6 Foods to Keep Your Mind Young

Nuts
Nuts contain monounsaturated fats to keep your arteries clear, as well as levels of precursors of serotonin to boost mood.

Fish especially wild salmon, whitefish, tilapia, catfish, flounder, mahi mahi
Fish contain artery-clearing omega-3 fatty acids.

Soybeans
Soybeans contain heart- and artery-healthy protein, fiber, and fats.



Tomato juice and spaghetti sauce
Tomatoes contain folate, lycopene, and other nutrients to keep arteries young.

Olive oil, nut oils, fish oils, flaxseed, avocados
All of these foods contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Real chocolate(at least 70% cocoa)
Real chocolate increases dopamine release and provides flavonoids, which keep arteries young.

Petai - so many advantages

Petai contains three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute wor kout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS (premenstrual syndrome):
Forget the pills - eat petai. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anaemia:
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power :
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:
Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:
Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves:
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight:
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:
Many other cultures see petai as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In hoiland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affecti ve Disorder (SAD):
Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking:
Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New Engla nd Journal of Medicine,' eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%'.

Warts:
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, as you can see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A Petai a day keeps the doctor away' .

5 Secrets To Looking Younger

Eternal youth. That seems to be what so many beautiful people seem to be searching for. The ability to look unaffected by the passage of time. Wrinkle free faces. The body of a 60 year old that looks like a svelte twenty year old. You see that quite often in Hollywood.

First, there was plastic surgery Now there is botox. Where a toxin is injected into your face to paralyze your facial muscles, to erase the lines on your face.

Scary isn't it? Then again, if you were gorgeous in your youth, if your face were your fortune, wouldn't you do everything possible to preserve your youthful appearance for as long as possible.

Time is relentless. You get older every year. Your face and your body will age. But you can age beautifully. If you keep fit, exercise and watch your diet, your body can still be svelte late in life. It would get harder with time, but with enough discipline and effort, you can still keep your figure.

It is harder when it comes to your skin. Sure, there is botox and plastic surgery. An alternative you can turn to when nothing else works. Until then, there are less invasive, needle free means to erase wrinkles, or at very least to appear younger than you really are.


#1 Microdermabrasion
Have you ever tried clinical microdermabrasion. It is like a facial where the doctor blasts tiny crystals onto your face, to smooth your skin. You have to go for a few
treatments but it is effective. Lines diminish. Even acne prone skin improves with this treatment. Best of all, the treatment does not burn your skin with acid and you don't look like an escapee from a horror movie during recovery time.

These days, you can even do that at home. There are even do it yourself microdermabrasion kits you can use in the comfort of your own home.

Other than physically erasing the lines on your face, you can appear younger if you dress, and act younger. An exuberant woman, full of life looks years younger than she actually is. Look at Diane Keaton, born in January 5, 1946 which makes her almost 60 years old. She certainly doesn't look her age. That brings us to the next few tips.

#2 Hairstyle
Rather than stick to a conservative hairstyle, go for a younger, more carefree look. You'll look years younger that way. It can be as simple as a change from a conservative side part to a younger, carefree center part. Or you can visit your hairdresser for a younger makeover.

#3 Fragrance
A young vibe makes you appear younger. A young fragrance makes you seem much younger than you really are. In a study, women who wore scents with pink grapefruit notes appeared, on average, 6 years younger than their actual age
according to the men who were surveyed.

#4 Lighting
Finally, the lighting you appear in can make you look older or younger than you really are. In harsh bright,unflattering light, you could look years younger. In soft,
gentle, flattering light, you look younger. Everyone looks better by candle light. Installing light dimmers, on every light in your home allows you to look younger at home.

#5 Makeup (yeah, you too men!)
When all else fails, cheat. Use a makeup primer after your moisturizer to fill in all the lines on your face. Then apply makeup in a color that matches your skin tone
exactly, over the primer for that flawless look. You might want to mix 2 makeup colors together for that ideal shade.

Maintain your skin

Nothing defines your age more than your skin. If you have a few gray hairs you can easily color them with hair dye, but once your skin has begun to show the signs of age it can be very difficult to make it look young again. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and it is very important to keep it as healthy as your heart, lungs and liver. Skin protects us from the extremes of our environment and from pollutants in the air around us. Fortunately the same things that will keep your skin healthy will also keep it younger looking.

