Organic-Learn to read the labels

Whenever you are buying your groceries like maybe meat, milk, fish. It can be a little tricky. There are so many signs that are posted there saying "organic" and other stuffs, but how would you really know the difference, Knowing the meaning of those specific names, will actually help you in your buying decision. If you are going to spend or save on something worth buying or maybe not.

The term natural is always associated with vegetables and fruits, Honestly this is just a marketing strategy to tell you to purchase their products, Fruit and vegetables are natural right? Well, Unless it’s a new kind of food that has been developed and processed, the product is natural. But are you looking for Organic?


Remember organic are foods that are grown without fertilizers or pesticides or any other chemicals, You might be asking why many people are so into organic? Because it has benefits.

Here are the main benefits:

First and foremost, Our mother nature is thanking you for helping her, because no chemicals are being used to grow those plants, thus helping to protect the environment from harmful chemicals. Second, is that your helping yourself because you don't let those chemicals get into your body (through those food of course). Healthier food means healthier you.

But Organic food maybe a little pricey, So if you are in a very very tight budget, you have choices whether your going to buy organic or not. For example:
You don't need to buy organic fruits and vegetables that you can peel, like bananas or oranges, because you are actually peeling the chemicals off from the fruit or vegetables, so if you're going to buy organic, go for fruits like apples because you eat its peel. Just always make sure that you always wash your food before you eat and cook them

You probably heard or see a very tricky sign that says. no "hormones". This is usually associated with dairy products, meat products, well this is false, why? beacuse hormones are naturally produce by all animals, It is very essential to all animals, it regulates body organs, so what does " no hormones" means, Some hormones are given to the animals unnaturally, to increase the production of the milk, so if they say no hormones, maybe it means no hormones were unnaturally given to the animals.

There is this another label that tells if the animals in this meat was penned or caged, doesn't have any difference when it comes to nutritional value of the meat or the quality of it, Well. it matters with the animal rights.


All of these products may be a little expensive than the usual, but it's still up to your so learn to read the labels. and know what it means!

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How to Start Healthy Eating

Image via Wikipedia

If you currently do not eat a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start such a plan. However, healthy eating is important for maintaining bodily function and living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, than you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. However, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet.

A good beginning step when you want to start eating more healthily is to rid you home of all founds that do not into healthy categories. Keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so that you will not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, like chocolate chips. Eating a few of these won’t ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave.

Another great step to healthy eating when you are first starting the process is to take a few moments to learn about what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work in the body. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat means and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work in the body, you will be more likely to make these healthy choices for your body. Knowledge really is power!

When cleansing yourself to prepare for a new healthy diet, you should also take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you probably are not getting the best foods possible. Plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh vegetables. Plan ahead for healthy meals in the evening as well by cooking ahead if you are not currently getting healthy dinners and have little time to cook when you get home every night.

Start with baby steps. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improve your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that even half of the time. When you start by taking small steps, it does not seem like you are cutting out all of the foods you love and you can take your time to learn about healthy foods which you can love equally as well.

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Health food, The magic of soybean.

Tofu, soy milk, miso soup, etc. Are just some of the soy products i love. but as i grow up, I've learned that many products in the market are now selling soybean supplements, I have nothing against soya capsules, i just still believe that natural soybean are still the best one.

There are so many reasons why people use soya products as an alternative to dairy products:

For some medical reasons, People who has allergy to milk proteins or lactose intolerance take soya milk instead. Soy can reduce cholesterol
Soy products also help to control the cholesterol level because soybean is cholesterol-free. Soy has soluble fibers that helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol, That are circulating in the our body through our blood. The soy proteins also reduce the cholesterol level.most of the fats in soy products are helpful. It has soy isoflavones that may prevent atherosclerosis

It is known that in most Asian countries were traditional soy products are taken on a daily basis, their rates of cardiovascular diseases are low. Soy also improves the health of our bones. Soy products, such as soy milk, doesn't contain a lot of calcium but the soy isoflavones may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Many studies have suggested and shown that soy isoflavones may be a factor in helping to prevent bone loss.

But we all know that anything too much is bad for our health. Soya is no exception. So to be healthy do not just focus into taking just one kid of food. but to have a well balanced diet. and in your diet don't forget to include Soy.

image courtesy of www.energiseforlife.com

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Milk, made in China.

Tainted milk from China is a serious matter.I bet most of you already got the news. We learned that several thousand babies in China are now seriously ill, Most of them have suffered acute kidney failure, with several fatalities, among those babies that are given the formula milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. The number is far higher than was previously admitted by the Chinese authorities, according to the BBC.

The manufacturer, Sanlu, which is part-owned by New Zealand’s Fonterra Cooperative, had recalled all of its powdered milk products in Gansu, China. North-west province of China.

However, twenty-two more brands, including China Mengniu Diary Co and Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, of milk powder have so far been identified to contain the industrial chemical melamine.

“The majority of afflicted infants ingested Sanlu-brand milk powder over a long period of time, their clinical symptoms showed up three to six months after ingesting the problematic products,” Health Minister Chen Zhu told Bloomberg Asia.

While, this news scares a lot of mothers in China., What exactly is melamine?

Melamine is an organic compounds, a base with chemical formula C₃H₆N₆. Officially it is 1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine in the IUPAC nomenclature system (CAS #108-78-1). It is has a molecular mass of just over 126, forms a white, crystalline powder, and is only slightly soluble in water.

It is used as a fire retardants, Melamine is used combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin, a very durable thermosetting plastic, and melamine foam, a polymeric cleaning product. The end products include countertops, dry erase boards, fabrics, glues, housewares and flame retardants.

Just imagine.. the chemical that is used to make our paper, tables, furniture and other stuffs, was found in milk?Milk for babies. This wasn't the first time melamine was reported. Remember when this chemical was found in dog food?



Sources: wikipedia, BBC, bloomberg asia
Chinadaily

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