Tag Archives: weight loss

Teas Elevate Health Benefits

“Kava kava Tea has been used to treat anxiety/nervous disorders, migraines, hyperactivity in children, insomnia, menstrual cramps, UTI and bladder problems.  Kava was used by the Germans in the 1890s for pharmaceuticals relating to blood pressure; before then, it was utilized by the Polynesians”.

Today, Kava is used as a non-addictive way to sooth nerves and relax. In , small recommended doses, no side effects have been found for Kava. However, large dosages of Kava can have a sedative effect, which means that one should avoid alcohol, driving, and operating heavy machinery when taking heavy amounts. Talk to your doctor before consuming Kava tea if you have liver disease.

The “kava” lactones, which are the plant chemicals that produce the desired effects, have been studied in the use of relaxing stiff muscles by blocking signals in the user’s nerves.”

Additional safety studies have been done on Kava.  Negative research has been denounced by Polynesian countries who have used  the plant’s health benefit’s for 3000 years.  Leading others to put into question how the plant is processed and sold  in such countries as Germany and Switzerland.  It should also be noted that the Polynesian lifestyle has been recognized for their longevity, to which Kava has been a contributing factor.

Black Tea  is grown from a tree in higher elevations of China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka. The healing benefits of  black tea has been used throughout history for medicinal purposes. It helps relieve diarrhea, lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent tooth decay. The tea has a therapeutic effect on gastric and intestinal illnesses because of its tannins. To get the maximum benefit for diarrhea let the tea steep for a full 15 minutes.

Black teaimproves circulation,  by opening the capillaries and normalizing blood pressure (bp).  Benefits are noticed by simply drinking 2 cups of black tea 2x’s a day for 3 weeks.  Additional benefits are contributed to the theophylline in black tea that helps improve cholesterol levels. It also has been known to expand the airways, improving on easier breathing for asthmatics.  Black tea also helps with preventing tooth decay due to the Fluoride, a trace element found in black tea, which strengthens tooth enamel.

Oolong Tea  is made by allowing the raw leaves to sun-wilted and bruise, which exposes their juices to the air, so the leaves oxidise and start to turn brown like a cut fruit. They oxidise only partially, giving them a rich, floral flavour. The tea is then dried fully; locking in the rich flavors that oolong tea is known to offer. Oolong’s unique drying process creates a tea that has many metabolic stimulating attributes, therefore, it comes in a wide range of tastes and aromas from teas very close in taste to green tea to those very close to black tea.

Health Benefits

Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea and has become the most popular tea designed to accelerate weigh loss!!!  Drinking two cups of Oolong tea every day helps shed stubborn pounds by boosting your metabolism and blocking the fattening effects of carbohydrates.

Large quantities of polyphenol in Oolong tea:

  • • promotes strong, healthy teeth;
    • improves cognitive functioning and mental well-being;
    • preventing eczema, allergies
    • clarifies your skin, giving it a healthy, radiant glow and
    • strengthens your immune system.
  • Studies show in Japan and USA that it may be an effective adjunct to treating Type 2 Diabetes.

Only three teas have been discussed, however, many varieties are known to bring a wide range of health benefits.  Try ending your day by unwinding with a cup of Chamomile tea.

By: Kimberly Crocker

Literature Research

  • Safety of Kava
  • Anon. FDA Issues Warning on Kava Suplement. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 26, 2002.
  • Anon. Kava Use Not Linked to Liver Damage, Report Says. Vitamin Retailer, April 2002.
  • Anon. NNFA Releases Expert Analysis of Kava Safety. Whole Foods, April 2002.
  • Blumenthal, Mark. The Safety of Kava Questioned. Whole Foods, March 2002.
  • Duke, James A. Dr. Duke’s Essential Herbs. New York: St. Martin’s Paperbacks. 2001.

http://www.essortment.com/all/blackteabene_rbcb.htm”>

http://www.essortment.com/all/blackteabene_rbcb.htm

5 Tips to Ensure Holiday Maintenance

Chocolates, biscotti, pies and cakes….Holiday’s are for enjoying food, family and fun! Yet our biggest weight gain can occur during the 5 weeks of festivites, for a total of 7 pounds!  We are then reminded, that the party is over,January 2, when the moment of truth hits and one decisively chooses to go on a “diet”.   While new diets that apply calorie shifting are given multiple glances and serioulsy put into consideration, it’s important to remember that the word “diet” is about lifestyle and how one eats on a daily basis.

Five tips are easy to follow in order to shift caloric intake and to make sure that access weight gain is headed off at the pass.

Tip 1.      Begin the day with a breakfast.
Protein such as an egg,
Slice of wheat bread
Fruit
Green or White Tea’s (proven to promote anti-aging due to high phenolic content)
Glass of milk
This is an old trick that helps to fill up the stomach so that less food is consumed throughout the morning. You may even feel the need to have a lighter lunch as well.

