This New Year, Learn to Diet the Right Way

It’s a new year, lots of excitement, lots of resolutions the do’s and don’ts. Not leaving out the diet resolutions also. You hear things such as am losing 15kg this month, I don’t want to eat unhealthy anymore, and I will go jogging every day, all this and many more you hear from people all around.

As a nutrition expert and dietician, I will be giving out some tips that will be helpful and will keep you going throughout the year 2017. When you commit to making just one simple change each day, it helps create powerful momentum toward a happier, healthier life. You don’t have to be unhappy like this.

In this new year…

1. Instead of spending time and energy excluding foods you think are “bad,” redirect your efforts to including more nutrient-rich foods and you will automatically crowd out the less healthy options. Start by trying to add one fruit and one vegetable to your daily intake.
2. Set aside 30 minutes each week to sit down with your calendar and plan the week ahead. Schedule your workouts, plan your meals, and make your shopping list.
3. Water is part of every single function of our body, so being well hydrated literally helps our whole body work better. Ditch the soda!
4. Start the Day Healthy! Make a green juice in your blender with just four ingredients: 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of fruit, the juice from 1/2 lemon and a handful of spinach or kale.
5. Try to fill half your plate with colourful seasonal fruits and vegetables, and then split the rest between lean protein and whole grains.
6. Make exercise a habit in year 2017.
7. Sitting down at meals helps you naturally eat less and enjoy food more because you are more alert and mindful, rather than rushing and randomly grazing.
8. Be mindful of portions.
9. Set SMART goals. A SMART goal is one that is specific, measurable, accountable, realistic, and time specific. For example: I am going to stop my late and heavy dinner and will eat at least 6pm.
10. Strategically leave healthy snacks around.

Processed red meat related to higher risk of death, plant protein to lower risk

 
Did you grow up with a parent who would fill half your dinner plate with meatloaf, chanting the importance of eating enough protein to grow big and strong? A new study published in the Aug 1 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that a bowl of lentils and quinoa may have done you more good than that meatloaf.
The study reviewed protein intakes of more than 131,000 women and men from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. After tracking their diets for up to 32 years, the authors found that a higher intake of red meat, especially processed versions (sausage, bacon, hot dogs, salami), was linked to a higher risk of death, while a higher protein intake from plant foods carried a lower risk. These plant proteins appeared the most protective from heart disease deaths, especially among participants with at least one of the following unhealthy lifestyle habits: smoking, heavy alcohol intake, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity.

“Overall, our findings support the importance of the sources of dietary protein for long-term health outcomes,” says Mingyang Song, MD, ScD, a research fellow in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, and at Massachusetts General Hospital. “While previous studies have primarily focused on the overall amount of protein intake, from a broad dietary perspective, the particular foods that people consume to get protein are most important.”

The authors suggest swapping red and processed meat with healthy, plant proteins like nuts, beans, legumes, and cereals. If you do eat animal protein, choose mostly poultry and fish, which were not related to premature death in this study.
Vegetarians may rejoice over these findings, but if you’re skeptical of tofu, try these tips to gradually add more plant protein into your diet.

• Make a meatless version of your favorite chili recipe by replacing the meat with plenty of beans: hearty kidney beans, chickpeas, or pinto beans.
• Add 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds to your breakfast yogurt or oatmeal.
• Add ½ cup rinsed, drained canned beans to your salads.
• Instead of cheese, try hummus onto your sandwiches. Instead of processed meats, spread almond, peanut, or sunflower seed butter on whole grain toast.

Source: Harvard nutrition source 

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the best breakfast choice for cereal lovers.

It’s made from ground oats, which contain a unique fiber called beta-glucan. This fiber has many impressive health benefits, including reduced cholesterol.

In addition, beta-glucan is a viscous fiber that promotes feelings of fullness. One study found that beta-glucan increased levels of the “fullness hormone” PYY and that higher doses had the greatest effect.

Oats are also rich in antioxidants, which protect their fatty acids from becoming rancid. These antioxidants may also help protect heart health and decrease blood pressure.

Although oats don’t contain gluten, they’re often processed in the same facilities as gluten-containing grains. Researchers have found that most oats are indeed contaminated with other grains, especially barley.

Therefore, people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should choose oats that have been certified as gluten-free.

