Food Industry Safety - No More !?
- Posted by Alvin on June 15th, 2009 filed in Diet, Health Risks, Information, Real World
The recent rash of salmonella contamination in the food industry has shaken the trust that people have in the food industry. Why, the supermarket culture of food being readily available and safe at that has stood long and proud for many years and such cases have indeed taken trust away from the many food producres worldwide. from cases of contaminated spinach, tomatoes, peanut butter and recently pistachios, seems profits are taking the lead in the many companies that stocks the shelves of our local supermarkets. Much so they have forgotten the basics of food handling which has very strict measures for observance as imposed by the FDA not cleaning and sanitizing equipment as needed and specified by law. Read the rest of this entry »
Food Costs High But People Stick to Health
- Posted by Alvin on May 15th, 2009 filed in Diet, Information, Real World
As predicted, the economic recession has taken it’s toll on the cost of food and they have risen considerably since last year. But the good news shows that people are still sticking to healthier eating habits even with the higher costs of food. Health as it seems, takes a front-seat opposed to simply eating, raised awareness of food safety, where and how the food we eat are more important than the cost. People have been flocking to more organically grown products that have been reared without the use of hormones, pesticides and other man-made chemicals that have been found to accumulate in the body causing health problems many years after they were consumed. With the millions of artificial compounds we have created, first hailed a wonder chemicals turned villains with new and better understanding of their function. Read the rest of this entry »
Soil Borne Pathogens Contamination
- Posted by Alvin on April 15th, 2009 filed in Information
The recent rash of contaminated foodstuffs were traced back to contamination of soil-borne pathogens namely salmonella which is present in soil that is contaminated with animal waste. From the recalls of peanut butter, pistachio nuts and many more, all were traced to soil and even dead animal carcasses (in mouse traps) left near food production equipment where they can easily come in contact with the machinery and packaging equipment that is being used. Safety has suffered for these production facilities should have done by law, safety checks before food products even go out of the factory/packaging facility doors. There should also be random checks and sampling of these products and facilities to see to it they are meeting health and safety requirements to keep production safe and free from such disease causing pathogens. Read the rest of this entry »
Immediate HydroxuCut Recall
- Posted by Alvin on March 15th, 2009 filed in Health Risks, Information, Real World
The USFDA has issued an urgent warning that people should stop using hydroxuct due to liver damage risks that have come out of new research. The same information that resulted in certification has been reversed and all products are being recalled due to severe liver damage that has resulted from use of the said slimming agent. The case of hydroxycut warrants strict monitoring and testing of health supplements that are usually out of the jurisdiction of the FDA with testing and human studies done by the drug maker who then presents lab results for evaluation and approval by the said governing body. Read the rest of this entry »
South Beach Diet
- Posted by editor on February 11th, 2009 filed in Diet, Information
The South Beach diet began through the initiatives of Arthur Agatston (a cardiologist) and Marie Almon (a dietician) who aimed to create a diet plan targeted to prevent cardiac problems. No one foresaw that the diet would be making waves as a weight loss diet.
Basically, the South Beach Diet balances a person’s intake of carbs (carbohydrates) and fats. Agatston and Almon differentiated the “good carbs” from “bad carbs” and “good fats” from “bad fats” in the diet. Strict adherence to the diet plan’s three phases will give the expected result, weight loss.
Phase One restricts most of the carbohydrates in the diet, instead ample amounts of lean protein, good fats and vegetables are offered. During Phase Two healthy (good) carbohydrates are reintroduced in the body, like whole grains and fruits. Lastly, more food varieties are served in Phase Three and is aimed to maintain the person’s ideal weight.
Adverts on Dairy helping with Weight Loss Bogus
- Posted by Alvin on January 30th, 2009 filed in Diet, Health Risks, Information, Real World
Recent ads stating that the consumption of dairy products mainly milk is good for you and that it promotes weight loss is totally misleading according to scientists and health researchers. Though milk may provide the body’s daily calcium intake, it is also loaded with fats that are inherent of the product making it more of a cause of obesity than it’s bane. Statistics are telling the truth that these claims are totally false and bogus for while bones may benefit from calcium it has no bearing on weight loss and can even increase the chances of heart disease. A more healthier diet would be in accordance with the food triangle that provides all the necessary nutrients and dietary fiber needs for one to maintain good health. Combined with proper exercise and lifestyle changes proves to be a better solution than increased intake of milk and calcium supplements. Experts warn of the ill effects of such misleading advertising that costs thousands of dollars but may have no health benefits so be warned.
