EXAM DIET

Hello Friends!!

Today we will learn on how to have the diet during exams.

When you’re studying for finals, good nutrition should be on your priority list. 

It’s easy to get into the habit of drinking coffee and pizza, because you don’t want to waste time on food preparation. But, actually, good nutrition should be part of your study plan because it’s going to help you ace those tests.The better the fuel your brain gets, the better you’ll study.

Here are 10 tips for eating right during exams:

How to eat smarter? 

Meeting daily vitamin and mineral requirements will make doing your best much easier. Iron and B vitamins are especially important to maintaining the physical and mental energy necessary to study well. Iron-containing foods include: red meat, cereals and spinach;

Foods that contain B vitamins include whole-grains, wheat germ, eggs and nuts. Fish and soy are other foods that are said to help boost your brain by providing the nutrients it needs.
An orange contains not only Vitamin C, but also fiber, beta carotene and other minerals. Pack whole-food items like apples, bananas, carrot sticks or dried apricots.

Eat at regular intervals. Eating regular meals helps keep nutrient and energy levels more stable, curbing the temptation of empty-calorie snacks in the vending machine.
Big meals keep on turning in your stomach. Consider 5 or 6 well-balanced, smaller meals, like toast spread with peanut butter, or a piece of cheese with fruit.

While much is said about the reasons to eat breakfast, less known are the best ways to eat smart in the morning.The idea is to get some protein, calcium, fibre and a piece of fruit or a vegetable in there. So, a bowl of cereal with milk and a piece of fruit would do the trick.
Going bananas? Good. 

Fruit ranks high among the best foods you can eat for your brain. Blueberries (which can be bought frozen in bags) get a lot of attention because they contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients.The natural sugars in fruit offer clean energy, so you don’t experience the crash that follows consumption of refined sugar.

Choose powerful vegetables. The darker the color, the higher the concentration of nutrients. For example, spinach has more to offer the mind and body than lettuce. Other vegetable choices include bell peppers, broccoli and sweet potatoes.

Smart snacking can enhance studying. Snack smart while studying and you may find that you retain more. Try to get two food groups into your snacks to balance the nutrients and keep your blood-sugar level stable. Some smart snack examples are banana with peanut butter, a small baked potato with cottage cheese.

Gather simple recipes for nourishing foods. It’s easy to feed the brain well.

Combine scrambled eggs with toast and cheese.

Better choices include water, fruit juice, milk, and anti-oxidant-rich green tea.

Happy Studying!!

Will be back soon.

Eat Well.. Stay Heathy..

Thank You !!

BASIC 5 FOOD GROUPS

Hello and welcome back to my blog foodoneed.blogspot.com - Food Is Medicine.Today we will read about the 5 important food groups which we add in pur daily diet.

More information on the Five Food Groups:

1. Fruit.
2. Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties.
3. Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans.
4. Milk, yoghurt cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat.
5. Vegetables and legumes/beans.

Fruits:

Choose fruits from these different fruit categories:

Apple, orange, banana, pear and grapes.
Pome fruits such as apples and pears
Citrus fruit such as oranges, mandarins and grapefruit
Stone fruit such as apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines and plums
Tropical fruit such as bananas, paw paw, mangoes, pineapple and melons
berries
Other fruits such as grapes and passionfruit.

Grains:

The main sub-groups are:

Breads - Wholemeal, wholegrain, white, rye, pita, lavash, naan, focaccia, crispbreads, damper
Breakfast Cereals - Ready to eat, high fibre (wholegrain) oats, porridge, muesli, wholewheat biscuits
Grains - Rice, barley, corn, polenta, buckwheat, spelt, millet, sorghum, triticale, rye, quinoa, semolina
Other products - Pasta, noodles, English muffin, crumpet, rice cakes, couscous, bulgur, popcorn, flour.

Meat, Poultry, Legumes & Nuts:

Foods from this food group fall into 6 categories. Examples include:
Lean meats - Beef, lamb, veal, pork, kangaroo, lean (lower salt) sausages
Poultry - Chicken, turkey, duck, emu, goose, bush birds
Fish and seafood - Fish, prawns, crab, lobster, mussels, oysters, scallops, clams
Eggs - Chicken eggs, duck eggs
Nuts and seeds - Almonds, pine nuts, walnut, macadamia, hazelnut, cashew, peanut, nut spreads, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts
Legumes/beans - All beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, tofu.

Milk Products & Milk:

Examples of milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives include:
Milks - All reduced fat or full cream milks, plain and flavoured, long life milks, powdered milk, evaporated milk, soy beverages (fortified with at least 100mg calcium/100mL)
Yoghurt - All yoghurts including reduced fat or full cream, plain and flavoured, soy yoghurt (calcium fortified)
Cheese - All hard cheeses, reduced or full fat for example cheddar, red Leicester, Gloucester, Edam, Gouda Soy cheeses (calcium fortified).