Tip 2.      Consume calcium for your snacks. Your body needs to be supplied with calcium for both muscles and bones. Weightgain has been linked to low intake of calcium intake. Example: Three glasses of milk can replace any choice of fluid. Many do not realize how many other foods have calcium. Flaxseed actually contains the highest amount at 40% of dietary intake. Almonds and milk contain the same amount of calcium for dietary intake at 25%. 3 ounces of Almonds = 8 ounces of milk (1 glass). Broccoli and oranges also can be added to the daily dietary count of calcium.

Tip 3.      Eat! Dietetics is about how “All Foods Fit”. Don’t resist the temptation. Eyeball the cake size that you want and then cut in 1/2 the amount that you would have otherwise have chosen. (If really courageous cut portion by 3/4’s. This way you can have your cake and you get to eat it too.

Tip 4.      Wine is not a fruit! Just because it comes from a grape doesn’t mean that it gets to be counted on your daily intake of 4 fruits per day. There are 100 calories in a half of glass of wine, which is considered one serving! Women and Men are instructed to consume no more than one to two alcholic beverages per day. 1 serving for a women and 2 servings for men.

Tip 5.      Salty foods are commonly placed in serving bowls throughout gathering areas. Be careful to choose only half of what you really would like to consume. Fruits and vegetables, especially those high in potassium, will flush out the excess salt from your body that will otherwise contribute to weightgain. (mangoes, cantalope, banana’s, oranges, kiwi, cucumber, tomatoes, plantains, lime beans)

Follow all these tips or just a few and you should notice only your weight maintenance. Happy Holidays from Eat Know How!

More on Potassium:  “Potassium is naturally found in fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. Meat, Poultry and Fish foods are high in potassium too, but an entirely carnivorous diet will be detrimental to your health, causing a rise in acid levels and depleting potassium levels.” http://www.buzzle.com/articles/potassium-rich-foods-list-of-foods-high-in-potassium.html

Anti- aging Benefits of White Tea
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19653897?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=3

5 Tips to Ensure Holiday Weight Maintenance.

Holiday’s are for enjoying food, family and fun! January 2 is the moment of truth when one decisively chooses to go on a “diet”. While new diets that apply calorie shifting are given multiple glances and serioulsy put into consideration, it’s important to remember that the word “diet” is about lifestyle and how one eats on a daily basis.

Five tips are easy to follow in order to shift caloric intake and to make sure that access weight gain is headed off at the pass.

Tip 1.      Begin the day with a breakfast.
Protein such as an egg,
Slice of wheat bread
Fruit
Glass of milk
This is an old trick that helps to fill up the stomach so that less food is consumed throughout the morning. You may even feel the need to have a lighter lunch as well.

Tip 2.      Consume calcium for your snacks. Your body needs to be supplied with calcium for both muscles and bones. Weightgain has been linked to low intake of calcium intake. Example: Three glasses of milk can replace any choice of fluid. Many do not realize how many other foods have calcium. Flaxseed actually contains the highest amount at 40% of dietary intake. Almonds and milk contain the same amount of calcium for dietary intake at 25%. 3 ounces of Almonds = 8 ounces of milk (1 glass). Broccoli and oranges also can be added to the daily dietary count of calcium.

Tip 3.      Eat! Dietetics is about how “All Foods Fit”. Don’t resist the temptation. Eyeball the cake size that you want and then cut in 1/2 the amount that you would have otherwise have chosen. (If really courageous cut portion by 3/4’s. This way you can have your cake and you get to eat it too.

Tip 4.      Wine is not a fruit! Just because it comes from a grape doesn’t mean that it gets to be counted on your daily intake of 4 fruits per day. There are 100 calories in a half of glass of wine, which is considered one serving! Women and Men are instructed to consume no more than one to two alcholic beverages per day. 1 serving for a women and 2 servings for men.

Tip 5.      Salty foods are commonly placed in serving bowls throughout gathering areas. Be careful to choose only half of what you really would like to consume. Fruits and vegetables, especially those high in potassium, will flush out the excess salt from your body that will otherwise contribute to weightgain. (banana’s, oranges, kiwi)

Follow all these tips or just a few and you should notice only your weight maintenance. Happy Holidays from Eat Know How!

Weightloss! Easy Diet, Keep it Off!

It’s official, Spring and weightloss is putting us on the scale!  The quickest way to lose weight is to consume VEGETABLES, thereby, giving your body the opportunity to work at breaking down the soluble fiber and nutrients, while increasing the body’s metabolism.  

