WHAT 200 CALORIES LOOKS LIKE

Found this on the net and thought that it was a really interesting analogy.

http://www.artfido.com/blog/photographic-series-showing-what-200-calories-looks-like-in-different-foods/

POLITICAL JOKE

Now for something different.  They say laughter is the best medicine, so here is a joke that I thought would be appropriate with the up and coming elections in mind.

A busload of politicians were driving down a country road in a remote part of Australia when suddenly the driver has a heart attack.  The bus runs off the road and crashes down an embankment on an old farmer property.

Fortunately the old farmer was on his tractor nearby, he hears the crash and rushes over to the site.  When he get there he sees the carnage, bodies everywhere.  Thinking like the old cow cocky he is, he realises that it will be days before anyone can evacuate the remains of he proceeds to bury them.

The next day the Police arrive and the old farmer takes them to the crash site.  The Policeman can see the bus, but no politicians.  He says to the farmer, "were are all the politicians?"

The old farmer replies slowly, "I buried em."

The Policeman asks, "what, they were all dead."

The farmer takes a while with his answer, then slowly says, "well a few denied it, but you know how those bloody Politicians can lie."

WEIGHT LOSS SECRET REVEALED

I have a secret I would like to share with you.  Have you always wanted to know the secret of weight loss?  Well, here it is and the good news is, its not difficult.  The secret to weight loss is - your out put must be more than your input.  Yes, its thats simple.

What does that mean.

QUICK GET FIT TIPS

Do you need to get fit, yet find yourself procrastinating.  Have you joined a gym, only to waste your membership.  Or do you exercise for a few days and not continue.  I think we can all relate to this.  I know myself I have made all of these errors and more.  Here is a few quick tips that I hope will help you change your bad habits and get fit.

1.  Make a conscious decision that you are serious about doing exercise, it all starts in the mind and you need to change your old thinking.  When I did this, I started exercising with a friend.   I would never let my friend down by not turning up.  That way you keep each other accountable. 

2.  If you have to  exercise alone, listen to music.  It can motivate and distract you.

3.  Exercise at least 3 times a week for 45m to 1hr.  But try to do more.  Mix it up, cardio, weights, stretching, bike, yoga, pilates, swim, run, even go for a brisk walk.  When you have variety, it will become fun.

4.  Try to exercise close to home or alternatively exercise near work, it will suit your lifestyle and make life easier.

5. Try an exercise DVD, it is cheaper than a gym membership.

6.  Join a Bootcamp.  Many places have challenges and they are fantastic to get you motivated and give you a kick start.

7.  Stick with it.  If life becomes busy or you get sick, don't give up because these things do happen.  No one can do it for you.  This is for you, so that you can be happy and enjoy life. NEVER, EVER give up.

  

Disclaimer: This article is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Seek the advice of a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

WHOLEGRAIN PRODUCTS

Wholegrains contain  three layers of the grain.

Bran – the outer layer of the grain (fibre omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and dietary minerals). 

Endosperm – the main part of the grain (mainly starch).  

Germ – the smallest part of the grain.  (vitamin E, folate, phosphorus, magnesium).

Identifying Wholegrain Products

You idenfiy wholegrain products by the ingredients list on the packaging. If the ingredient lists "wholewheat," "wholemeal," or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a wholegrain food item. If the label says "enriched" or "bromated," among others, this could indicate that the food lacks wholegrain.

Many breads are colored brown (often with molasses or caramel colour) and made to look like wholegrain, when infact they are not.

The amount of fiber varies from grain to grain, and some products may have things like bran, peas, or other foods added to boost the fiber content.

Grains, Wholegrains and Cereals

Grains include wheat, barley, oat, rye, corn, rice and triticale. Whole grains include wholemeal or wholegrain breads or crispbreads, dark ‘seedy’ breads, wholegrain breakfast cereals, wheatgerm, brown rice, puffed whole grains, bulgar, couscous, popcorn and oatmeal. 

Refined cereals include cake, desserts, white bread, pasta, muffins, sweet or savoury biscuits, refined grain breakfast cereals, white rice, pancakes, waffles and pizza.

Wholegrain Cereals

Wholegrain cereals are a rich source of many essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. The typical cereal food is:

• Low in saturated fat but is a source of polyunsatured fats, including omega-3 linolenic acid.
• Cholesterol free.
• High in both soluble and insoluble fibre and resistant starch.
• An excellent source of carbohydrates.
• A significant source of protein.
• A good source of B complex vitamins, including folate.
• A good source of many minerals, such as iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus and zinc.
• A good source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that can help lower blood cholesterol levels.

Phytochemicals in Wholegrains

Wholegrain cereals contain many different phytochemicals that have been linked to significant health benefits. These phytochemicals include:

• Lignans – can lower the risk of coronary heart disease, and regress or slow cancers in animals.
• Phytic acid – reduces the glycaemic index (GI) of food, which is important for people with diabetes, and helps protect against the development of cancer cells in the colon.
• Saponins, phytosterols, squalene, oryzanol and tocotrienols – have been found to lower blood cholesterol.
• Phenolic compounds – have antioxidant effects.

