Vegetarian compared to raw food

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
Is there a difference between vegetarian and raw food diets? A raw foodist is a vegetarian, but one who generally is not going to cook his vegetables or fruits. A vegetarian is someone who simply doesn’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but only consumes vegetables, pasta, and rice. A vegetarian might eat meatless spaghetti sauce or order onion rings in a restaurant. (Not the healthiest choice, but sometimes it’s hard to find something to eat in a restaurant if you’re vegetarian – even harder if you’re a raw foodist.)

There are different categories of vegetarians, like vegans, or fruitarians, and raw foodist is a category of vegetarianism. We haven’t seen anything about sushi being considered a raw food, but it is. Raw food, though, generally means eating raw, uncooked fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, seaweeds, etc.

But to be a raw food purist means raw broccoli, not steamed. To a vegetarian, someone committed to not eat meat or fish or animal products, steamed vegetables are just as good, although everyone would agree that steaming can take out nutrients from foods, rendering them less nutritious. A vegetarian might consume dairy or egg products; however a vegan will not consume any animal products at all. And a raw foodist is a vegan who consumes only uncooked, unprocessed raw foods.
Proponents of the raw diet believe that enzymes are the life force of a food and that every food contains its own perfect mix. These enzymes help us digest foods completely, without relying on our body to produce its own cocktail of digestive enzymes.
It is also thought that the cooking process destroys vitamins and minerals and that cooked foods not only take longer to digest, but they also allow partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates to clog up our gut and arteries.
Followers of a raw diet cite numerous health benefits, including:
• increased energy levels
• improved appearance of skin
• improved digestion
• weight loss
• reduced risk of heart disease

Organic Products and Raw Food Die

By: http://www.skybluecross.com

Fortunately for those of us newly interested in eating organic and raw foods, there are lots of products out there. Natural and organic foods used to be found only in natural food stores, and those could be few and far between. While not as ubiquitous as McDonald’s, there ARE many more stand-alone stores. And the grocery chains are catching on too, with more organic selections than ever before. If you don’t see them in your grocery store, just ask. You’re probably not the only person in your neighborhood who’d like to see more of these options.

Many grocery stores now feature sprouts and other living foods in the produce aisle. Of course, if they don’t, there’s nothing easier to grow for yourself than sprouts!

There are also tons of sites on the Web where you can order raw and living foods. Just do a search on raw foods and you’ll come up with a lot of different places to order the foods you’d like to buy. Many of these sites are also full of useful information, to help you learn about eating raw foods, and help educate you on the specific food values.

What else? Experiment with what you like. Take the time to learn a little about what the different nutrients in foods do for you. A few examples:

Cabbage – High in Vitamin C; important for healthy cell function
Shitake mushrooms – contain essential fatty acids and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system
Kale – Rich in fiber and helps reduce calorie intake with less hunger. We like that!
Barley – Loaded with niacin, fiber and iron and is important for healthy blood sugar.
Pumpkin – So rich in fiber and vitamins; helps reduce appetite by filling the stomach with indigestible fibers

 

How to get your required nutrition from daily meal

By: http://www.skybluecross.com
Many people think popping a multi-vitamin supplement to get their nutrients is just as good as what comes from real foods. They don’t realize that it is far better to get vitamins and minerals from natural foods and juices. Our bodies utilize the vitamins and minerals from real foods more efficiently.  And most people find it much easier to select a variety of whole foods they enjoy eating instead of trying to make heads or tails of the entire selection of vitamin and mineral supplements that are available. And any of us who’ve swallowed a multi-vitamin or a mineral supplement can say without a doubt that the taste leaves a lot to be desired
Supplements are also difficult for our bodies to break down and use, making it difficult to get the full punch from the vitamins and minerals they contain. Conversely, by consuming plenty of nutrient-dense food to get the equivalent means the nutrients are going to be easier for the body to process and utilize, and less likely to be wasted.  We are also processing nutrients throughout the course of the day when we obtain them from food, instead of just getting them from the ‘one a day’ approach.
Many of the supplements available today use fillers and binders to hold them together, plus coatings on the tablets themselves. These are products the body does not need and will not use. Some people find they are allergic to the dyes and fillers used in vitamin pills. However, the body uses the fiber that binds fruits and vegetables. Often the “skin” of a vegetable, like the potato, is the most nutritious part. In addition, sometimes the vitamin and mineral supplements can upset our stomachs, making taking them even more difficult the next day.  In many cases, combining supplements can counteract their effectiveness and can produce stomach upset when dealing with the taste and smell of some supplements. On the other hand, a variety of fruits and vegetables enhance the flavor of a nutritious meal and their fiber aids digestion.
If you’re looking to lose weight, eating fresh food is vital to a weight loss plan. Also, eating fresh fruits and vegetables help hair, skin and teeth stay attractive and healthy. And when you think about it, fruits and vegetables are the original ‘to go’ food. It’s simple to grab for an orange, apple, banana, grapes, or quickly toss a few vegetables together for a salad to take to work.
So when you’re looking for well-balanced, healthy, reliable nutrition, don’t reach for the bottle. Reach for the food!

