Blood Nourishment is Vital - Especially after menstruation or blood deficiency/anemia

Nutrients for blood building : Iron, Vitamin B6, Vitamin 12 and Folate

The peak period when your body start to rebuild blood is the subsequent week after your menstruation stop. During your menstruation, you loss a lot of blood though bleeding. Thus, you need to provide enough nutrients for your body to rebuild it bad. or else you would feel the unpleasant symptoms for your following menstruation. 

Moreover, blood deficiency state might happens if your body are lacking of blood for long times. The symptoms are dizziness, pale looking, fatigue and etc.

Hence, replenish your blood with inclusion foods that high in iron, folate, vitamin B6 & 12. 

You are what you eat. You can make the difference.

Amazing health benefit of green tea

Green Tea

The major polyphenols in green tea are flavonoids. The four major flavonoids in green tea are the catechins, epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). (Sinija 2008). It is rich in health promoting flavonoids (Catechins). The most abundant Catechins is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). It also contains antioxidants such as Vitamin E and C as free radicals scavenger.

polyphenols in green tea are potent antioxidants with antimutagenic, antidiabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypocholesterolemic properties. (Cabrera 2006).

How much of Green Tea is efficient to exert its health benefits?
- 5 -6 cups of green tea per day (240 -320mg polyphenols and 200-300 mg EGCG).( Wolfram 2007).

Health Benefits of Green Tea
- Reduce risk of Cancer (Prostate, Ovarian, Colorectal, Brain, Lung Tumor), infection, cardiovascular disease, stroke, kidney disease, osteoporosis. (Schnerider 2009).

How It Is Works?
- Inhibits Atherosclerosis
- Help to prevent blood clot
- Reduce Blood Pressure
- Lowering LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, lipid peroxides

The National Cancer Institute is actively exploring tea compounds as cancer-chemo preventive and adjuvant treatment agents in human trials.

References:
1. Wolfram, S. 2007. Effects of green tea and EGCG on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health. J Am Coll Nutr. 4 373S-388S.
2. Sinijia,V.R. et al. 2003. Green tea: Health Benefits. 4:232-242.
3. Schnerider, C. et al. 2009. Green Tea: Potential Health Benefits. American Family Physician. 79:7.
4. Cabrera C, Artacho R, Giménez R. 2006. Beneficial effects of green tea—a review. J Am Coll Nutr. 25(2):79-99.

Toxins are surrounding us!

How About Reduce Your Cholesterol Level with Foods?

Top Cholesterol Lowering Foods

 

1. Brown Rice

 The oil in whole brown rice has cholesterol lowering effect. It also supplies good amount of fiber, magnesium and B vitamins for healthy heart. (Gerhardt 1998).

2. Apples

Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that helps draw cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids (Quercetin) in apples act as a powerful antioxidant that seems to short-circuit the process that leads “bad” LDL cholesterol to accumulate in the bloodstream. (Aprikian 2003).

3. Cinnamon

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in people with type-2 diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride, LDL, the bad cholesterol and the total cholesterol level. (Sambaiah 2006).

4. Beans

Beans and vegetables are an excellent source of soluble fiber and high in vegetable protein. By properly combing beans with brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat you can create a complete protein. Properly combined beans become an excellent substitute for red meat protein that is high in saturated fat.

5. Soy

The top health promoting components in soybeans are isoflavones and soluble fiber. Isoflavones act like human hormone that can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. All soy products (soybeans, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, etc.) are complete proteins. (Wong 1998).

6. Oats

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent. Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber — enough to lower your cholesterol. (Brown 1999).

7. Garlic

Garlic contains the chemical allicin, which has been shown to kill bacteria and fungi, and alleviate certain digestive disorders. It also lowers the blood-clotting properties of blood. But the most notable attention garlic has received over recent years is its possible usefulness in lowering cholesterol levels. (Yeh 2001).

8. Salmon

The major health components in salmon include: Omega-3 fatty-acids and protein. These components have a favorable cardiovascular effect. The American Heart Association recommends that people include at least two servings of fish/week, particularly fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring), in their diets.

9. Walnuts

Walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol because they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four weeks. A cholesterol-lowering diet with a little less than 1/3 of a cup of walnuts a day may reduce LDL cholesterol by 12%. (Ros 2004).

10. Grapes

Flavonoids in grapes protect LDL cholesterol from free radical damage and reduce platelet clumping. The LDL lowering effect of grapes comes from a compound that grapes produce normally to resist mold. The darker the grape, the better.

Referrences:

1. Gerhardt, A.L. et al. 1998. Full-Fat Rice Bran and Oat Bran Similarly Reduce Hypercholesterolemia in Humans. J.Nutr.128:865-869.

2. Aprikian, O. et al. 2003. Apple Pectin and a Polyphenol-Rich Apple Concentrate Are More Effective Together Than Separately on Cecal Fermentations and Plasma Lipids in Rats. J Nutr. 133:1860-1865.

3. Sambaiah, K. et al. 2006. Effect of cumin, cinnamon, ginger, mustard and tamarind in induced hypercholesterolemic rats. Molecular Nutr. 35:47-51.

