Women articles online

By: Philip Nicosia

There’s been a lot of news that low carb diets are bad for your heart, because of the protein and fat content. But that’s largely due to the way people misinterpret the mandate to reduce carbs and shift to proteins.

Protein does not mean steaks every night. There are many healthy sources of protein, and if you look at the low carb menus that the nutritionists prepare, these advocate the same kinds of foods that cardiologists would recommend to their patients.

Take the South Beach diet. In the first two weeks, you can’t eat bread, fruit, rice, potatoes, pasta, sugar, alcohol and baked goods. What doctor wouldn’t stand up and applaud if you said no to chocolate cake and heavy servings of lasagna? Instead, you take lean protein, vegetables, nuts and cheese. These proteins include chicken breasts, tofu, extra lean ground beef, canned tuna and fresh fish. It even encourages the intake of beans, one of the highest sources of proteins with just one cup containing 25% of your daily required intake. As for fats, you’re encouraged to avoid the type that clog your arteries, and substitute the two known healthiest oils: olive oil and canola oil. In fact, studies of South Beach Diet users show a marked improvement in cholesterol levels.

And by lowering your total body weight, the South Beach Diet and other low carb diets removes the extra strain on your heart, which has to work extra hard to support your body systems and carry the extra pounds. There is a strong link between obesity and heart attacks, and for many who have struggled with recurring weight gain, the South Beach diet has been one of the most effective ways of losing the pounds, and keeping them off. That’s because low carb diets remove the body’s quickest source of energy, forcing it to burn the fat rather than live off a steady stream of carbohydrates.

The South Beach Diet also solves one problem that cardiologists often warn us about: high sugar levels. Carbohydrates are processed by the body into sugars, which give the quick burst of energy but can also cause diabetes. There has been an increased incidence of people developing diabetes in their thirties because of an unhealthy diet of junk food and processed carbs. Cardiologists are then forced to ask the patient to go on a low-carb and low-fat diet, but the South Beach program takes those principles to prevent late onset diabetes from even developing.

The most important thing to remember is to follow the South Beach diet as it is designed by professional nutritionists, without taking the principle of embracing protein as an excuse to eat thick slabs of fried meat. It is also important to watch the sources of fat, avoiding those that contain transfatty acids. What cardiologists are bothered by are simply the belief that a low carb means high fat and high protein. That isn’t necessarily true. While some low carb programs do take it to extreme–going so far as to say that it’s okay to load up on the butter and take the second serving of chicken wings—sensible diets promote good, commonsensical moderation. Exactly what the doctor would’ve told you.

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By: Chris Chew

Are low carb diets safe? How safe is Atkins diet? Are low carb and Atkins diets dangerous to your health? These are burning questions for dieters all over the world.

I have personally tried low carb diets and Atkins diet and these diets made me lose weight very quickly. However not only did I lose body fat weight, I also lost muscle weight. I had very obvious muscle and fat loss because I can visually see my reduced muscle mass in the mirror.

This certainly isn’t healthy. Furthermore, the more muscle mass that you lose, the less toned your body shape is. The end result is that you will end up thin and yet looked flabby with lose skin.

The frustrating part will be that after you are off the low carb or Atkins diet, you will very probably gain back all the weight that you have loss and even more. This is because your muscles are active and they continuously burn calories. Since you have less fewer muscle mass now, your body’s metabolism or capacity to burn calories slows down tremendously.

In other words, when you put on weight again, you are putting on body fat instead of muscles if you do not exercise. You will be fatter and less healthy than before you went on the low carb or Atkins diet. To compound matters, because of lesser muscle tissues resulting in lower metabolism and thus lesser calories being burnt, you are going to get fatter.

Since then I have stayed off both low carb and Atkins diet. Both types of diets are almost similar as they require you to cut down drastically on your consumption of carbohydrates. Atkins diet went a step further by advocating almost no carbohydrate consumption for 2 weeks before adding some carbs to your meals gradually thereafter.

Besides losing muscles, how safe are low carb diets? This is what Dr Lyn Steffen and Dr Jennifer Nettleton from the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health commentated in a Lancet report, “Low carbohydrate diets for weight management are far from healthy, given their association with ketosis, constipation or diarrhea, halitosis, headache and general fatigue to name a few.”

The doctors warned that the diet increases protein load on the kidneys and alters the balance of acid in the body. This also results in loss of minerals from the bone stores and affect bone strength. The doctors went on to say that, “Our most important criterion should be indisputable safety and low carbohydrate diets currently fall short of this benchmark.”

