How to Eat Healthier

I have been dieting off and on what seems like my entire life and have seen or tired every diet out there. Some worked right away but I couldn't stand eating the same thing over and over again. With others, I never lost any weight, and some even made me gain. But, by trying all of these diets, I have taken away some key aspects on how to lose weight and keep it off.

One of the most important things I have learned is portion control. This is in almost every diet out there, and there is a reason for that, because it is very important when it comes to losing weight. For instance, your meat portion should be no bigger than 3 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards. You want to limit the amount of starches you eat, such as potatoes, rice, and pasta. Also, vegetables are very good for you, so they should take up the most space on your plate. Another thing to remember is that when you are wanting something sweet to eat, fruit has natural sugar, which is much better for you than granulated sugar or Splenda, so instead of grabbing a cooking or an ice cream cone, grab an apple or a handful of grapes. They taste good, will satisfy your sweet tooth, and stick with you much longer than a cookie.

Another thing I have learned though all of my dieting experience is that you need to limit your input of salt. Eating a lot of salt has many consequences, it is bad for your heart, and weight wise, your body recognizes it and hold more water, so in turn you weight more. When you go grocery shopping, you should always look for the items that have "no sodium added," "low sodium," or "reduced sodium." This will help your overall health and help you shed those few extra pounds. Just remember, don't add salt to your food once it is on the table, and good step in doing this is just taking the salt off the table all together. Minimizing your salt intake is one of the harder dieting steps I have taken, because we are all so used to salt being in everything, and the taste it gives food. But after a week of consuming a low sodium diet, you will be used to it, and if you get a hold of something that is heavily salted, it will knock you back, and you will then realize how much salt is put in and on food. Another way I have helped reduce my sodium intake is by cutting the salt amount in recipes in half or eliminating it completely, depending on the recipe.

The next important step to eating healthier is to cut down on the amount of starch based foods, like I mentioned in with portion control, but starches have a lot more to do with weight lose than just portion control. Many starches are flour based and flour based foods along with rice, expand after you eat them, so you don't realize how full your stomach is until it is too late. It is also one of the last "fats" that you can work off, it is long lasting, so if you aren't very active, you need to try to steer clear of starches. You always hear about marathon runners eating huge bowls of pasta before a large marathon, well that is because it is a high energy food and will stick with them for a long time. By eating pasta, they will be able to have energy throughout the entire race. This is a very hard food to cut back on, because it seems to be everywhere. All you need to do is be aware of what you are eating and making wise food choices and you will be able to reduce the amount of starch you intake.

Another very important step to healthier eating is the speed at which you consume your food. I am really bad at this one, I eat my food very fast, so I clean my plate and I am still hungry, so I get more food. However, once I finally stop eating because my stomach has caught up with my eyes I am miserable because I have eaten more than will fit in my stomach, so it is getting stretched out. That is a big cause of stomach aches, but if you do that at every meal, your stomach will never shrink and your body will think it needs that much food every time you eat, so you will continue to gain weight. A great trick I have learned to help slow down my eating is to take a normal sized bite of food, set your fork down and crew your food, maybe talk to a friend, or read a paragraph in a book, then take another bite. Because you are taking your time between bites, your stomach will be able to keep up, and the feeling of being full won't sneak up on you.

The last step I am going to share with you about eating healthier is to cut back on the number of meals you eat out. Food from restaurants, especially fast food, is extremely high in carbohydrates and fats. If you make most of your food at home from scratch, you know exactly what is in it. This will help you monitor what you eat better, and believe me, homemade food is something every family enjoys. It won't only make you healthier, but it will help your wallet as well. Eating out is very expensive, even if there are only two of you going out to eat. You can feed a family for much less if you make your own food, plus there is a greater chance of being leftovers if you make food at home, because you can control portion sizes better. The portions you get at restaurants is enough food to feed 2 or 3 people.

I hope you find these steps to eating healthier helpful, and hopefully you can see the results they can give in your own life.
By, Crystal Wade
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Eating Healthy For Busy People

The same question "What's for dinner?"

This week you have just started a new commitment to yourself that you are going to eat better and start exercising and you've just gotten off work after a seemingly endless day. It's been hectic and you still have a million things to do; pick up the kids, walk the dog, get your work out in, go to some recital or game, or do your laundry. You know, the never ending list of "should do's" or "gotta get done's" that make it seem as if there is just not enough time in a day. You have been so good all week and hate to blow it. On this particularly never ending day you are trying to be good but it is hard. The last thing you want to do is try to find some time to go shopping and make a healthy dinner! It is ever so tempting to skip your workout and run through a fast food joint just to make your day just a little be faster and easier. After all you have had a hard day and deserve a break, right? However, you know that you'd feel better sticking to your promise to yourself and your family to eat healthier. So what do you do?

If you are like me you probably end up at a sub sandwich shop ordering some chicken bacon ranch sandwich, justifying to yourself "It is not total junk food, it's not fried and I got the baked chips." Then to compensate you add another 15 minutes to your power walk out of the time you saved from not making dinner. Yea, you know who you are. That is ok. We all do it. It is my goal to reduce the amount of times a week I do this. So how does one keep from being in this situation? Prepare.

Preparing for "What's for Dinner?"

I am not a person who likes to pre-plan every meal for the week. I am not very organized and I never really know what I am going to be in a mood to eat so planning the menu for the entire week is difficult for me. If you are like me here are a few things that I have found helpful in answering the "What's for diner?" question in a more healthy way.

Find some recipes that you can make for dinner in 30 minutes or less. There are loads of healthy dinner ideas on the web. Keep the basic ingredients for simple, fast recipes stocked in your kitchen. You need to take the time to plan and shop. This doesn't have to be a huge undertaking but remember you are also trying to create healthier eating habits so some changes have to be made. Make extra portions that can be frozen or refrigerated and reheated or cooked later. For example, if you are making a meatloaf or a casserole on the weekend, double the recipe and freeze half. Make an extra big salad keeping the extra for later in the week. Pre-cook chicken breast that can be chopped and added to the salad or can be used a quick wrap or sandwich. Have quick healthy snacks on hand that you can grab and take with you; fruit, cheese sticks, nuts, veggie sticks, cooked chicken or turkey breast, protein bars, etc. This will allow you to not be as hungry until you return home and get something healthy. These are a few things that have helped me eat healthier and has helped to keep me from the fast food drive thrus and I am the least organized domestic engineer on the planet.

Serious Nutrition Answers
I am no expert, just a working mother and wife with more things to do than time to do them.
Zach Hunt is a Healthy eating for dinner expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: personal trainer Spokane for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.
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Recipes Around the World

You've no doubt heard the saying, "You are what you eat", as it typically pertains to encouraging people to be more health conscious- and really consider each food before it enters the mouth! In America in fact, a commercial for a popular brand of cereal bars actually depicted people walking out of donut shops and bakeries in costumes of the food that they ordered for breakfast, and of course, everyone stared at the donut shaped person walking into the office. The idea behind the phrase, "you are what you eat", is if you don't want to look like you eat donuts every morning for breakfast and fast food every night for dinner, you need to eat healthier.

Around the world, countries each have their own special recipes and cooking habits that contribute to the overall health of the countries residents. Obviously, there are healthy and unhealthy eaters within every country, but there are statistics of each country that prove that some are simply healthier than others, based on the types of meals they eat on a regular basis.

As more countries are starting to include recipes from other parts of the world in their own meal planning, the statistics of the countries health based on eating habits are started to convey those changes. For example, Asian countries who in the past only ate red meats occasionally, approximately once a month, are starting to include more meat in their diets as they accept more westernized recipes, and the number of people who have cancer and diabetes in those countries are starting to rise in correspondence with the changing of their typical eating habits.

Food is a necessity to live; people need the nutrients and vitamins from the food we eat to survive, but food has certainly become far more than a means of survival for most people. While we should be "eating to live", most of us "live to eat"! This is probably because of the availability of food- you can drive through any neighborhood and pass a fast food restaurant, maybe even with a drive through- meaning you never have to get out of your car to order and receive an entire meal. Grocery stores are stocked with the necessities of vegetables, fruits, meats and dairy products- but they also have aisles and aisles of fatty, non nutritional items like potato chips, cookies, and other snack foods that offer little more than calories to our diets.

So the next time you are shopping for food, remember the phrase, "you are what you eat", and concentrate on buying products that are going to contribute to the nutrients and vitamin needs that make up our "eating to live" mentality, rather than just filling your grocery cart with the things you may love to eat. You can certainly find recipes that are full of flavor and tastes that are healthy for you, as well. Look to other nationalities meals for food ideas, and search for recipes online and purchase cook books or head to the library for a cook book to spark ideas for new meals that are healthy and delicious!

