Pumpkins, high in nutritional value should not be used just as a Halloween Home Decoration

While most people see pumpkins just as an item for decoration, others are well aware of its nutritional values. It is one of the healthiest foods you can ever have. 

Firstly, it is full of minerals and vitamins, which help to keep various diseases away. Secondly, it has a very low calorie content that helps you maintain your body weight by not putting on extra fat. Pumpkins can be prepared in many ways and you can have them in soups, deserts and salads.

Pumpkins would be a very helpful food for the Americans as in USA obesity is one of the major health problems. Pumpkin is very nutritious and filled with minerals and vitamins that help you keep yourself fit. 

As per the data available from the records of USDA, a cup of cooked or boiled pumpkin without salt has 0.17 g fat, 49 calories, 12 g carbohydrate, 1.76 g protein and no cholesterol at all. Absence of cholesterol eliminates the chances of heart problems. 

If you eat a cup of boiled pumpkin, you will get all the required quantity of vitamin A in a day, 10% of vitamin E that is required in a day, 20% of vitamin C that is required in a day and at least 10% of most other minerals required.

The benefits of eating pumpkin is huge and controls obesity, diabetes, overall mortality and giving a healthy complexion are just a few of them. 

This also helps in dealing with troublesome health conditions like blood pressure, certain types of cancer, infertility, poor eye sight and weak immunity.

Hale and hearty for Life - The quality of life index

It is very important to keep your weight in check for the sake of your heart. However, to stay thin is not the solution as the food that you eat has a very important role to play. A healthy diet that is heart friendly can reduce your risk of stroke by 80%. If you know what foods to eat then you can have greater control over your health and the quality of life.

Here are some Food tips for a healthy heart. Do not consume solid fat Avoid foods like butter or margarine that you add while serving the food. You can flavor your dishes with herbs and lemon rather than using fattening contents like butter for added taste. You can also trim fats from your meat by eating lean proteins instead.

Substitute High fat with Low Fat You can learn to eat your baked potato with low fat yogurt or salsa dip rather than greasing with butter. You can also use low sugar fruit spread on your whole grain bread rather than eating margarine. These small changes will go a long way in making your food healthy and tastier.

Always check the label You should always check the labels on your snack. Even the ‘low fat’ versions may be stacked with Tran’s fat which is just as harmful. Another way of saying this is that the foods contain ‘partially hydrogenated’ fat which is just a harmful. Breakfast cereals may also have a lot of fat content so check the labels before you buy.

Make lifestyle changes Don’t snack on unhealthy food items like chips, instead snack on a fruit or a veggie for a mid day hunger pang. Avoid cooking with too much butter for your own sake.

Nutrition Facts

We all know that nutrition is necessary for the basic health and growth of our body. However, do we know what proportions are necessary and how much is too much? Here are some quick facts that will help you in staying healthy and following an ideal diet plan.

Added Sugar is a poison Sugar is an evil as many people say that these are empty calories and do nothing for your body. If you consume sugar in high quantities, you are likely to contract many diseases like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease etc.

You don’t get enough of Omega 3 Fats While these are the building blocks of a strong body, they are definitely not consumed in proper quantities to keep you healthy. If you have low quantities of omega 3 fats, you can experience depression, anxiety, heart diseases and even mental disorders.

There is no such thing as a perfect diet Our bodies are unique and thus need a diet plan that suits our requirements and daily intake of nutrition. The fact is that the diet that works for one person may not work for another. The best diet is the one that you can stick with for a long time.

Avoid artificial Trans-fats The trans-fats are responsible raising the bad cholesterol and lowering the good one. This can cause abdominal obesity, acidic reflux and also resistance to insulin. Long term and unchecked consumption of trans-fats can lead to obesity and depression amongst many other diseases.

Vegetables are the only healthy option There is no substitute to eating healthy vegetables. If you want to meet your daily requirements of minerals, vitamins and vital nutrients, then you must regularly consume green veggies; you will observe an improvement in the quality of your life with regular consumption.