The sun is your skin's worst enemy. When you sunburn your skin you damage the cells. When skin cells are damaged, your skin must generate new cells to replace them and this process weakens your skin every time it is repeated. Your skin will suffer from premature aging if you don't protect if from UV rays and repeated sunburns. Not only can UV rays cause your skin to look older than it is but they can also cause skin cancer. The only way to fully protect your skin is to use a sun block cream every single day. You can find daily moisturizers with UV protection as well as foundation makeup with SPF's up to 15. Wear a hat or visor to protect your face from the sun. Clothing alone will not protect your skin from UV rays. The more exposure you have to ultraviolet rays the more wrinkles you will find on your skin in the coming years.


Besides causing lung cancer, yellowed teeth, and a terrible odor, smoking also causes your skin to age prematurely. Smoking depletes your skin of oxygen and nutrients and breaks down the skin's stores of collagen and elastin. The skin of a smoker becomes dried out and wrinkled because it is dehydrated and has lost its resiliency. Smoking can also cause your skin to look pale or grayish in color. Quitting smoking will improve your health and the appearance of your skin greatly.

One way to keep your skin from wrinkling is to keep it hydrated from within. Drinking plenty of water really does help your skin become healthier and less susceptible to wrinkles. Eight to ten glasses of water per day might sound like quite a bit but our bodies really need that much water to stay healthy inside and out.

Skin needs plenty of oxygen to stay healthy and what better way to get extra oxygen than to exercise. Do regular aerobic exercises and fill your lungs up with as much oxygen as you can breathe in. Exercising keeps your skin toned and your body in good shape. When your body is in good shape it is better equipped to keep its organs healthy.

Exfoliated skin is healthy skin. It's important to exfoliate the dead cells from your skin on a regular basis to keep your skin looking good. If you don't exfoliate your skin it will be less able to benefit from the creams and moisturizers you apply to it. Rubbing sea salt on your skin with a bit of water is an excellent way to exfoliate. Regular soap can be very drying for your skin and leave a residue as well.

Using a moisturizer every day will help your skin stay elastic and healthy looking. A moisturizer should be used all over the body each time you bathe or shower. Body oil applied to slightly wet skin after a shower will help seal in moisture and keep your skin from drying out. Use a moisturizer on your face in the morning and at night. Vitamin C creams can provide excellent wrinkle control and they may also help brown spots to fade. A product that contains alpha hydroxy acids can be effective in keeping your skin younger looking as well. Expensive creams that claim to restore certain elements to your skin are not usually effective.

If you take good care of your skin from the inside out it will provide you with many years of protection without making you look older than your years. Make skin care a regular part of your routine.

9 Secret Step Of How To Look Younger Than Your Age

Antiaging skin care is a very poplar concept in today's world. Today everyone wants to hide their age using antiaging skin care procedures (and a number of people are successful too). However antiaging skin care is not achieved by any magic potion. Antiaging skin care is about discipline. It is about being proactive. Antiaging skin care is retarding the ageing process. Here are a 9 STEPS for proactive antiaging skin care:

1. Maintain healthy eating habits: A well balanced diet is the key to maintaining a proper body metabolism. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables (raw), they are the best source of fiber and have a very refreshing effect on your body. Avoid oily and fatty food; not only do they lack in essential nutrients but also cause obesity and other diseases which aid the aging process

2. Beat stress: This is probably the most important antiaging skin care measure. Stress disturbs the body metabolism and accelerates the aging process. Sleep, exercise and a relaxing bath, are all good ways of beating stress. Aroma-therapy is also known to bust stress.

3. Drink a lot of water: Ant aging skin care can't be any simpler than this. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, hence keeping it clean and making it less prone to disease. Around 8 glasses of water (per day) is recommended by all doctors.

4. Regular exercise is a wonderful ant aging skin care procedure. Besides toning your muscles, it also helps in cleaning the skin by flushing out the toxins in the form of sweat. Exercise should be followed by a warm shower in order to completely remove the toxins.


5. Avoid the use of strong, chemical based products on your skin. Natural skin care products are a good option. Use of organic skin care products (home made or commercial) can be a very effective ant aging skin care measure.

6. Do not overuse skin care products. Excessive and harsh application, both are harmful.

7. Do not ignore skin disorders; it can lead to permanent skin damage. Try over the counter medication and if that doesn't help, immediately visit your dermatologist and seek his/her advice.

