Food Cravings Exposed

Wouldn't it be nice to know what your body actually wants when it is craving chocolate, or Swiss rolls, or french fries? Who is in charge of this boat anyway, right? But, denying the body is like taking candy away from a baby. Not probably going to happen in this lifetime, unless it is not your baby.

So, what can we do about strong cravings? Find the source, the real need, that the body is crying for. Below is a chart that links a real need to a real craving. Look up your favorite food fetish, and experiment for two weeks by substituting "what to eat instead." Hmmm. Maybe all we had to do was learn a new language, the body's language of "feed me." :-)

So, experiment with just one craving for two weeks, let's say chocolate. A person craving chocolate is actually craving Magnesium. Of course, you can just take Magnesium in a vitamin, but to do it justice, a person really needs the mineral in balance with other minerals and vitamins that facilitate digestion and maximum utilization. Otherwise, you're just toileting your money. Sorry, folks.

Instead, for the next two weeks, eat nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits. Write down your success, how you feel, whether it "worked," and how many times you slipped. Remember, slipping up is normal. Don't beat yourself up. Just renew your determination, maybe get a friend on board, and keep going in the size of steps that is possible for your life. Happy, healthy eating! :-)

The Water Element

Did you know that our bodies are made up of 70 percent water? And decreasing water intake by only 1-3 percent can move us toward dehydration?

Have you ever felt tired, cloudy thinking, headaches, low energy? Most people have. But, how many people will think of drinking more water for a baseline of health? Certainly, see your doctor if you suspect something more wrong. But also consider the simplicity of water. Start each day by drinking two cups of cold water in the morning on an empty stomach, and you could have these amazing benefits:

1. Balance your lymph system. Your lymph system balances your body fluids, operates daily functions, and fights infection.

2. Glowing skin. Water flushes away toxins from the blood which keeps skin healthy and clear.

3. Weight loss. Drink 16 ounces of cold water in the morning to boost your metabolism by 24 percent.

4. Increase the production of new blood and muscle cells.

5. Cleanse the colon. Drink water on an empty stomach to purify and absorb nutrients easier.

Wow. With all of that goodness, who could resist? Such a simple solution to drink two cups of cold water in the morning for so much!

Here's the kicker. Do you have trouble remembering to drink water in the morning? Me too. So, try this idea: Post a picture of water, or print out the water poster on this page, and put it next to your water faucet, on your nightstand, or above your bed. Make it the first thing you see when you wake up for the next 30 days to get a good habit started. Remind yourself of the importance of the first thing you put into your mouth in the morning.



Thanks to www.undergroundhealthreporter.com for a great poster and timely information. Drinking enough clean water is an inexpensive, critical piece of the puzzle to stay healthy.

For more timely, inexpensive ideas to get healthy on a budget, see LowCostFood.net. Great ideas on a shoe string!

Starting with Raw Food

How hard could this be? Eat an apple, a banana, an orange. But, an hour later, I'm hungry again. I don't want yet another apple. Ugh. That pizza looks awfully good though, right?

At this moment, all three of my "boys" (loosely termed - they're in their early twenties) have either tried to eat a raw food diet, are trying to eat a raw food diet, or have been talking about the benefits of a proper "ph" diet. Wow. Seriously? I've tried to eat raw foods before, and it's not easy. The body cries for comfort foods like ... No. I won't go there.

So, here we are, wondering if anyone has successfully transitioned from a modern fast-food diet to a raw food diet and lived to tell about it. Apparently, a few courageous souls have not only succeeded, but were kind enough to show the way.

Introducing Esme Stevens, the president of Raw Food Europe with the number 1 website for starters of a raw food diet at http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/starting-a-raw-food-diet.html. What an incredible way to begin! Realistic support from the first day on, free materials to get started, what more could a busy family ask?

After reading Esme's website, the very first thing we are going to do is Start Juicing. Fruit and vegetable juices will jump start our raw food diet, helping us feel better sooner, and boosting energy and immune system.

