Flat Belly Diet!

I was talking to a colleague today, saying how sometimes it become so difficult to just lose your belly weight / belly fat. You may eat healthy, go exercise and get your body in shape, except many times it takes more effort than you imagine to even lose few pounds for your belly, let alone thinking about flattening your belly. Somehow, the belly seems to have the magic to store fat or retain water and fight with you on the belly battle.

Well, there is another diet specially to help flatten your belly - namely the Flat Belly Diet. It surrounds one main "ingredient" - the MUFAs, which is "Monounsaturated fatty acids, plant-based fats found in some of the world's most delicious foods. Studies show that these good-for-you fats enhance heart health and protect against chronic disease. And now the latest research shows that these dietary superstars may even target fat where it's hardest to lose — in your belly!"

The idea of choosing food that with MUFAs is to help lose fat or water in your belly. I sure do not know that chewing gums will get you swallow air and therefore cause expansion of your belly. And it can also be true that more sodium intake will get you retain more fluid in your belly.

The Flat Belly Diet suggests the particular selection of food and way of eating to help make your belly looks better. The diet sure shows some wonderful recipes including "Chicken, Broccolu and Cashew Stir-Fry" or "Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping". They are definitely different than what we normally believe the kind of food we need to eat in order to look healthier or indeed prettier!

I just start to read on articles about this diet and it sure sounds appealing and interesting. It simply amazes me that there is a diet now particularly for one single part of our body. Just imagine, what can come next!

References:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27401701/
http://www.prevention.com/cda/categorypage.do?channel=weight.loss&category=flat.belly.diet

From eating to parenting!

It's an interesting subject of how every single unique family runs its eating behavior and culture. Teaching children the way to eat, the value of food or the choice of food can be one big task for any parents to master!

Just came across an article called "Eat, drink, children, parents" by Dr. Goh Chee Leong, which states that "Although 25% of children between the ages of three to eight usually experience picky eating behaviour, they mostly stop at the age of seven to nine."

The article suggests that creating a healthy eating culture at home is the best way to stop picky eating behaviors. Few tips are also offered on how to nurture the good eating culture.

First, you may want to consider on how to create a friendly meal time environment. Make your child realize meal times is a time for family to share interesting topics, thus distracting your child on food items that you want to taste and eat, such as vegetables.

Second, you may want to "hire" your child as your second hand - "little chef". Getting your child involved in preparing food will help make them realize the value of food. This also provides your child with "a sense of pride and ownership".

Third, (we probably all know about it but sometimes not practicing it) set yourself the role model for your child. Eat a variety of food to show your child that you are willing to "appreciate new foods" and avoid "make negative comments on food and do not want to eat the food served when the child is present."

Last but never the least, teach your child the value of food. We get spoiled every now and then with the amount and variety of food offered to us. However, we seldom realize how some child in certain places are struggling to find food items. Letting your child to learn about the privilege they have will help make them realize the good value of eating healthy food!

The suggestions may sound simple but they are obviously true to help establish a good eating culture when parenting your child!

Reference:
http://thestar.com.my/health/story.asp?file=/2008/10/26/health/2335290&sec=health

How about Fast Food? KFC? McDonald's?

Every now and then, usually time constraint, we just have to get some fast food to fill our stomach (although I have to say, they do taste good!).

So among the fried chicken offered by KFC or the Big Mac by McDonlad's, what are the actual nutritional value they provide?

If you decide to have some fried chicken, well, try to skip all the desserts in KFC. Why? Just base on a 100-gram serving of a KFC Pecan Colonel's Pie, it contains a staggering 434 calories. The Double Chocolate Chip Cake? It has about 421 calories.

But if you choose to have a hot and spicy chicken breast, with a serving size of about 180g, you will get some very good protein intake of 33g. However, it will also give you cholesterol of 130mg and saturated fat of 8g. Well, if you skip the skin part, I am sure the nutritional value will be much better. (But, who will go to KFC, get a piece of chicken and get rid of the crispy chicken skin?!)

So, what about all the burgers in McDonald's? Well, the highest calories (per 100-gram serving) for food in McDonald's are the desserts - the chocolate sundae with nuts or the chocolate chip cookie. Apart from desserts, it is the breakfast meals that splash you with tons of calories - the sausage biscuit or the sausage MuMuffin.

Among the usual burgers that we get, it's the Hot'n Spicy McChicken that comes up on top of highest calories base on a 100-gram serving - 310 calories. If you eat the whole thing (which is about 145g), you will get 15g of protein, 5g of saturated fat and 45mg of cholesterol.

