Jul 19th 11
Posted by in Prosperity and responsibility
Processed foods have made quite the negative impact on public health. With high levels of salt causing high blood-pressure, and some preservatives linked with cancer, people are trying to find ways around their conventional diets.
However, not all processed foods are as bad as some would report. You’ll have to remember that a multivitamin falls under the same idea as an instant pizza, it’s just what’s in the two that make the difference. Plenty of companies are seeking to develop safer preservatives, and healthier varieties of processed foods.
Processed foods were developed after WWII as companies found that food that was processed for soldiers was profitable on the consumer market. These foods were easy to store, ship, and convenient to purchase. And they can be loaded with nutrients that consumers wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere. These foods were safe (no need to worry about salmonella or E. coli in pasteurized foods) and easily out-compete fresh foods in price–fresh foods tend to go bad, and so have to be kept in a constant supply.
So don’t bash on processed foods entirely. They bring affordable food to billions of people who would otherwise starve in this harsh world economy. Do be careful about your salt intake, and which preservatives you ingest, but be grateful for this “easy food”.
Jul 13th 11
Posted by in Good Food Choices
Unfortunately, our country is suffering from an epidemic of obesity, which has lead to outbreaks of several other health issues including type II diabetes and heart disease. Dozens and
dozens of companies see this as an opportunity make it big and have flooded the internet with
secret health foods, diet pills and miracle weight-loss supplements. Unfortunately, these products are usually bogus, and are simply crafty marketers taking advantage of the desperate. Here are a few things to look for to not get scammed, or at least sucked in:
Studies
The first thing you can do is find conclusive studies on the product. And I don’t mean go to the product’s website and take their study’s word for it: find studies by universities or un-invested organizations. These are more likely to have an unbiased opinion, and will perform the survey for the sake of information, not money.
Testimonials
Testimonials usually can’t be trusted either: any company can invent testimonials by paying an actor. And all testimonials related to the site will be positive besides, not giving a clear cut idea about the product. Look for a forum thread that has talked about it; these will have real conversations of concerned though maybe biased, individuals.
Wikipedia
Sure many authorities doubt its legitimacy, but it has always worked as an unbiased source for me. You might not be able to find a particular product, but you can look up its ingredients. This way you can find any studies that have gone into the ingredients, their effectiveness, and any potential side effects.
Time will Tell
In the end, it’s the time proven methods that will help you lose weight. Has a product only been around for a month, a year or a decade? These diet ideas haven’t withstood the test of time yet. Studies and testimonies cannot compare to age-old truths. They can’t know the long term effects of something until they’ve been around for the long term.
As for our healthy ancestors, we should always be grateful for the centuries of experience that has gone into modern medicine. If your doctor prescribes something for your health, don’t get “age-old truths” get confused with “old-wives tales”.
Jul 6th 11
Posted by in Good Food Choices
There is an old myth that chocolate causes acne. This is quite unfortunate, because it will do quite the opposite. Acne is usually caused by stress and hormonal imbalances, both of which chocolate work to reduce.
Fight Stress with Chocolate
Chocolate is chock-full of calming chemicals, endorphins, that work to calm the body. This lowers blood pressure (reducing stress in the skin) and generally promotes relaxation. Chocolate is also thought to be an aphrodisiac, which healthy sexual activity is proven to relieve stress.
Stay Calm
Chocolate’s calming and aphrodisiac properties also help moderate hormones. This means when the body is chemically balanced, it won’t produce acne.
A Word of Caution
While chocolate is great for your skin, low quality chocolates have too much added sugar and fats. This means they have a higher glycemic index than cocoa itself, which can lead to breakouts.
Enjoy!
Chocolate is not only good for your skin, but has a plethora of health benefits.
May 28th 11
Posted by in Good choices., Prosperity and responsibility
While the late, lamented Mr. John Lennon warbled about happiness being a warm gun, for the most of the rest of us happiness may be a full tum. Especially as so many of the people who populate planet earth are underfed and undernourished. Here in the West the norm is to be well fed, yet malnourishment can still take it’s toll when we are mightily troubled with obesity and it’s consequent twin evils of diabetes and heart disease. And those twins have innumerable cousins.
