Nutrizonia

Blog Moved !

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 03:05:00 +0000

Hello my fellow readers, for a better blogging experience, I’ve decided to move my blog to WordPress

Please note that the new address is

www.nutrizonia.com

Please bookmark the new address, and sorry for any inconvenience.

Why I'm not surprised by the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch statments!

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:14:00 +0000

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How much this post is relevant to my blog? Do I talk about business, bullying, or a general journalism issues? I blog about nutrition issues and a healthy recipe once in a while. I was eager to write about this case. Then I hesitated. Why? Maybe I’m not the person who cares about businessmen. But, then I thought I should speak my mind.

On May 3, Mike Jeffries the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch (the popular clothing teen line) come back in the press, when Bussiness Insider Magazine pointed out that he doesn’t want the stores to have sizes for women larger than 10. The magazine interviewed Robin Lewis, the co-author of ”The New Rules of Retail” and CEO of newsletter The Robin Report, BI reported him saying CEO Mike Jeffries “doesn’t want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people.”

When I read the news I was skeptical. First, I read the original interview so I can put my thoughts in the right direction. It was published in …Salon Magazine in 2006. Why people are frowning at him? What is wrong with his statements? This businessman’s accomplishments are impressive. Media is applauding successful businessmen and made them role models.

Why we are burring our heads in the sand? Do we respect overweight people? No we don’t! We are treating them like disabled ones that have to fight for their rights. We encourage being skinny, and applaud the skinny ones.Teens are suffering from body image issues, and people like Mike Jeffries push teens especially females to lose weights in unhealthy ways. Is he the only one to blame for sabotaging the efforts for improving body image for teens?

In my opinions there are multiple factors:

Mass media and popular fashion magazines: They do the same as Mike Jeffries; they don’t sell for overweight people. Most of them don’t put fashion styles for overweight people or even mention them; they always focus on skinny people and emphasized that by posting photos for models, ads for clothes line for women with small size and, advices for reducing the waistline. (I have to make an exception here, in the May issue of Marie Clair magazine; there is one page for an outfit of a beautiful big fashionista)
TV Commercials: Every day there are ads for sugary products, directed for kids & teens, in way that make it tempting and irresistible.

Hypermarket: They arrange the aisles in a way that sugary food almost found in every corner. So, whenever you turn your face you will find the “amazing deals’ that you can’t miss! We can’t argue that the answer is not going to these hypermarkets! A lot of people can’t afford go shopping in fancy wholesome food shops that sell local and organic products.

Dietitians and health advocates: Some dietitians focus on the ideal body weight and push their clients to reach it as soon as possible! Many dietitians post a lot of "healthy" deserts. You can't tell one that you have to consume treats on occasions, while you post deserts on daily basis!.

My point is we live in a big conflict. We can't just blame one for discriminating overweight people, and keep attacking him.,while other working tirelessly to push a certain body image for teens.

Today (24 of May 2013) A&F will release the first quarter revenues. Will we expect any down? I guess it’s too early. Surprisingly, I never went to this store. Maybe I’ll go and buy a shirt (I’m not sure if anything will fit in me, I’m new mama!). Why do I want to go? Do I support this brand? No, not really. I’m just curious!

Will you buy from A&F? Will you let your kids wearing this brand's clothes?

For further reading:

Abercrombie Offends: Blame The CEO Or Blame Ourselves?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2013/05/15/abercrombie-offends-blame-the-ceo-or-blame-ourselves/

Styling your curves, fashioning your life (Fashion Magazine for plus-size women)

http://www.slinkmagazine.com/

Fat’ Fashion Bloggers Gain Attention, But Not Clothes

http://nymag.com/thecut/2012/11/fat-fashion-bloggers-gain-ground-not-clothes.html

My thoughts on Body Image issue

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

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I always thought that the ideal body image is a tall thin woman with sleek hair! Why do I think that? Maybe it is because I do not have any of these traits. Do we all want what we do not have? What we cannot have? Is this the ugly truth? What is the ideal body image? Why do we need a body image?

I was inspired to write about body image, since the moment I read an article Gorgeous little girl by Kate Fridkis on her blog. She writes about body image, beauty, and self-esteem.

I was procrastinating writing this piece because body image is a critical issue in American culture. What should I write? Will I add value to the discussion? Should I write my opinion or the professional one? I do not want to bore you, with the statics and facts about body image. We all know it is a serious issue. I was reading about solutions and suggestions for changing the way you see yourself. There are tons of advices in personal blogs, mental health experts’ opinions and, dietitian’s advice. Nevertheless, the problem is growing.

Honestly, I never had issues with my body image when I was a kid, I never saw my mom gazing at the mirror, complaining about her body. She had a lot of responsibilities, six kids, home chores, and teaching. She did not have time to worry about her looks. We never discussed this in my home. My mom was not worried about my looks but about my education, grades, confidence, and good manners.

I always thought I was beautiful enough, never worried about my body image and body shape. I 'm not the goddess of beauty. I 'm not beautiful by many standards of beauty. When I got married, I gained weight and started to look at the mirror repetitively. I wanted to be the prettiest girl my husband would ever see. I started to hate my body and lose confidence in myself. I tried to lose weight in a healthy way; I did, but it took me over a year. I was not interested in fashion, makeup, or anything that could make me beautiful, until my late twenties when I became pregnant. I was intimidated. I was worrying about what my body would look like? How big my belly will be? Will I look older than my real age if I gain a lot of weight? Will I look like a boring mother who forgets that she is a woman in the first place?

During my pregnancy, being a nutritionist helped me a lot to gain the expected weight, and to lose it after delivery. In contrary to my thoughts, gaining weight in pregnancy for the sake of my baby, made me glow. Seeing my growing belly every morning, and counting the remaining days made me really happy about how my body looks. Now after four months of delivery, I lost the excess weight and this helped me a lot for accepting my body.

Do I feel good about my body? Not every day, I 'm human. I can go out with a bare face, even when my face looks pale. I 'm not a manikin, I am alive, I can breathe, I can talk, I can smile, and I can hear birds singing at the sunrise. Why do I need more than that? Why do I need an approval permit from society, affirming that I 'm beautiful? I believe that everyone has a distinctive personality and a special charm, and it does not have to be in their body or their faces.

As nutritionist, what I can do to participate in solving this problem? Will giving people more diets, more nutrition advice work? Are not we sick from all the rules? What I can say is the ideal body weight does not mean one should be skinny; there is a range for body weight related to the height. We do not have the same body types and, that is what makes some people look thinner or heavier. We should respect our body types. It gives us the uniqueness, or we all would look like replicas! Some women are curvy; others have an apple shape, or a pear shape. Even if, you follows a healthy plan diet carefully and, works out most of the weekdays, you may not attain the thin skinny body you are dying for it. I 'm not telling you that to frustrate you, but to be realistic and so you will not anticipate something that may not happen.

What I’m trying to say here that the culture we live in has a strong influence on the way we see ourselves in the mirror. We may struggle changing the culture that judges us by our looks, but we should work tirelessly together to change the way we see ourselves and others.

Red Beans Salad (Vegan & Gluten free)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:38:00 +0000

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In my pregnancy, I was hungry all the time. My appetite and my need of food become greater. I was looking for satisfying healthy food that can keep me up for a long time. I wanted to explore new healthy food. I know that beans are fulfilling, I eat chickpeas, fava beans, and peas all the time. I thought this is the time to discover a new bean. I decided to try Red beans, I didn’t try it before. We don’t have it in my home country.