What benefits of Organic Products and Raw Food Diet can bring to your health?

http://www.skybluecross.com
  Fortunately for those of us newly interested in eating organic and raw foods, there are lots of products out there. Natural and organic foods used to be found only in natural food stores, and those could be few and far between. While not as ubiquitous as McDonald’s, there ARE many more stand-alone stores. And the grocery chains are catching on too, with more organic selections than ever before. If you don’t see them in your grocery store, just ask. You’re probably not the only person in your neighborhood who’d like to see more of these options.
 
 Many grocery stores now feature sprouts and other living foods in the produce aisle. Of course, if they don’t, there’s nothing easier to grow for yourself than sprouts!
 
 There are also tons of sites on the Web where you can order raw and living foods. Just do a search on raw foods and you’ll come up with a lot of different places to order the foods you’d like to buy. Many of these sites are also full of useful information, to help you learn about eating raw foods, and help educate you on the specific food values.
 
 What else? Experiment with what you like. Take the time to learn a little about what the different nutrients in foods do for you. A few examples:
 
 Cabbage – High in Vitamin C; important for healthy cell function
 Shitake mushrooms – contain essential fatty acids and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system
 Kale – Rich in fiber and helps reduce calorie intake with less hunger. We like that!
 Barley – Loaded with niacin, fiber and iron and is important for healthy blood sugar.
 Pumpkin – So rich in fiber and vitamins; helps reduce appetite by filling the stomach with indigestible fibers
 

Air Travel Tips for Parents of Young Children

By: http://www.skybluecross.com

Are you the parent of an infant, toddler, or preschooler?  If you are, are you also in the process of planning a trip that requires air travel?  If you are, you may be dreading your upcoming flight.  After all, complications are all that many parents can think of.  With that said, there are a number of ways that you can make flying with your young children not only easy, but fun as well.

For children under two years of age, you will first want to examine the pros and cons of getting them their own seat.  Many airlines allow children under two to sit on the lap of an adult.  Getting an extra seat for a child under two will cost money, but you may be able to get a small discount when contacting the airline in question.  On the other hand, you will be able to have your own seat, which will be nice.  Most car seats can fit into airline seats.  Speaking of which, if you need to bring a car seat or a stroller, it will need to be scanned by airport security.

As for strollers, they are a good idea, even for children who can walk.  Most parents of toddlers are urged to give them a close look.  Most airlines will require you to handover your stroller before boarding a plane.  Once you arrive at your destination, your stroller should be waiting for you at the gate.  Using a stroller makes it easy for you to move around the airport and quickly.  This is ideal if you must hurry, like if you have short layovers.

Also, be sure to bring some formula, juice, and snacks for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.  Although you will find some restrictions, most airport security officers will allow a child’s drink to pass through, as long as it is a small quantity only.  As for older children, like toddlers and preschoolers, you should be able to buy juice, water, and snacks at an airport store past security checkpoints.  Doing so is nice, as they are no security concerns about doing so.

It is also important to bring a bag for your child.  This bag should be filled with items that interest them.  Depending on the age of your child, great items include books, stickers, coloring books and few crayons, small toys, and flash cards.  These items will have to be scanned through airport security, so try to leave anything, namely toys, at home that may cause complications or delays.

Speaking of airport security, it is important to talk about the screening process and prepare your child for it.  For many toddlers and preschoolers, the whole ordeal can seem a little bit overwhelming and scary.  Your child will likely have to walk through the metal detectors themselves.  If you are traveling with another adult, have one go through first, so that your child can walk towards a familiar face.  You may even want to arrive at the airport early.  This gives and your child the opportunity to watch others go through the screening process first.

