Cancer Prevention

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It’s delicious but don’t eat without your brains.

Recipe created by Nigella Lawson

 

As a child, Christmas season for me was a time to visit loved ones, another new cloth in the wardrobe, and there were plenty to eat and take away. Visiting late grandma was usually the most interesting part of Christmas, at least she never said No to any of my request for food or snack and mum and dad could not stop her from over pampering me with her special barbecue ‘bush meat’(common in Nigeria). Till date, I still wonder why Christmas meals are very ‘delicious, special and desired by many’.

In my practice as a Nutritionist, I have discovered that are usually many cases of increase in sugar levels for people with diabetes and new cases of diabetes are recorded after festive seasons- mostly Christmas. Also adding to this is the fact that most people, even non Christians record one festival or the other or even takes holidays during this season.

Now this is my order!

• When you pick up your cutlery to eat that delicious Christmas meal, pick up  your brains too.

It is very necessary for you to know what your limits are and when you are exceeding them. I agree that there will be a middle ground that allows for enjoyment without the unpleasant consequences, here are some tips for you

• Do no attend parties hungry. Have a healthy snack before the get together, you may meet some one exactly like my sweet late grand ma who will load you with food as a way showing Christmas love to you. Chances are that you may over eat, make very bad food choices when you go to that gathering hungry.

• Observe everything that is being offered before you dish your food out. Especially at buffet services, be careful not to load your plate with the first set of meals on display, there could be healthier options at the other end.

• Allow your brains to direct you. Am very certain that you know how valuable your health is to you. Keep obeying your brain when it tells you that the cake you are about to have is a rather large chunk, let go of that extra whatever, eat some fruits and vegetables, let go of today’s chocolate bar etc.

• Stay active. I am blessed to come from a region with a warm and friendly weather. You may or may not be lucky as me, however how friendly or unfriendly your weather is, do not forget to add some physical activity to your schedule this holiday season.

• There will be another Christmas or holiday. While you enjoy this season, remember that there will be another one next year and you will love to be there. Make good food choices.

Add your own tip.

ORANGE, WHAT IS IN IT?

At first I was angry at the vendors along the streets’ walk-way as I walked home last night. 

There were cluster of people at every vendor’s table, and then I took a closer look. 

I noticed that majority of the people were buying oranges. 

Orange is one of the most favorite fruit on the world. Juicy, sweet, and famous for its concentration of vitamin C. I can still remember a kindergarten rhyme on orange and its powerful vitamin C content that protects our body against dangerous elements. Oranges are one of the most popular fruits in the world with one of its different varieties available in every season.

Some of the health benefits you can derive from eating oranges include healing from cough and cold, relieve from asthma, lowered cholesterol and stabilized blood sugar or even preventing diabetes, prevent kidney stones, pneumonia and bronchitis. If you are struggling in dealing with alcohol addiction, try orange juice and reduce your desire for alcohol.

Nutritional Contents of Orange:

      1.      Beta carotene- a powerful antioxidant that protects your cells from being damaged

      2.      Calcium –for the protection and maintenance of your bones and teeth.

      3.      Magnesium- helping to maintain your blood pressure

      4.      Folic acid- for proper brain development

      5.      Vitamin B6- helps to support the production of hemoglobin that carries oxygen to  all parts of your body.

     6.      Potassium- help in maintaining electrolyte balance in your body cells and keeping your heart healthy

     7.      Thiamin- help to convert the food you eat to energy.

     8.      Dietary fiber- help to keep your colon healthy

Tips for Preparing Oranges:

* Oranges can be eaten as a snack-just peel and enjoy. 

*Before cutting the orange in half horizontally through the center, wash the skin so that any dirt or bacteria residing on the surface will not be transferred to the fruit. Proceed to cut the sections into halves or thirds, depending upon your personal preference. 

*Thin-skinned oranges can be easily peeled with your fingers. For easy peeling of the thicker skinned varieties, first cut a small section of the peel from the top of the orange. You can then either make four longitudinal cuts from top to bottom and peel away these sections of skin, or starting at the top, peel the orange in a spiral fashion. 

