Healthtips

Pumpkin: Super Fall Vegetable

2011-10-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin comes with fall....courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Pumpkins make good luminaries—Jack-O-Lanterns are synonymous with Halloween. They make beautiful fall decorations and if you’re into eating (who isn’t?)—there are pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread and pumpkin scones. Every culinary magic has been done to pumpkin from frying them up as fritters to mashing them to make pasta. In the colonial days, pumpkin was used to make pie crust, not the filling.

Then, there is the medicinal aspect of it. It was once used to treat freckles and snake bites. It was also reported that dried pieces of pumpkin were ingeniously put together to make floor mats. Wow—people can get creative.

What makes pumpkin so special? This fall vegetable is quite a celebrity in the world of vegetables. It may not look quite a star, but it has no lack of nutritional star quality.

First, the color is a giveaway. The bright orange color is indicative of the presence of beta-carotene, a carotenoid that gets converted to vitamin A in the body. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant. Meaning? It keeps the damaging free radicals from wrecking cellular damage and triggering off various forms of cancer and degenerative diseases such as macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. Current research also shows that beta-carotene offers protection against cardiovascular diseases.

That’s the most obvious fact about pumpkin. However, it is not a one-trick vegetable. It has other nutrients that boost health. It is has iron to build strong blood, zinc for proper growth and maintenance, potassium for the proper functioning of cells, tissues and organs and fiber.

If you’re looking for ways to enjoy pumpkin, consider the following:

Use in Culinary Preparation

Put them in soups, roast them and toss them in salads, puree them and put them in pies, bread or muffins. Pare away the hard exterior and slice them up—fry them in tempuras, sautee them with pieces of meat, bake them or grill. My mother used to cut pumpkin into cubes and cook them with a little brown sugar for a sweet dessert.

Read 100 Ways to Cook Pumpkin

Beauty Purposes

Pumpkin moisturizers, pumpkin mask and beauty products with pumpkin are rather common these days. You can make your own beauty aid with freshly pureed pumpkin. Add a little honey, milk or yogurt—they’re all skin enhancers.

Try Homemade Pumpkin Mask

Pumpkin Seeds

Don’t discard seeds—they’re actually very nutritious. They are high in essential fatty acids, vitamin E and A. When you scoop out the seeds, wash out stingy slimy part, toss with olive oil and a little salt (if desired) and roast at 350 degree Fahrenheit for approximately 15 minutes.

Try Hilda's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Uses for Argan Oil

2011-10-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

Dry Hair...and skin too? Freaked out? courtesy of .womenfitness.net

Dry skin, dull hair, brittle cuticles—do they freak you out? If you’ve been wondering just how to get rid of these annoying problems, you don’t have to look high and low in the cosmetic aisle. There is a natural oil, taken from the argan nut that has amazing cosmetic and therapeutic properties. Although the Berber women of Morocco have long known this beauty secret, the world is just catching on. In fact, argan oil is now used in various cosmetic products including moisturizer, soaps and hair products.

So what the hype about? Let’s find out.

Interesting Facts About Argan Oil:

Argan oil is extracted from the nuts of the Argan trees, Argania spinosa.
Argan trees grow exclusively on the southwestern part of Morocco.
The oil is extracted by hand and it’s labor intensive. The raw form is used for beauty and cosmetic purposes. The oil extracted from the roasted nuts is used for cooking purposes, so look for raw organic argan oil if you’re using it for your skin and hair.
The oil, also known as liquid gold because of its magical healing and therapeutic capabilities, is rich in skin-rejuvenating nutrients, hydrating essential fatty acids, powerful antioxidants and polyphenols that are three times higher than vitamin E.

What’s so Special about Argan Oil? Argan oil has the following:

Vitamin F

Vitamin F which is made up of two essential fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids and omeg-6 fatty acids). In terms of skin health, vitamin F brings about cell rejuvenation to keep skin looking supple and young. It fights wrinkles, dryness and premature aging.