As for the flight itself, toddlers and preschoolers may love having a window seat.  If someone in your traveling party is assigned a window seat, try to let your toddler or preschool sit there instead.  As for the bag full of goodies you brought, refrain from giving everything to your child all at once.  This is likely to reduce boredom.  For children who may have their own seats, portable DVD players and laptop computers are advised.  They are a great way to keep a fussy child occupied.  If using a laptop computer, be sure not to choose a movie that will exceed the laptop’s battery life, as this may result in a very unhappy child.

The above mentioned tips are just a few of the many that can help you, as a parent, when traveling by air with young children.  For addition tips, just use your best judgment.  As a parent, you should know what will help to keep your child interested and happy.

10 Top Healthy Foods To Keep You Fit

By:http://www.skybluecross.com

Healthy eating and physical fitness go together, but there are no magic foods that cause you to be one hundred percent healthy by just eating the one food.
Healthy eating and physical fitness go together, but there are no magic foods that cause you to be one hundred percent healthy by just eating the one food. No, you need a variety of foods from each of these food groups each day. It's also important to watch the portion size so as not to overeat. Make your mealtimes pleasant and relaxed occasions and your healthy foods will work effectively with your healthy emotions to give you a healthy body.

Berries

You may like all types of berries or just one or two favorites, but you can never go wrong by adding a few fresh berries as a quick energy snack or frozen berries made into a luscious smoothie in place of calorie laden desserts. Berries are high in vitamin C across the board, but some are high in other nutrients as well. Choose ripe blueberries for vitamin C and heaps of anti-oxidants for the health of your circulatory system. Gogi berries are less well-known but are wonderfully rich in many of the nutrients your body needs to be nutritionally and physically fit.

Citrus

The foods of the citrus family are widely recognized as a valuable source of vitamin C. Choose fully ripe citrus fruits for the best nutritional value and choose citrus as near to the tree as possible. Tree ripened fruits picked at the peak of perfection and consumed with hours of picking give you the top nutritional rating. Try grapefruit for breakfast. Add a dash of fresh squeezed lime to your salad as a dressing and enjoy slices of orange with coconut in a light honey dressing for dessert.

Vegetables

The variety of vegetables is amazing. For people who are vegetarian or vegan, choosing vegetables to be part of a nutritionally sound diet is a way of life. Your vegetable group provides many of the minerals required in a good diet. For example, you may realize that potassium is necessary for healthy nutrition. Many people claim the benefits of potassium found in a single banana. But did you know, you can also get adequate potassium in your diet by eating a stalk of broccoli? Try a salad of fresh young spinach topped with pine nuts and stirred with lightly cooked penne'. Feta cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing to create the perfect light luncheon meal.

Whole Grains

Like many other of the best foods, choosing only one type of whole grain for your meals doesn't provide all the variety you need to be nutritionally sound. Often, mixing two or more whole grains together will give you complete proteins. For example, brown rice and wheat kernels with a spicy seasoning are a popular dish in many countries.

Salmon

Salmon is lean fish and nutritionally one of the best fish choices. It is rich in Omega-3 oils that are noted as helping improve the functioning of the brain. Salmon baked whole with just lemon or lime as a seasoning makes a fantastic main dish or a hearty luncheon featured menu item. Salmon is also commonly found in chilled seafood dishes.

Legumes

A legume is the name for a variety of fruits with a single dry seed. Legumes are sometimes called pods. Examples of edible legumes are soybeans, peas, dried beans and peanuts, among others. Legumes are rich in iron and high in fiber, making them excellent nutritional choices. Peanuts are a type of legume that have been used to make hundreds of different products some edible and others with various types of helpful uses.

Nuts and seeds

Nature has packed a lot of goodness into small packages. Most everyone has heard of walnuts and pecans which are very good nutritional products, but did you realize that flax seeds are brain food--containing critical non-meat sources of the Omega-3 oil.

Lean proteins

The keyword here is lean. Americans eat far too much protein compared to the rest of the world. Cut down of portion sizes--three ounces will provide all the needed protein needed for your day. Also, trim all visible fat from your protein source. Alternatively, use non meat substitutes such as the complete proteins found in vegetable dishes like beans and brown rice.

