The Fittest of the Fit

There seems to be a popular trend with a new form of training. Crossfit has been sparking interest in people recently including myself. This relatively new form of training has hit mainstream however I am still in the dark as to what it is and where it can from.  So let’s find out what this Crossfit is all about!


First, what is Crossfit? 

Crossfit is a method of training which focuses on strength and conditioning through cardiovascular endurance, power, flexibility, speed, agility, and balance. The combination of weightlifting, sprinting, and gymnastics engages all of these physical elements. 

Crossfit was founded by former gymnast Greg Glassman. He opened the first crossfit gym in Santa Cruz in 1995. This 40 year old training program began in Greg’s garage; this was the only facility for many years. It was in these beginning years Greg was hired to train the Santa Cruz police department. Here is when Crossfit was first proven successful. Today there is over 3400 affiliated gyms worldwide. 

It was not until 2001 when Crossfit went globe through the internet. Crossfit.com offered people around the world access to daily work outs. It was the public startup which launched the trend of Crossfit. With popularity growing Crossfit entered into the competitive realm of fitness. The Crossfit games began in 2007 and still active today. Thousands of competitors meet in home of Crossfit, Santa Cruz, to win the fittest of the fit title. This work out has evolved into a sport where to play you must simply want to be the fittest.  

CrossFit Fever via flickr creative commons

Health in a Glass of Red

I always hear that antioxidants are good for you and red wine is packed with good antioxidant. This statement is how I justify my beloved glass of red wine with my meal. I have never given it much thought as to what antioxidants are and the impact they have in bodies.

in your body you have a molecule present at all time call free radicals. These free radicals are responsible for illness and disease forming in the body. Antioxidants are the molecules which fight these free radicals preventing from ill health. Antioxidants are provided to the body through healthy diet.Canada Living suggests these foods as the richest source of antioxidants, berries, broccoli, garlic, tomatoes and red wine.                                       

It is claimed that the antioxidant polyphenols in red wine helps to prevent heart disease and other life threatening diseases. This polyphenols helps the lining of blood vessels in the heart which reduces bad cholesterol and blood clots. The research supporting one glass of red wine may improve health and increase life expectancy.

This allegation of health benefits in red wine must not be taken out of context. Doctors are persistent in information the public that red wine does appear to have benefits for health but only in moderation.                                                         By Maggie Koerth

Here are four major reasons why one glass of red wine can benefit your health

1. Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attacks and Strokes

2. Help Prevent and Treat Cancer

3. Improve Brain Function

4. Keep All of Your Body's Cells Healthy

The trick here is to keep it to only one glass!

Food Consideration

 My family is all in the food and wine industry therefore I have been lucky enough to have been exposed to unique restaurants and delicious food. Growing up there was never a concern of bad unhealthy food. When we went out for dinner the amount of fat or sodium in my pork tenderloin was never alarming to me.  Now however this lack of food consideration can no longer exists with healthy eating.

Eating at home and making your own food is always the healthiest option however this is not always realistic. This summer when you’re out on a patio having lunch keep in mind these few changes.

Photo Source:Paty M's Nutrition World

1

     Switch out the red meat for fish or chicken. Having a chicken burger will provide more protein for your body to utilize and has less fat. Fish is the leanest option for meat; a salmon steak can kick that meat craving.
2

 Skip the bun. If your meal comes with a bun or bread pass on the carbohydrates and you’ll cut out a few 100 calories.

 3

        Get green. Switch french fries for some greens like a salad or fresh cut vegetables. Fries are cooked in oil and salted, providing your body with zero nutrition. The greens will leave you feeling fuller for longer.

With the busy schedule of people these days it is understandable that so many eat out for a treat or for conveniences. Keeping in mind these tips can save you can extra fat, sodium and sugar. Hopefully helping you dine smart this summer. 

 

Remarkable Addition to Diet: Omega 3

As per from what I have observed since living here in Canada, health is a very important and prominent part of our country. It is very common for people now days to be using supplements for boosting their immune system, strengthening their bones, or just keeping their bodies healthy overall. I also have personal experience in my family for using these doses which is why I decided to ponder upon some of the benefits of one of the most common supplement out there: Omega 3. 

Photo credits: Saafco

Why is Omega 3 beneficial to health?

