Archive for April, 2009

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The Asian Diet by far has been enjoyed around the world in Asian restaurants and homes for many years in North America. The basics of the Asian foods which are plant based rather than animal proteins account for the lower cases of osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer amongst Asians. Similar to the Mediterranean diet the Asian diet is considered by research to be beneficial for weight control and healthy food ingredients.

A main staple of the Asian Diet is rice which makes up appoximately eighty percent of the calories in billions of Asians and is their main export to the world. At the bottom of they Asia Pyramid Diet in the diagram you can see that noodles and rice with other whole grains comprise this percentage followed by fruits, vegetables and nuts or seeds. There are 11.9 million Asian Americans living in the USA imported from over 50 different countries.

The mainstay or major components are vegetables and rice with some added proteins from soy like tofu or a chicken or meat addition. The ratio would be

Fruits Typically pineapple, banana, mango, pears, grapes.

Vegetables broccoli, bok choi, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, chili peppers, beans, green onions, radish, shitaki mushrooms.

Seeds and Nuts – Sesame, peanut, chestnut,
Noodles -The use of rice noodles, rice products and breads and grains with minimal processing.
Vegetable Oils =corn oil, peanut oil, and sesame oils are used in cooking.
Fish and ShellFish -Shrimp, clams, prawns, crabs,
Dairy – Dairy consumption is very low compared to the North American diet -soy is preferred.
Eggs and Poultry – Poultry is used more commonly than meat but in small quantities.
Meat – beef is used in small quantities as an ingredient instead of a major component.

Beverages: Saki Wine, green, black or white teas, water.

Spices- The flavors in Asian dishes are enhanced by the use of ginger, garlic, fenugreek, cumin, miso, black bean paste, teriyaki and soy sauces.

The Asian diet is very low in fat and is a significantly more healthy diet due to the low consumption of meat or animal protein. Beans are also used to a great extent in daily meals.
Try to incorporate asian healthy foods in your diet and follow the guide of the Asian Pyramid.

TAGS: Asian Diet, Asian Pyramid Diet, Healthy Diets, healthy asian foods, Asian foods.


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In this recession people are looking for healthy but economical foods to eat to curb weight and to increase energy.  Here are some important facts about apples and how they can help you lose weight.

We have the sweet Fuji, gala, gold delicious and red delicious varieties. Other types are the tart varieties such as Granny Smith, Idared, and the McIntosh apples.  Still we have a spicy variety called the Jonathon and the crispy Braeburn.

Studies from Harvard and Cornell in obesity studies all confirm the benefits of the apple diet which were conducted by weight control scientists and professional dieticians.

The Apple Diet is Powerful Yet Inexpensive

The Best of the Apple Diet:

The study shows that if you eat a raw medium sized apple before lunch or dinner you will feel less hungry eating the not so healthy foods that you have for lunch.  Eating 3 apples a day before breakfast lunch and dinner not only adds fiber to your diet but is a boost in helping you control blood sugars. The apple diet keeps your “fat pants” away in the back of the closet, and the added vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

A Brazilian study reveals that people who ate foods rich in pectin would lose 33 percent more pounds than those who did not eat of the forbidden fruit. In other studies tested people drank apple juice with fiber added but it did not have the same results as those who just ate the whole fruit which cuts the hunger pangs also.

By eating a simple delicious vitamin rich apple before a meal you will lose five times more weight than taking a diet pill which will also cost you a lot more.  The diet pills cost about $ 4.00 per day as compared to an apple which costs less than one dollar. Those who did not eat the apple did not lose as much weight as those that did.

The Apple Diet does not make you feel hungry and with the added bonus of balancing your blood sugars -it is a powerhouse for dieters.

TAGS:  the apple diet, apples, obesity studies, diet plan, healthy diets, the powerful apple diet.


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Type type II Diabetes is an epidemic in North America due to many lifestyle factors and unhealthy foods habits.

Today we are all rushing with very little time to meal plan Diabetes happens when the pancreas does not manufacture enough insulin. If you are overweight you are more likely to become diabetic and possibly it can become life threatening.  Symptoms to look out for are: fatigue, blurred vision, loss in weight, hunger, frequent urination, thirst, and infections.

Diabetes II is a sugar related disease for which there are prevention techniques such as:

Causes of Sugar Imbalances in diabetes

Causes of Sugar Imbalances in diabetes

Diabetes Prevention Tips:

1) Lowering sugar sources: cakes, cookies, sugar in coffee or tea, sweets.
2) Eating more meals during the day, and snacks to balance blood sugar.
3) Keeping body fat in check through exercises and walking.
4) Eating more of the foods that have low glycemic factors.
5) Drinking more purified water
6) Eating foods that are low in fat, and more raw vegetables and fruits.
Eat More Meals Each Day:

Spreading out the food intake makes your blood sugar more stable without the high spikes and resulting lows.  Eating 3 or 4 meals a day spread out and 2 snacks to keep the blood sugar at an even level will help avoid diabetes.

