Metabolic Cooking - Quick and Easy Fat Burning Recipes

From the kitchen of Karine Losier & Dave Ruel

Dear friend,
My name is Karine, I'm the co-author of Metabolic Cooking, and also known as the “Lean Kitchen Queen”. If you're reading this right now, that means one thing: you're on a mission to accelerate fat loss and get rid of your boring diet. You've been there and done that. You've tried other diets in the past and have come to see less than stellar results, likely despite some of your best efforts. You're also a busy person and you don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen to prepare your meals everyday.

Now you're looking for something else – something new, something fresh, and something that will actually work for a change. The good news is that you found me and I'm now here to help you!

What you'll learn and find in Metabolic Cooking :

• More than 250 Fat Torching Recipes, all designed with metabolic thermo-charged ingredients. These recipes are all quick and easy to prepare, are ultra tasty, and will boost your metabolism for a fat burning diet.
• A Built-In Nutritional System: our special Metabolic Nutri-Profile we’re using in all the recipes will tell you precisely what nutrients you're taking in and make sure that each meal is making the most out of your metabolic rate. Now, managing your nutrition will be simpler and way more effective.
• EVERYTHING About Fat Burning Foods: everything that a person looking to lose body fat should know about food and nutrition. You will get access to our exclusive list of metabolic thermo-charged top fat burning foods!
• Our 10 Cooking And Nutrition Rules: learn our non-negotiable and essential principles to be successful with your fat loss goals.
• How To Beat The Metabolic Adaptation Phenomenon: you will learn what, when and how to eat in order to burn the fat non-stop, faster, and keep it off FOREVER.
• How To Create Your Own Individualized Fat Loss Meal Plan: you will know exactly how to create, tweak, and adhere to a PERFECT fat loss meal plan that is completely individualized to fit YOUR particular needs.
• How To Manage Your Kitchen, Your Meal Preparation And Your Food Budget Successfully: you will learn all the tricks to manage and prepare your meals faster than ever, and won't be wasting your money anymore.
• Complete Access To Our PRIVATE Lists Of Resources: you will be provided with our personal grocery shopping lists, where to get the best kitchen supplies and quality ingredients, our cooking glossary, and even the same daily food logs we use at home.
• And Much, Much More!

         

Thanks for Read : Metabolic Cooking - Quick and Easy Fat Burning Recipes

Weight and Fat Loss Strategy From Dr. Charles D.C and Lori

In this short weight loss presentation I will teach you a somewhat unusual weight loss strategy that can help you get a flatter belly in under 7 days, while still enjoying the foods you love. This is the first tip that I always teach my patients here in Fishers, IN.

And is the same tip that helped one of my patients whom I'm most proud of, (Lori) lose 2 inches from her belly, lose 8 lbs in only 9 days, lose 2 inches from each thigh, lose ¾ of an inch from each arm, and drop 3 dress sizes (At the age of 30, she now wears a smaller dress than she did in high school!).

Lori ultimately lost 90 pounds and I'll share with you 1 tip that helped her get there. I can't leave this video up for long, so be sure to watch it from beginning to end while it's still here. Please note: If you leave the page and come back, the video will automatically restart at the beginning.

         

Thanks and enjoy!

Thanks for Read : Weight and Fat Loss Strategy From Dr. Charles D.C and Lori

Herbalism

Herbalism, the use of plants for health and healing, is as old as humanity, if not older. In hunting/gathering societies, women are naturally the herbalists. This connection between women and herbs continues today. At the turn of the Century, herbalism in America is undergoing a renaissance. Throughout most of the rest of the world, especially in countries where women's wisdom has traditionally been honored, herbalism remains, as ever, the treatment of choice for many acute and most chronic health problems. Herbal medicine is a complex and daunting study; yet it is the medicine of the people and so simple that children safely apply it.

The Wise Woman Tratdition
The earliest known herbalism is the Wise Woman Way: the way of our foremothers out of Africa, our ancient female ancestors. Herbalism is still used and respected in many places, especially the Orient, the mid-East, and India.