Components of a Balanced Diet

We always hear balanced diet this and that. However, how many of us know what exactly is a balanced diet and how can one achieve that objective? What are the components of a complete meal? Balanced diets are the ones that give your body requisite nutrients to function at its full potential. You have to have a nutritious meal, you must consume fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains.

Fruits and Vegetables Fruits are one of the best snacks on the go when you are hungry. They are not only easy to carry but are also packed with nutrients that are necessary for the growth of your body. Vegetables on the other hand supply you with all the essential vitamins and minerals. You can include dark leafy veggies with nearly all the foods for a quick salad. You can have spinach, kale, broccoli etc.

Whole Grains People generally consume refined forms of flour that is processed after the removal of hull and loses all its nutritional value. This is the reason why people should consume whole grains that includes the hull and can provide you the necessary dose of nutrients.

Proteins To get your necessary intake of protein, you can consume meat or beans. They help in the development of muscle and brain. If you are a non vegetarian, you can enjoy certain meats that are low fat like chicken, fish, certain portions of beef etc. For vegetarians, the options are lentils, sunflower seeds, walnuts, nuts etc.

Dairy Milk and other dairy products are rich in vitamin D and calcium. However, they must be consumed in moderation as they are also high in fat content.

Foods that Stimulate the Brain

Eating well is necessary not just for healthy body but also healthy mind. While good food is essential for the holistic growth, there are some foods that can stimulate the brain power and make you smarter. If you incorporate these food items to your list of daily intakes you will be able to notice significant changes to your ability to use your brain to its maximum potential.

Whole grains Your brain will not be able to work unless it gets its regular dose of energy each day. The ability to focus is derived from the steady provision of energy that is glucose in the blood stream that reaches the brain. If you consume low GI whole grains daily, you can experience greater concentration power that keeps you alert throughout the day.

Tomatoes The powerful antioxidant called lycopene that is present in tomatoes can protect you against damage to the cells. These damaged cells can cause diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia etc which is particularly related to brain.

Vitamins Vitamins B-6, B-12 and folic acid reduces the level of homogeneity available in our blood. The elevated homogeneity can cause strokes, cognitive dysfunction and other diseases. Regular consumption of these vital vitamins can keep your brain sharp well into your age.

Broccoli This one green veggie is packed with health benefits from weight loss to brain power, broccoli has it all. It is highly rich in vitamin K which improves the cognitive function and brain power.

Walnuts Vitamin E that is found in abundance in walnuts helps people to retain their cognitive abilities especially as they age. You can also eat green leafy vegetables, olives, eggs, brown rice etc to consume copious quantities of vitamin E.

Foods to burn fat from body

One of the growing crises now a day is obesity. To overcome this people go through lots of rigorous training and will be left with no energy to carry on day to day work. Another technique is to limit the food or on other words following strict diet. This will create loss nutrient in the body. The best way to burn diet is to take these are the food items that burns fat easily and do less workout.

Tomatoes can be a great way to lose weight without extra calories as it contains adequate fibers in form of flesh. Orange has a healthy content of Vitamin C, which helps to work with optimal food. It is true that orange contains sugar level that can be turned to fat, which is not burned. On other hand, orange has low calorie count and it helps to regulate blood glucose level. Oats are best choice to lose weight. It contains more fibers, which help to burn the fat by increasing metabolic activities. Therefore, everyone recommends oats as their first choice for those who wish to lose weight.

Eating same old bland food for the reason of weight loss is boring. Sometimes it is encouraged to try some experiments with food by using tips from various cultures like adding spices to the food, which gives a special taste. Not the taste alone increases even some spices has the ability to increase the metabolic activity and reduces weight. Potatoes are harmful for people who are dieting. However, a sweet potato turns out to be useful as it has less calories and it can be taken for dieting. It has much good stuff in it.

Preparing to grow mushrooms

Growing mushrooms is a lot easier than growing other crops at home. With a little dedication and some basic knowledge, anyone can accomplish the task. Here are the basic arrangements that you would need to start growing these nutrition rich delicacies for yourself. 

