Calculating Your Calorie Needs

In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you have to determine how many calories you actually need. Adults can calculate their approximate energy needs using the following formula:

A. Body weight multiplied by 12 (for men) or 11 (for women) e.g., 150 lbs. x 12 = 1800

B. Activity One third body weight multiplied by the number of hours you don't sleep, typically 16 hours 150 lbs. x 1/3 = 50 x 16 = 800

C. Required Calories A + B 1800 + 800 = 2600

Thus, we determine that a 150-pound man requires approximately 2600 calories per day. The "Basal Metabolic Rate" is the number of calories a man of that weight would burn just to keep the heart beating, the lungs pumping, etc. You would just burn your basal metabolic rate worth of calories if you slept all day. Thus the "Activity" calculation is approximately the amount of calories a person would expend by spending his or her whole day sitting around. If you are engaging in activities other than sitting all day, you can increase your activity hours by the number of hours you are actually active.

Adult females can calculate their approximate energy needs using the same formula, except that the "Basal Metabolic Rate" is determined by multiplying body weight times 11 instead of 12. Children and teenagers require more calories by body weight, but the amount varies by age and by individual child. It is best to consult a physician before altering a child’s diet, however activity and exercise increases won’t hurt the average youth of today.

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By Beverley Brooke

Editor of Health & Finesse - Free health, diet and fitness articles and weekly newsletters

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

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Chinese Dining Etiquette

At Chinese meal times, Chinese people use a round or square table. Person of the most importance would usually take the seat the farthest away from the door whilst the youngest or the person of the least importance would take the seat closest to the door.

However, if you are the host, usually you would take the seat which is closest to the walkway since it allows the most convenient movement by the host.

Unlike the western style, Chinese people do not use forks and knives. We use a pair of chopsticks and spoons. Unlike Japanese chopsticks, Chinese chopsticks have both ends of the same size whilst Japanese ones have one end sharper than the other.

There are several things to remember when you use chopsticks.

• Don't dig in the food on a plate but just get the piece which you want to get
• Don't pick one piece then drop it back in the plate and change to another piece
• Don't let your chopsticks be covered with food juice or residue
• Don't use chopsticks to beat any utensils to make any noise
• Don't wave your chopsticks
• Don't use chopsticks like forks
• Don't use chopsticks as toothpicks
• Don't lick or suck your chopsticks
• Don't put chopsticks vertically in rice in a bowl since it resembles the incense sticks for the dead
  
  

Particularly after SARS, it is more common these days that people use a pair of common chopsticks for fetching the food on the plates. Don't forget to swap your own chopsticks with the ones provided when getting the food because of hygiene reasons.

In a Chinese meal, an even number of dishes should be ordered. Odd numbers of dishes would be appropriate only for occasions such as the meal after a funeral.

The best dish should be put in front of the most important person in order to show your respect. Chicken head or duck head on a plate should not point at guests. The big bowl of soup should be placed in the middle.

If you are the guest, remember not to leave too much food behind because it would mean that you don't like the food. Also, when you eat fish, it would be better if you just take out the skeletons after finishing one side of the meat than to turn the whole fish upside down because it resembles a boat being turned upside down.

Rice in China is the same important as potatoes in the west. Some people need to eat 2 or more bowls of rice at each meal. Especially the older generation, they can't have a meal without rice. However, modern Chinese tend to replace rice with congee (a kind of porridge like food made of rice boiled with a lot of water), noodles or even go without any. So if you are not a big rice eater, you still have a lot others to choose from.

With Chinese restaurants being so popular everywhere in the world, I think it is time you should get a grip of how to use chopsticks.

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By Wong Yee Lee

This article was produced by Asia Dragon. Visit us at www.asiadragon.co.uk where you will find authentic oriental fashion clothing & accessories, kimonos, stylish home furnishings, furniture, beautiful ornaments, Chinese calligraphy plus much, much more!

sales@asiadragon.co.uk

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Fast Food

"Hey, Not So Fast!"

"Well, they don’t call it fast food for nothing. Fast business for fast people equals fast bucks in the pocket for these whopping franchises. Believe me, they know the scenario all to well. "

It is a safe assumption that Ronald McDonald is too busy tallying up how many trillion hamburgers he’s served up. The Wendy’s guy, Dave what’s-his-name, would rather help the old lady at the drive-thru find the beef. And the short, chubby guy with the apron? He’s somewhere out back, no doubt, making the early-morning doughnuts, the dark circles forming under his eyes.

Well, they don’t call it fast food for nothing. Fast business for fast people equals fast bucks in the pocket for these whopping franchises. Believe me, they know the scenario all to well.

You’re whipping down that busy highway, late for an appointment or in a hurry to get to work. Or maybe you’re on your way home, knowing well that your refrigerator is as empty as your stomach. Maybe you just don’t have the energy to even twist the oven knob.

Nonetheless, you can’t help but become drawn to that sign like a horseshoe magnet. Your car dips over the break in the road and your eyes are instantly mesmerized by the golden arches that seem to stretch halfway toward heaven.

You know that Ronald and Grimace and the Hamburgler and those fuzzy, little creatures could care less about the diet your on or the aspirations you hold to deflate the spare tire around your waist.

No, they could give a McNugget. But at times like these, neither do we, as we sharply cut the wheel and screech into the parking lot.

Sometimes theres just no other choice.

But before you go making Big Macs out of doughnut holes, remember, not everything you take out of these tiled establishments has to turn out as a Whopper-sized indulgence. Here’s what we mean:

McDONALD’S: The home of the Big Mac and the Filet of Fish has flown the coop. The chicken coop, that is. That’s because the relatively new Grilled Chicken Deluxe, without the fattening mayonnaise, stores only – get this – five grams of fat! And it’s delicious!

Other wise choices on the menu would be the Grilled Chicken Salad Deluxe with Red French Dressing and an 8-ounce container of Low Fat Milk (12 grams of total fat). Or maybe a four-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, a garden salad with fat-free vinaigrette dressing, and an iced tea (11 grams of total fat). For the breakfast crowd, the low-fat apple bran muffin or the hotcakes (without butter, obviously) are wise choices.

BURGER KING: “Have it your way.”

Fine, then gimme a BK Broiler with no mayo (just 9 grams of fat), a BK Side Salad (3 grams of fat) and a strawberry shake (6 grams of fat). Next time, I’ll give the BK Broiled Chicken Salad (10 grams of fat) a shot or maybe the BK Garden Salad (5 grams of fat).

WENDY’S: What other fast-food joint sells baked potatoes? ‘Nuff said. Hold the butter and the sour cream and you have yourself a wonderful, fat-free source for carbohydrates. Wendy’s also has a grilled chicken sandwich that is healthy if you specify the “no mayo, please.”

Also, if you have time to unfasten the seatbelt and take a stroll inside, many Wendy’s establishments offer a fabulous salad bar, where you can put your healthy diet into your own hands.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS: Slam dunk the jelly doughnuts and try some of DD’s new low-fat muffins. The low-fat version of Blueberry, Cherry, Apple & Spice, Banana, and Cranberry Orange pack only a gram and a half of fat each, while the Bran Low-fat Muffin holds just one. Even the Low-fat Chocolate Muffin stores a mere 2.5 grams of the fatty stuff. If muffins aren’t your thing, most bagels served at DD’s range between a gram or two per fat for each bagel. Dunkin’s also offers low-fat cream cheese if you can’t bear to eat it plain.

DOMINO’S PIZZA: Okay. So maybe you’re home now from a brutal day at the office and into the company of your fridge, your stove, and your oven. But really, the last thing you feel like hearing is the clanging of pots and pans. You just slipped off that heavy coat or out of those uncomfortable heels and now you’ve sunk into the sofa. The telephone is an arm’s length away. Your mind says ‘no’ but you’re tummy is definitely saying ‘yes’.

Well, Domino’s isn’t that bad. It could be worse.

Two slices from a large cheese pizza total 9.88 grams of fat. Not the end of the world. Two average pieces of their delicious buffalo wings combine for 4.78 grams of fat. Not the end of the world. Two of their crispy, delicious breadsticks total 6.68 grams of fat. Not the end of the world.

As for a large, thick-pan, four-topping pizza? Well, that’s the end of this story.

