The good and evil truths about your food addictions

It’s hard to resist the simple addiction of sipping a hot cup of coffee or frappe, or perhaps the tingling sensation that sweet foods could give, or munching on those bags of chips while watching sappy movies late in the afternoon. But does your body appreciate them the way your taste buds do?

Dieticians and nutritionists from Manila Doctors Hospital’s (MDH) PROHEALTH Research and Education Center give you the truth about your addictions.







Coffee
• It’s known as a mental stimulant, which keeps us alert after some time.
• It boosts energy levels and prevents sleepiness, as the body releases adrenaline when we take it in.
• It may also help burn calories as it increases the body’s metabolism.

BUT: If you drink more than two cups a day, you may face the following:

PMS. While caffeine can decrease discomfort and that bloated feeling, it can cause a drop in blood sugar, which in effect aggravates PMS.

Cancer. Though there is no concrete evidence that caffeine alone may cause cancer, but if you love to drink coffee and smoke at the same time, then beware. Studies show that doing so may lead to cancer, particularly breast cancer.

Too much caffeine may lead to headaches, sleep problems and anxiety attack and bladder conditions as it acts as a diuretic to the body.

How to deal: If you can’t get rid of your frappes and espressos right away, try lessening your intake each day until you’re used to drinking small amounts or none at all. Substitute coffee for something healthier —nothing could be better than water.

Sugar
Sugar is a carbohydrate. It boosts your energy, helps sharpen memory, as glucose is the main sugar that feeds our brain cells. If taken moderately, it will help you gain weight.
BUT: This wickedly yummy treat may bring about these negative effects:
Hyperglycemia. A blood-sugar problem caused by too much sugar and improper diet.
Tooth decay. The bacteria in plaque depend on sugars to produce acids, which break down the enamel and start tooth decay.

Headaches and dizziness. Low glucose levels resulting from the severe dip after a high sugar intake tax the brain and cause headaches.

Other symptoms of too much sugar intake are great stress and fatigue, depression, anxiety, lack of mental alertness, and rapid mood swings. It may also delay wound healing, particularly for people with cancer or other disease conditions, as bacteria thrives on sugar as their immediate food source.

How to deal: Always eat your meals on time to prevent craving for sweets. Satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fruits instead.



Junk Food
Chips, packs of salted goodies, are the most convenient food-on-the-go. It is handy to eat or take anywhere, but junk food is precisely that—junk! It’s tasty (especially when it’s in your favorite flavor) but gives us nothing but empty calories (meaning we gain weight but we don’t get any nutrients from it).

BUT Junk food will never give us nutrition that our body needs. Some of its harmful effects are:
• Lack of energy
• Poor concentration
• Heart diseases
• High cholesterol

How to deal: Self-discipline is what you need to be able to swerve away from your junkie-addiction. If you’re really craving for something to munch on, the least you can do is substitute the flavored varieties with the plain-flavored ones, or better yet opt for a bag of popcorn (but not the microwaveable kind). A healthier option? Try crunching on dried or roasted unsalted nuts instead. It gives you the same comfort of chips without causing harm to your body.

Want to know more? Manila Doctors Hospital’s resident nutritionists and dieticians at the PROHEALTH Center offer diet counseling services that are tailor-fit to your lifestyle. They also offer nutrition and disease education on common medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

• PROHEALTH is open from Mondays through Saturdays from 8 am to 5 pm and is located at the ground floor of Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave., Ermita, Manila. You may reach them at these numbers (02) 524-3011 local 4718. For more information, you may visit http://www.maniladoctors.com.ph.

source: interaksyon.com

Amanda Griffin Jacob on vegetarianism and Bill Clinton

MANILA, Philippines - Amanda Griffin Jacob, proud mother of two boys Kieran (3 years old) and Kalon (7 months old), splits her time between Manila and Hong Kong, is currently busy shooting season 2 of her TV show “Amanda, Living Life” with a premiere on June 19th in the Lifestyle Network, and maintains the popular website for mothers www.glamomamas.com.


With such a busy schedule, you’d think she gets her energy from eating from every food variety. The truth is, since 2007, Amanda has made the lifestyle choice of becoming a vegetarian.

Amanda says that she is the veggie pioneer in their family and she shares that as soon as she started, she started feeling much better physically.

“When I was eating meat I had a lot of digestive issues,” Amanda says. “Mentally, I felt wonderful. I had wanted to become a vegetarian since I was in high school but never thought I would be able to live without meat.”