Wise women view herbs as spiritual allies and intrinsically important foodstuffs as well as medicines. Psychoactive plants are both teachers and healers, and are used, under the guidance of the herbalist/shaman, by all members of the community. Compassion, connection, community, and honor for the Earth characterize Wise Woman herbalism. The nourishing herbal infusions, mineral-rich vinegars, and edible herbs favored by wise women are generally considered safe, even in quantity, for all women, including those pregnant and lactating.

Favorite herbs include nourishing tonics such as nettle, red clover, oatstraw, comfrey leaf, linden, dandelion, seaweed, and burdock.

The Heroic Tradition 

In Europe, and then in the Americas, the Inquisition targeted Wise Woman herbalists/midwives and (often through torture and murder) replaced them with male Heroes, who used herbs to drive out the devils of illness from the hated body. Herbs that caused catharsis and purging were elevated, as was blood-letting.

The Heroic tradition, despising all things female, licensed only men as healers. Anyone who practiced without a license (women) was persecuted. Some escaped to the Americas, learned Native American herbal medicine, and served their communities - only to be vilified and replaced by school-trained male physicians from England several generations later. The Heroic tradition is still popular in Europe and in Latin and Black communities throughout the Americas. Domination, mentation, isolation, and distrust of the Earth (who is female and therefore considered sinful and dirty) characterize Heroic medicine.

Favorite herbs include powerful stimulants and sedatives such as cayenne, lobelia, valerian, ephedra, golden seal, cascara sagrada, turkey rhubarb, and aloes. Most Heroic herbs are dangerous to women, especially if pregnant or lactating.

The Scientific Tradition
Where the practice of medicine becomes dominated by linear, either/or thinking, the Scientific tradition replaces the Heroic. Women and their connection to herbs are again vilified, as quacks, rather than as witches. The quest for powerful drugs brings plants to the laboratory, where active ingredients are extracted, concentrated, isolated, standardized, sanitized, and ultimately synthesized. Plants are raw materials, crude, inexact, and unpredictable.

Approximately 85 percent of the hundreds of thousands of drugs currently used are directly or indirectly derived from plants; eg foxglove (digitalis compounds), Pacific yew (cancer drug), wild yam (cortisone, birth control pills), and chinchona (quinine). Drugs and drug-like herbs cause severe side effects and should not be self-administered by pregnant and lactating women.

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Healthy Menopausal Years

TheWise Woman Way    
Menopause is a time of enormous change. Wise women of all times have found simple life-style changes can make their Change much easier. For optimum health during and after menopause, do these two things: exercise a different way every day and drink nourishing herbal infusions.

Exercise a different way every day
Take walks, lift weights, dance, garden, do yoga, try tai chi.

We all know how important exercise is for strong bones, healthy hearts, resistance to diabetes, and weight maintenance. But did you know it prevents depression too? By yourself, or with a friend, exercise is one of the golden keys to a long, healthy life.

Drink Nourishing Herbal Infusions
Nourishing herbal infusions are the second key to vibrant elder years and an easier menopause. They provide protein, minerals, phytoestrogens, and special fats needed by menopausal women. Many common menopausal problems can be connected to a lack of one or more of these nutrients. Low protein leaves hair and skin dull, lifeless, and thin. Nourishing herbal infusions, plain yogurt, lentils, and organic meats are excellent sources.

Low levels of minerals leave the bones and heart deprived of calcium, the immune system low in zinc, and the muscles prone to pain and spasms. Nourishing herbal infusions, plain yogurt, seaweed, and organic chocolate are magnificent sources.

Insufficient phytoestrogens in the diet increase breast cancer risk and menopausal distress. Nourishing herbal infusions, lentils, roots and seeds are the best sources. Lack of high-quality fats, can lead to thyroid problems, immune system stress, lack of energy, and blood vessel disease. Nourishing herbal infusions, full-fat yogurt, organic chocolate, olive oil, organic butter, nuts and seeds are superb sources.

To make a nourishing herbal infusion: Buy (or gather and dry) at least one ounce of nettle leaf or oatstraw or red clover blossoms or comfrey leaf. Place the ounce of dried herb in a quart jar. (One ounce equals one full cup of dried herb.) Fill jar to the top with boiling water. Cap tightly and allow to brew for at least four hours. Overnight is fine. Strain and drink 2-4 cups a day. Most menopausal women prefer their infusion iced, but you can drink it hot or at room temperature. A little mint or sage may be added to change the flavor.

