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8 Recipes To Boost Your Immune System

written by shedboy71

In this article we present you 8 recipes that can help give your immune system a boost

@melpaul199 via Twenty20

Breakfast

Breakfast recipes can be as simple as eating a fruit salad, fruit juices, or fruit smoothies. Here are a few other ideas.

Blueberry smoothie

2 servings

Ingredients

½ cup of plain kefir (or replace with yogurt)
½ cup of plain yogurt
1 cup of blueberries
½ cup of other berries (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
1 Brazil nut, slice (optional)
4–6ice cubes

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in the blend in the order listed except for the ice cubes.
Pulse a few times, then add one ice cube at a time, pulsing 4–6 times in between.
Blend until smooth and serve.

Berry Parfait

1 serving

Ingredients

½ cup of plain yogurt
1 teaspoon of honey
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ cup of blueberries
½ cup of blackberries
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds

Instructions

In a bowl, start with the plain yogurt, add the honey and ground cinnamon on top.
Add the berries and seeds. Enjoy!

Lunch

Sunflower Seed Salad

2 servings

Ingredients

Salad

1 cup of broccoli, cut
½ cup of sunflower seeds
2 carrots, julienne
1 red Bell pepper, diced
1 cucumber, diced
6 cups of spinach

Dressing

2/3 cup of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of honey

Instruction

Salad:
Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl.
And serve with dressing.

Dressing:
Mix all the ingredients in a mason jar, close the jar, and shake for about 1 minute.
Serve on the salad.

Lentil Stew

This delicious lentil recipe is going to get you back on your feet in no time if you are feeling a bit sick. It’s also a good recipe to help reduce inflammation in your body.

4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp of coconut oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of curry powder
½ teaspoon of cumin powder (or seeds)
2 ½ cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of green lentils
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and ginger in the coconut oil over medium heat for 4 minutes (or until onions are soft).
Then add the turmeric, curry, and cumin. Stir constantly and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the vegetable stock and lentils. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes (or until lentils are soft).
Add the salt and pepper to taste at the end (optional).

Dinner

Salmon Kabob

This delicious recipe is perfect to practice mindfulness eating. 4 servings

Ingredients
¼ cup of olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano
A pinch of salt
¾ lbs salmon, cut in 11/2 in cubes
8 skewers (if wood, soak in water for a minimum of 30 seconds before use)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except the salmon.
Then add the salmon and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Once completed, place the salmon on the skewers and place the salmon skewers on a broiler pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, turn the skewers halfway, and bake for another 10 minutes.
Serve with your favorite vegetables like steamed broccoli or sweet potatoes and rice.

Lemon Baked Chicken

A simple recipe for a busy day!

4 servings

Ingredients

Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of pepper (or lemon pepper)
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ teaspoon of salt
6–8 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 350 F.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except chicken. Then dip the chicken in the marinade and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Pour the remainder of the liquid on the chicken.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Serve with your favorite vegetable and rice.

Snacks

Snacks can be as easy as fruit, nuts, or vegetables. Also, you can try some of our favorite snack recipes below.

Trail Mix

4 servings

Ingredients
2–4Brazil nuts
1 cup of almonds
1 cup of sunflower seeds
½ cup of dried dates (no sugar added)
½ cup of raisins
½ cup of dried berries (blueberries, goji, or strawberries)

Instruction

Mix and divide in 4 servings.

Curried Chickpeas

Chickpeas are an excellent source of zinc. A cup can give you 25% of your daily intake recommendation.

4 servings

Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of curry
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven at 400 F. Once the chickpeas are rinsed, pat them dry with a paper towel.
In a medium bowl, mix the oil with all the spices. Add the chickpeas and stir until well coated.
Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes (watch once they turn golden, they are ready).
Serve immediately for maximum crispiness!

19th April 2020 0 comment

Articles

Foods You Can Eat To Supercharge Your Body

written by shedboy71

Food is essential to our body to work optimally. We get most of the nutrients and antioxidants we need from fruits and vegetables.

@bryceoflife via Twenty20

That said, you need to ensure that you have a diet that includes as many fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients and antioxidants that will help strengthen your immune system. That would mean a diet that contains vitamin E, vitamin D, and selenium.

These are rarely found in processed food (unless enriched), and your body has more chances of absorbing what it needs when you eat fresh whole foods. Leafy greens, nuts, citrus fruits are all excellent choices of foods that are high in nutrients and antioxidants that are known to boost your immune system.

Here’s a list of food that you will want to have on your weekly grocery list.

Meat and Alternatives

Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are at the top of our list because it is one of the most reliable sources of selenium. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant and is one of the essential minerals for our health and immunity.

Just one nut can provide up to 96 micrograms (mcg), which is already above the daily recommendation. The daily intake recommendation is 55 micrograms of selenium for an adult.

Fish
Fish and, more specifically, tuna is an excellent source of selenium. One ounce of tuna can provide around 30 mcg of selenium. Other fish and seafood are usually between 12 mcg and 20 mcg of selenium per ounce.

Salmon is also a good choice to help the immune system. It contains a lot of “healthy fat” (omega-3), which is known to strengthen the immune system and reduce the risks of heart disease.

Lentils
If you eat a vegan or vegetarian diet, lentils are a great substitute to fish. One cup of lentils can provide around 6 mcg of selenium. They are also a good source of immune-boosting nutrients, fiber, and protein.

Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are very high in vitamin E. One ounce can provide 76% of your daily intake, which is 15 milligrams. Vitamin E is also a potent antioxidant like selenium, which help fight infection since it enhances the immune system.