One cup of cooked oatmeal contains about 6 grams of protein, which won’t provide the benefits of a higher-protein breakfast. Oatmeal made from steel-cut oats provides about twice as much protein.

To boost the protein content of an oatmeal breakfast, prepare it with milk instead of water or serve it with a side of eggs or a piece of cheese.

  

Bottom Line: Oatmeal is rich in beta-glucan fiber, which lowers cholesterol and increases feelings of fullness. It also contains antioxidants

 

Culled from Authority Nutrition

5 surprising benefits of walking

The next time you have a check-up, don't be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you've been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted as "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug," in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of course, you probably know that any physical activity, including walking, is a boon to your overall health. But walking in particular comes with a host of benefits. Here's a list of five that may surprise you.

1. It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. They then discovered that, among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.

2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations. And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.

3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.

4. It eases joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place. Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.

5. It boosts immune function. Walking can help protect you during cold and flu season. A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

Source: HarvardHealth

10 Healing Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is an ancient wonder spice and is given the status of a "natural medicine chest" in ancient Ayurvedic medicine. That’s because this wonder spice has time-tested, digestion-friendly properties, in addition to its numerous other health benefits. 

 

In India, ginger is liberally used in daily life. Ginger-infused Chai is a household favorite, and it’s grandma’s antidote of choice for battling cold and flu! 
On millions of dining tables in India, you’ll see matchsticks of fresh ginger that have turned a soft pink from being soaked in lemon juice and salt: a zingy accompaniment to any cooked meal.

 

Try some fresh ginger just before a meal to stoke your digestive fire and support a healthy gut! You can grate it up and squeeze it into a hot tea, add it to juices, baked goods, smoothies and more... experiment and have fun. 

Let’s give this knobbly root a closer look.

10 Terrific Benefits of Ginger

1. Haven’t been feeling hungry? Eat a little fresh ginger just before a meal to inspire your appetite and activate your digestive juices. 
2. Eating ginger improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body. 
3. Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the clearing your sinuses that can flare up seasonally or during colder months. 
4. Feeling airsick or nauseous? Ginger can help, preferably tossed in a little honey.
5. Can’t stop the toot-a-thon? Gas—oops—guess what?! Ginger helps reduce flatulence! 
6. Tummy moaning and groaning under cramps? Munch on ginger. 
7. Reeling under joint pain? Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties—can bring relief. Float some ginger essential oil in your bath to help aching muscles and joints. 
8. Just had surgery? Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea. 
9. Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warming and healing benefits of this tasty tea are even greater! 
10. Bedroom blues? Try adding a gingery punch to a bowl of soup. (Psst...the Ayurvedic texts credit ginger with aphrodisiac properties)

 

3 Ways To Use Ginger

 

1. Spicy Fragrant Ginger Rice
Cook basmati rice. When you take the lid off the pan, quickly stir in finely chopped garlic, ginger, green chilies and fresh cilantro leaves—the burst of flavor and fragrance will drive your senses crazy with desire!
2. Ginger In Your Tea 
‘Grate’ idea: grate some ginger root and put it in your tea or through your juicer. Our cleansing and healing Ginger and Turmeric Tea is amazing for you! You could also try our super simple Ginger Lemon Detox Drink for a quick pick me up.
3. Gingery Dessert
Try our delicious Ginger Slice with loads of beneficial and healing ingredients 

Source: FoodMatters

Sugar-sweetened beverages

Soft drinks are a prime source of extra calories that can contribute to weight gain and provide no nutritional benefits.  Studies indicate that liquid carbohydrates such as sugar-sweetened beverages are less filling than the solid forms – causing people to continue to feel hungry after drinking them despite their high caloric value. They are coming under scrutiny for their contributions to the development of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.

• The average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories, almost all of them from sugar – usually high-fructose corn syrup. That’s the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of table sugar.
• If you were to drink just one can of a sugar-sweetened soft drink every day, and not cut back on calories elsewhere, you could gain 10-15 pounds in a year.

What Causes Weight Gain?

1. Diet: The quantity and quality of food in your diet has a strong impact on weight.

2. Genes: Some people are genetically predisposed to gain weight more easily than others or to store fat around the midsection.

Genes do not have to become destiny, however, and studies suggest that eating a healthy diet, staying active, and avoiding unhealthy habits like drinking soda can prevent the genetic predisposition to risk for obesity.