So, next time when you feel like to treat yourself with some fast food, try stay with the main items (or drink more water to fill you up :))!

Reference: http://www.nutritiondata.com/

More on Eggs!

This morning, I was showing one of my friends about my health food blog. My friend is very much into food nutrition and food values. He came across one of the earlier articles - It's all about Egg! - and he had some very constructive comments.

He said that while eggs provide good protein value to our daily intake, they also give us high cholesterol intake, which people need to be aware of, especially for those who need to take a close attention to the amount of cholesterol intake they can have everyday.

He then searched the web to validate what he was saying. An extra large egg can give you 7g of protein. However, it also gives you an astonishing 237mg of cholesterol, likely 79% of daily value based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

I was indeed shocked to read the percentage value of simply one extra egg. Imagine sometimes we go to a diner for breakfast and have a two-egg breakfast, it could have already given us more than what we should have regarding cholesterol intake.

So, while most of us like eggs and we all know about how good eggs are, we need to be cautious in incorporating them into our meals and not to consume more than we should!

Reference: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/111/2

Not sure about diet pills!

I have an aunt who was once obsessed with weight loss. I truly believe that she had gone through more than a hundred different ways to try to be slim.

She is very experimental and she has no problem trying out anything new. So, when it comes to the so-called "magic" diet pills, she would jump in for a trial without any hesitation. However, after one particular instance, she has since stopped the use of diet pills and resort to the natural ways for dieting and exercising.

She was once taking some sort of diet pills which caused her to stay in hospital for weeks. Her body was not strong enough to handle all kinds of chemical effects from the diet pills. They disturbed the normal functions of body organs and she was more than willing to stay in hospital during that time to recover from the disturbance.

Nowadays, there are all sorts of advertisements or claims about the easy route of taking diet pills to lose weight. According to Nanaimo News Bulletin, diet pills can be divided in three basic categories:

"Appetite suppressants – These work just like it sounds. The appetite-regulating region of your brain (the hypothalamus) is tricked by blockage of the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. As a result you feel like you’ve just eaten a big meal, so you’re less likely to overeat.

Stimulants – These types of weight loss pills used to contain a combination of ephedra and
caffeine to raise energy expenditure (thermogenesis) while also reducing appetite. You’re probably aware that these pills were proven in some cases to be deadly, so ephedra was taken off the market. Stimulant pills now contain other ephedra-like substances, vitamins and caffeine. The idea is to increase energy and boost metabolism.

Fat blockers – These pills inhibit the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat during the digestion process. The goal is to prevent a percentage of the fat you’ve eaten from being absorbed into your system."

I am not sure about diet pills. They are not natural and they have so many possible side effects. I would not argue if there are approved diet pills and people are taking them under doctor's supervision.

At the end, regulating diet is not for looking good but for being healthy!

Reference:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/lifestyles/31078374.html

Raw food diet?

I love Sushi, especially when you get to eat at authentic Japanese restaurants where they serve fresh fish with the perfect wasabi and soy sauce. I know, however, that many of my friends are afraid of raw fish.

Recently, it has been getting popular about a diet, namely the "raw food diet". When I first heard the name, I thought someone is going to eat all food, including meats, in the very "raw" fashion. (Or someone is going to eat sushi for every meal, which I don't think it's too bad:)) I was, partially, wrong.

According to Sacramento Living, "A raw-food diet may include animal meat or may be further limited to a raw vegan diet. The latter consists of only raw fruits and vegetables, and no meat or other animal products." Also, "Those who adhere to a raw-food diet get at least 75 percent of their meals from uncooked food or food that has not been heated above 115 degrees."

Possible benefits of the raw-food diet include:
i) Lower LDL
ii) Lower triglyceride levels
iii) Lose weight (dramatically?)
iv) May work for your pets too!
v) Trendy? (Yes, some said Demi Moore and Sting are also friends of the diet?)

Possible downsides:
i) Become deficient in vitamins B12, D, iron, zinc, protein, calcium
ii) Decrease bone mass
iii) Sudden drop in caloric intake
iv) Decrease interest in food! (Big problem!)

I read so much about the diet and so many people claiming to lose tons of weight because of it. I am sure it works perfectly for some people. However, to eat only a certain food group and to eat the food in certain ways do not sound very appealing to me!

I guess I would rather enjoy all the food being offered and go exercising a bit more diligently!

Reference:
http://www.sacbee.com/107/story/1302313.html

It's all about Egg!

