Healthy Body

You can make this soup without roasting the peppers to save time but the roasting process gives the soup a rich, excellent flavor, worth the time.

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers, washed and deseeded
1 yellow bell pepper
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 cups of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon plain all-purpose flour
Salt and black pepper to taste
Diced red and yellow bell pepper pieces to garnish
Plain yogurt or crème fraiche to garnish

Preheat the grill. Wash and cut the peppers in half and remove stalks, core and seeds. Arrange the peppers in a non stick baking tray (skin side up) and place under the hot grill. Grill for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until skins begin to char.Â

Transfer the peppers to a plastic or zip lock bag, seal and leave to cool. Once cool (about 15 minutes) peel skins and discard. Roughly chop the remaining pepper flesh and set aside.

Place the onion, crushed garlic and 2/3 of the vegetable stock in a pan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until stock begins to reduce. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir to reduce lumping. Add the chopped peppers and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.Â

Let soup cool slightly and the transfer to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer soup back to pan and reheat gently, season with salt and pepper to taste.Â

Serve in warm bowls and sprinkle a few chopped peppers and a little yogurt in the center of each bowl if desired.

Making sure you get enough fiber every day is one of the best things you can do for your body. It helps your digestive system working at it’s best, making the best use of the good foods you need, and getting rid of the stuff you don’t. It’s pretty easy to add fiber to your diet, while still maintaining healthy eating habits.

An increased amount of fiber can also help you feel fuller longer, which is important if you’re watching your weight.

A study conducted at the Harvard School of Medicine found that men who consumed twelve grams of fiber a day were twice as likely to develop precancerous colon changes as men whose daily fiber intake was thirty grams or higher. Scientist are not exactly sure why fiber can help reduce the risks of colon cancer, but it is thought that insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools, which helps speed their transit through the intestines, leaving less time for carcinogenic changes.

Other studies have shown that adequate levels of fiber can also help against breast cancer, heart disease, digestive disorders, diabetes and obesity. If you suffer from constipation, increasing your fiber content should help. It also helps to drink adequate amounts of water daily to help the fiber through your system.

An easy way to start the day with an adequate amount of fiber is to have a fiber-rich breakfast cereal and some fruit. Vegetables and fruits are high in fiber and also many other important nutrients.

Most people tend to eat breads and cereals, which are very low in fiber. Even some brown bread varieties only have a small amount so it’s best to check labels and make sure you’re getting a natural whole grain product with sufficient fiber.

Now that you know all the benefits of adding fiber to your diet, here are some quick tips to help you increase your fiber intake:

• Eat vegetables with every meal.
• Switch from processed carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta to whole grains (these are higher in fiber and nutrients).
• Add beans to casseroles, chili or many other foods. Beans are an especially good source of fiber.
• Snack on fruit with its skin on. Fruits like berries are particularly high in fiber and apples and pears should be eaten with the peel on.
• Eat dried fruits such as prunes, figs, and apricots. These are easy to sprinkle on cereal or add to homemade muffins.

Adding fiber is one of the easiest diet changes to make, because instead of cutting back on food, you are simply changing to foods that are healthier for you. You don’t feel like you are depriving yourself of anything. You may even find yourself losing a few pounds in the process. You’ll also have more energy, which may lead to a more active lifestyle.

On the other hand, if you’ve been eating a low fiber diet, you may want to start with a colon cleanse to clean up your intestines.

I noticed that Adriana has posted an article about sugar — and I just wrote another article about the same thing on my own blog — and, I have another bit of news for you that deals with one of the sugars and its effect on your health.

There is so much controversy as to whether one type of sugar is better or worse for you. I happen to believe that there is little positive to say about sugar — but I also believe that there is one that may be worse for you than the others — and that one is high fructose corn syrup. This is a highly processed, chemically altered sweetener that was created back in the early 1970s in a lab in Japan. It is used in almost all processed and prepackaged foods.

Everyone has eaten high fructose corn syrup and its use is up by over 1,000 percent since its creation. It’s in everything from soft drinks and yogurt to cookies and crackers. In fact, high fructose corn syrup now represents more than 40 percent of the caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages.

The other thing that’s more than doubled in the same time frame is obesity. Coincidence?