Vegetables & Legumes:

Vegetables can be broken up into different groups, with each group providing their own unique nutrients. The main sub-groups for vegetables are:
An image of a selection of vegetables to illustrate foods from this food group. 
Dark green or cruciferous/brassica
Broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy, cabbages, cauliflower, kale
Lettuce, silverbeet, spinach, snow peas
Root/tubular/bulb vegetables
Potato, cassava, sweet potato, taro, carrots, beetroot, onions, shallots, garlic, bamboo shoots, swede, turnip
Legumes/beans
Red kidney beans, soybeans, lima beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, tofu
Other vegetables
Tomato, celery, sprouts, zucchini, squash, avocado, capsicum, eggplant, mushrooms, cucumber, okra, pumpkin, green peas, green beans


Will be back with more information as I always say "Food Is Medicine".

Thank you :)
Foodoneed.blogspot.com

NUTRITION AFTER CANCER - DIET AND CURE

Nutrition After Cancer
Choosing to eat a diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and other unprocessed, low-fat foods will help you regain strength after prostate cancer treatment. Nutritious eating can also reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. In addition, recent research suggests that making healthy food choices in your survivorship may lower your risk of recurrence and help you live longer.

Diet and Nutrition

Differences in diet and lifestyle may account for the variability of prostate cancer rates in different countries. Good nutrition may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, slow progression of the disease and prevent aggressive disease. In this section, we discuss guidelines for a healthy diet for good prostate health and guidelines for a healthy diet while in treatment for prostate cancer. These tips, however, should never be used as a replacement for treatment.

Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

Your diet should be:

1.     Primarily plant based
2.     Include plenty of fruits and vegetables
3.     High in fiber
4.     Low in fat
5.     Limited in the amount of simple sugars

Diet Tips for Prostate Health

1. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of cancer-fighting and inflammation-reducing substances like vitamins, polyphenols, antioxidants, minerals and natural fiber. Most men and women do not consume the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. If you are working to change the way you eat, aim to make manageable changes. Try to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Cruciferous vegetables (includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and cabbage) have phytochemicals that reduce Oxidative stress or oxygen free radicals in the body which means a lower risk of prostate cancer and its aggression
Carrots are rich in nutrients and contain antioxidants beta-carotene and falcarinol that reduce the risk of cancer

 

Tomatoes are a rich source of a phytochemical called lycopene which attacks free radicals helping the body lower the risk of prostate cancer and its aggression
Mushrooms help fight cancer by building the immune system with a supply of compounds called beta glucan and proteins called lectin which have shown to attack cancer cells
Pomegranates, particularly pomegranate juice, have been shown to slow PSA doubling time and may help prevent prostate cancer recurrence after primary treatment
Grapes and grape juice are rich sources of resveratrol, a type of natural phytochemical that belongs to a larger group of phytochemicals called polyphenols that possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Grapefruit contains several phytochemicals including naringenin, limonin, beta-carotene and lycopene
Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits help protect against DNA-damaging free radicals because they contain hundreds of bioactive compounds including flavonoids and monoterpenes
Avocados contain the highest amount of the carotenoid luteinutein of all common fruit
Peppers and jalapenos contain a chemical, capsaicin, which neutralizes certain cancer causing substances
Apples are a good source of fiber, vitamin C and contain quercetin, a flavonoid that shows both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
Berries (raspberries and blueberries) are an excellent source of vitamins C and K, manganese and a good source of fiber and blueberries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant power because of the many phytochemicals they contain

2. Limit Consumption of Animal Protein 

 
Diets high in red meat, dairy products and animal fat have frequently been connected with the development of prostate cancer. Red meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) is particularly tied to aggressive prostate cancer.

3. Seek Plant Protein

Plant-based protein like beans, flax and nuts contain quercetin and lignans that suppress the growth of many kinds of cancer including prostate cancer.

4. Green Tea

Green tea contains polyphenols and flavonoids which are strong antioxidants. Tea is the best source of catechins which are being studied for their anti-cancer properties. Green tea has been shows to slow and/or prevent the development of prostate cancer.

5. Whole Grains

Whole grains include brown rice, oatmeal, corn, whole wheat bread, barley, bulgar, kasha, millet, faro, quinoa, and more. Whole grains are great sources of fiber and magnesium and provide protein. Choose food made with whole grain over processed foods.

6. Limit Sugary Drinks

Cutting down on surgery carbonated beverages and drinking water can speed metabolism and flush the body of cancer-causing substances.