Yogurt
Since yogurt contains live culture (or probiotics), it is a great way to help us fight bacteria by bringing good bacteria in the body and help improve digestion. Kefir is also another option that brings as many benefits to our gut.

Vegetables

Broccoli
Most cruciferous vegetables have phytonutrients that can help boost the immune system. Broccoli is rich in antioxidant vitamins, and one serving contributes to a third of the daily intake recommended for vitamin A.

Carrots
Not only does carrot contain vitamins A, B, C, and E, it also contains zinc. Zinc is known to be an essential mineral for the health of our immune system. If the body is deficient in nutrients like zinc, it weakens the immune system and makes viruses stronger.

Garlic
Another vegetable that has a similar effect on our immune system as zinc is garlic. Garlic has the ability, according to some research, to keep a cold at bay (and maybe vampires?). Some studies even demonstrate that individuals who were living with cancer were able to boost their immune system by increasing their intake of garlic.

Spinach
Spinach is a significant source of vitamin C but also contains vitamin E. It is essential to keep it raw to ensure that you get all the nutrients from it. You can add it to a salad or a sandwich.

Sweet Potatoes
If you are trying to increase your intake of vitamin A, sweet potato is the one ingredient you need. One serving contains more than three times the daily recommendation of vitamin A and is also full of other good antioxidants.

Fruits

Citrus Fruits

Most people are aware that citrus fruits are full of vitamin C. Vitamin C is critical to the immune system. Its consummation recommendation is 75 mg to 90 mg a day. Just add sliced lemon to your water, which will provide around 50% of the daily intake.

You can also eat grapefruit or orange with your breakfast. This breakfast will be the other half of your consumption for the day.

Blueberries
Berries, in general, are packed with antioxidants. Blueberries are at the top of all the fruits and vegetables for the number of antioxidants it contains. Not only does research show the power of blueberries on our immune system, but it is also linked to a lower risk of stomach fat, cholesterol, heart diseases, and cancer.

Watermelon
The watermelon is also full of immune-boosting nutrients. It’s an excellent source of potassium (which helps regulate the body functions), vitamin A and vitamin C.

Pomegranates
Since pomegranates contain a great variety of antioxidants, it is a great choice to cover many nutrients that we need. It is known to have anti-inflammatory proprieties and therefore help us with immunity.

Spices

Turmeric
Many of you have probably heard of the benefits of turmeric. Recently, turmeric has become a popular supplement, but it is even better if you can add it as an ingredient to your recipes. Turmeric can reduce inflammation and interact as a poison for cancer cells.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a type of fungus that can help stimulate the immune system. The Reishi mushroom and the Agarikon mushrooms are two mushrooms that have been studied and show an impact on our immune system.

Reishi
Studies show that the Reishi mushroom can interfere with a virus and reduce its ability to attach to our cells to multiply.

Agarikon
As for the Agarikon mushroom, it has anti-inflammatory quality and can also be an antibacterial agent.

The foods recommended above are ingredients that you can add to your meals, especially when you approach the flu season. Feel free to make a salad with spinach, add some lentils and sunflower seeds. You could also make a homemade citrus dressing for it (only add orange juice to olive oil).

19th April 2020 0 comment

Articles

What Does a Carb Cycling Diet Look Like

written by shedboy71

Carb cycling involves tracking macros with a food journal or app. You must work out the number of grams of carbohydrates you’ll need to eat every day. This may not be as easy as you imagined. The amount of carbs you should eat will be individual to you. You need to bear several factors in mind. We’ll look more closely at those later.

For now, let’s take a closer look at what a standard carb cycling diet looks like.

@bryceoflife via Twenty20

What do I eat on a High Carb Day?

On a high carb day, you will usually obtain around 60 percent of your calories from complex carbohydrates. That means, if you’re eating about 1,500 calories daily, around 900 calories are complex carbs.

If you’re doing high energy workouts like interval training, long distance running or sprints, you can add in more carbs. These should take the right form though. You shouldn’t be adding donuts or cake into your regime! Instead, you should give yourself an additional serving of legumes, fruits or whole grains.

The latter are all complex carbs. This means they break down more slowly for a slower release of energy. Simple carbs like sugary cookies and candies break down quickly. This means that you get a super-fast energy rush followed by a crash. You should primarily eat complex carbohydrates on a carb cycling regime.

If you find that you’re struggling to cope with your athletic workouts, try adding another serving into your diet. You should only do this on days when you’re hitting the gym though.

What Do I Eat On A Low Carb Day?

On days when you’re not working out or doing low-key exercise, have a low carb day. On this kind of day, you should switch a couple of your usual carb servings with vegetables. You could also switch some of those carbs with healthy fats or proteins.

Alternatively, you could use a low-carb day as a starting point from which to calculate your high carb days. Usually, 50 grams of carbs daily is enough to reach ketosis. Therefore, you could begin by consuming 50 grams of carbs on low carb days. You can then work up from there, maxing out at 200 grams of carbs daily.

Avoiding the transactional food mindset is very important, however. Thoughts like “30 minutes more running means I can eat more carbs” can be dangerous. It leads to a difficult and disordered relationship with eating and food.

Nevertheless, eating more carbs some days with fewer carbs on other days is how the body regulates itself naturally. Therefore, reducing carbs offers benefits that you can take advantage of.

What Does A Week-Long Carb Cycling Plan Look Like?

The concept of carb cycling involves eating minimal carbs for two days consecutively. This will be followed by a day of eating more carbs. There is a reason for this. When the stored reserves of carbs are due to run out, energy is recharged thanks to a high carb day. This speeds the metabolism and leads to more fat loss.