8. Vitamin C based skin care products are very popular means of ant aging skin care. However, these seem to oxidize very quickly (which makes them harmful for the skin). So store them properly. If the product turns Yellowish brown, it means that vitamin c has oxidized and the product is no longer suitable for use.

9. Protect your skin against UV radiation ; UV rays are known to speed up the aging process. So, a good sunscreen lotion should be a part of your anti aging skin care routine.

Why drink Coconut water?

'It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak.' In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers. Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas - once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment.

o Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
o Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories
o Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk
o Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!
o Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blood plasma
o Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
o Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.


Coconut Water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that have been known to help:

o Keep the body cool and at the proper temperature
o Orally re-hydrate your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage
o Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
o Naturally replenish your body's fluids after exercising
o Raise your metabolism
o Promote weight loss
o Boost your immune system
o Detoxify and fight viruses
o Cleanse your digestive tract
o Control diabetes
o Aid your body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes, and AIDS
o Balance your PH and reduce risk of cancer
o Treat kidney and urethral stones
o Boost poor circulation

What to eat when you have a cold or the flu

The next time you have a cold or the flu, try the following suggestions. If you have a cold or an upper respiratory infection:

* Drink plenty of fluids - liquids help thin mucous secretions. Try water, decaffeinated tea, fruit juice or broth-based soups. Slowly enjoying a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup is an old remedy that may provide some relief.

* Avoid dairy products such as milk, ice cream and pudding because they tend to increase phlegm. Any other foods are okay to eat as long as you can tolerate them.

* Keep in mind your sense of taste may be distorted as a result of your nasal passages being plugged. Your favorite foods may not taste the same.

* Make sure you get plenty of rest. If you have trouble getting to sleep, try drinking decaffeinated tea, herbal tea or decaffeinated carbonated beverages.



If you are experiencing vomiting, a fever or diarrhea:
* If you are vomiting, don't eat or drink for approximately one hour after an episode, then drink two ounces of water or a flat lemon-lime carbonated beverage such as Sprite or 7-Up. If you tolerate that, repeat every 15-30 minutes.

* When vomiting has subsided for a few hours, try drinking more liquids in order to replace the loss of fluid from your body. Water, decaffeinated tea, fruit juice or broth-based soups are generally good choices.

* Gradually add other relatively bland foods such as plain or lightly buttered toast.

* If you are running a fever, but are not vomiting, drink plenty of liquids.

* If you are experiencing diarrhea, try a banana, apple juice, applesauce, rice or rice cereal without milk. These foods help regulate your system and may help relieve your symptoms.
* As your symptoms subside, slowly increase your food intake. Your appetite should return to normal as you get better. When you or those around you are sick:

* Wash your hands regularly with warm, soapy water and dry with a disposable towel to prevent picking up or spreading the bacteria and viruses that cause illness.

* Wash all eating and drinking utensils in the dishwasher or in hot, soapy water and allow to air dry. Wash glasses and silverware after every use to limit contamination. If you're too sick to wash dishes, consider using paper plates, cups, and disposable utensils.

* If your symptoms worsen or persist for longer than a few days, contact your doctor.

Can we don't eat meat? What are meat replacement?

If we eat only non-animal products, there are a few things we have to watch out for. Such as:

1. Meat is called complete protein because it contains all the amino acids the body needs. Soy beans are the only plant source of complete protein. Other legumes, nuts and seeds and whole grains, which are good sources of protein, need to be eaten in combination to supply the full range of amino acids.


2. Vitamin B12 is not available from plant sources. Without animal products in the diet a supplement or foods fortified with B12 is required.

3. Iron, Calcium and Zinc are all available from plant sources, but various things some foods contain can prevent the body from absorbing the minerals. Consuming iron rich foods with Vitamin C can increase the absorption of Iron.

Pork Skin - healthy to eat?

Pork rind (known as pork scratchings in the United Kingdom) is the skin of a pig. Cooked, this may be either eaten warm with a meal, or served cold as a snack. In both forms, any fat attached to the skin of pig at the time of frying is absorbed in the process.
Though generally considered junk food and among the unhealthiest of foods, there is some interest in pork rinds as an alternative snack food due to the Atkins diet, since pork rinds contain no carbohydrates (unless flavored). They are, however, high in fat and sodium. The fat content of pork rinds is similar to that of potato chips, but the amount of sodium in a serving of pork rinds is nearly five times that of a serving of potato chips.


