April 17th, 2009, Friday, 15:20
We all know that abdominal bloating looks bad and can cause physical discomfort. There are several causes that result in stomach bloating, from food intolerances to constipation.
Here are some tips on how to avoid stomach bloating pretty easily.
1. Avoid constipation
Too little fiber, fluids, and physical activity can lead to constipation, which can result in bloating. In order to avoid it, you need to add foods rich in fiber to your diet, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Drink lots of fluids (6-8 glasses a day) and exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week.
2. Stay away from allergies or lactose intolerance
Food allergies and intolerances can lead to gas and bloating. If you suspect you have an allergy or intolerance, don’t eliminate healthy dairy and whole grains from your diet, but consult a doctor first to confirm it.
You can also reduce the amount of the suspected food and/or you can eat it with other foods. You can choose aged cheese and yogurts as they are lower in lactose.
3. Don’t eat too fast
Eating too fast and not chewing your food well can cause air swallowing that leads to bloating. To avoid it, you need to eat more slowly and chew your food more. Your meals should last at least 30 minutes. When you take your time to thoroughly chew and taste your food, your snack or meal becomes more satisfying and if you eat more slowly, you may end up eating less.
4. Don’t overdo carbonated drinks
Fizzy drinks can cause stomach bloating as well. So, you need to reduce the number of fizzy drinks, instead drink plenty of water flavored with lemon, lime or cucumber or try peppermint tea as it may also help reduce bloat.
5. Don’t overdo chewing gum
Chewing gum can also cause air swallowing that leads to stomach bloating. Don’t make chewing gum a habit, as an alternative you can eat a healthy, high-fiber snack like vegetables or fruit, or lower-fat popcorn.
6. Watch out for sugar-free foods
Artificially sweetened foods and drinks can also make you suffer from stomach bloating. Reduce the amount of artificially sweetened foods and drinks and don’t consume more than 2-3 servings per day.
7. Limit Sodium
Highly processed foods are rich in sodium and low in fiber and can cause bloating. When you buy processed, canned, or frozen foods, you need to read food labels as it’s recommended to consume no more than 500 mg of sodium per serving in any product.
8. Go slow with beans and gassy vegetables
Eating beans, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts can cause you a gassy feeling. But you shouldn’t eliminate these high-fiber vegetables from your diet. Just work them into your diet slowly until your body adjusts to the compounds that can initially cause gas.
9. Eat smaller meals more often
Eating more often can help control blood sugar and manage hunger and prevent stomach bloating. So, try eating five to six small meals each day, instead of three big meals per day.
10. Try anti-bloating foods and drinks
To avoid bloating, try safe foods that are good for you. For instance, peppermint tea, ginger, pineapple, parsley, and yogurts containing probiotics (”good” bacteria) may help reduce bloating.
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Tags: abdominal bloating, de-bloat, flat belly, food intolerance, gassy feeling, prevent stomach bloating
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April 15th, 2009, Wednesday, 09:49
Studies have shown that teas have multiple health benefits, some teas may help with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; promote weight loss and lower cholesterol. Tea has antimicrobial qualities as well. Nutritionists recommend drinking brewed teas instead of bottled ones in order to avoid the extra calories and sweeteners.
Health benefits of green, black and white teas
1. Green tea: Green tea’s antioxidants appear to prevent clogging of the arteries, burn fat, counteract oxidative stress on the brain, decrease risk of stroke and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and improve cholesterol levels.
2. Black tea: Made with fermented tea leaves, studies have shown that black tea has the highest caffeine content. Black tea can help reduce the risk of stroke and protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke.
3. White tea: Uncured and unfermented. Studies have found that white tea has the most powerful anticancer properties compared to more processed teas.
Health benefits of herbal teas
Made from herbs, fruits, seeds, or roots steeped in hot water, herbal teas have lower concentrations of antioxidants than green, white, black, and oolong teas. There is a variety of herbal teas, such as: ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, hibiscus, jasmine, rosehip, mint, rooibos (red tea), chamomile, and echinacea. Studies have shown that the antioxidants of the chamomile tea may help prevent complications from diabetes, like vision and nerve loss, kidney damage and stop the growth of cancer cells. Another study found that drinking three cups of hibiscus tea daily can help lower blood pressure.
Health benefits of instant teas
Instant tea may contain very little amounts of actual tea and plenty of sugars or artificial sweeteners. So you need to check out the ingredients on the label for your health’s sake.