I always hear conflicting ideas about how many eggs you should (or allow to) consume everyday. Some said that you should have at least five eggs per week, while some said that you should not have more than an egg a day.

Also, there are also confusing ways of having an egg. Some said we should consume egg white since it's healthier, while some said we should consume the whole egg to enjoy the full protein in it.

So, while we all know how good an egg is, how many should we consume and how should we consume it?

According to Daily Times [1], Professor Dr Muhammad Nawaz, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore Vice-Chancellor, addressed the importance of incorporating eggs in our diet at the World Egg Day last Friday.

Professor Nawaz said that "eggs contain carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, which decrease the risk of age-related muscular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness over the age of 65.
...keeping in view the various health benefits of eggs, the American Heart Association has also lifted the restrictions on the number of egg yolks that a person may consume every week.
...eggs had a high nutrient density as, in proportion to their calorie count, they provide 12 percent of the daily value for protein and other nutrients such as Vitamin A, B6, B12, folate, iron, phosphorus and zinc. The fat that eggs supply helps the body utilise such vitamins as A, D, E, and K."

We all love eggs and we all understand the benefits of eggs. Next time when you go grocery shopping, remember to pick up some eggs for your everyday meals!

References:
[1] http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C10%5C10%5Cstory_10-10-2008_pg7_48

Tips to get your children eat healthy!

You have to give it to the marketing and campaign departments to those fast food chain restaurants. Like McDonald, their advertisements are so successful that so many young children are attracted to hamburgers, french fries at their earliest possible decision making ages!

So, how is it possible for parents to infuse the ideas to their lovely children about eating healthy and choosing the right food for themselves?

It's definitely not an easy task! But according to nation.ittefaq.com[1], there are 10 key rules that can help create the right nutritional environment for your child. Let's try to summarize as follows:

1) Control supply. Parents control what food to buy and to offer to their child.
2) Let child have some says. While parents control the supplies, allow your child to choose from the supplies of what to eat.
3) Stop the "clean-plate" policy. Allow your child stop eating when they feel full.
4) Start early. Offer a variety within different food groups to allow proper food developments.
5) Kid menu. Allow your child to try different food than simply what you think what they want.
6) Count the drink. Get your child to drink better, like milk or juice.
7) Put sweet in meal. Allow your child to have some sweets during the meal will make them realize sweet is not a reward but a part of a diet.
8) Don't use food for love. Give your child other ways like hugging to show love than using food as a way of showing affection.
9) Take the model role. Kids learn everything from their parents, so you ought to show them a good example.
10) Reduce "screen time". Research shows that kids' percentage of body fat is reduced when TV and computer time is reduced.

These rules do not sound difficult to follow. However, it is understandable of how you want to make your child happy all the time, and by that, we normally give in when they want some food that we know are not of their best interests. So, try to be persistent in the food choices and realize that, by making your child happy, their good health is a main ingredient!

Reference:
[1] http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/10/10/news0524.htm

Milk remains the best liquid asset!

What are you drinking today?

Soda, RedBull, Beer, Home-Made Cocktail, Green Tea or the best of all - Milk?

Referring to extranews.net, Milk "is the biggest bang for your buck"! It states that under the current increasing food costs, "one of the easiest ways to trim your grocery bill of "empty calories" is to bypass the sugary sodas and reach for a healthy and hearty treat like milk -- nature's original drink! Only milk can boast being packed with nine essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D and potassium, giving you more bang for your buck."

It further reiterates the importance of keeping the habits of having three glasses of milk a day...that will keep you away from your doctor!

Considering how many sodas you drink a day? It may actually cost you more than drinking milk and at the same time give you less nutritional value. So, to balance your economic pocket and nutrient value for your body, you may want to consider having more milk ~ the best liquid asset you can get these days!

Get wild with wild blueberries!

We all love fruits! We all know that fruits are good for our health! We all believe in the old saying about how good to have an apple a day!

A new study that compared among 25 fruits, using cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay, showed that wild blueburries have the highest CAA of all. Following blueberry are cranberry, apple, red grape...green grape...

So, what's a CAA assay? "The CAA assay is a more biologically relevant method than the popular chemistry antioxidant activity assays because it accounts for some aspects of uptake, metabolism, and location of antioxidant compounds within cells," wrote Wolfe and Liu. [1]

"The CAA assay results present more evidence that antioxidant-rich foods like Wild Blueberries, when eaten as part of a well-balanced diet, have the potential to reduce chronic disease risk and promote healthy aging", according to Wild Blueberries Take Top Spot in New Antioxidant Research Study from MarketWatch.com.