3. Physical inactivity: Exercising has a host of health benefits, including reducing the chances of developing heart disease, some types of cancer, and other chronic diseases. Physical activity is a key element of weight control and health.

4. Sleep: Research suggests that there’s a link between how much people sleep and how much they weigh. In general, children and adults who get too little sleep tend to weigh more than those who get enough sleep.

There are several possible ways that sleep deprivation could increase the chances of becoming obese.

Sleep-deprived people may be too tired to exercise, decreasing the “calories burned” side of the weight-change equation.

People who don’t get enough sleep may take in more calories than those who do, simply because they are awake longer and have more opportunities to eat.

Lack of sleep also disrupts the balance of key hormones that control appetite, so sleep-deprived people may be hungrier than those who get enough rest each night

Microwave cooking and nutrition

 

Almost every home has a microwave oven. The convenience they offer is undeniable. But despite the widespread use of microwave ovens and their excellent safety record, some people have lingering doubts that cooking food with microwaves somehow makes food less healthy by zapping away nutrients. Does cooking with microwaves do that?Is it bad to microwave food?

Understanding how microwave ovens work can help clarify the answer to this common question. Microwave ovens cook food using waves of energy that are similar to radio waves but shorter. These waves are remarkably selective, primarily affecting water and other molecules that are electrically asymmetrical — one end positively charged and the other negatively charged. Microwaves cause these molecules to vibrate and quickly build up thermal (heat) energy.

Some nutrients break down when they’re exposed to heat, whether it is from a microwave or a regular oven. Vitamin C is perhaps the clearest example. But because microwave cooking times are shorter, cooking with a microwave does a better job of preserving vitamin C and other nutrients that break down when heated.

As far as vegetables go, cooking them in water robs them of some of their nutritional value because the nutrients leach out into the cooking water. For example, boiled broccoli loses glucosinolate, the sulfur-containing compound that may give the vegetable its cancer-fighting properties (as well as the taste that many find distinctive and some find disgusting). Is steaming vegetables better? In some respects, yes. For example, steamed broccoli holds on to more glucosinolate than boiled or fried broccoli.

The cooking method that best retains nutrients is one that cooks quickly, heats food for the shortest amount of time, and uses as little liquid as possible. Microwaving meets those criteria. Using the microwave with a small amount of water essentially steams food from the inside out. That keeps more vitamins and minerals than almost any other cooking method.

But let’s not get too lost in the details. Vegetables, pretty much any way you prepare them, are good for you, and most of us don’t eat enough of them. And the microwave oven? A marvel of engineering, a miracle of convenience — and sometimes nutritionally advantageous to boot.

Source: Harvard Health

Eating Right Isn't Complicated

Eating right doesn't have to be complicated — simply begin to shift to healthier food and beverage choices.

• Emphasize fruit, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products.
• Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts.
• Make sure your diet is low in saturated fats, trans fats, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

Make Your Calories Count

Think nutrient-rich rather than "good" or "bad" foods. The majority of your food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, and lower in calories. Making smart food choices can help you stay healthy, manage your weight and be physically active.

Focus on Variety

Eat a variety of foods from all the food groups to get the nutrients your body needs. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, frozen or canned. Eat more dark green vegetables such as leafy greens and broccoli and orange vegetables including carrots and sweet potatoes. Vary your protein choices with more fish, beans and peas. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice or pasta every day.

Know Your Fats

Look for foods low in saturated fats and trans fats to help reduce your risk of heart disease. Most of the fats you eat should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils. Check the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels for total fat and saturated fat.

Source: Eatright

"Beat Diabetes"

Today is World Health Day and the Theme of this year is "Beat Diabetes"

     Help manage your diabetes:

• Eat regular meals and spread them evenly throughout the day

• Eat a diet lower in fat, particularly saturated fat

• If you take insulin or diabetes tablets, you may need to have between meal snacks

• Matching the amount of food you eat with the amount of energy you burn through activity and exercise is important.
• Putting too much fuel in your body can lead to weight gain.

• Being overweight or obese can make it difficult to manage your diabetes and can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• Limit foods high in energy such as take away foods, sweet biscuits, cakes, sugar sweetened drinks and fruit juice, lollies, chocolate and savoury snacks.

• Some people have a healthy diet but eat too much. Reducing your portion size is one way to decrease the amount of energy you eat.

