Tuesday, January 29, 2013

STAY SLIM AND FIT NATURALLY WITH HEALTHY DIET AND EXERCISE

How to Stay Slim Naturally with Healthy Diet Combined with Exercise and Fresh Air.
Most people know the importance of doing regular exercise, doing the warm up before you start your day, do some exercise or sports or to lift something heavier than usual.  But people always have too many reasons for not doing exercise – too busy, too tired, no spare time after work, household chores, can not find convenient or nice place or gym center, no friends to do it together, or simply lazy to do. Remember that exercise can burn extra calories, eliminate toxins from your body, speed up metabolism and help to lower your blood pressure and stress, and make you more energetic and naturally slimmer.

Here are some simple ways to keep you moving and healthy:
1)    Choose one or two kinds of activities or sports which you like, and do it regularly. You do not really need a sports center or gym center to do exercise, unless you like outdoor sports such as swimming, playing tennis or basket ball, otherwise you can do it at home anytime, make a schedule for your workout, for example in the early morning or in the afternoon when you can spare some 20 to 30 minutes, three or four time a week, is better than nothing.

Some useful outdoor exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, or Tai Ji or even gardening are good and would not cost you any money. If you prefer a weight loss solution offered by an expert, you can follow the Weight-Loss Plan by Doctor Oz too.

2)    Remember to do some warming up before a workout, whatever sports or exercise you do, you have to start slowly.  Even when you get up in the morning, before you leave your bed, stretch your body like a cat and do it several times from left to right, and turn your neck a bit too, with your arms stretch above your head.

3)    If you have more serious health problem, or if you suffer from osteoarthritis, bone fracture, spine problem or osteoporosis, it is better that you consult your doctor or chiropractor before you do any exercise.

4)    Get sunshine and fresh air whenever you can
As we know our body needs sunshine to make vitamin D for strong bones, and recent studies have shown a link between low levels of vitamin D and a higher risk for colon, breast, prostate, ovarian cancers and heart disease.  Actually 10-15 minutes in the morning or afternoon of sunshine will do, but make sure you get the sunshine early in the morning before 8am, so you will get extra infrared ray which is good for blood circulation without getting burned by ultraviolet ray.  Otherwise get some sunshine in the afternoon after 3pm.  Energy from the sunlight also keeps your eyes healthy.

If you do not have enough time to do the outdoor exercise, keep your house or work place well ventilated and let the sun shine into your house if possible.  Fresh air is important to keep your lung healthy and make you feel refreshing.
 
5)  Watch your diet 
Your body is what you eat, so if you want to be slimmer, take more fresh fruits and vegetables,  there are many great recipes for fresh green vegies and microgreens salads and juices that you can take any time and as much as you desire, besides try detox to flush out toxins and unwanted or excessive fat from your body.

6) Drink water to keep you hydrated
We are told to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day, but personally I feel that our body will tell us when it needs (you will feel thirsty and dry)  and when it is enough, especially if you do not do much exercise or sweat a lot, or during cool weather you may need less than that.  For health reason, to drink 2 glasses of water, that is about 600 cc. of water early in the morning right after you wake up,  to flush out the toxins in your body is highly recommended.

7) Your meal can be vgetables, fruits plus nuts and beans, to maintain proper body weight, the best way is to avoid taking too much foods which contain carbohydrate and sugar, vegetables and fruits give you more fiber to stimulate metabolism while nuts and beans also provide minerals and protein and some fiber.



 

 