Dr Atkins, the creator of the Atkins diet died in 2003 after he was alleged to have slipped on an icy road and hurt his head fatally. However his medical report stated that he had a history of heart attack, hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Were Dr Atkins medical conditions related to his low carbohydrates diet is anybody’s guess. Do you want to take the risk by going on a low carb diet? I don’t think I will. If I ever want to lose weight again, I will rather go on the proven method of healthy eating and regular exercises instead of jumping on any fad diets.

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By: Alan Ross

Is sleeplessness bothering you? What about the difficulty to loose weight despite hardest efforts? Or is your hair line receding faster than what it had taken your father? Well, ever wondered why this was so? Scientists and dieticians of this world are arguing that this is and many other hosts of similar problems are connected to our diet!

Modern food is unfortunately not without harmful chemicals used either for growing vegetables, preserving or cooking (flavonoids). Many dietary problems like indigestion and ulcer are frequent in people who have to depend on chemically treated food. In this background, the new school of theory which is gaining moment is eating whole and natural food. Meat and vegetables without preservatives, buying fresh and raw milk from vendors directly and fresh fruits are some of them.

Diet
Having said this, it doesn’t diminish the importance of daily intake of various nutrients and calories. Deficiency in any of them will gradually show up as trivial problem initially.

Let us see what USDA has recommended for the Americans. If you are taking less than 1,800 calories as a teen, you must raise it by at least 200 counts a day. The figure goes further up for an active man. Also calorie needs of women are different from that of men. Example, an 18-year male needs 400-800 extra calories than women. What food gives these calories and how to calculate the calorific values? And what other nutrients make food balanced?

USDA has a chart (food guide pyramid) with suggestions to get these calories. You have to do some calculations to balance your diet.

o 5 servings of vegetables
o Four servings of fruits
o Three servings of milk products
o 11 of pasta, cereals, and bread
o Two to three servings of meat (both red and white), eggs, nuts and beans put together.
o Sparingly, fats and sweets.

As per USDA (US Department of Agriculture), one serving equals a bread slice; an ounce of cereal, ½ a cup cooked rice and veggies each, one glass juice-milk each and 2-3 ounces lean meat, 1½ cups boiled beans

Diet must not be seen in a limited context. Diet is a generic word so you have diets that suit patients too. The secret is eating as much as needed your body would absorb. Keeping a balance diet since young is important if you want to live to old age. It could save you a substantial savings on medical bills!

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By: Zach Bashore

Diet Program Review: Zone Diet
Zach Bashore
June 13, 2006

Many people opt to lose weight by using the Zone diet. This diet is different from diets such as Atkins and South Beach Diet because of the fact that Zone emphasizes a ratio which consists of the three main nutrients (carbs, proteins, fats). Is this diet the one you want to follow or is it just another fad diet that will disappear after another year or so?

The basis for the Zone diet is that if a person eats the right amount of carbs, proteins, and fats, then the person will improve their health drastically. This diet calls for a ratio of 40/30/30 (carbs, proteins, fats) because certain hormones will be balanced to give you the body of your dreams. The founder of this diet, Ph.D Barry Sears states, “The American public is overweight due to a high intake of carbohydrates, and that this style of eating causes an overproduction of insulin. The solution is to eat a lower carb, higher protein, and moderate fat diet to balance these hormones within the preferred zone.”

So how does the Zone diet compare with other diets? The Zone diet is quick to point out that this diet works primarily because of its low calories, not their magic ratio of macronutrients. This diet does not prohibit any foods, but restricts foods that are high in fat and carbs such as starches, grains, and pastas. Other diets either emphasize a low carb or low fat option, the Zone diet simply uses both nutrients, just in a smaller percentage.

This diet is actually not bad compared to some of the lower carb diets available. The Zone diet does have its weak areas considering some of the recipes are full of nutritional misinformation. Another problem Zone has is that it suggests impractical food combinations such as beer and cottage cheese in one meal. Despite these prolems, go ahead and try Zone for yourself and find out if it works for you. Until next time, later.

*http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0924.html
*http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52012&page=2
*http://www.bestdietforme.com/TR/ZoneDiet.htm
*http://www.mhhe.com/hper/nutrition/nutriquest/phys4.mhtml
*http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/lighter_life_diet.htm

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By: Lucy Bartlett

Diet and exercise should go hand in hand, the basic principle of any diet is to use more calories than you consume so you are in a calorific deficit.