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) builds energy, strengthens the adrenals, and is said to restore youthful flexibility to blood vessels. A cup of nettle infusion contains 500 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of bone-building magnesium, potassium, silicon, boron, and zinc. It is also an excellent source of vitamins A, D, E, and K. For flexible bones, a healthy heart, thick hair, beautiful skin, and lots of energy, make friends with sister stinging nettle. It may make you feel so good you'll jump up and exercise.

Oatstraw (Avena sativa) reduces high cholesterol, increases libido, and strengthens the nerves. A cup of oatstraw infusion contains more than 300 milligrams of calcium plus generous amounts of many other minerals. Its steroidal saponins nourish the pancreas and liver, improving digestion and stabilizing moods. Oatstraw is best known however for its ability to enhance libido and mellow the mood. Do be careful whom you share it with, or you may find yourself sowing some wild oats. In Auryuvedic medicine, oatstraw is considered the finest of all longevity tonics.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is better in every way than its cousin soy. It contains four phytoestrogens; soy has only one (isoflavone). Red clover infusion has ten times more phytoestrogens than soy "milk," fewer calories, more calcium, and no added sugars. Red clover is the world's leading anti-cancer herb; soy isoflavone encourages the growth of breast cancer cells in the lab. Red clover improves the memory; Japanese men who ate tofu twice a week doubled their risk of Alzheimer's disease. Soy beverage can contain up to 1000 times more aluminum than milk, according to Sally Fallon, lipid researcher and fat specialist. She believes that "the highly processed soy foods of today are perpetuating . . . nutrient deficiencies. . . ."

Comfrey (Symphytum) leaf is free of the compounds (PAs) found in the root that can damage the liver. I have used comfrey leaf infusion regularly for decades with no liver problems, ditto for the group of people at the Henry Doubleday Research Foundation who have eaten cooked comfrey leaves as a vegetable for four generations. Comfrey is also known as "knitbone," and no better ally for the woman with thin bones can be found. And, don't forget, comfrey contains special proteins used in the formation of short-term memory cells. Its soothing mucilage adds flexibility to joints, eyes, vagina, and lungs.
(http://www.susunweed.com)

Thanks for Read : Healthy Menopausal Years

Mysterious Mushrooms (Part - 2 end)

You don't have to live in the woods and find your own mushrooms to enjoy their health-giving benefits. You can buy them: fresh or dried for use in cooking and medicine, and tinctured or powdered as well. Look for chanterelles, cepes, enoki, oyster mushrooms, portobellos, maitake, reishii, shiitake, chaga, and many other exotic and medicinal mushrooms in health food stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, and Oriental markets.

Maitake (Grifolia frondosa), is more effective than any other fungi ever tested at inhibiting tumor growth. It is very effective when taken orally, whether by lab rats or humans dealing with cancer. The fruiting body of the maitake resembles the tail feathers of a small brown chicken, hence its popular name: "Hen of the Woods." If you buy maitake in pill form, be sure to get the fruiting body, not the mycelium.

Reishii (Ganoderma lucidum) is one of the most respected immune tonics in the world. Reishii is adaptogenic, revitalizing, and regenerative, especially to the liver. Even occasional use builds powerful immunity and reduces the risk of cancer. In clinical studies, use of reishii increased T-cell and alpha interferon production, shrank and eliminated tumors, and improved the quality of life for terminal patients. Reishii and shiitake are great partners, the effects of one enhancing the effects of the other. Reishii is best taken as a tincture, 20-40 drops, 3 times daily.

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) is highly medicinal and tastes good enough to eat in quantity. I go to an oriental market and buy the big, big, big bag of dried shiitake mushrooms for a fraction of what I would pay for them in a health food store. To use, I just rehydrate them by pouring boiling water over them or by dropping pieces into soups. Those who make shiitake a regular part of their diets, increase their production of cancer-fighting alpha interferon, reduce inflammation throughout their bodies, prolong their lives, and improve their ability to produce and utilize vitamin D.

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a rather ugly and intensely hard fungi found on birch trees. Baba Yaga and other Russian herbalists favor it as an immune nourisher, cancer preventive, and an aid to those dealing with melanomas.