Vitamin E

Helps to protect against ultraviolet radiation and promote cutaneous micro-circulation, keeping skin nourished and healthy.

Phenols

Phenols are powerful antioxidants. They also exert anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial capabilities. As such, argan oil is often used to treat skin problems such as acne, scars, eczema and psoriasis. It can also provide relief for rheumatism, arthritis and sore muscles.

Squalene

Is a necessary component of skin surface lipids and it helps to promote healthy and youthful-looking skin.

How Can You Use Argan Oil for Your Benefit?

Skincare

Since argan oil is rich in skin-rejuvenating nutrients, use argan oil to moisturize skin. Simply add a drop of argan oil and mix it with your moisturizer to moisturize skin. You can also use it on its own, under makeup. Argan oil has an inbuilt sun protection factor, so it’s ideal for daywear. Since argan oil is very rich, a little goes a long way. People with very dry skin may also use it at night to revitalize skin.

Haircare

If you’re out in the sun a lot or you treat your hair with chemicals often, hair can become dry and damaged. Rescue poor hair health by applying argan oil. Start with the ends and work your way to the scalp. Wrap hair with towel and shampoo off after 30 minutes.

Therapeutic Effects on Body

When used as massage oil, argan oil may ease tired, stressed muscle, joint pain and aches. Add argan oil to body moisturizer and massage into skin after a shower. Alternatively, fix up a massage blend using carrier oils (such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, avocado) and argan oil and massage body for a relaxing experience.

Other Uses

Rub argan oil on brittle cuticles to promote healthy nails. Chapped lips? Inflamed, sunburned skin?—apply argan oil and allow the healing properties of argan oil to do its work.

How to Pick Olive Oils with the Most Phenols

2011-05-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

Extra Virgin Olive Oil has the highest levels of phenols.

There's no denying the health benefits of including olive oil in your diet. The Mediterranean diet with its generous use of olive oil is often touted as one of the healthiest of diets. Health reports gushed with its many health benefits--lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, fights cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease and weight gain and reduces various forms of cancer.. According to Northwestern’s Medill report, these health benefits are due to the presence of phenols in olive oil. The phenols found in olive oil are phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoagulant properties. Not all olive oil has the same levels of phenols and here are some criteria to help choose olive oil phenols.

Highest Levels of Phenols

There are many grades of olive oil—extra virgin, virgin or refined. Extra virgin olive oil is made by pressing (technical term, milling) the olives to extract oil without heat or chemicals. As such, the highest levels of phenols are found in extra virgin oil, since no heat or chemicals are used to destroy nutrients found in the olives. On the other hand, virgin, pure or refined olive oil may use chemicals or heat to process olive oil, thereby lowering its phenols content.

Factors Affecting Phenols Content

Even among extra virgin olive oil, the levels of phenols can vary according to the climate conditions, the type of olive tree and when the fruits are harvested. For instance, fruits picked while they are green and at their peak of growth will yield higher levels of phenols. You may want to check for place of manufacture, type of olives used in the label. Lab tests can reveal its level of phenols but you can also use your taste buds to help you. Olive oil with a pungent and robust taste usually has higher phenols than those with medium, mild or fruity taste.

Freshness

Some foods like wine and cheese get better with age. Not olive oil—its phenols levels are highest when it is fresh. Why? Age can destroy nutrient value and cause it to go rancid. When buying a bottle of olive oil, choose a dark bottle as light destroys nutrients. Look for one that is not sitting in front or on top of shelf, expose to store lighting. It is important to check for expiration date. Look for “best before” label and use it within the date specified. Olive oil has a lifespan of about a year to 18 months of harvesting.

Quality Olive Oils

Premium olive oils may have even higher concentration of phenols. These olive oils usually have some form of certification or seal from a government agency or an independent certifying body. Examples include the North American Olive Oil Association or the California Olive Oil Council. They tend to be more expensive as the cultivation and production process require more care to ensure better flavor and higher source of phenols.