Cutting back calories is one way of reaching your goal, only if you are using up more calories during the day than you consume without activity. But to boost your chances of losing fat you must exercise.

There are many reasons why exercise is an important factor in your lifestyle, but exercising when you are wishing to lose weight is sensible as your body’s natural response to calorie cutting is to go into starvation mode. Starvation mode is when your body slows down the metabolism so it can conserve the energy your body has to make it last longer. So rather than drastically cutting calories it is more advisable to exercise.

Aerobic exercise is the way to increase the amount of calories you burn. Aerobic exercise will raise your heart rate which increases the amount of calories you burn. Exercises include, running, walking, swimming, cycling and jogging, of course there are many more aerobic activities to choose from its just a matter of personal taste.

Here are some tips to help you lose weight:

Eat less processed foods and more fresh produce.

Eat and chew your food slowly, try to stop eating before you feel full. It takes around 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full.

Exercise, even if it is just a small walk, every little helps.

Drink plenty of water, 6 – 8 glasses a day, this is very important not only to help you lose weight, but for your general well being.

Make your food portions smaller.

Eat smaller meals more frequently, try including protein with each meal as it digests slower and keeps your blood sugar levels on an even keel.

Remember that there are times when you are going to have off days, and you may eat a little more than you should or exercise a little less. Don’t feel guilty as it is perfectly normal, just stay motivated and determined and you will be fine.

If you decide that you are going to try one of the popular diets on the market, ie Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach Diet or The Zone Diet, you must speak to your doctor first.

For more information visit http://www.whichdiet.info

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By: Sintilia Miecevole

Did you know that not drinking enough water might be why you’re on that dreaded weight loss plateau even though you’re maintaining your diet’ Research suggests that a lot of Americans unknowingly suffer from mild, chronic dehydration, and that might be you they’re talking about! I hope you read this article because it explains and makes sense the importance of water and the surprise impact to dieters.

Water is an essential ingredient for your weight loss. Water is required for a whole range of the body’s biochemical processes, so lets look at what water does specially for dieters:

Your body needs to metabolize stored fat into energy - so much so, that your body’s metabolism can be slowed by even mild levels of dehydration. And the slower your metabolism, the slower your weight loss (and you become tired), until eventually your weight loss just grinds to a halt! You now have just hit the dreaded diet plateau.

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. What good news! In the hypothalamus, a region in your brain that controls appetites and cravings, the control centers for hunger and thirst are situated next to each other, and there tends to be some overlap. This has both advantages and disadvantages for the dieter. On the flip side, it means that chronic mild dehydration can confuse these mechanisms, leading to feelings of hunger, rather than thirst. But on a positive note, it means you can use water to reduce your appetite. For example, in one University of Washington study, drinking a glass of water reduced nighttime hunger cravings for most of the dieters studied. I have also found this to be true.

Water is an essential to the processes that enables your muscles to contract. So water helps maintain muscle tone. Better muscle tone means a better looking body, and isn’t that what dieting and weight loss is about?

There’s help for that sagging skin. Water also helps to prevent the sagging skin that often follows weight loss - water plumps the skin cells, giving the skin a younger and healthier look.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lots of waste to get rid of because of all that fat. So enough water is essential to your health while dieting.

Water also helps with constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from within, particularly from the colon. This leads to constipation. But normal bowel function almost always returns with adequate water intake.

Generally speaking, mild dehydration can cause a number of health problems, in addition to your diet plateau. The symptoms of mild dehydration can include:

- Headaches; that light headed feeling as dehydration interferes with normal body processes, including waste disposal.
- Fatigue, as the body’s metabolism is slowed - mild dehydration is usually the most common cause of daytime fatigue.
- Hunger; cravings due to weakening of the thirst mechanism
- Fluid retention as your body tries to hold on to the water it already has
- Constipation, as the body works to conserve its internal water sources

Not a pretty picture but once you get your water in balance, you reach the “breakthrough point”, a concept pioneered by Dr. Peter Lindner, a California obesity expert. He says, “Once you’ve reached the breakthrough point, fluid retention eases, the liver and endocrine system start to function more effectively, you will start to regain your natural thirst and your hunger cravings will be significantly reduced. And so the end result of reaching and sustaining the breakthrough point in your water balance is that your body is able to metabolize fat more effectively.”