Mushrooms are not just for food and medicine; they are renowned for their ability to alter our perceptions of reality. Psychoactive psilocybin mushrooms were used by the famous shaman/healer Maria Sabina in Mexico. The red-capped mushroom with white dots usually drawn next to the witch's house is the mind-altering Amanita muscaria, sometimes called manna, and widely used in Siberian shamanic rites.

Whether you use fungi to make a mushroom soup or as a remedy for someone dealing with cancer, whether you stir them up a witch's cauldron of spiraling power or sew them into a spirit bag, mushrooms offer magic and mystery, good health and good cheer.

Thanks for Read : Mysterious Mushrooms (Part - 2 end)

Mysterious Mushrooms (Part - 1)

As summer nights lengthen into autumn, the forests of the Catskill mountains in upstate New York fill with magical, mystical, medicinal mushrooms. "Toadstool" is a quaint name for the many mushrooms that spring forth between rains, while "fungi" is the more technical term. Fungi are plants, but plants without flowers, or roots, or chlorophyll (which makes plants green). Strange shapes (some quite sexually suggestive), the ability to grow (and glow) in the dark, and psychedelic colors make mushrooms an obvious addition to any witches' stew. But you will want some other reasons to make mushrooms a steady part of your diet. Is outwitting cancer a good enough reason?

It's true. All edible fungi --including those ordinary white button mushrooms sold in supermarkets -- are capable of preventing and reversing cancerous cellular changes. We aren't exactly sure why. Perhaps it's because fungi search out, concentrate, and share with us the trace minerals we need to build powerful, healthy immune systems. Or perhaps it's because of their wealth of polysaccarides, interesting complex sugars that appear to be all round health-promoters. It could be because mushrooms are excellent sources of protein and B vitamins with few calories and no sodium. Or we could single out the anti-cancer, anti-tumor, and anti-bacterial compounds found in the stalk, caps, gills, and even the underground structures (mycelia) of every edible mushroom.

So be sure to cook your mushrooms though; avoid eating them raw. Scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical School found that mice who ate unlimited amounts of raw mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) developed, over the course of their lifetimes, significantly more malignant tumors than a control group.

Everywhere I go in August and September -- whether walking barefoot on vibrant green mosses or stepping lightly across the deeply-scented fallen pine and hemlock needles, whether climbing rocky outcrops festooned with ferny whiskers or skirting swamps humming with mosquitoes, whether following the muddy bank of a meandering stream or balancing on old stone walls inhaling the scent of righteous rot -- I am on the lookout for my fungal friends.

My woods are especially generous to me with chanterelles, beautiful cornucopia-shaped mushrooms with a delectable taste. I find both the delicious little black ones -- jokingly known as "trumpet of death" due to their eerie coloration -- and the very-tasty and much bigger orange ones. Sometimes we return home naked from our mushrooms walks; if we find more 'shrooms than we have bags for, we have to use our shirts and pants as carriers to help haul dinner home.

The bright orange tops and sulfur yellow undersides of sulphur shelf mushrooms (Polyporus sulphuroides) are easy to spot in the late summer forest. Growing only on recently-dead oaks, these overlapping shelves make a great-tasting immune-enhancing addition to dinner. I have harvested the "chicken of the woods" in oak forests around the world. In the Czech Republic, I saw a particularly large example as we drove a country lane. Stopping, I found a portion of it had been harvested. I took only a share, being careful to leave lots for other mushroom lovers who might come down the lane after me.

(http://www.susunweed.com)

Thanks for Read : Mysterious Mushrooms (Part - 1)

Healthy Food for Kids

Food for Healthy Packed Lunches

Around half of all children take their lunch to school – that’s 5.5 billion packed lunches every year. Unfortunately, many of them are unhealthy!

According to a Food Standard’s Agency study, nine out of 10 packed lunches contain foods high in sugar, salt and saturates and fewer than half contain fruit. Here’s how to pack a nutritious lunch for your kids.