• It contains fatty acids that function as brain boosters and improve learning capabilities, memory and focus. 
• Has a positive affect in maintaining a healthy heart as it helps red blood cells in becoming flexible which then allows for a consistent flow of blood.
• Helps increase the strength of the immune system in healing/ fighting harm to the body.
• Helps in reducing inflammation and thus improves the texture and appearance of skin.

These are only some of the many benefits of Omega 3 supplements! These tablets are easy to intake with your meal and do a great deal of benefit for your health in the long run. Another reason to take this supplement is because fish oil is very important for the body, but consuming it is difficult because whole fishes have the risk of containing mercury, therefore Omega 3 is the best option out there and is definitely beneficial to be considered by everyone as an addition to their diet!

How Healthy is Plain Water

Calgary is finally heating up! And as people are outside enjoying the beautiful weather, it is very much possible that dehydration is becoming a common problem. Nothing quenches thirst like a cold drink of water (at least for me!). I always get a feeling of pure relaxation after drinking water, and why not, it is the healthiest beverage out there!


Healthy Facts about Water

Photo source: Healthy Life Journal.org

• Drinking water suppresses appetite so it can actually cause people to eat less and cut back a few pounds.
• Water keeps skin refreshed and clean, thus the more you drink the more your appearance will glow!
• It transports oxygen to our brain and carries nutrients to our organs and tissues.
• Water prevents constipation which is overall helpful in the maintenance of a clean bowel and stomach system. 

Are you getting enough water? 
If not, then there are numerous ways to increase your intake of water. Water can also be consumed through:

1. Low Fat milk
2. 100% Juices
3. Iced Tea
4. Lemonade

Fact to remember: It is recommended that people drink at least up to 8 glasses of water per day to keep their systems healthy. So drink up and stay hydrated! 

Super sized by a French Fry

The craze that today's generation has with fast food is widely known and acknowledged throughout the world. Unfortunately I myself am part of this trend and love fast food! But more commonly, I am talking about the fondness that people have with McDonald's fast food. Their delicious french fries are the most important factor of the company's success in many countries and almost no one ever orders a small size for this irresistible food item on the menu. 

But it is beneficial to remember that tasting good is not everything so people should also ponder over why these fries are so delicious in the first place because "All that glitters is not gold", so there certainly must be a down factor to these fries. 


To support this, I would like to mention that the effects on health, because of McDonald's fast food, is very effectively shown in the popular documentary: Supersize Me by Morgan Spurlock. The documentary conducts an experiment, similar to the one shown in the video to the right (Source of video: Youtube- uploaded by AgileHProductions), which shows that the McDonald fries do not decompose compared to other homemade fries! So keeping this in mind, it is probably advised that people think about what would this be doing to a person's inner body system once they are consumed? 
Unhealthy is the right word for these fries. No matter how good they taste, people are consuming them at their own personal risk. The fries are simply stubborn to digest! And digestion being an extremely important process for the sustainability of the human body and healthy lifestyle, should not be compromised with. 

Photo Source: Fast Food Info.

Also, as shown in Supersize Me, regular consumption of junk food causes detrimental effects to the liver, heart, and also causes the gain of weight. Thus it is important that people opt for healthier choices (like homemade fries!) and be cautious with their intake of junk food no matter how irreresitble it is. 


Recipe: Healthy Homemade Fries
Enjoy!

The Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

I love tea, to the point where I have nearly taken over a whole cupboard in my kitchen with tea and tea accessories. One of the main reasons I love tea is that it is so healthy! That is of course if you skip the added sugar, which is hard for me because I am such a fan of a classic English Breakfast Tea with milk and sugar so delish!

Photo Credit: Tea Online

My favourite tea to regularly drink is green tea, both straight classic green teas and fruity blends. Green tea is native to China and Japan and has been cultivated for centuries. It was once only drunk by Emperors and rich elites.  It has since grown to be a cultural staple in Asian society. Not only does green tea taste great, it is extremely healthy! Green tea is very healthy because it is high in antioxidants called polyphenols, which are known to prevent aging and damage from free radicals. Green tea also contains catkins, which are known to be antibacterial, metabolize fats, regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It is also high in natural fluoride, which works to prevent tooth decay and gum disease!  On top of all of these it is also considered to be a antiviral meaning it can help prevent colds and flus. The one downside to green tea is that is high in caffeine (about 40-50 milligrams of caffeine per cup).