How much water should you drink daily to be healthy’ First, a couple of basic principles:

1) The simplest way to tell if you are drinking enough water is check the color of your urine: It should be clear or a very pale yellow in color. (but note that some supplements and medications may also affect your urine color).

2) Get in to the habit of drinking regular and adequate amounts of water. Never wait to drink until you’re thirsty, because if you’re feeling thirsty, dehydration has already set in!

Having said that, an adequate water intake for a sedentary but normal-weight adult during cool weather, is generally recognized as 8 x 8 oz glasses. You will need more water in hot weather, when you lose more water through sweat. You also need to drink more water when you exercise. Athletes attempt to enhance their performance by maintaining an optimal fluid balance while exercising, estimated to require 6 to 12 oz of fluid at 15 to 20 minute intervals. Even if you’re not concerned about your athletic performance, you should consume a similar amount of water when exercising, in order to maintain adequate hydration.

Here’s another important thing to remember; if you’re overweight, you’ll need an extra glass of water for each 25 pounds overweight, because the extra weight creates extra metabolic demand.

How can you drink so much water’ Weight loss experts secrets say drink 3 glasses of water with every meal. That’s 3 glasses with breakfast, 3 with lunch, and 3 with dinner. Plus, of course, additional regular water between meals when you’re exercising or when its hot. That sure makes it doable, doesn’t it?

So if you’re dieting, stalled on a weight loss plateau, or suffering some of the classic symptoms of dehydration, do, above everything else, be sure that you have an adequate water intake. It could be the missing ingredient in your diet regime and as easy to fix as drinking 3 glasses of water with each meal.

Remember that water is a natural appetitie suppressant. Use it to your advantage. If you’re out shopping, take a bottle of water with you. If you feel like a late night snack, either go to bed or drink a glass of water. If you want a change, add a little bit of lemon juice into a glass of water. I find, instantly, my desire to eat is gone. Give it a try.

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By: Renee Feldman

Lifestyle Diets

It’s become increasing clear that diets don’t work. Most of the popular diets that people have tried over the past few years focused on restricting or even eliminating whole food groups. People lost weight on these diets and then, of course gained the weight back. Now there is a small and hopefully growing trend towards lifestyle diets.

Lifestyle diets focus on how one lives and then proposes easy to implement changes to help people to lose and most importantly keep weight off. This is very important because yo yo dieting is dangerous and may cause some serious health threats. A study done at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center by Dr. Ulrich found that the women who yo yo dieted the most had a lower number of natural killer cells. These killer cells are the cells in your immune system that aim at viruses.

The statement above does not mean that people should not try to lose weight. Obesity contributes to many disease states and is being considered as a separate risk factor when health care professionals evaluate heart disease risk. What this does mean is that people need to lose weight by making small changes that fit into their lives. Here are some principles that people can follow to make small changes in order to achieve permanent weight loss:

Plan Ahead

Portion Control

Fill Up With Fiber

Take 3 Deep Breaths And Drink Water

Balance Your Choice

Cheat

Plan Ahead: Eating mindlessly with no plan is like driving to a new destination with no directions. You need to have a plan for eating at home, work and while traveling or eating out. Fill your refrigerator with fresh cut vegetables and fruits so that they’re easy to get to. If you have to keep high fat and sugar foods in your home, put them somewhere where it’s difficult for you to get to and stay away from that food. Better yet, don’t have it in your home in the first place. Buy pre-cooked lean protein, low fat high fiber cereals or low sodium, low fat frozen dinners so that there is always healthy food around.

Portion Control: This is one of the most important areas of any lifestyle diet. Some people refuse to eat “rabbit food” and have lives that socially revolve around food that isn’t good for weight loss. These people will do best by significantly reducing their portions. Start by leaving a third of what you normally eat on your plate.

Fill Up With Fiber: Fiber is an essential part of weight loss because it makes you feel full and helps you with elimination. When purchasing cereals, check the label for a fiber number of over 5 grams. This will be under the carbohydrate section. You can also get lots of great fiber from fruits and vegetables.

Take 3 Deep Breaths and Drink Water: When you are about to binge and are eating out of emotion as opposed to hunger try this: stop and take 3 long and slow deep breath, exhaling as slowly as possible. Then drink a big glass of water and wait 10 minutes before you go for that binge. You just may skip it.

Balance Your Choice: This step has a small learning curve, but try to have a bit of a protein and a carbohydrate with every meal. This will help to control your blood sugar levels and insure more adequate nutrition.