• Being active has many benefits. Along with healthy eating, regular physical activity can help you to manage your blood glucose levels, reduce your blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and maintain a healthy weight.

• It is important to recognize that everyone’s needs are different. All people with diabetes should see an Accredited Practicing Dietitian.

Whole Food Nutrition: Nutritional Value Of Beetroot

One cup of raw beets contains 58 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate (including 9 grams of sugar and 4 grams of fiber) and 2 grams of protein. It provides 1% of daily vitamin A needs, 2% of calcium, 11% of vitamin C and 6% of iron. 

Beetroot is a rich source of folate and manganese and also contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium. 

Beets are high in dietary nitrate, which is believed to be the reason why many of the potential health benefits of beetroot are being studied.

Health Benefits

Diabetes: Beets contain an antioxidant known as alpha-lipoic acid, which has been shown to lower glucose levels, increase insulin sensitivity and prevent oxidative stress-induced changes in patients with diabetes. Studies on alpha-lipoic acid have also shown decreases in peripheral neuropathy and/or autonomic neuropathy in diabetics.

Heart health and blood pressure:  Researchers hypothesized this was likely due to the high nitrate levels contained in beet juice and that the high nitrate vegetables could prove to be a low cost and effective way to treat cardiovascular conditions and blood pressure.

Digestion and regularity: Because of its high fiber content, beetroot helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract. 

How to incorporate more beetroot into your diet

• Make your own beetroot juice by peeling beetroot and blending with a combination of fresh orange, mint and pineapple or apples, lemon and ginger. Blend and strain
• Grate raw beets and add them to coleslaw or your favorite salad.
• Slice raw beets and serve them with lemon juice and a sprinkle of chili powder.

Eggs

Eggs are an inexpensive and easy source of protein. People often think eggs whites are a healthier option than whole eggs because they contain less fat, and while it’s true that the egg yolk contains some fat, it’s also packed with important nutrients. One whole egg contains 5 grams of fat, but only 1.5 grams are saturated. Whole eggs are also a good source of choline (one egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline), an important B vitamin that helps regulate the brain, nervous system and cardiovascular system. And while there’s a lot of buzz about the cholesterol in eggs, research has linked moderate egg consumption to improved heart health.

Nutrition of Whole Foods : Apples

Apples contain pectin, an ingredient that naturally slows digestion and encourages feelings of fullness. Studies show that eating a whole apple with your meal (as opposed to apple juice or applesauce) is a natural appetite suppressant, helping you consume fewer overall calories without feeling deprived.

Apples are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. Just be sure not to skip the skin, which contains much of the fruit's nutritional benefits.

Did you know that lemons can help you fight off hunger cravings?

 

 

A squeeze of lemon adds instant freshness to everything from drinks to salads to fish without additional calories, making it an ideal way to flavor food if you're watching your weight. Plus, the pectin fiber in lemons can help fill you up and fight off hunger cravings. And while it hasn't been scientifically proven, some experts believe that the citrus fruit can aid in weight loss, as well.

"Add a slice of lemon to a glass of water, hot or iced tea, or homemade vinaigrette, "Or steam veggies in lemon water to give them flavor.

Did you know that Turmeric Protects Against Heart Disease?

 

Turmeric quietly works behind the scenes to prevent the buildup of “bad” cholesterol, protecting the body against plaque buildup, also known as atherosclerosis, which can block arteries and eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke. 

 

Additionally, curcumin has been found to reduce the risk of heart failure and could prevent abnormal heart rhythms — talk about a heart-healthy addition to the dinner table!

Become active to reduce your risk of diabetes

Try to be physically active and maintain a healthy weight (BMI 20-25 kg/m2) to reduce your risk of diabetes. The recommended minimum amount of activity for adults is 150 minutes of moderate level physical activity a week – that could be 30 minutes on 5 days of the week or it could be broken up into shorter sessions of 10 minutes or more. 

 

But don’t worry - you do not have to join a gym! Walking, dancing, swimming, gardening, golf, bowling and cycling are all activities that most people can enjoy. Activity can also be spread out through the day so you can make small changes to your lifestyle, which can add up to a lot more activity. 

 

For example, use the stairs instead of taking the lift, leave the car at home for small trips, or get off the bus one or two stops earlier. Even housework can count! These are all achievable ways to incorporate activity in to your daily routine.