If you reduce your carbs over two days, your fat stores will be used for energy. Your body will also enter a catabolic state. This means the body starts to use muscle tissue to derive energy from the protein in your muscles.

It’s important to know what to eat over a week if you’re planning to carb cycle. Here is a sample seven-day plan to ensure you obtain all the essential nutrients. You’ll also get enough variety, so you don’t get bored with your meals. If you can adhere to this plan for 30 days, you should experience weight loss benefits.

Day 1 – A Low Carb Day

Breakfast: Almond and citrus fruit salad mixed with berries and yogurt.

Snack: An apple and a protein bar.

Lunch: Salad made with 50 grams of quinoa, 100 grams of peas and tomatoes and two hard-boiled eggs.

Snack: A banana and a scoop of walnuts.

Dinner: A sliced stir-fried chicken breast with sliced carrots, courgettes and green beans. Served with 70 grams of quinoa.

Snack: Two oatcakes.

Calorie Total – 1880 Carbs Total – 226 grams Protein Total – 108 grams Fat Total – 67 grams

Day 2 – Low Carb Day

Breakfast: Seed and apple muesli made with two tablespoons of rolled oats, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds. Served with two tablespoons of natural yogurt and a small apple.

Snack: A banana and scoop of walnuts.

Lunch: A whole meal pitta stuffed with half an avocado, one tablespoon of cottage cheese and tuna.

Snack: A pear.

Dinner: A grilled salmon steak with half a sliced lime on top. Served with 100 grams broccoli, 70 grams of quinoa and 75 grams of peas.

Snack: An apple.

Calorie Total – 1891 Carbs Total – 170 grams Protein Total – 131 grams Fat Total – 81 grams

Day 3 – High Carb Day

Breakfast: 60 grams of oats, soaked in water with 200 grams of berries. Serve with a pot of natural yogurt and a tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

Snack: A peach.

Lunch: A baked potato stuffed with a tablespoon of hummus. Serve with salad made from sliced cucumber, tomato, red pepper and mixed leaves. A banana. Snack: A protein bar and an apple.

Dinner: A grilled cod fillet served with 250 grams of boiled potatoes, 100 grams of carrots and peas.

Snack: Three oatcakes.

Calorie Total – 1801 Carbs Total – 323 grams Protein Total – 78 grams Fat Total – 40 grams

Day 4 – Low Carb Day

Breakfast: three eggs beaten with two tablespoons of natural yogurt. Add half a red pepper, half a courgette and half an onion as well as one tablespoon of peas. Cook in a pan.

Snack: An apple and a handful of pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: A can of salmon mixed with a can of butter beans. Serve with a salad of lettuce leaves, tomato, sugar snap peas, and onion.

Snack: A nectarine.

Dinner: A grilled turkey breast with grilled courgette, carrot, red pepper, and onion.

Snack: A banana and 80 grams of grapes.

Calorie Total – 1812 Carbs Total – 159 grams Protein Total – 143 grams Fat Total – 72 grams

Day 5 – Low Carb Day

Breakfast: Two boiled eggs with two whole meal pitta slices spread with Marmite and butter.

Snack: An apple and a pear.

Lunch: Avocado and tuna mash served with salad leaves, cucumber, tomato, carrot, and courgette.

Snack: A peace and an oatcake topped with cucumber and cottage cheese.

Dinner: A can of salmon mixed with a can of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, carrot, red pepper, and courgettes. Simmered for 10 minutes and served.

Snack: A banana.

Calorie Total – 1804 Carbs Total – 165 grams Protein Total – 124 grams Fat Total – 77 grams

Day 6 – High Carb Day

Breakfast: 5 tablespoons of natural yogurt. Mix with 50 grams of rolled oats, 200 grams of berries, 1 tablespoon of honey and a sliced pear.

Snack: A whole meal pitta bread stuffed with a tomato and cottage cheese.

Lunch: A chickpea salad made with half a can of chickpeas.

Snack: Four oatcakes with sliced apple and peanut butter.

Dinner: A grilled chicken breast with steamed broccoli, 70g quinoa and 100g green beans.

Snack: A banana.

Calorie Total – 1845 Carbs Total – 249 grams Protein Total – 122 grams Fat Total – 44 grams

Day 7 – Low Carb Day

Breakfast: Two poached eggs with two portobello mushrooms and two tomatoes.

Snack: A pot of natural yogurt, an orange and a peach.

Lunch: A pitta stuffed with cottage cheese, avocado, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, and peanut butter.

Snack: An apple with a handful of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Dinner: Poached salmon with a courgette, 200 grams tomatoes and sugar snap peas.

Snack: A banana and two oatcakes.

Calorie Total – 1820 Carbs Total – 157 grams Protein Total – 98 grams Fat Total – 94 grams

19th April 2020 0 comment

Articles

A beginners guide to intermittent fasting

written by shedboy71

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is rapidly becoming a popular choice among those trying to lose weight. However, it’s also popular with many other people too who want to reap its health and wellness benefits. So, what is intermittent fasting all about?

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How is Intermittent Fasting Different from Other Diets?

Essentially, intermittent fasting (or IF for short) is a pattern of eating rather than a regular diet.

Standard diets focus on what you’re eating. Dieters are restricted to a certain number of calories or specific types of food. This leads to dieters thinking constantly about what they are and aren’t allowed to eat. Fatty and sugary foods are absolutely forbidden. There is a strong focus on vegetables, fruit and lowfat, low-sugar meals.

