Whether you’re trying to rid your body of something you’ve recently eaten or drank or you’re looking to drop a couple pounds by cleansing your system first, eating foods that help detox your body can be great for your health. And luckily, a lot of the best foods for detoxing actually aren’t horrible to eat. This little perk can make flushing out your system and getting everything back in balance easier than you might have dreamed. To give you a little help knowing which cleansing options might be best for you, here are three foods that will help detox your body. [Read more…]
3 Tips for Living With Someone With A Severe Food Allergy
Having a severe allergy that results in anaphylaxis can be a real strain on your life. Not only that, but this type of allergy also needs to be in the forefront of everyone’s mind around you in order to best take the necessary precautions and avoid coming into contact with your allergen. And when this allergen is food related, it can make eating and preparing food difficult if not dangerous. So to help those without food allergies to best know how to handle someone with food allergies, here are three tips for living and eating with someone who has a severe food allergy. [Read more…]
The Mind and Body Connection: Food and Mental Exercises To Keep You Going Strong
There’s no denying the body and mind connection when it comes to feeling healthy and staying fit, and food and nutrition are at the center of that equation. The more attention that you pay to these connections, the more aware you’re going to be of the consequences of your physical actions as well as your thought patterns.
So if you want to keep going strong through the entirety of your life, consider bringing yoga into the fold, updating your nutrition knowledge, talking to doctors, using meditation to facilitate change, and reading stories of success of other people in situations similar to you. [Read more…]
Using Food To Help Heal Mind and Body
You will run across situations whether either your body or your mind become unhealthy in some way or another. And while there are medicinal ways to approach the situations, and there are physical ways to try to rehab yourself, you can also work with nutrition to cure your ills, aches, and pains.
Consider the categories of addiction recovery, postpartum depression, athletic nutrition, morality, and even post-surgery needs. Each of these situations can be helped by the right approach to eating! [Read more…]
4 Slimming Secrets That Actually Work
Sometimes we have an upcoming event that requires us to slim down. And other times we simply feel like making some changes to our lifestyle that will energize and empower us. That’s not to say that thin equals happy, some people are perfectly content just the way they are.
Some of us, however, want to feel our absolute best and reach a certain physical goal. When it comes to slimming down let’s face it, there is a lot of false information out there. From “wraps†to diet pills promising the bodies of our dreams. Simply put, there’s just no way all of it is credible. [Read more…]
How Food Has Become a Favorite Video Streaming Topic
Foodies today have so much to thank for digital technology. With the internet and mobile technologies easily available, they can now enjoy their favorite cooking and other food-related TV shows wherever they go. All they have to do is go online and pick the shows they want to see and thery can readily do so via video streaming.
Statistics show that online video consumption is one of the most popular internet activities today. In the year 2015 alone, the number of digital video viewers in the U.S. went beyond the 200 million mark or 213.1 million to be exact. Those who watch videos using their mobile phones numbered 152.1 million.
Popular Platforms
Food shows have become very popular on the traditional TV and online as well. Mashable.com revealed that on Faceboook, the top video producers are food-related channels while on YouTube, a search for the term “cooking” will provide you with 10.4 million results.
The latest platform that allows internet users to interact directly with chefs and even host their own food shows is the Nom channels. Founders Steve Chen and Vijay Karunamurthy who are friends for 25 years said the Nom live platform takes after Periscope and Meerkat but they hope to be different from the rest through its interactive component. Their edge is allowing internet users to watch live video much longer than recorded video.
YouNow is another livestreaming platform that features two food-related shows. Other networks and channels can be accessed through the various global video streaming services such as Getflix which also caters to Australia and New Zealand audiences.
Cooking Shows Worth Watching
Whether you’re a foodie or just someone who loves to watch cooking shows and cooking matches, there are plenty of shows to watch on your big and small screens. They range from the classics to the new ones featuring some world-class chefs.
Kitchen Nightmares. You can choose between the U.S. and U.K. version featuring celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. The U.K. version focuses on British food culture and trends as well as efforts to save restaurants that are not doing well due to poor food offerings and inefficient staff among others.
Show Me The Curry. This show features Indian recipes and is hosted by two busy moms, Anuja and Hetal. It teaches viewers how to prepare and cook Indian cuisine and provides step-by-step guide to South Asian cooking. They believe in experimenting with food and sharing their tested versions of different recipes.
Bon Appetempt. Hosted by Amelia Morris, this show features solid recipes. If you want to learn great recipes with some humor on the side, this show is for you.
Laura in the Kitchen. If you’re a beginner cook, this show is perfect as it provides good instructions on how to prepare and cook the easy recipes. Hosted by Laura Vitale a self-taught homecook, it is an interactive cooking show.