4 servings Fruits,

5-6 servings Vegetables,

2 servings of 3 oz meat, poultry or fish,

2 servings EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil),

4-5 servings your choice:  grains, pasta, rice or bread,

1-2 servings skim or 1% milk

Additional studies published in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” put forth the results of a randomized study that compared a “reduced fat diet (RF)” and a “reduced fat intake and increased fruit and vegetable intake (RF+FV)”.  The study concluded that the greater weightloss after six months was sharply noticed with the combination diet of RF+FV, by 1/3 more total weightloss!  “Reducing dietary energy density, particularly by combining increased fruit and vegetable intakes with decreased fat intake, is an effective strategy for managing body weight while controlling hunger.”  Additionally, they noted that maintenance of the weightloss was also more prevalent, “The 2 strategies for reducing energy density that were tested in this trial were both effective in reducing body weight and maintaining weight loss without prescribing limits for energy or fat intake.”  Other studies, such as the Dash Diet, TLC Diet and Mediterranean Diet concur that combining the RF+FV is the healthiest and most effective way to go. Don’t forget to exercise 20 minutes a day to encourage increased weightloss.

Find your Dietary Meal Plan here:

TRY SOME “NEW TO YOU” FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 

FRUITS

Apricots: Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup
Banana, raw 1 medium
Clementines, raw 2 small 
Grapefruit juice: Canned or frozen, unsweetened 3/4 cup
Fresh 3/4 cup Honeydew melon, Cantaloupe
Nectarine, raw 1 medium
Orange juice: 6 ounces
Peaches: Dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup
Pears: Dried, uncooked 1/2 cup, Pear Juice
Pomegranate, raw 1 medium
Prunes, dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup
Raspberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Gogi Berries,
Raisins, Craisins 1/4 cup
Watermelon, raw About 1 3/4 cups diced

Grilled Mango and Pineapple Sticks

VEGETABLES

Artichoke, globe (french), cooked 1 medium
Asparagus, cooked 1/2 cup, Raw 1 cup
Beans: Green, carrot sticks (steamed, add garlic, salt pepper, EVOO) 1/2 cup
Lentils (Lebanese or Jordanian style), cooked 1/2 cup
Cauliflower, cooked 1/2 cup, Raw 1 cup
Kale Chips (chopped, salt, pepper EVOO. 7 min. 400 bake oven) 1/2 cup
Corn, cooked 1/2 cup
Fennel cooked 1/2 cup, Raw 1cup
Grilled Portabella Mushrooms, 1/2 cup
Peas, green, cooked 1/2 cup, also frozen / thawed
Plantain, green or ripe, boiled 1 medium
Potato: Baked or boiled, with or w/o skin 1 medium
Pumpkin, cooked 1/2 cup
Rutabaga, cooked 1/2 cup
Spinach Salad with 4 olives 1/2 cup
Squash, winter, cooked, mashed 1/2 cup
Sweet-potato: Baked 1 medium or Boiled 1 medium
Cherry Tomatoes 4,Tomatoes: Raw 1 med., Tomato juice, canned 3/4 c.

 

By: Kimberly Crocker

Literature Research

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/558708

Meal Plan, Which Calories do you Reduce?

Design your 1300-2000 Calorie Meal Plan…Cut calories and stay healthy!  Eat 5 meals a day and drink Water both with and between all meals!  Fluids are equally important to a successful diet. Add 1-2 glasses of water with 1/2 to 1 whole lemon each day. Also drink 1-2 cups of Oolong tea each day. Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea and has become the most popular tea designed to accelerate weigh loss. 
Typical 2000 Calorie recommended Meal Plan

Breakfast
Aunt Millies Bread** (whole/multi-grain) or Oatmeal, fruit, 1% or skim milk, 1 tsp healthy fat (Olio butter)

Snack
fruit, 1 bread (2 graham crackers)

Lunch
3 ounce fish or lean meat,  2 slices of (bread whole or multi-grain),  salad with 1-2 vegetables Salt/Fat free dressing, bread,  fruit

Snack
Vegetable,  Nuts 1 oz (optional protein)

Dinner
3 ounce fish or lean meat, 2 vegetables, fruit, pasta/rice (bread),  skim milk, 1 oz no fat cheese (milk),  low fat dessert, Healthy Fat used for cooking i.e. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

**Bread: Recommend Aunt Millies Bread 2  slices is only 1 serving and 80 Calories and will save 200 calories on this Meal Plan!

Recommended Daily Servings

 4 Fruits- 240 calories,

6 Vegetables- 290 Calories,

5 servings Bread -200 calories,

3 Milk/Dairy -300 Calories,

2 Meats or Fish -600 Calories,

3 Fats -360 calories.   

 NEW Total: 1350 Nutritional Calories

Meal Plan with reduced caloric intake. 

May reduce Calories by Removing:  

Any 3 Bread servings –160 calories,

1 Meat serving –300 calories,

1 Fat Serving –120 calories,

1 Milk/Dairy –100 calories.

Total removed Calories  -640. 

Great Link to Check out for additional help. http://www.montana.edu/health/nutrition/healthyway.html