7. Choose Organic Foods when Possible

Organically grown food is free of harmful chemicals and pesticides, including BPA, a known prostate cancer carcinogen. Organically grown foods have more nutrients than usually taste better.

Tips for Nutrition During Cancer Treatment

    Maintain a healthy weight. For many men, this means avoiding weight loss by getting enough calories on a daily basis. For men who are overweight and are obese, this may mean losing some weight. If you are trying to lose weight, it should be moderate, meaning only about a pound a week.
    Get essential nutrients the body needs, such as protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, such as carotenoids, and water. Not only will your body function better, you will feel better.
    Be as active as you can, such as taking a daily walk. If you sit or sleep too much, you may lose muscle mass and increase your body fat, even if you are not gaining weight.

Cancer treatment often causes side effects, such as nausea, mouth sores, and taste changes that may make it difficult to eat or drink. Follow these tips to help you get the nutrition you need:

•     If water tastes unpleasant to you, take in more liquid though items such as soup, tea, milk or milk substitutes such as almond milk, or a sports drink. Or, flavor your water by adding fresh cut fruit.
•     If food tastes bland, try seasoning it with flavorful spices such as garlic, cayenne, dill, and rosemary.
•     Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of trying to eat large amounts of food at one time.
•     Enhance your protein intake with protein from foods such as fish, egg whites, cheese, beans, or high protein smoothies.
•     Suck on mints, chew on gum, or try fresh citrus fruits if you have a metallic taste in your mouth. Brushing your teeth before eating, using plastic utensils, and cooking in glassware can also help.
•     If you have mouth sores or a gum infection, use a blender to make vegetables and meats smooth. Try juicing or making smoothies.Some side effects are often treated with medication, so talk with your doctor or another member of your health care team for more information.

 

 

 

Food Safety:

People receiving cancer treatment need to be aware of food safety, because some treatments may weaken the immune system and lead to an infection. An infection occurs when harmful bacteria, viruses, or fungi, such as yeast, invade the body and the immune system is not able to destroy them quickly enough. Here are some basic food safety tips to reduce the risk of infection.

1.     Wash your hands before and during the handling and preparing of food.
2.     Wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly before eating them.
3.     Handle and store food appropriately. For example, keep raw meat away from other foods when cooking.
4.     Eat thoroughly cooked foods. For example, do not eat eggs that are not cooked solid, and do not eat raw fish, oysters, or shellfish.
5.     Avoid drinking unpasteurized beverages, such as unpasteurized cider, raw milk, and fruit juices.

Hope this was helpful. Thank you. 

GREEN LEAFY VEGES = BACK ON TRACK

Dear Readers,

Hi. Hope you are eating fine and doing great!! :)

The month 'May' is the season of holidays and we always tend to eat and feel home.

In this blog I want to make you understand the importance of eating green vegetables and how you can help yourself to come back on track with good veges.

Leafy vegetables are ideal for weight management as they are typically low in calories.

They are useful in reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease since they are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium, as well as containing a host of phytochemicals, such as lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene. 







Study shows that an increment of one daily serving of green leafy vegetables, lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11 percent.

Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are also valuable for persons with type 2 diabetes. An increase of 1 serving/day of green leafy vegetables was associated with a 9 percent lower risk of diabetes. 

The high level of vitamin K in greens makes them important for the production of osteocalcin, a protein essential for bone health. The risk of hip fracture in middle-aged women was decreased 45% for one or more servings/day of green, leafy vegetables compared to fewer servings.


Green vegetables are also a major source of iron and calcium for any diet. 
Green leafy vegetables are rich in beta-carotene, which can also be converted into vitamin A, and also improve immune function. Millions of children around the world have an increased risk of blindness, and other illnesses because of inadequate dietary vitamin A from green leafy vegetables.

Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in dark-green leafy vegetables, are concentrated in the eye lens and macular region of the retina, and play a protective role in the eye. They protect against both cataract and age-related macular degeneration, the major cause of blindness in the elderly. 

Some studies suggest that lutein and zeaxanthin may help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as breast and lung cancer, and may contribute to the prevention of heart disease and stroke.Green veggies contain a variety of carotenoids, flavonoids and other powerful antioxidants that have cancer-protective properties. 

It was reported that eating 3 or more servings a week of green leafy vegetables significantly reduced the risk of stomach cancer, the fourth most frequent cancer in the world. Cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and broccoli are rich in indoles and isothiocyanates, which protect us against colon and other cancers. Broccoli sprouts have been reported to contain 10 or more times as much sulforaphane, a cancer-protective substance, than does mature broccoli. A higher consumption of green leafy vegetables has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer and skin cancer.