I know that the obesity epidemic is caused by more than just high fructose corn syrup — there’s lack of physical activity — we’re eating huge portion sizes at meals — we consume huge quantities of fast-food — but this toxic substance in our foods does have a part to play.

High fructose corn syrup is a high calorie substance. If we add even a tiny amount of calories to our diet — say 100 calories a day — that can add up to a 10-pound weight gain in just one year. I saw a statistic that Americans consume 440 12-ounce cans of high fructose corn syrup-laced drinks every year, so the fact that we’re getting fat is no surprise — one of those cans is a lot more than 100 calories. Think about how many young people you see walking around with a huge bottle of soda in their hands.

There’s a reason for this — regular table sugar is made up of 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. High fructose corn syrup is made up of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose. (That’s why they call it “high fructose”).

Well, fructose doesn’t make you feel full like glucose does. So what happens is that you keep eating — your brain doesn’t get the “I’m full” message.

There’s one more problem — fructose just isn’t digested by your body. It isn’t absorbed or metabolized. It goes right into fat production. It also lowers your HDL (the “good” cholesterol).

To sum up — high fructose corn syrup is associated with a big list of problems like — insulin resistance — too many calories being consumed — it messes up your metabolism — it causes weight gain — it’s one of the culprits of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

So read the labels on the foods you buy — and when you see high fructose corn syrup, put that product back on the shelf. Head over to the produce department and get some nice fresh fruits and vegetables. Get some whole wheat bread to go with it.

Have a healthy day.

Shanti,

Ron
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Ron Rink (See my profile on the “Contributors” page — the link is in the upper right hand corner) writes regularly about personal development in his “Ron’s Esoteric Thoughts and Ideas” blog at: http://www.theleaderinside.com — Stop by, check it out, and leave a comment.
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Most of us have a sweet tooth, and it can be a real downfall to most diets. But, there are also a lot of hidden sugars in foods that we don’t even think about, such as in bread and other starchy foods. It’s good to be aware of how much sugar you’re eating, so you can know how best to cut back on it.

Sugar is a sticky substance and if left in the bloodstream rather than being burned as energy. The particles will actually stick to the cells. What this basically means is a diet high in sugar will lead to more wrinkles, lack of mobility in the joints, dry brittle nails and hair and a range of health problems.

By cutting the sugar out of your diet your skin will look younger. The reason for this is that refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and other white flour products, are high in sugar and will cause inflammation of the skin. This in turn creates high levels of free radicals, which attack the collagen that keeps the skin, firm. And if your skin isn’t firm it will lead to wrinkles and poor skin tone.Â

Not only are free radicals bad news for your skin they are also deadly for the body. Free radicals can cause a lot of damage in healthy cells and lead to many illnesses of the body.

Sugary foods are also hard on your immune system. Research has shown that white blood cells are less efficient at fighting illness when exposed to sugar. A diet high in sugar will also raise your insulin levels quickly, which can lead to many other health problems. You’ll also lack energy and have many ups and downs.

It’s no secret that obesity and weight-related illnesses are on the rise in many countries and this is directly attributed to our diets and lifestyle. Our bodies simply aren’t able to cope with such high sugar levels and this is why illnesses like diabetes are at an all time high. Cutting the excess sugar out of your diet is one of the best things you can do for your body.

But, before you start dumping out all the sugar and buying all the artificial sweeteners, more research is showing that they aren’t as good for you as previously thought. The best plan of attack is to cut back on your sugar intake. Moderation is always a good thing, so allow yourself some sweets now and then. If you try to cut out all sweets at once, you will probably find yourself binging on them the first chance you get.

Changing your eating habits is never easy, especially when it’s something that tastes good. Finding good tasting replacements, such as fresh fruit, will make the transition easier. With just a few small changes, you’ll soon see a few improvements, making your decision to change your life easier.

Losing weight can be a lifelong struggle for many people. They are always trying the latest diet and get discouraged when it doesn’t work for them. People are always giving advice, but it can sound condescending or seem like nagging.

The truth is losing weight is hard work and the more you have to lose the harder it is. But that doesn’t mean it’s not achievable. There are many, many people who have achieved weight loss and are living happier and healthier lives.

