Sushi is Ideal for Healthy Diets
Nicky Pilkington

Sushi, popular for centuries in Japan, has become immensely
popular in the Western world in recent years. You may soon find
yourself invited to enjoy sushi with friends at a sushi bar or
restaurant. Despite the common reaction of distaste at the
prospect of eating raw fish, sushi is actually a simple and
delicious food that can easily be enjoyed by adults, children,
vegetarians and even the extremely squeamish.

Although sushi’s history goes back to the 7th century, the
popular form that is served in modern sushi bars came into
popularity in 1820, Tokyo. Variations of the lengthy pickling
process that was the original variety of sushi were made so that
sushi could be enjoyed freshly made from a portable stall. This
‘fast-food’ approach has resulted in Sushi Bars gaining
popularity all over the world.

Sushi is a very healthy meal made mostly with rice, fish and
vegetables. Sushi should always be made with fresh ingredients.
Not only for the safety of the eater but for the flavors. The
delicate flavors of rice, vegetables and fish are enhanced with
healthy soya sauce, ginger and wasabi.

What are the health benefits of sushi?

The thin, toasted seaweed sheets, called Nori, used in rolled
(maki) sushi are high in Vitamin A, B-complex, Niacin and
Vitamin C. It is also good for digestion.

The rice used in making sushi, while not as healthy as brown
rice, is still low in fat and sodium free while also being a
complex carbohydrate which is needed as fuel for your body.

The various fish or meats used in sushi are excellent sources of
protein and minerals.

Whether you’re eating vegetarian sushi or it is mixed with fish,
the fresh, uncooked vegetables provide the vitamins and other
nutrients you look for in a healthy diet.

Even the condiments served with sushi have health benefits.

While soya sauce has come under attack for certain additives
that pose a potential health risk, naturally fermented soya
sauce does not have this danger. Soya, the main ingredient in
soya sauce, has been linked to lower breast cancer and fewer
menopausal symptoms in Asian cultures who use soy as a staple in
their diets. Soya is a source of high quality protein, low in
saturated fats and is cholesterol free. Soya sauce is high in
salt although low sodium versions are also available for those
who require it.

Ginger, called ‘gari’, is often served alongside sushi and helps
with digestion while also fighting bacteria. This is especially
of interest to those concerned with the bacteria found in
uncooked meat.

Wasabi, Japanese horseradish, can also kill bacteria found in
raw fish and is often provided alongside sushi servings as a
garnish or is included as in nigiri sushi.

If you are looking for a fast-food meal that is healthy or you
just enjoy the flavors and art form of sushi, you are sure to
benefit from a visit to your local sushi bar.

About the author:

Find out more about Diet
and Nutrition at healthandfinesse.com

Tags: Author, Brown Rice, Complex Carbohydrate, Delicate Flavors, delicious food;, Food Approach, food;, Health Risk, Healthy Diet, Healthy Diets, Japan, lower breast cancer, Maki Sushi, Niacin, Potential Health, Raw Fish, Rice Vegetables, Sources Of Protein, Soya Sauce, Sushi Bar, Sushi Bars, Sushi Fish, Toasted Seaweed Sheets, Tokyo, Uncooked Vegetables, Vegetarian Sushi, Vitamin A —

Secrets to Healthy Skin…At Any Age
Kazuyuki Omino (Publisher)

You still can’t beat the old fruit and vegetable diet when it comes to good health and a good complexion. Remember to feed and nourish your skin by eating the proper foods.

* Plenty of Water:Those eight glasses of water a day your mom always told you to be sure to drink are essential to maintaining your skin’s elasticity and suppleness, say experts. And don’t count coffee or sodas as part of the eight glasses because caffeine is dehydrating. The water you choose can be sparkling water, mineral or straight from the tap.

* Makeup:You need to give some thought and consideration to the type of makeup you use. And be sure to clean your tools regularly. Things such as cosmetic brushes get dirty and can carry bacteria and germs and may cause skin irritations and breaking out.

* Good Moisturizer:Keep environmental pollutants from being absorbed into the skin with a good moisturizer that also acts as a skin barrier. Check the labels for those with added Vitamin A, C and E, which help block the penetration of pollutants.

* Exercise:A good exercise program such as aerobics can activate and rejuvenate the skin and improve circulation and blood flow. Also, body sweat triggers production of sebum, which is the skin’s own natural moisturizer.

* Knock out Stress:Get serious about stress reduction. Skin conditions such as acne appear on many people who are stressed out, and chronic skin conditions then get worse. Set aside quiet time to meditate or daydream. Plus, be sure to get enough sleep.