How To Steep Green Tea
For best results invest in some loose-leaf tea as opposed to pre-made tea bags.
Green Tea is very delicate and can easily be burned, leaving a bitter taste. For best steeping results steep 1 teaspoon of green tea per cup in 80 degree Celsius water for approximately three minutes.

Here are a couple of my favorite loose-leaf green teas from David's Tea

Organic Ever Green

Genmaicha

Green tea can be served both hot and iced and is a great substitute for high calorie and sugar drinks, as well as coffee. For a special treat, try mixing some steeped Toasted Walnut green tea into steamed almond milk for a healthy tea latte. Other ways to enjoy green tea is to steep jasmine green tea into rice to serve with a stir-fry or steep any flavor of green tea into your oatmeal for added benefits and flavor. If you can't resist some sweetener, try some agave nectar.

Raw Food Simple?

Image: M4tik's Photostream

I was first drawn to this article in Impact magazine because of the delicious sushi roll on the front page. Title “Taste the Spark of Life” increased my interest in the article but with a closer look the subtitle reads “win the Race with Raw Food”.  My mind immediately went to raw vegan, oh boy.

Being a vegetarian I can understand the difficulties with eating, especially in Alberta. It is not very often I can go to a pub and find something I can eat or would like to eat; yam fries can get boring rather quickly.  My reasoning for becoming vegetarian after eating meat most of my life was easy because I was vegan for months before. I still think vegan is a great way to live your life but it does not go without saying it is a demanding lifestyle.

When people hear vegan a perplexed look on their face usually follows. I could feel this look on my face while reading this article. The only thing harder than being vegan is being raw vegan. This article “spark of life” is proposing a very difficult concept of transitioning to raw vegan through a few convincing words and recipes.

The author starts out with explaining just what raw food is cleverly without using the word vegan once. The health benefits are obvious, if you eat vegetables, fruit and grain your health will improve. This means no meat, dairy or any product from an animal. Not only is there a major restriction of food but how the food is cooked, it must not be heated past 118F. This to to prevent the killing of living enzymes, also called the spark of life.The author describes this concept in a much more sophisticated manner, but ultimately that’s how it measures up. 

The article provides information about super foods and their benefits along with a recommendation for a cookbook.  The recipes indeed look enjoyable but the problem is the preparation time and the rare ingredients, these are not simple dishes to make nor are they cost efficient.

This mini guide to promote veganism is great to someone who has a grasp on nutrition however without that understanding I think readers could misinterpret eating all raw food as simple. The idea behind eating raw food is 100 percent a benefit to anyone. I think this article provides convincing information on these benefits but little practical tools for eating raw food.  


Here are some resources I found helpful and informative
1. Forks over Knives 
2. Meatout Mondays
3. PETA'S

                

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Photo source: Laughter Capital

It is true that sometimes even the littlest things in life make the biggest differences. As quoted by the very famous Charlie Chaplin: "A day without laughter is a day wasted", and also lost with that day are all the health benefits that can be obtained with the simple feeling of pleasure and glee. 

Firstly, mood is a major determinant of quality of life and also a person's social life. It is evidently known that if a person has an uplifted mood, they are more likely to engage with others and enjoy their life rather than someone who is depressed and barely celebrates in occasions of festivity. 

A healthy social life then consequently contributes to gratitude and happiness which is ultimately how people develop meaning in their life. 

Photo source: Rome blogger

To laugh is good for your health because it is beneficial in:

•  Reduction of Pain: relaxes your muscles, releases extra energy and is very effective to distract someone when they are hurt either physically or emotionally.
• Improving Mental Health: effective way to release stress, stalled emotions, and discomforting memories.
• Improving blood flow: it is an energy booster as it refreshes the mind and also increases the amount of oxygen in the body. This is like a healing factor for the human body and can overall increase an individual's life expectancy; as even 5 minutes of laughter is equal to 45 minutes of regular exercise!
• Boosting the Immune system: as stress decreases, the body's ability to become more active increases. The process improves the movement of lymph fluids around your body which stimulate the immune system. 