Those following these ways of eating often end up fantasizing about treats and snacks. While they may lose weight, they may struggle to stick to their eating plan in the long term.

Intermittent fasting is different. It is a lifestyle rather than a diet. It involves eating patterns during which you cycle between windows of fasting and eating. Unlike other diets, it doesn’t focus on what you’re eating. Instead, it focuses on when you should eat. Some dieters enjoy the greater freedom this gives them. They can eat the foods they enjoy without guilt. Many people also find that it fits better into their lifestyles. However, there are some potential pitfalls when it comes to IF for weight loss.

The Origins of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting as a lifestyle choice is relatively new. However, the concept of fasting certainly isn’t. There are verses in the Bible and Koran about fasting for religious purposes. Many religious people still fast today for religious reasons. The month of Ramadan remains a time when Muslims refrain from eating from sun-up to sun-down. Therefore, it’s easy to see where the idea of intermittent fasting originates.

Even during ancient Greek civilizations, fasting was practiced. In many primitive cultures, fasting was part of many rituals. It has also formed the basis of political protests – for example by the suffragettes during the early 20th century.

Therapeutic fasting became a trend during the 1800s as a way of preventing or treating poor health. Carried out under a doctor’s supervision, this type of fasting was adopted to treat many conditions from hypertension to headaches. Each fast was tailored to the individual’s needs. It could be just a day or up to three months.

Although fasting fell out of favor as new medications were developed, it has recently re-emerged. In 2019, “intermittent fasting” was one of the most commonly searched terms. So, what should you know about it?

The Most Popular Types of Intermittent Fasting

There are plenty of different kinds of intermittent fasting. Each one has its own following. All follow the same principle of restricting food intake for a certain period of time. However, the length of the time and the gap between eating windows varies.

Perhaps the most popular IF method is the 16:8 fast. This involves an eating window of 8 hours followed by 16 hours of fasting. Many people find this the most convenient option for them. If they skip breakfast or dinner, they can fit it easily into their lifestyle.

Another popular IF option is the 24-hour fast. This is sometimes known as the Eat-Stop-Eat method. It involves eating normally one day then avoiding food for the following 24 hours. The gaps in between fasts could be as short as 24 hours or up to 72 hours.

The 5:2 fasting method is also popular. This involves eating normally for five days of the week. The other two consecutive days, the dieter should restrict their calorie consumption to around 500-600 calories.

Some IF dieters choose the 20:4 method. This involves concentrating all eating each day into a four-hour window. During the other 20 hours of the day, the dieter should eat no calories.

There are several other types of fasting diet. Some people follow extended fasts of up to 48 or 36 hours. Others fast for even more extended periods. If you’re considering trying IF, you’ll need to choose the right method for you.

Why do People Prefer Intermittent Fasting?

Unlike other types of dieting, IF allows dieters to eat pretty much what they want. They can eat the sugary or fatty foods they crave. They can go out to eat and not worry about calorie counting. They don’t have to eat foods they don’t enjoy. They don’t have to feel as if they’re depriving themselves of the things they love. It’s easy to see why it’s such a popular choice.

Not only that, but intermittent fasting offers many more benefits than other types of diet. Yes, it promotes rapid weight loss. However, it also helps dieters to feel more focused and be more productive. It helps them to feel healthier and more energetic. With the wellness benefits that this way of eating brings, it’s no wonder people prefer it to regular diets.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

There are several benefits that those who follow an intermittent fasting lifestyle report. Here, we take a closer look at some of the most common.

Weight Loss

Many people who do intermittent fasting do so to lose weight rapidly. There is evidence to show that this way of eating helps you to shed the pounds more quickly. There are several reasons why IF helps weight loss. It enhances the function of the metabolism for faster fat burning.

It also reduces the number of calories you consume in 24 hours. By lowering insulin levels, increasing growth hormone levels and increasing norepinephrine, IF speeds up the breakdown of fat. It also facilitates the use of fat to produce energy.

Fasting for short periods of time has been shown to increase metabolic rate by up to 14 percent. This means you’ll burn more calories. As a result, IF can help cause weight loss of up to 8 percent over a period of 3 – 24 weeks. That’s an impressive loss!

Those who try IF report a reduction of 7 percent in the circumference of their waist. This indicates a loss of belly fat – the most harmful type of fat that results in disease.

As an added bonus, IF causes reduced muscle loss when compared to calorie restriction diets.

Repairing Cells

When you fast, your body’s cells begin a process of removing waste cells. This is known as “autophagy”. Autophagy involves the body’s cells being broken down. It also involves the metabolization of dysfunctional and broken proteins that have built up over time in the cells.

What is the benefit of autophagy? Well, experts believe that it offers protection from the development of several diseases. These include Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer.

Therefore, if you follow an intermittent fasting regime, you may help to protect yourself from diseases. As a result, you may live a longer and healthier life.

Insulin Sensitivity

More people than ever before have type 2 diabetes. The disease is becoming more common due to increasing obesity. The primary feature of diabetes is increased levels of sugar in the blood due to insulin resistance. If you can reduce insulin, your blood sugar level should decrease. This will offer excellent protection from developing type 2 diabetes.

Intermittent fasting has been proven to have a major benefit when it comes to insulin resistance. It can reduce blood sugar levels by an impressive amount. In studies into intermittent fasting with human participants, blood sugar levels decreased by up to 6 percent while fasting. As a result, fasting insulin levels can reduce by as much as 31 percent. This shows that IF could offer the benefit of reducing the chance of developing diabetes.