Brought to you by http://www.hsfvitamins.com

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by: HSF Vitamins

At www.hsfvitamins.com you can save money on the vitamins and fitness products you need to be your best everyday! Learn what to use and when to use it. We have great prices on vitamins, minerals, muscle products, weight loss - everything you need!

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Hong Kong Street Food

If you have visited Hong Kong in the past, you should have tried the typical HK street food stalls and had a taste of the famous curry fish balls there. If you haven't, then you must make sure you will try it the next time you are there.

What is so special about it? Standing in front of a food stall like this, you will be able to see a wide selection of food choices. My favourite would be the curry fish balls and the pig intestines. Of course these may not sound mouth-watering to some of you but I am sure you will be able to find something which you fancy eating. Octopus balls, beef balls, minced pork balls, octopus, squids, chilli wrapped with fish meat, chicken wings or tips, fish balls and lettuce in soup, fake shark fin soup, cow tripe and many others are all available.

Just go to Mong Kok, you can easily find one at each street corner. Then of course, these types of stalls are everywhere in HK.

Most of these stalls do not provide seating but some do. With those few which provide seating, very often you will also find noodles available. When I was small, I used to enjoy a bowl of these noodles for lunch. At that time, it did not cost me more than HK$1 per bowl. These days, you will not be able to enjoy one bowl of such noodles for at least HK$15.

You can combine as many ingredients as possible in one of these bowls of noodles. The only difference is that the more ingredients the more expensive your bowl of noodles will be. There are already at least four types of noodles which you can choose from - greasy noodles, flat noodles, thin noodles or rice noodles. If you want you can have some vegetables. Apart from some Chinese noodles, you can also have the western choice of lettuce. Then there are the meat options. The most popular would be pig's intestines, pig's blood and pig's skin. However, if these sound revolting to you, then you can choose some more common ones such as fish balls, chicken wings, meat balls, pork belly meat, fish dumplings, pork dumplings etc.

There is one thing to remember. One may not find these places very hygienic. I am not saying that you should refrain from trying any of these places since it is one of the specialties in HK. The food on offer is generally very well cooked, so you should not have any problems. What you need to do is just to be careful. If you are already having difficulty acclimatizing to the new environment, then I would advise you to leave these eating places until another time.

Gather your courage and I am sure the food from such stalls will not disappoint you!

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by: Wong Yee Lee

Wong Yee Lee This article was produced by Asia Dragon. Visit us at www.asiadragon.co.uk where you will find authentic oriental fashion clothing & accessories, kimonos, stylish home furnishings, furniture, beautiful ornaments, Chinese calligraphy plus much, much more!

sales@asiadragon.co.uk

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Coffee Club Membership is a Joy For Coffee Lovers

Coffee club membership is a joy for coffee lovers The coffee club concept is relatively new but is taking the world by storm. Reward yourself or your friends and relatives with coffee clubs by joining up and saving loads. Each month, you will get a shipment of coffee delivered direct to your door. This is a great way to taste new coffees, sample different varieties, find a brew that you really like and ultimately avoid a trip to the store to buy your favorite coffee. Automatic shipment is very convenient, especially if you like your coffee first thing in the morning because this means you will never run out when you need it the most.

Clubs are now springing up all over America and different clubs have different offerings so it is easy to find one that suits you. Most clubs offer a coffee of the month and/or your choice of flavors. With flavors you can choose what coffee you want delivered each month, or allow the company to surprise you. Depending on the club, it could be your favorite flavor, or a different flavor every month. Amounts vary from company to company also. Usually it is one pound per month, but you can order more if you desire.

Some clubs even offer newsletter subscriptions with informative articles about the month's featured coffee as well as coffee recipes and helpful hints about coffee making and removing coffee stains. When you join one of these clubs, you are also usually entitled to a members-only discount. If the company has a sale or special offering, generally the club members will be the first to hear about it through the newsletter. In addition to coffee, gourmet coffee clubs sometimes include extras like coffee mugs or books with coffee recipes in them.

With clubs, the membership terms are usually fairy flexible. You can usually choose the length of your club membership, from three to twelve months, whether you want whole beans or ground, the type of grind you would like and finally, you can choose flavored or regular, caffeinated or decaf coffee. The choices are endless and are designed to cater specifically for each person’s tastes. This is more work for the club but at the end of the day is done to induce you to buy more coffee.

An idea for a coffee gift is a coffee club membership. This is where you purchase a subscription for a coffee of the month club, and your recipient gets coffee delivered to them each month. Gourmet coffee clubs make a great gift idea for holidays, birthdays, or as thank you gifts. you are looking for a unique business gift, think about giving a coffee club subscription. Most people appreciate a good cup of coffee; it is enjoyed around the world. This is one gift that transcends borders. Your recipient will like the convenience of having the coffee delivered on schedule, without having to reorder all the time. If you give a club subscription as a gift, you will be able to send a gift card or letter to your recipient, notifying them of your gift membership.

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by: Julie Carter

Looking for information about Coffee? Go to: http://www.dkcoffee.com DK Coffee is published by Julie Carter The Complete A to Z Of Coffee Resources Check out more Coffee related articles at: http://www.dkcoffee.com/archive

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Blended and Varietal Wines

Novice wine lovers soon come across the concept of blended and varietal wines. The two questions that spring to mind are, “what does it mean?” and “does it matter?”

At the basic level, the difference is quite simple. Varietal wines are made from a single grape variety, while blended wines are made using two or more. The most obvious example is the difference between the two great red wine styles of France. Burgundy red wine is composed of the single variety Pinot noir. Bordeaux red wines are most often blends of up to five varieties, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit verdot. There are a few Bordeaux wines made from a single variety, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.

So much for theory. The distinction between varietal and blended wines is less clear in practice. Many varietal wines are made from blends of wine grown in several regions. Australia’s iconic Grange is such an example. Each year hundreds of samples from many vineyards are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided upon. The result is a blend of regions, rather than varieties.

Many more modest Australian wines with lesser claims to fame are also regional blends. The process of selecting the blend is similar but much more simplified. The clue on the label is often the words “wine of South Eastern Australia”. This is almost as general a statement that you can get about the origins of an Australian wine.

Some wines made from a single variety are blends of several different vintages, but this is quite rare for table wines.

While on the topic of labels, you should be aware that many wines bearing a single varietal name can legally contain up to fifteen percent of other varieties. If the wine is labelled as a blend, then the variety with the largest percentage composition should be named first, for example wine labelled Cabernet Merlot, should contain a greater percentage of Cabernet than of Merlot.

Our second question is “does it matter?” Well, if you find a wine that you enjoy and it is a blend, then you should continue to drink it.

However if you wish to extend your wine knowledge and thus enhance your wine experience you should try varietal wines whenever possible. There are hundreds of varietal wines available, each with a special subtle difference waiting for you to discover.

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by: Darby Higgs

Darby Higgs is an expert on Australian wines made from unusual and rare grape varieties. He is the manager of the Vinodiversity website at http://www.vinodiversity.com.

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Making Chinese Tea

Chinese Tea

Chinese tea - water quality

The quality of tea is controlled by the quality of the water. It was said in ancient China that water is the mother of tea.

There are three categories of water: best is water from a hill, average is water from the river, bottom is water from a well. The best water from a hill is on a hilltop; the best water from a river is in the middle of a river; the best water from a well is from a well which is frequently used.

It is not easy to get water from a hill. So water from a tap is the most common. There are two ways to make the best use of tap water when making tea. 1. Leave the tap water in a bucket for 24 hours in order to let out the chlorine inside. 2. Boil the water then open the lid for 5 minutes in order to let out the chlorine inside.

Distilled water is a kind of artificial soft water. It is the most hygiene but it would not be the ideal water for making tea.

Best water temperature for making tea:

1. Low temperature (70 - 80c)

Good for making young shoot green tea such as Long Jing (Dragon Well) or yellow tea (Silver Needle).

2. Medium temperature (80 - 90c)

Good for making white tea (Silver Needle White Fur), red tea or Oolong.

3. High temperature (90 - 100c)

Good for making tea such as Tie Guan Yin (Iron Guan Yin), Pu'er, Shui Xian (Water Fairy).

