Criticizing Vegetarian Nutrients Today
By Jim John | August 12, 2008
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You may be surprised to discover that a vegetarian diet is not necessarily a healthful one. There are, as you know, no meat products in Twinkies! If you elect to follow a vegetarian diet for your health, you just have to put in a little more time and effort to ensure that you get all the necessary nourishment from vegetarian nutrients.
Sometimes people who hear of your vegetarian diet will criticize your food choices and try to advise you of your nutritional intake. Be assured though that you should only have to make some minor adjustments to ensure all your nutritional needs are met. Keep in mind that you will need protein and other nutrients in amounts large enough so that leaving out meat products will not have an adverse effect on your diet. .Protein is necessary for our body to grow and to repair itself. Nutritionists tell us that twenty percent of our diet should be protein.
The soybean is a multi-purpose powerhouse in the vegetarian world. Soybean is the base ingredient for soymilk, tofu, and tempeh. Every vegetarian diet can benefit from the addition of soybeans and soybean products, and they don’t contain a single animal product. Soy products are also wonderful substitutes for meat products and often taste similar or even identical.
Soy chicken and soy meat products have come a long way from the old days. Many of the chicken products are indistinguishable from real chicken. You can probably even pass some of these off as chicken to your non-vegetarian friends and they wont be able to tell. These products are perfect for someone who has come to vegetarianism after living a diet that includes meat. There will be a relatively easy transition with the use of these fake meat products.
A lot of people think you need to eat meat to get an adequate amount of iron in your diet. Iron is a vital nutrient and it can be found in spinach - think Popeye. Unless you are extremely low in iron, you don’t need to supplement your diet with an iron pill. Excess iron can be harmful to your health. Caution should be used when adding any dietary supplement. Your diet should supply you with all the necessary nutrients.
Many vegetarians choose to supplement their diet to ensure that they are getting adequate nutrition. While this may be something you want to do, it isn’t necessary as long as you are eating a balanced diet. If your body is deficient in any nutrient, a good old multi vitamin is a perfect answer. Don’t worry about going to the drugstore and stocking up on pills to supplement every type of nutrient out there. Just by taking a single multi vitamin every day, you should get ample amounts of nutrition. There are even vitamins that are made especially for vegetarians.
All it takes is a little planning and effort to maintain a healthy vegetarian diet. If you are able to create a diet that contains high quality, nutritious vegetarian fare, then you should experience little trouble getting all the vegetarian nutrients needed by your body each day.
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Lose Weight Using These Easy Dining Out Tips!
By Gail M. Davis | August 11, 2008
Would you benefit from dining out tips designed to help you make wise food choices? The National Restaurant Association reports that American restaurants bring in a total of 500 billion dollars in sales annually! Imagine what that figure must be worldwide! With grocery prices soaring, the majority of mothers working outside of the home, and so many people working long hours and living hectic lives, is it any wonder that we don’t cook anymore?
The growing obesity epidemic and other health-related issues don’t seem to be keeping people out of restaurants, therefore we’re going to have to learn how to make healthy choices when dining out. Just follow these quick and easy dining out tips to help you make wise choices and you will be successful on your weight loss journey.
The worst thing you can do is arrive at the restaurant famished. Don’t starve yourself all day in anticipation of your night out. Eat on your regular schedule but eat light. If your hunger is off the charts, eat a small salad before leaving home or eat a cup of soup before you order the rest of your meal.
It’s important to plan out your meal, at least in general terms, before arriving at the restaurant. You may not know the exact menu, but you’ll be able to guess your options. Think about all the courses, from appetizers to dessert. Come up with a plan and stick to it when you arrive.
Split a meal with your dining companion or order an appetizer as your meal. Save money and have room for dessert. If that’s not an option for you then eat half and carry the other half home.
Dressings and sauces should be brought on the side so that you can control the amount. Dip your fork and notice that a little goes a long way. Avoid fried foods. Instead, order items that are “broiled”, “grilled”, or “roasted.” High-sodium foods are sometimes advertised as “teriyaki” or “smoked”, and high fat items are frequently called “breaded”, “sauteed”, “scalloped”, or “creamed.”