One of the biggest struggles of weight loss is staying motivated. Most of us start out with great enthusiasm and usually have great results the first week or even two but once the weight loss slows down that’s when our willpower has to work overtime to keep us from reverting back to bad habits.

Here are a few tips to help you stay motivated during your weight loss:

Picture It – Visualization has been used for years by many and it works. Take five minutes out of your day to visualize the pounds melting off, but don’t stop there. Imagine what your life would be like if you were thinner. Would you have more confidence, would you buy new clothes, start dating again, what would you do? Visualize it and stay motivated.

Journal It – Start a journal at the beginning of your weight loss journey, write how you’re feeling, what your goals are and what a difference it would make to your life. Then take a picture and stick it to that page. Depending on how much weight you’d like to lose you can update the journal weekly or monthly (as difficult as it may be, you should probably do it weekly). Take the time to take a new picture every week and stick it in a new page along with a few notes, if you hit a plateau, look back through your journal and see just how far you’ve come.

Reward It – Set small goals throughout your weight loss and rewards to go with it. For example five pounds can be a nice body lotion, twenty pounds can be a fab new outfit. Make the rewards whatever you want but try to stay away from food rewards, as this is not constructive to your weight loss.

Instead do have little treats here and there throughout your weight loss phase (don’t deny yourself completely) and see these treats as everyday part of life not something to use as a reward, just make sure you eat them in moderation.

Buddy Up – Find a good friend who also has the goal of losing weight. Keep each other accountable. Encourage each other and cheer each other on for every little goal met. Positive peer pressure is a good thing.

Flaunt It – Why not? You’ve worked hard; share your thoughts with friends and family members. Let them know how proud of yourself you are and bathe in their compliments. You’re taking steps to change your life and doing something that’s not easy at the best of times, so be proud of yourself and share it with others.

Once you start losing a little weight, you’ll be amazed at how motivated you are to reaching that end goal. But, don’t rely on the scales all the time. Don’t weigh yourself every day. Are those favorite old jeans fitting now? Do you need to have your nicer clothes altered to fit the new you? Great! Then you’re reaching your goals, a little at a time.

If you look at recent history, people are starting to sleep less and less. Less that 100 years ago, people slept 9 hours a night on average; now they’re getting less than 7 hours. We have so many modern conveniences that are supposed to save us time, but really they just give us more to do. Before you accept not sleeping enough as an inevitable way of life, consider the harmful effects sleep deprivation could be having on your body.

Physical effects – Most people are aware of the obvious short terms effects of sleep deprivation including exhaustion, fatigue, and a general lack of energy, but they’re less aware of some of the more serious physical consequences from not sleeping. Sleep not only recharges and repairs our brains, it also repairs our bodies. Here are some other problems that can arise from not sleeping enough:

Inability to properly process glucose. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and other symptoms of type II diabetes. This also causes glucose to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain:

• Increased symptoms of aging
• Core body temperature is lowered, which can impair proper functioning
• Less consistent heart beat

Mental effects – All day long, no matter what you’re doing, your brain is working. It’s spending time inputting processing, and outputting information. Even if you don’t think you get much done during the day, your brain does a lot of work. That’s why it’s important that it has time to rest and recharge. Here are just a few of the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation: Â

• Less control over speech; exhibited through slurring, stuttering, speaking in monotone, and choosing repetitive words and clichés. Scientists assume this occurs because the speech center of the brain actually shuts down and another, less capable part, must take over.
• While short term memory may be improved, there is a decreased ability to access older memories and convert long term to short term memory. It is almost impossible to learn a new skill. Â
• Decreased creativity, especially when it comes to problem solving. Sleep deprived people tend to be slower and less accurate when solving problems.
• Hallucinations and even temporary insanity can occur from a lack of REM sleep.
• Decreased judgment abilities and reaction time. Sleep deprivation is comparable to alcohol intoxication when it comes to driving ability.

Emotional effects – While we tend to focus on the physical and mental symptoms of sleep deprivation, there are also significant emotional symptoms as well. Emotional difficulties can take a severe toll on our personal relationships and safety. Some emotional problems associated with sleep deprivation are:

• Increased emotional stress and anxiety.
• A more pessimistic attitude.
• Extreme sadness and even depression.
• Extreme anger. Sleep deprivation has actually been indicated to be one of the major causes of road rage.