Low temperature water tends to be more suitable for young tea leaves while high temperature water tends to be more suitable for ripe tea leaves.

Chinese tea - tea leaves

Chinese tea used to be categorized by its place of origin or place where it went to. Only till recently that Chinese tea is categorized based on its way of manufacture.

6 types of tea:

Green, yellow, black, white, light green and red.

Green tea

Green tea has the longest history and it can be dated over 3000 years ago. People picked the young shoots of leaves and dried it in the sun without fermentation.

Examples of green tea:

Long Jing

Fur Tip

Green Spring Snail

Yellow tea

Yellow tea is to ferment the tea leaves before they are totally dry. A degree of 10% to 20% fermentation would be expected.

Examples of yellow tea:

Silver Needle

Yellow Soup

Big Leaf Green

Black tea

Black tea is to ferment tea leaves to a degree of 100%. It is a kind of commonly consumed tea in Mongolia.

Examples of black tea:

Pu'er

Cake tea

Brick tea

White tea

White tea is a kind of day dry tea which is lightly fermented to a degree of 20% - 30%. Tea leaves are usually young ones covered with white fur.

Examples of white tea:

Longevity Eyebrow

White Peony

Silver Needle White Fur

Green tea

Light green tea is a kind of tea lightly fermented to a degree of 30% - 60%. Tea leaves are green in the middle and red on the fringe. This type of tea gives a taste of fruit or flowers.

Examples of Light green tea:

Water Fairy

SONG Species Long Bush

Iron Guan Yin

Red tea

Red tea is a kind of tea fermented to a degree of 80% - 90%. Western countries usually call it Black Tea. It usually gives a taste of roses.

Examples of red tea:

Red Tea

Tea sets

Tea pot - Zisha tea pot is known as the best tea pot for making tea with. Colours vary from dark purple, red to light yellow. Zisha tea pots have very tiny holes suitable for brewing tea. Also, it prevents any chemical changes from taking place.

Tea spoon - The best tea spoon would be made of bamboo. It is also used for removing any tea leaves from blocking the tea mouth.

Tea boat - It is used for laying tea pot and tea cups. The first rinse of water would be poured into the tea boat. This water can also be used for rinsing tea cups.

Tea cloth - It is used for wiping the water outside the tea pot.

Tea cups - The right size of tea cups would be used for their appropriate corresponding size of tea pots.

Healing aspects of Chinese tea

Chinese tea is known to have good healing power. It not only boosts health but also allows longevity. However, we should avoid tea which has been left cool for a long time or overnight.

Take Oolong as an example, it can reduce the fat in blood. It has been known for a long time that tea can reduce the fat in human body. Or take Pu'er or white tea as an example, it would be ideal for people to maintain a slim body. Apart from the effects above, all the three teas can reduce the possibility of developing cancer.

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by: Wong Yee Lee

Wong Yee Lee This article was produced by Asia Dragon. Visit us at www.asiadragon.co.uk where you will find authentic oriental fashion & accessories, stylish home furnishings & furniture, beautiful ornaments, Chinese calligraphy plus much, much more!

sales@asiadragon.co.uk

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One Bird the President Didn’t Pardon

Talking turkey

The talk around town in November was mostly politics, but after the election, people started talking turkey.

The thought of using a self basting or kosher turkey did not appeal to me, I’ve never liked taking too many short cuts, I find it ruins the fun. But I had heard a lot of talk about brining and how it cut cooking time down and made the turkey universally moist.

I did a bit of research, reading magazines and online articles and finally I got the basic formula: one cup of salt per one gallon of water. Salt and water seemed pretty boring so I researched further. Recipes for brine were a dime a dozen, some made sense while others were downright bizarre. Finally, I decided I wanted my brine to give my turkey a little more than a salt bath and came up with my own recipe based on that one cup – one gallon ratio

I started out with a half gallon of water in a large pot. I added two cups of salt and one cup of brown sugar. I brought it to a boil and kept it on just long enough to dissolve the salt and sugar. Next, I dropped in some peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, and some thyme.

Finding a container big enough to hold a fourteen pound turkey and enough brine to cover it wasn’t much of a task. I just so happened to have a five-gallon bucket that I used for home brewing.

I poured the slightly cooled liquid into the bucket, topped it off with another half gallon of water, and added a couple trays of ice cubes to hasten cooling. I then added one gallon of apple cider and one cup apple cider vinegar. I placed my turkey into the liquid, completely covered and let it brine away in the fridge for eighteen hours.

The Big Day

On Thanksgiving morning I preheated my oven, pulled the bird out of its salt soaked slumber, rinsed it off, and patted it dry. I stuffed the bird with stuffing that I had pre-cooked that morning and found a suitable roasting pan. Twenty minutes per pound was what I had heard for roasting a brined turkey and I factored in an additional twenty minutes for the stuffing.

I roasted the foil-covered turkey at 400F for the first three and a half hours, basting it every half hour. In its last hour, I removed the foil, turned the heat down to 375F degrees and brushed a honey mustard glaze on it. I let it rest about thirty minutes so that the juices could settle and then it was carving time.

My first reaction was “Wow it slices like butter!” The reaction of my dinner guests said it all—this turkey was different from its grainy, bone dry predecessors—this bird had taste! Safe to say I’m sold on brining.

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by: Paul Rinehart

Paul Rinehart is the founder of Online Cooking

p_rinehart@hotmail.com

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Say "I Love You" For Valentine's Day

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about the perfect gift for the one you love. Whether you are looking for something special on a tight budget or would simply like to add something special to another gift, there's no better way to express your love than by saying it in a variety of languages.

Find a nice jar and cut different colored paper into heart-shaped pieces. Write "I Love You" in a different language on each heart and place it in the jar. Continue doing this until the jar is full. Add a nice ribbon around the jar and you have a wonderful jar of "Love" to give.

If you want Valentine's Day to last longer, write each "I Love You" in a different language on a colored, heart-shaped piece of paper. Then place each heart into a separate envelope. For the next two months, each day you can place a new envelope somewhere where your partner will find it making your love - and Valentine's Day - last a couple of months rather that a single day.

If you are in a more playful mood, cut out the heart-shaped pieces of paper and write "I Love You" in a different language along with a hint where your partner can find the next envelope. Have your partner do a scavenger hunt to find each envelope until they come to the final piece where "I Love You" is written in English with whatever Valentine gift you have decided to give.

No matter how you ultimately decide to give the gift of "I Love You," it'll be a gift long remembered and cherished by the person who receives it.

***** Different Ways To Say "I Love You" *****

a) Arabic -- Ana behibak (to male)

b) Arabic -- Ana behibek (to female)

Bavarian -- I mog di narrisch gern

Bengali -- Ami tomake bhalobashi

Brazilian (Portuguese) -- Eu te amo

Bulgarian -- Obicham te

Burmese -- Chit pa de

Cambodian -- Bon sro lanh oon

Chinese (Cantonese) -- Ngo oi ney

Chinese (Mandarin) -- Wo ie ni

Croatian -- Ljubim te

Czech -- Miluji te

Danish -- Jeg elsker dig

Dutch -- Ik hou van jou

Esperanto -- Mi amas vin

Estonian -- Mina armastan sind

Filipino -- Mahal ka ta

Finnish -- Mina rakastan sinua

Flemish -- Ik zie oe geerne

French -- Je t'aime

Gaelic -- Ta gra agam ort

German -- Ich liebe dich

Greek -- S' agapo

a) Hebrew -- Ani ohev otach (to female)

b) Hebrew -- Ani ohev otcha (to male)

Hindi -- Mai tumse pyar karta hoo

Hopi -- Nu' umi unangwa'ta

Hungarian -- Szeretlek

Icelandic -- Eg elska thig

Indonesian -- Saja kasih saudari

Irish -- Taim i' ngra leat

Italian -- Ti amo

Japanese -- Kimi o ai shiteru

Javanese -- Kulo tresno

Korean -- Tangsinul sarang ha yo

Lao -- Koi muk jao

Latin -- Te amo

Latvian -- Es milu tevi

Macedonian -- Sakam te

Malay -- Saya cintamu

Mohawk -- Konoronhkwa

Navaho -- Ayor anosh'ni

Norwegian -- Eg elskar deg

Persian -- Tora dost daram

Polish -- Kocham cie

Portuguese -- Amo-te

Romanian -- Te iu besc

Russian -- Ya vas liubliu

Serbian -- Lubim te

Shona -- Ndinokuda

Sioux -- Techihhila

Slovak -- Lubim ta

Spanish -- Te quiero

Swahili -- Naku penda

Swedish -- Jag a'lskar dig

Tagalog -- Mahal kita

Thai -- Ch'an rak khun

Tunisian -- Ha eh bak

Turkish -- Seni seviyo rum

Ukrainian -- Ja tebe kokhaju

Vietnamese -- Toi yeu em

Welsh -- 'Rwy'n dy garu di

Yiddish -- Ich libe dich

Yugoslavian -- Ya te volim

Zulu -- Ngiyakuthanda

Publishing Guidelines: This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author's information and an active link (where possible) are included. A complimentary copy of any newsletter or a link to the site where the article is posted would be greatly appreciated.