About the Author

I’ve been online since 1995 when I was in the US (Boston). I created Japanese celebrity info site and health-related site in 2001. Those websites became popular. So Ia ppeared on the radio show and internet magazines to talk about my websites in Japan (I came back to Japan in 1996 after 6 years of staying in the US).

http://www.kazuyukiomino.com
Powered by How To Do Everything Better, Faster &Easier ™

Tags: acne;, Author, Body Sweat, Boston, Celebrity Info, celebrity info site, Chronic Skin Conditions, Cosmetic Brushes, Environmental Pollutants, Fruit And Vegetable Diet, Good Complexion, Good Health, health-related site, Healthy Skin, Internet Magazines, Japan, Japanese Celebrity, Natural Moisturizer, Quiet Time, Sebum, Skin Barrier, Skin Irritations, Sodas, Sparkling Water, Stress Reduction, Suppleness, United States;, Vitamin A —

Epicure’s seven steps for healthy living
Chaim Kimel of www.Epicurechefs.com

EPICURE’S 7-STEP PROGRAM TO HEALTH

Here at Epicure, we believe it is important for people to not only evaluate their fitness by the bathroom scale, but also to focus on increasing their health and their overall physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Epicure promotes a food plan that is similar to that of the US Health Department Recommendation (basically a Mediterranean diet), which encourages a life-style of healthy eating (fruits, vegetables and low-fat intake) in conjunction with a sustainable exercise regime.
Epicure does note that their 7-step program will help you lose weight through establishing better eating habits (resulting in less hunger and emotional eating), but unless a calorie-controlled diet is specified it may not directly correlate with a massive weight reduction.
However, with a wholesome balanced lifestyle, with Epicure cuisine you are bound to reach your optimal weight naturally, without excessive effort or food deprivation.

1. A balanced food intake

At this moment in time, there are a multitude of popular diets promoting things such as:

1. high protein with little to no carbs (Atkins); and

2. high carbohydrates but low GI (Glycemic Index, or simple sugars) (GI Index diet).

In the short term, these diets may help you lose weight, but a recent study conducted in the US and the UK found that the most weight people lost on these diets was only 5-10% of their original body weight, over a year. This is not much if you weigh 150kgs.

The major problem, however, was that most people found it difficult to sustain such unnatural eating patterns, and after 3 months, 80% of the focus group had not only reverted to their old, familiar eating habits, but also regained the weight they had initially lost.

The simple reason for the failure of such diets is that our body is not designed for the consumption of single food groups only. The healthiest people in the world and the individuals with the longest lifespan are primarily from the Mediterranean region, Japan, and rural central Asia.

So, what are the common denominators in these communities’ diets? 3 simple things:

1. a high vegetarian intake (fresh fruit and vegetables);
2. fish and meat are consumed in small quantities only, and not every day; and
3. almost no-one in these communities over-eats.

One of the biggest causes of disease and physical and emotional stress are caused by overeating. It is no surprise that many food related illness (obesity, diabetes, etc) are especially prevalent in western societies, where there is an abundance of poor-quality food available which is often consumed in excessive amounts.

2. Fresh foods

In today’s urban society time is a scarce commodity; so many people tend to shop for food only once or twice a week. Because of this, we are used to eating a large amount of processed foods, usually laden with preservatives and nutritional supplements. These additives can have a detrimental effect on our well being, and have been linked to the development of allergies and food intolerances. Therefore, Epicure understands that it is vital to only eat fresh, whole foods which are bought and prepared on the day.

3. Non/low- allergenic ingredients

Until the body’s functions are balanced through constant exposure to a healthy food regime, it is very important to avoid food stuffs that will slow down the revitalization process.

Where ever possible, Epicure watches out for those allergy promoting ingredients, without compromising on taste.

After a period of healthy eating, however, you will find that most of those allergies will naturally disappear.

4. Correct food combinations

Some foods need acidic juices to digest, and others need alkaline juices. If we eat opposite types at the same time, the acidic and alkaline juices in our stomach will cancel each other out, and the food will sit there and ferment, taking longer to digest. This means that immediately after eating we will begin to feel sluggish and bloated, and who has time to feel like that?!! (Please refer to the attached chart).

For example, good foods such as fruit are digested in the small intestine. If we eat fruit after a meal, the fruit will be held up in the stomach further slowing digestion; therefore, Epicure always ensures that such food types are eaten individually, and at the optimal hour (for digestion) during the day.

