Archive for September, 2010

PostHeaderIcon Filipino Food Alternatives to Junk Food



You’re starving after a long day at work, but there’s nothing in the fridge. So you run to the nearest store and grab something to eat-a bag of chips, a candy bar, or a can of soda. This is what a typical afternoon is like for a lot of kids and young adults. Unfortunately, it can hardly be called healthy eating. Junk food is loaded with empty calories-calories that have no corresponding nutritional value. Basically, they make you fat but don’t make you any healthier. Before you know it, it can take its toll on your health.

If you need to munch in between meals, Filipino food is a much better way to fill up. Native snacks are a lot cheaper than store-bought foods, and they can satisfy those cravings without piling on the pounds. Here are some Filipino food recipes you can try in place of your favorite junk foods.

Junk: Burgers

Better: Spring rolls

Many parents argue that burgers aren’t all bad. After all, they’re basically a one-dish meal: you’ve got your starch, protein and vitamins in one bite. But you also get an unhealthy dose of trans fat, the leading cause of heart disease, obesity, and a host of other conditions. A lot of Filipino cooking recipes are also one-dish meals, but few of them have as much trans fat. With fresh lumpia, you can throw in your choice of meat and vegetables and control your serving portions. Cut off even more fat by going vegetarian or choosing regular flour instead of egg wrappers.

Junk: Candy bars

Better: Banana cue

The average candy bar has 300 to 500 calories; a two-piece banana cue has 250 or less. That’s because chocolate bars are loaded with high-fat ingredients such as nuts, caramel, sugar, and of course, chocolate. The sugar will give you an energy boost, but you’re not likely to burn all those calories before you’re tired again. Bananas are sweet, but its main ingredient is starch, a much better source of energy. Before eating, blot out some of the oil to further reduce the fat content.

Junk: Soft drinks

Better: Sagot’ Gulaman

A glass of soda contains the equivalent of 12 tablespoons of sugar-that’s more than you consume in one whole day! Soft drinks are a major cause of obesity in developed countries. Even diet sodas aren’t completely safe; the aspartame used in place of sugar is linked to a number of health problems, including cancer. If you need to freshen up, get a glass of sagot’ gulaman-a banana-flavored beverage with bits of gelatin and tapioca balls. It goes well with banana cue, turon, and other light Filipino recipes.

Junk: Doughnuts

Better: Puto/Kutsinta

It’s nice to have something sweet to go with your morning coffee, but there are healthy wys to get that sugar fix. Instead of those fat jelly-filled doughnuts, have a double treat of puto and kutsinta instead. These little cakes are made from rice flour, which is infinitely healthier than the white flour used in commercial breads and pastries. Because they are steamed, they retain most of their moisture, making them more filling as well. To maximize your calorie savings, skip the cheese and salted egg toppings.

Junk: Milkshakes

Better: Taho

Next to soda and beer, milkshakes are one of the unhealthiest drinks invented in our time. The combination of milk, sugar, artificial flavoring, and whipped cream topping pack a dose of fat and calories that will take three hours of exercise to burn off. Instead, help yourself to a cup of taho-a warm drink made from soft tofu, sweetened with sugar syrup and garnished with sago (tapioca balls). It’s a little heavy, but several times healthier. It’s also a lot cheaper-10 pesos will get you a large cup, while a regular milk shake can cost over 100.

Junk: Ice cream

Better: Tropical fruits

Often, when you’ve topped off a great meal with a bowl of ice cream, you find yourself craving again in less than an hour. That’s how this sweet treat works: it sends a handful of fat down your system, and makes you hungry so that you’ll want even more. It’s great at children’s parties, but on regular days, it only works up your appetite. If you’re craving an after-meal treat, grab a mango, pineapple or some other fruit instead. Mix them together to make your own Filipino desserts recipes. Fresh fruits fill you up fast, so you can curb your cravings for more than half the day.

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PostHeaderIcon Natural Body Lotion



In this article we will try to understand that how you can protect your skin from harmful environmental elements. To make your skin healthy you should eat fruits,vegetables and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten as they contain vitamins and minerals which make your skin glowing and smooth.Water should be your best friend if you want to have beautiful skin as water washes out all the harmful toxins from your body. You need to consume essential fatty acids for healthy skin. Most of the fishes,sea foods and plants contain essential fatty acids. A regular exercise program is also needed for a beautiful complexion.

If you are planning to buy a natural body lotion or a moisturizing cream for yourself then the most important thing you need to know is the type of your skin as different natural herbs are suitable for different skin types. Natural body lotions should always be preferred over other popular skin care products as natural creams and lotions will never cause side effects like dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis.