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by: Jeffrey Strain

Copyright (c) Jeffrey Strain - http://www.inexpensivedating.com is a website dedicated to sharing fun and inexpensive dating ideas.

info@savingadvice.com

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The Mystery of Decaffeinated Coffee

Caffeine has become America's most popular drug by far. 90% of Americans consume caffeine in one form or another every single day. Most of it comes from drinking coffee.

But if you're a coffee lover who prefers to avoid caffeine, you can still enjoy a cup of coffee that delivers rich flavor with decaffeinated coffee.

It's how the caffeine is extracted from coffee beans that is a mystery for most of us.

These are some of the methods currently used for decaffeinating.

Direct Contact Method

In the direct contact method the beans come directly in contact with decaffeinating agents, such as methylene chloride, after being softened by water or steam. Caffeine is removed by directly soaking the materials in the methylene chloride.

Indirect Contact Method

With the indirect contact method a water and coffee solution is used to draw off the caffeine. The solution containing the caffeine is then treated with a decaffeinating agent, such as ethyl acetate, and mixed back into the beans for reabsorption of the flavorings.

Sometimes this method is referred to as naturally decaffeinated because ethyl acetate is a chemical found naturally in many fruits.

Water Processing

This process is similar to the indirect method, except no chemicals are used. The coffee beans are soaked in hot water then the solution is passed through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine.

Swiss Water Process

In the Swiss Water Process method, the caffeine is still extracted with carbon filters but the beans soak in hot water that is saturated with coffee flavor. The result is caffeine removal without removing the coffee flavors.

It's referred to as Swiss Water Process because a Swiss company originally developed and patented the procedure.

Carbon Dioxide Processing

With this method the beans are soaked with water-softened materials in highly compressed carbon dioxide. The small caffeine molecules are extracted from the beans allowing the larger flavor molecules to remain untouched. This method retains the best overall flavor of all of the methods used.

Not all of the caffeine is completely removed with any of these current methods. To qualify as decaffeinated coffee in the United States, coffee must have at least 97 percent of its caffeine removed.

Coffee beans are decaffeinated before they are roasted because that's when it has the least effect on the beans flavor.

The reason decaffeinated coffee costs more is because of the additional labor, equipment and material needed to remove the caffeine.

So what do they do with all of that caffeine? The extracted caffeine is manufactured and used mostly in medicines and soft drinks.

As an example, the caffeine content in soft drinks mainly comes from the caffeine extracted from these decaffeination processes. The kola nut accounts for less than 5 percent of the caffeine in cola drinks.

For the past 30 years scientists have done extensive research on coffee and the effects of caffeine. New research has even shown that caffeine has many positive effects.

Some of these effects include more energy, the ability to concentrate better and has even been used as an appetite suppressant.

But not all scientists agree with these findings and coffee and the effects of caffeine will continue to be thoroughly researched.

There will always be a market for decaffeinated coffee because some people just love their coffee without the caffeine buzz.

The rest of the 100 million regular coffee drinkers either love their coffee for the wonderful flavor or enjoy the effects of a caffeine boost. For most of us, I'm sure it's a little of both.

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by: Gary Gresham

Gary Gresham is the webmaster for http://www.perfectcoffees.com where you can purchase quality coffee, tea, cups & mugs, coffee gifts and delicious desserts online. He offers a free monthly coffee newsletter with articles like these at http://www.perfectcoffees.com/newsletter.html

Gary@perfectcoffees.com

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Overall Food Health Values

Let’s take a look a the basic food elements in your perfect dietary plan; fruits and vegetables group, bread, cereals, rice and past groups, meats and beans group and dairy group. Each has different characteristics or helpful nutritional value for your dietary needs.

Fruits and Vegetables – Fruits have very little if any protein and fat. Instead, they have carbohydrates, generally fruit sugar or fructose and glucose. As Florida commercials tend to announce, fruits offer us vitamins, C and B to be exact, as well as potassium, fiber and other nutrients. While the sugar helps with maintaining blood sugar levels, vitamins and other nutrients help ward off sickness and disease, and fiber is important for waste disposal from the body.

Here is a peek at some fruits and their relationship to the perfect diet.

Apples – These help cleanse the system and aid lungs, and have been used as laxatives, for fainting, melancholy and palpitations. Apples have been known to help people with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and high cholesterol trouble.

Apricots – These offer beta carotene and potassium. They aid in adding moisture to the body, especially the breathing and throat areas. Apricots have been known to help fight cancer and high blood pressure, prevent night blindness, aid those with stomach and lung cancers, low energy and elderly with mental depression.

Bananas – These have been noted to help with intestinal and lung problems, ulcers and constipation, mental alertness, and increasing energy. They also help people with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease risk, blood sugar level maintenance, and the elderly with confusion.

Berries – A variety of berries has been noted to help with varicose veins, menstrual problems, premature graying, joint ailments, insomnia, liver, spleen and pancreas problems. They also help reduce cancer risk and aid with rheumatoid arthritic solutions, weight loss issues, stomach and colon cancers.

Citrus Fruits – Oranges, tangerines, kumquats, lemons, limes - -help with stomach and colon trouble and with anemia and infections (like scurvy) and colds. They are also help people with cataracts and the prevention of colon and stomach cancers.

Figs – These work as laxatives and have been known to help with the treatment of boils and anemia reduction, and the prevention of osteoporosis.

Grapes – Grapes are associated with cleansing the body and to help with water retention, urinary issues, jaundice and hepatitis. They are also associated with the healing of rheumatoid arthritis and aid with mental confusion / depression, especially among the elderly.

Mangos – Mangos are noted to aid in the prevention of anemia and the strengthening of the immune system. They also have been used to help with fighting off infections and tumors and the prevention of cervical cancer. And they help with the heal of diarrhea, sweating and mental alertness.

Papayas – This is a great source for vitamin C and is also noted for helping with male fertility, with aiding white blood cells among the elderly, with intestinal treatments and with cancer prevention.

Pears – Pears have similar characteristics as apples. They provide moisture for the body, are slow to digest and have fairly little allergic responses reported. They have also been used to help with coughing, diabetes, cholesterol levels, dryness in the chest cavity, skin injuries, introducing babies to food, staving off hunger and boosting brain power.

Pineapples – Their juice helps with digestion, dissolving blood clots (related to thrombosis) and healing wounds. They have been known to help with cancer prevention.

Prunes – Help with iron deficiency and constipation. Prune puree can act as a substitute in dietary cooking to lighten the fat low, working in place of butter and margarine.

Now let’s look at some veggies. Again low in calories, vegetables are also high in fiber content, vitamins and minerals, with little to zero protein and fats. Check and see how some veggies affect your perfect diet.

Artichoke – Artichokes have been known to aid liver disease, kidneys and gallbladders. They also help with large intestinal problems, skin and bowel cancer prevention, high cholesterol and hepatitis.

Asparagus – Great source of some vitamin B, this veggie helps with water retention with regards to kidneys and menstrual issues, cataracts and lung problems (some bronchitis, tuberculosis).

Avocado – Great source for vitamins E and some Bs and oil, avocados help with the immune systems in elderly people. They also aid the liver, lungs and intestines (ulcer treatments), infertility in men and Parkinson’s Disease.