Health Warnings Renewed for Diet Pills
- Posted by editor on December 30th, 2008 filed in Health Risks, Information, Real World, Weightloss Facts
People always want something faster and better without the pain, which is why the diet pill market is thriving even with stiff warnings from the US FDA. Declared illegal or non-approved, these products have been found to contain high levels of banned substances such as restricted drugs, and high risk ingredients that may cause death if consumed in large enough quantities. The US FDA has taken up the cause and tested most of the ones they can get their hands on and guess what, the label doesn’t always list all of the active ingredients which heightens the risk. Health issues that arise from their use can even send you to the ER with life threatening side-effects so use only the ones that have been tested and certified safe. Avoid purchasing over the internet from abroad for they are more likely to be fakes, so stick with local pharmacies.
Sauna for Weight Loss
- Posted by Alvin on November 30th, 2008 filed in Weightloss Facts
Image Source: silzerhof.com
People who want to improve their health, state of the body and mind, and lose weight will enjoy infrared sauna. It causes weight loss due to energy expenditure that creates about as much as six mile run considered a thirty minute sauna session. It has a beneficial effect in the body that can help u look younger and thinner. It also has a positive effect on the nervous system. After 10 minutes of an infrared sauna session greatly improves motor response and coordination movement. The sharp increase of blood and lymphatic vessels leads to intense physical melting of subcutaneous fat deposits and fat weight loss without load on the heart. This happens due to body perspiration and depending on the personal characteristic weight loss fast from 1-3 lbs. It is a great way to spend our time to relax, improve our health and fast weight loss.
Burning Calories
- Posted by Alvin on October 8th, 2008 filed in Diet
Image Source: healthylifestyle.blogsome.com
There are tactics that can speed up our metabolism to burn more calories. Here are some factors that can help our metabolic rate rise in a drastic way.
Increase the amount of muscle in the body can burn extra pound because muscle is metabolically active even when it’s not moving; taking every opportunity to move can make a dramatic difference to the amount of calories we burn. So remember to keep moving. There is evidence that shows spicy foods raise the metabolic rate just like drinking green tea or caffeine contained beverages. High intensity exercise like vigorous walking, step aerobics, jogging and swimming makes us burn more calories even for several hours after. Meal frequency or eating I small portions may affect our metabolism faster than larger meals. It can also help to control hunger and makes us less likely to crave.
Zippy Dieter’s Tip
- Posted by Alvin on September 29th, 2008 filed in Diet
Image Source: i.ehow.com
Most of the countries today are becoming a fast food nation and for a good reason is that our world is fast phasing. We often eat out in fast foods and restaurants because it’s the cheapest option, but unfortunately, not usually the healthiest one. Eating just one fast food meal can pack enough calories, sodium and fat for an entire day, but the quick-and-cheap temptation can be hard to resist.
Fries are one of the most favourite foods to order. It takes so little time to gobble down and they taste so good. The downside is that they contain more calories than a full meal and are packed with sodium, as well as fat. We all know that when dieting, french fries should be taboo - but as Diet Bites, the current methods in place for dropping pounds are not working we end up eating. Inserting moderate amounts of favorite foods into the daily diet keeps the dieter in familiar grounds. While a too-relaxed diet can lead to disaster, a mood-relaxed diet is stellar. Now for that zippy dieter’s tip and can’t seem to resist fries. You’ve probably heard it mentioned recently on the television, in commercials, in print and in the news. Lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant is abundant in ketchup. Therefore, dip, dip, dip! But if we are watching sodium intake, both french fries and ketchup should be approached with caution.
The good news is that by making ourselves knowledgeable and choosing carefully at chain restaurants we can maintain our healthy diet goals when eating out! On a very simple level, your weight depends on the number of calories you consume, how many of those calories you store, and how many you burn up. But each of these factors is highly influenced by a combination of genes and environment. The level of physical activity, and your resting energy expenditure (the number of calories your body burns while at rest).Both can affect your physiology (such as how fast you burn calories) as well as your behavior (the types of foods you choose to eat, for instance). If you consistently burn all of the calories that you consume in the course of a day, you will maintain your weight. If you consume more energy (calories) than you expend, you will gain weight. The interplay between all these factors begins at the moment of your conception and continues throughout your life.
Excess calories are stored throughout our body as fat. Our body stores this fat within specialized fat cells either by enlarging fat cells, which are always present in the body, or by creating more of them. If we decrease our food intake and consume fewer calories than we burn up, or if we exercise more and burn up more calories, our body will reduce some of our fat stores. When this happens, fat cells shrink, along with our waistline.
The best key to weight loss is finding what works for you and then sticking to it.