First juice recipe? Carrot Juice:

Ingredients

1 lbs large carrots (washed and peeled)
1/2 lemon (peeled)
few green leafs such as red lettuce or carrot greens
1 apple

Directions

Put all ingredients in your juicer. (A centrifuge juicer is easiest for carrots.) Mix. Drink immediately.

I peel the carrot for taste (otherwise it tastes too earthy). I find this recipe sweet enough, but if you're a beginner juicer or have a sweet tooth, add an apple for extra sweetness.

The health benefits of carrot juice? It provides Vitamin A, B Vitamins, Vitamin E and many minerals (including calcium). Great for pregnant and nursing mothers, eyesight, bones and teeth, liver and nails, skin and hair as well as helping in breast and skin cancer prevention.

- from http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/vegetable-juice-recipes.html

Thanks, Esme! We appreciate you! :-)

This is Day One. Let's see what tomorrow brings ... :-)

BYOB and BYOF

You’re thinking Bring Your Own Beer, right? Well, this is a take-off from that. How about Bring Your Own Bottle (of water, tea, lemonade, etc) and Bring Your Own Food?

Maybe it is corny, but when it comes to saving money on food why not bring your own container of liquid, whatever it is that you drink, and save yourself the cost of buying the exact same thing at a premium price because now you’re thirsty and $1.79 is looking good.

When I visited my daughter and grandbaby recently, I took along a reusable bottle of water that I had filled up with water at home before leaving to catch the bus. I also took with me four tangerines, three small yogurts and three spoons, just in case.

My daughter was in the first trimester of pregnancy with their second baby, and her nausea and food sensitivities were insane. I knew that she would be ravenously hungry every hour or two, but she would not know what she could hold down until the moment came. Very frustrating for her.

My plan was to bring the tangerines and yogurts to have inexpensive snacks. But when I arrived at the bus station, she wasn’t there yet to meet me. It seems that little toddler at home and a zillion other things demanded her attention so much that she couldn’t leave on time.

No problem. I still had my snacks if I got hungry waiting for her, right? Oh, no. I didn’t factor in the cafe at the bus station, AND the really good-looking sausage-egg-cheese croissants that they made fresh right there, AND the fact that I had not had breakfast food that morning yet.

Pausing for a brief struggle with myself, I decided to break for the $4.00 yummy croissant. Sigh. Yes, I did. And, it tasted so good while I waited for my daughter. Later, when she was hungry (as anticipated), she suggested abandoning everything to get food immediately. I pulled out my tangerines, and we all had a great snack.

The yogurts I brought weren’t needed, but they made a great back-up plan. Once home, I had time to think about “hungry” purchases versus “planned” preparedness. My planned tangerines and yogurt equaled about $2.50 total, and would have fed three people. My hungry purchase was over $4.00 and only fed one – me! Yet, since I had eaten the croissant, I also wasn’t hungry for lunch. Skipping lunch, those coconut macaroons at the store looked awful good, so I impulse-bought another $2.79 of macaroons ... plus 8% sales tax. Sigh.

At least bringing my own container of water worked – I didn’t buy anything else to drink. Perhaps next time I should work on self-control AND preparation!

10 Superfoods That Should Be in Your Daily Diet

Supercharge your diet with these doctor-approved upgrades
As Told to Max Alexander, Best Life
More on this in Health & Fitness

My interest in what is now known as integrative medicine began many years ago when I was a teenager and witnessed my grandmother battle a breast-cancer recurrence. In those days, it was typical for patients receiving chemotherapy to be confined to a hospital bed. Nothing was done to stop her decline—not nutritionally, not physically, not really medically—and she eventually wasted away and died in her bed.

A few years later, in medical school, I began suffering from ulcers and migraines. None of the physicians I visited provided any significant relief. Month after month, I tried to find a cure. Hypnotherapy, acupuncture, Rolfing massage—nothing worked. Out of desperation, I stopped eating the roast beef, burgers, and fried chicken I'd been raised on in favor of whole grains, legumes, and fruit. The idea that nutrition could help fight pain and illness was, in the medical community of the 1970s, unheard of. Yet within weeks, my ulcers and migraines disappeared.