Check out more benefits of Olive oil:

Make Your Own Sunscreen

2011-05-08T19:41:00.000-07:00

The sun is out and you're happy to feel the warm and heat on your back. You enjoy basking in the sun or just sitting by the pool. Although some degree of sun exposure is healthy--they help the body produce vitamin D, too much sun exposure can be hazardous to health. Health experts warn that UV (ultraviolet) radiation from the sun can infliit cellular damage to your skin, eyes and even suppress your immune system. To be specific, UV rays can cause wrinkles, premature skin aging,age spots, skin cancer and eye problems such as cataracts, pigmentation and macular degeneration.

Concerned? We should be. UV rays are not visible to the eye and their harmful effects are often overlooked. However, don't let that fool you. Take steps to minimize the damaging effects of UV radiation.--protect, protect and protect!

Protect your skin by slathering on sunscreen. Wear protective clothing and gear (such as hats, shades) when in the sun for long periods of time and always look for shades during the time when UV rays are the strongest (10AM to 4PM).
Protect your eyes with sunglasses, preferably with ones with close to 100% protection against UV rays.
Protect your skin by eating lots of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin B, C and E--they help to counteract against UV radiation.

The sunscreen you buy from the local pharmacy or grocery store may have a wide UV spectrum protection. But are you concerned about the number of chemicals used to do the task? Are you allergic to the chemicals? Or do you simply prefer a greener more natural way to protect your skin, after all, your skin is drinking it some of the stuff.

If you're concerned, just as I'm--you need despair no more. I was surfing the net for natural ways to make your own sunscreen when I stumble upon Sophie Uliano of the Gorgeously Green fame. She makes one fine looking natural sunscreen and it seems so easy, I thought I share it here:

You can use the basic recipe shown in the video and use other oils instead. Nature has endowed us with more choices of oils that offer natural sun protection. Although the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is not high in most of these oils, you can always kick it up a notch by adding zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, natural minearl sun filters that don't cause photosensitivity disorders. You can buy them on line.

Avocado oil (SPF 6 to 8): My personal favorite and I use it under foundation.
Red Raspberry Seed Oil (SPF 28 to 50)
Cannabis Oil (SPF 6)
Macadamia Oil (SPF 6)
Jojoba oil (SPF 6)
Hemp Seed oil (SPF 6)

Luo Han Guo

2011-02-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

Call it monk's fruit or longevity fruit, Luo Han Guo didn't get the names from nothing. It is said that monks first discovered how beneficial the fruit can be--hence the first name. Luo Han Guos are plentiful in the mountains of Guilin in Southern China, where the trees thrive in the misty cool of the mountains. Residents around these mountains are reported to live rather long lives, hence the second name--the longevity fruit. In recent years, Luo Han Guo has been recognized for another contribution--it is fast becoming a popular natural sweetener.The Food and Drug Administration has approved its use as a food ingredient, sweetener and flavor modifier.

Luo Han Guo--crack it open and you'll find lots of seeds and brown pulp. Courtesy of flickr.com

For centuries, the Chinese have valued Luo Han Guo for its medicinal value. The dried fruit is often used to make sweet deserts and herbal brew to treat sore throat, coughs, internal heat, constipation and gastrointestinal problem. In recent years, the natural sweetness is used to make natural sweetener --one that doesn't cause sugar spike or questionable side effects (like some artificial sweeteners do). This is good news for people suffering from diabetes and are consciously trying to reduce sugar intake. Sugar has been identified as a major contributing factor to weight gain.

What makes this fruit a good candidate for a natural sweetener? It is the presence of mogrosides, a group of terpene glycosides, which is 300 times sweetener than sugar that sets this fruit apart. In addition to its sweetness, Luo Han Guo is also high in vitamin C, protein and 18 amino acids. There is more --Luo Han Guo is also rich in antioxidants and exerts anti-inflammatory properties. In recent years, Luo Han Guo extract has been used to blend with other herbal teas to boost immune system and reduce risks of cancer. It is important to note that these health claims are inconclusive, though users have reported favorable results.