Another thing to consider, however, is that deep-frying creates large amounts of advanced glycation endproducts, which are very damaging to the body.

Moreover, although there is a high protein content present in pork rinds, the quality of that protein, called hydrolyzed gelatin protein, is quite low. Because they have a protein efficiency ratio lower than 40% as dictated by the FDA, their nutrition label usually states "0%" in % Daily Value or "Not a significant source of protein" as recommended by the FDA. More beneficial and complete proteins can often be found in higher quality foods with significantly lower protein content.

Oily food and acne / pimples

Some studies have shown , that a healthy diet consisting of fresh fruit, vegetables and lean meat can be very helpful in decreasing oily skin and as a result, decreases the breakouts of acne! Eating fatty food, increases the amount of free fatty acid circulating in the blood. High levels of fatty acids, have been thought too increase secretion of sebum, making the skin oily.

Of course, you could say this oil didn't cause any acne. It's just oil. But if just some of that oil gets dried out over a pore, then it is now blocking the pore, and causing an oil bubble to form, which will get infected and be acne. If you are already fighting an acne problem, it can really make a huge difference to keep your environment as oil-free as you can.


The exact cause of acne is poorly understood! Problem is definitely with the sebaceous glands. These glands secrete an oily substance known as sebum to lubricate your hair and skin. It's not known what triggers the increased production of sebum that leads to acne. But a number of factors — including hormones, bacteria, certain medications and heredity — play a role definitely. Some experts are saying that it could also be a hereditary condition. Although, there are some factors which are known to be linked to acne. Some of these factors are:

* Hormonal activity, such as menstrual cycles and puberty
* Stress, through increased output of hormones from the adrenal (stress) glands.
* Hyperactive sebaceous glands, secondary to the three hormone sources above.
* Accumulation of dead skin cells.
* Bacteria in the pores, to which the body becomes 'allergic'.
* Skin irritation or scratching of any sort will activate inflammation.
* Use of anabolic steroids.
* Any medication containing halogens (iodides, chlorides, bromides), lithium, barbiturates, or androgens.
* Exposure to high levels of chlorine compounds, particularly chlorinated dioxins, can cause severe, long-lasting acne, known as Chlor-acne.

Peanut vs Nut Allergy

Peanuts are considered legumes whereas tree nuts are considered dry fruits. Nut allergy is slightly different than peanut allergy in as much as the type of nuts that cause the allergic reactions are not the same.

Nut allergy

Nut allergy is a type of food allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from tree nuts causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people.

Nut allergies occur mainly, but not exclusively, in children. They are usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods that may be contaminated with tree nuts or nut particles and/or oils.

Most people with tree nut allergies are not allergic to all tree nuts. However, there is high cross-reactivity among various families of tree nuts.


Peanut allergy

Peanut allergy is a type of food allergy, distinct from nut allergies.

It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from peanuts causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people. The symptoms of peanut allergy and nut allergy are the same, but a person with peanut allergies may not necessarily also be allergic to tree nuts, and vice versa.

Studies show that there has been a sharp increase in peanut allergies over the last 5-10 years, particularly in children. The smell of peanuts or even second hand contact like kissing or shaking hands with someone else who has eaten a peanut product has been reported to produce an allergic reaction. People with severe peanut allergy are at risk of suffering anaphylactic shock.

Myth of food

Believe it or not.... the following statements may not true in general, even though you are taught so since young....


Two bananas are the equivalent of a beefsteak.
Watermelon cause diarrhea.

Organic food tastes like cardboard.
Food colouring, especially red, can make children hyperactive.
No chicken during fever.

Eating organic food is the same as eating natural food.

What to eat or not to eat during FEVER

Liquefy your assets. When you're hot, your body perspires to cool you down. But if you lose too much water—as you might with a high fever—your body turns off its sweat ducts to forestall further water loss.

Fruit and vegetable juices. These are high in vitamins and minerals.

Ice. If you're too nauseated to drink, you can suck on ice.

Decrease your caffeine intake, avoid alcohol, and stop smoking.