Three important steps which should be repeated every day if you want to have smooth and silky skin are cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Skin should always be protected against the bad effects of hot and cold climate. Many women complain of dry skin which can be treated in various ways. One of the method with the help of which you can treat your healthy skin is using a herbal moisturizer which contains essential oils.

PostHeaderIcon Take Care of Your Health With These Tips



Taking care of one’s health requires a lot of effort, but the rewards can be so worth it. You will realize that you can get away with a lot of diseases. You can also look forward to more years ahead of you. You can grow old graciously, and you will have more capacity to take care of your loved ones.

Proper management of health doesn’t have to be such a burden at your end. You can start taking the small steps to health and wellness now:

1. Rise early in the morning. There are two good things you can do early in the morning. You can create vitamin D with the help of sunlight as well as have more time to exercise or meditate. You can also accomplish a lot of things that by the end of the day you can already relax and even sleep early.

2. Take some time out. Never allow anything to burn you out. Otherwise, stress can catch up with your own health. Stress is good. It produces cortisol, which helps manage different organs in the body. However, too much stress can also raise the cortisol level, which can give undue pressure into the heart. It increases blood cholesterol and makes you sicker than before. A lot of stress can lower down your immune system.

3. Engage in several activities. Spend as less time as possible in front of the TV or the computer. The rest of the time go out and do something different often. You can play some sports, take up a hobby, go back to school, or just wander in parks and other places of interest. By moving about you are burning calories.

4. Sleep at least for 6 to 8 hours. As much as possible, you should not deprive yourself of good sleep. Sleep is the best time to rejuvenate yourself. Brand-new cells are being reproduced. This is a good time to start the healing process, if you are currently sick. By resting and sleeping, you will feel happier to face the new day.

5. Use subliminal messages. It’s been proven subliminal messages have been a huge help for people who are struggling with good health. You can use subliminal messages to encourage you to lose weight. Subliminal messages can encourage better mood, which prevents any mental or emotional instability such as depression and anxiety. Subliminal messages can also be utilized in combination with meditation and exercise. Here are some good examples:

I am taking good care of myself.
I love myself.
By caring for myself, I can take care of my loved ones.
I would like to wake up more refreshed and happier.

6. Forgive. There’s definitely a strong relationship between emotional and physical health. When you have a lot of pent-up emotions such as guilt and anger, you place yourself on constant stress. By now you already have a good idea on what happens to the body when you’re trapped in a very stressful environment. Release the negative emotions by beginning to forgive yourself and those who hurt you.

PostHeaderIcon Natural Skin Tightening Products – Tighten Your Skin With Natural Active Keratin



Sagging is one of the tell tale signs of aging; others include lines and wrinkles. There are many skincare products out there on the market that claim to help firm up your sagging skin; the problem is that most of these products do not really live up to their promises. Natural skin tightening products are better because they contain ingredients that are bio-available to your skin.

Sagging is caused by loss of collagen; collagen is a vital protein-like substance found in the human body. It is the ‘glue’ that holds every tissue in your body together; low level of it causes your body to become loose and ‘fall apart’ (that is what we call sagging). Therefore, an effective natural skin tightening product should be able to increase the level of collagen in your body.

Looking for ways to increase collagen in the human body, manufacturers have come up with different collagen remedies such as injections, powders and creams. However, these remedies do not work; collagen powders do not work because the keratin molecules in them disintegrate in your stomach. The keratin molecules in injections and creams have been de-naturalized by the manufacturing process; hence, they are synthetic and not bio-available to your body.

Research shows that natural skin tightening products that contain ingredients that help your body manufacture collagen naturally are more effective. One of such stimulating ingredients is Cynergy TK; this is a unique active keratin extracted from the wool of New Zealand sheep. The keratin in Cynergy TK remains functional because of the gentle process of solublization by which it is extracted; hence, it is bio-available for your skin to absorb and make use of.

Cynergy TK enhances the production of collagen and elastin in your body, and thus helps to tighten your sagging skin; it is also effective at removing lines, wrinkles and age spots.

Other vital ingredients that good quality natural skin tightening products should contain include Grapeseed oil, Natural vitamin E and Phytesense Wakame. These ingredients are effective at helping to firm up your skin; Phytessense Wakame helps to prevent the collagen and elastic fibers from losing their ‘glue’, thereby helping to keep your skin tight.

PostHeaderIcon How to Lose Calories and Eat Delicious Foods



Losing weight can be an arduous task for most people, but it finally boils down to numbers: eat fewer calories to lose more pounds. If we could figure out how to lose calories, the pounds would quickly add up. It’s simple to decrease your calorie consumption when you know how to do it right.

You simply don’t have to starve and there’s no deprivation needed. In fact, you can decrease your calories substantially and painlessly. The following suggestions will show you how to lose calories – and weight – starting now.