If you're looking for the fruit, the fresh fruit is seldom used due to its short shelf life and its rather unpleasant flavor. However, when dried, the fruit has a nutty flavor, more akin to a caramel toffee-like flavor. You can find these dried fruits in Chinese health stores. Crack them open and boil them in water for a sweet tea brew.

Here's how you can make Luo Han Guo Herbal Tea:

http://www.noobcook.com/luo-han-guo-herbal-tea/

Fight Cellulite the Natural Way.

2010-09-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Are those cellulite staring at you again? They tease you and taunt you to no end. They crunch up under your skin, forming milky ways up and down your thighs, your butt and even across your abdomen. Milky way may look magical, even spell-bounding up in the sky, splashed across the midnight canvas, but what are they doing on your skin?

What are they, anyway? They are deposits of fat that pushes up between the skin's dermal cells. But fret no, you can tame them, suggests UCLA professor, Howard Murad, M.D. with food. Yes, food!

Here are three favorites you can add to your grocery list:

Cayenne

Fresh cayenne pepper, chili pepper, chili powder or chili flakes. Spice your food with these "spicy" ladies. They are spicy because they contain a chemical, called capsaicin that can boost circulation and metabolism. They are notorious fat busters to boot. So blast the lumpy dimples with a dash of spice.

Oranges

They make delicious orange julius. Or you can simply cut them into wedges and munch on them. What's the deal? They contain lecithin, which can help to strengthen skin cells,preventing the fat cells from making their appearance at the skin level.

Nuts

Go nutty and your skin will be thankful. Nuts are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids which promote skin's elasticity. The more elastic your skin is, the smoother it gets. So, trade in your chips for some wholesome nuts...walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds...mix and match and enjoy!

Sulfur Soap

2010-04-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sulfur soaps? If you’re wondering what they are and what they are used for, here are some quick facts about sulfur soap.

What is Sulfur?

Sulfur is a yellow nonmetallic mineral found in nature. If you’re ever smelled rotten eggs, that’s the smell. It is the stuff found in gunpowder, in the manufacture of rubber products, such as tires, insecticides and pharmaceuticals. If you ever light a match, it’s the sulfur that produces the flame.

Sulfur Soaps
Sulfur is also used in the making of antiseptic, antibacterial soap to treat many skin conditions. It usually constituted about 10 percent of the soap. The rest of the soap is made of fragrance and neutral soap base. Certain agents may be added to the sulfur soaps to target certain skin conditions.

Benefits
According to PubMed, sulfur has been utilized to treat various skin conditions for centuries. These include:

• Fungal infections
• Scabies
• Psoriasis
• Eczema
• Acne
• Seborrhoeic eczema
• Cutaneous disorders

How Does Sulfur Soap Works
Sulfur soap works as a topical salicylate. When it is applied to the affected area, it will cause the skin to swell and soften, making it easy to slouch or peel away the affected skin. In addition, sulfur has an active ingredient, kertolytic, that has antibacterial action.

Clears Acne
According to Mayo clinic sulfur soap may be used to treat acne. Such acne sulfur soaps usually have other active ingredients such salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or resorcinol. They work together to remove dead skin cells that are clogging the pores and by removing excess oil.

Treats Seborrheic Dermatitis
If you have red, scaly, itchy skin on the scalp and stubborn dandruff, you may have Seborrheic dermatitis. It can also affect face, upper chest, back and any oily areas of the body and is caused by a fungus. It is commonly referred to as cradle cap in infants. Although it is generally harmless, it can be annoying, embarrassing and uncomfortable. Using sulfur soap can reduce the amount of fungus since sulfur soap is antifungal.

Precaution to Take When Using Sulfur Soap
Before using sulfur soap, make sure you’re not allergic to any of the ingredients found in the soap. Always consult your doctor if you’re not sure. Sulfur soap can be drying, so be sure to use a moisturizer in conjunction with sulfur soap use. There are also milder sulfur soaps with 3 percent sulfur content.