• Use wholegrain or wholemeal bread, rolls and pitta and try ciabatta, mini baguettes, bagels and raisin or sun dried tomato bread for variety
• Pack pasta or rice salads instead of sandwiches from time to time
• Cut fat by using less butter, spread or mayo in sandwiches and choose low-fat fillings like lean ham, turkey, chicken, tuna in water, cottage cheese, Edam or banana
• Add two portions of fruit – don’t just stick to apples and pears, though. For variety, add grapes, fruit salad, a slice of melon, a small box of raisins or a can of fruit in juice
• Include cherry tomatoes, carrot and pepper sticks and add salad to sarnies
• In the winter, fill a flask with vegetable, tomato or carrot soup – or even a casserole or stew.
• Replace cakes, biscuits and chocolate with scones, fruit bread or low-sugar cereal bars (check the labels)
• Swap fizzy drinks for water, unsweetened fruit juice, fruit smoothies, cartons of semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened yogurt drinks.

Healthy Snacks for Children and Teenagers

• Fresh fruit – chop it into bite-sized pieces for young children to make it easier to eat or buy packs of ready-prepared fresh fruit slices or chunks
• Mini boxes of dried fruit such as raisins or small packs of apricots or mixed fruit
• Small packs of chocolate-covered raisins or nuts (avoid giving nuts to young children because of the risk of choking)
• Chopped up vegetables such as carrot, celery and pepper sticks and cherry tomatoes with a favourite dip (look for those low in salt and fat if you’re buying ready-made dips)
• Fresh popcorn made without salt or sugar
• Wholemeal toast with peanut butter and banana or low-fat soft cheese and tomato
• Fruit smoothie
• Unsweetened yogurt drinks or a pot of low-fat fruit yogurt or fromage frais
• High-fibre cereal with semi-skimmed milk
• Wholemeal sandwiches filled with lean meat, chicken, tuna in water, cheese or egg and salad.
• Small packets of unsalted nuts and seeds – try mixing with dried fruit.

 

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Vegetarian Diet: How To Get the Best Nutrition (Part -2 end)

Getting Adequate Nutrition 

The key to a healthy vegetarian diet - like any diet - is to enjoy a variety of foods. No single food can provide all the nutrients your body needs. The more restrictive your diet is, the more challenging it can be to get all the nutrients you need. A vegan diet, for example, eliminates natural food sources of vitamin B-12, as well as milk products, which are good sources of calcium.

With a little planning, however, you can be sure that your diet includes everything your body needs. Pay special attention to the following nutrients:

• Calcium helps build and maintain strong teeth and bones. Milk and dairy foods are highest in calcium. However, dark green vegetables, such as turnip and collard greens, kale and broccoli, are good plant sources when eaten in sufficient quantities. Calcium-enriched and fortified products, including juices, cereals, soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, are other options.
• Iodine is a component in thyroid hormones, which help regulate metabolism, growth and function of key organs. Vegans may not get enough iodine and be at risk of deficiency and possibly even a goiter. In addition, foods such as soybeans, cruciferous vegetables and sweet potatoes may promote a goiter. However, just 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt provides a significant amount of iodine.
• Iron is a crucial component of red blood cells. Dried beans and peas, lentils, enriched cereals, whole-grain products, dark leafy green vegetables and dried fruit are good sources of iron. Because iron isn't as easily absorbed from plant sources, the recommended intake of iron for vegetarians is almost double that recommended for nonvegetarians. To help your body absorb iron, eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli, at the same time as you're eating iron-containing foods.
• Omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart health. Diets that do not include fish and eggs are generally low in active forms of omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil, soy oil, walnuts, ground flaxseed and soybeans are good sources of essential fatty acids. However, because conversion of plant-based omega-3 to the types used by humans is inefficient, you may want to consider fortified products or supplements, or both.
• Protein helps maintain healthy skin, bones, muscles and organs. Eggs and dairy products are good sources, and you don't need to eat large amounts to meet your protein needs. You can also get sufficient protein from plant-based foods if you eat a variety of them throughout the day. Plant sources include soy products and meat substitutes, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
• Vitamin B-12 is necessary to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This vitamin is found almost exclusively in animal products, so it can be difficult to get enough B-12 on a vegan diet. Vitamin B-12 deficiency may go undetected in people who eat a vegan diet. This is because the vegan diet is rich in a vitamin called folate, which may mask deficiency in vitamin B-12 until severe problems occur. For this reason, it's important for vegans to consider vitamin supplements, vitamin-enriched cereals and fortified soy products.
• Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin D is added to cow's milk, some brands of soy and rice milk, and some cereals and margarines. Be sure to check food labels. If you don't eat enough fortified foods and have limited sun exposure, you may need a vitamin D supplement (one derived from plants).
• Zinc is an essential component of many enzymes and plays a role in cell division and in formation of proteins. Like iron, zinc is not as easily absorbed from plant sources as it is from animal products. Cheese is a good option if you eat dairy products. Plant sources of zinc include whole grains, soy products, legumes, nuts and wheat germ.