As the medical director of the Block Center of Integrative Cancer Treatment, nutrition now plays an important role in the individualized treatment plans we develop for our patients, as well as for those patients interested in the prevention of other diseases. There is a significant amount of research that shows that eating the wrong fats and proteins, primarily from animal sources, but also including omega-6-rich vegetable oils, can actually inflame cells and create a perfect environment for cancer, like a dry forest waiting for a spark.

By contrast, diets based on plants and cold-water fish or omega-3 supplements lead to a "wet forest" that can affect the cells by reducing inflammation and work toward extinguishing the cancer spark. In patients who already have cancer, the right diet can help them tolerate chemo and radiation. At the grocery store, kale, tomatoes, and mushrooms probably won't have a single label touting their nutritional benefits, but that's only because fresh produce doesn't have much of a marketing department.

Here are 10 superfoods to integrate into your daily diet:

Garlic
This is a powerful organosulfate that's important in detoxification. It will help clean your body of leftover chemical residue from drugs or pollutants, secondhand smoke, and metabolites from alcohol.

Tofu
It's made from soybeans, which have all the benefits of other beans, including stabilizing blood-sugar levels to prevent diabetes. Try stir-frying it.

Mushrooms
Maitake and shiitake mushrooms are among the best sources of beta-glucan, which is known to stimulate the immune system. They also contain the protein lectin, which hinders cancer-cell growth.

Blueberries
These have an extraordinary amount of anti-oxidants, but many people are surprised to learn that one of their compounds, flavonoids, makes you smarter by boosting neuron signals in your brain. Look for wild varieties, which pack more antioxidants.

Kale
Possibly the healthiest food on earth, kale is rich in isothiocyanates, a phytochemical that suppresses tumor growth. Kale also contains indoles, nitrogen compounds that prevent lesions from converting into cancer cells.

Flaxseed
"In addition to omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed contains lignans, which are antioxidants that suppress tumor growth. If you can't find flaxseed cracked, buy it whole, grind it, and then sprinkle a teaspoon over cereal.

Beans
Like other legumes, kidney and garbanzo beans are high in saponins, which are compounds that shield your DNA from invasion by so-called free radicals—unstable atoms that damage tissue and are associated with cancer.

Carrots
Besides beta-carotene—which helps prevent many types of cancer—carrots contain falcarinol, a chemical that slows the growth of cancer cells.

Tomatoes
Eat ripe tomatoes every summer. They're loaded with lycopene (an important phytochemical with antioxidant properties) and glutamic acid (an amino acid), which work together to prevent prostate cancer. Shop for organic varieties with a deep red color at your local farmers' market.

Strawberries
If you do a lot of grilling, eat strawberries. They're high in folic acids that scavenge the carcinogenic amines that are created when meat is cooked over high temperatures. They're one of the most important foods to buy organic, because they have a unique capacity for leaching pesticides.

Keith Block, M.D., 54, is the author of the forthcoming Life Over Cancer. He lives in Illinois and surfs Lake Michigan year-round.
Best Life online: Get recipes for Dr. Block's favorite mousse, pie, and cobbler at BestLifeOnline.com/drblock.
Provided by Best Life

Diabetes Treatment - Diet Therapy

As published by Ezine Articles
By Waheed Hassan

A lot of people are suffering from either type 1 or type 2 diabetes and their number is constantly increasing. There is strong need to understand the role diet plays in the treatment of diabetes. If one properly manages the diet he eats he can easily overcome the major diabetes complications.

Dietary treatment for Type 1 Diabetes

1. Integrate and synchronize meals (that is, the metabolic load) with the time(s) of action of the insulin treatment to minimize high peaks of blood glucose as well as episodes of hypoglycemia. It is recommended that the individual's usual food intake is used as a basis for integrating insulin therapy into the eating and exercise patterns. Patients on insulin therapy should eat at consistent times synchronized with the time-action of the insulin preparation used.