Meditteranean Diet: Promote Brain Health

2010-02-09T14:09:00.001-08:00

So much has been said about the Mediterranean diet. Its health claims include fighting heart diseases to preventing cancer to fighting weight gain. A 2007 study done in the United States found that people who consumed a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of death from both heart disease and cancer.

Now, a study supported by the National Institutes of Health, found that Mediterranean diet may improve brain health. How so? They found that people who enjoy a Mediterranean diet were less likely to develop brain infarcts, small areas of dead tissues linked to thinking and memory. In this particular study, three groups of people were divided according to how closely they followed the Mediterranean diet. MRI brain scans were taken six years later to determine their brain health. They found that those who were closely following the Mediterranean diet were 36 percent less likely to have areas of brain damage than those who were least following the diet.

The study author, Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, MSc of Columbia University Medical Center in New York makes this correlation, “The relationship between this type of brain damage and the Mediterranean diet was comparable with that of high blood pressure.” In other words, not eating a Mediterranean diet puts your brain at the same risk as having high blood pressure.
So, should you go Mediterranean? It certainly wouldn’t hurt.
The Mediterranean diet is easy on the palette—well-rounded, well-balanced meals that can potentially do wonders for your heart, brain and even skin. Here‘s to good health:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Residents of Greece are known to enjoy nine servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. Why should we settle for 5 servings?

• Whole grain goodness.
Instead of skipping carbs, the Mediterranean diet embraces them—but not just any carbs—whole grain carbs that not help to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol but recent studies have also showed that whole grains are good at staving off hunger (thereby promoting weight control).

• Drizzle the oil.
Olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil—these are healthy monounsaturated oils that promote heart health. Drizzle them on your salads, and dip your bread in them instead of using butter/margarine.

• Nuts
Tasty nutty treats that help to fight bad cholesterol. Because they are incredibly rich in fats (albeit the good kind), eat only a handful each day.

• Eat More Fish
Eating fish once or twice a week, in place of meat can help cut back on the intake of saturated fats that are so inherently present in red meats. Cold-water fish also boasts high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that can help lower triglycerides and improve health of blood vessels.

• Herbs and Spices
Instead of salt and butter to bring out the flavor of foods, herbs and spices are used generously to flavor foods.

• Red Wine
Red wine is celebrated in the Mediterranean diet. When consumed in moderation (no more than 5 ounces for women and 10 ounces for men), antioxidant-rich red wine has an aspirin-like effect, reducing the blood’s ability to clot.

What’s for dinner tonight? Some broiled salmon, a slice of whole-grain rosemary artisan baked bread, a side of greens seasoned with olive oil and spices, some slices of fresh fruit and a glass of red wine—doesn’t sound too shabby and a great way to stay healthy and alert.

Moderation: Key to Better Health

2010-02-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

Are you constantly worried about your health? Do you beat yourself up because you couldn’t squeeze in the half an hour of workout? Are you constantly checking calories profile on the backs of boxes? Do you carry a journal detailing everything you eat? Or didn’t eat? Are you paranoid just because you have just enjoyed that delectable chocolate cheesecake? Do you lose sleep over your sleeping patterns? The list can go on and on…and on.

If you’re too hung up on health and the myriad of health solutions that have been dished out by health experts, books, the media and talk-show hosts, even your own berating voice—breathe! A new book out on the market, Live a Little! Breaking the Rules Won’t Break Your Health, gives you permission to relax and take this health thing in your stride. The authors, Dr. Love, clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles and co-author, Alice D. Domar, a Harvard professor and senior staff psychologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center contend that perfect health is a myth and that attaining health is easier than you think.

Good health, even optimal health is within reach. In one simple all-compassing concept?—moderation. The happy M word sums up the new liberating concept to avoid extremes. Punishing yourself into shape or letting yourself go because you feel overwhelmed by your health conditions can backfire—both extremes carry inherent health problems. Dr. Love pointed out that people who are obese or underweight have higher mortality rates. She says, “The goal is to be healthy and have as good of a quality of life as you can have. It’s not to be thin.”