She, along with 15 other Filipinos, has been nominated in PETA’s (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) search for the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity. Amanda joins a list that includes Bill Clinton, Michelle Yeoh, Joaquin Phoenix, Anne Hathaway, Zhang Ziyi, and Mike Tyson. Other Filipinos in the list are Cynthia Alexander, Raymond Bagatsing, Lougee Basabas, Geneva Cruz, Chin-Chin Gutierrez, Yasmien Kurdi, Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan, Raya Mananquil, Alicia Mayer, Rocco Nacino, Juliana Palermo, Isabel Roces, Nityalila Saulo, Sandra Seifert, and Julia Sniegowski.

“It is really,really cool to be in a group like that,” Amanda says. “The most impressive vegan for me is Bill Clinton. I always think if he could go veggie then anyone can.”
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But Amanda is quick to add that being a vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll immediately be sexy.

“You can be vegetarian and be unhealthy,” she says. “Vegetarianism should be a lifestyle choice rather than a quick fix diet.”

Her message for those who want to do just that?

“Do it. It’s not as hard as you think. Your mind, body and planet will thank you for it.”

 You can vote for the Filipino nominees here: http://www.petaasiapacific.com/feature-sexiest-veg-celeb-2013-Eng.asp

source: philstar.com

A heart-healthy New Year’s resolution

It is so sad to lose a loved one in the midst of the Christmas season’s revelry when everyone seems to be caught up in the merriment of the holidays.

I was in two wakes a few days after Christmas to condole with the families of two close friends.  Heart attack was the cause of their deaths and both victims were in their 70s, considered fairly young in this era of advance medical cardiovascular research and heart-healthy food and supplements that are heralded in the market, health magazines, and heart-related articles on the Internet.

In one of the wakes, I saw a friend whom I have not seen for a year and was pleasantly surprised to see him trim, slim, and looking physically fit. He explained that he had to change his diet and go on a physical regimen after a physical checkup that showed some of his arteries clogged and his cholesterol level hitting 350 (limit is 215, according to his doctor). It was a wake-up call for him and, after undergoing an angioplasty, he was determined to do a complete nutritional makeover. He no longer eats pork or red meat.  He is into fish and vegetables for the most part and, most importantly, he got himself involved in biking and hiking for his cardiovascular regimen.

After all the rich food that we ingested during the holiday season, it is time to go back to the basics and eat heart-healthy food.  According to the 2013 Diet Review on WebMD, here are some of the foods that will make our hearts healthier and make us shed unwanted pounds:  These powerhouses form a global approach to heart-wise eating. 




• Fresh herbs. Fresh herbs make many other foods heart-healthy when they replace salt, sugar, and trans fats.  Fact: Rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme contain antioxidants.

• Black beans. Mild, tender black beans are packed with heart-healthy nutrients, including folate, antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber which helps control both cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Tips: Canned black beans are quick additions to soups and salads. Rinse to remove extra sodium.

• Red wine and resveratrol. If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a heart-healthy choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the good cholesterol.

Tips: Don’t exceed one drink a day for women; one to two drinks for men — but talk to your doctor first. Alcohol may cause problems for people taking aspirin and other medications. Too much alcohol actually hurts the heart.

• Salmon. A top food for heart health, salmon is rich in the omega-3s EPA and DH. Omega-3s may lower risk of rhythm disorders and reduce blood pressure. Salmon also lowers triglycerides and reduces inflammation. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of salmon or other oily fish a week.

• Tuna. Tuna is a good source of heart-healthy omega-3s. It generally costs less than salmon. Albacore (white tuna) contains more omega-3s than other tuna varieties. Reel in these other sources of omega-3s, too: mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies.

• Extra virgin olive oil. This oil, made from the first press of olives, is especially rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. When olive oil replaces saturated fat (like butter), it can help lower cholesterol levels.
Tip: Use for salads, in cooked veggies, with bread.

• Walnuts. A small handful of walnuts (1.5 ounces) a day may lower your cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the arteries of the heart. Walnuts are packed with omega-3s, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. The benefits especially come when walnuts replace bad fats, like those in chips and cookies and you don’t increase your calorie count.

Tip: A handful has nearly 300 calories. Walnut oil has omega-3s, too; use in salad dressings.

• Almonds. Slivered almonds go well with vegetables, fish, chicken, even desserts, and just a handful adds a good measure of heart health to your meals. They’re chock full of plant sterols, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. Almonds may help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of diabetes.