First, I bought the canned one; it has a bright color and tastes great. But, because a lot of processed food, like canned items contains high sodium, I decided to switch to raw beans. I was surprised that the color of raw beans, a brownish red, was not bright like the canned ones. I'm not really sure why, maybe the canned ones have artificial dyes. Or, because cooked beans lose the pigmentation into the liquid.

The only con of raw beans is; it's need time to prepare. If you are good at planning, and have time management skills, that are necessary to attain healthy body, this preparation process will not bother you. Soaking beans makes them tender, and more palatable. If you wish you can eat it raw, but It will be hard to chew.

Soak the beans overnight or for eight hrs. at least. Then bring it to boil to desired extent. The more you soak it, the less time you need to boil. I soaked it 12 hrs. , and boil it for 20 min. check the beans with a fork to check the tenderness.

Red beans are high in folate, iron, fiber, and its a great source of protein. It’s one of the ultimate choices for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. Plus it’s gluten free. Beans have sugar called galacto-oligosaccharides. When you consume this sugar, the human body cannot break down this sugar,and it will be fermented, and that what cause gas, and bloating. People suffer from colon diseases like IBs may not tolerate beans. Please consult your physician if you had any discomfort.

Because, beans have meaty texture, I thought mix it with fresh vegetables will be the best option. I made this simple salad I found in TLC ,and made a little adjustments.

Here is the salad:

1 Cup of Iceberg lettuce.
1 Cup of red beans.
1 Cup canned sweet corn. (choose low sodium)
1 Medium green bell pepper.
I tsp. ground cumin
I tsp. paprika
I tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (to enhance the absorption of iron).
1 tsp. of olive oil.

It’s better to eat the salad fresh but it’s also delicious when it’s cold. Enjoy!

Note: I talked about sodium high level in canned food, but I don't know why I didn't do this in the case of corn. I will use the fresh or frozen next time.

Do you like red beans? How do you like it?

Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup (Vegan & Gluteen-Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:53:00 +0000

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When I was young, sweet potato was just a seasonal vegetable. I dreaded eating it in the first time. Why I should I eat such an ugly thing? But, out of curiosity, I tried it and I loved it. But, unfortunately my parents stopped bringing it into the house for no reason.

When I got married, I become the one who is responsible for grocery shopping. At the beginning, I wanted to get everything my parents didn't bring to the house. So sweet potato wasn't on my list. Then when I start to become more aware of my food choices, I bought it and, I start to figure out what I can do with it.

I saw a sweet potato recipe in Lovely pantry blog. I said yes this is the recipe I need! So I decided to do my version.

Here you will need the following:

3 tbsp. sunflower oil.

I tbsp. of minced onion.

1 tsp. of minced garlic.

I tsp. of minced ginger.

3 medium carrots cut into cubes.

2 medium sweet potato cut into cubes.

3 cups of water.

1 cup of coconut milk (I used Thai . it's gluten free).

1 tsp. of salt, curry (gluten-free) and black pepper.

Heat the oil on medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. Add sweet potato cubes, carrot cubes and water.Let them boil simmered for 30 min or, until the sweet potato and carrots are soft. Remove the cooker from the stove. Blend the soup, then returned it again to the stove. Add the coconut milk and seasonings, let it boil for 10 min. Then serve it hot.

This soup is vegan, gluten free and dairy free. If you want a rich soup, you may add chicken broth like Maggi cubes(it's gluten-free) instead of water, but it won’t be a vegan choice.

This soup will make four servings (1serving= 1 cup 240g)

If you compare fat and calories in this soup to the commercial ones, you may think this one is a high calorie one but, most of the calories in this recipe, comes from the coconut milk which has short and medium chain of fatty acids, that our body used it for energy instead of fat storage.

And the last thing is this soup is definitely low in sodium and it's very fulfilling, you won't feel hungry for hours!

Do you like sweet potato? How do you eat it?

Coffee The Magical Elixir (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 06:30:00 +0000

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In the last post Coffee The Magical Elixir (Part 1) I discussed how drinking coffee can reduce the risk of some diseases like Cancer, Parkinson, Alzheimer and others. In this post I will talk about common misconceptions about caffeine and coffee.

Can Caffeine wake you up?

When Caffeine enters the body, it binds to the Adenosin (a neurochemical has a role in calming the body) receptors, so the cells speed up instead of slowing. Also the Caffeine has an effect on the brain; it stimulates the pituitary gland to release a stress hormone called Adrenaline so the body will be in a ready-to fight situation. Heart rate and blood pressure will increase and, the liver releases sugar in your bloodstream for extra energy.

People metabolize Caffeine differently; some people can fall asleep after drinking coffee and others feel alert for hours. Heartburn and acid reflux and, insomnia are some of the irritating symptoms resulting from drinking coffee. But, for sure it depends on how much coffee you drink,a standard cup of coffee is 6 oz. and contains 100 mg of Caffeine, so if you grab your coffee from Starbucks in grande size you should pay more attention to how much you consume per day.

Is Caffeine really addictive?

NO, because relying on drinking caffeine doesn’t threaten your physical or social health as other stimulant drugs do. Also, the withdrawal symptoms vary individually, (some people show just a few mild symptoms) like tremors(unintentional shaking movements),nervousness, headaches, drowsiness or depressing mood, last between two to ten days, which s a relatively short period in comparison to other drugs. And of course, the severity of symptoms depends on how much you drink.

Is coffee really dehydrating?

No, until now the results of studies on the effect of Caffeine as diuretic, are not conclusive and it depends on how you metabolize coffee, and the amount you consume and, the level of tolerance you have. Some coffee drinkers adapt to this and don’t feel the urge to urinate after drinking coffee. But, you should take this effect in consideration and drink more water anyway.

Is coffee a high calorie drink?

Black coffee is not a high calorie drink, but the add-on toppings may make it high a calorie drink like sugar, chocolate as in mocha, non-dairy creamers, whole milk, whipped cream, sweetened syrups like caramel.

Is decaffeinated coffee a healthier option?

In most studies the answer is NO. According to the Columbia Health we extract the caffeine by many methods (direct & indirect). Most of them start with soaking the beans in water to soften them, then treating the water with a solvent like ethyl acetate, then heating the solvent to remove caffeine then returning the treated water to the beans. Another indirect popular method is to use water for to soak the beans until the liquid runs through carbon filter, which decaffeinates the coffee this is called Swiss water process.

Studies show that decaffeinated coffee that comes from a different kind of beans called Robusta have a higher fat content than ARABICA , which stimulate the fatty acid production in the body so it increases the risk of heart diseases.

Caffeine during pregnancy

It's known that Caffeine will pass from the placenta and then to your baby; it will be hard for the baby to metabolize the caffeine so it will stay in his blood for a longer comparing to adults. Studies show no association between coffee consumption and fetal abnormalities, but remember that it’s a powerful stimulant. In fact, many studies show no link between low caffeine intake (cup of coffee/day) and high risk of miscarriage. Health Experts recommend not to exceed 300mg per day due to the high intake is associated with miscarriage.

Do you have to pick organic or fair trade coffee?