More recipe ideas at http:www.recipes.gb.com
P. Edwards is a professional freelance writer and manager of Recipes Online [http://www.recipes.gb.com], HouseHobby.com - Bathrooms Online [http://www.househobby.com/bathroomhome.html] and Health and Beauty Online [http://www.feelinglighter.com/]
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Easy and Healthy Cooking Recipes

If you are looking for healthy cooking recipes, chances are, you are trying to lose weight or want to eat healthier. There are a lot of ways that we can eat healthier. The only reason why we don't do them is because we're too stubborn sometimes.

A good way to get into these recipes is to ensure that they still taste delicious even if they're healthier. The first recipe which you can cook is banana bread. The ingredients to use are pretty simple: bananas, flour, milk, eggs, and salt. What you can do is to replace the milk with yogurt, and cut back on the salt. By replacing the milk with yogurt, the calories are trimmed down and give the cake a different taste. This recipe is so much healthier than eating a chocolate chip cookie or cupcake.

The second on the list of healthy cooking recipes is beef and broccoli. A common misconception is that you can't eat meat if you are on a diet. The truth is you can eat meat as long as it's mixed with the right ingredients. Replacing the usual cooking oil with olive oil, for instance, adds a lot of health benefits and makes the dish taste better. The right mix of oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil makes this dish a healthy favorite.

The reason why broccoli is used in this dish is because of the health benefits of the vegetable. Rich in Vitamin C, broccoli is good for the body especially in providing resistance against colds and coughs. It can also control some diseases which include diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Moreover, it helps slow down the aging process.

Who doesn't like pizza? It's time to avoid the greasy pizza that we normally order from fast-food and come up with our own version at home. A healthy recipe is using ham plus lots of veggies as the toppings. Ham and pepper, ham and pineapple (for the classic Hawaiian pizza) are the two of the most popular choices. For the pizza bread, you can use wheat bread or the regular loaf of bread. For the cheese, make sure that its reduced fat or you'll get the same amount of calories especially with mozzarella.

Instead of rice, have you thought of eating mashed potatoes with your main course? The most common recipe for mashed potatoes is to mix it with garlic. However, you can also play around with different ingredients like honey, cheese, and other herbs. The reason why it's healthier to eat mashed potatoes is because of the potassium content of the vegetable. Potatoes can also help regulate the blood pressure. Make sure to combine with other veggies to make your meals more nutritious.

Healthy cooking recipes need not taste bland. It's all about creativity and the use of delicious ingredients to spice them up. After getting used to eating healthy, you'll be surprised at how good your body looks and how you feel. Since your immune system is more stable, you are also less prone to diseases.

With a lifelong passion for health, I enjoy sharing my personal experiences with diet and exercise. I also enjoy reviewing products, enjoy my latest reviews on what you need to know about choosing grommet top curtains [http://grommettopcurtains.org] and how to measure up 63" curtains [http://grommettopcurtains.org/63-Curtains-63-Inch-Curtains.html] for your bedroom and living area.
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Getting Kids To Eat Healthier

Trying to get your kids to eat healthy is usually very trying for even the most patient mom. Ask me I know. Even when you spend hours trying to make it look pretty and edible by hiding all the green stuff away, they still pull up their little noses in disgust. In fact trying to get my child to eat anything that isn't white is a very trying experience.

Although we would like to hope that Orange Juice and Nic Naks make a good wholesome meal, unfortunately this is not the case. It is quite important that growing children get good nutrition as they grow. Their diets can also make a huge difference to how they feel and their ability to learn.

Here are some tips that may or may not help you in your endeavor to get your kids to eat healthy.

Tip 1:
Serve them small portions as they only have small tummies. If you serve them an entire plate of meat, rice and veggies, they will probably give up before they even start. Try cut up some nutritional food into bite size portions for them, like cubes of cheese, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, a few peas and some tiny triangles of bread or toast. At least this way they will be likely to eat at least half of it.

Tip 2:
Become an artist, as children eat something because it looks good. Never underestimate the power of a cookie cutter when it comes to making sandwiches. Even something as simple as making a smiley face out of the food on the plate helps.

Tip 3:
If they hate the taste of something, like broccoli, don't sweat it trying to force them to eat it. You will just end up giving yourself grey hair and unnecessary stress. There are countless alternatives to any food, and there is bound to be one your little one will like.

Tip 4:
Don't worry if they want tomato sauce with everything. At least it is a good form of lycopene and provided it's a good brand that is low in salt and sugar, it is fine if it helps them eat that piece of meat. If they have a sweet tooth, try making a milkshake out of bananas and fruit and a little ice cream. Children also love ice lollies, so make these out of pureed fruit.

Tip 5:
Never force your child to finish everything on his or her plate. You are merely encouraging them to overeat by ignoring those vital 'I'm full' signals from their brains.

Tip 6:
Tell your children that the deal is that they have to taste a food at least once before saying they don't like it. Sometimes they surprise themselves.

Tip 7:
Take them shopping with you, and let them choose a dinner. They will feel more in control if they are involved in the decision making process.

Tip 8:
Let them experiment in the kitchen. Most kids will eat anything that they themselves have made. Encourage the use of healthy ingredients and of course supervision. There are tons of kid friendly recipes on Google.

Tip 9:
It's okay to lie through your teeth in some instances. For instance if they ask if the soup has onions in it you are allowed to say no if it means that they will eat it.

Tip 10:
Never offer more than two or three choices, or you will be asking for trouble. If they don't finish their food, simply put it away for later, then if they complain that they are hungry in an hour, you can whip it out again. If they are truly hungry they will eat it. Don't then go and substitute it with a chocolate biscuit.
The trick is being clever, resourceful, as well as tough. Stick to your decisions, after all it is their health you are looking after.

For more on health issues, click here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michel_Maling

Eating Healthier in 2009

More Fruits and Vegetables

Experts recommend a minimum of five servings of fruits or vegetables a day, but eight to 10 is more like it. How?

- Start small and work your way up. Just add one more daily serving than you'd usually have. When that begins to feel normal, add another.

- Top your morning cereal with slices of banana, apple, or berries.

- Substitute a piece of fruit or a can of vegetable juice for your afternoon coffee.

- Eat more spinach, which is very nutritious and easy to make. Prewashed baby spinach is tasty raw in sandwiches and salads, or warm in soups and pasta or as a separate side dish.

- Buy and serve produce in a variety of colors and plan colorful meals to get lots of different vitamins and minerals in your diet. For example, serve fresh veggies such as cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, carrots, and green beans as a side with a low-fat dip or hummus. During the growing season, browse through a local farmers' market to find as many different colored items as you can, and don't be afraid to try something new.

- Try frozen produce. Many people struggle to eat all their fresh produce before it goes bad. If you're wasting money this way, consider buying frozen produce. It's already cut up and ready to cook, and it stays good for much longer than fresh produce.

Less Meat (especially red)

Meat is an important source of protein, but most health experts agree that we eat too much in the U.S. How can you cut down?

- Save steak for special occasions, and order the 8-ounce fillet instead of the 16-ounce T-bone. Start your meal by eating a salad and your veggie sides first. That way, you save the steak for last and you won't feel deprived and hungry when you finish the smaller portion. Consider buying grass-fed meat, which research shows to be healthier than conventional grain-fed meat.

- At home, prepare smaller portions of meat. Choose lean cuts and trim away all excess fat. A typical serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

- Substitute fish for red meat. The fat in a fish like salmon, for example, is unsaturated fat -- the good kind that helps your body absorb vitamins and minerals. The fat in pork or beef is saturated fat -- the bad kind that raises cholesterol levels.

- When choosing cold cuts, go for chicken, turkey, or lean roast beef instead of salami or bologna.
More Whole Grains

Whole grains are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients. Adults should have between six and nine servings of whole grains a day, depending on your activity level. But what's "whole" grain, and how do you get more?

- Read labels and look for "whole" in the ingredients. You're looking specifically for breads, cereals, and flour that have a whole grain listed first in the ingredient list.

- Substitute whole-grain flour when baking. It works in almost all recipes.

- Use whole-grain breads for toast and sandwiches. Avoid any bread that is all white or yellow with no texture variation.

- Snack on whole-grain crackers instead of the bleached white alternatives.

- Use brown rice instead of white and whole-wheat pasta instead of regular when making side dishes or adding to soups.

- Try to have oatmeal made from whole oats at least once a week for breakfast. Avoid the instant packages, which often have less fiber than regular oats and lots of added sugar.