So, get wild with all the fruits you like, especially - wild blueburries!

Reference
[1]Wolfe KL, Liu RH. "Cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay for assessing antioxidants, foods, and dietary supplements." J Agric Food Chem. 2007 55:8896-907.

Do you practice the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet has been known to be a heart-healthy dietary practice. But you may wonder, with so many contries named to be part of the "Mediterranean", what's actually the dietary pattern that they adhere to?

The Mediterranean Diet is a basic practice that goes along with a healthy food pattern, including mainly fruit, vegatables, fish, whole grains, low in red meat, the use of olive oil and moderation of red wine (Wine ~ a big wow here!)

A new article by Washington Post further reiterated the goods of the diet, siting that its benefits go beyond just heart issue. It reports that 12 studies, basing on staggering 1.6 million people that being monitored for up to 18 years about their diet habits, had shown data that those people whom practiced the Mediterranean diet had less likelihood to develop chronic disease.

It further claims that "Specifically, people who most strictly followed the diet were 9 percent less likely to have died from cardiovascular disease, 6 percent less likely to have a cancer diagnosis and 13 percent less likely to have developed Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease than were those whose eating patterns weren't in line with the diet..."

The American Heart Association points out that the Mediteranean diet is close to what the Association recommends on dietary practices. The one thing that the Mediteranean diet is apparently different, is the higher intake in calories from fat - the diet has more than half of the fat intake from monounsaturated fats.

Maybe a personalized Mediterranean diet that goes lower in fat intake will be an ideal one?

Not only us, dolphins are put on diet too!

Back in Hong Kong where I grew up, diet and keeping fit is a daily routine for majority of people. I can still recall some of my friends saying that "looking good and staying healthy are their full time job"!

So much so that diet has becomes such a daily topic, in the office, on TV, at home...it sure sounds like dieting / keeping fit is a major issue we need to look into nowadays.

Well...not only us, the human beings who try to fight for better health, appearance and longevity...even dolphins are put on diet now!

According to goldcoast.com.au, "DOLPHINS at a Japanese marine park are going on a low-fat diet after developing pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances."

All of the 19 dolphins at the Japanese Marine Park - Kinosaki Marine World, are put on diet since Auguest, after failing to meet their performance targets.

Poor dolphins, even they have to look sharp these days! Well...the keepers seem to be happy with the progress, that less fat and moderate exercise are getting them back to the previous glory!

Do you have a personalized diet?

If not thousands, there are hundreds of different diets available in the market for anyone who wants to jump in to lose few pounds or to enhance certain nutrient intakes. With so many choices, do you have one that fits your perfectly? do you have one that works everytime if you want to look better before an important occassion?

The funny thing is, according to an article from forbes.com, the number of people on diet nowadays is actually lower than that of in 1990. Both men and women drop 13% points. This figure is indeed surprising.

However, it does not mean that people are not paying attention to their diet anymore. Instead, people are making their own choices in creating personalized diet, from procuring more grains, fiber, different vitamins to omega-3 fatty acids and supplementary nutrients, people now choose the food that they need to keep themselves healthy.

Another point to take note of from the article is that a study on more than 300 moderately obese Isralis, whom were given different dietary programs, came back with different weight loss results. Most importantly, however, was the fact that different groups received different functional effects to their bodies, helping liver function biomarkers, increasing good cholesterol level, decreasing glucose level...

You are the one who knows your body the best. And you should be the one choosing and creating the best fit dietary program for yourself. At the end, how can any diet program cook and provide all the food for you when they don't even know about your eating habits?

Do you enjoy your bread?

When talking about diet, a lot of people try to avoid anything related to the word "carbonhydrate"! Rice, noodles, bread, potato...seem like all these filling food are out of popularity when it comes to weight loss programs.

However, as we all know, any extreme diet will only allow you to lose weight for a short period of time (and most of the time, your weight bounces back) and it may cause some unhealthy consequences.

A recent article from The Times, UK, suggests that a moderation intake of bread is important for a healthy diet. It said "the Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research of bread’s contribution to nutrient intake of the British population found that bread makes important contributions to carbohydrate, dietary fibre, iron, calcium and thiamin intakes..."

I enjoy bread a lot and I definitely would like to have a bakery one day! As long as you know how much to eat, what contents to eat, and maintain a balance of different food group intakes, you already possess your own perfect diet!