Exercise:

Exercise is a Good Prevention to Diabetes

Exercise is a Good Prevention to Diabetes

Walking at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night will help you burn those extra calories and help you to sleep better in the evenings.
A bicycle is an easy way to get some exercise or taking up some sport activity like tennis or squash at the gym.


Eat Steel Cut Oatmeal Each Day:

Oatmeal is a wonderful way to keep diabetes in check and whole grain breads – no white bread. The glycemic or sugar content levels in white bread works against diabetes prevention. But slow cooked oatmeal is a low glycemic carbohydrate that is perfect for diabetes prevention. Just consumption of steel cut oatmeal twice a day will keep insulin levels stable for one month afterwards, so pay it forward and keep eating at least one full bowl twice per week.  By using ¼ cup boiled as per the directions is all you need to help avoid diabetes, which is not asking too much.

Drink Lots of Water:

Fill up a gallon jug of water each day and drink all of it during the day to keep lean and flush out fat as you are losing weight. Water always is a the best during a diet plan or just a healthy habit to avoid diabetes.

If these diabetes prevention symptoms are ignored and people and old diet habits continues severe insulin can occur and diabetes II will set in with very damaging effects.

If you know someone who is pre-diabetic or who’s diet is not the best- please take a copy of this article and give it to them- you could save a life. This healthy diet plan will reduce your chances of getting diabetes II in your lifetime.

Eat Vegetables every Day

Eat Vegetables every Day

TAGS: Diabetes Prevention Diet, steel cut oatmeal, avoid diabetes, diabetes prevention diet, diabetes II, diabetes prevention, diabetes prevention tips, super healthy diets, healthy diets, healthy diet plans.


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Latin American Food Pyramid

The Latino Diet or Latin American diet is a tradition of corn and beans as the basis for all meals which has been the tradition.  Dating back to the Incas and Aztecs and when Columbus came to the continent corn was a mainstay of the Latin diet.

Today the Latin diet plan has changed and evolved to include more plant based foods at every meal with less emphasis on meat, eggs, and sweets. Different varieties of this diet exists in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands. The Latin diet pyramid illustrates the new personalized diet Latin diet. The new diet gives a blueprint for a diet plan and meal planning especially when shopping for ingredients. New recipes are evolving to provide a renewed interest in Latin dishes and is embraced world-wide for its flavor and the use of healthy foods.

Common Ingredients of the Latin American Diet:

Whole Grains:
Beans: Corn, Rice, Breads, Tortillas, Plantains, Garbanzo Beans, Seeds, Black Beans.
Nuts:  peanuts, pecans,
Fruit:  Limes, Banana, Papaya, mango, guava, oranges, avocados, pineapple, quince.
Vegetables:  Kale, broccoli, okra, lettuce, tomato, peppers, chiles, tomatillos, cactus.
Oils: Plant based oils: olive, corn, soy
Dairy: Milk, cheeses and eggs.
Fish: Salmon, Snapper, mussels, shrimp.
Meats:  beef.
Sweets: various sweet desserts.

The Latin American Diet Pyramid gives great prominence to grains and maize as well as tropical type fruits such as mango and plantains. Quinoa is also a very healthy ancient grain that is still benefiting the Latin American Diet.

While the diet is healthy in its raw state the way food is prepared can be of concern especially if it is fried.  A weight loss program would be a method of helping to curb obesity in the Latino community.

Latinos are far more likely to have diabetes and have related kidney and eye diseases from that disease. Poor eating habits also contribute to diabetes especially amongst immigrants. Latino foods are evolving into a lifestyle and provides good family home cooked meals are a mainstay of the Latin life. Obesity amongst Latinos had risen from 1991 to 2001 with roughly 23 percent of the population in the Hispanic community.

Tips on Improving the Latino Diet:

1) Reducing the amount of fat in the diet by using lighter cooking methods.

2) Reducing the frying of foods and bake or light sprays of oils instead.

3) Eliminating pork fat as a method of cooking and use water instead.

4) Use corn sparingly because of the sugar content and replacing with whole grains.

5) Adding more vegetables and fruit servings and less of the meat selections.

Diet Keys:

personalized diet, Latino Diet, Obesity amongst Latinos, The Latin American Diet Pyramid, Latin American Diet, Common Ingredients of the Latin American Diet, diet keys, super healthy diets, healthy diets, diet, low fat diets, Latin Diet


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