Smoothies For Kids – Easy Smoothie Recipes

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Posted by admin | Posted in Kids' Health | Posted on 09-06-2011

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Kids are screaming for junk food and you are at your wits’ end. What do you give them ? Five portions of fruit and veg a day ! You must be joking! Apart from the idea of preparing all that and they wouldn’t eat it anyway, what do you do ? The answer is :- get your blender and give them a few smoothies. Why ? First because they are dead easy, second the kids love them and most important of all, your kids are not likely to end up being obese!

Obesity in children is on the increase and s now a widespread and increasing problem with obvious health implications. Obesity in children is associated with multiple health problems such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, steatohepatitis, and psychosocial issues. And as if you did not know ,obesity is caused by excess body fat. The problem of childhood obesity in children is not limited to the United States. It is now a problem for traditionally poor countries where recent prosperity has caused people to eat more and exercise less. Look at Mexico where the consumption of meat, fruits, vegetables, and milk is giving way to an increased intake of refined carbohydrates, soda, and fats.

Combine this rise in obesity with the many cutbacks in physical education and recess at American schools, and it is clear that children are not getting the nutritional guidance and physical exercise that they desperately need. What can you do then, as a parent to fill this gap ? Make time and educate yourself and your child on a daily basis, Read labels and try as much as possible to sit down at the dinner table and enjoy a meal with your family while discussing the importance of eating a balanced diet. There are special diets that your whole family should follow, and regimens of exercises as well.

Smoothies For Kids

Here is one to get you started. It actually comes from Cuba and it has an exotic name – Batido! Basically it contains blueberries and bananas. You will need the following:-

1 banana – a ripe one is better. Cut it into chunks,

Men’s Health Tips – 3 Ways to Keep Yourself Healthy

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Posted by admin | Posted in Men's Health | Posted on 21-03-2011

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Men who are conscious about their health are able to lead a happy and successful life. They can enjoy all the blessings of life. A healthy body also keeps your mind healthy and as a result you are able to make your personal and professional dreams come true. As we are living in a fast paced world, it often gets hard to attend to your diet and look after your well-being. Many times we remain caught up in the vicious circle of life. What we need to bear in mind is that taking out time to attend to your health is going to pay you all your life. This is because unhealthy men cannot lead a normal and healthy life while the healthy ones have got the whole world in their hands.

Here we have for you 3 important tips that would help you lead a healthy and vigorous life.

1. Watch what you eat! In the present times, people mostly stick to junk food. They often watch what they are eating and as a result they made their bodies weak and prone to disease. Men who wish to remain safe from sickness and have healthy bodies must make sure to eat healthy foods. They should take healthy food items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meat in healthy proportions. Fruits and vegetables endow your body with vitamins which are essential for to keep your body healthy. Milk products are rich in proteins that are essential for your well-being as well. You should not consume too much fatty or starchy stuff as it does no good to your body. In fact they spoil your health and make you prone to disease. You may have junk food once in a while, not on regular basis. Try to eat what is fresh and avoid processed foods so that your body can enjoy health naturally.

2. Exercise! As men grow older their physical activities becomes very limited. They often have to sit for long hours working in offices or on front of computers. As a result they tend to put on excessive weight which leads to disease. To avoid this you must stick to exercise. You may join a gym or do some exercise on your own. You can swim, run, walk or use some exercising machines. Even dancing can be a good exercise that helps you to remain healthy and save you from sickness.

3. Avoid Smoking! Avoiding smoking is very important for men who wish to stay healthy. Smoking leads to many diseases. Those who smoke regularly cannot stay healthy so stay away from fags!

Testosterone and Prostrate Cancer – Understanding Men’s Health

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Posted by admin | Posted in Men's Health | Posted on 19-03-2011

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There are many causes of prostrate cancer and testosterone is one of them. It is also often misunderstood. When testosterone is metabolized in the body it produces Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is responsible for muscles and erections. In other words, DHT is either burned up in the gym or during sex.

Problems arise when all the DHT present in your body is not burned up. It has been stated that the leftover DHT is the main cause of prostrate problems. However, one cannot burn up all the DHT present in the body no matter how much you work out or how much sex you have.

Misconceptions

Relating testosterone to prostrate cancer in this way has generated a lot of misconceived notions. There is a group of people who believe that more sex will solve prostrate problems. The fact is that prostrate cancer is the leading cancer killer of males and all these men cannot have been celibate. Most of them would have had an active sexual life.

One might thus conclude that prostrate cancer has little to do with sex or testosterone. Understanding of prostrate cancer is linked with our understanding of how we deal with the excessive DHT in our bodies. One of the reasons for excessive DHT in our system is the meat and hormone-filled diets that we live on. You might be aware that the pro-hormone supplementations are not recommended for men with prostrate problems.