One of the most important dining out tips is to limit your alcohol intake. If you must have a drink, order one glass of wine or one cocktail. These tend to be “empty calories” and when you drink, you’re less likely to stick to your plan. If you must have dessert, order one and share it with your dining companions.
It’s a good dining out tip to ask the waiter to hold the breadbasket or chip basket. If that’s not possible due to the wishes of your companions, then stick to your plan. One piece of bread without butter or a half dozen chips with salsa would be more than sufficient.
Remember that it takes your stomach 20 minutes to realize it has had enough, so slow down your eating process! Eat slowly and really enjoy each bite. Put down your fork and wait a minute between bites. Focus on the conversation instead of your food. Be aware of your hunger and stop eating when you’re no longer hungry. Don’t wait to be full!
At a buffet, use the salad-sized plates for your meal. Stay away from the salad bar with the exception of the fresh lettuce that you fix yourself. No creamy dressings! Don’t load your salad up with croutons, sunflower seeds, and cheese. Add only vegetables or beans. The other “salads” are loaded with fat and calories. Stay away from them. Choose meat from the carving station and add some vegetables. Allow yourself one small dessert.
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A Buyer’s Guide to Hoodia Cactus Plant Extract.
By Philip McDonald | August 11, 2008
There is a good possibility that you have heard the talk about Hoodia Cactus Plant Extract. There has been a lot of media buzz regarding this product, including the BBC, CBS, and NBC’s Today Show. These and others have been reporting on this exceptional new product.
Due to all the attention that the media has given it, Hoodia Gordonii products have quickly risen to be one of the most popular products in the diet supplement market today.
There are, however, some things you should be mindful of when you are selecting which Hoodia product to buy. Although there are several varieties of Hoodia plants, the Hoodia Gordonii alone is known for the ability to suppress a person’s appetite.
The effects of Hoodia have been known for centuries by the’Sans Bushmen’, a primitive tribe. A study of the native plants that this tribe consumes was conducted by the C.S.I.R. (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) during the mid-1990’s.
The purpose of this study was to see that foods they were taking that protected the toxic compounds. They found that Hoodia Gordonii was not only non-toxic, but also helped suppress the appetitive of the animals tested.
Through these clinical trials, the C.S.I.R. managed to extract the active ingredient that was capable of inhibiting appetite, and it was named ‘P57,’ or the ‘Hoodia Cactus Extract.’ The British pharmaceutical company Phytopharm subsequently obtained the rights to ‘P57.’
If Phytopharm has exclusive rights to ‘P57,’ you may wonder how other Hoodia products able to come on the market. It is actually a reflection of the law of patents. Phytopharm has the exclusive right to extract ‘P57′ from the Hoodia Gordonii plant and utilize it for their line of products. The natural plant, however, is not a commodity that can be patented from a legal standpoint. Therefore, other companies can continue to make products using Hoodia Gordonii, and they will not be in violation of the law.
For consumers who may be considering trying Hoodia, it is vital to make sure that you are purchasing a product that contains genuine South African Hoodia Gordonii.
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Weight Loss: Hunger at 2 am
By Joel Riley | August 10, 2008
12:30 A.M. You look at the clock and decide to head to the fridge for a little snack. Satisfied, you return to bed until morning. Sound familiar? If so, then you’re one of millions who are guilty of this simple indulgence.
Midnight snacking can be a problem but it’s not a problem that can’t be fixed. It’s all about changing your behavior patterns. You can teach yourself not to raid the kitchen in the middle of the night; it might take a while and you’ll have to be persistent, but you can do it.
Some people might call “midnight snacking” a bad habit, but the truth of it is, it’s not a habit at all. Your body is trying to tell you something; it’s telling you to eat more during the day and that you should be getting more calories than what you’ve been taking in. Your body requires a certain amount of calories to sustain your body through the night and if you aren’t getting that, your belly will tell you.
One way to restrain yourself from late night munching is to eat several smaller meals during the day. In doing this, you get the calories you need and your stomach isn’t empty. It’s also healthier to eat this way than to eat a few big meals during the day.