If you need help creating a vegetarian diet that's right for you, talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian.

Getting started
If you're not following a vegetarian diet but you're thinking of trying it, here are some ideas to help you get started:

Ramp up. Each week increase the number of meatless meals you already enjoy, such as spaghetti with tomato sauce or vegetable stir-fry.

Learn to substitute. Take favorite recipes and try them without meat. For example, make vegetarian chili by leaving out the ground beef and adding an extra can of black beans. Or make fajitas using extra-firm tofu rather than chicken. You may be surprised to find that many dishes require only simple substitutions.

Branch out. Scan the Internet for vegetarian menus. Buy or borrow vegetarian cookbooks. Check out ethnic restaurants to sample new vegetarian cuisines. The more variety you bring to your vegetarian diet, the more likely you'll be to meet all your nutritional needs.
By: Mayo Clinic Staff (www.mayoclinic.com)

Thanks for Read : Vegetarian Diet: How To Get the Best Nutrition (Part -2 end)

Vegetarian Diet: How To Get the Best Nutrition (Part - 1)

A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.

A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet the needs of people of all ages, including children, teenagers, and pregnant or breast-feeding women. The key is to be aware of your nutritional needs so that you plan a diet that meets them.

Types of Vegetarian Diets

When people think about a vegetarian diet, they typically think about a diet that doesn't include meat, poultry or fish. But vegetarian diets vary in what foods they include and exclude:

• Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter, are included.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
• Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products, but allow eggs.
• Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products - and foods that contain these products.

Some people follow a semivegetarian diet - also called a flexitarian diet - which is primarily a plant-based diet but includes meat, dairy, eggs, poultry and fish on occasion or in small quantities.
Vegetarian diet pyramid

A healthy diet takes planning, and a food pyramid can be a helpful tool. The vegetarian pyramid outlines food groups and food choices that, if eaten in the right quantities, form the foundation of a healthy vegetarian diet.
By: Mayo Clinic Staff (www.mayoclinic.com)

 

Thanks for Read : Vegetarian Diet: How To Get the Best Nutrition (Part - 1)

Live Healthier By Going Green

GoGreen has thought of a number of ways to be healthier simply by changing your daily lifestyle to be more eco-friendly. One way that you can start living healthier by going green is eating organic foods. You have heard of this sensation already, but you may not be eating the right foods, simply because every company believes that they can get away with an organic or “healthy” sticker. You want to make sure that you know what you put inside you and always read labels. Besides your diet, there are other ways to live healthier by going green.

You can change your daily transportation by biking or walking. Not only will you get more exercise, but you can also save money, specifically if you have to buy a lot of gas or pay to park. You can improve your heart's health and reduce your risk of obesity simply by being more physical and rigorous. If you live a little bit far from work, try walking or biking two days out of the week.

One of the most important things to remember about eating right is investigating where your food comes from. You can buy seasonal and local to get rid of pre-packaged chemicals and preservatives that go into your body. Not only is it better to buy local because you support farmers in your community, you can learn new recipes and eat smarter. You also save energy and fossil fuels by not supporting large transport of food and other items across the country.

Starting your own vegetable garden is another way to live healthier while being eco-friendly. You can start composting to reduce the amount of waste in landfills and also help your fertilizer in a vegetable garden. You can grow your own tomatoes, peppers and even fruits with enough space. This is an ideal solution for anyone who wants to do something simple but also healthy.

You can also change your use of toxic chemical cleaners in the home. Baking soda, vinegar and soap are just a few simple materials that clean and do not spread harmful toxins around your home. You will also save money, time and air quality of your home just by making your own cleaners.

Factory farming and animals mills are extremely unhealthy for animals, and grocery store meat often contains more hormones because of what they feed animals on these farms. You can change how you support this industry by eating a few meatless meals per week. While it may be hard to stop eating meat altogether, consider purchasing only organic meat and cutting out meat on a weekly basis to simply cut down on your consumption.