What does this advice translate to in practical terms? It’s alright to slip sometimes in your quest for good health, just as long as you don’t slide down the slippery slopes of letting yourself go. If that sounds too nebulous --let’s explore some practical ways.

Don’t be afraid to eat the full-cream ice-cream and the dark chocolate shavings on top. Instead of a full meal later, try some vegetable soup beefed up with whole grains like barley or red beans. It satisfies your need for food without a whole lot of calories. If you need some protein, opt for low-fat lean meat like fish or chicken. So, what’s the bottom line?—balance your food choices—offset your high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods. Foods like vegetables, whole grain, and fruits can fill you up without hefty calories count.

What about exercise? Exercising for long periods of time or pushing your body to accomplish great physical acts may produce a healthy body but what if you can’t put in the time or the effort? Again the above health experts say—relax and go for the middle ground. . If you miss your morning workout—don’t sweat it-- make up for it by parking your car a distance from where you are going and let your legs do the work. Many people equate exercise with equipment or gadget or even a building. Truth is, exercise can be done anywhere, anytime. Example: If you’re waiting for the water to heat up before a shower, do a few squats or jog in place. If you’re stuck in traffic—do some tummy crunches. These may be little attempts but they do add up.

Practice moderation and you will find that you’re happier. Good health is not a magic number or a perceived state of ideal. Good health is general well-being and it is more attainable through realistic goals and moderate measures. Not constantly stressing over your health conditions can produce another health benefit—less stress hormones and in the long run, more health dividends.

Cherry: Nature's Pain-Killer?

2010-01-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

Cherries can be sweet or delightfully tart. They can be eaten fresh or used in cooking. If you enjoy cherries, you’re in luck. Various researches point to the many health benefits of the cherry fruit. These delicious treats are resplendent in antioxidants, well-known for capturing damaging free radicals to prevent cellular damage. They are famously low in saturated fats and sodium and high in dietary fiber. They also boost high levels of melatonin, another antioxidant often used as a sleeping aid and they also exert anti-inflammatory properties. With so many health qualities attached, what’s not to like about cherries?

Pain in any form or shape can be debilitating and compromise your quality of life. Often, people medicate pain with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs such as aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen). If you experience adverse effects from taking these synthetic pain-killers or found very little relief—consider cherries. Researchers from Michigan State University uncovered promising findings when they isolated the various components of cherries. They found that the antioxidant properties of tart cherry are more superior when compared to vitamin E, vitamin C and synthetic antioxidants. In addition they offer more anti-inflammatory effects than aspirin.

What makes cherries’ antioxidants so powerful? You can attribute it to the power of the bright color found in cherries, courtesy of a group of powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins. Muralee Nair, one of the lead professors involved in the research revealed this astounding finding: “Twenty cherries provide 25 milligrams of anthocyanins, which help to shut down the enzymes that cause tissue inflammation in the first place, so cherries can prevent and treat many kinds of pain.” This pain ameliorating effects of cherries has relief implication for other forms of rheumatoid and arthritic conditions. In addition, he pointed out that anthocyanins may also protect artery walls from plaque buildup and heart diseases.

Exactly what kind of pain relief? To begin with, researchers at the Baylor Research Institute found that cherries offer osteoarthritic pain relief. They found that more than half of the patients involved in the study reported significant improvement in pain and function of impacted joints after taking tart cherry pills for eight weeks. This is especially good news for the 21 millions of Americans grappling with osteoarthritis.

Mayo clinic also reported how cherries may be used to moderate pain caused by gout, another common form of arthritis, often associated with sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in joints, especially the joint at the base of the big toe. High level of uric acid is often blamed for gout and studies have shown that cherries can lower uric acid. Mayo clinic suggests that adding cherries together with other anthocyanin-infused fruits like blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and grapes may be a good way to supplement your gout treatment.

Cherries can be found in your local supermarkets—fresh, dried, frozen, in juice form or concentrate—they are very versatile and can be used in a variety of ways. Make them a part of your diet. Eat them as snacks, in trail mix, as desserts, in smoothies, in cereals or used them in baking. Taking cherry extract supplements is another alternative.