It ain’t Ronald’s fault that we are suffering as a nation. The invention of the “Chicken McNugget” did not presage the downfall of Western Civilization. The “Whopper” did not precipitate the destruction of all that was good and holy in the glorious days of yesteryear. What Southern sharecropper or wandering Okie would not have given his or her false teeth for a burger, fries and shake to distribute to an ill-nourished child who might have done better if a glass of milk an’ cornbread, an’ poke salet had been on hand.
We have grown fat upon the land because we have become wealthy without wisdom. Humble gratitude for what we are blessed with is better than rapacious greed to gain more. Making relevant choices as adults and parents is essential to our own health and that of future generations. Government mandates will not produce happy or healthy people. Being free to make a choice between fatty, artery clogging food and well balanced nourishment is our right. Choosing the right is a more difficult path. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Then we will make the best choices for ourselves and the children we raise. Out of love and respect for ourselves and others we will choose the good from the bad. I can still remember when I first started in earnest to grow my own food. After hauling in rich composted material to my allotment one bag at a time, after I collected it where the county workers had for some years been dumping leaves cleared off the roads, I grew the tastiest vegetables. Cabbages, Brussel sprouts, carrots, potatoes, fennel, parsnips all had exquisite nuances of flavor. I had reduced my intake of meat and eschewed salt and pepper, and was rewarded with a thousand-fold increase in enjoyment of nature’s bounty.
Instead of our public schools churning out (or leaking out through dropping out) hordes of minds ill and under nourished and thus unable to make wise choices, teachers need to take the initiative to throw out the books about global warming, having two mummies, and Che Guevara’s sainthood. Then they can concentrate on telling it like it really is; like it really, really is. And then those kids can turn out to be better prepared than their own parents were in nurturing the best in the human spirit. Teach them that chicken soup is good for the soul. Nanny states never nourish or nurture. Never forget the Soviet bakers’ shops with the interminable lines of people with gaunt faces; harassed and haggard people without hope waiting in vain as the last lousy loaf was sold.
May 13th 11
Posted by in Good Food Choices
Well I am back to report on my visit to Carl’s Junior to sample the Turkey Burger. And I must say it was quite enjoyable with it’s 490 calories. The turkey meat tasted like it should and the wheat bun, lettuce and tomatoe was the ideal accompaniment, although that did not stop me taking some of the fresh tomatoe, onion and cilantro salsa to put inside part of the burger. So I recommend this fast food for it’s low calories, nutrition and importantly flavor.
Now along with the Carl’s Junior brand there is a menu branded as Green Burito which I didn’t sampled but which I will check into to see what is acceptable food on that menu. And in addition I see “Eat This, Not That” on their website has “The Nine Healthiest Mexican Foods,” which I’ll be looking at. There is a great deal of information available on the internet about what is good for your health and what tastes good.
I went to Carl’s Junior about 12.30 and the lunch time trade was going strong with a full parking lot and almost no free tables. But I’m pretty sure they weren’t all there chomping on the Turkey Burger. And that is OK because at the moment we still seem to have some free choice in what we eat despite encroaching Government nannyism. You don’t really change behaviour by force and government directives, you just send the behaviour underground with the consequent attempts to circumvent the controls. So while I advocate healthy food choices, I want to emphasis the word choices.
Now I was so impressed by the quality of the food at Carl’s Junior and the friendly service that after I left I thought I’d like to instigate a regular lunch time meeting for the men in the family. I have seven sons and the eight of us could enjoy a relaxing trip to Carl’s Junior for food and friendship maybe once a week. A male bonding experience! The only hitches to that plan could be that one of the boys runs his own pharmacy and has a hard time leaving the business, and another is a vegan. He tells me Burger King has a veggie burger but I don’t think that Carl’s Junior has that option. Getting eight busy males together may be difficult but I think it would be great to communicate (usually about football, and basketball) and have some fun. That too can contribute to good health; believe me, as there would be plenty of laughing and joking. We all need a break from the stresses and strains of life. So have fun.
