Posts by Emily

A Very Vegan Diet

Posted by Emily on Jan 31, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

As the whole world begins to ‘go green’, becoming vegan is an ever more popular diet choice for people to make. Some reasons that vegans cite for becoming so are: it saves money, “thou shalt not kill” applies to animals, it is more environmentally friendly, and it reduces the National debt. While some of these may seem a little ridiculous (such as the reason of National debt), they are turning many people away from meat.

Before we go any further, let us define the term vegan. For a person to be vegan means that they do not partake in any animal product. This means they do not eat fish, milk, dairy, eggs, and honey on top of not eating meat. I am sure that you know someone that is vegan or at least thinking about becoming so. However, if you do not then here are some famous people that are either vegan or vegetarian. Some famous Americans that have become vegan are: Alec Baldwin, Ellen DeGeneres, Lea Michele, Jason Mraz, Brad Pitt, Olivia Wilde, and Mike Tyson just to name a few. They do not all choose to be vegan because they believe that eating animals is cruel and in violation of the Ten Commandments. That view is only held by a few, and it is a very relative idea.

Many of these stars and many people who do decide to become vegan do so because of the health benefits. The effects a vegan diet has on a person’s health are incredible and are often overlooked or pushed to the side. When you eat vegan, you eat less saturated fats and just fats in general. People generally receive the fat that they ingest through dairy products and meat. This means that your cardiovascular health will be much better as well as your overall well-being. You also receive larger amount of the vitamins that your body needs to function at optimum levels. There is more vitamin C and vitamin E as well as other antioxidants in your diet when you eat vegan. These antioxidants help your immune system become stronger as well as allowing your body to heal faster when it is sick or hurt.

As you become more healthy, you are able to prevent a variety of diseases. These diseases range from heart illness to diabetes and cataracts to cancer. You body is much better equipped to handle these illnesses and diseases when you are eating vegan. If you are worried about not eating things that you like, or things that taste good, then you are wrong. Here are some examples of sample vegan recipes: spinach linguine with pesto, Chipotle chili with sweet potatoes, mushroom stroganoff, and raspberry truffle brownies. These are all things that you can fix and make yourself that keep you healthy and following a vegan diet.

If the vegan diet is not for you, that is fine. It takes a huge amount of commitment and dedication to make sure that you do it all the way. I would recommend that you still take a look at the vegan recipes because you might be able to find some that you like that you can cook so that you can avoid meat as much as possible.

Wheatgrass and the Internal You

Posted by Emily on Jan 25, 2012 in Healthy Foods | 0 comments

The latest health craze that has swept the nation: wheatgrass. Wheatgrass is a derivative from the common wheat plant and provides a huge number of health benefits. While it may taste a little strange and seem a little too “hippie” to you, once you understand what wheatgrass can do for you, the bandwagon might be looking more appealing.

You might have seen patches of green, grass-like substances sitting in the window of your favorite smoothie place. That was most likely wheatgrass. It is able to be grown in a tray indoors and it only takes about ten days for the plant to mature to the point that the juices are harvestable. In order to extract the juice, the wheatgrass is typically places in a press of some sort and squeezed until it has yielded all the juice that it can. Next time you are picking up a mango smoothie, ask the cashier about their wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass is a serious superfood. Thirty milliliters of juice is roughly equal to two pounds of green veggies. That type of ratio is hard

to beat! Health food stores and some restaurants offer a wheatgrass shot which is sometimes the easiest way to get the wheatgrass you need. Along with containing a huge serving of your vegetable dietary needs, it also contains two times the amount of vitamin A as carrots have and it has more vitamin C than an orange. Here is another fact for you, having a teaspoon of wheatgrass is equivalent to eating an entire spinach salad (if the salad weighed around fifty grams).

There are so many other benefits of wheatgrass, you should do some research into it. It is truly an amazing food. The health benefits are worth any of the slight discomfort you might have in the taste. Wheatgrass is used very often as a “detox” agent. The vitamins and minerals contained in the wheatgrass are key in the neutralization and elimination of free radicals in your body. This means that you stay healthier and everything works better. Chemicals and such aid the development of free radicals and wheatgrass stops that production and eliminates the ones that are in your body. It also takes away toxins that interfere with the cellular systems. It also can help your body eliminate the decaying waste and hardened mucus within your intestines and such. Your gastrointestinal tract along with your blood and organs will thank you because they will be able to function better thanks to the wheatgrass.

Along with detoxifying your body, wheatgrass helps it fight and prevent various infections and illnesses that your body may be susceptible to. It helps you prevent the common cold, the flu, and various other sicknesses. On top of all of that, it protects your body from harmful carcinogens which cause cancer. The body is able to mount a defense that can last for a long time just because you decided to have a shot of wheatgrass.

Do your body a favor, try some wheatgrass. It can be put into smoothies, supplements, and many other mediums.