As a fever subsides, the appetite usually returns. When it does, start by eating diluted vegetable juices or vegetable soups. In general, cooked foods are easier to digest than raw ones. Simple foods such as whole grains, steamed vegetables, soup and diluted juices are recommended for a few days after a fever or until strength has returned.

Safe Handling of Take-Out and Delievered Foods

2-Hour Rule

Discard all perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles, left at room temperature longer than 2 hours; 1 hour in temperatures above 90 °F.

Keep HOT Food HOT

If you plan to eat at a later time, take-out or delivered food should be divided into smaller portions or pieces, placed in shallow containers, and refrigerated.



Keep COLD Food COLD

Refrigerate perishable foods as soon as possible, always within 2 hours after purchase or delivery.

Leftovers

Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in shallow containers. Wrap or cover the food.

Reheating

Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil. When reheating food in the microwave oven, cover and rotate food for even heating. Always allow standing time before checking the internal temperature of the food.


More info: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FactSheets/Safe_Handling_Take-Out_Foods/index.asp

Diarrhea - What to eat and what NOT to eat

Butter and oils are very hard on a delicate system, so avoid deep-fried or sautéed preparations.

1. Bananas
Bland and easily digested, bananas are a good choice to settle an upset digestive system.

2. White Rice and Mashed Potatoes
Due to their low-fiber content, these starches are easily digested way up high in the GI tract. Eat your rice and potatoes plain; butter has a high fat content which could be irritating to your system and contribute to intestinal cramping.

3. Applesauce
However, the high fiber in raw apples makes them too rough for a dicey intestinal system. Cooking the apples makes them easier on your system to digest, thus allowing you to benefit from the pectin, sugar and other nutrients that lie within.

4. White Toast and Crackers
When your intestines are acting normally, it is important to eat whole grain products. When you are experiencing acute diarrhea, it is better to turn to processed wheat foods.

5. Yogurt
It is generally recommended that dairy products should be avoided during acute diarrhea episodes. Yogurt is a major exception to this rule.


6. Steamed Chicken
Due to its bland nature, steamed white meat chicken is an easily digested source of protein, thus providing a fairly safe way to get some nutrients into your body.

7. Blueberries
Reportedly dried blueberries have a long history of use in Sweden as a treatment for diarrhea.

8. Tea
Two teas in particular are especially good for quieting a diarrhea episode: Peppermint and Chamomile.

Food that help for digestion

Digestion is the breaking down of food in the body, into a form that can be absorbed and used or excreted. Digestion starts in the mouth. In digestion the food we eat is basically broken down into energy that our cells can use. Every organism digests in a very different way and time for digestion could be between minutes or hours depending on the food consumed. Enzymes break down fat, carbohydrate, and protein into their basic building blocks so that the body can digest and use them. Without enzymes, even the most balanced natural foods diet would be worthless - because the food cannot be digested and used by the body.

Raw foods contain varying quantities of the following four basic types of plant enzymes: protease for protein digestion, amylase for carbohydrate digestion, lipase for fat digestion, and cellulose for fiber digestion. Every raw food contains exactly the right quantities and types of enzymes necessary to digest that particular food. For example, fruits high in carbohydrates - such as apples - contain high amounts of amylase. Fruits high in fat - such as avocadoes - contain high amounts of lipase.

Is spicy food bad for health?

According to Dr. Arnold Levy, a gastroenterologist in Washington and vice president for education of the American Digestive Disease Society, "Precious little data are available anywhere in any language on the effects of hot, spicy foods on the digestive tract." Dr. Levy noted that some people experience gastrointestinal burning or intense stomach cramping when they eat spicy foods, but that different people are sensitive to different foods, a fact that they usually discover on their own and can then avoid the offending foods.


Too much spicy food/spices can give you indigestion, upset stomach, and/or heartburn. However, spicy food can also help your circulation, heart, lungs, and digestion in the right quantities (and if you can handle the spiciness). Things like Cayenne (one of the spiciest peppers) are used for a lot of different health benefits because of the naturally occurring Capsaicin (the part that makes the pepper hot)... the Capsaicin is actually what gives the health benefits.

Scientists have discovered the key to the ability of spicy foods to kill cancer cells.
They found capsaicin, an ingredient of jalapeno peppers, triggers cancer cell death by attacking mitochondria - the cells' energy-generating boiler rooms.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6244715.stm

High cholesterol - what to eat?

