Healthy LIfestyle and Foods
Archive for January, 2011
Fats and Oils in the Body
Jan 27th
Although fats have gotten a bad name lately, they are really essential for our overall health and well being. The problem is knowing the difference between the good fats and the bad fats. Bad fats can lead to obesity, and heart disease, and even cancer, and they compromise the immune system. The good fats are needed for the body to function at its best.
Here are some things that good fats do for us:
They provide insulation.
They act as transportation for the “fat- soluble” vitamins, like Vitamin A, D, E, and K.
They provide protection and support for the vital organs.
They are essential More >
When Cooking With Fats and Oils
Jan 25th
Going down the baking aisle of the supermarket, one is greeted with a wide array of cooking oils, so how does one know which ones to use for what? Granted, many oils have multiple uses, but clearly, some are better suited for certain tasks than others. Here is a short breakdown of which oils might be best for certain uses.
Olive Oil- This is best used for very, very low temperatures. You can bake with it, no problem, and you can fry in it, but it does not like high heat, so be sure that whatever you are cooking can be More >
Hydrogen Peroxide for Stains
Jan 21st
Stains in all their various categories are often an irritant in any Mom’s life, and sometimes being able to get one out is a minor victory for the day. As a mom of 4, seems like I spent at least a part of every single day battling stains from grass, red mud, grease, blood, dirt, foods, you name it. One of the hardest stains I ever have to deal with is grease, but amazingly, one of the easiest to deal with is blood. Perhaps because it is a protein stain, blood can be removed almost 100% by using hydrogen peroxide. More >
Green Spinach Salad
Jan 17th
I have always loved salads. Even as a child, when you’re supposed to hate vegetables, salads were still one of my favorites. Way back then, there were only 3 kinds of dressings, French, Thousand Islands, and Blue Cheese. Now, of course, the dressings are limitless, and so are the variations on salads. One reason I like fresh salads is the way I feel after eating them. Instead of feeling stuffed, and drowsy, and lethargic, I feel refreshed and energized. This is the way one should feel after eating a healthy meal. If you are not feeling better after having eaten, More >
Yummm… Pickles as a Snack Food
Jan 13th
These days, eating healthy can be a real challenge. You have to watch every little thing so carefully. Many, nay, most foods available to us at the grocery stores and supermarkets have contents that are very unhealthy. It’s even worse when you go looking for snack food. Most snack foods are overly sweet, and have too many calories. Worse yet, they’re full of all kinds of artificial ingredients, colorants, preservatives, additives, etc. Looking for a good-for-you healthy snack is sometimes like looking for a needle in a haystack.
We all know fruits are a good snack food, however, sometimes they can More >
Use Essential Oils to De-stress
Jan 11th
Nowdays, everyone is just a little stressed, yes? The world is moving fast, time itself seems to be going fast. Nerves are shot, deadlines come at us fast, and many people are just on their last nerve. Instead of reaching for that prescription drug, or anxiety medication, perhaps you could try a more natural answer to dealing with tension and stress. You could use Aromatherapy to help you relax. Here’s what to do.
1- First, breath deeply. Take some really deep breaths. Relax, and focus on one small happy thing, no matter how small, and be in the present moment, not More >
Exercise and Eats
Jan 7th
When we’re spending time regularly going to the gym, or on some other regular exercise program, it’s always s good idea to remember to pay just a little more attention to what we’re eating. Starving the body is never a good thing, and, of course, eating too much or at the wrong time can stress out the system as well.
Here are some real general guidelines for eating as it relates to your exercise program.
1- Eat large meals at least 3-4 hours before you exercise. This gives the body time to begin the digestive process, and to get the stomach fairly More >
Pain Relief and Essential Oils
Jan 5th
Sore aching muscles from injury, or yes, going to the gym, scream out for attention. Instead of using ordinary methods of pain relief, why not go for something that not only may help the pain, but is actually good for the body at the same time? Using essential oils to relieve pain has been done for thousands of years. The use of essential oils is called Aromatherapy. It’s sort of misnamed, because the oils can be put directly on the skin and be beneficially absorbed that way, and this does not exactly relate to “smelling’ them as the name “aroma- More >