5. Hydration

Our bodies are made of 80% water. All chemical and cellular reactions, transport of nutrients, and waste removal all use water in their processes. So for optimal functioning of our system we need to drink a lot of water and eat a lot of fruit and water-rich foods.

Epicure recommends you drink at least 1-2 liters of water a day, but as this may seem like a lot for some people we have some ‘secret ingredients’ we can add to your water to make it more palatable, but which don’t add any calories or sugar.

6. Eating times and frequency

Breakfast can be a difficult meal for many people – either they are too busy to eat and so skip breakfast (not good as it slows down the metabolism), or they eat the wrong foods, leaving them tired and lethargic. Neither option is good way to start the day!

Epicure’s research indicates that the most effective breakfast is fruit (or fruit juice) in the morning, as it works as a cleanser and gives your brain the sugar intake it needs to function.

A balanced lunch is essential, but if you’re still hungry in the afternoon eat something light, and then have dinner as early as possible. Or, if you prefer, reverse your eating habits and eat your main meal at lunch time and have a lighter meal in the evening (as they do around the Mediterranean, which is another reason they are healthier). Who wants to go to bed on a full stomach? You will also wake up lighter and more energetic!

7. Exercise

One of the reasons why people in many rural communities around the world are not overweight is because their life-style forces them to do a lot of physical exercise, such as farming, lifting, walking etc.

Epicure suggests that in order to stay fit and healthy, it is important to do an hour of exercise every day, such as walking, going to the gym, swimming, yoga, etc. Exercise not only burns calories and helps you lose weight, but it also elevates your heart rate, gets your circulation going, and increases your metabolism. Thus, your body is able to cleanse itself more effectively which will further increase your energy.

Unlike cars and other machinery, the more we use our body parts the better they function, so don’t waste any time, get started on your exercise today!

About the Author

Chaim kimel is the the managing director of epicurechefs.com. chaim has studied Physiology And Biochemistry at N.S.W university. He has, over the years researched publications on fad diets, food components on health and different ethnic communities eating habits effect on their health.Currently involved in Team building and teaching cooking. visit the web site http://www.epicurechefs.com

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Eat Healthy for Life
J Bowler

Lets not talk about diets. Diets are punishment like being
sent to bed without dinner. Diets take some of the fun out of
living. Many diets or supplements are harmful to your health
or even dangerous, if you have certain risk factors.

Forget any past diet failures and push aside any guilt or shame
you harbor about your weight. Its time to look forward; not
back. You have the whole future in front of you to get better
every day. It’s time to eat healthy.

This is not a short term fix. Isnt your health more important
than your weight? Lets be sensible and talk about eating healthy
for life.

Dont get me wrong diets do help many people lose weight for
a time. Almost any restrictive diet can give one a jump start
on weight loss; and many people are so encouraged by the rapid
weight loss that they are motivated to stay on the diet.

Studies have shown that the only diets that work are the ones
you stick to. That why the majority of people who successfully
lose weight on a restrictive diet run into trouble when they
move to the maintenance phase. So again I say, you need a plan
to eat healthy for life.

As with most things in life, theres no ONE solution that
suits everyone. When choosing to eat healthy, a plan for the
rest of your life, you want to find one that YOU can live
with.

If your choice of plan starts with an initial (less than
nutritious) restrictive phase, consider what supplements you ought
to take during that phase. Also be sure that the maintenance part
of the program meets generally accepted nutritional guidelines or
that you can make it do so with minor adjustments or
supplementation. You definitely need to think long term when
choosing to eat healthy.

What Weve Known All Along

With all the diet programs, books, ads and fads these days, its
easy to lose sight of some really basic facts of some very
convincing long term health studies that can guide us to healthier
eating.

1.Calories In vs. Calories Expended

The human body is a marvelous machine. It can be pushed to great
lengths, like pre-exam all-nighters, or to perform amazing feats,
like running marathons or scaling mountains. But it is a machine.
It needs to be cared for and properly maintained.

The more it is abused or pushed to the max, the greater the chance
that parts will break down prematurely or beyond natures ability to
repair them. Like any machine, it needs fuel to operate. Give it
improper or insufficient fuel and it wont run as well, if at all.
Give it too much fuel and that will gum up the works. Now heres
where the analogy breaks down.

With a man made machine, excess fuel simply overflows and makes a
big mess. Unfortunately, the human machine has the amazing capacity
to create unlimited new storage tanks for excess fuel even to the
point of death. Further, once that excess fuel is stored, it is
difficult to dislodge but not impossible. Thats the
Calories In part of the equation.