High cholesterol rarely causes symptoms. It is usually detected during a routine blood test that measures cholesterol levels (see the Exams and Tests section). You may first discover it when you are diagnosed with a condition that is caused in part by high cholesterol, such as coronary artery disease, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease.

One of the goals in your blood cholesterol-lowering diet is to eat less total fat, because this is an effective way to eat less saturated fat. Because fat is the richest source of calories, this will also help reduce the number of calories you eat every day.

So, as a modern consumer, you have access to fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, soy products and superfoods, spirulina and microalgae, broccoli sprouts and things that your ancestors never would have dreamed of. You have the potential today to be a far healthier human being than your ancestors ever dreamed of being.


High cholesterol foods are mainly

1. All animal products such egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish and higher fat milk products.
2. Processed and prepared foods such as cookies, pastries and muffins contain high amounts of fat including trans-fats.
3. Deep fried foods.

Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn't nearly the villain it's been portrayed to be. Cholesterol in the bloodstream is what's most important. And the biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food.

For a list of cholesterol contain in food, refer to:
http://www.healthyeatingclub.org/info/books-phds/books/foodfacts/html/data/data2h.html

Barbecue & Cancer

Some studies suggest there may be a cancer risk related to eating food cooked by high-heat cooking techniques as grilling, frying, and broiling. Based on present research findings, eating moderate amounts of grilled meats like fish, meat, and poultry cooked — without charring — to a safe temperature does not pose a problem.

When you deck your meat out for the barbeque you may be adding some garlic powder, a little onion, dashes of cayenne or a host of other spices or flavorings. The last thing you would probably ever consider is adding more PAHs, but if you like your meat blackened or slightly overcooked, that is exactly what you’re doing.

PAH stands for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. PAHs have been classified as cancer causing agents by various organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, GA, we are exposed to PAHs through breathing air contaminated by wild fire or coal OR eating meat or foods that have been grilled.

To prevent charring, remove visible fat that can cause a flare-up. Precook meat in the microwave immediately before placing it on the grill to release some of the juices that can drop on coals. Cook food in the center of the grill and move coals to the side to prevent fat and juices from dripping on them. Cut charred portions off the meat.

How to avoid food poisoning

Mild cases of food poisoning are common, with symptons like diarrhea, fever, and an upset stomach. So how can we avoid it?

1. Don't eat raw food.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them.
3. If something looks or smells different from normal, double check.
4. Heating up left over.
5. Check for expiration date.
6. Cover and refrigerate food right away.

Drink fruit juice = Eating fruit? Or fruit juice = coke?

Fruit juice, though tasty and refreshing, is not as healthy as whole fruit. When a whole fruit is pressed or squeezed to make juice, some of the nutrients, most notably fiber and the water-soluble vitamins, are lost in the process.



Additionally, many fruit juices that are sold in supermarkets contain only a small percentage of real fruit juice, and contain added sweeteners (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup). No matter which juice you choose, they all have more calories than the same amount of Coke. It tells us that juice — 100 percent juice, no sugar added — contains about the same amount of sugar (or even more — 50 percent more for grape juice) as the same volume of Coke.

One of the main problems with drinking too much juice, is that it is filling and will decrease your child's appetite for other more nutritious foods.

All you need to know about instant noodles

Make sure you break for at least 3 days after one session of instant noodles before you eat your next packet! Please read the info shared by a doctor. It is about the wax coating the noodles - the wax is not just in the Styrofoam containers but it coats the noodles. This is why the instant noodles do not stick to each other when cooking.

If one were to examine the ordinary Chinese yellow noodles in the market, one will notice that, in their uncooked state the noodles are oily. This layer of oil prevents the noodles from sticking together.


Wanton noodles in their uncooked state have been dusted with flour to prevent them sticking together. When the hawker cooks the noodles, notice he cooks them in hot water and then rinses them in cold water before cooking them in hot water again. This process is repeated several times before the noodles are ready to be served. The cooking and rinsing process prevents noodles from sticking together.

The hawker then "lowers the noodles in oil and sauce to prevent the noodles from sticking if they are to be served dry. Cooking instructions for spaghetti require oil or butter to be added in the water when boiling the spaghetti to prevent the pasta from sticking together. Otherwise, one gets a big clump of spaghetti!

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