Less Saturated Fat, Salt, Sugar, and Alcohol

Sugar, salt, alcohol, and saturated fats are all delicious, but it's important to consume them sparingly because they can harm your health in large amounts.

- Eat low-fat dairy products. Dairy is one food group that maintains all of its nutritional properties even in low- or no-fat versions.

- When eating out, pay attention to how menu items are prepared. Braised, baked, grilled, broiled, or poached are good indications that the item is prepared in a healthy way.

- When cooking, avoid margarine and shortening, which are bad fats. Instead, use vegetable, olive, or canola oil.

- Opt for low-sodium options when buying canned produce, soups, or ordering food in restaurants. Many prepared and processed foods have very high amounts of sodium in them, which can be dangerous, especially for those at risk of developing heart or kidney disease.

- Cut down on sugar by adding water to your juice. Start by just filling your glass 3/4; full with juice and then filling it up the rest of the way with water or soda water. Over time, continue decreasing the amount of juice and increasing the amount of water. Eventually, you'll find that 1/4 juice and 3/4 water tastes great.

- Try to eliminate soda from your diet altogether. Even diet soft drinks have been shown to increase appetite. Instead, drink milk or just water with your meals.

- Pack healthy snacks instead of taking a trip to the vending machine. Bring grapes to munch on during the day, or keep a low-fat granola bar in your desk drawer. (This will help you cut down on sugar and fat, and it will save you money.)

- Allow yourself small portions of your favorite treats on an occasional basis -- for example, an ounce of chocolate after dinner. This will help you feel satisfied without going overboard.

- Limit yourself to one glass of wine or one beer a day, two on special occasions.

More water

Having enough water in your system keeps it working correctly. Dehydration can cause any number of health and digestive problems, and it also slows your metabolism.

- Keep a reusable water bottle with you whenever possible. Keep sipping and refilling throughout the day. It's best to consume most of your water apart from meals. (Too much water at mealtime can flush
nutrients out of your body instead of allowing them to absorb.)

- If you don't like plain water, add lemon or lime to flavor it a little.

- Don't wait until you feel thirsty. When you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.

Christine Thomson is a Registered Dietitian/LifeTransformation Coach who has a mission to guide each person to their body's full wellness potential through a highly-intuitive and unique balance of physical & emotional health. She has developed an effective program, The Compassionate Transformation™ Program©, to show her clients the simple changes necessary to powerfully create a healthy & whole life as they heal their relationship with food. You can learn more about Christine and all of her products & services at http://www.CompassionateNutritionist.com
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Can't Quit Cola - Three Smoothie Recipes For Healthier Children

Parents have a difficult job. Fear is everywhere, and if we responded to all the adverts around us, making us afraid of the air we breathe and the water we drink, we'd live a sad, drab life. Most of us struggle to find the right food for our children. They need liquid, they need vitamins, they need fiber and they need protein. Sadly many of the popular drinks contain only carbohydrates, and rather too much of that, they are also expensive. I found that my kids would drink cans, but they had learned so much about pollution at school that when I suggested water as a substitute they thought I was mad.

The problem with cola/soda is that it's sweet and kids get used to that. It can also contain caffeine which has more effect on small bodies than it does on adults. In fact when you get right down to it, you wonder why we let them drink it all. There are many alternatives. Sparkling water is one, smoothies are another.
Most of us think of smoothies as creamy drinks, and this is great initially when you are persuading your kids to try them out. Imagine if you could persuade your children to drink something which supplied them with the water they needed AND lots of minerals and vitamins, without the caffeine and excessive sweetness? Guess what? That ideal drink's a smoothie, so you'll need a blender.

Take a look at any smoothie recipe and one thing that will jump right out at you is the sugar content. Although smoothies are made with real fruit, modern tastes seem to prefer food which is far sweeter. The good things about this is that the sweet tooth is learned, so it can be unlearned. Ask anyone from outside the USA and they'll tell you that everything here tastes sweet to them, often too sweet, in comparison to the food in other countries. You will have to sweeten smoothies to get your kids to drink them at first, but don't copy recipes slavishly. Try to reduce the sweet element little by little. If you start with ice cream (which has already been sweetened) you'll be fine, but when you use fruit with yogurt, it needs a little something, so why not try honey? Honey is sweet but unlike sugar it does at least contain some minerals and vitamins, so it's a step in the right direction. The real trick is to slowly reduce the amount of sweetener in the smoothie until you get to the point where you can rely on the fruit alone. Not something that will happen overnight, but well worth doing.

Here are three smoothie recipes to help with the process.

1. The original ice cream drink. It's important to use strawberries and bananas here because they are nice familiar fruits - don't try to introduce anything weird or wonderful. If you can't get strawberries because of the time of year, frozen ones taste great.

Strawberry and Banana Ice Cream Drink

1 large banana
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
3-4 fresh strawberries
Blend them all to make a refreshing drink that's great for the summer.
2. Staying with nice, familiar strawberries, blend them with fruit juice and start to introduce some other fruit.

Pineapple and Strawberry Smoothie

8 large strawberries
1/2 banana
3 pineapple slices
1 cup of apple juice (no added sweetener)
If this isn't sweet enough, try adding just a little honey.
Blend it all together until smooth and then add 1 cup of crushed ice as the final touch.
3. This last recipe introduces melon. I love the taste of melon, especially water melon, but I've never been able to persuade my kids to eat it. This recipe had the opposite effect. They liked the drink and so were curious about the fruit. The happy result is a house full of melon eaters.

Strawberry Fair

2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
1 cup apple juice
1/2 melon peeled and chopped into chunks.
As always, add honey if required.

I like to add ice cubes once the fruit is all smushed (technical term) together, the kids seem to enjoy the destruction involved!

Weaning your kids off cola is no easy job, but it's very worthwhile, especially if you can do it by introducing smoothies. You might just succeed in teaching them that not everything that's good for you tastes bad.

For more information on vita mix blenders or a vegetable juicer, contact Emma Greenwood at Fresh Start Juicers.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_Greenwood

Turkey Burger Recipe: A Healthier Way To Enjoy An American Classic

While this recipe is probably fairly similar to what you may do on a traditional burger. Because ground turkey often contains less fat than ground beef you want to make sure not to overcook the burger as it is easier to dry out than beef. You will however want to make sure to that the inside is cooked through because it is poultry after all and you want to eat a safe burger. I believe 160 degrees is the temperature but I do not check with a thermometer, after a while you can just tell when they are done. I hope you enjoy it. Keep your eye out for other unique and interesting burger ideas to try.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound of ground turkey
  • 4 whole-grain buns
  • 4 tablespoons of seasoned breadcrumbs
  • tablespoons of onion (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons of parsley (chopped)
  • 4 slices of tomato
  • 4 slices of red onion
  • 2 lettuce leaves (halved)
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of your favorite hot sauce
  • 4 tablespoons of ketchup
  • Salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
  1. To begin on your grilled turkey burger recipe, use a large bowl to mix together the ground turkey, seasoned bread crumbs, parsley, chopped onion, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. My wife prefers fresh bread crumbs although I like them dry. Mix well and divide the mixture into four equal portions. Form these portions into patties.
  2. Use a charcoal grill to prepare a hot fire. Alternatively, you can use a gas grill which is how I often do it. If you have a George Foreman grill - even better.
  3. Lightly coat your cooking surface with Pam or a similar spray, away from your heat source. Place your cooking rack about five inches away from the heat.
  4. Next, grill your burgers until they are browned well on both sides. I normally do mine for about seven minutes on each side to ensure that they are heated through.
  5. You may then serve your turkey burgers on buns topped with one slice of tomato, onion, half a lettuce leaf, along with a dollop of ketchup. If you feel that you require more enhancements, you may add a 1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell pepper like my wife does.
Cooking time (duration): 30 Minutes
Number of servings (yield): 4 Burgers
Although he is a formally trained chef, Jake loves simple food. On his website about burgers, you can also find a fantastic veggie burger recipe which is the perfect healthy alternative to the classic beef burger. For those who love the beef classic, he has the best burger recipe I have ever tried, you must check it out.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jake_Anders

Eating Healthier - Food Makeovers to Lose Weight and Feel Better

Healthy food recipes are hiding in the cookbooks you already have. All you need to do is upgrade ingredients to turn fat-building choices into the best diet. Think of this as stepping up your food to a higher level. Fortunately, supermarkets are bowing to consumer demand and stocking all kinds of health-friendly choices.

Your healthy eating plan can include favorite comfort foods, but with a twist in ingredients to replace processed and animal foods with whole plant foods. Relax, get creative, and explore new ways to prepare fast and healthy meals and snacks.