It’s important to remember that not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. You should try to get enough sleep to make yourself feel rested; this may mean getting more than 8 hours. If you’re getting a lot of sleep and not feeling rested, you may have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and should see a doctor. While it may be difficult to fit a good night’s sleep into your schedule, it will not only make you feel better, it will also make you more efficient in the time you spend awake.

Everyone looks forward to starting over in the New Year, and making the decision to get healthier is a good one. However, most people go about it the wrong way. They fail to plan how they are going to do it. Or they try to do everything at once. It’s a process, and needs to be taken step by step.

When most people decide to lose weight, they set goals like, “I will lose two pounds per week”. But various factors that have nothing to do with your lifestyle changes may affect your weight. The best goals are ones that are under your control. Set goals related to how much you exercise or what you eat. If you make these goals small and reasonable, you’ll be more likely to accomplish them.

One of my best friends went on the raw food diet. He ate one cooked meal a day, and most of the food he ate was remarkably similar to what I feed my pet rabbit. The diet worked; he lost weight, but two months later he gained it all back when he started on the Coke and fast food diet. The moral of this story is: while big changes are good for you, you can’t stick with them for the long term. Try setting goals like “I will replace one fatty snack a day with a piece of fruit instead” or “I will walk for ten minutes every day”. Once you reach your goal, set a new one. This makes any diet easier to stick to.

It’s best to only change one thing at a time, or at the most two. Such as, change one food habit and add one exercise option. Look at all the various types of exercise and try to find one you will enjoy, not whatever the latest fad is. If you enjoy the exercise, you’ll be more likely to stick to it.

While starting too fast with a diet can make it hard to stick to, starting too fast with an exercise program can be dangerous. Doing too much too soon can not only wear you out, it can cause permanent damage to your body. Remember to pick your exercise program and start small. If you decide to run, run until you’re too tired. Then walk the rest of the time. You may only run five minutes the first day, but if you keep it up you’ll be running the entire way in no time.

The first best step for you to do is consult your doctor and have them help you design a suitable diet and exercise program, that takes all your possible health needs into consideration. Set obtainable goals, and focus more on being healthier first, and the rest will fall into place. Don’t worry so much about what the scale says, notice more of how your clothes fit you.

I am not overweight, so why should I be exercising? If you ask yourself this question, just as I did at the beginning of this year, here are a few really good reasons to start exercising:

• Exercise can be a great mood enhancer, depression buster, and stress manager: do your workouts in nature, and enjoy the benefits of fresh air and sunlight.
• Sleep well after a good workout: of course, don’t exercise too late in the evening, as that can backfire on your, giving you extra energy.
• Exercise lowers the bad cholesterol, as well as your blood pressure, helping prevent heart conditions.
• Reduce back pain when you strengthen your back muscles, by improving flexibility with regular exercisingÂ
• Systematic exercise enhances your immune system
• Exercise also helps slow the aging process, because of increased blood flow to all the organs, as well as muscles.
• Of course, exercise has a lot more benefits, and YOU can definitely benefit from regular exercising activities.

Now you may ask: but how do I exercise? I don’t like the thought of having to work out all the time. Well, you can actually enjoy your work out routine.Â

If you like swimming, go a couple of times a week. If you like company, invite a friend for a nice stroll in the park, and if you find yourself wanting more, go ahead and sign up for a gym, where you can use their professional equipment. You can also go bike riding a few times a month, and s=why not sign up for a dance class?Â

Of course, vary your routine, so you don’t get bored, and also for then benefit that you get from exercising different areas of your body. Also, many times you can get in a little bit of exercise without even trying. If you mow your lawn with a push mower, if you are weeding, or gardening, you are in fact exercising.

When you go shopping or are out on errands, make sure you don’t look for the closest parking spot. And if you have a two-story house, find reason to go up and down the stairs several times a day (checking on your kids, getting a load of laundry to the lower floor, taking back the folded laundry, or any other reason to move your muscles).

Remember to warm up and cool down before and after your exercising time, and make sure you don’t forget to drink plenty of water to flush out toxins. Hopefully I convinced you that you really do need to exercise, and you’ll get in shape this year.Â

Enjoy your new found flexibility, strength, and increased self esteem!

