Healthy Options in Chinese Food

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Chomping down on Chinese food while watching TV might seem like the ideal evening at home. Some Hakka noodles, Chilli Chicken, Schezwan Fried Rice and Veg Manchurian ... fantastic deliciousness. But if you get on that diet, your body will look more a ball than a javelin.

Nutrition analysis of Chinese dishes show that they are extremely high in calorific value, sodium content, high fat content and high in simple carbohydrates (which behave like sugar in your body). Many Chinese dishes are high on soy, which increases sodium content drastically in the food. Excess sodium leads to increase in blood pressure and retention of water, which increases your weight and makes you look bloated and fat.

So, whats a solution? Clearly, not eating Chinese food is a bad solution :) But you can make healthy choices while ordering Chinese food.

Lets start with everyone's favourite .. those little steamed eatables called Dim Sum- You think its healthy because its steamed. But Dim Sum is primarily made of maida (refined flour), which causes your blood sugar to spike (watch out diabetics) and promotes fat storage. For starters, go for stuff that's stir fried, chicken satay, flavored veggies, or a clear soup with veggies and/or meat in it. Or you can skip the starters and go for the main course.

The main course is like a mine field of bad health bombs. Stir Fried dishes are good, since they are relatively low on sodium, are cooked fast and in lesser oil (since its not deep fried). Stay away from that Manchurian. First its wrapped in maida (refined flour), then its deep fried. Then its soaked in a high sodium sauce. Is there a better way to spell HEALTH D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. Basically, stay away from anything that's served as dough wrapped balls in sauce. All sauces, from Black Bean to Sweet and Sour are drowning in sodium. And some of them have loads of sugar added, like Sweet and Sour or Garlic.

For your starch options, there's another mine field. The noodles are all made from refined flour and then they are soaked in oil and flavouring (including soy)- you know what that does, so stay away from it. The fried rice is a slightly better option, since its rice based, but again, lots of oil and soy, since rice soaks both of them fast! The best option is steamed rice. Besides, the relatively lower calories, it reduces your sodium intake. Also, it gives you a chance to really taste the flavour of the dishes. Try jasmine rice, it smells fantastic.

In dessert, I'm yet to find a true Chinese dessert. All the standard Indian versions of Chinese dessert are pretty unhealthy- darsaan (fried dough with sugar), sugar coated walnuts, fried ice-cream. Do I even need to get into why these aren't good choices. Chinese joints aren't known for their chocolate based delicacies. Stay off it, even its on the menu :)

Our advice, go for the fresh fruits for a light and a sweet finish. Don't forget to get some of that green tea or jasmine tea. You know, about green tea's health benefits for you.

It takes some questioning the wait staff, to solve the health mystery of a new dish. But don't be shy - eat this way while watching the sports channel and you'll be 1 step closer to looking like those athletes on TV.

Breakfast Cereals

Four Amazing Points to Remember As to How to Keep Skin Healthy and Smooth

Every one of us wants to turn back the clock and look younger. Of course it should be the case. Why should we age before the time? Unless the largest organ in our body looks graceful we will never look graceful. It is a rightful question to ask how to keep skin healthy and smooth.

This is the most asked question. Obviously there are thousands of answers given. The result is confusion. Leave them aside and listen to this simple common sense approach.

We are made up of trillions of cells. The skin is also made up of trillions of cells. Unlike many internal organs, this organ is the most exposed to all that possibly we can subject it to. This is the outer cover of the human ball.

There are two essential ways as to how to keep skin healthy and smooth. One is inside out. What does that mean? Oral nutritious diet is important. There is no substitute for this. Unless the immune system is kept clean, neat and tidy it cannot nourish your skin. The best nutrition is the antioxidant nutrition. You should ensure that your nutrition is totally balanced all the time. This is one important point to remember.

The other point is outside in. This is specifically true to skin. After all external application of nutrition is also very important so that all the seven layers of the skin are properly nourished especially the outer layers where sagging and wrinkles will be conspicuous. Having said the first point, let us move on to important three other aspects as to how to keep skin healthy and smooth.

There are two important proteins in our body more pronounced in skin. They are called collagen and elastin. They are responsible to keep our skin healthy and smooth and taming the wrinkles. When we grow older obviously these proteins will lose their energy and tells upon our skin. While antioxidant nutrition can regenerate these proteins there is an active ingredient called cynergy TK. This is a breakthrough in skincare technology. It stimulates the re-growth of collagen, elastin and new skin cells. When these two proteins are rejuvenated your skin is bound to glow.