Although your improved recipes may taste unfamiliar at first, give your taste buds a few weeks to adjust. Within that short time, you should start to prefer your new choices.

Here are some fast, easy ways to start with simple foods you may already eat frequently.

Cereal - Cereal is a convenient way to start the day and can be a great snack any time. Forget sugary cereals with estrogen-laden cow's milk.

First, your cereal should be whole grain. You cannot figure out if a cereal is whole grain by reading the front of the box or meaningless slogans from the manufacturer. You must read the ingredients. The first ingredient should be some kind of whole grain such as whole wheat, brown rice, or whole oat flour.
Second, choose cereals that are not sugary. A good rule of thumb is no more than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Finally, avoid cereals with added fats or oils. The calorie count of each spoonful of cereal doubles with the added fat.

You'll want a delicious dairy-free milk to complement the goodness of your whole grain cereal. Try different brands and flavors of milks made from soy, rice, oats, nuts, or seeds. The choices taste very different from each other, so keep exploring until you find your favorite.

For maximum goodness, top your cereal with fresh, frozen, or dried fruit. Excellent!

Breakfast "meats," hot dogs, and burgers - Droves of food companies are joining the wave of animal-free meat substitutes. Morningstar Farms ® is conveniently found in many supermarkets and has tasty alternatives to bacon, sausage, ground meat, burgers, and chicken. Check their website for recipe ideas. Explore natural foods stores, such as Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, for other brands and flavors.

Sandwiches - Start with whole grain bread. As for cereal, you must read the ingredients. "Wheat flour" is not a whole grain. You want "whole wheat" or another whole grain flour. Add catsup, barbecue sauce, mustard, or horseradish instead of calorie-dense mayo. Your plant-based filling could be hummus, bean spread, nut butter, or plant-based versions of meats commonly used on sandwiches. Pile on lots of veggies, such as sliced tomato, onion, avocado, cucumber, and leafy green lettuce or kale.

Pasta - Give whole grain pasta a try. All the fiber will satisfy your appetite way better then white pasta will. Choose a sauce that is dairy-free and pile on the veggies instead of meat. Steam broccoli, zucchini, string beans, or whatever veggies you like separately, and mix in with your pasta and sauce. Don't forget fresh or dried herbs and spices for an extra nutrient boost. Garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, and dried red peppers make your meal delightful.

Dessert - Fruit, of course, is the healthiest dessert. If you want something fancier, try brown rice pudding made with dairy-free milk and dried fruit. You hardly need any sweetener in this delicious dish. You can also go animal-free in baking by using plant-based milk instead of cow's milk and boxed egg substitute instead of eggs. Try sorbet or dairy-free frozen desserts instead of ice cream.

Branch out and think creatively about upgrading manufactured and animal foods to whole plant-based alternatives. Soon you will be a pro. Your body will thank you and you'll never want to go back.

Janice Stanger, Ph.D., author of The Perfect Formula Diet, is a whole foods nutrition and health expert. She researched more than 1,000 scientific studies to determine the secrets of nutritional excellence. To learn more about permanent weight loss, not-meal plans, and enhanced health with a whole foods diet, visit http://perfectformuladiet.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janice_Stanger,_Ph.D.

Want to Eat Healthier But Don't Have the Time to Cook Due to Your Hectic Lifestyle?

Sometimes in life, the saying 'That's easier said than done' very much rings true. If you are embarking on any kind of diet or weight loss plan, you are usually told to eat healthily. For many people, this is easier said than done. You've had a long and tiring day at work, you live alone and you just don't want to cook tonight. What do you do? You could always just pick up fast food on the way home. The result is - you won't be hungry anymore, you have saved on dishes and you have allowed yourself more time to chill out after such a long day. Great. Not! That burger you just ate had 600 calories. Those fatty fries aren't far behind. But hey, at least you saved some time.

You need to get out of this way of thinking immediately. Not tomorrow, not next week, not after Christmas - NOW! Of course you are going to be tired after work. You'll be even more tired tomorrow with all that fat and sugar swimming around in your system. So what should you do? Firstly, stop thinking about the easy way out. Fast food may be quick and easy, but eating it regularly will never get you where you want to be. Why not spend just 10 minutes preparing something healthy and nutritious? You can even prepare some meals in advance. If you wanted to, you could prepare the entire week's meals on Sunday. What should you cook? This is the key question. There are easy to follow recipes out there that will fit into any lifestyle and will help you lose weight and maintain your health.

For more weight loss tips and a free recipe Ebook, click here.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Watson

11 Ways to Help Your Kids to Eat Healthier

We all want our kids to be healthy, but (I'm a mom too, so I know) we can get into ruts where we slack off a little here and there, and next thing you know, the kids are not eating so great. Here are some tips and things that have been working for me lately.

1. Read labels. Beware of things like high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors. Don't be fooled by labels claiming to be "all-natural" or "made with organic ingredients", since these foods can still contain high amounts of fat, sugar and empty calories. If your child is used to sugary, hydrogenated, artificially flavored snacks, you can gradually wean to healthier versions of not-as-natural brands. There is a slight difference in taste, so it may take some getting used to. There's almost always a healthier alternative in the store. Most supermarkets have delicious, naturally flavored, high-fructose corn syrup-free cookies, crackers, cereal, juice, even fruit leather and cheese puffs. Or make your own- trail mix is an easy satisfying snack that you can customize using nuts, carob chips, cacao nibs, cereal, or granola.

2. Know what you are purchasing. Once you read the labels and know better, be sure to do better. Don't buy what you don't want your family to eat. What you have on hand in the house is what you will end up eating. It will make your life so much easier to just have your kitchen regularly stocked with quick, healthy snacks either to have at home or to grab on the way out.

3. Kids are very visual, so make it pretty and interesting. Be creative: you can arrange sliced meat, fruit, nuts, cheese, sprouts, vegetables, and condiments into trains, faces, flowers, houses, designs, or whatever else they are into. Use cookie cutters to make shapes out of bread, cheese, even pear or apple or carrot slices. Trust me, I didn't think my 4 year old would buy it, but when I made a "flower" (and also made a big fuss about how beautiful it was) she started gobbling up her whole plate.

4. Less is More. If your wondering how your child can survive on a few bites per meal, this one's for you: One mom friend I know noticed that her toddler would eat close to nothing if there was a large amount of food piled onto her plate. Even though nobody was forcing her to finish, this little girl was overwhelmed just by the sight of so much food, and would eat next to nothing. When there was less (a more manageable amount of) food, she would actually eat more.

5. Think outside the box when it comes to combining different foods or even disguising them. For example, add ground flax seeds to yogurt or oatmeal, or a powder probiotic to some juice. Jessica Seinfeld's book Deceptively Delicious has some great ideas in terms of adding vegetable purees to otherwise veggie-free treats. I think it's a good concept and not just for kids! I do believe it's important to also teach kids how to make better food choices for themselves. What if your child wants French fries but you want him to eat something else? Offer healthier foods with the French fries, and encourage him to eat a little of everything.

6. Let them help shop and/or cook. This is a great way to help them understand where food comes from and what goes into preparing a meal. Get them involved in label reading or shopping for a specific recipe. Claire loves to crack eggs or grind spices, and she knows she's never to use a knife or go near the stove. Give your child simple, safe, small tasks to do in the kitchen (and try not to worry about the mess!)

7. Talk. Have conversations about food. Like, how potato chips don't count as a vegetable, or what "organic" means. Try to engage by asking questions. Like, what's your favorite vegetable? Fruit? Sandwich? Healthy snack?

8. Encourage them to try, don't speak for them. If your kids hear you say, "He won't eat that," chances are they will never even try it. Instead ask and encourage (but don't force) your child to try new foods, and let them see you doing the same.

9. Don't give up! And don't get frustrated if your child hates arugula. Keep offering in small amounts (say, "It's there for color,") and eventually they come around. A lot of nutritionists say you may have to expose a certain food up to 8 times before a picky eater will even try it!

10. Be flexible: Let them have their favorite "bad" snacks once in a while. You could use these situations to open a discussion to help your child learn to notice how food affects them. "How did those Twizzlers make your tummy feel?, Did the soda make you burp?"

11. Back off: In the end, all you can do is offer good food, encourage your kids to eat it, and hope for the best. Know that you are not alone as you scrape the untouched remains of that delicious dinner into the trash, and move on to the next meal!

by Danielle O'Connell
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danielle_O'Connell

Fat Burning Foods and Recipes - Eat and Stay Thin!