Broccoli – This has been noted to help with anemia, eye disorders like near-sightedness, and infections, especially childhood ones like measles. Broccoli has also been known to help counteract the effects of cigarette smoke and aid in many types of cancer prevention.

Cabbage – Cabbage has been used to help with lung and digestive disorders, ulcers, wounds, joints, mastitis and acne. Is has been reported to help with breast and prostate cancers, bacterial infections and heart disease prevention.

Celery – This is helpful for those with high blood pressure, for those with rheumatoid arthritis and for calming, not only with the liver but with stress and anxiety as well. Celery is also used to help with stomach, pancreas and spleen troubles, acne and canker sores, burning urine and eye inflammation.

Legumes – These seed pod products help with the reduction of heart disease risk and help with the healing of some cancers, blood sugar level maintenance and iron / calcium maintenance in the body. They also aid people with anemia and diabetes.

Mushrooms – These help white blood cells in the immune system, help fight some cancers and heart disease and may help in the prevention of clotting, by blood thinning.

Onions – They have helped with heart disease prevention, bladder (and other) cancer, and circulatory problems. They have also helped in healing swelling from bug bites and bronchial inflammations. And onion tea is said to have sedative qualities.

Potatoes / Other Roots – These root veggies are associated with the prevention of different cancers, the prevention of blood clotting related with heart disease, and with protection against inhaled nicotine (via smokers). Carrots further aid in stomach and lung cancer care, food poisoning healing, iron deficiency, sexual problems and night blindness. While beets help reduce heart disease risk and spina bifida (with pregnant women). And they help with high blood pressure care and muscle replenishing.

Pumpkins / Squash – These have been known to help with the prevention of prostate cancer and the reduction of heart disease risk. They also aid in healing cataracts / retinal and lens damage in the eye and with the flu and colds.

Soybeans – These help with osteoporosis risk reduction, lowering blood cholesterol levels, and prostate and breast cancer reduction and prevention. Soybeans have also been known for helping the spleen, blood and pancreas, and increasing milk production in breast-feeding women.

Tomatoes – These help in the reduction of heart disease, the healing of prostate and other cancers, and with the aging (both mentally and physically) process.

Bread, Cereals, Rice and Pasta – Cereals are considered staple foods. Depending upon the country, weather, region, etc., popular varieties vary; corn, barley, oats, wheat, rice, millet. Grains mainly give the body carbohydrates (mostly starches), some fiber, protein, vitamins (mainly Bs and E) and minerals. Here is a peek at some foods in this category.

Bread – This major energy source offers the body lots of nutrition, protein, calcium, iron and B vitamins. Breads help reduce risk of infertility in men, anemia, heart and spine problems, osteoporosis and colon cancer risk. Historically, bread was prescribed as nature’s way to aid in colonic irrigation.

Corn – Corn may be able to help with spina bifida risk in babies. It helps with heart disease and colon cancer prevention. Popped corn can be a great diet food, depending upon the oil and additives (like butter) used. Corn silks have been used in diuretic teas to help with high blood pressure, gallstones, kidney stones, water retention, and urinary problems.

Oats – Oats are known to help with skin problems and in the treatment of depression, anxiety and insomnia. The saponins, B vitamins and alkaloids in oats aid with mood-lifting. Some forms of oats also work as antiseptic and heart disease treatments, help lower blood pressure and with weight reduction (cause full feeling and digest slowly) and are popular on diabetic menus.

Rice – Rice has been used for the healing of depression, for reducing colon cancer risk, for reducing cholesterol levels and blood pressure. It offers quick energy for the body, helps calm the stomach, is good for poor digestion and diarrhea, and helps fight celiac disease. Rice cakes are great substitutions for dieters, replacing breads.

Wheat - This traditional kidney toner help with the reduction and prevention of colon and breast cancer, blocking of the arteries and heart disease. Wheat also aids in mental functions including focus and calmness. Many pastas are made from wheat and in this category. They offer carbohydrates, fiber and B vitamins to the body.

Meats and Fish - Meats are a source of protein and iron. Mainly fat content needs to be of concer with regards to perfect dietary planning. And leaner meats are becoming more readily available; lean hamburger, buffalo, emu and ostrich. Fish, also good protein sources, help reduce heart disease risk, inflammation and blood clotting.

Fish – Oily fish have been known to help with bone density, to relieve psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritic pain, and help prevent heart disease and anemia. Shellfish helps with male fertility, brittle bones, weak muscles, weight loss and the prevention of cancer.

Meats – Aid male fertility, build body tissue, nervous system damage and maintenance and help with the prevention of anemia and osteoporosis.

Gamebirds / Poultry – These foods help enhance concentration and mood. They also aid in the prevention of anemia and depression. And for those with allergies, turkey and chicken are noted at rarely causing allergic reactions.

Dairy – Dairy products help in the prevention of tooth decay, protein deficiency, loss of energy, high blood pressure, bone fractures, osteoporosis, rickets and some cancers including colo.

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by: Christopher Stephen

Chris Stephen is the Editor of Health Conscious, a FREE bi-monthly Newsletter,that gives advice and help tips. yourself. You can subscribe for Free at hcezine@getresponse.com

chrsstephen@yahoo.com

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Chilean Wine History and Style

The Buddhists say that life is suffering. The capitalists say that life is a struggle. The communists say that life is a team-effort. But the Chileans say that life is beautiful. Why? Because sometimes you are just born with a full deck of cards. Chile is perhaps the only wine making country on Earth that seems to have everything exactly where it wants it.

Spanning a formidable length of 2,700 miles, Chile is the poster child for geographic isolation. With the frigid Antarctic ice off its southern border, a desert off the northern one, and its heart squeezed between the Pacific Ocean on the western border and the epic Andes on the eastern border, it is quite literally a cradle for the choicest wine growing conditions on the planet.

In fact, the isolation has fostered a wine growing environment in which little or no pesticides need be used to ward off grape eating predators, an achievement that speaks most notably when Chile can claim along with Argentina to be one of only two countries in the world to not have been afflicted by the lethal phylloxera pest (this insect destroyed European vineyards in the late 19th century and reeked havoc on California vineyards in the 20th).

To add insult to injury, the grape-growing environment is so favorable, and the land and labor so cheap, that Chilean wine has developed a reputation for having the best value to price ratios on the market.

While Chile's wine history runs deep – the first vines were allegedly planted by Cortez in the early 16th century - it ran up against the same wall that colonized wine regions of high potential did like Argentina and South Africa. In all cases, poor political climate combined with restrictive taxes and local populations that favored cheap, unexceptional wines to force wine makers to keep their creativity relatively tame. And like these countries, Chile was ready to rise to the challenge when conditions finally shifted – in its case during the late 1980's.

In perhaps the most precocious growth spurt in wine making history, Chile went from wines that were nothing of note to wines that were first class in less than ten years. Vineyard establishments in Spain, Italy and the United States were ready to invest heavily when conditions were ripe, resulting in an amazing number of Chilean vineyards having the most up-to-date facilities around. As if the perfect wine growing climate wasn't enough.

These investments in the best equipment as well as select French and American oak barrels helped give a boost to wine makers that were already chopping at the bit to take advantage of the wine growing climate and make some truly notable wines.

Some places are just born to be great, but the beauty of it in this case is that the rest of us can enjoy it at a great value!

Chile is perhaps best known for its world-class interpretation of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. A few bold souls have even claimed that there are certain Chilean vineyards that are more Bordeaux than Bordeaux!

A large part of Chile's fascination with the big four grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc – revolves around its targeting of the American market. During the late 80's and early 90's when the Chilean wine boom really came into full swing, the American market was devouring wines that were not only made from recognizable grapes like Cabernet and Chardonnay, but also were sold at a reasonable price. To this day, the United States remains the premier importer of Chilean wine.

One of the more important ingredients in the recent Chilean wine exploration was that while major vineyards upgraded their facilities, smaller, family owned vineyards decided to take the leap and market their own brands. The result was that more definitively unique wines emerged from the area, though at higher prices. This suggests that while a reasonably priced $10 Chilean Chardonnay will be pretty good, a more expensive $40 or $50 bottle will be great.