2. Reduce saturated fat to 10% of total energy or less. People with diabetes have an increased risk of coronary heart disease and this dietary change may reduce it.

3. Keep salt intake low, because people with diabetes have an increased risk of hypertension.

4. Avoid or take moderate quantity of alcohol. Large intakes carry the risk of hypoglycemia; irregular drinking can disturb glycemic control.

5. In children and adolescents should make sure intakes of essential nutrients are adequate.

Dietary treatment for Type 2 Diabetes

Dietary change has a greater potential to improve type 2 diabetes as most of them are obese diet plays a major role in controlling type 2 diabetes.

1. Reduce body weight by eating fewer calories and taking regular exercise, and keep at it! Even modest weight loss improves metabolic control. About three-quarters of type 2 diabetics are overweight or obese, and weight reduction is the first line of dietary management. To help patients lose weight and keep it off is a challenge for the physician and dietitian. Diabetics have a stronger incentive to lose weight because this improves their disease as well as their figure, but sulphonylureas or insulin (not metformin) tends to stimulate appetite. Some who succeed in losing weight may be able to go off medications or even go off insulin.

2. Reduce saturated fat. Increased LDL-cholesterol may be more pathogenic in type 2 diabetes than non-diabetic people.

3. Emphasize low glycemic index foods

4. Increase intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grain cereals (which increase fiber intake and mostly have low glycemic indices).

5. Keep salt intake low and increase potassium intake.

6. Avoid excess alcohol but 1-2 drinks per day with meals are acceptable.

7. Forget carbohydrate exchanges

8. There is no need to be obsessed about reducing sucrose. The glycemic effect of sucrose is about the same as that of most starchy foods.

By simply following dietary principles we diabetics can have better control on the disease and live a happy and healthy life just like non diabetics.

Diabetes can be managed and even reversed. I have reversed it ,if you also want to reverse follow this link - Diabetes Cure. I have explained here a 100% guaranteed cure to diabetes through magnetic therapy.

If you are unable to reverse your diabetes by applying this therapy I can bet that you have not followed the steps properly.

In order to find a diet plan designed specifically for you just click Diabetes Information
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Waheed_Hassan

75% of Greeks are overweight as southern Europe abandons traditional Mediterranean diet

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:49 PM on 30th July 2008

Obesity is on the rise across southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as people on the shores of the Mediterranean abandon the lean diet of their ancestors and opt for fatter and faster foods, a U.N. agency said Tuesday.

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization said that in the 40 years to 2002 daily calorie intake in countries including Greece, Italy and Spain has increased by 30 per cent, more than the 20 per cent recorded in northern EU countries.

Healthy option: The traditional Mediterranean diet is falling out of favour with southern Europeans

This has made Greece the EU country with the highest prevalence of overweight and obese people: 75 per cent. More than half of the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese populations are overweight too, according to a paper presented at a recent workshop by U.S. and EU academic institutions.

The report says the typical Mediterranean diet based on olive oil, fish and vegetables also is declining in the Middle East and North Africa, where eating habits are changing and calorie intake increasing.

Mediterranean people have used higher incomes to add a large number of calories from meat and fats to a diet that was traditionally light on animal proteins, said FAO senior economist Josef Schmidhuber, who authored the paper.

What they now eat is 'too fat, too salty and too sweet' he said.

The country that registered the most dramatic increase was Spain, where fat made up just 25 per cent of the diet 40 years ago but now accounts for 40 per cent.

The report also attributed the change in eating habits to other factors, including the rise of supermarkets and fast food restaurants at a time when a more sedentary lifestyle means fewer calories are needed.The agency noted that many in the Mediterranean are no longer following the diet of their ancestors, even as Spain and other countries push to have the traditional regimen put on the U.N.'s list of protected world cultural treasures.