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Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Healthy Cooking

Healthy cooking or healthy eating doesn't mean denial. Changes that we implement towards a healthier lifestyle will impact our health, the way we feel and perhaps extend our life.

Cooking is a personal experience and we can implement different methods for the same meal. For example, if we want to make mashed potatoes, we could boil the potatoes, or we could steam them, we could peel the skin, buy instant mixes, etc. The choices we make will modify and transform the quality and the nutritional value of the food you put on your table. So here are a few tips that you can easily implement in your kitchen.

Healthy Cooking

For a healthier lifestyle, you may want change what you cook as well as how you cook. Depending on the method you choose, you may be depleting the nutrients out of your food. You could be preparing a meal with the right nutritious ingredients but after you are done cooking, you may end up with a dish that has no nutritional value.

When heat is applied, many vitamins and minerals are burnt away. The higher the temperature and the longer you cook it, the fewer nutrients you will have in your meal. It is important then not to overcook your meals, try to cook your meals in the shortest time possible and with the minimum amount of water possible. However, dry cooking methods such as roasting and baking are perhaps the worst method, as they require a longer cooking time. Microwaving, frying, boiling and sautéing are some of the methods that you need to consider before you cook. Steaming and stir-frying are better choices, as they will allow the natural nutrition to remain in your food.

It is also important to consider the oxidation that occurs in vegetables once they are cut, as oxidation will neutralize the vitamins. For this reason, try not to cut or chop your vegetables way ahead of time.

Seasonings

You may also want to think about the seasonings that you add to your foods when cooking.

Consider adding unrefined sea salt to your meals instead of the commonly available commercial table salt, which is a highly refined product containing 99.5% sodium chloride with almost no trace minerals left. Unrefined sea salt taste wonderful and depending on the method of processing, it contains 0.5 to 3% trace minerals in addition to sodium chloride and small quantities of other elements found naturally in the ocean. You also need to remember that too much salt can cause hypertension, excessive fluid retention and other complications. You could also add a lot of spices and herbs instead if you need to add more taste to your meals. Try adding fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add a little extra taste.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). It is used to enhance flavor and some people are extremely sensitive to it. It is believed to cause headaches, muscle tightening.

Baking powders that contain aluminum.

Cooking utensils

Quality cookware and utensils that do not interact with food are also important to consider. Natural materials such as earthenware, ceramic, glass and metals such as stainless steel, cast-iron or enamel coated steel are recommended. Avoid aluminum, plastic, Teflon and other synthetic materials. Nonstick cookware such as Teflon will emit toxic fumes when heated to a high temperature. Inhaling these toxic fumes can lead to respiratory disease, weakening of the immune system, cancer, depression, asthma and other health problems.

More Things to Consider

Choose quality vegetable oils. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fats, refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings. Hydrogenated oils are manufactured oils. Studies have found that they attack the arteries with a risk of heart disease, the kidneys, liver, spleen, intestine and gallbladder.

Avoid Aspartame. MSG and Aspartame are both considered excitotoxins. Studies have found that Aspartame is the cause for many medical problems, such as headaches, hyperactivity in children, seizure disorders and memory loss. Both Aspartame and MSG and other similar substances cause harm to the brain and nervous system.


Try using less white flour and introduce more fiber by adding bran and soy flour and wheat germ to your bread recipes.

Avoid white processed sugar. The living vitality is not there. Organically grown unprocessed living sugar can be found at health food stores.

Avoid artificial sweeteners, they are manufactured chemicals. Use raw organic honey, fresh organic fruit juices or organic raw evaporated sugarcane juice.

Balance your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables versus frozen or canned. Choose 100% organic fresh produce that is free from chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Have a salad every day. Make your own salad dressing. Here is the one I make for my daily salads. In the food processor chop garlic, ginger, onion, jalapeño pepper and parsley. Add fresh squeezed lime juice (from 4 or 5 limes) or lemon juice, extra virgin oil, and unrefined sea salt, that's it, and it is delicious. You could also add honey for a little extra flavor. As far as the amount for each ingredient, I would say, 5 cloves of garlic, a 1/2" piece of ginger, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeño pepper, a handful of parsley and 4-5 limes. Add oil and salt to taste. Yields about a pint.

Storing foods depletes their vitamin and mineral content. So remember not to keep leftovers in the fridge for more than a couple of days. Instead, try freezing your leftovers right away, as soon as your food has cooled.

And last but not least, cook with a light heart and avoid meals prepared by people who are sick, angry or they have an unhappy attitude when cooking.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Cheap Ticket for Travelling

Cheap flights are at the other end of the spectrum from cheap holidays. With holidays the greatest savings are made by those who are willing to book at the last minute. With flights, the converse is true. As flights get booked up, the prices tend to rise. (Bernstein J et al., 1999)
Two of the most commonly used mechanisms for obtaining cheap flights are flight-brokers and screen scrapers. The flight brokers make their money by selling you a flight that gives them a commission. There is therefore a balance between the amount of commission that an airline pays them to fill their seats and the requirements of the student. The screen scrapers are web-based tools such as TravelSupermarket, TravelJungle, and SkyScanner. You effectively enter your requirements and these sites send the details to dozens of airlines (and some brokers) and display their findings with the cheapest first. (Sheth A et al., 2002)
There are variations on this process with sites like Expedia and Travelocity specialising in long-haul flights and Expedia and Opodo allowing flights to one airport then leaving from another. Flights Direct will specifically examine the charter market for occasional bargains.
If you intend to fly on certain dates a few months in the future, it is well worth signing up to the e-mail lists of the appropriate airlines. They will send out details of short-term sales so that you can snap them up at the right moment if they come up. British Airways, Opodo, American Airlines and KLM are particularly good for this type of approach.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Weight loss..