Anyone familiar with Chilean wines will not be surprised to hear the reference to Carmenere, a medium bodied grape that is the source of many smoky and bold reds. In fact, a Chilean Merlot might actually be crafted from the Carmenere grape. As more mature Chilean vineyards are able to distinguish between vines using DNA testing, consistency in labeling practices will become more dependable.

There is also an important labeling note to keep heed of regarding Chilean wines. Because of Chile's proximity to the Andes, there is often too much water introduced into the irrigation process (note from discussions in the Wine Growing categories of SavorEachGlass.com that, in general, the less water a vine receives the higher quality the final harvest will be). As a result, some higher quality vineyards have shifted to a drip irrigation system that controls the amount of water introduced throughout the growing season. If you note anything related to drip irrigation on the back of a bottle of Chilean wine, there is a good bet it will be a keeper.

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by: Tynan Szvetecz

Tynan Szvetecz is an editor for http://www.savoreachglass.com, an international wine directory that is helping explore the spirit of wine for a new generation.

This article can also be viewed at http://www.savoreachglass.com/articles.php/5

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A Healthy Start to a Healthy Year

Can your mind help your body keep your New Year’s resolutions? Mounting evidence says, *Yes.*

The evolving field of psycho-neuroimmunology, or the study of the mind-body connection - often considered fringe beliefs - could help you keep your resolutions. This intriguing subject of scientific inquiry is still shrouded in mystery.

Just as an experiment, put aside your skepticism, pretend that these ideas could be explained by science, and consider how you could harness their power to promote your health.

Placebo Effect

When new medications are tested, one group gets the new medication and another group gets the *sugar pill* or placebo. Why do this? Study after study shows that if you think you’re taking real medicine, your body will respond as if it actually did get the active ingredient, even if it’s a sugar pill. Somehow the belief in the power of the medicine creates the desired outcome of lowered blood pressure or heart rate or weight loss in about a third of people. Is this science? Yes. Is this mind-body medicine? Yes.

Let your beliefs help your body achieve your desired goals. If regular exercise is your goal, tell yourself, *I’m invigorated by my daily 20 minute walk.* The placebo effect suggests that your belief that you have more energy with regular exercise makes it so.

Nocebo Effect

In November 1998, a teacher noticed a *gasoline-like* smell in her classroom, and soon thereafter she had a headache, nausea and dizziness. Given the concern about a toxic environmental substance, the school was evacuated and closed for 5 days. Almost 200 students and teachers were seen in the ER for similar symptoms. But no environmental cause was ever identified. One explanation is that the belief that a toxic exposure occurred led to the symptoms, or the nocebo effect. This is the flip side of the placebo effect.

I reflected on this study as I was waiting with my son for his turn in the dental chair. He repeated, *It’s going to hurt; it’s going to hurt.* I suggested to him that he might be better served by saying, *It’s going to be fine; it’s going to be fine.*

Has the nocebo effect undermined your New Year’s resolutions in the past? Barry saw this in action last March as he told himself,*I hate to exercise.* He made a commitment to daily walks in January and talked himself out of them before the winter snow melted.

Harness the power of the placebo effect and minimize the nocebo effect this year, even if your resolution is something challenging like smoking cessation. In years past you might have told yourself, *This never works. I’ll never be a non-smoker.* Consider replacing that thought with, *In the past it didn’t work. Now I keep my promises.*

Gelotology

It’s the study of humor and its effects on the human body. Researchers are asking the question, *Is laughter good medicine?* You know from your own experience that laughter breaks stress and tension. Evidence suggests that laughter enhances the function of your immune system and stimulates pleasure centers in the brain.

You always have the choice about whether to laugh or cry. Ann remembered that as she completed an interview for the job of her dreams. She bought a new suit that made her feel like she already had the job. It wasn’t until she left the group interview that she discovered the toilet paper stuck in the waist of her skirt streaming behind her like a tail. After an initial rush of embarrassment she laughed.

Prayer

We are a deeply religious nation, and many of my patients use prayer as a source of strength and comfort. Can prayer promote healing? Growing evidence from well-respected clinical studies suggests it can, although not enough evidence for the medical community to conclude that prayer is good for health.

What kind of evidence would you need to use prayer as part of your health regimen? Interestingly, you would consider the same factors whether you’re re-considering Vioxx or Naproxen (recently found to cause heart problems) or Aryuvedic remedies (recently found to be associated with toxic levels of heavy metals). What are the desired benefits, and what are the risks?

What harm could prayer do? We doctors get concerned when patients forgo conventional therapy that has proven benefit for therapies like prayer or shark cartilage that do not have proven value. Consider using mind-body therapies such as prayer together with proven medical treatment. Now, shark cartilage is another matter - and simply not proven at all.

Gratitude and giving

Some interesting, if preliminary, studies suggest that the expression of gratitude and the act of giving increase brain serotonin levels, the same chemical change antidepressant medication helps. That might support your own experience of feeling better as you reach out to the tsunami victims or express gratitude for the health and safety of those you love and the extraordinary richness of your life.

You have the power to carry out your New Year’s resolutions, whether it’s achieving greater physical, financial or spiritual health. Who knows-maybe one day with greater understanding of the mind-body connection, you doctor may prescribe the power of your mind to help you get there.

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by: Vicki Rackner, MD

Copyright 2005 Vicki Rackner MD

Vicki Rackner, MD, president of Medical Bridges, is a board- certified surgeon who left the operating room to help employees become active participants in their health care. She is a consultant, speaker and author of the *Personal Health Journal*, author/editor of *Chicken Soup for the Healthy Heart Soul* and author of the lead story for *Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Soul.* Dr. Rackner can be reached at http://www.medicalbridges.com/ or (425) 451-3777.

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The Mystery of Decanting

Decanting is a strange word to many people. Some do not even know what it means exactly. Taking the sophistication out of it, decanting literally means pouring the wine from the bottle to a special glass container. This is done in order to expose the wine to oxygen and enrich it.

What is the meaning of this process? Do all wines benefit from decanting or not?

The wine experts are not in agreement. Some say wine should be decanted in order to allow it to “breathe” and develop fully before consumption. Others claim decanting does not contribute to the quality of the wine.

So who is right? Well, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Decanting does seem to benefit certain wines more than others. Most red wines, except for the very aged and some white ones would definitely benefit from decanting 1-2 hours before serving. Young red wines, on the other hand, which are low in tannins, light and fruity, would not improve if allowed to oxidize. There are also wines that would actually suffer from decanting. Those are the aged reds. Their quality could worsen if allowed too much contact with air.

Another important factor in decanting is keeping the right temperature of the wine until it’s time to serve it. When it comes to white wine, one could easily place the decanter in a bigger bucket filled with cold water or ice. That would guarantee a crisp wine ready to serve and enjoy. However, when it comes to red wine, keeping the ideal temperature for serving is more difficult. The same technique as for white wine could be applied but with a minor difference - the temperature of the water in the bucket should be controlled by a thermometer. It may seem like a hassle but the exercise is well worth it.

Finally, a few words of wisdom - don’t be afraid to experiment! Sooner or later you’ll be surprised to find that you also have an opinion about decanting which you could adamantly defend!

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by: Daniella

www.wines-resource.com Daniella@wines-resource.com

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Chosing Organic for Health

We come from a society where growing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food was once one and the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of increasing crops and building bigger livestock in order to increase their profits. This led to increased use of pesticides and drugs to enhance yield.

In this article, we will look at what is required in order to call a product organic, how choosing organic eating and farming impact the environment and our health, discuss the benefits of eating organic foods, and what research says about the nutritional benefits of organically-grown produce.

Calling it "Organic"

In 1995, the US National Organic Standards Board passed the definition of 'organic', which is a labeling term denoting products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. It states, "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony."

The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals, and people.

The philosophy of organic production of livestock is to provide conditions that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Organic livestock must be given access to the outdoors, fresh air, water, sunshine, grass and pasture, and are fed 100% organic feed. They must not be given or fed hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs in their feed. If an animal gets sick and needs antibiotics, they cannot be considered organic. Feeding of animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian diet, is also prohibited. Thus, no animal byproducts of any sort are incorporated in organic feed at any time.