Laughter is also infectious! When shared, it spreads joy among many and increases liveliness, interaction and health with others. So smile as much as you can spread the bliss!

Photo source: Art of Life

The History of Meatless Monday

Over the past year or so, I decided to reduce my intake of meat products in an attempt to reduce my caloric and fat intake but also to increase my fruit and veggie consumption, reduce my meal costs and my ecological foot print. "Meatless Monday" was a term that I had seen trending on many food and lifestyle blogs. What was interesting to me, was to learn that Meatless Monday's had been around for a long time.

Photo Credit: Meatless Monday

 Meatless Mondays first came into the scene, as American notion related to the First World War efforts. This initiative was founded by then head of Food Administration, Herbert Hoover and was supported by the U.S Food Administration.  It was marketed using the slogan "Food Will Win The War"  and recipes were distributed in newspapers and magazines across the nation. 

This campaign was carried over into World War II by Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman through rationing food staples to help supply war-ravaged Europe with food. During this campaign Americans were encouraged to reduce and eliminate any food waste, as well as eat less wheat, sugar and fats to help provide aid to Europe. 

In 2003, Meatless Mondays resurfaced was a health initiative reintroduced by health advocate Sid Lerner as a way for people to reduce their consumption of saturated fats. He has gained support from world-renowned chefs Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali and former Beatle, Paul McCartney. 

Meatless Monday is now a global health initiative aimed at improving health and well being. Reasons to participate in Meatless Monday include great health benefits such as reducing risks of cancers, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and general diet improvement. These benefits are seen through increase fruit and vegetable intake, protein substitutes such as beans have high fiber and protein with low fat levels and weight loss associated with lower caloric and fat intake. 

Meatless Monday is a fun way to experiment with vegetarian options and find a different spin on healthy eating. With a wide war time history, it is intriguing to see how Meatless Monday has evolved with changing world issues. 

Here are a couple Meatless Monday Recipes:

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Chickpea and Mango Lunchbowl

Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Vegetarian Vietnamese Pancakes 

Finding Your Drive

I have never been much of a competitive person. When I say that to people I usually get “well you must not have siblings.” Wrong I have a sister very close in age, but I never wanted to be better than her in any way. I always wanted us to share everything and be equal in every way. So I think by nature I am simply not a competitive person.

My last post I wrote about intrinsic motivation working towards a goal. Today I want to touch on extrinsic motivation and the contract between the two motivations. After giving it some thought I was surprised by what motivates me.

I have always marveled at those individuals who push themselves on their own, pushing themselves to their brink solely because they are in competition with themselves.  An Olympic athlete trains for a particular goal, to win the title of best in the world in a distinct athletic category.  While I am sure intrinsic motivation accompanies their training ultimately it is the extrinsic goal of the gold medal which pushes them.  Mike Brown is a Canadian Olympic competitor in swimming. His successful career has been driven by winning, his person slogans is “driven to win”.  He explains the reason of coming out of retirement, at the age of 25, was simply to win gold in the London Olympic Games.

Other admirable athletes can find success in a different from of motivation. A marathon runner can train   for months before a race. The runner crosses the finish line without a country congratulating them or medal hung on their neck yet the look of success on their face is just as prevalent as the wining Olympic athlete.

I don’t know think there is a better from of motivation. It all pertains to the person and how the mechanics of their body and brain function. I find myself looking for extrinsic motivation because I think my intrinsic motivation is weak.  I have been  taking boot camps for years and just last year I stared running. I discovered this missing competitive characteristic through running. I am constantly trying to beat my last run in distance or speed. I now feel empowered through realizing I don’t need to rely on anyone other than myself to find my drive to win. I found the importance in recognizing how to push myself in this area of life. 

Image 1:WN / Dominic Canoy

Image 2:Thomas Hawk (Creative Commons)

Why does alcohol make you fat?

Ever wonder why alcohol makes you fat?

Picture by health-net.ca

Everyone ponders that question but never truly knows the correct answer. I have always heard many myths about alcohol linked to weight gain but never really believed if they were factual. Recently I stumbled upon an article that grabbed my attention and also answered a lot of my questions and concerns. Boosts in cortisol, enabling bad eating habits and high calories are the three main issues related to alcohol consumption that the article states.

