2017 May Articles Archives

Is your diet healthy?

A diet does not have to mean deprivation. It is about staying healthy by making smarter food choices. In making those smart choices it is important to look at the following.

Portion control

To lose weight, you need to burn more kilojoules than you consume, which means one thing: portion control. But you’re not necessarily doomed to a growling stomach until you reach your goal. Portion control doesn’t mean you have to eat tiny portions of everything.

To control portion sizes and get the right amount of nutrients at each meal, divide your plate mentally into quarters. One quarter of the plate should be complex carbohydrates, like pasta or potatoes. One quarter should be meat or another source of protein and the rest should be devoted to vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet and variety is as important as quantity. No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. Adults should eat two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables each day.

Whole grains

Whole grains, like oatmeal, brown rice and pasta, whole-wheat flour, whole cornmeal and bulgur, can lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart disease. Making whole grains a part of your diet can also reduce the risk of developing asthma, gum disease, tooth loss, high blood pressure, colorectal cancer and inflammatory disease.

Fat

Fats are an essential part of our diet and is important for good health. There are different types of fats, with some fats being healthier than others. To help make sure you stay healthy, it is important to eat unsaturated fats in small amounts as part of a balanced diet. When eaten in large amounts, all fats, including healthy fats, can contribute to weight gain.

Eating less saturated and trans fats may help lower your risk of heart disease. When buying products, check the labels and choose the varieties that are lower in saturated and trans fats and higher in poly and monounsaturated fats.

Processed foods

The major problem with processed food is its sodium content. There is a direct link between sodium and heart disease. Up to three-quarters of the salt in our diet comes from processed foods. Salt is used as an additive to change the colour or texture of foods and is often used as a preservative or flavour modifier. Avoiding processed foods as much as possible can help limit the sodium in your diet and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Nutrient-dense protein

There are many foods other than meat that are rich in protein. Protein is important for muscular growth and development, and normal body function. All protein products have additional nutritional benefits. For example, poultry, lean cuts of beef and pork and eggs are protein sources that provide vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12, iron and zinc. In addition, fatty fishes such as salmon provide heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Beans and legumes of all forms supply protein while contributing dietary fibre. Dairy products are best known for their contribution of calcium.

Balanced diet

A crucial part of healthy eating is a balanced diet. A balanced diet means consuming from all the different good groups in the right quantities. That means we should all eat from the five main food groups, namely:

Whole grains
Fruit and vegetables
Protein
Diary
Fat and sugar.

There is good evidence that eating a healthy diet can reduce your risk of obesity and illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and some types of cancer. The food you eat contains several different types of nutrients, which are all required for the many vital processes in your body.

Sufficient food

A healthy diet contains a quantity of food adequate to maintain health. Your diet should provide you with the nutrients, minerals and vitamins sufficient enough to replace those that your body consumes daily.

Water

We cannot live without water. Water is good for the following reasons:

Over 65% of your body is composed of water (most of the muscle cell is water).
Water cleanses your body from toxins and pollutants that would get you sick.
Water is needed for all of the complex chemical reactions that your body needs to perform on a daily basis.
Water helps lubricate the joints.
When the outside temperature is high, water serves as a coolant to bring the body temperature down to where it is supposed to be.
Water helps control your appetite. Sometimes when you feel hungry after a good meal this sensation indicates a lack of water. Drinking water at that time will satisfy the craving.
Cold water increases your metabolism.

Sources

http://www.livestrong.com/article/17761-characteristics-diet/
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/five-important-characteristics-healthy-eating-5892.html
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hugo3.htm
http://naturopathconnect.com/articles/dietary-guidelines/

zara2021-04-01T09:08:25+00:00

It’s cool to be kind

We have been taught from a young age to be kind to others because that is how we would like others to treat us. Could our kindness also have a positive impact on our own life?

In studies done at a leading university, it was found that doing nice things for people led to a significant increase in people’s positive moods and relationship satisfaction, and a decrease in social avoidance. Five positive side-effects were identified:

Kindness makes us happier. It is believed that the good feeling we get when doing something kind for another is due to elevated levels of the brain’s natural versions of morphine and heroin, which in turn causes elevated levels of dopamine in the brain, causing us to get a natural high.
Kindness gives us healthier hearts. Acts of kindness are often accompanied by emotional warmth, which produces the hormone oxytocin in the brain. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide in blood vessels, which dilates the blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure and therefore oxytocin is known as a cardio-protective hormone as it protects the heart.
Kindness slows ageing. Ageing is sped up significantly by free radicals and inflammation. Remarkable research now shows that oxytocin also reduces these levels in the cardiovascular system and so slows ageing at the source.
Kindness makes for better relationships. Kindness reduces the emotional distance between two people and so we feel more connected. Our evolutionary ancestors had to have strong emotional bonds within groups, which created better chances of survival. Thus kindness genes were etched into the human genome.
Kindness is contagious. The positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who has witnessed the act, improving their mood and making them significantly more likely to show kindness to someone else. This means one good deed in a crowded area can create a domino effect and improve the day of dozens of people!