It was about 10 years ago that the concept of eating a low-fat diet was thought to be the most effective way to lose weight and avoid, or at least protect against, stroke and heart disease.

Not any more!

About a year ago the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a new study that came to a much different conclusion. This new study was funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, US Department of Health and Human Services, followed a total of 48,835 women, ages 50 to 79, for eight years. The study began in 1993 and was designed to determine whether those given a low-fat diet had lower rates of heart disease than those who continued on their usual meal plan, which included a higher fat content.

The results made national headlines — the low-fat dieter did NOT experience a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.

Many cardiologists around the country were delighted with the results. During the eight years that this study was in progress the science about weight loss and heart disease evolved and the new consensus went much further than merely low-fat. It is now common knowledge that what’s important is not how much fat we consume, but rather, the distinction between “good” fats and “bad” fats. The experts now tell us that good fats, like those found in oily fish, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, and canola oil are vital to a healthy eating plan. We need to keep these fats in our diets.

The fats we need to avoid, the “bad” fats, are those found in the saturated fats from full-fat dairy products, certain cuts of red meat, and above all, the manufactured trans fats, like those found in shortening and other packaged foods such as cookies and crackers. You can already see what’s happening with trans fats — they are now included on food labels — some major food producers are eliminating them entirely — Wendy’s has wiped them out — even New York has banned them!

Of course, combined with this is the need for good quality carbohydrates — using healthy whole grains rather than highly processed refined carbs. People who adjust their diets to include plenty of the healthy fats, lean proteins, low-fat dairy and nutrient-dense, fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, and whole grains — along with a good exercise program — will find that their risk of heart disease, pre-diabetes, stroke and other conditions will be lowered, and they have a much better chance of maintaining a healthy weight.

Have a healthy day.

Shanti,

Ron
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Ron Rink (See my profile on the “Contributors” page — the link is in the upper right hand corner) writes regularly in his “Nutrition and Weight Loss” blog at: http://www.wecould2.com. Be sure to stop by, check it out, and leave a comment.
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What if you were told that there is no definitive answer for why we need to sleep? Your initial reaction might be, of course we need to sleep! Health professionals and news reports are always advising us to get our eight hours each night.

While it is true that we wouldn’t get very far in our daily lives without a good night’s sleep, the specific scientific reasons we need it are not completely understood or proven and as a result several theories exist surrounding the purpose of sleep. Current theories suggest that we sleep for a number of reasons. Popular belief is that regular good-quality sleep results in a restorative process in the body that helps renew and protect vital functions within the body. Another benefit is the enhancement sleep appears to have on the brain by increasing memory and reasoning capabilities. There are even some who think the reason for sleep goes back to an ancient time where it served as a protective feature to allow man to remain safe from his natural predators.

Although we regularly rely on scientific findings and look for absolute proof to support the need for sleep, whether such findings exist or not is really irrelevant to a tired person in need of some rest. At some level, we all know sleep is important because we spend practically a third of our lives doing it. In fact, it is so much a part of a healthy person’s life that we rarely think about it until something goes wrong with the normal sleep cycle.

While most people can get by on a skimpy or even missed night’s sleep on occasion, there are some definite signals that poor sleep habits will leave.

• A repeated lack of sleep results in a definite decline in one’s mental capabilities.
• Without proper rest it becomes difficult to think and communicate clearly.
• Further, reaction times become slower and can pose a danger to the sleep-deprived individual and others if they are involved in driving a car or operating a piece of equipment during this time.
• Of course some of the less severe side effects of sub-optimum sleep include crankiness and short tempers. While no one is likely to be physically hurt by these symptoms, feelings and relationships are definitely at risk. It is likely the risks go well beyond our current awareness since studies have linked disease prevention and healthy weight maintenance with adequate sleep as well. Sleep research will continue on into the future and is sure to uncover more information in the process.

For now, it is safe to say that sleep is healthy and results in a feeling of well-being that cannot be compared to anything available on any market at any price. It really doesn’t matter whether specific benefits can be proven without a doubt when your own body certainly understands the benefits associated with a good night’s sleep each and every night.