When you are drinking alcohol you are boosting your cortisol levels which are a high fat creating hormone which allows your metabolism to slow down as well as block your body from burning fat up to 73 %. When you are in taking such beverages your body becomes more hydrated and therefore it is shutting down your body’s ability to access fat stores for energy.

Another reason alcohol increases weight gain is because drinking accompanies irresponsible eating. Drinking often puts one in a relaxed party mood, it is easier to indulge in snacks, potato chips and other unhealthy party foods -- the more one drinks the less one seems to care. This article also states that since alcohol releases dopamine, the pleasure and addiction hormone, the result is the desire for more food and more drinks. We have all experienced a late night indulgence after a night of partying and if you think about it, it was most likely not something healthy.

Picture by Ryan Jaslow

Lastly, alcohol is extremely high in calories. Even if you stick to the light drinks such as vodka waters and vodka sodas, you are still consuming more calories than you normally should. Not only is alcohol high in calories but also contains very little nutritional value. With the calories in alcohol and the food you are eating while drinking makes for double the needed calories and if you are doing that often it can lead to extreme weight gain. Simply put, alcohol consumption on a regular basis and weight loss don’t mix.



Article:

http://www.naturalnews.com/035319_alcohol_body_fat_calories.html

Healthier Candy Choices?

Candy is possibly the best friend of most little kids. They will do anything they can to get their hands on just one piece of candy no matter what it takes. Summer is just around the corner, and that means more events where candy is a treat for all of the guests. Birthdays, weddings, baby showers and much much more are great places where most of the guests have a reason to pig out and enjoy the sweet tooth that has been given to all of us. With the tips i'm about to give you on which candies are the best for your sweet tooth, having all the candies you want in order to satisfy your sweet tooth will be the best thing that could have ever happened to you.

Photo Taken by Simran Gill

Some of the Candies that are better for your health are..

• Dark Chocolate anything. The darker the chocolate the better it will be for you. Anything that contains real dark chocolate(none of the fake chocolate) has less sugar than any other chocolates, and has been shown to help reduce your blood pressure. 
• Chocolate with almonds. Any chocolate that contains almonds in it has less sugar because there is less chocolate. The almonds in the chocolate contains a variety of nutrients. 
• Lollipops may seem like one of the candies that isn't at all good for you, but in fact it's the candy that is low in calories and satisfies your sweet tooth at the same time, which is definitely a plus if you ask me. 

If your still a person who enjoys your fair share of candies and still won't give up your candies, some alternatives you can take are.. 

• Eating smaller portions of candy.
• Eating all natural dried up fruits as a small snack instead of a piece of candy. 

In the end of the day, a little candy never hurt anyone. I would like to guess that having a few pieces of candy a year is definitely not bad at all

Chocolate: Healthy or Not?

Photo source: Food for Thought

As a big fan and heavy consumer of chocolate myself, I have had always wondered whether indulging in that extra chocolate treat was a compromise to my health, made no difference or was actually beneficial to me. The debate has been strong on both sides but can the positive side of chocolate overtake its negative? Lets hope so. 

Photo source: Food Ingredients

What is it that makes chocolate so irresistible? A large portion of its allure lies in its rich, creamy and delicious flavor that is effective in immediate mood uplifts (especially for girls!) and satisfaction of cravings. The main reason why chocolate is so pleasurable is because it contains a neurotransmitter, serotonin, that acts as an antidepressant. The increase in serotonin happens in the areas of the brain which is then put into a state of relaxation. Also, levels of serotonin increase in the gut, thus helping the immune system. 


Another reason why chocolate is beneficial is because it helps lower blood pressure which is something that people attain after long and continuance maintenance of healthy diets, losing weight, and extensive exercise. But instead, a small amount of dark chocolate daily is also equally effective as those methods and it is also easy to adhere to. 



Harmful effects?

Photo source: The Telegraph

As heard often, too much of anything is detrimental. Similarly too much chocolate can cause side effects like tooth decay, blemishes, and not to mention the need to lose a few pounds! But according to research, chocolate is actually not a major cause of tooth decay because it contains minerals and phosphates that can actually fight decay!


So to enjoy chocolate by only reaping its benefits, the intake levels should be considerably moderate and not too much or too less and this way this sweet treat can be cherished without extensive adversities!