In another study, it was found that the happier participants felt about their past generosity, the more likely they were to spend money on someone else instead of themselves. In another study, it was found that the happier participants felt about their past generosity, the more likely they were to spend money on someone else instead of themselves. A good deed makes you happy and the happier you feel, the more likely you are to do another kind act.

So when you feel like making your own day by making someone else’s day, here are some simple ways to cheer up a friend, colleague or total stranger and make yourself feel better in the process!

When driving, let someone merge into your lane.
Baby-sit your neighbour’s children while he or she takes a nap.
Send a gratitude email to a co-worker who deserves recognition.
Make small talk with a cashier.
Volunteer to run an errand for a busy co-worker.
Give a genuine compliment to someone.
Post inspirational sticky notes around your neighbourhood, office, school, etc.
Surprise a friend with freshly baked treats!
Write your partner a list of things you love about him or her.

Sources

Castillo, S. Thirteen ways to be nicer. Retrieved from http://www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/doing-kind-acts-reduces-anxiety-study
Did you know? There are scientifically proven benefits of being kind! Retrieved from https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness
Dixon, A. Kindness makes you happy … and happiness makes you kind. Retrieved from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/kindness_makes_you_happy_and_happiness_makes_you_kind
Five side effects of kindness on health: it’s Random Acts of Kindness Week. Retrieved from http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/5-side-effects-of-kindness-on-health-2015/

zara2021-04-01T08:51:21+00:00

Find Balances with your finances

Your budget has gone south this month. Actually, it has done the same for the last few months. Somehow, you just never seem to have enough to cover all of your expenses.

There are several common causes of chronic budget failure, as well as several common remedies you can use to change course. Here are a few ways to set things right:

Understand your relationship with money

It is important to know if you are a spender or a saver. Do you find it easy to spend money or to save your money? It is not about one of them being good and the other one bad. It’s a matter of understanding your identity, devising a plan and working on your weaknesses.

Locate your expenses and income

The best place to start is to determine how much income you are bringing home every month, what the expenses are and how much is left over to save – if any.

Create a budget but use a system you are comfortable with

Most people waste about 15% of their income. Whether you’re a spender or a saver, everyone needs a plan. The secret is to write up a plan and learn how to budget.

However, you need to find a system that feels easy to use, one that motivates you to use it. Some prefer using an Excel spreadsheet and entering in purchases from receipts they save. Others do better with a program that automatically tracks purchases and sorts them into pre-set categories. There is no right or wrong system; all that matters is that yours works for you.

Always include a non-negotiable item when you budget, This is something you treat yourself with and will act as a motivation.

Unexpected expenses are the easiest way to derail a budget. Make sure your budget accounts not only for your regular monthly bills (such as your mortgage/rent, petrol, utilities, etc.), but also for bills that come on a quarterly or annual basis, such as gym memberships, magazine subscriptions, association dues, club memberships or even annual insurance premiums. Total up the yearly cost for these irregular expenses and divide by 12 to determine how much you should be setting aside each month for them.

Consolidate your debts

The best way to save money is to get out of debt as quickly as possible. You will end up paying interest on all your loans instead of earning interest on your savings. You will be surprised how much money can be saved if you get rid of debt or manage it correctly.

Get rid of unnecessary direct debits – trim the fat

Cancel those payments you don’t need, no matter how little they cost. Maybe you’re no longer getting value from your gym membership, dental plan, magazine subscriptions, club memberships and other non-essential payments that eat away at your income. The rule is: If you don’t use it, lose it.

Once you start trimming, you’ll be surprised to find out how much extra money you really have.

Repay your overdraft

Overdraft facility comes with a cost. The cost is usually higher than the other sources of borrowing. Also, if one goes above or exceeds the overdraft limit, the charges are much higher.

Cut your credit card interest costs

Credit cards are an easy way to pay for things with a quick swipe or tap, but they can be expensive. High interest rates apply when you don’t pay off the card in full each month – and the longer that debt goes unpaid, the more its costs can drag you down.

Set-up automatic payments

Once you have set your budget and goals, automate all your payments so you don’t forget them. Include automatic deposits into your savings account. It will help you stay on track for achieving your goal. If your situation changes, review the funds that you transfer and make changes where needed.

Sources

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/a-firsthand-account-of-how-i-got-my-finances-back-on-track-2011-11?r=US&IR=T#know-your-numbers-1
http://time.com/money/4213095/steps-finances-back-on-track/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/household-bills/having-money-trouble-10-ways-7122685
https://www.aol.com/article/2014/12/16/5ways-get-your-budget-back/21003169/

Get Your Finances Back on Track

http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/michelle-singletarys-short-and-long-term-money-advice_1
http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-get-back-on-track-when-youre-behind-on-your-bills

zara2021-07-02T13:26:27+00:00