Eating a large dinner will delay digestion and hinder your sleep. Eating a high-carb snack at bedtime, such as fruit or crackers, can help you sleep better and keep your stomach at rest until morning.
You might also try a glass of warm milk. Not only does it help you relax, but also it’ll help you feel full. Try to avoid drinking alcohol in the evening hours. While having a nightcap may help ease and calm you, it intensifies your appetite and adds needless calories to your diet.
If you think that after dinner cup of coffee is a nice relaxing part of your evening; think again. Caffeine is a stimulant and will make you restless. If you must have something to drink in the middle of the night or before bed, drink a large glass of water. This will give your stomach a full.
Sometimes water can satisfy a midnight craving. If this doesn’t work, try to read a book, or listen to some soothing music to help get you back to sleep. In time, you’ll be able to sleep soundly without being disrupted. You may not see results overnight, but your perseverance will pay off.
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How To Detox Your Body With The Top Detox Diet Foods
By Clare Denton | August 10, 2008
Our bodies have a built in natural detox system all of their own, but it never hurts to help detox your body with foods that will also promote your health. I’ve compiled a list of the top ten body detox foods which you can use to create recipes for your detox diet. You can eat them as part of a raw food detox diet, or juice them for a range of delicious detox drinks.
If you can afford it I would recommend you buy organic where possible, but non-organic will be fine if you’re on a tight budget. Either way, these foods are fantastic for a completely natural detox diet - why not create a week long menu plan for a really health 7 day detox program?
1. The Power of Apples
Did you know that scientists in the Ukraine used apples to help clean and purify the area of Chernobyl when they had that catastrophic disaster back in 1986? That says something about the detox power of apples. Their power comes from high levels of vitamin C and quercetin, which is an antioxidant that helps reduce levels of bad cholesterol.
They also contain pectin - a fiber that is also found in citrus fruits, beets and berries. Pectin binds to heavy metals (like lead and mercury) in the colon and helps eliminate them from your body. It also helps your body excrete food additives and toxins, including tartrazine, which has been linked to conditions such as hyperactivity, migraine and asthma, particularly in children.
2. Avocados
Apart from anything else I think avos taste great - the fact that they are good for you is even better. Avocados contain a nutrient called gluthathione, which is a powerful antioxidant. It combines with fat soluble toxins, particularly alcohol, and makes them water soluble.
Avocados are a personal favourite of mine - they’re great eaten straight from the skin. Avos contain something called glutathione, which is a very powerful antioxidant. Its main benefit is that it binds with fat-soluble toxins like alcohol rendering them water-soluble and therefore easier for the body to excrete them.
3. A Liver Detox with Artichokes
Artichokes are a great tasting zero-fat, zero-cholesterol veg that provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals including vitamin A, B6, Niacin, folic acid, chromium, potassium, iron and calcium. One powerful detox benefit of artichokes is its ability to increase bile production in the liver. More bile means the body is able to transport more toxins to the bowel for excretion - so a great food for a natural liver detox.
Artichokes are also full of antioxidant nutrients, and play an important role in liver detox. Studies in Germany have shown that liver damage, caused by free radicals, is dramatically reduced when artichoke extracts are present within the body.
4. Beetroot - The Alternative Vampire Deterrent
Two health giving compounds found in beetroot are methionine and betanin. Betanin helps the liver break down fatty acids, and reduces its workload, so it is able to devote more energy to eliminating dangerous toxins from your body. Methionine works on purifying the body’s waste material to help prevent toxin re-uptake.
Beetroot contains methionine and betanin. Methionine helps to purify natural waste bodily waste products. Betanin works to help increase the rate at which the liver breaks down fatty acids. This action helps takes workload off the liver allowing it to fight the dangerous toxins.
5. Cruciferous or Brassica Vegetables
The range of cruciferous vegetables are known to have anti-carcinogenic properties by helping our body to destroy carcinogens. These vegetables include Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Radishes, Cabbage, Watercress and several others.
These vegetables contain a nutrient called glucosinolates, which help the liver to produce vital enzymes.
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