Mushroom growing is completely different and unique from any other form of cultivation on earth, so the tools are quite unique too. The basic tool you would need is a pitch fork. Try and invest in one that has five or six prongs to handle compos effectively. You will also need some good boxes or trays, about twelve or ten inches deep, to grow your mushrooms in. 

It is preferable if the boxes are made from old lumber; any other wooden tray will do. It is quite important to check the construction of these trays as poorly constructed ones tend to come off quickly. Use long nails and strong screws to build them. 

The moisture in the compost will warp the wooden planks and damage them. The mushroom ‘seeds’ are known as spawn. There are lots of spawns in the market and choose the species that you want to grow. The spawns should be a healthy and pure culture to yield good growth when cultivated in your environment. 

A spawn variation, called a moist spawn, is also now available. But the moist spawn are intended to be used immediately after purchasing them; they also show quick results since they are sold in the stage of active growth. You will also need a few bales of straw and a watering can that gives a fine sprinkle of water. With these, and some gypsum is all you need to get started.

Poor Diets Cause Laziness

Many people experience brief laziness after consuming a large meal of any sort.  Researchers have concluded that the consumption of processed foods leads to lethargy and obesity.

UCLA has has released results to a study they performed involving rats and unprocessed and processed food.

Over a period of three months the Scientists noticed the rats that ate unprocessed food, such as ground corn, and fish meal maintained a healthy weight, and activity level.

The rats that were given a diet of lower-quality processed food containing more sugar, became obese.

After the initial test, the researchers put the obese rats on a healthy diet for nine days.  The rats failed to make any improvements in their weight, or activity levels.

This has led the researchers to conclude that processed food contributes to major health risks, as well as cognitive impairments.

Why should you eat cheese?

Cheese is the best snack to munch on. You can add it to your favorite recipe or just plainly eat it by itself. There are 300 several varieties of cheese all over the world. These varieties are made from unripened and ripened cheese.

Aside from keeping your bones and teeth strong, cheese also slows down your carb absorption which makes you feel lighter. Known for having zinc, cheese works well in preventing oracular degeneration and aids in tissue growth. Cheese is your all-in-one snack buddy during those lonely movie nights or during pajama party nights with friends.

The downside of eating cheese is that the usual cheeses available in supermarkets are those mass-produced, sealed in packaging and stored for weeks. Though there are unprocessed cheeses available, you still need to check its freshness. Saturated fat is also present in cheese, this kind of fat increases your cholesterol level, risk of having cardiovascular diseases, and even increase the risk of having memory loss. 

One way to avoid these risks is to opt for low-fat cheese. Just check the label and make sure that the cheese you’re going to get is low-fat. It tastes just about the same, but it's way healthier. Cheese is a dairy product, so for those who are lactose intolerant, you should eat Cheddar and Swiss cheese, as it contains a little amount of lactose.

Tricks to Boost Your Metabolism

The human metabolism is one of the most studied areas of weight-loss research. Researchers are always looking for ways that will help give our resting metabolic rate a boost.  The following are some tips that will effectively boost your metabolism.

Build more muscle through a good resistance training routine.  Every pound of muscle zaps six calories a day just doing nothing. This occurs because when your muscles are at rest, they still require three times more energy than fat does for tissue maintenance and rebuilding.

Don't remain seated all day.  While making phone calls for one hour at your desk, you'll burn 15 calories, but doing it while standing up and moving, you'll burn 100 calories.

Increasing your water consumption is another surefire method to boost your metabolism.

"People who down eight cups of water daily burn 100 calories more each day than those who drink four cups or less," says Lauren Schmitt, a dietician in Los Angeles.

Lastly, making breakfast a staple of your daily routine is an imperative factor in boosting metabolism.  Studies show that  people who eat breakfast regularly, consume 100 fewer calories daily than those who don't.

Healthy Foods that Your Kids will Love

It is a case of constant misery for many mothers when their kids refuse to eat food. However, these days, it is much simpler to buy healthy ingredients from the market and prepare tasty meals for them. These foods are not only enjoyable but also high in nutritional content which makes them ideal for the kids.