Refined Cereals DO NOT Have The SameBenefits

When grains are refined (for example, to produce white flour), the bran and germ layers are removed, leaving only the endosperm. This process can cause 66 per cent loss of fibre, 92 per cent loss of selenium, 62 per cent loss of folate and up to 99.8 per cent of phytochemicals from the grains.

Some fibre, vitamins and minerals may be added back into refined cereal products (such as white bread), which compensates for losses, but it is impossible to add the mix of phytochemicals that is lost in the processing.

Sometimes, the fibre that is added back is from vegetable fibre. Some breads contain ‘Hi-maize’, which is a resistant starch from corn. It is unknown whether these breads have similar beneficial properties to breads high in cereal fibres. For example, ‘Hi-maize’ does not have the same laxative effect as wheat fibre.

Refined cereals generally have a higher GI than their wholegrain counterparts. This means that eating refined cereals causes a sharp rise in blood sugars, demanding a strong response from the pancreas.

Tips When Buying Bread

• When you buy wholegrain products, look for words like ‘wholegrain’ or ‘wholemeal’.
• Grainy and seedy breads are more nutritious and have a lower GI than more refined breads.
• Some ‘multigrain’ breads are made with white flour and various whole grains added.
• ‘Wholemeal wholegrain’ bread is made with wholemeal flour plus whole grains and has more fibre and nutrients and a lower GI than wholemeal, wholegrain or white breads.
• Sourdough breads have a lower GI, especially dark rye. These breads contain ‘wild’ yeast whereas other breads have specially cultured baker’s yeast.

The recommended amount of wholegrain per day for an adult is - 48 grams.

Children aged 2-3 years – 24 grams of wholegrains per day.

Children aged 4-8 years – 32 – 40 grams per day.

 olegrains per day

Here are some examples of readily available wholegrain foods and their approximate wholegrain content.

Wholemeal bread, 2 slices = 30-40g wholegrains 

Multi-grain bread, 2 slices = 5-30g wholegrains

Wholegrain breakfast cereal, 30-45g serve = 15-30 wholgrains

Porridge, using 1/2 cup rolled oast = 40g wholegrains

Brown rice, 1 cup cooked = 65g wholegrains

Wholegrain pasta, 1 cup cooked = 55-65g wholegrains


Disclaimer: This article is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Seek the advice of a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

HEALTH BENEFITS - APPLE CIDER VINIGAR

Apple Cider Vinegar is an effective natural bacteria-fighting agent that contains vital minerals and trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon and fluorine that are vital for a healthy body.

Many apple cider vinigars have been pasturized, filtered, refined or distilled in order to give the product a better “look/appeal” to the general public.  Unfortunately this extra unncecessary processing destroys a lot of the health benefits that are in apple cider vinigar.

The best quality Apple Cider Vinigar is made from cold pressed, organically grown whole apples in which no chemicals, pesticides or preservatives have been added.  Personally I would recommend Braggs, raw, unfiltered, organic Apple Cider Vinigar is the best available and is readily available from supermarkets and health food stores.

INTERNAL BENEFITS –

.  Rich in enzymes and potassium

.  Support a healthy immune system

.  Helps control weight

.  Promotes digestion and ph balance

.  Helps soothe dry throats

.  Helps remove body sludge toxins

EXTERNAL BENEFITS –

.  Helps maintain healthy skin

.  Helps promote youthful, healthy bodies

.  Soothes irritated skin

.   Relieves muscle pain from exercise

The stringy cloudy mass which resembles sediment is called the "mother of vinegar". It has exceptional healing properties. If you were to chew on a little of this every day, it is supposed to prevent most infectious diseases and keep germs and parasites from invading the body.  This cloudy substance is actually bacteria and yeast cells that have died. The presence of “mother”, shows that the best part of the apple has not been destroyed. Vinegars containing the “mother” contain enzymes and minerals that other vinegars may not have due to over processing, filtration and overheating. 

Apple Cider vinegar is a powerful detoxifying and purifying agent. It breaks down fatty, mucous deposits within the body. By breaking down these substances it improves the health and function of the vital organs of the body.

Even though vinegar is acidic, when we take apple cider vinegar it has an alkaline effect in our bodies. The fact that apple cider vinegar causes our pH levels to become more alkaline could play a large part in it’s curative properties.

A diet that is too acidic is an indicator of poor health. Science has discovered that the diet of a healthy person is usually alkaline, high pH. The diet of an unhealthy person is more likely to be acidic. A pH test indicates how alkaline or acidic you are.

Take one tablespoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar in 8 ounces of water twice a day.  If you really don’t like the taste, a teaspoon of organic Honey can be added.  Eat a high alkaline diet of veggies and fruits to keep your immune system strong.


Disclaimer: This article is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Seek the advice of a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.

CHILDREN AND SNACK FOODS

I think we all know that take away food is not good for us.  It is overprocessed, low quality food that is void of nutrition, high in fat, salt, preservatives and who knows what else.  Some are obviously worse than others and then there is some that we probably like to kid ourselves is not that bad.  Well today I hope to change your mind about that.

Probably one of the most popular take away foods that is viewed as being reasonably healthy would be chicken nuggets.

Have a look at this video and hopefully you will change your mind.  Also then you have to question, what is in sausages, burgers, deli meats and other frozen and prepackaged and take away foods.

Click on this link - http://youtu.be/XKSoiDtdi9s