Monday, January 28, 2013

Stay Healthy by Eating Whole Foods, Vegies, Fruits, Nuts & Seeds


When we talk about healthy, it should be inside out, as everyone wants to look and feel healthy, younger and even slim naturally without a crash diet, and there are so many ways to improve your health. Whether you're improving your diet or do some exercise, small steps can make a big impact and could be a healthy change for the better.  I would like to share some experience and knowledge how to pick healthy foods and incorporate the healthy lifestyle in your daily living. First start with the food we eat.
Eat natural whole foods:  take whole grain instead of processed cereal and cut down intake of white flour and white sugar
Eating whole-grain oatmeal daily -  your cholesterol and blood sugar will be lower significantly.  Whole grains not only provide carbohydrates and protein, but also the fiber which forms a gel that slows down your body's absorption of sugar as well as  cholesterol.  Instant cereal or processed food is lack of fiber and sometimes contains additives and substantial amount of sugar, white flour can raise your blood sugar too. Try oat meal, quinoa or  other whole grain with prunes, cranberries, banana ,seeds (pumpkin, sunflower) and molasses for your breakfast, you will like it.
Take fresh veggies and fruits
Try to take at least five kinds of different veggies and two or more servings of fruit per day.  Do not overcook the vegetables, or eat them raw as salads, because vegetables contain cancer-protective flavonoids, vitamins and minerals, some of them may be destroyed if cooked at high heat or too long , if you like, stir fry or sautee them for a few seconds in low heat, or steam the veggies for 3-4 minutes, and do not use microwave oven to cook vegetables.


During winter time when fresh veggies are hard to find, fermented sauerkraut can be a good substitute. A Finnish study found that cancer-fighting compounds are produced during the fermentation process of sauerkraut, and it has probiotics that can help break down toxins in the gastrointestinal tract. If you consume the canned sauerkraut instead of homemade one, rinse it to reduce sodium content before eating.


Nuts Nuts contains selenium, iron, zinc, trace minerals, protein , fiber and cancer fighting compounds. Almonds are known to help lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, that can help to kill cancer cells and help repair DNA, and can decrease cancer risks, others such as cashews, pistachios, macadamia, hazelnuts, walnuts are also good for you, for the best effects, eat them raw instead of baked or fried.  Beans and legumes Beans and legumes contain a lot of protein, iron, fiber and some vitamins and minerals. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, regular intake of three or four kinds of beans and legumes daily is good to prevent lack of protein in your body. Soy bean, lentils are good source of protein, while chick peas, kidney beans, small red beans provides you with more iron. The fiber contained in beans and legumes also help to increase bowel movements and hence help strengthening your body’s detoxification system.
Seeds
Seeds are source of oils, minerals and fiber and can help to prevent diseases.  Flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds are rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids and antioxidants which can lower cholesterol and hence have cardioprotective effects , flaxseeds also contain chemical compound called Lignan, which is one of the major classes of phytoestrogens, could help reduce the risk of hormone-associated cancers (breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate), while grape seeds, sunflower seeds and safflower seeds are high in Omega-6.

Tips: Better to eat the seeds raw, I routinely take one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds with blended fruit in the morning before having breakfast.
Berries
A new study says that people who take at least three servings per week of berries, especially strawberries or blueberries may reduce the risk of heart attack by one-third compared with those who incorporated fewer of the colorful berries into their diet.Dietary flavonoids called anthocyanins are found in berries and are known to counter the buildup of that causes atherosclerosis.

Blueberry, cranberry, goji berry, strawberry and cherry are classified as super fruits,  they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants which help fight free radicals that damage or kill cells. 

Herbs and spices
Herbs :  fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano and pepermint have certain phytochemicals that may help prevent cancer and other diseases and fight inflammation.  Parsley which its high levels of apigenin can inhibit tumour growth and delay its formation, and it is also believed to act as a diuretic.
Spices:  garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, capsicum which are used to enhance the food flavor provide health advantages that may range from lowering blood sugar to reducing joint inflammation.

Do not eat between meals
We need digestive enzymes to digest food that we eat, and our body can only produce limited amount of enzymes and it decreases along with age, meaning we get less and less enzymes as we get older, that is why people who like craving and snacking (especially sweet and fatty ones) will take more enzymes to digest, and eventually will have indigestion problems.

Regular exercise and sleep well
Do not be a cough potato, your body is a dynamic structure and is meant to move, any exercises from walking, swimming, station cycling, to stretching exercise like yoga and pilates are good to keep our body flexible and more energetic, and it can also help us to sleep better at night.

It is recommended that 7 to 8 hours sleep is necessary to keep us in good shape, although some people may feel good to have just 6 hours deep sleep.