Another piece of research carried out amongst diabetic lab rats showed IF protected against damage to the kidneys. This is a severe complication associated with diabetes. So, again, it suggests that intermittent fasting is also a great option for anyone who already has diabetes.

Enhanced Brain Function

When something is good for your body, it’s often good for your brain too. Intermittent fasting is known to improve several metabolic features. These are vital for good brain health.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce oxidative stress. It also reduces inflammation and reduces the levels of sugar in the blood. Not only that, it reduces insulin resistance as we showed above. These are all key factors in enhancing brain function.

Studies that have taken place with lab rats have also shown that IF can help boost new nerve cell growth. This too offers benefits when it comes to brain function. Meanwhile, it also increases the level of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). This is a brain hormone, and if you are deficient in it you may suffer from brain problems and depression. When you try intermittent fasting you will have better protection from these problems.

As an added advantage, studies in animals have shown that IF can protect against damage to the brain from strokes.

All of this suggests that intermittent fasting offers many brain health benefits.

Decreased Inflammation

It is known that oxidative stress is a key factor in chronic diseases as well as aging. Oxidative stress involves free radicals which are unstable molecules reacting with other key molecules such as DNA and protein. The result is damage to those molecules that causes harm in the body.

There have been several studies to prove that IF can help improve your body’s ability to resist oxidative stress. Other studies have also shown it can help to combat inflammation which also drives many common diseases.

Why Does Intermittent Fasting Help to Promote Weight Loss?

Although intermittent fasting offers many benefits, the greatest one is weight loss. Most people who embark on this lifestyle are hoping to shed pounds and maintain a healthy bodyweight. So, why does intermittent fasting help to promote weight loss? Here, we look at the three main reasons.

Reduced Calorie Intake

The main reason that IF helps to boost weight loss is because you naturally eat less. When you only have a short eating window, you have less time to eat. Usually, you’ll miss at least one meal per day in order to accommodate this schedule. As a result, you’ll consume fewer calories within each 24-hour period. As you know, you must maintain a calorie deficit to shed weight. Therefore, IF helps you to reach your weight loss goals effectively.

It’s important to note, though, that some people fail to lose weight when they fast intermittently. This is because they don’t reduce their calorie intake. During their eating window, they continue to eat as much as they would have if they had been eating normally. Therefore, they don’t have the necessary calorie deficit to shed the pounds.

As long as you don’t eat excessively during your eating window, you’ll automatically reduce your calorie intake.

Hormonal Changes Boost Metabolism

The human body stores energy in the form of calories in body fat. If you don’t eat, your body changes a number of things so that stored energy can be more accessible. These changes involve the activity of your nervous system. They also include major changes in a number of key hormones.

These changes occur in the metabolism when you’re fasting:

 Insulin increases every time you eat. If you fast, your insulin level will dramatically decrease. A lower insulin level facilitates fat burning.
 HGH (Human Growth Hormone) skyrockets when you fast. It can increase by as much as five times its normal level. Growth hormone aids muscle gain and fat loss.
 Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine) is sent by the nervous system to your fat cells. This causes them to break down your body fat. It is turned into free fatty acids. These are then burned to produce energy.

Many people believe that if you fast your metabolism slows down. However, evidence shows that fasting in the short-term may boost fat burning. There have been two studies that have shown fasting for 48 hours increases metabolism up to 14 percent.

Reduced Insulin Levels Speed Fat Burning

You probably already know about insulin because of its importance for diabetics. People who have diabetes have to take insulin to maintain normal function. However, many people are unsure of what insulin does in the body or even what it is.

Insulin is a hormone that is made by your pancreas. Its job is to convert sugar (glucose) in the blood into energy. The cells then use that energy as fuel. Insulin also has another role to play in the body. It drives the storage of fat.

The level of insulin in the body will increase whenever you eat. It also decreases whenever you fast. The lower level of insulin caused when you fast can help to prevent excess storage of fat. It also helps the body to mobilize the fat that is already stored. As a result, it can boost your fat loss and help you lose weight more rapidly.

19th April 2020 0 comment

Articles

A Nutrient Breakdown: What Is In A Healthy Diet?

written by shedboy71

Protein

Protein dense foods should form the base of the food pyramid. Why? Because without adequate intake of protein, all the basic cellular processes going on in your body will come to a screeching halt or perform like a car that desperately needs an oil change.

At a minimum, males should strive for a protein intake of 0.5 gram per pound of body weight, and that is for men with sedentary lives who do not regularly take part in physical activity.

As workout frequency increases, so should protein intake, so aim for 1 gram for each pound of body weight, and even more in certain cases. Protein keeps your metabolism efficient, intestinal enzymes primed for breaking down food into easy absorbable forms (to get the most out of them), and for modulating hormones and the structural components of the body (skin, hair nails, joints).

In short, primitive man knew what he was doing when he would eat the entire mammoth for breakfast.

Fats

These poor macro-nutrients have been wrongfully accused in recent years of causing everything from heart disease (which they do not), to making you fat and everything in between.

More specifically, saturated fat was incarcerated. However, as research has correctly provided to the public domain, saturated fats are beneficial to the human body in a multitude of ways, and may only go “rogue” when combined with the pro-inflammatory effects of carbohydrates.

Most animal fats are saturated, and are responsible for supplying the raw material of testosterone, which is cholesterol. Research has also demonstrated that men who consume a healthy diet; rich in saturated fats and protein, but low in bad influences (such as carbs), report healthy testosterone levels, and are in the better health than many subjects following other diets.

Fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel also offers saturated fats, and also provide essential Omega-3 fatty acids that are important for heart health. Red meat offers you primarily Omega-6 fatty acids.