Studies have also shown that meat consumption may be the cause for cancer. Researchers in America studied Seventh Day Adventists, whose population is split between vegetarian and meat-consumers. The results showed that the cancer risk was significantly lower in those who did not eat meat. Harvard studies have also shown that daily meat eaters have approximately three times the risk for colon cancer. (www.gogreen.org)

Thanks for Read : Live Healthier By Going Green

Determinants of Health (Part - 2 end)

The maintenance and promotion of health is achieved through different combination of physical, mental, and social well-being, together sometimes referred to as the "health triangle." The WHO's 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion further stated that health is not just a state, but also "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities."

Focusing more on lifestyle issues and their relationships with functional health, data from the Alameda County Study suggested that people can improve their health via exercise, enough sleep, maintaining a healthy body weight, limiting alcohol use, and avoiding smoking. The ability to adapt and to self manage have been suggested as core components of human health.

The environment is often cited as an important factor influencing the health status of individuals. This includes characteristics of the natural environment, the built environment, and the social environment. Factors such as clean water and air, adequate housing, and safe communities and roads all have been found to contribute to good health, especially to the health of infants and children. Some studies have shown that a lack of neighborhood recreational spaces including natural environment leads to lower levels of personal satisfaction and higher levels of obesity, linked to lower overall health and well being. This suggests that the positive health benefits of natural space in urban neighborhoods should be taken into account in public policy and land use.

Genetics, or inherited traits from parents, also play a role in determining the health status of individuals and populations. This can encompass both the predisposition to certain diseases and health conditions, as well as the habits and behaviors individuals develop through the lifestyle of their families. For example, genetics may play a role in the manner in which people cope with stress, either mental, emotional or physical (One difficulty is the issue raised by the debate over the relative strengths of genetics and other factors; interactions between genetics and environment may be of particular importance.). (wikipedia.org)

Thanks for Read : Determinants of Health (Part - 2 end)

Determinants of Health (Part - 1)

Generally, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for his health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society. According to the World Health Organization, the main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the person's individual characteristics and behaviors.

More specifically, key factors that have been found to influence whether people are healthy or unhealthy include:

• Income and social status
• Social support networks
• Education and literacy
• Employment/working conditions
• Social environments
• Physical environments   
• Personal health practices and coping skills
• Healthy child development
• Biology and genetics
• Health care services
• Gender
• Culture

An increasing number of studies and reports from different organizations and contexts examine the linkages between health and different factors, including lifestyles, environments, health care organization, and health policy - such as the 1974 Lalonde report from Canada;[10] the Alameda County Study in California and the series of World Health Reports of the World Health Organization, which focuses on global health issues including access to health care and improving public health outcomes, especially in developing countries.

The concept of the "health field," as distinct from medical care, emerged from the Lalonde report from Canada. The report identified three interdependent fields as key determinants of an individual's health. These are:

• Lifestyle: the aggregation of personal decisions (i.e., over which the individual has control) that can be said to contribute to, or cause, illness or death;
• Environmental: all matters related to health external to the human body and over which the individual has little or no control;
• Biomedical: all aspects of health, physical and mental, developed within the human body as influenced by genetic make-up. (wikipedia.org) 

Thanks for Read : Determinants of Health (Part - 1)

About Health ...

Health is the level of functional or, metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind and body, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain (as in "good health" or "healthy"). The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Although this definition has been subject to controversy, in particular as lacking operational value and because of the problem created by use of the word "complete," it remains the most enduring .

Other definitions have been proposed, among which a recent definition that correlates health and personal satisfaction. Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications, including the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), are commonly used to define and measure the components of health.

Systematic activities to prevent or cure health problems and promote good health in humans are undertaken by health care providers. Applications with regard to animal health are covered by the veterinary sciences. The term "healthy" is also widely used in the context of many types of non-living organizations and their impacts for the benefit of humans, such as in the sense of healthy communities, healthy cities or healthy environments. In addition to health care interventions and a person's surroundings, a number of other factors are known to influence the health status of individuals, including their background, lifestyle, and economic and social conditions; these are referred to as "determinants of health." (wikipedia.org)

 

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