Kitchen Vignettes. This series produced by PBS showcases great food from soups and veggies to desserts. Behind this show is Aube Giroux, a food writer and filmmaker who’s passionate about sharing her love of cooking.
Healthy Nutrition Habits That Help With Recovery From Drug Abuse
It is common knowledge that drug addiction takes a toll on the body. Drug abuse destroys nerve cells and can affect your memory, behavior, mood and decision-making. Luckily for those who are in recovery, with the proper nutrition the body can heal itself in many areas. Here are a few healthy habits to incorporate if you’re on the road to recovery from drug or alcohol abuse. [Read more…]
What You Didn’t Know About Intermittent Fasting
It seems like everyone is constantly talking about what to eat to lose weight.  But fewer people are talking about what to not eat.  Obviously, there’s no money to made in telling people to NOT consume, so you don’t hear a lot of advertising about abstaining from eating.  Countless products are made with the promise of “Eat this and you’ll get thin!†“Eat more in smaller increments and you’ll lose weight!† But what if we told you not eating for small periods of time was the magic solution? When you think about it, it makes the most sense right?  Eating less = weighing less. It’s called, “intermittent fasting.â€
Here are some things you probably didn’t know about this weight loss secret.
The Longer You Go Without Eating The Less Hungry You Get
Some people think that the longer they go without eating, the more their hunger will increase.  Wrong.  In fact, it’s not a snowball effect.  It’s more of a wave pattern.  You become hungry, then less hungry, then hungry, and less again. After about 8 hours into a fast, your hunger levels off and you can distract yourself with an activity.  Some people like to go to bed early during a fast.  That way, ⅓ of your fast was spent asleep. Sleep becomes a time machine to breakfast! What a concept!
Fasting Lowers Body Fat and Cholesterol
That’s right.  Fasting lowers body fat and cholesterol. During a fasting study by Dr. Krista Varady, author of “The Every Other Day Diet,†researchers studied two groups, one that ate normal every day, and another group that ate as much as they wanted every other day alternated with limiting themselves to 500 calories a day. The fasting group had a significant drop in weight loss, body fat, and cholesterol.  Short periods of caloric restriction paired with supplementation and exercise can cause incredibly fast results. Â
Fasting Increases Human Growth Hormone
Can you imagine if they sold a diet pill that increased the human growth hormone? That stuff that stimulates growth and cell production? Makes your muscles grow and your body stretch?  Well, fasting produces that very substance.  Brad Pilon, intermittent fasting pioneer and author of fasting book “Eat Stop Eat†says “I’d go so far as to say that growth hormone should be renamed “fasting hormoneâ€, since growth hormone plays a vital role in ‘overseeing’ or ‘regulating’ your metabolism while you are fasting.†That’s right, not eating can actually make you stronger. Who knew! You do now!
You Can Still Drink Coffee and Diet Soda During a Fast
During a fast, it’s still ok to drink all the carbonated water you want as well as diet soda.  Experts say the benefits of fasting far outweigh the risks of aspartame.  Drinking these bubbly drinks can curb your appetite giving you a “full feeling.† Same goes for coffee.  Just skip the cream and sugar!
Smart Nutrition Tips and Advice For Pregnant Women
There is a lot of information out there about what pregnant women should eat. And there’s a lot of hearsay and misinformation on that same topic. So rather than just parrot other sources, something that a female may want to do regarding the consequences of nutrition advice, is to see how changes in nutrition will affect other aspects of life.
Consider the ideas that the clothing you wear will change, how your sleep will change, how your moods will swing, how you need to be able to talk to you doctors, and the fact that your dietary needs will change – and then learn to connect all those ideas with food intake. [Read more…]
Facts And Fiction On Food Intolerances
Having issues when you eat certain foods? You could be suffering from a food intolerance, or a food allergy. However, there is a lot of controversy when it comes to both of these topics. With things like Celiac Disease being more new on the medical docket, some people believe it’s not a factual illness (but those suffering know it can be extremely painful and intolerable).
There are some common food types that people are often allergic to. These are milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Some people may not have a food allergy, but may still have issues digesting certain foods, like those suffering from lactose intolerance (something found in many dairy products). [Read more…]
How Eating Right Can Help With Wellness
There are many ways healthy eating, and drinking, can help you spend less time at the doctor. From herbs to all the vitamins in your fruits and vegetables, food can cure what ails you, if you eat it right. It’s just a matter of making healthy choices and paying attention to what you are putting in your body.
That is one of the biggest things that is wrong with people these days, you aren’t paying enough attention to the bad things you are putting in your body, from poor food choices to poor habits, like smoking. By taking some time to eat better and be more aware of your health you can, in fact, become healthier. [Read more…]
4 Reasons You Should Opt for a Franchise Business
A growing number of people who want to set up their own business prefer franchising. They believe this is more sustainable and less stressful as they don’t have to brainstorm about a name and what to offer to consumers among other factors.