However there are always enemies within. In between collagen and elastin there is an extra cellular space filled up with a kind of fluid. This fluid provides moisten to the skin and offers few important jobs. There are many places in our body where blood does not go. It is also one of the places. This fluid takes the nutrition to the collagen and elastin and removes toxic from them. There is an acid in the fluid called hyaluronic acid. This is responsible to do these jobs. Unfortunately a kind of enzyme is produced to break down this hyaluronic acid which in turn does not perform its given job and destroys the collagen and elastin. How to take care of this damage to hyaluronic acid?

Researchers have found certain Japanese people live a very long and healthy life. Even at their age of 90 their skin glows and head is full of hair. It was found that a kind of sea kelp is responsible for that. Based on this kelp a branded active ingredient is developed. This is called Phytessence Wakame. This can inhibit the hyaluronidase and safeguard the hyaluronic acid. If this is provided to the skin from outside in the problem is resolved.

Having seen inside out, collagen and elastin (blocks) and hyaluronic acid (maintaining and moistening the blocks) we will come to the last part of our four amazing points as to how to keep skin healthy and smooth.

Generally free radicals are handled by antioxidant nutrition inside out. We take orally and it works in our body inside to scavenge free radicals. However the case of skin technology has so much advanced that certain nutrition in the form of nano-emulsion format can penetrate into the seven layers of the skin to offer this great job of neutralizing the free radicals. The ubiquonone Co-enzyme q10 is a fantastic antioxidant and it is available everywhere in our body. The branded active ingredient called Nano lipobelle HEQ10 can penetrate all the seven layers of the skin to scavenge the free radicals and ensure the hyaluronic acid does its job and collagen and elastin are protected. The skin has no alternative except to glow. Now you know the trick as to how to keep skin healthy and smooth.

Since I have done various research on this subject and I cannot be fooled by the various products that are available in the market one particular skin care offer meets the above amazing but simple skin care points. I have been using their products for a long time now and found very promising. If you want to know how to keep skin healthy and smooth you should not miss to visit my website. You will have more answers and what I told you above is a tip of the ice berg.

Beer Brewing

Simple Strategies For Healthy Children - Part Two

They Are Sweet Enough

I began part one by talking about the dangers of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and sodas. This may be the most difficult suggestion in that they may fight you most on this change. When I suggest you severely limit or eliminate sugar, that includes bread, pasta, white flour foods, white sugar, white rice and of course sodas and other sweetened drinks. This requires two things: moderation and better choices. I am NOT saying they can not ever have bread or pasta. I don't believe in restricting any one food group. Balance is key. I'm saying have starchy, complex carbs in moderation and make a good choice - a truly whole grain bread that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient! Yes, there are some available at the supermarket - just read the ingredient labels carefully. There are also many excellent whole grain pastas available now. Sugar can correctly be considered a drug and an addictive one at that with many negative side effects.

Please don't think artificial sweeteners are the answer - the point is to reduce and eliminate packaged foods as much as possible and replace them with fresh, nutrient-dense, real foods the way God created them. When your child is satisfying his hunger with a piece of fresh fruit, a handful of nuts or a salad, there's no room for cookies, candy, soda junk food and fries! Yes, sugar is "natural" but common white table sugar is so processed and stripped of any minerals and nutrition that it's become a junk food. Once they begin eating "real" foods, their tastes will change! Fake food will taste - well fake!

Stack the Odds in Favor of Success
Create an environment that supports the healthy changes you are making. If you begin making these changes in their meals but keep cupboards full of cookies, candy, snacks and sodas you are sabotaging your efforts and theirs! Be consistent. Make sure that you have plenty of healthy options for them to choose from and eliminate those foods that would tempt them to fall back into old habits.

Celebrate Good Times!
Finally, as they take each baby step and make a healthy change - celebrate it! Find ways to encourage and reward them for achieving each goal. Here's where finding non-food rewards is very important. So many times we reward them with ice cream or their favorite fast food. Let's get creative instead - is there a book, CD or DVD they have been wanting? How about a piece of exercise equipment - exercise bands, jump rope, hula hoop, mini trampoline? If they're losing weight - how about a piece of clothing? Would they like to try karate, take a pilates class or some other activity? Sign them up! Spend a day together - take a hike - visit a museum or go to a ball game. Make it a celebration.

As a mom, this subject is very close to my heart. Seeing my children healthy, happy, successful and fulfilling God's call on their lives my heart's desire. While it takes a little extra effort - planning meals; going over sales circulars to make the best choices, nutritionally and financially; preparing meals ahead and "walking the talk" by letting them DO AS I DO, not just as I say - in the end it is more than worth it. Can you imagine anything more important?