Vitamin Water Equal to Coke

We all know drinking water can be the best thing to do to hydrate and rejuvenate your body, but what happens when brands like Vitamin Water start showing up, promising health, nutritious water that also provides an extra kick in your everyday life? 

Vitamin Water was created in the late 2000, it was a beverage that people could take and become hydrated as well as giving you the vitamins you needed everyday. Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson worked with Glacéau to create Vitamin Water that we know enjoy and love to drink on a day to day basis. But is it really one of the beverages you want to drink?

Photo Taken by Simran Gill

I'll have to admit, I was in love when I heard 50 Cent had come out with a Vitamin Water. I wanted to be the first one in my family to get my hands on it. There are so many different flavours to choose from, I literally took hours to decide on which one I wanted to taste first. I thought it would be a better option than drinking water, well simply because it has flavour to it. I'll agree that water does also come in flavoured bottles, but flavoured water just seems to have a really weird taste to it, it never seemed to please my taste buds at all. Vitamin Water would be the new drink that I would purchase on a day to day basis. So after almost drinking this beverage for years now, I finally come across the nutritional guide for it and found out that this beverage isn't actually as great for you as it claims to be. 

If you look at the ingredients that are in Vitamin Water, it is all fortified sugar. Vitamin Water doesn't actually contain any juice in it at all. One bottle of Vitamin Water contains 120 calories and contains 33 grams of sugar, which is more than a 12 ounce serving of Coca Cola . If you were to compare the contents in Vitamin Water and Coca Cola, Vitamin Water contains more calories and sugar than Coca Cola does. One thing is for sure that companies don't care about your health or anything, all they want from you is your business and for you to purchase their products, and instead of buying these, your best option is in fact pure, natural water. 

Lose Weight Naturally!

Picture by Lyle J. Dennis

Many people focus on losing weight with exercise and changing to a healthier diet but unfortunately lots of individuals also turn to unnatural and sometimes unhealthy supplements. Recently I have learnt of a simple solution on how to lose weight the natural and healthy way. As simple as it sounds vitamin C can do the trick. There has been a huge link recently between vitamin C and weight loss that I have found extremely interesting and useful to my life. It may be hard to believe that by simply taking more vitamin C each day it can promote weight loss but in order to better understand this concept you need to understand what it truly does for the body.

Make sure you are eating a lot of fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C. I’ve acquired that a diet with inadequate amounts of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin c may prevent a person from losing weight. Some suggestions of food I love that contain vitamin C are:

• Strawberries
• Grapefruit
• Kiwis
• Sweet Potatoes
• Peppers

Picture by Kalen Poubs

The consumption of vitamin C also aids weight loss because it helps burn higher amounts of fat while exercising. During a workout you are able to burn 30% more fat than an individual with a diet lacking in vitamin C. My tip, indulge in a nice grapefruit before an intense workout and you will feel great and refreshed!

Do you have problems with your blood sugar levels? I have discovered that higher levels of vitamin C consumption may result in better management of blood sugar levels. Diabetics should be increasing their vitamin C consumption and people who have not been diagnosed with diabetes should increase their vitamin C because blood sugar management prevents weight gain.

Overall, stay away from the weight loss supplements. Most supplements are a scam and can cause major health problems in the future, which can also increase your weight. I’ve found a simple, healthy and natural solution. Add more vitamin C into your diet and I promise you that you will not be disappointed!

Picture compliments of weight-loss.com

Foods That Fight Cancer!

Picture by George Bernard Shaw

We always hear of the healthy foods that fight cancer such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and herbal teas but what about those foods specialists claim our bad for us? Some recent studies have proven that some foods, even our guilty pleasures, play a role in preventing different types of cancer.

Do you also wake up in the early hours of the morning craving a cup of coffee to start up your day but have avoided it because you have heard coffee and caffeine is bad for you? Don’t! In moderation that cup of coffee you crave can help prevent you from forming skin cancer. I have read recently that people who drink at least 2 cups of coffee a day are less likely to have basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common type of skin cancer. This information greatly brightened up my mornings as well as my health.

