Eat Healthy, Sil Vous Plait ;)

Has anyone ever wondered how the French manage to stay trim, even while eating many of the things we are advised to avoid, like butter, eggs, and cheese? Even though they enjoy rich foods denied to most dieters, they still manage to have lower cholesterol levels and less heart disease than most others! Look at the statistics- 11% of French adults are said to be obese, while 3 times as many Americans suffer from that condition.

And it's not only about the French- we see that even our previous generations stayed healthy after eating a lot of food that we abstain from in quest for a ‘healthy’ living and diet. They even lived longer, had a fewer health problems during their lifetimes, and enjoy the food without ever feeling guilty!

So, what’s missing?

Let’s take a look at what they eat, or ate. Their typical diet includes more fresh food, such as bread, fruit and vegetables. That means that they consume less processed foods, which tend to contain high carbohydrates and preservatives. Thus, what they eat is generally more healthy and nutritious than what we consume. Choosing foods that are natural rather than processed when we cook go a long way towards improving our health, our waistline, and our satisfaction level with eating.

How you eat is also an important factor. Most of the people who are seen to enjoy good health give priority to mealtimes, making them a social and family experience. That way, they eat less, feel satisfied with their meals, and also get to enjoy the rich food and drink that we often tend to feel guilty about. They don’t just eat for the sake of eating- they embrace the joy of eating. Modern lifestyle has resulted in people wolfing down food on the run, while running from one place to the next. The result? Health problems, increasing waistlines, and not getting to enjoy the food we are eating. It’s official: Studies have shown that when we make time for meals and eat at a more relaxed pace, we end up being more satisfied with what we have consumed, even though we actually have eaten less food.

All we gotta do is break up our meals in courses with smaller portions, take smaller bites, and let our taste buds experience all the flavor that each bite has to offer!!

Happy eating... oops, mealing!!

Iron It In!!

Iron is a mineral found in every cell of the body. It is considered an essential mineral because it is needed to make part of blood cells. The human body needs iron to make the oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and myoglobin is found in muscles. Iron also makes up part of many proteins in the body. Hence, it is very essential that your body get its share of iron for it to remain fit and function effectively.

Green leafy vegetables are usually rich in iron. Having a good helping of green salads is a good, inviting option for lunch, and dinner. It would also help in keeping a check on the amount of calories, and is a nice & healthy way to go dieting. For breakfast, you may consider having iron fortified cereals with milk. Check the nutrition information on package label for specific iron content. You can also have some prune juice as a source of Iron.Other sources include Broccoli, Dates, Kidney beans, Lima beans, Molasses- blackstrap, Peas- frozen and prepared, Bread (both white and whole wheat), and Brown rice.Some dry fruits like almonds and raisins are also rich in dietary iron. Whew!! Looks like there's a lot of choice for you!! As far as my knowledge goes, having carbonated water does not have any effect on the amount of iron in your body, neither does it help your body in absorbing iron better. Unless, it is fortified with Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), which is a facilitator of iron absorption into your body.

FYI:
In general, iron is not readily absorbed by the body. Dietary iron is either HEME or NON-HEME iron. HEME iron is found only in MEAT, FISH, AND POULTRY and is ABSORBED MUCH MORE EASILY than NON-HEME iron, which is found primarily in FRUITS, VEGETABLES, DRIED BEANS, NUTS AND GRAIN products.
The following factors will increase the iron absorption from non-heme foods:

• A good source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - i.e., oranges, grapefruits, tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries, eaten with a NON-HEME food


• A HEME and NON-HEME food eaten together


• A NON-HEME food cooked in an iron pot, such as a cast iron skillet.
  

A lot of information is available on the net for people interested in knowing more. To quote a few:

• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002422.htm


• http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ida/ida_prevention.html


• http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html