The fuel you take in is burned by every single movement you make:
breathing smiling, kissing, walking, dancing, chewing and even
digesting your food. The more you move, the more fuel (calories) you
burn.

The part of your body that has the ability to move other parts is
muscle. Ergo the more muscles you have and the more you use them, the
more calories you burn. In fact, every ounce of muscle you add
increases your basal metabolism the rate at which your body burns
fuel.

One pound of fat contains 3500 calories. If you cut 250 calories from
your daily diet and burn another 250 calories with exercise, you
can lose one pound in a week!

The most efficient way to eat healthy operates on both sides of the
equation. Monitor your fuel intake of course; but just as importantly,
get moving to burn that fuel. And better yet, build new muscle to boost
your metabolism the rate at which YOUR body burns fuel. This
way youll burn more calories every hour of every day for the rest of
your life.

2.Secrets of the Worlds Healthiest Populations

Global epidemiological studies have identified some unusually healthy
populations and linked their health to diets that differ in significant
ways from the typical Western diet.

Japan, which has some of the world’s lowest rates of obesity, heart
disease, cancer and diabetes has a diet which is very rich in
carbohydrates. The Japanese enjoy rice, vegetables, beans, and fruits
at most meals.

They have a diet that is very low in saturated fat and red meats, but
high in fish which contain protective omega-3 fatty acids.

Other recent and very interesting studies lead to more healthful eating
tips. The Mediterranean food pyramid is based on research showing low
rates of heart and other chronic disease in certain countries bordering
the Mediterranean Sea compared to the West.

Research has isolated key dietary habits that are believed to account for
the difference. (Monounsaturated) olive oil is the preferred fat and
fat consumption (at 40% of total calories) exceeds the American Heart
Associations recommended max of 30%.

Whole grains and pastas form the base of the pyramid, so this is not a
low carb eating style.

The choice of proteins in order of preference is cheese and yogurt, fish,
poultry, eggs and (last and least) red meat. Further, proteins are grouped
at the top of the pyramid so they account for only about 15% of daily
caloric intake.

Its also important to note that the Mediterranean lifestyle incorporates
more natural physical activity as distinct from the Western variety of
mandatory exercise. You know, the I just gotta get to the gym today
or I have to miss my weekly tennis game Saturday. Now what can I do?!
variety.

If youre interested in following any low carb plan, limit the time you
follow the restrictive phase and take the information above into account
when you plan your maintenance program.

3.Health Risks of Long Term Restrictive Diets

In choosing to eat healthy for life, be sure to consider well-founded
dietary advice such as recommended by the American Cancer Society for
optimal cancer prevention:

Eat five or more (optimally nine) servings of fruits and vegetables
daily; include fruits and vegetables at every meal and for snacks.
Aside from the fact that many fruits and vegetables are good diet food
because they have low calorie density (high water and fiber content),
these foods are loaded with phytochemicals which work to prevent illness,
cancer, and other diseases.

Choose whole grains in preference to processed grains and sugars. Choose
bran, whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, and whole grain cereals as
well as beans and legumes.

Limit consumption of red meats, especially processed meats and those high
in fat.

Current estimates are that nearly 33-50% of cancers can be prevented
through a eat healthy diet. The recommendations above come from hundreds
of research studies which show a link between cancer prevention and a high
intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Hundreds of studies
also support the link between a high fat diet, high intake of red meats and
increased incidence of cancer

4.Magic Pills

Dont be taken in by some of the full page ads you see with before and after
pictures that promise weight loss just by taking some magic pill. In some of
them you can even tell that the same head has been pasted onto the fatter
body or the faces look dissimilar enough that you think, Thats NOT the
same person.

If youve read this far you know about the calories in, calories out
equation. Sorry, but its simple math and simple physics. A pill alone will
never do it.

However, that doesnt mean that there are no little magic pills that can
help you lose weight in the context of a healthy eating and
exercise plan. There is a lot of exciting research showing that certain
supplements can boost and sustain your metabolic rate as you age, increase
muscle tone and even help the body develop more muscle, such as Green
Tea Extraxt or DHEA.

Weight loss often results when people switch their focus from dieting in order
to get thin to choosing foods for health. This is especially true if they
also pay heed to the other side of the calories in, calories out
equation and get moving.

Common sense strategies, yes, but these are the only ones proven to work
long-term. Now, are you ready to Eat Healthy for Life?

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer
medical advice.

About the Author

Jean Bowler is a life long fitness freak. She was a ballet dancer and teacher, a private fitness trainer and more. Visit her site, http://www.ageless-beauty.com for advice on diet and nutrition, skin care and more.

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