The main difference between organic and non-organic coffee is the growing method. The organic method use tree shades so the birds will come and protect the beans from the insects which will give the coffee more flavor and intense aroma. Fair trade certified coffee will guarantee a fair price for the farmer by purchasing the coffee from the farmers directly. Most of them use organic farming methods but can’t get the certification because it’s expensive. There are a lot of reservations about fair trade movement these days, and how it deals with co-op companies rather than the farmers, so it’s your personal choice.

Is brewing coffee on paper filter better for your cholesterol level?

Coffee contains a substance called cafestol, which is a stimulant for LDL (the bad cholesterol). Boiling method for coffee like in Scandinavian countries, Turkish coffee and French press will increase the content of cafestol. But, according to Harvard School of Public Health the use of the paper filter will cut out this substance. If you are prone to high cholesterol level, it’s advised to use the paper filter.

As a dietitian do I drink coffee? Do I recommend it?

I drink coffee occasionally not on daily basis because I prefer tea. Sometimes I add creamers or whipped cream, but most of the time I drink it black. The problem of drinking too much coffee, that you will have no room for other drinks like water, fresh fruit juices or smoothies. It’s really hard to sum up all the benefits and negative effects of drinking coffee, so we still need more long-term studies to make the results more conclusive so we can recommend drinking coffee.

If you like coffee then go for it, enjoy it but don't rely heavily on creamers. And, remember DON’T exceeds 4 standard cups of coffee (6oz.) per day . If you don’t like it, don’t force yourself, you will find similar benefits in other healthy food.

For Espresso lover this is a fun tricky quiz :
The Ultimate Espresso Machine Quiz

For Further Reading:

Ten Reasons to Quit Your Coffee!

http://drhyman.com/blog/2012/06/13/ten-reasons-to-quit-your-coffee/

Is Decaf coffee healthier than regular coffee?

http://nutritiousndelicious.com/blog/is-decaf-coffee-healthier-than-regular-coffee

Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774754

Coffee The Magical Elixir (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:21:00 +0000

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Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven.

~Jessi Lane Adams

What do you feel when you smell fresh grounded coffee? Whenever I smell coffee my mouth is watering, do you feel the same? Is caffeine really addictive? Does caffeine deserve the bad reputation?

Having coffee with a friend or a family member, is a something I love to do. To me it means, we trust each other & it's a great way for socializing. Do you agree? I bet you do! So I think it’s important to talk about the Pros & Cons of Coffee & Caffeine . As there are many issues to cover, this post will be in two parts.

Throughout the year 2012, a lot of studies showed up with promising results for coffee drinkers. Should you add coffee to your diet? How many cups/day? Is Caffeine really addictive? Is decaffeinated coffee a healthier option?

Caffeine:

Is a plant-based alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug.It's found in large quantities in coffee beans. Other sources of Caffeine are soft drinks, energy drinks, cocoa, tea, pain relievers & cold medications.

Rich Source of Antioxidants

Coffee has antioxidants (substances inhibit oxidation that has a known role in fighting diseases by damaging free radicals), in the form of polyphenols. It's content is much higher than in green tea or other herbal drinks. Every food that is not processed has some content of antioxidants, but a high content of antioxidants in the food, does not mean you will have a high level in your body.

Coffee and Diseases

Many studies claim that coffee can lower risk of some degenerative diseases. Most of these studies suggest drinking four cups of coffee (standard cup is 6 oz. =100 mg of Caffeine) in one day.

Cancer

Many studies show that drinking four cups of caffeinated coffee can lower the risk of many cancer types like oral, skin, prostate, pancreas, and colon cancer. I won’t point to specific studies because the overall results are inconclusive.

Heart diseases

In the past it was commonly believed that consuming coffee increases the risk of heart diseases. Animal studies have shown that drinking coffee is associated with acutely raised blood pressure. In June 2012 researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston did an analysis for five studies include more than 140,000 people and the follow up time was from five to thirty eight years; this study show that tow cups of coffee reduced the risk of heart disease by 11%. Although some studies have shown that coffee elevated blood pressure shortly after consuming it. the rise is a short lived one and does not last more than several hours and its very similar to climbing a set of stairs.

Diabetes type 2

Some studies show that Caffeine may raise blood glucose after consumption but, it turns out that the change is very subtle and it has no significant role in healthy adults. A study done by the UCLA School of Public Health they found that women who drink up to 4 cup/day of caffeinated coffee have higher level of a sex hormone binding globulin (SGBH), and this hormone is thought to play role in development of diabetes type 2.

Stroke
A study published in the Stroke (Journal of American Heart Association)discovered women who drink more than one cup of coffee have a 25% lower risk of stroke than women who don't drink coffee. If you want to read more about this study, go to the American Heart Association

Parkinson

According to REUTERS in a small 6-weeks Canadian study on patients who suffer from Parkinson disease over 6 weeks, the researchers found that the patients who took 200 mg of Caffeine pills over 3 weeks then bumped to 200 mg twice a day for the rest of the study, showed an average improvement in movement problems in comparison with patients who took placebo pills.

Alzheimer

According to Medical Daily publication, the University of South Florida's College of Pharmacy, indicated that % percent of coffee drinkers with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) did not develop Alzheimer's during the four year follow-up period of the study. The study was published in The Journal of Alzheimer

Osteoporosis

At a high intake of coffee (more than 744 mg/day) Caffeine may increase the excretion of calcium and magnesium in the urine. If you consume good amounts of calcium every day, coffee may not increase the risk of bone loss. Older adult, especially women, can be more sensitive to Caffeine effects on calcium metabolism, so if you are in this category, you should consult your doctor.

Depression

A study done by Harvard University on women who were not depressed,showed that these women who drink up to four cups of coffee per day, are less likely to suffer from depression in their lives. But the study doesn't prove the reduced risk but it suggests that caffeine has a protective effect.

Unfortunately, a lot of studies are for short term period and not really conclusive, it’s more of association rather than causation (cause and effect). We need more long term studies on caffeine and coffee, before health advocates can advise people to increase their intake of coffee.

Source of the photo:

http://inhabitat.com/study-shows-your-coffee-could-be-wiped-out-by-climate-change-by-2080/

What you need to know about gluten (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:49:00 +0000

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in the previous post I discussed What you need to know about gluten (Part 1) about gluten, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and when you should go for gluten- free diet. In this post I’ll talk about the gluten-free diet.

Gluten free diet

Is the only current treatment for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. It's based on eliminating all sources of gluten from your diet which naturally exist in many staple food. You may feel like this will be a punishment or even very depriving diet, but the good news is that you are already eat a lot of naturally free-gluten food.

Gluten-free Natural food:

These are food items that are naturally free of gluten: Fresh Meat and poultry, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes and seeds, and fats & oils

Food containing gluten

Wheat and everything made from wheat like flour, pasta, noodles, bulgar , semolina, bread, cake, pies, candies, pancakes, waffles, breaded mix products, bread crumbs, crackers and pretzels, cookies, doughnuts, pies and pastries ..etc.
Wheat varieties such as Spelt & Kamut and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).
Barley.
Rye.

