Aug
10
Smoothies To Soothe Thee
Filed Under Daily tips, Nutrition, fat burning | 1 Comment
Did you know that a fresh fruit smoothie has the power to boost your immune system? Fruit and veggies are musts in your daily diet, but if you find that a fast-paced life doesn’t have much room to munch on such produce, why not drink your fruits and veggies instead of masticating them in the conventional way? The smooth solution: smoothies!
Pureed fruit like strawberries, kiwi, bananas, and veggies like spinach have been proven to raise blood antioxidant levels by about 15%, as demonstrated by certain US studies. That’s a lot like taking 1250 mg of Vitamin C. Also, the natural ingredients guarantee your fiber needs are met. Since the fruit or veggies are diced or sliced before blending and do not require a pulpy mess for when you extract the juices for a normal drink, you’re getting all the goodness of a ripe and healthy produce in liquid form. Apples, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, berries…if it’s a fruit, it can be turned into a smoothie! Same goes for green leafy veggies as well as elongated ones like cuke, carrots, celery, etc.
A tip for weight-watchers, though: If you’re used to shake-like smoothie concoctions done with ice cream and then blended with fruit-flavored syrup, a fresh fruit smoothie is best for you. Flavor-wise, it isn’t compromised, and if you’re after a low kilojoule drink, the best way to go about it is to blend fresh and ripe fruit with low-fat yogurt or just crushed ice. Cut down on adding sugar or do away with it altogether. If the fruit is too sweet, you can add fresh lemon or lime juice to the mix. If it’s too tart, pour in some honey or unsweetened apple juice.
If you want a thicker concoction, freeze diced fruit on a baking tin for a couple of hours. Or get frozen berries. Frozen fruit are guaranteed to thicken up your smoothie and make them as tasty as if you’ve picked them fresh from the grocery aisle. Or tree.
Now that’s smooth!
Aug
5
Comfort Food And How They Really Affect You
Filed Under Daily tips, Healthy Living | Leave a Comment
They say you are what you eat. So if you’re starting to feel as sluggish and as coagulated as a big bowl of chocolate pudding, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate your eating habits…specifically the stuff you call “comfort food”.
Instead of calorie-laden snacks on a gloomy day, why not try these healthier alternatives? Research shows that, eaten in moderation, certain food can help bring about a more relaxed and calmer state.
For instance, those that trigger happy memories or associations, based on their presentation, scent, or taste, subconsciously connect people to their childhood or beautiful moments from the past. Mac and cheese, always a childhood favorite, has become many a grown person’s comfort food because it was usually served as an after-school snack. Today, however, make sure to substitute low-fat ingredients when making your mac and cheese if you’re figure or weight conscious.
Or have a turkey sandwich. Yes, you read it right. Just make sure the bread is whole wheat and not white to stick to your caloric counter. Turkey has healthy protein that produces dopamine and norepinephrine, which are brain chemicals that have something to do with you being mentally alert. Plus, protein is more easily digestible than carbs, so you can go on without feeling hungry for longer. A good turkey sandwich also helps calm you down because of the chemical tryptophan. It’s an amino acid that raises serotonin levels. Add to that the selenium coming from the whole-wheat bread, and you’re as calm and serene as a baby with a pacifier, while you munch away at this Thanksgiving staple gone deliciously healthy between slabs of bread.
Finally, milk is alway something good to pour in a glass and down, because calcium has been proven to regulate the tension and relaxation of blood vessels. So if you’re feeling a sudden rush of adrenalin, drink some of this pristine white childhood beverage. Remember when your mom would heat up some milk for when you can’t sleep at night? There’s some truth to that, because a warm glass of milk has about 300 mg of calcium to make you relaxed enough to harvest some Zzzz’s not long after you drink it.