Because farmers must keep extensive records as part of their farming and handling plans in order to be certified organic, one is always able to trace the animal from birth to market of the meat. When meat is labeled as organic, this means that 100% of that product is organic.

Although organic crops must be produced without the use of pesticides, it is estimated that between 10-25% of organic fruits and vegetables contain some residues of synthetic pesticides. This is because of the influence of rain, air and polluted water sources. In order to qualify as 'organic', crops must be grown on soil free of prohibited substances for three years before harvest. Until then, they cannot be called organic.

When pests get out of balance and traditional organic methods don't work for pest control, farmers can request permission to use other products that are considered low risk by the National Organic Standards Board.

The Environment

According to the 15-year study, "Farming Systems Trial", organic soils have higher microbial content, making for healthier soils and plants. This study concluded that organically grown foods are raised in soils that have better physical structure, provide better drainage, may support higher microbial activity, and in years of drought, organic systems may possibly outperform conventional systems. So, organic growing may help feed more people in our future!

What is the cost of conventional farming, today? The above-mentioned 15 -year study showed that conventional farming uses 50% more energy than organic farming. In one report, it was estimated that only 0.1% of applied pesticides actually reach the targets, leaving most of the pesticide, 99.9%, to impact the environment. Multiple investigations have shown that our water supplies, both in rivers and area tap waters, are showing high levels of pesticides and antibiotics used in farming practices. Water samples taken from the Ohio River as well as area tap water contained trace amounts of penicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin.

Toxic chemicals are contaminating groundwater on every inhabited continent, endangering the world's most valuable supplies of freshwater, according to a Worldwatch paper, Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution. Calling for a systemic overhaul of manufacturing and industrial agriculture, the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations because this costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies.

What About our Health?

Eating organic food is not a fad. As people become more informed and aware, they are taking steps to ensure their health. US sales of organic food totaled 5.4 billion dollars in 1998, but was up to 7.8 billion dollars in the year 2000. The 2004 Whole Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker survey found that 27% of Americans are eating more organic foods than they did a year ago.

A study conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation reports that the number of people poisoned by drifting pesticides increased by 20% during 2000.

A rise in interest and concern for the use of pesticides in food resulted in the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, directing the US EPA to reassess the usage and impact of pesticides for food use.

Particular attention was paid to the impact on children and infants, whose lower body weights and higher consumption of food per body weight present higher exposure to any risks associated with pesticide residues.

Publishing an update to its 1999 report on food safety, the Consumers Union in May 2000 reiterated that pesticide residues in foods children eat every day often exceed safe levels. The update found high levels of pesticide residues on winter squash, peaches, apples, grapes, pears, green beans, spinach, strawberries, and cantaloupe. The Consumers Union urged consumers to consider buying organically grown varieties, particularly of these fruits and vegetables.

The most common class of pesticide in the US is organophosphates (OP's). These are known as neurotoxins.

An article published in 2002 examined the urine concentration of OP residues in 2-5 year olds. Researchers found, on average, that children eating conventionally grown food showed an 8.5 times higher amount of OP residue in their urine than those eating organic food. Studies have also shown harmful effects on fetal growth, as well.

Pesticides are not the only threat, however. 70% of all antibiotics in the US are used to fatten up livestock, today. Farm animals receive 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics per year!

Public health authorities now link low-level antibiotic use in livestock to greater numbers of people contracting infections that resist treatment with the same drugs. The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in June of 2001, opposing the use of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in agriculture and the World Health Organization, in its 2001 report, urged farmers to stop using antibiotics for growth promotion. Studies are finding the same antibiotic resistant bacteria in the intestines of consumers that develop in commercial meats and poultry.

Is it More Nutritious?

Until recently, there had been little evidence that organically grown produce was higher in nutrients. It's long been held that healthier soils would produce a product higher in nutritional quality, but there was never the science to support this belief. Everyone agrees that organic foods taste better.

In 2001, nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington published her review of 41 published studies comparing the nutritional values of organic and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables and grains. What she found was that organically grown crops provided 17% more vitamin C, 21% more iron, 29% more magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus than conventionally grown products. She noted that five servings of organic vegetables provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not. Today there are more studies that show the same results that Ms. Worthington concluded.

Considering the health benefits of eating organic foods, along with the knowledge of how conventionally grown and raised food is impacting the planet should be enough to consider paying greater attention to eating organic, today. Since most people buy their food in local supermarkets, it's good news that more and more markets are providing natural and organic foods in their stores. Findings from a survey by Supermarket News showed that 61% of consumers now buy their organic foods in supermarkets. More communities and health agencies also are working to set up more farmer's markets for their communities, also, which brings more organic, locally grown foods to the consumer. The next time you go shopping, consider investigating organic choices to see if it's indeed worth the change!

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by: Marjorie Geiser, RD

Marjorie Geiser has been teaching health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of MEG Fitness, Marjorie’s goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives.

In Margie’s major health and nutritional support tool, the 30-Day Fitness Focus Program you will get a jumpstart on learning what you are really eating, what regular exercise you do, and exactly how you tend to sabotage yourself from achieving your goals.

To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at www.megfit.com or email her at Margie@megfit.com.

megfit@earthlink.net

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Unchaining Yourself from an Unhealthy Food Addiction

The cry of “I have no willpower!” often emerges from the consumers who jokingly surrender to their lack of will when it comes to eating something clearly unhealthy. However, scientific nutritional research has identified that something much more serious – much more dangerous – is often at work here. For many people, what they perceive as a harmless lack of willpower is actually an addiction an addiction to chemicals that the brain secretes in response to stimulation by certain foods, such as chocolate or cheese[i].

As dangerous as this addiction is, however, recent studies suggest that it is actually much more frightening than it first seems. According to one notable study, the human brain can release dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter linked with feelings enjoyment, when a person merely sees or smells certain foods[ii]. As such, people who may be sensibly avoiding foods that release serotonin and other chemicals (such as chocolate) may still be susceptible to a sight and smell-based addiction to unhealthy food.

Understanding this complex problem begins with understanding the word addiction. Defining a clear-cut definition of addiction is in itself a challenge and a rather hotly debated pursuit at the moment. Still, there is enough unity among credible social and biological scientists to say that a person who is powerless to stop an action is addicted[iii]. When applying this rather grave concept to eating, it becomes starkly clear that choosing an extra slice of pizza or bar of chocolate may be the expression of a very serious addiction to unhealthy food.

Remarkably, unlike how addictions to things like alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity viewed biological and psychological illnesses, addiction to eating is often ignored or, at the very least, diminished to be something that is based on willpower. The insulting advice of “just don’t eat it if you don’t want to get fat!” that some obese people actually hear from their doctors, relatives, or colleagues is one of the most common manifestations of this often well-meaning, but potentially harmful, ignorance.

The bottom line fact – and one that more medical professionals are accepting based on scientific evidence – is that obesity and related eating disorders are often the results of an addiction they are a serious health condition that must be approached methodologically like other diseases[iv].

Understanding that food addiction is indeed a problem – a severe disease, in fact – is a fundamental key in addressing this unique health challenge. At the same time, the notion of “willpower” should be removed, in most cases, from the eating disorder vocabulary, and replaced with the word “addiction”. This will make that extra piece of pizza or that third slice of chocolate cake be seen for what they often are: the means to satisfy a bonafide addiction.

Once the “eating disorder as an addiction” paradigm is in place, then and only then can both unhealthy eaters and those supporting them take steps to solve the problem. While there are no overnight solutions, there are paths that eaters can take that head in the right direction: freedom from eating addiction. The first step on this path is to eat a complete and balanced source of nutrition.

Taking this first step, like so much else associated with the addiction to unhealthy food, is easier said than done. Eating sensibly is unusually difficult in a time-starved culture and even more difficult when there are arrays of self-described nutritious dietary sources to choose from. Whether it is energy bars or fad diets, finding a simple, convenient, and practical source of balanced nutrition is hard to find.

However, some exceptional products are garnering serious positive attention from scientific community. These products deliver complete protein in a vitamin enriched formula. Furthermore – and of critical value – is that these products contain no carbohydrates, no unsaturated fat, and few calories none of which are from fat. These products are helping people unchain themselves from food addictions, and reflect a trend towards nutritious and ethical nutritional supplement manufacturing.