Hidden Sources of gluten:

Some food that normally didn’t contain gluten but manufactures adds gluten because it works like stabilizing and thickening agent, these are some of them:

Soy sauce.
Ketchup.
Marinades.
Mustard (maybe contain undistilled vinegar).
White pepper and dry mustard (they have gluten to prevent caking.
Vinegars (white one must be distilled, malt vinegars should be avoided).
Gravies & Sauces made with flour,
Some fries especially the one that made in restaurants.
Chocolate sauces, fruit pie fillings (maybe contain starch).
Non-food products like Medications and vitamin supplements, stamps , glue, envelope, spray starch.
Some cosmetics and hair products.
Malt flavorings & colors like caramel color are often made from barley malt, maltodextrin sugars, could be made from wheat.

Cross contamination

This happens when some products were manufactured in places that may interfere with wheat or any other gluten sources like oats. I advise you to choose the oat that is labeled gluten- free. Using toaster for wheat bread and gluten free bread is one of the major cross contamination, utensil and working surface should be cleaned thoroughly when using gluten products. Makeup, soaps , shampoos and hair products contain gluten that you will not ingest, but they will be in the air or on your skin, touching your mouth or nose might cause it to inter your body.

Dining out with gluten free diets

Preferably, go for restaurants that serve gluten-free dishes. If you want to choose an item on menu that not labeled gluten-free, asks the waiter about the cross contamination possibilities (usage of utensil, deep fryers, and toasters) and ask if they use any packaged mix for your meals or any ready to use marinades and sauces.

Can celiac disease (CD) or gluten sensitivity ruin your life?

Unfortunately, there is no cure till now for celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. The only current treatment is eliminating gluten from your diet. Being diagnosed with (CD) or (GS) doesn’t mean the end of the world. I know it’s easy to say this when you are not sick, but this is a life-time challenge, and you should try to accept it. As a dietitian, I advise you to do the following:

• Limit the intake of processed food, because it has many flavorings, additives and stabilizing or thickening agent, that may derive from wheat or its derivatives. It’s not safe unless it’s as labeled gluten-free products.

• Support yourself with friends and family, look for community support group.

• Seek help from registered dietitian(RD) so it will help you choose food items.

• Educate yourself and read about latest researches about gluten.

• look for recipes so you don’t feel bored of same recipes (preferably RD blogs &websites).

• Avoid cross contamination.

Check out these blogs

Gluten Free Goodness

Sue's Nutrition Buzz

InspiredRD

GLUTEN-FREE DIET

Rebecca thinks...
sanna cooks

What you need to know about Gluten (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:19:00 +0000

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Nowadays you see hundreds of gluten-free diet (GF) products & ads everywhere, even in pet food! You hear that one of the celebrities announces that he is going for (GF) diet. There are hundreds of blogs specialized in (GF) diet recipes. But has gluten become an overused word? Who should really go for gluten-free diet?

Some people think GF diet is a diet for weight loss or a way to live healthy. Should everyone get tested for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? Should we panic about gluten content in our food? Even though there are many products naturally-free of gluten, food companies maybe use the gluten-free statement to sell their products. Does GF diet offer extra benefits for the human body? Let’s start by defining gluten.

What is gluten?

It’s a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. This protein gives the dough the elasticity

And helps it to rise and gives the bread its desired chewy texture.

What is Celiac disease (CD)?

It’s an inherited chronic autoimmune disease, which means when you eat food containing gluten, your body releases antibodies to fight the unknown substances in the intestinal villi, so the body will damage its owns tissues. It can happen at any age, so it can attack children, adults and the elderly.

How can you know if you have (CD)

It’s a bit hard to diagnose (CD) because the symptoms are similar to other intestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease and irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and others.The classic general symptoms are:

Abdominal Bloating and gases.
Constipation alternating with diarrhea.
Unexplained weight loss.

Other symptoms that may not shared by all patients are:

Fatigue.
Headaches and migraines
Bone and joint pain in the elderly.
Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia.
Depression.
Infertility for women and men.

And the list goes on with many other symptoms. To be sure that you are suffering from a celiac disease, you should exclude the possibility of suffering from Crohn’s or IBS or any other intestinal diseases. Then you should got tested before start eliminating gluten from your diet. If you started to eliminate gluten, this will give you a false negative result, so you should consult a Dr. or Registered Dietitian (RD) before taking any major changes in your diet. Now blood tests are done to test specific antibodies, and if the tests are positive, intestinal biopsy is the next step.

What if (CD) left untreated?

Malnutrition will occur because of the malabsorption of vitamins and minerals, it just passes to the large intestine and it may lead to other diseases like osteoporosis, pancreatic disease, and organ diseases like gallbladder and liver. Also it can cause stunted growth for children if left untreated. There are some studies started over 10 years ago, to link (CD) with unexplained infertility in women and men but until now, there have been no conclusive results.

Is the damage caused by (CD) for intestine permanent?

No! Because the intestine generates its own cells every 3 days, yet can take years to heal completely. This depends on how bad was the damage in the beginning.

What is gluten sensitivity (GS) or intolerance?

According to The University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research It’s a reaction to ingesting gluten in the intestine; symptoms can range from mild stomach pain and foggy brain to depression and joint pain. There is no specific test for (GS) so far, so you should first get tested for (CD) and wheat allergy, if you aren’t positive for neither of them, you should consult an (RD).

(GS) and brain function

This is a very controversial issue; many scientists now claimed that gluten sensitivity may lead to autism and schizophrenia, depression or mood swings but there are no conclusive results.

Source of the photo The GOUT killer

For further reading:

Gluten Sensitivity and the Impact on the Brain

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-david-perlmutter-md/gluten-impacts-the-brain_b_785901.html

Celiac Disease, Gluten Sensitivity and the Gluten-Free Diet

https://glutenfreediet.ca/handouts.php

Q & A with Alessio Fasano, MD, The latest on gluten sensitivity and celiac disease

http://www.livingwithout.c

GMO labeling and Prop 37 in California

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 02:52:00 +0000

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As a dietitian and blogger interested in writing about the striking news in fields of nutrition, health and agriculture; I feel I’m obliged to write about the “GMO labeling and Proposition 37 in California” issue. Even though I don’t want to write about this because I'm aware that behind the scene, there are a lot of companies and organizations are involved in this matter. $45.6 millions were spent by big food companies Like Monsanto, to fight the campaign to prevent labeling food items, whether it has any content of GM or it’s natural.

Here, I can see that these companies are working diligently to preserve their positions in the market and, defeating their competitors.And that increasing their profits is more vital than the consumer’s health. I'll try to cover the aspects about this subject, but unfortunately there is no one alone capable to guarantee the safety of using GMO techniques on human and the environment.

In European countries, Japan,China and, other countries have banned the use of GMO products. So why don't people in America have the right to know what’s in their food? First, let’s talk about the Prop 37.

What is Prop 37?

According to the Giannini Foundation in the article “California’s Proposition 37: Effects of Mandatory Labeling of GM Food” Prop 37 Is a law that would mandate the labeling of foods produced from genetically modified (GM) crops—also known as either biotech or genetically engineered (GE) crops and, according to "California General Election" it requires labeling of food sold to consumers made from plants or animals with genetic material changed in specified ways. Prohibits marketing such food, or other processed food, as “Natural.” It also provides exemptions

What is GMO Food?

It’s a crop or animal or plant, modified with molecular biological techniques to enhance desired traits like high resistance to insects. It has been used since the eighties.

What is the effect of GMOs on humans?