Picture compliments of Imagechef.com by Kate Subtle

A second surprising cancer preventer is alcohol. A seven letter word we all love but hate to admit it. Don’t be ashamed anymore because in moderation red wine is believed to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Red wine also plays a strong role in reducing the effects of radiation for those who are undergoing radiation therapy for cancer and at the same time can protect the healthy cells. However, drinking more than two alcoholic drinks per day may increase the risk of breast cancer so moderation is the key!

Lastly, the third preventer was my favorite of the three. As a Chocolate addict I wasn't surprised at the growing evidence that it is a mood enhancer but I was stunned and extremely excited when I heard it is also a cancer preventative. Chocolate is a huge antioxidant, which slows down the oxidization of cells and therefore prevents the production of radicals that damage cells and can cause cancer and heart disease. Do people really need more encouragement to eat chocolate? Probably not but at least now we know when we’re eating a little bit we can be helping our bodies at the same time!



Picture by Elaina Franks

Kale-Miracle Vegetable!

Picture taken by Curly Kale

Lately I have noticed at restaurants menus filled with the vegetable kale! I am extremely into health and nutrition and have never really knew much about this vegetable and therefore decided to do some research on the beneficial food.

Kale has a fairly strong and acquired taste and can be quite bitter. Mostly, I chop, steam or sauté and add it to other ingredients. It has a lot of nutrition so it is worth making several attempts to find a way that you will enjoy it. One way I’ve seen it used lately is in salads, either substituted or added to lettuce which is a great way to also add a kick to your diet if you find yourself sometimes dreading eating just another plain salad.

I was quite surprised to find out that kale had numerous benefits to human health as I just thought restaurants used it because of it 's aesthetic appeal. Its nutritional value is extremely high and with being a type of hidden cabbage not a lot of people know the true benefits and health outcomes it can bring. Kale is filled with antioxidants, which protect our cells from free radicals, which causes our bodies stress. Not only does it offer whopping doses of vitamin K, A and C it also plays a major role in cardiovascular support and omega 3 fatty acids which help regulate our bodies inflammatory process.

Ever feel so rundown, bloated and overall unhealthy? There can be numerous causes for feeling this way but one simple solution is a kale detox. The ingredients found in kale aid in both phases I and II of the body’s detoxification process. The high sulfur content of kale has further been shown to be essential in detoxification. It is a great vegetable to kick-start your diet process and gets your body and mind back on the track to a healthy diet that will lead to a healthy lifestyle.

Food Court Food: Healthiest?

 When planning a trip the mall, there will always be that one person who is constantly hungry at all times and needs to eat something immediately. Most people think that when your looking for a healthier alternative at the food court that there isn't any, but boy are they wrong. People just do not know what else to order but the french fries and burgers, simply because these are the easiest and quickest choices that the food court has.

Photo Taken by Simran Gill

There are many things to look for and do when it comes to healthier eating.. Here are just a few tips that you can take to eat healthier when at the food court or any fast food restaurant.

When shopping, take about 10-15 minutes to eat a bowl of soup or a bagel and a salad before. If you don't, by the time you get to the food court, you will be so hungry that you will want to eat the first thing that you see, which may not be the best choices. It is better if you eat something before you start off your shopping spree that way you won't be as hungry and won't want to even set foot into the food court.

Instead of ordering the french fries that come with almost every single combo meal, change it up and oder a salad instead. When ordering the salad, ask to have the sauces put on the side so you can eat it accordingly instead of forcefully. All the sauces that are provided with the salads in order to make your food taste better are usually loaded in high fat which isn't the best choice if your looking to eat healthy.

Always opt for a regular sized combo instead of asking for it to be super sized because it only costs 30 cents to upgrade. The super sized combos can contain almost more than half the amount of calories and fat that are in the regular sized combos.

Photo Taken by Simran Gill

 After looking over all the different food court choices, it is really difficult to determine exactly which one is the healthiest. Depending on what you order from the place, one could be more healthier than another. For instance, ordering a sub at Subway with all the vegetables and the right type of bread can be so much more healthier than ordering a poutine covered in gravy and cheese at New York Fries.

I guess you could say, eating healthy at the food court is all depended on what you choose to eat and how you want it to be. Adding extra anything isn't really the best option and doesn't really say healthy at all. Choose what is best for your body and what makes you feel good inside.
Enjoy!