Spices that Burn Fat

2009-11-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

Spices that Burn Fat

Spice and all things nice—now, how about a nice waistline? Fighting the bulge can be daunting and at times, frustrating. But what if there are foods that are on your side, fighting the bulge for you, making it easier for you to lose weight? Spices that burn fat? Sounds like a pipe dream for weight watchers. A dash here, a dash there and viola, fat will not stand its ground against these fat-busters. Is that myth? Or is it something spice companies love to claim to push their products? How can we prove the fallacy or truth behind this bold claim? Let’s look to some solid scientific evidence and put this claim to the test.

Chili Power
The red stuff that makes your food spicy—chili is a powerful fat burner. You can eat it fresh or you can use chili powder—it doesn’t matter because either way, you’re tapping into its active ingredient, capsaicin, capable of raising metabolic rate or helping you to burn unwanted calories. So, add a dash of chili powder to your food—use it to marinate meat, fish or to make sauces, condiments or marinades. Fresh chili peppers can be used to spice up any dish—from salsa to stir fry to salads.

Ginger
Ginger adds zing, ginger adds zest. Engage ginger in your food preparation and allow this feisty rhizome to rev up your metabolic rate. According to an Australian study, when biochemists apply both fresh and dried ginger extracts to the tissue of animals, they found that the spice induced tissues to use up more than 20% more energy than usual. Go ahead—indulge—ginger snaps, ginger tea, ginger chicken, ginger pickles.

Turmeric
Hailed as “holy powder,” in India, this vibrant yellow root of the ginger family is one health miracle. It is commonly used in Asian countries to make curry and to season foods. Now, a new animal model study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) theorized that turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, may stall the spread of fat-tissue by inhibiting blood vessel growth, necessary in building fat tissue. The group treated with curcumin had lower blood glucose, triglycerides, and fatty acid, cholesterol and liver fat levels.

Garlic
This familiar bulb, aptly nicknamed "stinking rose" is anything but stinky when it comes to promoting weight loss. Use garlic, preferably chopped, bruised to release allicin (its active ingredient) in your food preparation—allicin fights fat accumulation.

Parsley
Parsley is famous for its role as a breath freshener. In ancient times, the Greek use it as an aphrodisiac and to promote beauty and youthfulness. Now, we can add more benefits: parsley can also stimulate the circulatory system, increase energy and fight water retention. Parsley looks pretty as an edible garnish and it can also be added to food to enhance flavor. Fresh is better than dried.

You can easily find these fat-fighters when you go grocery shopping. Can you put them together in one simple dish? Why not?:

Here is one really simple dish you can whip up in no time:

2 pieces of fish fillet (tilapia, salmon)

Seasoning:
1 tb of curry powder (has turmeric)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 thumb of ginger, grated
A sprinkling of chili powder
Sea salt

Chopped parsley for garnishing.

Marinate fish with all the seasoning mentioned.
Coat pan with enough oil to pan-fry the fish—about 5 minutes each side.
Dish out and garnish with chopped parsley. And if you feel like a squeeze of lemon—by all means—I’ve heard it’s a fat buster too.

Have You Had Your Vinegar Today?

2009-10-17T21:08:00.000-07:00

About 90% f the American household have vinegar in the house. After all, vinegar is very versatile. We all know that vinegar can soothe a bee sting or take the sting out of sunburn pain. It is supposed to make water-stained windows sparkling clean and remove odors in your kitchen. In fact, somebody listed 74 uses for vinegar--not bad for a bottle that costs a couple of dollars (or less).

If you enjoy vinegar in your food--pickles, hot and sour soup, sweet and sour pork, barbecue ribs, dressings on your salad--anyone? If you do, you have made some good food choices. Researchers in Japan revealed new evidence that vinegar can prevent accumulation of body fat and weight gain. They found that rats given a high-fat diet and vinegar have less body fats (up to 10% less) than other mice.