Related articles

• Wheatgrass (foodservicewarehouse.com)
• Organic Wheat Grass Powder (chennaifocus.wordpress.com)
• Lemon Shortbread Wheatgrass Shot (thevegetablecentrickitchen.com)

Snacking For Diabetics

Posted by Emily on Jan 18, 2012 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

A previous post discussed the types of foods that a diabetic should consume and snacks were mentioned. When you are a diabetic, you need to understand what your body is lacking in order for you to fuel it when it runs low. Therefore, it is important that you are knowledgeable in regards to the snacks that will best benefit you. Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling for you and generate ideas of what to research online.

Most of America is on the go or at work, or both. So when you are deciding what to use as snacks to boost your blood sugar, you have to go with something that is portable and potent. You need something that is effective but that can be carried on your person or stowed at a desk. Try to go with something that is less than 150 calories. If you binge on snacks, then you are getting no where as far as weight is concerned. A 150 calorie snack is just enough to curb your hunger and give you the boost that you need. There are also some handy snack-packs that you can pick up at the grocery store that are in packets of 100 calories. Those would be a good choice if you want a ‘brand name’ that fits your needs. There are also granola bars and health bars that you can find for less than 150 calories and will give you extra nutrients in addition to the sugar that you need.

Grabbing a handful of nuts is extremely beneficial for you when you start to feel a little low. They help to lower cholesterol and they also decrease your risk factor for a cardiovascular illness in addition to normalizing your blood glucose levels. They have a huge amount of protein and they also have monounsaturated fats (“good” fats) that will help you avoid a spike that a candy bar will give you. They enter your blood stream and you are able to keep you level normalized for longer when you have nuts as opposed to a chocolate bar. But, try not to go overboard on the nuts. All you need is an amount that will fit inside the palm of your hand. That will be enough for you to keep functioning for a while.

I am sure that you have heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. There is some truth to that. If you eat a whole apple, skin and all, you are digesting approximately three grams of fiber. That fiber helps to lower cholesterol, provides antioxidants that are used to fight infections, lowers your risk factor for a cardiovascular disease, and it also lowers your risk for diabetic complications. Those complications can range from hypoglycemia to circulation problems. Just an apple a day when you are feeling low can give you all these benefits.

Even when the package says “low-fat”, check the label. Sometimes companies market foods as low-fat even if they contain a slightly lower fat content than the ‘full-fat’ option. Do not eat more of these because you believe them to be healthier. Check the labels and do your homework regarding that certain product.

These are just a few ideas for you and are only meant to spark some inspiration in your mind as to what you would respond to best.

Food for Thought: Food and Diabetes

Posted by Emily on Jan 11, 2012 in Eating With Medical Conditions | 0 comments

When you have diabetes, it is critical that you know how to manage it. One of the easiest ways to keep your diabetes under control is through changing your diet to accommodate your health needs. That may sound daunting, but it ends up being much simpler than it sounds. If you take it step by step, you’ll be eating healthier in no time.

Having a good diet is important because it needs to  be designed to control your blood glucose levels so that you do not dip too low or spike too high. Dieting can also help you to keep track of your weight. Excesses of fats and such create dangerous and transient spikes in your blood sugar that can be damaging to your health by damaging various organs. Here are some examples of what you should do when you are creating your new eating plan.

1. Fiber filled foods. Fiber is a very good substance that can help increase your heart health while controlling blood sugar levels within your body. When I say that something controls your blood glucose levels, that means that it helps the level normalize and therefore you can avoid spikes and dips. Foods that have a high quantity of fiber include beans, peas, nuts, and anything with bran in it.
2. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These are the fats contained within healthy foods such as avocados, olives, and nuts. Keep the consumption of these in moderation because they are high in calories and can contribute to weight gain. But, when ingested in the correct quantities, they can help lower your cholesterol levels and therefore help you stay healthier all around.
3. Carbohydrates. Sugars and starches are different kinds of carbohydrates and when you ingest them, they are broken up chemically and become glucose in your blood stream. The best kinds of carbohydrates come from fruits, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains.
4. Eat some more fish. Fish contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and they help to keep your heart healthy while lowering the amount of fat in your blood. This helps you normalize your levels as well. Good fish to eat includes cod, halibut, tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Try to avoid fried fish and also fish such as swordfish and king mackerel because they contain unhealthy levels of mercury.

That may sound like a huge amount of information to ingest and remember. When creating recipes, it is difficult to remember what legumes (beans, peas, lentils, etc…) to include and what starches to cut. Once you get started, though, it becomes much easier. You will also find that your blood sugar levels change throughout the day between meals. When this happens, you will need to eat a small snack that can help boost your energy and glucose levels.

Some ideas for snacks include all-natural juice boxes, handful of nuts, and a couple hard candies. During the day, your blood sugar level tends to drop and therefore you need to eat something that will break down into sugars and enter the bloodstream as quickly as possible.