What's the fun in dieting when all you are allowed to eat is rabbit food? Its no wonder we never stick to our diets! Wouldn't it be great if we were allowed to eat as much as we wanted, but not pick up any weight? Or better still, lose some of it!

Here are some great fat burning foods and recipes that will allow you to eat when you feel hungry, but will also help boost your metabolism so that you're losing stubborn belly fat at the same time.
I know you're probably keen to get to the recipes (we all know how tough it can be to think of what's for dinner every night!), but let us start by discussing the kind of fat burning foods you can incorporate into your snacks and meals. Try and include one or two of these foods in every meal and you will be moving one step closer to your ideal weight.

Fat Burning Foods
  1. Beans. There, I said it. I know beans aren't everybody's favorite food (well, not mine anyway), so I thought I would get it out of the way first. Beans contain plenty of protein and fibre, so they are great for building muscle and the fibre helps prevent your body from absorbing fat. Of course, the more muscle you build, the faster you will be burning fat too. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body needs to burn to sustain the muscles. Building muscle mass is therefore a great way to get your body burning fat naturally.

  2. Eggs are also packed with muscle building protein, which is why eggs are a favorite food for body builders. Eggs also contain B12 which destroys fat cells.

  3. Dairy products contain calcium - also great for boosting metabolism. Low fat cheese and milk contains plenty of calcium and carbohydrates which also help to keep your body from storing fat. Some people advise only using skim milk, but most dietitians will tell you that not all fat is bad for you and recommend low fat milk rather than skim milk.

  4. Green Vegetables provide your body with the nutrients it needs to keep healthy and stay thin. Steam your vegetables to keep them crisp and help retain all those fat burning nutrients. Oh, and try not to drown your lettuce in salad dressing, as that would defeat the purpose of eating them in the first place! If you want a little dressing on your salad, use the light dressings or drizzle some olive oil over the top of your salads.

  5. Wholegrain cereal and oatmeal is a great breakfast option. It contains fibre and complex carbohydrates, and it satisfies your hunger quicker so you don't eat more than you should.

  6. Olive oil is a far better option than regular cooking oil which contains too much fat for our liking. Simply replacing your regular cooking oil with olive oil will give you a much healthier meal, and your cholesterol levels will be kept in check.

  7. Lean meat such as lean beef, chicken, pork and turkey are natural additions to this list thanks to the much needed muscle building protein they add to your diet. Turkey and skinless chicken breasts are probably the best metabolism boosting, muscle building foods you can eat.

  8. Fish is said to be great brain food, but has fat burning benefits as well. Salmon is high in Omega 3 content which lowers your leptin levels and helps burn calories. Tuna contains muscle building protein, and sardines are a body building favorite because of their high levels of protein and fish oil - another awesome fat burner.
Fat Burning Recipes
Having the ingredients is one thing, but putting them together to create a great tasting, fat burning meal can be a daunting task. These 3 fat burning recipes prove that eating healthily does not necessarily have to be a boring, tasteless dining experience.

1. Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:
  • 1 package of lean ground turkey meat
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 6 chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • 1 bunch of chopped scallions
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 packet of buttermilk hidden valley mix
  • 1 tbl. of organic ketchup
Instructions:

Mix all of the ingredients (except the ketchup) together in a bowl until thoroughly combined with the meat. Place in a baking pan and pat down, then spread ketchup on top.

Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

For the last few minutes, switch to broil so that the top gets a nice golden brown finish.

2. Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:
  • 5 carrots, chopped
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, with liquid
  • 1 large head cabbage, chopped
  • 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
  • 2 quarts tomato juice
  • 2 green bell peppers, diced
  • 10 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
Instructions:

Place the carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery into a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover the vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

3. Tuna Salad

Ingredients:
  • Spice
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 4oz Tuna
  • 2 tsp Olive Oil
  • Mesculin Greens
  • Red Onions
  • 1 tbl Balsamic Vinegar
Instructions:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and coat the tuna on both sides. Place one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and sear each side on medium heat. In a bowl, throw in the lettuce, onions, balsamic, and olive oil and toss together.

Cut tuna in thin slices and place on salad.

These are just 3 examples of how anybody can make great tasting meals using fat burning foods. Your meals do not necessarily need to be extravagant or even expensive. Use the list of foods in the list above, and try to incorporate 2 or 3 of these ingredients into your meals every day.
For more fun weight loss tips like these on how to get rid of stubborn belly fat, go ahead and visit my blog at http://www.stubbornbellyfat.net and have a browse!
Until next time...
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_N_Carter

The Implications Of Renting Medical Equipment

By Paulette Mason


The market for medical equipment is marred with a lot of diversity in terms of quality and price. This, coupled with the drastic decrease in profit margins, has led to profound concern world over. Considering the high initial cost of investment and the level of sophistication of the machines required, practicing medical service is one of the most expensive ventures. However, some practitioners have sorted to renting medical equipment in an effort to cut on the investment. This demands some requisite knowledge on buy versus rent decision, as outlined below.

The rental period plays a vital role in this decision. The extent of demand of the machine will determine whether to buy or rent. It is ideal for one to buy equipment that is going to be used for a considerably long time. This is logical because such machine will certainly pay itself. However, when it comes to devices that are demanded on a contract or season basis, be sure to select the rental option.

It is also necessary to compare the upfront costs against monthly payments. The method of acquiring a medical device is dictated by your financial muscles at the instant. For businesses with low cash at hand, but having continuous cash flow, renting becomes the best option. Making monthly payments will leave the enterprise with some operating cash. However, for a firm with ample cash at hand, buying is the ideal and cheapest option. The monthly remittances vary from one dealer to another.

In addition, consider the cost of maintenance. All medical equipment requires some repair and maintenance during its useful period. Numerous rental agreements retain the responsibility of undertaking maintenance with the rental company. As such, you will not shoulder the burden of extra costs. However, after buying the gadget, the cost of repairs and maintenance transfers to you. The cost can be highly expensive, according to the equipment. For devices requiring high maintenance costs, renting is a more convenient acquisition.

The number of times the device is used, forms a significant part of your interest. In the medical arena, the tools vary in the extent of use. While there are those that are used more commonly, some are rarely used. The frequency of usage must thus be put in mind before deciding whether to rent or buy a device. A firm implement can only be bought when it is used regularly.

When comparing the sale and buy decisions, ensure also to consider the resale value. After use, or when upgrading the equipment, the current one may be disposed of. The amount realized is used in acquiring the new machine. As such, it is vital to have a reasonable scrap value for the gadget. This will help in obtaining the new implement fast enough. Also, devices with low resale value may prove hard to sell.

However, the question of whether to buy or rent also depends on who you are asking. The decision is subjective. Both options have their own advantages and shortcomings. The decision process relies on trading between the negatives and the positives. A strategic decision can be reached at by referring to the circumstances of the firm at a given time.

Simply put, be thorough in your analysis and use the requisite information in reaching the decision. A well informed decision will, out of doubt, be an asset to your business.




About the Author:



Healthy Cooking Recipes - Eat Your Way To A Better Health

If you've been longing to change over to healthier eating habits and hoping to knock off some extra kilos, then choosing healthy cooking recipe ideas and adapting to a fitness-friendly lifestyle is what is needed! You can add more zest, time and energy to your lifestyle besides feeling fitter and looking that way too, once you've found the answer to putting together the perfect healthful menu for yourself and your family that ensures your balanced nutrition for the day - and we've made this task easier for you by listing some smart ways to make this eating choice simpler and effective

Putting together a healthy cooking recipe is a fairly simple task; at most, you may be required to drop a couple of ingredients off a recipe or use low-fat or low calorie substitutes to make a favorite dish! This is not as difficult as some may think it to be as simple measures like cutting out the butter from a vegetable dish doesn't mean you do without the flavor entirely: you can margarine or low-fat butter substitute for a great tasting idea!

Those who wan to broaden their knowledge base of varied cuisine styles and methods can look up different ideas online and are sure to find more than one; other options include visiting the local bookshop for cook-books and nutrition guides. These are some of the ways in which you can improve your lifestyle and overall wellness levels too.

Many people equate a healthy cooking recipe with insipid or bland food, but this is not true, if you know how to use healthy ingredients and substitute fatty ones with less greasy or fattening stuff. For example, butter and cream-based foodstuffs are fattening but because of their taste, people love them and are not willing to try out the alternatives, which they feel will not tantalize the palate as much as these. But there are many wonderful healthy cooking recipe ideas that include low fat options that taste good too. We list some for you:

A fresh salsa contains many healthy ingredients like tomatoes, cilantro, onions besides other food items that are good for the body; it has a great flavor and very little fat content, if at all and one can eat them with vegetable sticks instead of tortilla chips to cut back on unnecessarily loading up the calories and fat. So, here's a great low-fat, great tasting food idea for you!