Vegetables

In addition to a diet rich in animal protein, vegetables should form the perfect complement. Do you know why? Well, for one, vegetables are extremely low calorie, meaning that you can eat a lot of it without adding a large caloric load.

Secondly, they do not digest very fast, with many supplying necessary insoluble fiber to propel waste through the digestive tract and prevent the dreaded “poop block” (AKA constipation).

Aim for six servings of veggies per day, with at least one serving with each meal. Vegetables also help supplement your vitamin and mineral intake to further bolster cellular efficiency.

Vegetables are the perfect food, especially your green color varieties and leafy greens like Kale, and collards and spinach.

Fruits

Nutritional powerhouses, supplying loads of vitamin C, A and E, but with one major caveat – lots of sugar.

Many men are under the impression that it is a “healthier” sugar, when indeed it is merely another form that is still converted to glucose before it is absorbed by the body.

Yet, fruits do play an important supporting role in diet, no doubt about that. With that said, moderation is important. Strive for no more than two servings of fruit per day, and preferably those that do not have a high GI (glycemic index), such as apples and berries.

GI refers to the speed at which food is converted to simple sugars before absorption. A lower GI means it is released slowly into blood, preventing dreaded insulin spikes from occurring that can lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

The Supporting Cast

With a firm grasp of preferred nutrition in the macronutrient department, men also have micronutrient needs that are different from what women require.

Important Requirements For Men Include:

Zinc – zinc is important in testosterone production, immune activity, and reproductive health. Zinc could likely be the most important mineral for men to supplement. Love oysters?

Then have a few every day or take a zinc supplement containing between 30-100mg daily, but no more as nasty stomach cramps may follow.

Selenium – especially important for prostate health, selenium plays an important part in fertility. Many fertility-improving cocktails actually utilize selenium as part of their arsenal. 100 mcg (micrograms, not milligrams) a day should be plenty.

Selenium rich foods include cooked oysters, shrimp, sardines, tuna, Brazil nuts, salmon, turkey, cod, chicken, lamb, scallops, and beef.

Vitamin D – pretty simple to get during summer seasons, this vitamin is important for skin health but in men, it particularly supports testosterone levels and fertility.

Spending 15 minutes a day outdoors helps the body naturally produce vitamin D, and then there are also enriched foods like milk and cereals.

Processed Carbohydrates

Processed carbohydrates are the anti-Christ of good nutrition. Sadly, carbs have snuck under the radar for years, and in many cases have been advocated for by policy making bodies. Most of the bad effects of carbohydrates stem from its ability to spike insulin levels, which trigger a typically unsavory cascade of effects in the body. Furthermore, processed carbs are just empty calories that lead to weight gain.

From signaling cells to store fat, to forming reactive cholesterol units (the bad cholesterol), clouding you mentally, the effect of constant insulin spikes and bombardment is not good.

Many carbs are considered anti-nutrients, in that they prevent normal, healthy absorption of nutrients by prioritizing itself. The best example of this at play is the classic white potato.

Had any potatoes recently?
Did you know that bodybuilders rarely touch any food that is white? That includes potatoes, white rice, and white bread. This is because they know these foods only promote body fat, which no self-respecting bodybuilder wants or needs.

Eating To Prevent Disease

Strangely enough, eating with the objective of preventing disease is hardly ever considered, primarily because men believe that disease prevention comes secondarily to a good diet. While this is a correct belief in theory, it has two major flaws.

1. Scarcely, do men eat, as they should – if a thorough analysis of a man’s caloric intake is performed, you would easily see that their caloric consumptions are far in the surplus zone (AKA overeating). This excess of calories is likely to trigger an insulin response, which in addition to promoting fat storage, also results in insulin resistance, metabolic abnormalities, and may lead to type 2 diabetes.

2. Many of the most commonly consumed foods are acid forming- most people do not understand the theory of acidic and alkaline forming foods; well for all intents and purposes, the human body functions best at a pH that is slightly basic (alkaline). As such, the best types of foods to consume are those closest to our natural pH.

What are the main acid forming foods? Carbohydrates. Acid forming foods are responsible for many inflammatory processes in the body, especially heart disease (atherosclerosis) and presumably cancer. Research is so far preliminary, but shows great promise in the use of baking soda (alkaline forming in the body) for the treatment of cancer, acid reflux, and heart disease. Lemons are considered an excellent alkaline food source in the body.

The Disease Prevention Diet

Foods touted to have the greatest potency for infection prevention typically have high levels of antioxidants, natural compounds that reduce the harmful impact of free radicals in the body. Free radicals have been implicated in premature again, heart disease, decreased libido and cancer, so reducing their impact is of utmost important to a man.

• Lots Of Foods Rich In Anti-Oxidants – consume many differently colored vegetables since their anti-oxidant levels and bioflavonoids differ significantly. For example, deeply red/orange vegetables are typically rich in vitamin a, while darker green veggies have high concentrations of zinc and even calcium. Fruits are also important, but because of their high sugar content, only moderate amounts are allowed.

• Sufficient Alkaline Forming Foods – most fruits and vegetables are conveniently alkaline forming as well. Simply adding some lemon juice to water several times daily is the easiest way to significantly boost intake. Meats are mildly acid forming, but no need to worry since the higher intake of fruits and vegetables will offset the balance. Nuts, seeds, and beans are also excellent alkaline forming foods that you can easily incorporate in your diet.