4. Brown, L. et al.1999. Cholesterol-Lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 69:30-42.

5. Wong, W.W. et al.1998. Cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic men. Am J Clin Nutr. 68:13855-13895.

6. Ros, E. et al. 2004. A Walnut Diet Improves Endothelial Function in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects. Circulation. 10.1161.

7. Yeh, Y.Y. et al. 2001. Cholesterol-Lowering Effect of Garlic Extracts and Organosulfur Compounds: Human and Animal Studies. J. Nutr. 989S-993S.

Boosting Your Body Metabolism is a Part of Weight Loss

Ways of Metabolism Boosting

The basic process of metabolism is the breakdown and delivery of nutrients from the food that we eat into every cell in our bodies. Body need burn more energy for these processes of digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients. What kinds of foods will need makes body need more energy to process the food into nutrients?

1. High protein food

It has been clinically shown its thermic effect on body. Body will burn more energy to produce body heat for every consumption of protein. Protein also increases the satiety than carbohydrate or fat. (Velasquez 2007). For example, lean meat of poultry.

2. Eat more fiber

Fiber is indigestible in our body. However, body will try hard effort to digest it. More energy burned in digesting and breakdown of the food.

3. Small and frequent meal consumption

Eating small portion of meals throughout the day frequently will increases metabolism than eating large portion of meals in once time if both diet also same in calorie. This is because large portion of food provides large amount of glucose which tend to stored as fat if excessive.

4. Don’t skip your meal

If you skip your meal, your body will be in starvation mode. To reduce energy wasted in body or body tend to reserve more energy, your body metabolism will decreased to reserve more energy.

5. Drink enough water

Water is needed in the metabolism process so as to help in converting the fat into the energy.

6. Exercise

When you do exercise frequently, your body will know that you need more energy for the daily activities or exercise. Thus, your metabolism rate will be increased to suit the increased energy need of body. Even you are in the resting mode, you body will burn more energy than other who less doing exercise.

Are ingest toxins or carcinogen in your food everyday? The Breaking News From FDA: Acrylamide found in our food!

What is the Acrylamide in the food?

Acrylamide is a carcinogen (agent causing cancer) or neurotoxin (toxin causing nerve damage). According to FDA 2012, Acrylamide is a chemical substance that can produced in certain foods during high-temperature cooking processes with 250° F such as frying, roasting, and baking. It doesn’t contain in raw food naturally. It is converted from sugars and an amino acid that are naturally present in food; it does not come from food packaging or the environment.

Acrylamide should not exist in our human food; it is the material used to manufacture products such as plastics, grouts, water treatment products, and cosmetics. Acrylamide is also found in cigarette smoke. Acrylamide had been present in our daily food for a long time, but it was only first detected in April 2002.

Boiling and steaming do not typically form acrylamide. Acrylamide is found mainly in foods made from plants, such as potato products, grain products, or coffee. Generally, acrylamide is more likely to accumulate when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures.

FDA regulates the amount of residual acrylamide in a variety of materials that come in contact with food; The EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water. European governments permit 10 parts per million (ppb) of acrylamide in packaged foods, but U.S. standards are more lax. For example, Kellogg’s Rice Crispies contain 110 ppb and Pringles original crisps contain 1,480 ppb. Sugar-coated breakfast cereals have even higher levels than Rice Crispies.

Examples of Foods with Acrylamide Exposure

·         Plant foods such as potatoe (French fries, potato chips), grain products (breads and breakfast cereals, cookies, toast), and coffee. While, dairy, animal foods (poultry, meat) or seafood are excluded.

·         Various forms of these foods are typically fried, baked or roasted. Steaming or boiling cooking method are safe from Acrylamide production.

The average content in potato chips is approximately 1000 micrograms/kg and in French fries approximately 500 micrograms/kg. Other food groups which may contain low as well as high levels of acrylamide are fried bread products-such as doughnuts-breakfast cereals, fried potato products, biscuits, cookies and snacks, such as tortilla chips, bread crust and popcorn.

What Can I Do to Reduce Acrylamide?

· The cooking method affect the amount of Acrylamide form in the foods. Boiling/Microwaving doesn’t produce Acrylamide. The sequences of Acrylamide level following the cooking method : Frying > Roasting > Baking > Boiling/Microwaving.

·  Soaking raw potato slices in water for 15-30 minutes before frying or roasting helps reduce acrylamide formation during cooking.

·  Storing potatoes in the refrigerator can result in increased acrylamide during cooking. Hence, store potatoes outside the refrigerator, preferably in a dark, cool place, such as a closet or a pantry, to prevent sprouting.

·   Generally, more acrylamide accumulates when cooking is done for longer periods or at higher temperatures. Cooking cut potato products, such as frozen French fries or potato slices, to a golden yellow color rather than a brown color helps reduce acrylamide formation (see Picture A). Brown areas tend to contain more acrylamide.

·   Toasting bread to a light brown color, rather than a dark brown color, lowers the amount of acrylamide (see Picture B). Very brown areas should be avoided, since they contain the most acrylamide.

·   Acrylamide forms in coffee when coffee beans are roasted, not when coffee is brewed at home or in a restaurant. So far, scientists have not found good ways to reduce acrylamide formation in coffee.

Golden yellow: Less Acrylamide	Brown: More Acrylamide
Light brown: Less Acrylamide	Dark brown: More Acrylamide

References:

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 2012: Food Contaminants & Adulteration.