• Tofu. Make soy protein the main attraction more often at dinner time by cooking with tofu instead of red meat. You gain all the heart-healthy minerals, fiber, and polyunsaturated fats of soy — and you avoid a load of artery-clogging saturated fat.

• Sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a hearty, healthy substitute for white potatoes for people concerned about diabetes. With a low glycemic index, these spuds won’t cause a quick spike in blood sugar. Ample fiber, vitamin A, and lycopene add to their heart-healthy profile.
 
Tip: Enhance their natural sweetness with cinnamon and lime juice, instead of sugary toppings.

• Oranges. This sweet, juicy fruit contains the cholesterol-fighting fiber pectin as well as potassium, which helps control blood pressure. A small study shows that OJ may improve blood vessel function and modestly lower blood pressure through the antioxidant hesperidin.

Tip: A medium orange has 62 calories, with three grams of fiber.

• Carrots. The latest research on carrots shows these sweet crunchy veggies may help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. They’re also a top cholesterol-fighting food, thanks to ample amounts of soluble fiber — the kind found in oats.

Tip: Add shredded carrots to spaghetti sauce and muffin batter.

• Oatmeal. Oats in all forms can help your heart by lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol. A warm bowl of oatmeal fills you up for hours, fights snack attacks, and helps keep blood sugar levels stable over time, making it good for people with diabetes, too.

Tip: Swap oats for one-third of the flour in pancakes, muffins, and baked goods. Use oats instead of breadcrumbs in cooking.

• Low-fat yogurt. While low-fat dairy is most often touted for bone health, these foods can help control high blood pressure, too. Milk is high in calcium and potassium, and yogurt has twice as much of these important minerals. To really boost the calcium and minimize the fat, choose low-fat or non-fat varieties.

• Coffee. Coffee and tea may help protect your heart by warding off type 2 diabetes.  Studies show that people who drink coffee three to four times a day may cut their risk by 25 percent — and even decaffeinated coffee works. Caution is due, however, for those who already have diabetes or hypertension: Caffeine can complicate these conditions.

• Cherries. Cherries are packed with anthocyanins, an antioxidant believed to help protect blood vessels. Cherries in any form provide these heart-healthy nutrients:  the larger heart-shaped sweet cherries, the sour cherries for baking, as well as dried cherries and cherry juice.

• Blueberries. The list of healthy nutrients in blueberries is extensive: Anthocyanins give them their deep blue color and support heart health. Blueberries also contain ellagic acid, beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

source: philstar.com

Memorial Day: Cat Cora, Padma Lakshmi Share Healthy Eating Tips for Summer

Memorial Day marks the start of the summer grilling season, and what better way to spend the holiday that with your family and friends – outside.

Celebrity chef Cat Cora – and star Bravo's Around the World in 80 Plates – says including your children in your meal planning can lead to fun and, most importantly, healthy dining experiences.

In Smart Chefs Stay Slim: Lessons in Eating and Living from America's Best Chefs, by PEOPLE senior editor Allison Adato, Cora is just one of many celebrity chefs (including Tom Colicchio, Wolfgang Puck, Rick Bayless) with nutritious tips to share.

Cora's big suggestion? Eat with your kids outside!

The Iron Chef and wife Jennifer are outnumbered by their four young sons. But the grown-ups still eat the healthy dinners they enjoy – and refuse to cave to kiddie food like buttered noodles or chicken fingers. At their home they'll grill fish, chicken and vegetables, appealing to the boys by making skewered versions.

Anything on a stick, says Cora, "the kids love it. We'll do a salmon skewer and romesco sauce [nuts, garlic, olive oil and peppers] or lamb with a mint-yogurt sauce and pita bread."

Looking for more ideas? PEOPLE recently surveyed many more chefs for their best healthy summer eating tips and tricks. Here is some more creative advice:

• "Make coconut water into ice cubes for drinks, or just suck on them like mini popsicles." – Melissa d'Arabian, host of Food Network's Ten Dollar Dinners

• "Slice chilled cucumbers, leave the skin on and sprinkle them with sea salt. They're a great potato chip alternative." – Geoffrey Zakarian, judge on Food Network's Chopped

• "Try mango chutney with apple and cheddar grilled cheese sandwiches." – Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef

• "Agave nectar is perfect to add to sweet tea or a cocktail!" – Patrick and Gina Neely, hosts of Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys (Agave nectar is natural syrup from the agave plant, which is sweeter than sugar.)

source: people.com