• Low GI Foods – again, carbohydrate foods need to be meticulously chosen for consumption in any diet. Fruits are the preferred source of simple carbohydrates, with emphasis on morning time consumption, or around workouts (if any!) And whole grains, that is “brown” foods are the best sources of complex carbohydrates, including brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole oats, whole grain pasta and wild rice, just to name a few.

12th November 2019 0 comment

Articles

Healthy Weight Loss Diet Recipes

written by shedboy71

You love eating, but also want to lose weight? A commonly heard complaint from all those who struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

The good news, however, that is you can keep your taste buds satisfied without gaining weight. It is a misconception that eating carbohydrates increases your weight- even more amusing is the fact that eating makes you gain weight.

Our body needs all forms of energy to perform effectively, which includes both fats and carbohydrates. The only trick is to eat which is easily digested and converted into a form of energy.

Below we have complied a 3 day meal plan that would help you maintain a healthy weight. Switch the recipes around the week and follow.

Day 1

Breakfast:

Oatmeal (no sugar)
Consider taking a switch from a dry cold bowl of cereal to hot full grain cereal with fruit. It helps you reduce around 100 calories. It is a simple trick that sums up to a reduction of 10 pounds in a year. Moreover, a hot bowl of whole grain cereal leaves more energy in your body- fills you up faster than dried cold cereal.
If you need to, have a cup of tea or coffee without sugar with nonfat milk

Snack:
Steamed vegetables with tortilla (green bell, tomatoes and onions recommended)

How to prepare:
Warm up the tortilla with moistened paper towels for 1 minute in the microwave. Add topping with salsa & vegetables.

Option 2 is to have any of your favorite 2 citrus fruits

Lunch
2 cups of mixed greens
1 cup of chopped vegetables with balsamic vinegar

Salad preparation:
Slice tomato and lettuce. Add one fruit of your choice to the salad. Add any of the other diced vegetables like yellow squash, bell pepper, cucumber, carrots or sweet potatoes. Avoid adding too much olive oil. 1 tbsp would do.

Snack:
Option1:
1 cup of yogurt without sugar
Berries of your choice

Greek yogurt is popular amongst majority of the best diet plans. It not only adds flavor to your meal, but fulfills your energy intake.

Option 2:
Option 2 is to make a farmer style salad seasoned with fresh herbs. If desired you can add red wine vinegar or sprinkled olive oil for taste.

Dinner:
Salmon with Mustard Coating

How to prepare:
In a bowl add garlic, mustards, wine and shallots. Coat all sides of salmon with the prepared paste. Cook fillets in a medium, non-stick pan. Cook each side for approximately 7 minutes. Flip to cook the rest of the mixture on the other sides. Sprinkle with mint or dill.
Tip: It is healthier to grill or bake.

Baked potatoes on side
Potatoes help you lose weight by increasing your energy intake, while not taking much storage space in your body.

Day 2

Breakfast
Avocado Egg Toast:
– A slice of bread (whole grain)
– 1 egg cooked with tsp of olive oil
– ¼ avocado
– A pinch of salt and pepper on the egg for flavor

How to prepare:
Toast the bread with ¼ mashed ripened avocado. Spray cooking oil in a non-stick pan and fry the egg. Place the egg on the avocado toast. Add salt and pepper for flavor.

Morning Snack
– 7 walnuts/ almonds
– 3-5 dried apricots

Lunch:
– Soup (vegetable or ravioli)
– 1 clementine/mandarin

Evening snack:
– Any fresh vegetable (cucumber or carrot)
– 2 tbsp of hummus

Dinner:
Vegetable burger Pattie in a whole-wheat bun
The greener your diet, the healthier you are. When it comes to losing weight the best way to add more calories to your diet without gaining is to increase the vegetable intake. Vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower and carrot are most recommended for dinner.

Option 2 is to have ½ cup of curry with brown rice.

Day 2:
Tip: If you are buying packed museli, buy the one that comes without sugar. Sugar in whole grain foods takes away the goodness of the meal.

Breakfast:
– 1 cup of yogurt
– ¼ of fruit of your choice (berries preferred)
– ¼ cup of museli

Snack:
– 2 citrus fruits

Lunch
– 2 Cheese toast with tomato
– Half cucumber
– 2 cups of mixed greens
– ¼ cups of carrot (grated)
– 1 tbsp of almonds or walnuts

– Mix all ingredients and sprinkle half spoon of vinegar and olive oil

Snack: (70-80 calories approx.)
– 6 almonds or walnuts

Dinner:
Spinach Salad
Spinach salad with other vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes gives you good energy with a balanced calorie chart. Add no salt. Toss the spinach salad with rice vinegar and ½ tsp of wasabi.

Baked chicken with tomatoes and brown rice

How to prepare:
Season your chicken with garlic, chili and onion powder. In a preheated non-stick pan spray a little cooking oil. Bring the heat to medium and cook the chicken for 3 minutes each side. Add tomatoes with lemon juice to the pan. Blend the tomatoes with chicken and add desirable vegetables. Cook for 8-10 minutes.

Day 3

Breakfast:
1 cup of any of your favorite fruit
1 cup of yogurt with no sugar
½ toasted bagel (whole grain) with fat-free cheese

Snack:
1 cup of beans/vegetable soup
It is recommended that you prepare a homemade soup, for they contain a low amount of sodium. Compared to the home soups, canned soups have 1,200 milligrams of sodium which dramatically increases your calorie count and is injurious for health.

How to prepare:
Add 1 cup of red beans to a soup pot. 4 cups of vegetable juice. 2 cups of sliced/chopped vegetables like carrots and celery. Add salt and pepper to your taste.