Dietary Fibre

 

 

 

Dietary fibre has many health benefits. It can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, and also help weight control. Fibre is also important for digestive health - insoluble fibre bulks up stools and makes waste move through the digestive tract more quickly, which is better for the gut and can help to prevent constipation. Soluble fibre may also help this process by making the stools softer and easier to pass. Some types of fibre can be fermented by gut bacteria, producing substances that appear to be good for gut health. Providing ‘food’ for gut bacteria can also help increase the number of healthy bacteria in the gut.

To increase your fibre intake you could:

1. Choose a high fibre breakfast cereal e.g. bran flakes, or porridge

2. Go for wholemeal or granary breads instead of white bread

3. Choose wholegrains like wholewheat pasta, bulghur wheat or brown rice

4. Go for potatoes with skins e.g. baked potato or boiled new potatoes

5. For snacks try fruit, vegetable sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted nuts or seeds

6. Include plenty of vegetables with meals – either as a side dish or added to sauces, stews or curries

7. Add pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas to stews, curries and salads

8. Have some fresh or dried fruit, or fruit canned in natural juice for dessert.

Load Up on Vegetables and Fruit

 

Vegetables and fruit are packed with nutrients and fibre, so enjoy a wide variety of them. Try to include at least one dark green and one orange veggie daily.
  Quick Tips:

• Try a new vegetable or fruit each week
• Sprinkle some berries over whole grain cereal at breakfast
• Pack a couple pieces of fruit and some raw veggies with your lunch
• Start dinner with a salad of dark greens like spinach or romaine lettuce
• Fill half your plate with vegetables at dinner
• Add a handful of spinach or kale to a fruit smoothie

A serving is:

• 1 medium fresh fruit
• 125 mL (½ cup) chopped fruit or veggies
• 250 mL (1 cup) raw leafy vegetables
• 125 mL (½ cup) 100% juice

Higher dietary fiber intake in young women may reduce breast cancer risk

Women who eat more high-fiber foods during adolescence and young adulthood—especially lots of fruits and vegetables—may have significantly lower breast cancer risk than those who eat less dietary fiber when young, according to a new large-scale study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

 

The study was published online February 1, 2016 in Pediatrics.

“Previous studies of fiber intake and breast cancer have almost all been non-significant, and none of them examined diet during adolescence or early adulthood, a period when breast cancer risk factors appear to be particularly important,” said Maryam Farvid, visiting scientist at Harvard Chan School and lead author of the study. “This work on the role of nutrition in early life and breast cancer incidence suggests one of the very few potentially modifiable risk factors for premenopausal breast cancer.”

The researchers looked at a group of 90,534 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, a large long-running investigation of factors that influence women’s health. In 1991, the women—ages 27-44 at the time—filled out questionnaires about their food intake, and did so every four years after that. They also completed a questionnaire in 1998 about their diet during high school. The researchers analyzed the women’s fiber intake while adjusting for a number of other factors, such as race, family history of breast cancer, body mass index, weight change over time, menstruation history, alcohol use, and other dietary factors.

Breast cancer risk was 12%-19% lower among women who ate more dietary fiber in early adulthood, depending on how much more they ate. High intake of fiber during adolescence was also associated with 16% lower risk of overall breast cancer and 24% lower risk of breast cancer before menopause. Among all the women, there was a strong inverse association between fiber intake and breast cancer incidence. For each additional 10 grams of fiber intake daily—for example, about one apple and two slices of whole wheat bread, or about half a cup each of cooked kidney beans and cooked cauliflower or squash—during early adulthood, breast cancer risk dropped by 13%. The greatest apparent benefit came from fruit and vegetable fiber.

The authors speculated that eating more fiber-rich foods may lessen breast cancer risk partly by helping to reduce high estrogen levels in the blood, which are strongly linked with breast cancer development.

Source: Harvard Edu

Selenium for Your Skin

 

 

This mineral may help protect your skin from cells that gather free radicals. Free radicals cause signs of aging like wrinkles and dry skin, tissue damage, and probably some diseases. Selenium may also help prevent skin cancer. You can get it from Brazil nuts, button mushrooms, shrimp, lamb, and fish like snapper, cod, halibut, tuna, and salmon. Cooked beef, light turkey, oysters, sardines, crab, and whole-wheat pasta also have selenium