples, cherries, bananas and 21 more healthy picks

Take your pick of the 25 most nutritious, fibre-filled, disease-fighting healthy fruits for sale at your local supermarket. And they're delicious too!

This story was originally titled "A Glossary of Healthy Fruits," in the March 2008 issue. Subscribe to Canadian Living today and never miss an issue!

Few things compare to the sweetness of fresh-picked strawberries or the luscious first bite of watermelon that leaves juice dripping down your chin.

Fruits are not only delicious but healthful too. Rich in vitamins A and C, plus folate and other essential nutrients, they may help prevent heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer and guard against vision loss. They're so good for you that Health Canada recommends that most women get seven or eight servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

If it's the vitamins that promote good health, you may wonder if you can just pop supplements. Nope. Sun-drenched peaches and vine-ripened grapes contain more than just vitamins; they're a complex combination of fibre, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals – as well as the vitamins – that work in combination to provide protective benefits. You can't get all that from a pill.

All fruits offer health benefits, but the following 25 stand out as nutrient-dense powerhouses with the most disease-fighting potential. (Note: Only the best sources of each vitamin, mineral and antioxidant are listed in the "nutritional value" section.)

Apple 
• Nutritional value (1 medium): 75 calories, 3 g fibre
• Disease-fighting factor: Apples contain antioxidants called flavonoids, which may help lower the chance of developing diabetes and asthma. Apples are also a natural mouth freshener and clean your teeth with each crunchy bite.
• Did you know? An apple's flavour and aroma comes from fragrance cells in apple skin, so for maximum flavour, don't peel your apple. Plus, the vitamins lie just beneath the skin.

Avocado
• Nutritional value ( ½ avocado): 114 calories, 4.5 g fibre, source of vitamin E and folate
• Disease-fighting factor: Avocados contain healthy monounsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol levels when eaten instead of harmful saturated fats. For a heart-healthy boost, replace butter with avocado on your favourite sandwich.  
• Did you know? Babies love avocados. Their soft, creamy texture makes them easy to eat, and their high fat content helps with normal infant growth and development.

Banana
• Nutritional value (1 medium): 105 calories, 3 g fibre, source of vitamin B6, potassium and folate
• Disease-fighting factor: With 422 milligrams of potassium per banana, these sweet delights have more potassium than most fruit and may help lower blood pressure levels.
• Did you know? People with rubber latex allergies may also be allergic to bananas since the two come from similar trees and share a common protein.

Blackberry
• Nutritional value (1/2 cup/125 mL): 31 calories, 4 g fibre, rich in antioxidants
• Disease-fighting factor: Blackberries get their deep purple colour from the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin, which may help reduce the risk of stroke and cancer. Studies show that blackberry extract may help stop the growth of lung cancer cells.
• Did you know? The ancient Greeks called blackberries "gout-berries" and used them to treat gout-related symptoms.

To read more about this article by Cara Rosenbloom, go to:  http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition/top_25_healthy_fruits_blueberries_apples_cherries_bananas_and_21_more_healthy_picks.php

Dieting on the Holidays, Tips For Christmas

If you have been on a diet or maintaining your weight and you don't want to blow it during the holidays, here are some healthy holiday tips.

Can one meal of eating whatever you want really hurt you? The answer is yes. It does a couple of things. After you eat the big meal, it could make you feel sluggish, which will get you a little depressed, because you knew you should not have eaten that much. Then you could see a couple pound weight gain.

You should enjoy some of your favorite foods in moderation. You only live once, and the holidays are important. Don't try to totally diet, it could backfire and make you feel more stressed on the holidays. Treat yourself to good food, less fat, and moderation. Don't use January 1st as a date for watching you weight again. Watch you weight the day after the big holiday meal. Here are some tips for the holidays.

Don't bring home leftovers from the relatives house. That will not be a good idea. If you have leftovers, save just a little bit for your house. Give the rest to your company.

You can substitute some of your foods with less fat ingredients, or less fat items.

Instead of making a turkey, and using heavy stuffing, make Cornish Hens. They are like little chickens with a mild taste. Stuff it with Lipton-Knorr Chicken Rice - Rice Sides, a package rice you prepare. When preparing only cook on stove so it is still pretty moist, when you stuff it in the hens, it will cook more in oven. When hens are almost done drizzle on top Ocean Spray can fruit, Crushed Fruit, it is in a container in the fruit isle that looks like a soft margarine plastic tub.

Instead of Green Bean Casserole, just make some of the steamable whole green bean variety bag and sprinkle 2% Parmesan cheese on top. Squash or yams baked with a little light margarine and cinnamon is also good. If you must have rolls, eat only one. Pillsbury make a reduced fat crescent rolls, that you bake.

Here are some kid friendly low fat desert ideas. Make Rice Krispie gift package treats. Make Rice Krispie Treats as indicated on back of cereal box. I only use 2 1/2 tbl of margarine not 3. Cut into small squares, take the peeling kind of red licorice, the string kind, and wrap around each side of treat and tie in a bow. Take a round plate and layer them around, put another set of treats , going in a little. Keep adding layers until only one will fit on top, and it should look like a tree.

Take fancy beverage glasses, and make Jell-o Parfaits, with sugar free Jell-o and lite Cool Whip. Use red and green Jell-o. Refer to Mykoodles.com for recipe.

If you are making cookies on the holidays, give some away as gifts. Only keep a few days worth in your house. Oatmeal raisin cookies are healthy, if you don't eat a lot. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, but is high in fat.

Written by Lauren Jones at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Dieting-on-the-Holidays,-Tips-For-Christmas&id=1754814