May 5th 11
Posted by in Good Food Choices
May 5th 11 Posted by Joseph Ratliff in
I want to mention the “Eat This Not That” phenomena as I am determined to try something that I would not usually endorse. I am planning to visit my local Carl’s Junior fast food dispensary to eat a turkey burger. Claimed to be the first turkey burger to be offered by a hamburger chain Carl’s Junior’s new burgers are recommended by Men’s’ Health Magazine and the Eat This Not That campaign. Besides the original turkey burger, Carl’s Jr. customers can order the Teriyaki Turkey Burger and Guacamole Turkey Burger, while Hardee’s customers can try the Mushroom Swiss Turkey Burger or the BBQ Ranch Turkey Burger. They all weigh in at under 500 calories. Just skip the fries and the Coke. Now a bit more about Eat This Not That.
Eat This, Not That
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD.
WebMD Expert Review
Eat This, Not That: What It Is
Most diet books tout a secret formula, or mystifying scientific-sounding plan to melt away pounds but not Eat This, Not That, the latest diet book from Men’s Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Men’s Health food and nutrition editor Matt Goulding. The diet is not a diet in the traditional sense, but a calorie counter’s dream. Many people are clueless when it comes to the calories in the foods they eat and even when they guess, they usually underestimate the numbers.
The authors promise you will lose weight if you make smarter food choices, but don’t be fooled into thinking that ordering a Big Mac instead of a Whopper with cheese will lead to weight loss as depicted on the book’s cover.
Part expose, part nutritional guide, and part picture book of mouth-watering food images, Eat This, Not That comes in a handy size to take along to the grocery store, restaurant, or mall. It is loaded with calorie, fat, sugar, carbohydrate, and sodium counts designed to help you make smarter food choices.
“We chose calories as the most important criteria for the foods we chose because it is the top cause of weight gain and the gauntlet of health problems so when it comes to prudent eating, nothing matters more than calories,” Zinczenko says.
The authors do an excellent job exposing the obscene number of calories in certain foods, such as Outback’s Aussie cheese fries that weigh in at 2,900 calories, Chili’s Awesome Blossom at 2,710 calories, and Lonestar’s 20-ounce T-bone — an astonishing 1,540-calorie steak. And as a result, several restaurants have removed calorie-laded items from their menus.
May 5th 11
Posted by in Good choices.
I want to mention the “Eat This Not That” phenomena as I am determined to try something that I would not usually endorse. I am planning to visit my local Carl’s Junior fast food dispensary to eat a turkey burger. Claimed to be the first turkey burger to be offered by a hamburger chain Carl’s Junior’s new burgers are recommended by Mens’ Health Magazine and the Eat This Not That campaign. Besides the original turkey burger, Carl’s Jr. customers can order the Teriyaki Turkey Burger and Guacamole Turkey Burger, while Hardee’s customers can try the Mushroom Swiss Turkey Burger or the BBQ Ranch Turkey Burger. They all weigh in at under 500 calories. Just skip the fries and the Coke. Now a bit more about Eat This Not That.
Eat This, Not That
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD.
WebMD Expert Review
Eat This, Not That: What It Is
Most diet books tout a secret formula, or mystifying scientific-sounding plan to melt away pounds but not Eat This, Not That, the latest diet book from Mens’ Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko and Mens’ Health food and nutrition editor Matt Goulding. The diet is not a diet in the traditional sense, but a calorie counter’s dream. Many people are clueless when it comes to the calories in the foods they eat and even when they guess, they usually underestimate the numbers.
The authors promise you will lose weight if you make smarter food choices, but don’t be fooled into thinking that ordering a Big Mac instead of a Whopper with cheese will lead to weight loss as depicted on the book’s cover.
Part expose, part nutritional guide, and part picture book of mouth-watering food images, Eat This, Not That comes in a handy size to take along to the grocery store, restaurant, or mall. It is loaded with calorie, fat, sugar, carbohydrate, and sodium counts designed to help you make smarter food choices.
“We chose calories as the most important criteria for the foods we chose because it is the top cause of weight gain and the gauntlet of health problems so when it comes to prudent eating, nothing matters more than calories,” Zinczenko says.
The authors do an excellent job exposing the obscene number of calories in certain foods, such as Outback’s Aussie cheese fries that weigh in at 2,900 calories, Chili’s Awesome Blossom at 2,710 calories, and Lonestar’s 20-ounce T-bone — an astonishing 1,540-calorie steak. And as a result, several restaurants have removed calorie-laded items from their menus.