Franchising continues to gain popularity in the different parts of the world. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 3,000 franchise business companies are operating today. In addition, more than 900,000 franchise businesses belonging to 300 different categories provide almost 18 million jobs to Americans.
Major Benefits of Franchising
Basically, franchising has several major advantages to franchisors and their franchisees particularly those who want to start a small business with minimum capital.
Access to talented people is one of the major advantages for owners of franchise companies. This is because franchisors or those who own franchise or parent companies have an opportunity to easily find talented people to manage their locations. Experts have pointed out that the most hardworking people normally choose to invest in running a business and earn profits rather than be employed and earn a salary. And by having franchisees, there’s a potential to get people willing to work hard to build the business onward.
The availability of capital for expansion is another benefit. As franchisees pay to buy outlets in a chain, franchisors can grow their locations without having to loan capital from banks or use their own capital or that of their investors.
On the part of franchisees, they have an opportunity to start an already established business. They no longer have to think of a name and the products or services to offer as everything including signages, flyers and other equipment are provided for. They can also avail of free marketing for their outlet and free training of their staff. In short, they can run an independent business and may get their return on investment in a shorter time.
Franchising also has low growth risk unlike other types of businesses. For franchisors, they can earn high financial returns specifically high royalties from sales of their outlets with little risk. According to experts, the percentage returns they can earn will be much higher than what they would have earned if they operate their outlets themselves.
How to Choose the Right Franchise
With the numerous franchise businesses available today, it can be tough to choose which one to invest in. It would be best to start by determining your interests and your passion. Ask yourself about your personal goals, what you would like to offer consumers and whether you want to keep up with the trend. This way, you will know which direction to take.
Next, decide which role you want to play in your business. Choose from being an owner/operator or an absentee owner. An operator is very hands one and one directly involved in running the franchise while an absentee owner hires a staff to manage the business.
Finally, determine your budget and find out the costs involved such as the franchise fees and overhead costs among others. A food franchise, for example, requires a higher capital because of the needed equipment and inventory. necessary compared to a home-based business-to-business franchise.
Food Addiction And How To Make Better Eating Choices
Drugs and alcohol are not the only things that people can be addicted to. While they may seem like the worst for your health, some food addictions can be just as detrimental. If you have ever watched any of the shows on television about people suffering from severe morbid obesity you have seen what addiction to food and eating can really do to the human body.
Overeating and an unhealthy diet can kill you. It’s a mental issue, just like the need for drugs or booze. You can also simply be addicted to caffeine or sugar, and not the entire concept of eating. Both of which can also have negative health effects, especially on your heart health. [Read more…]
5 Ways Your Diet Could Be Prematurely Aging You
Most people subscribe to the school of thought that you are what you eat. This means, putting high-calorie, high-fat, low-nutrient foods into your body will yield an overweight, low energy, and poorly performing body. And at the opposite end of the spectrum, eating nutrient-dense, energy-rich foods will create healthier bodies, skin and attitudes. Included here are a few ways you could be prematurely aging yourself with poor diet habits. [Read more…]
Four Ways To Work Toward Healthier Muscles, Joints, And More
When you’re working out and taking care of your physique, for most people the idea is to lose weight, and maybe get tone. But your workout could be doing more for you, and your everyday activities could as well. You can even get in some fitness when you are in your office at work with the right tips and tricks.
First, you need to understand the implications of the sedentary life you lead, if you lead one. If your job has you sitting for extended periods of the day it could be shortening your lifespan. According to recent studies, sitting is as bad for your health as smoking. So, how can you add more movement into a busy day? [Read more…]
The Vegan Dilemma When Eating Out
Today, many people find themselves removing meat from their diet. It is a popular trend across the country, causing others to drop milk, eggs, and even cheese as well. Before long, the use of honey gets rejected from their acceptable foods to consume list also. Step by step, these individuals work their way into a vegan lifestyle. Everything seems to be going great, until they get invited out to a restaurant. Placing their order proves to be challenging, as they quickly learn that there are no truly edible or appetizing vegan foods on the menu. It is here that a lot of aspiring vegans learn that social outings will sometimes require a little creative forethought. Even though many restaurants attempt to be more aware and open to vegans than in the past, it is still difficult for a vegan to find things to eat that suit their dietary needs. The world is, however, still quite predominantly bent towards meat and dairy consumption. When restaurants refuse to provide adequate options for vegans on the menu, this inevitably makes social engagements at restaurants awkward for members of the vegan community. [Read more…]
Drugs With Food Interactions
People acquire new prescriptions for drugs every day. Though their doctor is happy to write out a script for them, these people and their doctors commonly fail to bring up concerns about drugs and foods that interact with those drugs. It is unlikely that such food and drug interactions will turn you into an addict in need of rehab, but that does not mean that these interactions are necessarily benign either. Many of these interactions can be quite dangerous.