Adding salsa to fillet of fish prior to baking it gives a great tasting marinade that is light and healthful besides adding to the nutrient content of the meal. It's also a simple and easy dish to prepare as all that is required is to place salsa atop the filet, bake it or jazz up a salad with it as opposed to drowning it with fatty, cheesy dressing.

Abhishek is a cooking enthusiast! Visit his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com and download his FREE Cooking Report "Master Chef Secrets" and learn some amazing Cooking tips and tricks for FREE! Learn how to create the perfect meal on a shoe-string budget. And yes, you get to keep all the accolades! But hurry, only limited Free copies available.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abhishek_Agarwal

5 Steps to Follow If You Want To Eat Healthier Using Easy Cheap Recipes

1. You should eat a variety of nutrient rich foods

Sadly, no one food has all of the important nutrients. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole grain products; fruits; vegetables, dairy products; and poultry, meat, fish and other protein foods. The optimal amount of food that you should eat really depends on the speed of your metabolism. The Paleo Recipe Book is packed with nutritious foods that will leave your belly satisfied and not tired.

2. Eat regular meals

If you skip meals, you will be much hungrier later on and face the high risk of fatiguing yourself. When you're hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. A snack between meals is always better than going hungry, but you need to be careful that the snack isn't large enough to be considered as a full meal. The Paleo Book has a section of easy to prepare snacks if you don't want to spend a little extra time in cooking full meals (although the meals themselves don't really take that long to prepare and make either).

3. Find a plan that is affordable

Sure eating healthy is super important, but that doesn't mean that you have to spend all of your money while doing it! It is important to find a plan that fits your budget while at the same time it serves its full purpose. If you thought that you had to spend more money than you should on eating healthy, you're wrong! The Paleo Recipe Book itself is available for really cheap, and many of the recipes inside can be used with the food that you already have at home. And it shouldn't be a problem if you don't have all of this food at home, the next time you go shopping instead of just buying random stuff, buy the foods that you will need for the Paleo Book.

4. Balance your food choices over time

Since the Paleo Recipe Book has over 370 recipes to choose from, that certainly will not be a problem. You don't have to be a robot and eat the same boring foods over and over for every day of your life. You just got to have food that low in fat, salt or sugar. Basically your food choices need to have a little bit of everything when it comes to nutrients.

5. Enjoy the food that you are eating

Do you want to know what could be the most important reason why people go off their diets and continue to eat unhealthily? It's because the so called healthy foods that they were eating tasted like vomit! I mean who could blame them, I'm sure that I would quit too if my diet food tasted like crap. But that is not the case with the Paleo Book. I promise you that the Paleo recipes taste absolutely delicious! Surely there are probably one or two recipes that might not be so hot, but nobody's perfect. In fact, this might be the tastiest and the most unique cookbook that I have ever heard of.

Sure these steps look simple to follow, but exactly how can this so called recipe book actually help you follow these steps? Is it really worth it? How long do the recipes take to make? If you want to eat healthy, it's never too late. Click on the link below if you want to find out more information on the Paleo Recipe Book of easy, cheap recipes.

Easy Cheap Recipes
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you at my website!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Gravot

Discover Healthy Recipes - Eating the Caveman Way

The Paleo Recipe books are changing people's lives everyday just by going back to eating the way our Cavemen ancestors did. Humans have been eating off the land since the beginning of our existence. Eating natural foods from the earth.

The Paleolithic diet, otherwise known as the ancestral human diet is not new, in fact, it's the way our ancestors ate for thousands of years before the development of agriculture. The Paleo Recipe books are based on "Paleolithic eating" or "hunter-gatherer eating". The nutritional plan consists mostly of wild plants, vegetables, fruits, fish, roots, nuts and grass-fed pasture raised meats. Because a Paleolithic diet stems from the Paleolithic Age, before the dawn of agriculture, foods such as legumes, grains, dairy, salt, refined sugar and processed foods are not included on the menu.

It wasn't until up to 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic Revolution (the first agricultural revolution) humans began eating foods such as beans, cereals and dairy products. During the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th to early 19th centuries, refined foods, oils, and processed foods were introduced. Since the Industrial Revolution, our food consumption has changed from earth based, natural to processed and canned.

Because of these dietary changes, it has been theorized that by consuming refined foods, sugars and oils, has contributed to the cause for diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases and others. In later years, with humans developing more and more of these diseases, researchers have gone back to the drawing board.

We have found that eating natural foods from the land can help you increase energy levels, lose weight, increase your sex drive, improve skin tone, but most importantly, natural foods are a way to prevent the diseases often caused by eating refined and processed foods.

Today, people are more health conscience than ever before. Thus, changing their lives and health by eating more natural foods; foods the human body was designed to consume.

The Paleo Recipe books have grown much more in popularity due to the demand for healthier recipes. For people who want to follow the Paleolithic lifestyle, The Paleo Recipe books contain all the tools necessary to do it. Create simple, tasty recipes your body will crave.

The recipes are given with clear step by step instructions that allow you to create quick, easy meals. The recipe books also include hundreds of easy healthy recipes and the tools to create those fast, simple, delicious dishes.

There are 8 recipe categories to choose from such as snacks, meat, chicken, fish and seafood, soups, salads, omelets and desserts. Easily change your eating habits without having to worry about lengthy preparation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=K._Angelo

Try it Light at Your Next Italian Feast - Eat Healthier When Eating Italian Food

Italians are known for their passion and zest for life. However, what many don't know is that the garden fresh markets that line the streets in small Italian villages boast some of the freshest and healthiest ingredients like seasonal vegetables and supremely fresh fruits.

Traditionally, the use of raw seasonal crisp vegetables and olive oil for dipping comes from Tuscany where "Pinzimonio" is served in local restaurants and at home for family.

Olive oil, a wonderfully healthy and light addition to any Italian recipe, has long been considered sacred to the ancient Greeks and the Romans. As they say in Rome, "Do as the Romans do" and use their knowledge to create something innovative in your own kitchen.

These fresh ingredients, that many cultures take for granted, have evolved throughout Italian culture and the rest of the world because the outcome produces some of the most marvelous recipes.

Cooking Light Italian Recipes may be a bit of a challenge for those who often indulge in the heavier side of Italian cooking but, it's easier than you think. Depending on the markets and avenues that you shop at, try using some new and exciting Italian flavors to achieve a light Italian recipe that is both satisfying to the palate and a hit with your family and friends.

Be sure to pick up some these light and flavorful Italian Inspired ingredients on your next visit to the market:

o Fresh Spinach Leaves
o Sundried Tomato
o Kalamata Olives
o Red and Yellow Peppers
o Buffalo Mozzarella
o Basil
o Sea salt
o Portabella mushrooms
o Artichokes
o Vegetable Bercy
o Fresh garlic
o Extra Virgin Olive Oil
o Champagne Vinegar
o Romano Tomato(Plum)
o Pork Tenderloin
o Chicken Breasts

There are hundreds of Light Italian Recipes that originate from these base ingredients. Combining freshly roasted vegetables such as Roasted Red pepper, Sundried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized red onion, and artichokes with a light amount of Olive oil and Champagne vinegar will produce a wonderfully fulfilling and vegetarian antipasto that is sure to please the most pretentious of palates.

Also, all of us love cooking with chicken as it's the staple of most households around the globe. We love it because it's interchangeable and often uncomplicated. If you are planning on cooking a light Italian recipe for your next upcoming dinner party or event, incorporate some of these superb Italian inspired ingredients to a grilled or sautéed chicken breast.

Use the Vegetable Bercy or vegetable broth and add some ingredients such as Portabella mushrooms, artichokes, fresh spinach, Feta cheese, Sundried tomato or Roma tomato, and add some herb butter to create a light and savory sauce for a whole chicken, pork tenderloin, or even a favorite cut of fish.

So you see, it's easy to incorporate the market fresh ingredients into your cooking schedule. Take a chance and experience this new palate of flavors as it will be a feast for the senses and your family as well.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about cooking light Italian recipes [http://italiancookingrecipestoday.info/try-it-light-at-your-next-italian-feast-eat-healthier-when-eating-italian-food], please visit Italian Cooking Recipes Today [http://italiancookingrecipestoday.info] for current articles and discussions.
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What You Should Know About Phlebotomy Training In The Bronx

By Sharron Cantu


Phlebotomy is the procedure of drawing blood from patients in healthcare facilities for the purpose of testing it, transfusion or research. Even though doctors, medical technicians and nurses can draw blood from patients, phlebotomists are considered to be the experts in drawing blood. They undergo training that enables them to easily draw blood without causing much discomfort or pain to the patient. The courses that phlebotomists take prepare them to be skillful specialists.