In 1992 the FDA (food and drug administration) declared that genetically engineered foods are "not inherently dangerous" and do not require special regulation. According to the Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) the science is quite clear: crop improvement by the modern molecular techniques of biotechnology is safe. There are a lot of controversies and arguments about the benefits and concerns of using GM crops. Some are arguing how it can end the world hunger. Other experts like environmentalists have many concerns about environment safety.Some doctors and registered dietitians claim that GMOS increase the rates of food allergenicity among children.

In one French study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology in Sep 2012, revealed that mice who ate modified corn were more likely to die at an earlier age and developed health problems, but a lot of scientists claim this study is based on poor evidence.

We need long terms studies for the effects of GMO on human.We need scientists, biologists, environmentalists and dietitians to gather their experiences and their knowledge, to from an idea about the possible health effects on humans.

As consumers what we should do?

Unfortunately, we can't do much about stopping biotechnology, but there a few steps you can do:

Don't depend on processed food for your diet, choose fresh products.

Encourage movements in the state you live in against GMOs, read more about GMO, use the Non GMO shopping guide .
Go for Organic products whenever possible; go shopping from the farmer's markets, most of them sell organic products even though most of them are not certified.

Finally, I hope the government will take part in what’s going on. After President Obama's re-election, I hope he will give these issues consideration especially since the first lady Michelle Obama started the Let's Move campaign and others related to nutrition and health in general.

Suggested Websites:
Non-GMO Project
THE NON GMO SOURCE BOOK

Source of the photo: triplepundit.com

For further Reading:
Proposition 37: Of Passions, Profits & Prospective
Lies, Dirty Tricks, and $45 Million Kill GMO Labeling in California
Does GMO Corn Really Cause Tumors in Rats?
Why Prop 37 failed

“Be a Smart Shopper “ Why I hate this motto

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 03:36:00 +0000

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Every day we watch TV segments about being a smart shopper, or read from a popular holistic practitioner or a well-known Registered Dietitian (RD) that we should be smart shoppers and how to make smart choices.

What is this hype about?? What does it mean? (That we are dumb by nature and now we should think smarter?) What is the real differences between choosing an ice cream instead of fruits?

So great is man's hunger for forbidden food!

Ovid, Metamorphoses

We all know that forbidden food (in this case, fatty food, sugary foods) is detrimental to our health, but still we always want it and ask for it. Psychologists and experts are still searching for the reasons why we choose what we eat; of course satiety and hunger are key factors.But convenience, cost and, appearance are very crucial ones.

In my opinion, multiple factors influence our food choices:

Culture, Ethnic background and Religion

In recent decades eating habits have changed dramatically in America, parents choose candy for snacks and ready meals for lunch and dinner because moms no longer have time to cook healthy meals, kids are rewarded with candy for everything they do. These social behaviors led to the epidemic obesity and chronic diseases. Different ethnic groups have distinctive eating patterns. o. Also, being a religious belief may prevent you from eating certain foods. I come from from the Middle East,where the food culture of eating is to eat everything available in the environment (mostly plant foods.

Mass Media

Commercials brainwashed for many consumers,the Media has worked with big food companies to create ads that manipulate people’s feelings and beliefs and make claims that their products are healthy to attract more people.

The popular expression “shopping smarter” is repeated again and again. To me it means that we deliver messages for people that you are stupid, and now you should stand and take an action, because it’s the right time for a company to release a new product like whole grain granola bars, or new protein smoothie flavored with your favorite type of fruit.. Just for you! Also, I blame retailers> Once I saw in a popular supermarket (claimed to promote healthy lifestyles through their goods) an aisle for a stationary stuff for kids, the opposite aisle was filled with snacks and candy, This is a way to get kid's attention so they will ask their parents for more candy!

Life style

A lot of people don’t really care about their health, even if they are suffering from nutrition-related diseases like diabetes. They live by the motto “life is too short”, so they indulge in all the food they love as much as they want!

Emotional Instability

Suffering from an unstable emotional status like being divorced or a single parent or widowed or abused or depressed or any other kind of emotional instability, pushes you to eat irrationally and choose whatever makes you feel comfortable, like eating a high carbohydrates diet.

· But does this mean that we can’t change it? What to do?

Changing the culture and how it influences the way we consume food, will take years to change the way we consume food. All RDs and nutrition experts should take the responsibility and find ways to convince people to change their eating behaviors .I know I should address my posts to people who interested in being healthy , but I want to be realistic, pushing people to do something they don’t believe in will lead to more bad eating habits.

Here's what you can do:

Work on your taste buds, by cutting sugar and salt from your meals; try to sense the natural flavors of food items.
Set a schedule for yourself, decide what books you want to read about healthy food, seek help from an RD or a nutritionist, go shopping for groceries for foods, and grow multiple plants and herbs in your backyard if possible.
Cook with your kids, partner or a friend to make the cooking experience more exciting.
Stop being picky and don’t resist change, try a different way of living, give your body a chance by eating different food items.
Don’t let yourself be the target of mass media, don’t watch commercials, and don’t engage in conversations with coworkers, friends, etc. about new trends of healthy products.
Stop bullying & judging the overweight people, let people live a normal life!
Mothers, teachers, celebrities and all the influential characters in the communities, should be role models for the next generations.

Source of the photo

Suggested websites:

Health at Every Size (HAES)
Mediterranean food pyramid

For Further Reading:

Food, Physiology, and Psychology http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/6937

What Is In My Food? http://healthpsychology.org/what-is-in-my-food/

Agricultural sustainability

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:32:00 +0000

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Sustainability has become mainstream these days. You hear it and read it everywhere from sustainable food to sustainable offices, in all fields from business to agriculture. Does it become a cliche word? What does it mean?

In my post To go for Organic products or not? My thoughts I discussed the issue of choosing organic products or not, and how the experts argue that choosing organic ones is beyond our health and it for environmental sustainability. So what does Sustainability means?

According to EPA (United States Environmental protection Agency), Sustainability is based on a simple principle: Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. In other words it’s how we can thrive in the world without depleting natural resources and depriving next generations.

What we want to discuss here is Agricultural Sustainability, which means applying agriculture practices with fair use of natural resources, soil, land, water, energy, and animal welfare.
Because the human population is in continuous growth; we need more fertile lands for cultivating crops especially for the staple ones like wheat and corn, this high demand forced the experts and scientists in ecology, biology, chemistry and other researchers in related fields, to concerted their efforts and experiences to create more ways to encounter the plea.

Unfortunately these high technology practices like GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms, I'll explain it in separate blog post soon),comes with a high price, they are heavily dependent on non-renewable energy (like petroleum), it can cause soil erosion, deforestation,and an increase in greenhouse gases. To attain agricultural sustainability, we should seek alternative approaches like organic farming, rotating crops (which means growing more than one kind of crops) management of the soil, grazing management for animal production practices.

photo is taken from Source

Does your diet affect the Earth?

Yes, diet does matter! Relying on high animal protein diets on daily basis costs the earth more land regions, energy, water and other natural resources needed for raising animal farms. In one study done by the AJCN in California, the results showed that the nonvegetarian diet required 2.9 times more water, 2.5 times more primary energy, 13 times more fertilizer, and 1.4 times more pesticides than did the vegetarian diet.

As consumers, what is our role?