Experts also warn consumers to be wary of herb-containing supplements that claim to fight cancer and kill pain. Studies have shown that some of the herbs have caused bowel problems, liver and kidney damage.
These cautions aside, nutritionists recommend drinking up and enjoying the health benefits of tea.
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Tags: black tea, green tea, health benefits of teas, herbal teas, instant teas, types of teas, white tea
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April 13th, 2009, Monday, 10:03
In order to boost your bone health, you need to get enough calcium and Vitamin D. Here are the foods rich in calcium and vitamin D that you need to include in your diet.
Breakfasts for strong bones
Having a cup of fortified cereal with milk and a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice can help you meet your calcium needs before lunch.
If you’re lactose-intolerant and don’t digest milk well, there is a variety of lactose-reduced or lactose-free dairy products you can choose from.
Suppers for strong bones
In order to satisfy your calcium needs, you can add foods rich in calcium to your dinner or lunch. You can opt for an omelet with a bit of cheddar cheese, sautéed greens, and salmon, or a scrambled-egg by adding Swiss cheese, broccoli and sardines. If you like soups and stews, you can add salmon, kale, or turnip greens to your other favorite recipes.
How to find foods rich in calcium
In order to figure out how much calcium you’re getting in each serving, just add zero to the percentage of calcium you see on the label to convert it in milligrams (mg). For instance, if a cereal box says “Calcium: 50%,” then that cereal contains 500 milligrams of calcium in each serving.
Bone health and Vitamin D
Foods rich in calcium are often high in vitamin D, such as sardines, herring and salmon. You can also get enough calcium and vitamin D from milk. Your skin normally makes vitamin D from sunlight. Vitamin D is a little bit easier to absorb, so you can usually get away with taking supplements once a day.
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Tags: bone health, calcium, calcium-rich foods, strong bones, vitamin D
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April 10th, 2009, Friday, 08:35
A new study shows that the consumption of higher amounts of red meat and processed meat leads to a higher risk of dying from cancer and heart disease.
According to the study, people who ate the most red meat (that included beef, pork, bacon, steak, hamburgers, etc) as well as the most processed meat (chicken sausage, lunch meats, cold cuts) had a higher risk of dying during the study period as well as a higher risk of dying from heart disease and cancer in comparison with those who ate the least of both.
For processed meat, the highest intakes were associated with a 16% overall increased risk of dying in men and 25% increased risk in women. Cancer risk was about 20% higher in those who ate the most red meat, and 10% higher in those who ate the most processed meats.
Here are some explanations why red meat and processed meat are associated with higher risk of dying from cancer and heart disease:
1. The meats are a source of carcinogens formed during cooking.
2. The iron in red meat may raise oxidative cell damage, causing health problems.
3. The saturated fat found in meat has been linked with breast and colorectal cancer.
In order to decrease cancer risk, we must avoid processed meat and reduce the consumption of red meat, eating no more than 18 ounces of red meat (cooked weight) per week (or about 2.5 ounces a day.).
You don’t need to give up meat entirely, but you really need to cut down your red meat and processed meat intake in order to stay healthy.
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Tags: cancer, carcinogens, consumption of red meat, heart disease, processed meat, raise death risk
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April 8th, 2009, Wednesday, 08:35
We all know that insomnia has negative effects on our health, as it increases the risk for depression and other psychiatric disorders.
According to a new study, people who sleep less than five hours a night are five times more likely to raise risk of high blood pressure than people who get enough rest and sleep more than six hours without insomnia.
Lack of sleep leads to obesity in adults and children and increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
An adult needs to sleep about eight hours a night. If your body needs eight hours of sleep but you sleep for five or six, you risk being tired all the time and not functioning all that well.
We all need a good night’s sleep in order to feel better and stay healthy. Here are some steps that insomniacs can take in order to improve their sleep:
1. You must not turn your bedroom into an office. The bedroom should be for sleeping and you shouldn’t eat in bed, watch TV in bed or even read in bed.
2. If you don’t fall asleep in 20 minutes, get up and do something boring until you feel tired, instead of lying there.
3. Create a pleasant sleep environment. The light should be off and should be comfortable.
4. Have a snack, like a glass of milk.
5. Exercise, as it will improve your sleep, but don’t do it too close to bedtime because it can keep you awake.
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Tags: depression, heart disease, insomnia, psychiatric disorders, risk of high blood pressure
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