Tea

Depending on the type of tea you prefer, you can get an energy boost from a cup of green tea, or the calming effect of chamomile tea. Get going with mint teas or start your day with Earl Grey Breakfast Tea. Herbal teas are soothing, tasty and good for you. Non herbal teas will help you to stay alert when you need help to function.

Olive oil

Olive oil is probably the healthiest substance you can use to keep fat in your diet. You can use it on your salad, mix it with a little vinegar to create your own, or fry other foods in the hot oil. Just make sure that the temperature is not too hot so that the oil is broken down.

Foods that can help you keep fit

By: http://www.skybluecross.com

Foods  that can help you  keep  fit.

Summary:
How many time did You look for the miracle food for weight loss? Maybe with exotic name and fancy look? Well, maybe you're forgetting those commonly available foods, often undervalued but second to none in terms of detox and metabolism booster qualities. here's a list of 19 of them with fast nutritional facts!

How many time did You look for the miracle food for weight loss? Maybe with exotic name and fancy look? Well, maybe you're forgetting those commonly available foods, often undervalued but second to none in terms of detox and metabolism booster qualities. here's a list of 19 of them with fast nutritional facts!
How many time did You look for the miracle food for weight loss? Maybe with exotic name and fancy look? Well, maybe you're forgetting those commonly available foods, often undervalued but second to none in terms of detox and metabolism booster qualities. here's a list of 19 of them!

1.Gralic. Lots of minerals, enzymes and aminoacids; Vitamins A,B1,B2,B6,B12,C,D. Only 41 KCAL per 100 grams. Helps reactivate Your metabolism while keeping the cholesterol to rock low levels.

2. Banana. Sugars with little fats. Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamins: A,C, Tannin and Serotonin. Only 66 Kcal per 100 grams. A great appetite suppressant snack.

3. Onion. Rich of Vitamins A,C,E, and of B group of vitamins. Also Potassium, Calcium, Sodium; help diuretic activity and a great cellulite fighter. Helps to keep blood sugars stables.

4. Med grass. Not much used in today's alimentation, but a great friend of weight loss. Helps curbing fats intake.

5. Strawberry. Low Sugars, Minerals and Vitamin C rich. Only 27 KCAL per 100 grams.

6. Corn Flakes. Cereals, Legumes mixed though. Helps a lot Your metabolism and only 14 KCAL per 100 grams.

7. Kiwi. Potassium rich and Calcium, Iron, Zinc too. great source of Vitamin C, lots of fibers, very helpfull to stimulate diuretic functions.

8. Salad. Rich of fibers and very poor in calories (only 14 KCAL per 100 grams); diuretic functions and appetite suppressant, thanks to big volume / low KCAL ratio. Lot of minerals too.

9. Lemon. Lowest sugar content for the same fruit family (only 2,3%), rich in Vitamins and only 11 KCAL per 100 grams. Helps blood circulation and fights cellulitis.

10. Apple. Vitamin C and E, Potassium, Magnesium, rich inn Tannin, great high cholesterol fighter.

11. Nut. Rich in Fats, Proteins, Sigars and Vitamins. Helps Fat Burning thanks to good Calciu+Magnesium contents.

12. Wheat. Only 319 KCAL per 100 grams and very rich in Proteins, Amynoacids, Iron, Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium. but also good content of Vitamins B. Helps diuretic functions and fights emotional eating.

13. Chicken. White meat, low fat content, limits intake of fats, sodium and cholesterol.

14. Rucola Salad. Great content of Vitamin A and C, and great Metabolism booster. Only 16 KCAL per 100 grams.

15. Soy. Rich in Proteins and Folic Acid. Fights Weight gaining and helps rebalancing metabolism.

16. Tea. contains fat burning caffeine, minerals and B group Vitamins. Stimulate Metabolism and has a 0 Calories intake.

17. Egg. Hyperproteic food. Lots of Minerals and Enzimes, helps grom non fatt mass which is crucial to encrease body' fat burning.

18. Wine. Contains antioxidantd substances that help protect the heart and fight aging.

19. Pumpkin. Rich in B,C,E Vitamins, minerals and only 18 KCAL per 100 grams. Helpd diuretic functions.