Phlebotomy programs also prepare students for emergencies and help them prevent contamination when handling blood samples. Phlebotomists work with doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. The other duties of phlebotomists include verifying the identity of a patient, labeling and storing blood in the right way and taking vital signs. Phlebotomy training in the Bronx is offered in various institutions such as community colleges, universities, hospitals and private medical facilities that offer vocational programs.

As they take phlebotomy classes, students learn about human physiology and anatomy, managing the documents of patients, medical terminology and using various laboratory devices. They also learn about the different techniques of drawing blood and caring for patients after they draw blood. They also learn about the rights of patients and effective ways of communicating with other healthcare professionals.

You will also learn proper needle techniques and the best way to handle hazardous wastes such as used syringes and bandages. The classes will also cover information about identifying the equipment that is used to collect blood specimens. A number of blood samples need additives while others should be stored at certain temperatures. Phlebotomy classes will provide you with all this information.

Students also learn how to work well even if they are under pressure and how to comfort patients while drawing blood. Those who opt for the certificate program can complete their studies within a period of a year while those who opt for the associate degree program can complete them within a period of two years. A longer training program provides students with more exposure to this field.

To complete training, students are required to take a minimum of twenty five venipunctures and five capillary draws. They also learn how to perform CPR and keep basic medical records. Students are also required to pass a national examination in order get certified. This test is usually held once each month in various institutions.

It is important to take phlebotomy courses in an accredited institution. You should also select an institution that offers classes at a time that is convenient for you. You can also choose to sign up for online classes if you are not able to take classes in a classroom setting. Another thing to consider is the fees. After finding the most suitable school, you can proceed to fill out an application and wait to be accepted.

Choosing to become a phlebotomist is great if you like working in the medical field. Positions for phlebotomists will always available because taking blood samples to test for diseases and drawing blood for donations is something that will never end. By getting certified as a phlebotomist, you will significantly improve your chances of success in this field.




About the Author:



Significance Of West Virginia Drug Testing

By Sharron Cantu


Any kind of addiction needs to be taken care of. This can only be done with the consent of the person involved. However, in West Virginia drug testing is not a requirement especially in the private sector. The law has not been passed in this state to make it a must.

When one is sick and they go to see a doctor, whatever they are given to relieve their pain or to treat them is called a drug. This is usually only taken on prescription by the doctor. There are others that are taken not for any ailment but just for one to feel good or high get high. When they get used to it they become addicts and they cannot do anything without it.

In most countries or states, it is common law or necessity or even a requirement that employers carry out a drug test to their employees especially before they are hired, so as to ensure they have staff who are capable of working well. This is not a new thing in the states. The tests are again done after some time of working the company.

Taking the drug test should be done in a way that the employees do not feel that their rights are violated. There are some people who may feel that testing is punishing them but it is only to help them and to make them clean. In a company having workers who are addicts can really affect the productivity because when they are high on something, some sleep, some just gaze around while some can even be violent.

The well being of some workers is not that important to their employers. All they care about are is making money. As long as an employee works they are good to go, their health is their problem. They have no time or money to order for their employees tests. They feel it is all a waste of their resources. If an employee blunders in any way they are just relieved of their duties.

Some companies have programs to teach their workers all they need to know about drugs and the benefits of testing. When this is done not only are the workers healthy but the company work also improves. The relationship between employer and employee is good and this is a benefit for both parties.

Generally, testing for drugs is a good thing because, it even saves on the medical for most people because addicts sometimes have many problems like not eating well and this brings with It some sicknesses that are associated with malnutrition making them go to hospital and the treatments they are given are expensive as they sometimes have to be checked into a rehab to stop the addiction first because treatment without rehab is the same as no treatment at all.

It is not a bad idea making it a must for people to be tested. They can even do it to older school children as some of them get the addiction from their parents or siblings. Some get it from their peers when they sometimes want to fit in.




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The Lazy Immigrant's Guide To Eating Healthier While On The Run

A lot of you live busy, hustle and bustle lives. This makes it sometimes difficult, but never impossible, to get healthy, nourishing foods into your body in a regular basis. Instead, a lot of you end up spending money on TV dinners and junk food because "you're on the run". Here are 9 distinctions you can make that will not disrupt your lifestyle and ensure you get your daily dose of nutritional goodness.

Avocado

Instead of spreading your bread with butter and/or margarine, why not use avocado instead. Use this as your new margarine and you immediately boost your intake of "good fats" and nutrients.

Brown Rice or Quinoa

Quinoa is one of those foods that is considered a "super food" because of just how good it is for your body. It actually takes a shorter time to boil some Quinoa and it's quite widely available. If Quinoa can't be found, brown rice is a quick way to increase the nutrients you are getting from plain old rice, though it does take longer to boil.

Bread Alternatives

There are so many alternatives to plain old white, wheat bread I'd be surprised if you haven't identified them by now. There's Kamut, Spelt, Rye and all sorts of grains that are now being put into bread. I recommend that you seek out local, independent bakers who source local produce to ensure you get the freshest loaf possible.

Hallal or Kosher Chicken 

A practice hailing from Jewish cultures and religions that has sadly been lost is that of preparing the chicken before you consume it. In short, if you want chicken that isn't chock full of steroids, uric acid (key ingredient of urine) and hasn't swam in colonic germs, go to your local Jewish or Muslim produce store and get yourself Hallal or Kosher chicken.

Locally Milled Flour

I'm sure many of you didn't know that if you leave flour out in the open for some time it eventually goes rancid. Normal flour is full of bleach and preservatives. Search for a local farmer who can mill flour for you on the spot and this will immediately boost the nutritional content of common foods such as sadza, chapati, pancakes etc etc.

Freshly Squeezed Juice 

This one is simple enough: Get yourself a slow-press juicer and make yourself some fruit juice rapidly each and every day. For those of you who are alcoholics, this is a great way to spice booze up and at least ensure you're getting some nutrients.

Add a Salad to Every Meal or Make it the Meal

I am yet to find a restaurant on Earth that doesn't sell salads. I am also yet to find a restaurant where salad isn't one of the cheapest things on the menu. Adding a small salad to every meal can be all your need for exponential growth in energy levels. Every once in a while just eat the salad and ignore the junk, your body won't regret it.

Nuts, Grains and Cereals Instead of Empty Snacks

Sometimes we just need something to quickly fill our stomach. Usually in this instance we end up reaching for biscuits, unhealthy snack bars and all sorts of useless food. Instead why not fill your stomach up with healthy natural foods such as almonds, cashews and corn. You can experiment with fixing fruits and nuts, as in muesli or fruit and nut balls.

Read Books that Give You Healthy Recipes for People on the Go

The weight loss and healthy eating markets are over-saturated. This is a good thing for you because it means that there a plethora of books you can find that can help you eat healthier. Take advantage of these resources:

These are just 9 of many ways you can ensure that you get more good food into your body. In short, there are a plethora of ways for you to take care of yourself, you just have to look for them.

My name is Tony Chomba Mwangi Njanja, and I am an African immigrant who has lived in Australia for six years. You can read my story for free by clicking here
My website, the Displaced African, is dedicated to the happiness and peace of mind of African immigrants. You can learn more about maximizing the immigrant experience on the site.
In addition to that, the site also has current commentary on the important issues of the day, such as with the article, the Empty Symbol that is Barrack Obama.
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Kids Need to Lose Weight - Eat Healthier Food and Follow an Easy Diet

Healthy Eating for Kids

A child's growth depends on what they are fed while the grow. It's not good enough to feed them what you want and hope they all turn out good in the end. Feeding a kid the wrong food can be a nightmare. A balanced meal is essential for a child. Not only does it keep them healthy but also helps them psychologically as well. It might seem a little far-fetched but it has been proven.

There is a pyramid that can act as a guide as to what food types you should eat. I'm always surprised to hear how many people don't actually don't know about it. Food is divided into grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and meats, beans, poultry, fish and nuts. If you cover all of these food groups in your diet then you are on a healthy diet. It's important to note though that some food types should be taken in lesser quantities than others.

You have to be smart when using these food types. For example, if you want to cover fruit it's no good just buying an apple pie and ticking apple of the list. An apple on it's own is far healthier than an apple pie.