Here are some foods that your kids will love.

Flaxseed Packed with Omega-3 Fatty acids, flaxseeds act like a brain tonic. It helps in the optimal development of the brain and can be had both whole and ground. Researchers, however, suggest that flaxseeds are absorbed by the body best when they are eaten ground. You can sprinkle them to the banana cinnamon waffles or morning cereals for healthy consumption.

Tofu You may think that there is no chance in heaven that your child would eat tofu delightfully. However, you will be amazed to learn that there is! If you use tofu to serve as a creamy base to their smoothies and cookies and cream ice creams, they will not only love what they just ate but will be begging for more. Tofu is highly rich in protein, B vitamins, iron and calcium.

Sweet Potato This is one of the most nutritious veggies and is also not very expensive. You can improve or retain the eyesight of your children if you include sweet potatoes in their diet as it is a rich source of vitamin A. Because of their bright color and sweetness, the kids generally love this dish without much hassle.

4 EASY WAYS TO MAKE WARM AND FLUFFY S’MORES

FEEDS: 1 per serving size READY: Depending on how the s’mores are made, the final ready time varies from 3 to 7 minutes.

INGREDIENTS: 1 large bag of marshmallows (10 oz) 1 large Hershey’s chocolate bar (7 oz) 1 pack of Honey Maid graham crackers (14.4 oz)

DIRECTIONS FOR THE FIRE: 1. To roast over an open flame, pierce the center of one marshmallow with a skewer and slowly let the fire crisp it up. 2. Split your graham cracker into two long halves. Break off one piece of chocolate and set it onto one of the halves. 3. Place the roasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate. Press the other graham cracker onto the marshmallow and munch away!

DIRECTIONS FOR THE GRILL: 1. Set the grill to medium heat. Place 1 graham cracker half onto a piece of aluminum foil and top it with 1 piece of chocolate and 1 marshmallow. Cover the stack with the remaining graham cracker half. 2. Wrap the aluminum foil around the stack and let it grill for 5 minutes. 3. Carefully, open up the wrap and enjoy!

DIRECTIONS FOR THE MICROWAVE: 1. Layer 1 graham cracker half with 1 piece of chocolate and 1 marshmallow. 2. Zap the stack in the microwave for 8 seconds. 3. Top it off with the other graham cracker half and gobble it up!

DIRECTIONS FOR THE TOASTER OVEN: 1. On a sheet of aluminum foil, set up 1 graham cracker half with 1 piece of chocolate and 1 marshmallow. 2. Stick the sheet into the toaster oven for 5 minutes, or until the marshmallow surface is toasty. 3. Press the 1 remaining graham cracker half onto the stack and dig in!

Best Way To Remove Splinter

The lazy days of summer can increase the risk of getting a splinter. Pieces of wood that get stuck in the skin. Most splinters can be removed at home.  Some splinters may need medical attention.

Here are som tips on how to safely remove a splinter.

• Pull the end of the splinter that is sticking out of the skin with a pair of tweezers. Be sure to pull the splinter out in the same direction that it entered the skin.
• If the splinter is under the skin, sterilize a small pin and the skin with alcohol. Use the pin to remove the splinter. Once it is partially out, use a pair of tweezers to remove it.
• Once the splinter is removed, wash the area with soap and water.
• After cleaning the skin, apply Neosporin and cover the wound.

Some splinters cannot be removed from the comfort of home.  Get medical attention if the splinter seems very deep or if it is lodged under a fingernail. If a child with a splinter is restless,  it’s a good idea get help from medical staff. 

Splinters may contain germs, and bacteria. As a result, anyone who gets a splinter might develop an infection.

These tips should make splinter removal a lot easier.

Good Food Decisions For Your Budget

Americans feel a trip to the grocery store is a bit of a challenge. Families are always looking for ways to stretch their money so they can still enjoy the products they have come to enjoy. In fact, a new survey found that while people feel nutrition is more important than the price, nearly three out of four Americans feel the need to cut back on purchasing certain items, such as all-natural foods and fresh produce, in an attempt to save money.