What is the magic, you ask? They explained that the main ingredient, acetic acid, in vinegar has fat-busting capabilities. Acetic acid is what makes vinegar sour and it turns on genes for fatty acid oxidation enzymes, thereby suppressing fat accumulation in the body. But that's not all vinegar can do. Other scientific researches can uncover other benefits of vinegar: it helps to control blood pressure, blood sugar levels and fights cancer.

So, have you had your vinegar today? That doesn't sound like such a weird question, if you consider the health benefits of this common household item.

Turns out it's easy to include vinegar into your diet. You can use it in your salad dressings, use it as a cooking ingredient, use it to pickle vegetables or make a healthy drink.

I've include a simple recipe for making cabbage pickle. Cabbage contains quercetin, a fat-whittling active ingredient and if you pickle it with vinegar, you get double the weight loss mileage. Here's how:

1 small head of cabbage, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of organic sugar
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds

1. Sprinkle salt on cut cabbage and let it sit for a couple of hours
2. Wring out water from cabbage and put it in a big bowl
3. Add vinegar, sugar and sesame seeds.
4. Toss well and enjoy.

To make a vinegar slimming drink:

Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey to make it taste less acidic.

D.C. Jarvis, M.D., author of the book, Folk Medicine, advocates drinking this vinegar concoction before every meal to induce weight loss. He believes that weight loss with this method is gradual but permanent.

Basic Vinegar dressings:

Mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts healthy oils (olive, canola or safflower oil), salt and pepper and herbs or spice.

If the basic vinegar bored you, try gourmet fruit vinegar. A study from the Memorial University of Newfoundland shows that fermenting fruits into vinegar produces more potent disease-fighting phytochemicals.

However, gourmet fruit vinegar can be expensive. Don't sweat it, though--you can make you very own fruit vinegar and it's a snap:

Bring store-bought white vinegar to just below boiling point, toss in your favorite fruit (raspberries, grapes, key limes, peach), refrigerate for a few weeks and strain.

2009-10-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

Resistant Starch: Why You Can Have Your Carbs and Eat It Too

Carbs have a bad reputation and they have taken a beating for as long as diet became a science and a weight loss program. They are supposedly evil, capable of padding your middle, increasing your thigh size and adding layers of unwanted, unsightly inches to your otherwise could-be thin frame. If not for carbs, the world would thinner and healthier. Now, is that so?

I've been raised on carbs. We have rice and often, noodles for lunch and dinner and more carbs for mid-day snack and supper. Granted that our snacks are sweet potatoes and bowls of bean dessert, still--I subsisted heavily on carbs. By all reasoning and reckoning, I should tip the scale at an unmentionable number but...thanks to my mother's nutritional intuition, I remain a size 0. How is that so?

Turns out that not all carbs are bad. There is a group of carbs that are high in resistant starch and more and more researches are showing the upside of eating resistant starch. What are they--these new found stars of weight loss? They are a type of fiber that delivers some of the health benefits of soluble and insoluble fiber. They are tightly packed chains of sugar molecules that amylase (the enzyme that breaks down starch) finds difficulty breaking down. Resistant starch resists digestion (hence the name) and continues through the digestive tract to the large intestine, where bacteria can then feed on them, fermenting them and producing fatty acids. These fatty acids make the environment more acidic and therefore less friendly to bacteria, thereby promoting colon health.

But perhaps, the better news is that resistant starch helps weight control. A small study conducted at the University of Colorado, published in Nutrition and Metabolism, showed how fat burning was 23% higher in those who ate 5 grams of resistant starch in a meal than those who didn't. In other words, more fat is burned and less is available to store away. Less fat stored away means a leaner you. In addition, resistant starch makes you feel full sooner and the feeling of satiation stays longer. A winning solution.

Ok, where can you find these good samaritans of weight control? You have choices: beans, bananas (especially under-ripes ones), potatoes, sweet potatoes and whole-grain breads and products.

So, don't be afraid to include carbs in your diet. Picking the right kind of carbs (and enjoying them too) may be the way to a trimmer, healthier you.