Cheat: Everyone needs a break and if you stop eating all the foods that you enjoy, you will resent your eating habits and binge. Therefore, plan one day per week, it could be a special event where you allow yourself some of your favorite foods. Try to still be aware of portions when you do this.

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By: Tom Takihi

Low carb diets are very effective in achieving weight loss when followed. But the key word there is that they should be followed. However, there are controversies about their “healthiness”. Definitely, people get into these diets to lose weight. But what every person getting into this is not only the aspect of losing weight but also as always, keeping the weight off. But it goes beyond that. It also involves being and staying healthy and functional in whatever we do everyday. A slim person is definitely not attractive if he or she is weak from lack of nutrients and energy due to these low carb diets.

The body uses up carbohydrates first as a source of energy. If there are more carbohydrates taken in, the body stores the surplus as fat. If there are fewer carbohydrates taken it, the body is forced to use the stored fat for its energy requirement. The principle of these low carb diets is to take in food low in carbohydrates so that the body is forced to use its stored fat.

By drastically reducing carbohydrates to a small fraction of a person’s diet, the body goes into “ketosis”. The body burns its own fat to convert into energy A person in ketosis is getting energy from ketones. Ketones are little carbon fragments that are created by the breakdown of stored fat. One feels less hungry when his or her body is in ketosis. The end result is that he or she is likely to eat less even if allowed to do so. In effect, the body is transformed from a carbohydrate-burning machine into a fat-burning one, thus making fat the primary energy source. This brings us to the most fundamental fact of dieting: the less fat you have, the lighter you weigh. The end result is the desired weight loss.

There are diets like Atkins that seem to be a dream come true. It stems from its design that a person could eat as much as he or she wants from a wide variety of food that other diets steer away from. Steaks, meat, crab, eggs, all types of protein based food are allowed since the body will burn carbohydrates first and not protein or fats. Basically, it follows the same low carb principle of reducing carbohydrate intake and forcing the body to use fat towards weight loss.

But experts are concerned about the long term safety of the diet. By contemporary medical standards, the risk of heart diseases, stroke, cancer, liver and kidney problems are very extremely high. These risks have been pointed out repeated by a number of health researches on high fat diets.

Other low carb diets are cleansing in nature such as the detox diet. It helps in the health reassessment of one’s lifestyle, eating patterns and focus on foods. Here, one becomes more aware of one’s food intake. However, there are individuals, such as diabetics, people with low blood sugar or eating disorders have to stay clear of it. They will find themselves more in trouble than they are already.

Low carb diets serve their purpose. But there is no substitute for the traditional, proven healthy lifestyle of a balance diet of the basic food groups in the nutritionists’ pyramid order combined with the proper exercise. However, should a person still go through with these diets for whatever reason, he or she should be equipped with knowledge of not only the benefits but most especially the risks. Everyone wants that slim, healthy look. But everyone should also go for health in a sustainable manner.

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By: Holly Dodd

Liquid nutrition products like Ensure ™ and Boost ™ have been used almost exclusively in nursing homes and hoispitals, until recently. Lately we have seen nutritional companies marketing these drinks to people of all ages and all stages of health.

Liquid supplements are supposed to be the answer for busy moms running around with the kids, business people running out the door out without time for a sit-down breakfast, and older adults wanting to insure that they will be able to enjoy their grandchildren. But what do these liquid nutrion product really offer?

In general, these supplements are composed of water, sugar, milk and soy proteins, oils, vitamins, and minerals. An 8-ounce can generally has 250 calories, and the deluxe version may have as many as 355 calories. Most are lactose free, some have added fiber, and some are specifically designed for children or adults with certain health problems.

These companies are also selling supplements in the form of pudding cups and candy bar type products, with varous nutrientional content.

What nutritional need are companies trying to help consumers answer? Below are some of the reasons companies give for buying their products.

These companies ad campaigns are using fear tactics to make you worry that you are not getting proper nutrition from your ordinary meals. True, some people are consuming less than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for some nutrients, this doesn’t mean they will develop a deficiency disease. If you truly feel you are not getting enough nutrients from your food, you should contact a registered dietitian or a KSU Extension Specialist in nutrition. They can help you determine your needs for additional supplements.

These “Eat on The run” Liquid supplements may be a quick way to get vitamins, minerals and protein, but there is more needed for good health! Scientists continue to discover new ingredienets in foods that provide health benefits. Consider this; the canned supplements have a severe lack of fiber and other healthy components but are really high in sugars and calories. Although this was ideal for the original intent of the products, most healthy consumers don’t want or need all the extra calories that the supplement provides.