A lot of movements now call for Veganism (strictly abstaining use of animal products) or plant based diet to protect our planet. If you are a vegan for ethical or religious reasons you actually doing a big favor for our Earth. As a dietitian and an omnivore, I admit that going for plant-based diet would mitigate the depletion of natural resources. I recommend including more plant dishes in your diet, or maybe you can be a flexitarian (means being a vegetarian with occasionally including meat in your diet) and I advise you to do the following:

Don’t confine yourself, read about approaches for protecting the natural resources, and ask yourself what you can do to reach Agricultural sustainability.

Navigate the internet; it’s full of recipes for plant-based dishes.

Explore other cuisines like Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian, these cuisines are packed of totally vegan options or, at least vegetarian. (photo is for Tabbouli, middle eastern appetizer Source )
Host gathering events for friends and family while serving plant-based dishes and explain to them why we should include more plant-based dishes.

Seek the advice from a dietitian about how to include more plant dishes and know your options.

Finally, I recommend these websites if you want to search for sustainable food and farms:

Eat Well Guide

Sustainable Table

For further reading:

Sustainable Agriculture http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/bi430-fs430/Documents-2004/7B-MIN%20TILL%20AG/Sustainable%20Agr%C3%89hn%20Reganold.pdf

What is Sustainable Agriculture? http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/sarep/about/def

Diet and the environment: does what you eat matter http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/89/5/1699S.short

My visit to the Farmer Market

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 03:33:00 +0000

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As I suggested in the previous post To go for Organic products or not? My thoughts to go to the local market if you can’t afford buying organic products, I decided to go to the Farmer Market and ask the farmers myself some questions about how they are growing and maintaining their products.

First, Lets have a look at what I bought:

(Curly Kale, Pumpkin, Natural Honey, Zucchini, Tomato, Organic Carrots, Fresh Farmer Cheese)

Random photos fromo the Market (Iowa city):

My questions were:

Do you use synthetic pesticides? If yes, what kind of pesticides do you use? If not, how do you keep your products safe?
Did you or anyone in your family suffer from health problems caused by pesticides?
Is the government supports you in any way?

For the farmers sells Organic products:

Does the organic farming cost you more than conventional one?
Do people prefer to buy organic products?
How long have you been in organic farming?
Is the government supports you in any way?

The farmers were very helpful and open to answer my questions. Pauline, said that she switched from using synthetic pesticides to natural ones because, the synthetic one didn't work ( didn’t kill the bugs), neither her nor her family members suffered from health problems caused by pesticides, and finally she said the government doesn’t support them in any way.

Emily,she is young lady, working for her grandfather’s farm, she assured me that, they don’t use synthetic pesticides, they use natural ways (bugs, bees), and there’s no support from the government.

Cathy,helps her friend in selling their Organic products, she said he doesn’t use any synthetic pesticides or sprays or herbicides. I asked him how he maintain his products, he said he rotate crops every 5 years, and he grows many products so, if one of the products fail to growth, he just skip it. I also asked him if the organic farming cost him more, he answered that this is not a problem because, he charges more and a lot of people prefer to buy organic products and, again no support from the government.

Bobsass, he grows pumpkin, big and small ones, he said he doesn’t use any synthetic pesticides, and he try to maintain his products by natural ways, and he just discards the faulty ones, and again there is no support from the government.

Jezz, he sells natural and unprocessed cheese, he has many kinds, he reassures me that they use whole milk (which I prefer because it's not processed like skim and not fat milk), and they make chesses by traditional ways, and I asked him how about the cows and how they treat them, he answered that he buy it from someone else, but he is sure they don’t use growth hormone for their cows, and if they want to use antibiotics they don’t milk the infected ones.

These answers are just a random samples, but I asked almost all the farmers in the farmer market and they said that they don’t use pesticides or sprays, which means they almost do Organic farming even if they don’t have the certificate by USDA, so it’s good idea to buy from the farmer market, you can guarantee that the products are pesticides free and you support the farmers so they can keep growing their products by using natural ways.

(I took the photos form my last visit to the market in Iowa City,IA after asking permission from the farmers, the farmers in the picture are not the ones that I've asked except the one who sells cheese)

To go for Organic products or not? My thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:38:00 +0000

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Who can end the controversial conflict about organic and the conventional food? Doctors? Scientists? Biologists? Registered Dietitians? Farmers?

This equivocal issue is on the stake these days.Many experts argued that going for organic products is beyond our health but rather for the sake of sustainability and the environment , so as consumers what we should do?

First, are the Organic foods having more nutrition value?

The School of Medicine in Stanford University had published a study in Annals of Internal Medicine on Sept 4 resulted that; organic food is no more nutritious than conventional one. A lot of studies nowadays showed that nutrition value and calories are the same in organic and conventional foods, but on the other hand, many studies claimed that, organic products have much lower pesticides residues or not at all.

What is the harm of pesticides?

Many people think that pesticides are linked to many types of cancer and birth defects, but is this true? Till now there is no strong evidence showed that pesticides can cause cancer. However, many scientists argued that the vitamins and minerals deficiencies of not eating fruits and vegetables are more harmful than eating products that had been sprayed with pesticides.

What about the dirty dozen 15?
EWG (Non-profit organization) had published in 2011 "the dirty dozen shopper’s guide" to help people identify the products (fruits & vegetables), that has the most amount of pesticides residues even after they had been washed and peeled, so they encourage choosing organic variety of the dirty 15 list which include: Apples, Celery, Sweet Bell Peppers, Peaches, Strawberries, Nectarines– imported, Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Cucumbers, Blueberries, and domestic Potatoes. And, of course there is a clean 15 list which they have less pesticide residues which includes Onions,Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Avocado, Cabbage, Sweet peas ,Asparagus, Mangoes, Eggplant, Kiwi, Cantaloupe - domestic, Sweet potatoes, Grapefruit, Watermelon, and Mushrooms.

What about the cost?

Some experts claimed that price shouldn't be an issue when deciding to buy organic or not, but how come? A lot of American families can't afford buying the minimum needs to survive, According to the FEEDING AMERICA organization In 2010, 46.2 million people (15.1 percent) were in poverty. And In 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.6 million adults and 16.2 million children.For whom these studies are published? For the elite categories in the community who read these published papers from their fancy offices? I don't want to sound soft-headed,but in my personal opinion, “Price does Matter”.

Eventually, as a dietitian and far from politics and economics, going for organic products is a personal choice; if you can afford buying organic go on,but if you can't afford it, maybe you can support the local farmers in your area, by buying their products, having chat with them about the pesticides they use and know their difficulties. Either way, I encourage everyone to increase their intake of fruits & vegetables.

Will you go for organic products? What are your thoughts? Comment below and share your thoughts!

Photo in the post is taken from treehugger

For Further Reading:

But do we have to panic? Interesting article about pesticides By: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/06/19/155354070/why-you-shouldnt-panic-about-pesticide-in-produce
The potential health effects of pesticide http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/dept/comguide/effects_excerpt.pdf
Can Organic Farming Feed Us All? http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4060
Organic Farming Isn't Always Sustainable; Another Threat to Bees http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2012/04/organic-farming-isnt-always-sustainable-another-thing-killing-bees/51568/

Depression during Pregnancy & Nutrition

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 18:04:00 +0000

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This is somewhat a personal issue, but I think I should discuss it here because it’s a common problem during pregnancy. Unfortunately I had the signs of Depression. It was a bad experience, and I felt hatred towards being pregnant and even towards being alive. I feel much better now, thanks to my husband, my family, and GOOD NUTRITION! And this is what we will talk about today!