Of ultimate importance, however, is that these products return eating choice control back to where it must always remain: with conscious and empowered consumers, and not to some hidden and potentially destructive addiction.

References

[i] Source: “That’s Why We Call it Junk Food”.

MSNBC. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3606198/

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by: Protica Nutritional Research

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com/

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com/. You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com/.

More about → Unchaining Yourself from an Unhealthy Food Addiction

Vitamins In Our Daily Lives

Vitamins is something people been using for a while and it is more common this days. Is it good to use them or not? Many people say it is good since we live in a fast pace world, we live in a hurry and don’t have time to site down and relax and have a nice healthy meal, for breakfast maybe a cup of coffee and off to work if you have some time, for lunch fast food convenient, fast, not expensive good right.

Many people and doctors say the way we live is not good and not healthy, because always in a hurry we don’t eat right don’t get the necessary vitamins and minerals eat too much fat. For that reason people take vitamins to supplement the meals the eat and get the vitamins and mineral they need feel healthy and feel full of energy.

Now there is many vitamins out there you can get now. Is it better pills or liquid vitamins people say pills are hard to digest and that even some pills you don’t digest completely and that liquid vitamins are better because it is easier to break down in the system.

In my opinion liquid vitamins are better, just a little cup of juice and all done I have try the Veriuni Liquid Multivitamin and taste great but the choice is all yours.

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by: Axel Rodriguez

Axel Rodriguez from Puerto Rico working on my own thanks to SFI

Living a Healthy life.

http://www.getveriuni.com

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Chosing Organic for Health

We come from a society where growing organic and just growing produce and livestock for food was once one and the same. Small, family farms still grow their own food using traditional methods passed down through the generations. As commercial farming became big-business, however, growers and farmers started to investigate methods of increasing crops and building bigger livestock in order to increase their profits. This led to increased use of pesticides and drugs to enhance yield.

In this article, we will look at what is required in order to call a product organic, how choosing organic eating and farming impact the environment and our health, discuss the benefits of eating organic foods, and what research says about the nutritional benefits of organically-grown produce.

Calling it "Organic"

In 1995, the US National Organic Standards Board passed the definition of 'organic', which is a labeling term denoting products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. It states, "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony."

The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals, and people.

The philosophy of organic production of livestock is to provide conditions that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Organic livestock must be given access to the outdoors, fresh air, water, sunshine, grass and pasture, and are fed 100% organic feed. They must not be given or fed hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs in their feed. If an animal gets sick and needs antibiotics, they cannot be considered organic. Feeding of animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian diet, is also prohibited. Thus, no animal byproducts of any sort are incorporated in organic feed at any time.

Because farmers must keep extensive records as part of their farming and handling plans in order to be certified organic, one is always able to trace the animal from birth to market of the meat. When meat is labeled as organic, this means that 100% of that product is organic.

Although organic crops must be produced without the use of pesticides, it is estimated that between 10-25% of organic fruits and vegetables contain some residues of synthetic pesticides. This is because of the influence of rain, air and polluted water sources. In order to qualify as 'organic', crops must be grown on soil free of prohibited substances for three years before harvest. Until then, they cannot be called organic.

When pests get out of balance and traditional organic methods don't work for pest control, farmers can request permission to use other products that are considered low risk by the National Organic Standards Board.

The Environment

According to the 15-year study, "Farming Systems Trial", organic soils have higher microbial content, making for healthier soils and plants. This study concluded that organically grown foods are raised in soils that have better physical structure, provide better drainage, may support higher microbial activity, and in years of drought, organic systems may possibly outperform conventional systems. So, organic growing may help feed more people in our future!

What is the cost of conventional farming, today? The above-mentioned 15 -year study showed that conventional farming uses 50% more energy than organic farming. In one report, it was estimated that only 0.1% of applied pesticides actually reach the targets, leaving most of the pesticide, 99.9%, to impact the environment. Multiple investigations have shown that our water supplies, both in rivers and area tap waters, are showing high levels of pesticides and antibiotics used in farming practices. Water samples taken from the Ohio River as well as area tap water contained trace amounts of penicillin, tetracycline and vancomycin.

Toxic chemicals are contaminating groundwater on every inhabited continent, endangering the world's most valuable supplies of freshwater, according to a Worldwatch paper, Deep Trouble: The Hidden Threat of Groundwater Pollution. Calling for a systemic overhaul of manufacturing and industrial agriculture, the paper notes that several water utilities in Germany now pay farmers to switch to organic operations because this costs less than removing farm chemicals from water supplies.

What About our Health?

Eating organic food is not a fad. As people become more informed and aware, they are taking steps to ensure their health. US sales of organic food totaled 5.4 billion dollars in 1998, but was up to 7.8 billion dollars in the year 2000. The 2004 Whole Foods Market Organic Foods Trend Tracker survey found that 27% of Americans are eating more organic foods than they did a year ago.

A study conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation reports that the number of people poisoned by drifting pesticides increased by 20% during 2000.

A rise in interest and concern for the use of pesticides in food resulted in the passage of the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act, directing the US EPA to reassess the usage and impact of pesticides for food use.

Particular attention was paid to the impact on children and infants, whose lower body weights and higher consumption of food per body weight present higher exposure to any risks associated with pesticide residues.

Publishing an update to its 1999 report on food safety, the Consumers Union in May 2000 reiterated that pesticide residues in foods children eat every day often exceed safe levels. The update found high levels of pesticide residues on winter squash, peaches, apples, grapes, pears, green beans, spinach, strawberries, and cantaloupe. The Consumers Union urged consumers to consider buying organically grown varieties, particularly of these fruits and vegetables.

The most common class of pesticide in the US is organophosphates (OP's). These are known as neurotoxins.

An article published in 2002 examined the urine concentration of OP residues in 2-5 year olds. Researchers found, on average, that children eating conventionally grown food showed an 8.5 times higher amount of OP residue in their urine than those eating organic food. Studies have also shown harmful effects on fetal growth, as well.

Pesticides are not the only threat, however. 70% of all antibiotics in the US are used to fatten up livestock, today. Farm animals receive 24.6 million pounds of antibiotics per year!

Public health authorities now link low-level antibiotic use in livestock to greater numbers of people contracting infections that resist treatment with the same drugs. The American Medical Association adopted a resolution in June of 2001, opposing the use of sub-therapeutic levels of antibiotics in agriculture and the World Health Organization, in its 2001 report, urged farmers to stop using antibiotics for growth promotion. Studies are finding the same antibiotic resistant bacteria in the intestines of consumers that develop in commercial meats and poultry.

Is it More Nutritious?

Until recently, there had been little evidence that organically grown produce was higher in nutrients. It's long been held that healthier soils would produce a product higher in nutritional quality, but there was never the science to support this belief. Everyone agrees that organic foods taste better.

In 2001, nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington published her review of 41 published studies comparing the nutritional values of organic and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables and grains. What she found was that organically grown crops provided 17% more vitamin C, 21% more iron, 29% more magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus than conventionally grown products. She noted that five servings of organic vegetables provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not. Today there are more studies that show the same results that Ms. Worthington concluded.

Considering the health benefits of eating organic foods, along with the knowledge of how conventionally grown and raised food is impacting the planet should be enough to consider paying greater attention to eating organic, today. Since most people buy their food in local supermarkets, it's good news that more and more markets are providing natural and organic foods in their stores. Findings from a survey by Supermarket News showed that 61% of consumers now buy their organic foods in supermarkets. More communities and health agencies also are working to set up more farmer's markets for their communities, also, which brings more organic, locally grown foods to the consumer. The next time you go shopping, consider investigating organic choices to see if it's indeed worth the change!

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by: Marjorie Geiser, RD

Marjorie Geiser has been teaching health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of MEG Fitness, Marjorie’s goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives.

In Margie’s major health and nutritional support tool, the 30-Day Fitness Focus Program you will get a jumpstart on learning what you are really eating, what regular exercise you do, and exactly how you tend to sabotage yourself from achieving your goals.

To learn more about the services Margie offers, go to her website at www.megfit.com or email her at Margie@megfit.com.

megfit@earthlink.net

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