Registered Dietitian Patricia M. Bannan says that shopping the perimeter of the supermarket is the best way to find nutritious food. There are simple, cost efficient ways to eat nutritiously dense food if shoppers just know what foods to choose and how to save.

Shoppers should pick dark green, dark purple, red, yellow and orange items in the produce section.  These are the items that possess the most vitamins.

People should also strive to choose 100 percent whole grain items in the bakery.  Bleached bread has less vitamins and minerals, and is converted into glucose when consumed.

When eating meat, such as cold cuts, people should stay away from prepackaged varieties that contain nitrates.  Hormel has a 100 percent natural line that is tasty, and pocket friendly.

Finally, shoppers should try consuming low-fat and reduced-fat dairy items.  They contain less Saturated fat.

Following these tips, people can eat healthier, and save money.

Importance of Health and Fitness

Health is something that is extremely dynamic as it keeps on changing. As we experience change in lifestyle, we also experience sickness, time of good health and extreme health concerns as well. However, as we start to work on our lifestyles, our health starts to improve and we become more active and able to perform more during the day.

When we talk about being healthy and bringing change to our current lifestyle, it is about engaging in a physical activity so that we can improve our current health status and move towards state of optimal well being. As our lifestyle changes and improves, we experience less sickness and more activeness. When we talk about being healthy, there are four components that need to work in absolute harmony and perfection:

Cardio-respiratory Capacity: It means how much our body is capable of taking in the oxygen and delivering it to the cells so that it can be converted into energy. The more energy our body is capable of producing the more active our life would be. Over a period of time, you will experience that your heart functions better and is able to endure much more.
Muscular Ability: the better your muscular strength the better your overall posture will be. Your metabolism rate will improve and you muscles will have greater strength as well as improved strength of the joints.

Flexibility: refers to the movement and motion that our joints are capable of performing. When your joints are flexible and has improved movements, you are less prone to the risk of injury, have greater range of motion and better body movements.

Body composition: it is the proportion of fat free mass to fat mass. Your risk of getting heart diseases are lowered in case of a perfect mix.

A Good Neighbor Is Beneficial

A helpful neighbor will loan you items when in need, feed your dog while your away, and also protect you from serious ailments, like a heart attack.

After tracking more than 5,000 American adults, ranging in age from 51 to 105, who had no previous heart issues, researchers from the University of Michigan found a clear connection between “perceived neighborhood social cohesion” and the risk of heart attack.

The study asked its participants to rate statements from 1 to 7.  Questions asked ranged from “I really feel part of this area”, “If you were in trouble, there are lots of people in this area who would help you.”

Researchers followed the participants after a four-year period, and they monitored them for heart attacks.  They concluded that an increased sense of belonging lowered the risk of heart attacks.

They believe the reduced stress that is gained from these factors is responsible for the health benefits.

Wine Can Be Good For You

A glass of white or red wine along with your dinner can have a positive effect on your health.

According to new research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, regulated amounts of wine can be beneficial in preventing heart disease, in conjunction with a regular exercise program.

Researchers tracked 146 volunteers, all who had a mild to moderate risk of heart disease. 

Half of the group was given red wine and the other white wine for a period of one year.

Men were allowed two to two and a half glasses each day, while women could have one to two glasses.  The patients were asked to log consumption, activity and diets in a journal.

People who drank wine and also exercised at least twice a week had elevated levels of “good” cholesterol and a drop in total cholesterol overall.

Not Getting Proper Rest Can Reduce Brain Size

Those late nights may have a greater impact on your body than just a following day of yawning and reduced work output.   According to Science of Us, researchers found that people who were routinely sleep depraved were more prone to brain a decline in brain volume.

They had their study published in Neurology, and it compared two MRI brain scans of 147 adults.

Study participants also completed a survey about their sleep habits. Those who had sub-par sleep patterns had brain shrinkage in multiple regions, though the study didn’t specify whether the loss was caused by lost sleep or if the lost sleep was brought on by the brain shrinkage.

The best thing is to still get at least seven hours of sleep a night.