Pregnancy is supposed to be a joyful journey for mothers; WomensHealth U.S Project stated that 13% of pregnant women suffer from depression; It may come in any trimester and. if left untreated, there are many health risks according to the thehealthAGE blog. for the mother as well as the baby including: premature delivery, poor weight gain, preeclampsia (high blood pressure associated with protein in the urine after20 weeks of pregnancy), and difficulty in bonding with new born.

Depression as defined by (World Health Organization) WHO. is a "common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration".

Worrying too much about your health, the baby’s health, Your responsibilities, Marital conflicts, Feel unsupported, Hormonal imbalances etc. All these factors can lead in way or another to depression, but how can you know if you suffer from depression?

Follow these signs:

Difficulty in concentrating.
Having less desire to do pleasurable things you used to do.
Fatigue.
Feel that you are failure.
Sleeping disturbances or too much sleeping.
Crying for no reason.
Thinking about self-harm or even death.

So what do you have to do if you have experienced these signs?
First, you should try consuming a healthy diet, but can food ease Depression?

Yes! Good nutrition can take care of you through the journey of treatment of depression; Studies claim that diets rich in tryptophan (amino acid) can raise serotonin level in the brain cells, which is influence mood in way that may leads to depression. Pregnant woman should focus on the following advices:

B6 vitamin: You should consume a diet high in vitamin B6, because this vitamin is a co-factor for tryptophan-serotonin pathway; that play key role in depression, you can obtain this vitamin from various food such as whole grains, legumes like lentil, soybeans, fruits like banana, walnut and sunflower seeds and you can find it more in Raw food rather than cooked food..

Folate: Actually, there is No Certain evidence shows how it’s useful for the treatment of depression, but depressed people showed low blood levels of Folate, so experts advice is to meet the daily need, you can find it in leafy green vegetables, fortified items like whole grain, beans link pinto , chickpeas, and fruits like avocado.

Omega 3: Many studies claimed that results of consuming diets high in omega 3 are similar to the results of the use of antidepressants, you can find it in a various types of seafood, walnut, fortified eggs, and flax seed oil.

Iron: Many studies claim that low iron is linked to clinical depression, so you should elevate your iron level,which usually exists in animal products, fortified & enriched food like grains and breads.

Vitamin B 12 : Which only exists in Animal Products like meat , chicken , eggs and milk.

Also, pregnant women should make sure that they matches their nutritional needs, drink up to 8 or 10 glasses of water, make a habit of walking every day, because walking in fresh air may release endorphins which leased to happiness, get enough sleep, surround themselves with good company, talk to friends, family, partners, or join support groups about how they feel.

Disclaimer: The advice mentioned in this post, is not a substitute for seek professional medical advise.

Photo in the post is taken from allParenting

Finally, I wish a joyful journey for every pregnant woman, and a happy healthy delivery!

Chicken with Mango Stew Recipe (Gluten-Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:37:00 +0000

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Who doesn’t love fruit?

Fruits are very nutritious and delicious. There are a million ways to eat fruit: you can eat them whole as a snack, blended in a smoothie, baked as a desert, or even in savory salads & main courses!

It's no wonder Mango got the popular name “The King of Fruits“; Because of its high nutritional value, it has a decent amount of Vitamins , Minerals , and Fiber, while being low in cholesterol and sodium.

As Mango's color is mid-range of yellow to orange, this means it's high in Beta-carotene (precursor form of Vitamin A) which acts like antioxidant.

Mango is a low calorie food, has abundant amounts of Vitamin C , exceeding the daily RDA, good amounts of Vitamin B6, Vitamin E , and high in Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, and traces of Iron.

It also has phytochemicals which are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have many health benefits like anti cancer properties, and soluble dietary fiber like Pectin which aids of lowering serum cholesterol in the body.

A lot of studies claim that Mangos can kill cancer cells without affecting normal ones, especially in colon cancer and breast cancer.

And now let’s come to the recipe…

This recipe has sweet & savory taste which is perfect for lunch or dinner.

You will need the following ingredients: Adapted from “Meats & Poultry” cookbook .

1 medium white Onion chopped.

Minced Ginger (to taste).

Minced garlic (to taste).

1 large pieces of ripe Mango chopped into cubes.

1 cup of Low sodium Chicken broth (I used Maggie dry cube, they are gluten-free ).

Cashew to taste ( I added almost 20 piece).

1 cup Fresh Orange juice

2 tsp. of Cornstarch (you can add coconut milk for thicking the sauce if you are gluten intolerant).

Boneless Chicken breasts without skin (1lb.) cut into cubes

1 cup of Basmati white Rice.

3 tbsp. Of Olive oil.

2 tsp.of Curry powder. if you like the intense flavor of spice, you can add more, I always do that and its calroie free (choose the gluten-free one).

§ Put 1 tbsp.of olive oil in medium chef’s pan or sauce pan or Dutch oven,( I prefer the chef’s pan) on medium heat , brown the chicken on each side for 5 min , set the chicken aside and reserve the oil.

Reserve 2 tbsp. of orange juice and pour the rest on the glazed brown pan and sketch it to get all the residues, and let it boil for 5 min. Dissolve cornstarch (or coconut milk if it is in powder state) with reserved OJ and add it to the pan and let it boil for 1 min. Then remove it from the heat and Pour the juice over the chicken and set aside.

Add 2 tbsp. of olive oil to the same pan on medium heat, saute the onion, ginger and garlic for 2 min., add the mango cubes, chicken broth, chicken with juice and the curry powder, simmer it on medium heat for 20 min at least or until the mango is mushy .

In the meantime, put the cashew in a roasting pan with a splash of olive oil and roast it for 5 -10 min on 180 C or 380 F.

Add cashews to the stew, sprinkle salt and fresh pepper to taste.Serve it over steamed Basmati rice.You can garnish with unsweetened coconut flakes or dried banana flakes.

And now enjoy!

A significant amount of fat and calories comes from olive oil & cashew, but both of them contain mono & polyunsaturated fat which is very good for you health. You can skip it if you want, but they add a nice flavor and texture !

Any topping of garnish may increase the calories

Nutrition Myths Debunked

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 14:39:00 +0000

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Vinegar helps by melting fat from the body. Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar. cold water can induce weight loss.

Do these statements sound familiar?

Every day you hear form your mom or friends, or read in websites, newspapers and magazines, about specific food items for weight loss, for shaping the body, and for flattening the belly, but which are true? Which are a myth?

Let’s clarify some popular myths:

Myth: Drink vinegar on an empty stomach first thing in the morning to melt fat

Fact: Vinegar is a versatile liquid made by the process of fermentation of ethanol by acidic bacteria, there are many types of it. It can be made from fruits like apple, grapes or grains like rice or dried fruits like raisins.
Because vinegar has high acidity it may cause burns inside the body, and irritate the throat, and if you take it in large amounts for long period of time you will end up with holes in your stomach and intestines.

There is no scientific evidence that vinegar aids in melting fat from the body, but because is it low in sodium and fat, it will be perfect for salad dressings.
My advice is to add a splash of natural vinegar over salads, add it to fresh made salsa, or use it in marinades for meats.

Myth: (Brown Sugar, Pure Maple Syrup, or Honey) are healthier alternatives for white sugar

Fact: Sugar is Sugar!