For example, if you are a person who happens to take medications that alter your brain chemistry to manage depression, for example, it may not be a good idea to drink St. John’s Wart tea or take this herb in any other preparation either. The potential interactions that can occur in situations like this are sometimes life threatening, since a common side effect of taking St John’s Wart with these types of medications is serotonin syndrome.
However, though this may be an extreme type of food and drug interaction, it is by far not the only situation where certain foods and certain drugs just do not play well together. It’s also a different case if you are actually addicted to drugs and not just taking medication for health conditions. Instead of reading about drug and food interactions, you should look for drug rehab centers on search engines to help you with your addiction problem. [Read more…]
Japanese Cuisine
The Japanese cuisine is one of the most popular Asian food that has conquered the world. Wherever you go today, there’s bound to be a Japanese restaurant where locals and visitors can enjoy their favorite dishes.
There are many factors that led to the popularity of Japanese cuisine, one being it is very healthy. Japanese food is normally prepared in small servings and makes use of fresh and healthy ingredients such as fish, rice and vegetables.
History
China and Korea had a major influence on the early food of Japan before the country developed its own dishes. Due to its close proximity to other Asian nations, it was not surprising that this culinary influence will happen.
Korea was the first to introduce the short grain rice to Japan as a result of the migration of some of its tribes. Eventually, the technique of growing the crop was also passed on to Japan. In fact, other than food, rice was also utilized in making wine, fuel and building materials.
As for China, the country contributed tea, soy sauce as well as the use of chopsticks. In the eighth century, the sakubei noodles which was made by adding rice powder to flour was introduced.
By the 16th century, fried foods was introduced to Japan by the Portugese and Dutch. They influenced the so-called breaded food such the popular fried tempura made of shrimp, flour and bread crumbs.
Popular Dishes
In many restaurants today that serve international cuisine, one would normally see a buffet that allows diners to simply pick their preferred food and condiments. On the Japanese food side, surely you would find the most popular dishes from the sushi and sashimi to the tempura and yakitori.
Sushi is a small piece of raw seafood particularly fish placed on a ball of vinegared rice. It can have either tuna, squid or prawn and served together with cucumber, pickled radish and sweet egg omelet.
Sashimi is sliced raw fish and served with soy sauce. The soy sauce provides the flavor for the fish.
Sukiyaki features a mix of sliced beef, vegetables, tofu and vermicelli. It is normally prepared right on the table before diners.
Tempura uses either fish or prawns that are dipped in egg and then coated with flour. They are then deep fried to make them crisp. Vegetables may be served with tempura.
Noodles are also a staple in Japanese food. Soba and udon are the most popular and served either as a soup or dipped in sauce. Soba is made from buckwheat flour while udon is made from wheat flour.
Basing on how the Japanese cuisine evolved, the influence of China could not be discounted. Japan and China had always been closely associated particularly in terms of culture but unfortunately today, politics has led to certain conflicts that up to now remains unsolved. These include Japan and China’s island disputes concerning the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands and the accusation of China that the Japanese Imperial Army was responsible for the Nanking massacre.
Soy Yogurt vs. Soy Milk: Which is Best for Kids?
Food products made from soy or soya have always been popular worldwide. It’s been consumed since the 1960s. One major reason for its popularity is the health benefits they provide to consumers, both young and old.
Soybean is the main ingredient in making soyfoods. In fact many kitchen ingredients contain this such as soy sauce, soy flour, soy nut butter, soy oil, protein concentrates and textured soy protein.
Among the most popular soy foods available in supermarkets are tofu also known as soybean curd, lecithin and soy nuts.
As for the liquid form, soy milk and soy yogurt are most widely used. And both are recommended for kids as well as adults. They’re great for breakfast. [Read more…]
Know Your Mushrooms and Buy Them Right
Mushrooms are one of the most common ingredients used in numerous dishes. They may not have a flavorful taste on their own but when mixed with other ingredients, they add a unique texture to the dish.
Unlike what some people believe, the mushroom is not a vegetable. It is produced by a fungus that grows on a decaying material. In the 1960s, it was reclassified into the Kingdom of Fungi, a so-called hidden kingdom. Today, however, it is cultivated in a controlled environment, specifically in a windowless building with even temperature and humidity.
As of 2008, the top five mushroom-producing countries in the world based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics are China at number one followed by the U.S., the Netherlands, Poland and France. [Read more…]