Green, leafy vegetables provide a great variety of colors from the bluish-green of kale to the bright kelly green of spinach. Leafy greens run the whole gamut of flavors, from sweet to bitter, from peppery to earthy. Young plants generally have small, tender leaves and a mild flavor. Many mature plants have tougher leaves and stronger flavors. 

Collards, Swiss chard, bok choy, and spinach provide a mild flavor while arugula, mizuna and mustard greens provide a peppery flavor. Bok choy is best known for use in stir-fries, since it remains crisp, even when cooked to a tender stage. One should always choose crisp leaves with a fresh vibrant green color. Yellowing is a sign of age and indicates that the greens may have an off flavor. Salad greens provide a whole range of important nutrients and phytochemicals to keep us healthy.

 Hope this blog is helpful for you and for your loved ones. Thank you and see you soon with my next blog. Take good care of urself :)

Cinnamon - A Spice - Boon to the humankind

Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees called Cinnamomum.These days, cinnamon is cheap, available in every supermarket and found in all sorts of foods and recipes.

There are two main types of cinnamon:
Ceylon cinnamon: Also known as “true” cinnamon.
Cassia cinnamon: This is the more common variety today, what people generally refer to as “cinnamon.”

Cinnamon is made by cutting the stems of the cinnamomum tree. The inner bark is then extracted and the woody parts removed from it. When it dries, it forms strips that curl into rolls, called cinnamon sticks. The sticks can be ground to form cinnamon powder. The distinct smell and flavor of cinnamon is due to a compound called cinnamaldehyde. It is this compound that is responsible for most of cinnamon’s powerful effects on health and metabolism.

Cinnamon is a popular spice. It is high in a substance called cinnamaldehyde, which is responsible for most of the health benefits.

Cinnamon is Loaded With Antioxidants :  Antioxidants protect the body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants. Cinnamon is so powerful that cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative. Cinnamon contains large amounts of highly potent polyphenol antioxidants.

Cinnamon Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties : Tea With Cinnamon and Lemon - Inflammation in the body is incredibly important. It helps the body fight infections and repair tissue damage. However, inflammation can become a problem when it is chronic (long-term) and directed against the body’s own tissues. Cinnamon may be useful in this regard, because studies show that the antioxidants in it have potent anti-inflammatory activity. The antioxidants in cinnamon have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower the risk of disease.

Cinnamon May Cut the Risk of Heart Disease : Cinnamon has been linked with reduced risk of heart disease, the world’s most common cause of premature death. It reduces levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while HDL cholesterol remains stable. Cinnamon dose of just 120 milligrams per day can have these effects. It also helps in reducing blood pressure. By taking care of total cholesterol and blood pressure in the human body, cinnamon helps to risk down the chances of heart attack.

Cinnamon Can Improve Sensitivity to The Hormone Insulin : Insulin is one of the key hormones that regulate metabolism and energy use. It is also essential for the transport of blood sugar from the bloodstream and into cells. Cinnamon can dramatically reduce insulin resistance, helping this incredibly important hormone to do its job. By helping insulin do its job, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels.

Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar Levels and Has a Powerful Anti-Diabetic Effect: Cinnamon Powder - Cinnamon is well known for its blood sugar lowering effects. Apart from the beneficial effects on insulin resistance, cinnamon can lower blood sugar by several other mechanisms.
First, cinnamon has been shown to decrease the amount of glucose that enters the bloodstream after a meal. It does this by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract.
Second, a compound in cinnamon can act on cells by mimicking insulin. This greatly improves glucose uptake by cells, although it acts much slower than insulin itself.

The effective dose is typically 1-6 grams of cinnamon per day (around 0.5-2 teaspoons).

Cinnamon May Have Beneficial Effects on Neurodegenerative Diseases : Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive loss of the structure or function of brain cells. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are two of the most common types.

Cinnamon May Be Protective Against Cancer : Cancer is a serious disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells. Cinnamon acts by reducing the growth of cancer cells and the formation of blood vessels in tumors, and appears to be toxic to cancer cells, causing cell death.

Cinnamon Helps Fight Bacterial and Fungal Infections : Cinnamaldehyde, the main active component of cinnamon, may help fight various kinds of infection. Cinnamon oil has been shown to effectively treat respiratory tract infections caused by fungi. The antimicrobial effects of cinnamon may also help prevent tooth decay and reduce bad breath.

Cinnamon May Help Fight The HIV Virus : HIV is a virus that slowly breaks down the immune system, which can eventually lead to AIDS if untreated. Cinnamon extracted from Cassia varieties is thought to help fight against HIV-1. This is the most common strain of the HIV virus in humans.

At the end of the day, cinnamon is one of the most delicious and healthiest spices on the planet. It can lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk factors, and has a plethora of other impressive health benefits.