Weight loss program !Read this special article before you considerjoining or paying for any weight loss program...Maybe you eat more food every time you think about going on a diet and you are binging and sabotagong yourself at every turn.You must think you are abnormal because so many people have achieved their ideal weight and you would be the only person who has achieved their ideal weight and you would be the only person who has consistently failed (but this is over now!).Iknow these feelings very well.They are a ticket to a vicious circle and once you are in it is not easy to get out again.If you have been on diet after diet,lost weight and put it on again later,you realized that it takes more than willpower to maintain your ideal weight successfully.

Weight Loss

Weight Loss Programs for Long-term Weight Reduction



The weight loss institute has conducted extensive research of a number of different diets, diet pills and weight loss programs. Our goal is to find sensible and sustainable ways for overweight patients to lose weight, and to maintain a healthy weight on a long-term basis. In our section, "Which diet pills really work?", we offer a diet pill comparison based on our research of popular diet pills. We have also tested several different weight loss programs. You will find the reported results in our section on weight loss programs.



Diet Pills and the Effect on Weight Loss Results


Most of the positive effects promised by retailers and manufacturers of diet pills are not backed-up by valid scientific tests. Therefore it is not surprising that despite the large number of diet pills available on the market, only a few have actually proven to be effective. The Weight Loss Institute has conducted extensive research on many different diet pills – including the most popular products on the market - to determine which diet pills can effectively assist patients in reaching their weight loss goals, together with a sensible diet. Of the large number of diet pills that we have researched, only two are recommended to our customers, and have been awarded with top ratings in our diet pills comparison chart. The Weight Loss Institute only offers diet pills for sale that we have carefully researched, and that we believe are both effective and safe to use.


Comparison of Weight Loss Programs



Almost every day customers ask us: "Which weight loss programs are the most effective for long-term weight loss?" We have reviewed and tested several of the most popular weight loss programs and diets, and we offer a comparison that point out the benefits and drawbacks of the different types weight loss programs. Weight loss programs will always effect different people with different personalities in a more or less effective way.


Exercise - the Key Weight Loss Component



Most doctors and dieticians working with overweight and obese patients understand the importance of exercise for all successful weight loss programs, but unfortunately the message is not getting through to the patients. Our research indicates that the dramatic benefit of exercise is not fully understood by more than half of the patients previously involved in a weight loss program. Our calorie calculator is designed to assist patients in understanding the average calorie consumption of various exercises


Weight Watchers


For 40 years, weight watchers has helped millions of people all around the world lose weight. According to weight watchers, if you don't eat within 4 hours, your body tends to store whatever food hasn't been used for energy for emergencies. Your body is now sacrificing brain tissue, internal organs, skin and muscle mass to supply you with the energy that you need to get through your day. With weight watchers you will find that, once you increase your protein intake, you will sleep better, recover faster, and have so much energy.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Look for DIET ???

Diet Watch - Online Weight Loss Program


DietWatch.com was one of the first weight loss programs to provide a complete Internet-only weight loss program. They appeared in about 1999 backed by dietitian Jennifer May.
The DietWatch Eating Plans
There are 4 diet options:
Balanced - A balanced eating plan for general weight loss.
Reduced Carb - not to be confused with low carb diets such as Atkins - here the carbs are set at 40%.
Low Cholesterol - this diet plan will keep saturated fats to a minimum.
Vegetarian - a lacto-ovo diet plan (includes eggs and milk)
You can choose to lose weight or maintain weight. Their free diet profile will take your information and come up with a daily calorie level (even including vitamins and other micro-nutrients).




An Excellent Program



DietWatch provides all the features and tools you would come to expect in a subscription-based weight loss program. Personalized meal plans, a comprehensive diet planner and log, fitness and exercise workouts, shopping lists, message boards, and a great community.
The calorie levels, and nutrient mix appear to be very sensible and well thought out. From our own profile, the nutrient ratios for the balanced plan appeared to be around 50% carb, 20% protein, and 30% fat - which is an excellent balance between the current low-fat vs low-carb debate.
This program seems to be immune to the proliferation of diet fads and extremes, and appears to take the best of current nutrition research to come up with their plans.

Weight loss Program - look for FREE

Weight loss program !

Read this special article before you consider
joining or paying for any weight loss program.

..Maybe you eat more food every time you think about going on a diet and you are binging and sabotagong yourself at every turn.

You must think you are abnormal because so many people have achieved their ideal weight and you would be the only person who has achieved their ideal weight and you would be the only person who has consistently failed (but this is over now!).

Iknow these feelings very well.They are a ticket to a vicious circle and once you are in it is not easy to get out again.
If you have been on diet after diet,lost weight and put it on again later,you realized that it takes more than willpower to maintain your ideal weight successfully.

TO BE COUNTINED.............