Even when the names and colors are different. First lets talk about brown sugar

Most of us think that brown sugar is a raw version, but its just white sugar with added molasses (by- product of sugar refining process). Light brown sugar or dark brown differs in the amount of added molasses, depending on molasses content brown sugar has some nutrients like phosphors and calcium but it’s very tiny so it’s negligible.

Honey and maple syrup yields more calories in comparison to white sugar but on the other hand they are sweeter so you need to put less in your recipe, white sugar has low glycemic load in comparison to honey and maple syrup.

Honey and maple syrup (raw and pure) have antibacterial and antioxidants effects in comparison to white sugar.

Maple syrup has good amounts of minerals like (manganese, calcium, iron, zinc), but its high in calories, so you should consider consuming other food items for the minerals.

Researching for health benefits of natural sweeteners is still in process and the results are not conclusive, whether they are good for immune system or have other health benefits.

My advice is don’t spend a lot of money on other versions of sugar unless you like the taste and for healthier lifestyle use sugar in moderation

Myth: Pregnant woman need to drink up to 4 cups of milk!

Fact: The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of calcium for Pregnant womanis1000mg/day, it’s the same for non-pregnant woman (except in the case of pregnancy during adolescence). The reason why some doctors and midwives may advices more milk is because a lot of women don’t match their needs of calcium, but no need to panic and consume this huge amount of milk, you can drink 1 cup of milk , or have an 8 ounce of plain yoghurt or an 1 ounce of cheddar cheeses and don’t forget the leafy green vegetables like spinach and broccoli which also have decent amounts of calcium, just be sure that you match your need.

Myth: Bread makes you fat!

Fact: Bread is part of the carbohydrate food group. Carbs contains simple sugar (glucose, fructose, lactose) or/and starch (big chain of glucose molecules). We need glucose daily as a main source of energy (Brain use 50% of energy as form of glucose), if we don’t consume carbs and there is no adequate intake of glucose, the body will start to release glycogen( which is made and stored in the liver) as source of energy. If the glycogen is depleted, the body will release protein from muscles as source of energy and then you lose the lean mass not fat as many people think.

So basically we need sugars, but the problem is that high sugar content of food will cause a spike of insulin, so consuming simple sugars regularly for long periods of time may lead to diabetes. The solution is to choose Complex carbs like whole grains because they need a long time to digest and be adsorbed by the human body. Therefore, it will not cause a spike in insulin. It’s true that bread or carbs are high in calories, but they are high in minerals and vitamins and fiber.

My advice is Choose wisely, go for whole grain products over refined ones (the refined carbs contain less nutrients because of the refining and bleaching processes, even though many manufacturers add the nutrients back). Also legumes, fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber.

If you want to know more about these myths or any other popular statements in nutrition you think maybe it’s a myth contact me and I’ll be glad to clarify it for you.

Healthy Summer Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 09:12:00 +0000

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Orange Milk Pudding Recipe

Summer is here at last, and cold deserts are overwhelming; ice creams and other deserts are loaded with sugar and fat, so I tried to come up with healthy desert for you

When I was a child, my mom used to make this recipe in the summer, it's healthy, easy to make and satisfying,and it's cost efficient, last week while I was searching the internet for healthy deserts, this desert just popped up in my head, so I searched again and I found this recipe Sanaa cooks

and I just found it's exactly like mom's recipe !

This is a traditional Middle Eastern recipe

Lets start ,

Milk layer: (in the bottom)

2 cups of Milk (whole milk)

2 Tb of Sugar

2 Tb of Cornstarch

Drops of Rose Water

Orange layer :

2 cups of Fresh Orange Juice

2 Tb of Sugar

2 Tb of Cornstarch

Add sugar & cornstarch to the milk while it's still cold, then heat it and stir constantly until you have the desired consistency, (it should be thick), pour it in cups or any other plate you like, and let it cool in the fridge at least for 2 hours

Do the same for the orange layer, then pour it above the milk layer, let it cool for 1 day or overnight

You can add nuts, whole or crushed, cinnamon, shaved coconut , or a drizzle of honey !

I 'll leave you with some pictures

Photos are taken by Haytham Hajir

Note: Unfortunately I had to add more Cornstarch because it wasn't as thick as I wanted, so I doubled the amount for each layer, but I advice you not do this unless you feel it's not thick enough.

This recipe yields 8 Serving, each one has:

This is based on the doubled cornstarch amount

Any topping may increase the calories

Food: Is it fuel or pleasure?

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Check out this post in the new blog

www.nutrizonia.com

Nowadays we are overwhelmed by the abundance of food choices, from light refreshing appetizers to mouth melting desserts. Why does dining out bring us joy and happiness? Is food just a fuel? Is eating food the easiest way to get a sense of pleasure? Or is it a guilty pleasure?

First we should ask,

Why do we have to eat?

Food is the main source of energy that the body needs for its vital functions, such as respiration or the circulation of blood on which life directly dependents, to work. We need an approximate amount of energy daily; the nutrition experts calculated this amount taking in consideration many factors like, life style (sedentary or active), age, gender…etc. Without food you can’t live, and if you starve yourself; your cognition abilities will diminish.

How does the body react to the sense of pleasure?

A neurotransmitter is a chemical compound signaling form the brain, Dopamine and Serotonin are some examples, their functions direct the mood; Dopamine is for alertness, and Serotonin is for being happy and positive. These neurotransmitters are stimulated by some actions, such as eating delicious food, listening to music or other actions or activates of pleasure.

Dopamine and Serotonin are found naturally in many food items, to mention some

Rich B –Vitamin food like Wholegrain products, Brown rice

Fruits like Avocado, Banana, Blueberries

Rich Protein Food like Meat , Dairy products and Soy

Leafy green vegetables

A single meal contains various components that created its final shape. Carbohydrate, Fat, Protein and water are the main components. Each one of these components has tiny molecules that give it specific shape like amino acids, glucose...etc. These molecules contain the precursors needed for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters.

When we eat food items that contain these precursors or/and neurotransmitter themselves, the brain responds by stimulating the release of these neurotransmitters; so we feel happy.

We crave the food that make us happy, and feeling comfortable, but in most cases this will lead to overeating, especially if the person has an emotional disorder like depression. So…

Food is a fuel and in some cases it brings pleasure … what do we do?

We need to stimulate these neurotransmitters (that alter our mood and make us fell calmer) by other ways rather than eating food. Listening to Music and good deep laughter are good ways.

Exercising for 30 minutes five days a week will raise dopamine secretion, a 1983 study performed at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that laboratory animals exposed to bright light had higher levels of dopamine in the retina of the eyes.

In addition, a 2007 article written by Simon N. Young of McGill University and published in "The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience" explains that several studies have shown that exposure to bright light such as sunlight increases serotonin levels in the brain.

Finally, because of our nature as humans, we love to feel, have or sense pleasure. So be active, join community groups, break the routine, surround yourself with good company, and laugh form your heart and occasionally you can enjoy food treats!

Why I created This blog

noreply@blogger.com (Farida) — Sun, 27 May 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Hi, I’m Farida .Sharing is something I love and believe in deeply. Nutrition and Health issues have become one of the hottest subjects these days, you can find tons of websites and blogs talking about them, but it’s hard to find the good ones, thus I want to share with you, my readers, my knowledge and experience, to help you to become a healthier people, and to keep you up to date to what’s new in the nutrition field. And because everyone has the right to know what’s best for their body, I’ve created this blog.