Lunch:

Tuna Sandwich
Prepare for yourself a tuna sandwich. It is recommended again to smear it at home, as an alternative to canned tuna. Add 1 tbsp of yogurt or non-fat mayo. Combine chopped vegetables like onions, celery and peppers. Put tuna in a whole wheat bread that is low in sodium.

Pineapple and Carrot salad
Add sliced carrots and pineapple slices to a bowl. Combine it with a low fat cream cheese.

Snack:

Sweet Potato
Potatoes are rich in potassium that helps you maintain a good flow of energy throughout the day. Sweet potatoes are great in flavor, easy to cook and healthy in nature.
Bake a batch of sweet potatoes for 425 degrees. Cover in foil before baking. This can be microwaved and used for 1 week. Dress with salt, yogurt or cream cheese (low fat).

Dinner:

Curried Quinoa & Tofu
Salad with mustard and honey dressing

How to prepare:

Quinoa and tofu is a delicious dinner. This is one of the few diet recipes that does not sound boring. Filled with nutritional riches, it is both waist friendly and great in taste. Tofu contains 1/3rd calories of poultry and meat with no saturated fats.

Clean 1 cup of quinoa. In a saucepan add the quinoa with 1 tsp of turmeric and curry powder. Add 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boiling point. Simmer and cover till the water is absorbed by the quinoa. Add 1 cup of cubed tofu and carrots. This can be refrigerated for 1 week.
For salad, cut lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and other desirable veggies. Add 1 apple or 3 pineapple slices. Dress with honey and mustard.

How to add deserts?

There are many ways to add deserts to a meal without compromising health. To make dieting easier there are many low fat delicious deserts that can curb taste buds. Some of these recipes are:

Sautéed Strawberry Sundae

1 tsp of vinegar
¼ cups of strawberries
½ cups of vanilla ice cream (low fat)
1 teaspoon of honey

Saute all vinegar, strawberries and honey for 3 minutes. Top with ice cream and berries.

BlackBerry and Peach Crepe

1 chopped peach
¼ cup of cottage cheese (low fat)
1 crepe (premade)
100% blackberry fruit spread

Mix together cottage cheese and peach. Roll the paste in crepe. Microwave for 30 seconds and drizzle with the blackberry spread.

Ice cream

½ cup of light ice cream
Graham Crackers
4 small rectangles of graham crackers
2 tablespoon of chocolate chips

Microwave the chocolate chips for less than 30 seconds. Put the graham crackers in the melted chocolate till the chocolate hardens.

Weight loss diet is not as scary as it sounds. The only trick is to maintain a calorie chart and consume a diet full of nutrition. Dieting is never about starving oneself. Instead, consider the body as a machine which requires fuel to work. Without depriving your body of this fuel you can easily break down the stubborn fat. Always remember that a diet plan works well with a combination of physical fitness routine.

8th November 2019 0 comment

Articles

Ways of Eating more Fruit and Veggies in your diet

written by shedboy71

Fruit and vegetables are highly nutritious. Not only that, they also provide your body with many essential vitamins and other nutrients. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to make these things a regular part of our diet. The good news is that both fruit and vegetables are very versatile when it comes to their use in the kitchen. Here are several great ways to incorporate fresh produce into every meal of the day.

Breakfast

Many fruits are already considered to be a great addition to a complete breakfast. Orange or grapefruit juice provides a wholesome alternative to coffee and sugary sports drinks. However, keep in mind that some of these juices contain added sugars, so be sure you enjoy them in moderation.

Another way to serve fruits at breakfast is in the form of a homemade fruit spread. Take fresh fruit and slowly boil it down to thicken. You can add honey for sweetness, though many fruits will be sweet enough without it. Depending on the fruit you use, you may need to add a little pectin to help it thicken as it cools. This fresh fruit spread makes a great topping for a bagel or a piece of toast.

Vegetables are associated with breakfast less often. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to appreciate them. You can try bell pepper or tomato slices with eggs to bring a little something extra to your omelets. Or, you could take a step toward a full English breakfast and include fried tomatoes in the meal.

If you prefer a shake or a smoothie in the morning for breakfast, there are all sorts of recipes for both fruit and veggie smoothies available on the internet. It only takes a quick search to find them.

Lunch

Lunch is a meal that many of us take for granted. For many people lunchtime is an extremely busy period. This means that they often choose the fast-food option rather than the healthy one.

Vegetable soup is a good choice, which allows you to add in whatever produce you desire. If you change up what you mix together each time, you’ll be able to enjoy a little variety from batch to batch. Another option is simply to eat raw fruits or veggies along with lunch or as a snack.

Dinner

Adding fruit to your dinner is easier than you may think. Just about any fruit you can imagine can be cooked into a sauce or glaze for anything from beef, chicken and pork, or even seafood. Some fruit also makes a great topping for simple meals like hamburgers or pizza.

As far as vegetables go, it’s likely that you already eat them with your dinner on a regular basis. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more in your diet. Try to plan meals that center around vegetables as often as possible, such as soup or stir fry.

Also, don’t forget about a yummy side salad and never pass up a great opportunity to include vegetables, fruit and nuts into your evening meal. Greens such as kale or lettuce are the perfect example of this.

One of the main influences on fruit and vegetable prices is the season. These foods tend to be much less expensive and easier to find during and shortly after their harvest season. For example, pumpkins are widely available in the fall, while pineapples are easy to find in the spring. Making your fruit and vegetable choices based on the season allows you to save money as well as give your menu a fun-to-eat theme.

5th March 2017 0 comment