Remedies

One should learn to manage the DHT in our bodies. What we eat determines to a great extent the level of DHT in our bodies. One should cut down on animal fats. A proper diet would include a lot of fiber, which is available in fruits and vegetables. Doctors also recommend anti-prostrate foods, like soy products, rice, green and yellow vegetables, oysters, bran, pulses, garlic, pumpkin seeds, etc. To protect against and deal with prostrate cancer, one should cut down on alcohol and meat and maintain a healthy weight.

Cutting down on the risk of prostrate cancer means eliminating the levels of DHT in the body. Prepare for a management of DHT and you can lead a cancer-free existence.

Body and Soul Fitness File – Winter 2011

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Posted by admin | Posted in Fitness | Posted on 16-03-2011

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Contents:
Eat Local! Fitness Tip Nutrition Tip

Eat Local – Better for the Environment, Better for You

The next time you’re at the grocery store, take a look at the stickers on your fruits and vegetables. They tell you where in the world your produce comes from. Chances are if it’s not from Canada, it was picked long before it was ripe and mass transported thousands of miles to get to your grocery store. During the long journey, the fruits/veggies were most likely exposed to damage from handling and heat and gassed to induce artificial ripening.

By now most of us have learned that choosing local produce diminishes our impact on the environment. But did you know that buying local can also be beneficial to your health? As even well stored fruits and vegetables lose much of their nutrient value within a few days of picking, you can guess that the well-travelled versions do not provide as much nutrition as their local counterparts. In fact, produce that is frozen quickly after picking often retains more of its super nutritional value than that which is imported and sold as “fresh”.

Unfortunately, our climate doesn’t provide us with fresh blueberries all year round – it can be a challenge to eat local! You can stick to what is seasonally available – at this time of year hearty foods like artichokes, brussels sprouts, garlic, squash, potatoes, kale, cranberries, apples, and many other delightful foods grow naturally in BC and are available at the winter farmers market at Nat Bailey stadium (visit every Saturday from 10am to 2pm). Or, if completely switching your diet to what’s seasonally available isn’t an option, consider preservation methods like freezing, drying and canning to make your favourite seasonal foods last all year long.

Fitness Tip: Improve Workout Qulity with Mind-Body Exercise

Mind-body exercise involves engaging your mind and keeping it focused while performing physical exercise. Mind-body techniques improve body awareness, increase motivation, and enhance your overall workout and fitness. Try the following mind-body techniques to add quality to your workouts:
Focus on your body – concentrate on each muscular movement and how your body is feeling during the movement. Synchronize movements with breathing patterns. Ensure you are taking full inhalations and exhalations while lifting weights and performing cardio. Pay attention to proper form and alignment, performing each movement with precision and control.

Being mindful of your body while exercising improves whole-body health and body control and instills balance both physically and mentally.

Nutrition Tip: Beath Cold Symptoms with Oil of Oragano

Although it doesn’t taste as good as the oregano used in your pizza sauce, oil of oregano can be a powerful tool in helping ward off colds. This natural herb extract works like a powerful antibiotic, has antifungal and antiviral properties, and is packed with immune-boosting active ingredients like carvacrol (a powerful antimicrobial agent). It is relatively inexpensive and good quality brands can be found at natural health pharmacies and health food stores.

Pregnancy Diet

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Posted by admin | Posted in Pregnancy | Posted on 10-03-2011

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Most women have a difficult time figuring out what food is healthy for them during pregnancy.

To know what to eat while you are pregnant and to do a good job with your diet plan, there is one easy trick to remember.

Keep in mind that you need to have a rich variety of fruits, vegetables and proteins in your diet. With a diversity of nutrients, you won’t have to worry that your baby might be missing out on some essential nutrients, while getting others more than the required amounts.

Second is the art of balancing food in your diet. You can indulge in any of the pleasures of your favorite foods, keeping in mind it is not of harm to your baby. While devouring your favorite meal, just remember not to overeat. You should have a diet balanced with vitamins, whole grains and proteins.

If you have been on a diet earlier, stop doing that once you get pregnant. This should be done because the baby needs a good intake of calories and nutrients during those nine months it’s going to reside in you.

Gaining some weight while you are pregnant is perfectly normal. To prevent that from happening may create complications for you and the little one.

At times you may tend to feel sick after eating particular foods. This would be the time to try out new things to eat and give yourself more exposure to the delicious foods you never gave a thought to earlier. Food aversions may make you turn away from your favorite food, and want to eat those that you never did before.

Make the activity of eating a fun one for you. Having another living being inside you, who needs food too, you will have to eat more in order to not get starved. So why feel guilty about it!