Lose Calories with Healthy Substitutions

The best weight loss plans should recommend that you don’t have to give up your favorite flavors, you just have to make healthier substitutions. As an example, let’s assume you have dreams of chocolate on the brain. If you give in to the temptation and scoff down a whole bowl of chocolate ice cream, you will have added several hundred calories to your daily intake. But if you pick up a healthier alternative, like a sugar-free fudge pop or some reduced-fat chocolate pudding, you will get the chocolate flavor you crave at a low caloric cost.

Other good substitutions include low-fat dairy products instead of whole milk products; wild fish and low-fat (lean) cuts of meat instead of hot dogs and marbled cuts; apples and oranges instead of potato chips; sterol-rich spreads as opposed to full-fat butter; and whole fruit instead of fruit juice.

How to Lose Pounds Fast by Eating More

Yes, you read that right! When you consider how to lose pounds fast, eating more isn’t the first system that comes to mind. But research studies are clear on this: You are more likely to control your appetite when smaller, more frequent meals are consumed. There are two mechanisms at work using this method: First, it keeps you from getting too hungry. Excess hunger is the number-one reason why people stop dieting, and it is also a leading cause of binging. When you control your hunger, you can control your calorie intake.

Second, smaller meals activate your metabolism. You will lose calories as your body burns through them faster. This is pretty much a “no-effort-involved” way to lower caloric intake, and burn off the rest! You see, when you only eat two or three times per day your body’s metabolism doesn’t budge. Truth be told, the opposite occurs, i.e., metabolism will become sluggish. Conversely, if you eat smaller meals 5-6 times per day, metabolism increases due to the extra energy required to digest the food.

Give these suggestions a try and jump-start your weight loss plans today!

PostHeaderIcon Fight Cirrhosis Of The Liver With Vitamins And Over The Counter Products



Cirrhosis of the Liver is the chronic inflammation of the liver, which results in scar tissue replacing the normal liver tissue. The scar tissue of the liver blocks the flow of blood through the organ and disrupts the normal functions of the liver.

The liver performs more functions than any other organ in the human body. The liver is responsible for metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and minerals. It removes poisons, such as alcohol and drugs from the blood stream.

The liver converts glucose to glycogen and stores it for latter use as a source of energy. It stores iron and manufactures elements essential for blood clotting. The liver also breaks down old red blood cells and converts the hemoglobin into bilirubin.

In the United States in 2001 chronic liver disease killed over 27,000 people making it the 10th leading cause of death for men and the 12th for women.

Cirrhosis is most commonly caused by alcoholism and hepatitis C, but has many other possible causes. Sometimes more than one cause is present in the same patient.

Alcohol seems to injure the liver by blocking the metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Alcoholic cirrhosis develops in 15% of individuals who drink heavily for more than a decade.

Fluid retention in the abdominal cavity is the most common complication of cirrhosis and diuretics may be necessary to suppress fluid retention. Cirrhosis can also cause immune system dysfunction, leading to infection.

The damaged liver can not clear ammonia and related nitrogenous substances from the blood. These poisons are carried to the brain and result in neglecting personal appearance, unresponsiveness, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, changes in sleep habits, and the loss of the sex drive.

Cirrhosis is generally irreversible once it occurs. Treatment generally focuses on preventing progression and complications by encouraging a healthy diet with a reduction of salt, and abstaining from alcohol and drug intake. If the liver ceases to function or the complications of cirrhosis cannot be controlled a liver transplant will be necessary.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with Cirrhosis such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, Magnesium, L-Carnitine and Coffee.

Vitamin A is an important immune system stimulant. DR. Nauss reported a reduced T-cell immune response in patients with a Vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A deficiency may increase the risk of cancers of the lung, larynx, bladder, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum and prostate. Vitamin A is stored in the liver and fat cells of the human body and can reach toxic levels. DO NOT take more than the recommended dosage of Vitamin A.

Vitamin B taken together as a team perform vital biological processes including aiding in the healing process for congestive heart failure and reduces fluid retention. It is required for the development of red blood cells.

Vitamin C is essential for defending the body against pollution and infection. It enhances the immune system. It aids in growth and repair of both bone and tissue by helping the body produce collagen.

Vitamin E supplies Oxygen to the heart and the other muscles in the body. Accelerates wound healing and aids in the functioning of the immune system.

Zinc is needed for healing and maintaining healthy tissues. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and are the vital components of skin, hair, muscle tissue, the body’s organs, blood cells, various enzymes and hormones. Zinc also has a profound influence on the body’s ability to resist disease.

Magnesium is needed to keep the proper pH level in the blood and helps in the metabolism of calcium and vitamin C.

L-Carnitine helps convert nutrients into energy.

Studies have recently suggested that coffee consumption may protect against cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.