In summary, while there is a need for liquid nutritional supplements in some medical conditions, these products are unnecessary for the average, healthy person. In addition, one must consider the cost of an 8 once can of these liquid supplements to determine if they should be included in their dietary regimen.

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By: healthyfeeder

How To Get The Most For Your Health Food Money

If you bought a tin of paint would you throw away the part that had settled out at the bottom of the can? I hope not because that has most of the colour in the paint. But you’re doing the same thing with your food.

Economise by hanging on to the healthiest part of your food. Save on medical bills. Avoid the loss of weeks off work.

Apples

Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. You also get fibre to keep you regular and fight cancer, Quercetin which is a powerful antioxidant, procyanidins that fight cancer, proanthocyanidins that keep your heart healthy, and flavanoids that fight cancer. Are you made of money or are you going to hang on to all that good stuff? See the warning about agricultural poisons.

Berries

The skin of the berries removed during home-made juice preparation should also be used in cooking or just blended with the juice. There are considerable amounts of healthy phenolic compounds in the skin of the berries. Some people argue that you should throw away the juice and use the skins that are left, but see the warning about agricultural poisons.

Carrot

Many people do not realize that numerous phenolic compounds are located in the skin. Is your time valuable to you? How much time do you waste removing the skin of carrots that you have paid for, just so that you can pay the doctor when you get sick?

Fruit And Vegetable Juices

Ostentatious rich people use to take one bite out of a food delicacy then throw away the rest, just to show how rich they were. Are you going to do the same, or are you going to blend the pulp back into the juice after you prepare it? Just remember the warning about agricultural poisons.

Grapes

Reverse-juicing is advised for grapes. You throw away the juice which is loaded with calories, and eat the pulp which is full of nutrients. Unfortunately if the grapes aren’t organically grown you are also concentrating the poisons that were sprayed onto the skins.

Lemons

The yellow part of the skin (zest) of lemons has most of the limonoids in the fruit. You could pay the Oncologist half a million dollars for cancer treatment before you die, or you could just eat all of the lemon, including the outer skin. Hide the flavour by blending the whole fruit with some raisins (including the healthy seeds) to sweeten it.

Oranges

The same applies to oranges and lemons. In addition most of the vitamin C in oranges is in the skin. Are you going to pretend you are rich by throwing it out?

Pears

Most of the vitamin C in pears is concentrated in the skin, as is some of the fiber, so peeled, canned pears are less nutritious than fresh. You have actually paid someone to remove the best parts of the pears then add artificial colourings, flavours and sweeteners.

Many children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder became normal when they were given fresh organic food with no preservatives or other additives. How much do medicines for that complaint cost?

Potatoes

Antioxidants, soluble proteins, and fibre are all in the skins. The rest of the potato is worthless so you can throw it away unless you are trying to fatten yourself up. Or feed it to pigs to fatten them up.

Tomatoes

Most of the lycopene and other antioxidants, carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and vitamin C are in the skins. Your doctor would like you to boil it up into ketchup so as to release more lycopene from inside the cell walls, and destroy the other nutrients.

You as a savvy buyer will use a juicer to split open the cell walls, then blend the pulp back into the juice, to drink it raw. That way you don’t waste any of the other nutrients. Oh, blend in some coconut oil to taste because lycopene and carotenoids are absorbed best in the presence of fat and coconut oil doesn’t make you fat. Choose a coconut oil that either tastes of coconuts or has no taste - not a rotten taste.

Rice

Brown rice takes longer to cook than polished white rice, but most of the goodness is in the brown stuff that is removed. Will you let yourself be robbed just to save a little time? Can’t you do something else while the rice is cooking?

Taste of Skins

Some of these skins have a strong flavour which you may find unpleasant. The answer is to blend with something more pleasant. Orange zest for example tastes great if you blend it with the rest of the orange. If it is still not sweet enough for your liking, add a handful of raisins (the seeds and skins are good for you) or a banana.

Agricultural Chemicals Warning

Non-organically grown apples and soft fruits are heavily sprayed. If organic alternatives are not available you are better off peeling them even though vital nutrients in the skin will be lost. Apple cores concentrate agricultural poisons so don’t use them if not organically (without agricultural chemicals) grown.

If you can’t buy organic produce you can buy special surfactants intended for washing your fruit and vegetables. Most of the chemicals don’t wash off in plain hot water.

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