It's important for the parents to take control and lead by example. Your kids will want to follow you in everything you do and it can be irresponsible for you to cram yourself full of chocolate and then shout at the kid when they want the same. There has to be a happy medium. All things in moderation and all that.
It's good practise to leave healthy food such as fruit around your house rather than chocolate bars and crisps. The child is more apt to choose chocolate than crisps. It's the easy way out to make you're shopping easier by picking all the pre-packed food for kids but this is just lazy. Spend a little extra time choosing what you buy and you never know, you might actually save money. It's been known to happen. By all means treat the kid to some chocolate at the weekend but not every day. They'll grow up fat and depressed and I'm sure that's the last thing you want.

Meals in the home should be a family affair when possible. A good eating environment means kids are happier and when a kid is happier they tend to eat healthier. Sounds absurd i know but it's true. Better than each member of the household eating in different rooms.

Where you can try and bring your kids shopping with you. I know they'll try and dive for the chocolate and crisps but you can show them how much fat is in them and lead them on to the healthy food. You'd be surprised how much healthy food out there looks attractive. Last but not least, an active kids means exercise.

Cholesterol lowering foods [http://cookyourselfthinrecipes.com/Diets.html] help to maintain a healthy body and keep up good spirits. To have a proven diet and learn FREE tips, improve the flavor with a herb garden kit.
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Healthy Snacks For Kids - How Your Kids Can Learn to Eat Healthier Snacks

Why is it important to learn about healthy snacks for kids? Well, recently there has been a disturbing increase in childhood obesity. Furthermore, some health experts believe that common childhood disorders such as ADD and hyperactivity may be, if not caused by, at least aggravated by too many sweets and junk foods. Finally, it's important to develop good habits when you're young. Once you become an adult, and have been doing things the same way for many years, it's harder to change. You will find that your children may resist eating healthier foods at first, but they will be surprisingly adaptable if you persist.

One important thing to be sure of is that you supply your children with healthy foods and snacks when you send them out to school or any activity. Don't just give them money to purchase foods outside or from vending machines. Give them healthy foods like fruits, trail mix, granola bars or all natural chips. We will also look at some other healthy snacks they will enjoy.

At home, you have much more freedom to give your children healthier snacks. If you aren't familiar with health food stores or the natural foods section of your supermarket, you can find many items there that are both tasty and good for you.

Try veggie burgers, for example, which can be a good substitute for fast food burgers. These can be topped with onions just like real burgers, as well as ketchup, pickles and whatever else your kids like to put on their burgers.

Chips and salsa is a Mexican snack food that is becoming popular everywhere. You can find all natural and organic types of corn chips and salsa. In the health food section you can also find vegetable chips, sweet potato chips and other varieties of healthier munchies.

Popcorn is a snack food almost everyone, child or adult, loves. This can be more or less healthy, depending on how it's prepared. Most packaged and microwave popcorn is high in salt and often has artificial ingredients and unhealthy fats, often to create a butter flavor. Movie theater popcorn is probably worst of all! Popcorn is, however, a perfectly natural food if you start with popping corn (this too can be found in organic form) and make it from scratch. You can use either an air popper or a healthy cooking oil, such as canola or sunflower. Lightly sprinkle it with sea salt, and if you still feel the need for butter, melt some organic or clarified butter on top.

A very useful tool in your healthy snacks arsenal is a juicer. You can learn all kinds of healthy recipes, using fresh fruits and vegetables. Carrots, celery, apples, wheat grass, melons and berries are just some of the very healthy foods you can make into refreshing juices. Getting your kids to prefer juice, or even water, to soda is by itself a major victory when it comes to instilling good eating habits in them.
Finding healthy snacks for kids need not be difficult. The first step is to pay attention to what your kids are eating, and what they like. Then, when you find items on this list that you don't like, make adjustments and see if you can find healthier yet similar alternatives.

Your kids' snacking habit are important to their health and weight control! Learn more about Healthy Snacks For Kids [http://www.healthysnackfood.org/healthy-snacks-for-kids.html].
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Nutrition Know-how: Seven Simple Ways to Eat Healthier (with Strawberry Orange Sorbet Recipe)

The key to better health is learning the difference between healthy and unhealthy nutrients. The choices we make greatly affect our health. Making a few simple healthy and nutritious changes in our dietary choices can have a profound and positive impact on our health, well-being, energy levels and life span. For instance . . .

o Healthy proteins provide the amino acids our bodies require to build and repair lean body mass (like muscles, skin, hair and nails), and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and chemicals. Good sources include wild salmon, beans, legumes, soy products (tofu, tempeh, TVP), seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) and peanut butter.

o Unhealthy proteins are loaded with saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, or antibiotics (like beef, lamb, beacon and sausage). While they give your body the needed amino acids, they also clog arteries and compromise your immune system.

o Healthy fats are unsaturated fats (mono and poly), omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Good sources of these fats include extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, ground flax seeds and walnuts. They help your body absorb fat-soluble antioxidant micronutrients like vitamins A, E, D, and K, and lycopene.

o Unhealthy fats are saturated fats and trans fatty acids (trans fats), like butter and margarine. These fats contribute to heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension and obesity.

o Healthy carbohydrates are high in fiber and are considered complex carbohydrates. Good sources include rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat, broccoli, squash, green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, beans and whole fruit. These help lower cholesterol, aide digestion, regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, and reduce caloric intake.

o Unhealthy carbohydrates are high in sugar and are called simple carbohydrates, like candy, white bread, sodas, ice cream, cake and cookies. These spike blood sugar and insulin levels, and increase caloric intake (they are considered empty calories).

Eating nutrient-dense foods that are high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber help the body function optimally, promote overall well-being and improve digestion. These nutrients also help fight and prevent heart disease, cancer and diabetes, strengthens the immune system, slows the aging process, increases energy and improves cognitive performance.

Additionally, as we age our appetite lessens, making it even more critical to choose foods wisely. When every bit counts, picking foods with the highest nutritional profile is more important than ever.

An easy way to make your nutritional choices is to look for foods that are bright in color, for they usually contain more beneficial vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. For example, red and pink grapefruit have the heart-healthy cancer-fighting antioxidant phytochemical called lycopene while white grapefruit does not. Here are seven more simple ways to start eating healthier.

1. Switch from iceberg lettuce to romaine lettuce. Romaine lettuce has more vitamins and minerals like vitamins A and C, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium and potassium. It also has more fiber than iceberg lettuce.

2. Eat brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice naturally has more fiber and riboflavin, and less sugars than white rice. It is digested slower and is more filling.

3. Switch from white bread to whole-wheat or whole-grain bread. Whole-wheat and whole-grain breads have more fiber, iron and potassium. Slice per slice, they are more filling and satisfying than white bread.

4. Drink iced teas (black, green and herbal) instead of sodas. Black, green and herbal teas provide antioxidants and phytochemicals that enhance your health. Unlike sodas, you can control the sugar content when brewing your own iced teas.

5. Choose whole-grain or whole-wheat cereals with bran instead of sugar-coated cereals. Whole-grain cereals and whole-wheat cereals with bran naturally have more protein, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than sugar frosted cereals. Besides having less sugar, they are metabolized slower and are more filling. So you have more energy during the day and you will not get hungry right away.

6. Switch from cows milk to fortified soymilk. Soymilk contains no cholesterol or hormones, and is extremely low in saturated fat. It also provides isoflavones and other beneficial phytochemicals that promote good health. Fortified soymilks also contain easy to absorb calcium, vitamins D and B6, and some even add extra antioxidants (like vitamins A, C, and E), folate and omega-3.

7. For dessert, have frozen fruit sorbet instead of ice cream. Frozen fruit sorbet is fat and cholesterol free and has more fiber. It is also loaded with antioxidant vitamins A and C, and contains beneficial phytochemicals.

To get you started, try Monique N. Gilbert's deliciously nutritious homemade sorbet recipe. It's cholesterol-free, and high in antioxidants, phytochemicals and fiber.

Strawberry Orange Sorbet

1-1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup fortified soymilk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon honey

Blend in a food processor or blender for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Place in the freezer until ready to serve.

Makes about 2 servings
Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert. All rights reserved.
Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc. is a Health, Nutrition, Weight-Loss & Lifestyle Coach; Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor; Recipe Developer; Freelance Writer and Author of Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook. She has offered guidance in natural health, nutrition, fitness, weight-loss, and stress management since 1989.
Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc. has received international recognition for helping people get healthy, manage stress, lose weight and keep it off. Through her coaching program and writings, Monique motivates and teaches how to improve your well-being, vitality, and longevity with balanced nutrition, physical activity, and healthy living. For more information or to contact Monique, visit her website - http://www.MoniqueNGilbert.com/
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