*Juicing. Like most citrus fruits, orange will produce more juice when warmer; always juice your oranges when they are at room temperature. Rolling the orange under the palm of your hand on a flat surface will also help to extract more juice. 

*The juice can be extracted in a variety of ways. You could either use a juicer or do it the old fashioned way, squeezing by hand. 

As for me, I stopped at one of the vendors’ table and bought some oranges, because no day is complete without an orange or at least a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice before breakfast.

Sources for this article include: 

Cho E, Seddon JM, Rosner B, Willett WC, Hankinson SE. Prospective study of intake of fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and carotenoids and risk of age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Jun;122(6):883-92. 2004. PMID:15197064.

EAT WHAT YOUR BODY NEEDS

Do you pay close attention to how your body feels when you drink a ton of coke? What influences your choice of food when you walk into a restaurant?

I was shocked when a client told me this morning that she takes between 6-7 bottles of c***- a carbonated drink daily. The only good news was that she admitted that it’s a case of an addiction and that she needs help. With a weight problem and expanding blood sugar level, who wouldn’t ask for help?

Many have completely lost touch with themselves, and can no longer trust their bodies to tell them what to eat and how much. The food industries, though I do not wish to talk about them now are telling us what we should want in a bid to sell their products.

Food is for pleasure and most importantly for nourishment, eat what you need, do not overeat. Shop often so as to include more fresh (and less processed) foods in your diet. Also learn to take cues from your stomach to realize when its full to prevent over eating.

Chocolate! To eat or not

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The more forbidden, the more it is craved. Many have fallen under the spell of chocolate and it is a reason for their struggle with weight gain and obesity. Some may justify their craving for chocolate with the argument that chocolate is considered healthy and has many great health benefits as it diminishes pain and reduce blood pressure. Just like everything, eating too much chocolate can cause weight gain. With no specific study to prove the reasons for these forbidden desires, here are some reasons that may explain why you crave chocolate. 

It is delicious! Chocolate satisfy the sweet tooth in an instant. Its rich and creamy texture allows the eater to savor every moment of eating it, and, if something tastes good, people are prone to want more of it. 

It feels good! Chocolate has been shown to stimulate serotonin- the happy hormone and other hormones whose reactions creates feelings that are similar to feelings of love. During PMS, chocolate helps women ward-off bad moods. 

It is an exclusive bite! As far back as the Aztec society, chocolate was regarded as a “food of the gods”. Only those born into nobility, priests and warriors were allowed to partake of this tasty treat. This exclusiveness of chocolate caused those who were forbidden to have it to crave it. Ordinary people wanted the luxury of indulging in a piece of chocolate as a way to feel special and pampered. These feelings of indulgence and desire are still associated with chocolate today.

However, the responsibility of choosing a healthy lifestyle still lies in your hands no matter how well the above reasons apply to you. Knowing what triggers the urge can help control the craving, or at least reduce them to a manageable level.

TIPS TO BOOST YOUR FIBER INTAKE.

 

This post is sequel to the post what are you eating. Having listed some of the benefits you will get when you add fiber to your diet, here are some tips to boost your fiber intake.

• Eat whole fruits and dried fruits with skins (apples, pears, orange with roughage etc.) instead of juice or canned fruits that have been pealed and have less fiber.

• Increase your consumption of vegetables of all types, including plenty of raw vegetable salads and vegetable cuts.

• Eat whole wheat bread (with visible grain particles) instead of white bread.

• Choose high fiber carbohydrates like corn, Lima beans and peas. Eat high fiber cereals often.

• Eat legumes several times a week

• Eat the edible skins and seeds of vegetables. For example, the seeds of a cucumber, the skin of a baked potato.

• Think nuts and seeds if you can afford the calories and fat content.

• Eat brown rice instead of white rice (over processed)

• If you eat crackers, look for the fiber rich ones.

• Popcorn is a terrific high fiber, low fat snack. Add popcorn to your to your snack list.

Remember to increase your fluids when you add fiber to your diet, start slow to avoid intestinal discomfort. Lose weight by adding fiber to your diet, you will feel full longer and be less tempted to snack between meals. When you do snack, take fruits, vegetable cuts or nuts.

Add your own tip!