Apr 21st 11
Posted by in Good choices.
Well I have to confess that on a recent trip through Las Vegas on the way to the Land of Disney I had a “must stop” at the Paris Hotel where shortly after it had opened about 12 years ago I had the opportunity to have brunch at The Village Buffet. Now buffets are not always (maybe never) a good L’endroit pour manger. But the food was good and the choices included some very nutritious offerings. So I had great expectations but what once was the best of times became the worst of times as it was a disappointing tale of two visits. Food that should have been hot was cold, the drink service was slow and not accurate, and I still prefer real butter because I know what I will be eating. And no there was no real butter. So a big let down. And my wife and I have noticed that what is a good restaurant at the opening becomes a bad and disappointing restaurant over even a short time in some instances.
It is easy to avoid poor choices at Disneyland as the prices and value for money in the park are a great disincentive to eat their fare, and of course you can take in your own food. A suite at a suitable hotel will allow the visitors to store food in a refrigerator and even cook if that is your inclination. So there you have a great deal of control over what you eat.
Having got that off my chest let me tell you about a great website, where you can look for restaurants that offer healthy eating. Healthydiningfinder.com has about 70,000 restaurant locations countrywide for you to search for a suitable place to eat healthily. There is even nutritional information about calories, fat content, and other important facts. So next time I take off on my travels I will be using the “Healthy Dining finder.”
Apr 7th 11
Posted by in Good choices.
Men’s Health Magazine is one great resource when checking out what is best and what is worst when you eat out either on the run or when you choose a more leisurely repast.
For a FF burger they say go to Wendy’s and especially they note that the Jr. Burgers can weigh in at under 400 of them there so important calories. Want a sandwich? Cheesecake Factory will get you one at 1,400 calories and their pasta items average 1,835 C. So Mens’ Health considers Cheesecake Factory the worst in family dining due in great part because of it’s large portion meals. The King? Not quite Burger King. But Subway reigns as monarch of the healthy choice sandwiches. The sub chain gets the thumbs up for offering the leanest sandwiches in America. Ten six-inch subs under 400 calories.
Now the mens’ mag castigated the Home of the Blizzard when they said Dairy Queen ranked as The Worst Burger Joint. The judgment was that “the fast-food chain specializes in both burgers and ice cream injected with egregious amounts of sodium and trans fats.”
The verdict on California Pizza Kitchen’s 10-inch pizza entrees is that they are “awkward” because they make it almost impossible to eat a healthy portion.” Men’s Health said “A 10-inch isn’t enough for two people but eating it for yourself means consuming a 1,000 calorie-meal.” Best pizza- Domino’s Philly Cheese Steak Pizza” was way up there. Ranked as a solid lean pie. You get to choose more vegetable toppings at Domino’s than at the competition pizza place.
Oh. Oh. Oh. Quiznos. Quiznos. Quiznos. Mens’ Health regarded the big Q as the worst sandwich shop, and candidly said: “This menu is bloated with mayonnaise-spiked salads, oily dressings and briny bacon.”
And now it’s time to say “Hello Ruby Tuesday” not “Goodbye Ruby Tuesday” I feel ready right now to head out to Ruby Tuesday. I may never see “The Lips” licking up the gravy but the accolade for Best Healthy Family Dining Restaurant was awarded to Ruby Tuesday. I’ll be checking out the selection of healthy options on the Fit & Trim menu.
Eat well and wisely. Bon appetit.
Mar 16th 11
Posted by in Teens and nutrition
When it comes to teens and their eating habits it can be an up hill slog trying to teach them what they consume will have a good or bad effect on their bodies and minds. With changes that begin with growing maturity adequate nutrition is essential.
Good eating habits help prevent chronic illness in the future, including obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Did you know that most adolescents fail to meet the recommended dietary requirements for caloric and nutrient intake? Many teens in fact receive the majority of their calories from processed and high fat foods. A low intake of essential nutrients including vitamin A, folic acid, fiber, iron and calcium is prevalent among adolescents. A low intake of iron and calcium in particular is common among female adolescents, which can impair cognitive function and physical performance, as well as increase a females risk for osteoporosis later in life!
http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/teen_eating_habits.htm
