Popular diets are not necessarily effective or healthy. When it’s celebrity-tweeted, or there’s enough promotional hype, millions of people who are forever counting calories take on any newfangled weight loss plan. Here are diets, both good and bad, that had their share of buzz in the 21st century. [Read more…] about The 8 Most Popular Diets in the 21st Century
Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Heart
Having a healthy heart is one of the secrets of a person’s longevity. Exercise and proper diet ensures that you keep your heart healthy. However, many people are too busy to prepare meals and snacks that are good for them, reasoning that there are so many meals and snacks available from fast food joints, restaurants and snack bars. Sometimes, people think that healthy snacks are boring, because they long for the added flavorings of packaged food.
But snacking on healthy food can be made very satisfying, flavorful, and easy to prepare. The technique is to choose the right combination of snacks to bring the best flavors. The ultimate goal to having heart-friendly bites is to always have a combination of protein and fiber under 200 calories. [Read more…] about Healthy Snacks for a Healthy Heart
13 Reasons Your Brain Craves Coffee
We’ve given tips on how to quit coffee using meditation, but that doesn’t mean everyone should just give it up altogether. The key, as usual, is moderation, and if you love yourself a good cup of joe, there’s nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
In fact, studies have shown that coffee is good for your health – although we have to admit the results of these studies vacillate regularly. At the moment, though, the consensus is that coffee – in moderate amounts – is healthy. [Read more…] about 13 Reasons Your Brain Craves Coffee
Foods To Eat When You’re Feeling Tired at Work
Night shift workers share a common problem. They feel tired at work even after a full night’s sleep. Nurses and employees of IT companies and law enforcement agencies are prone to lethargic periods within their eight or 12-hour work shifts.
There are many reasons for the fatigue. Ruling out medical conditions, it could be lack of exercise or too much exercise, eating food rich in sugar or dealing with stress and anxiety. The food you eat during your working hours can affect your energy levels, so it’s good to know which ones make you doze off or keep you awake. Keep these snack items on hand for you to munch on and help stave off that sleepiness and fatigue.
Foods for When You’re Feeling Tired At Work
Fruits and nuts
Besides the antioxidants, vitamins and other nutritious benefits, fruits and nuts are two classic snacks that give you a boost of energy. Nuts in general contain unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins and supplements that contribute to a healthy heart. For stamina, pecans are rich in Vitamin B3 (Niacin) which aids in converting the protein, carbohydrates and fats you eat into energy. Macadamia nuts have the same function and is rich in fiber and protein.
Keep in mind that nuts are high-calorie foods and you should eat only a handful. Eat them in raw or dry-roasted form as nuts coated with chocolates, salt or sugar defeat the purpose of healthy eating.
Fruits are a rich source of water, fiber, vitamins and minerals essential to energy production. All fruits are power boosters that keep you mentally sharp at work. Snack on bananas for potassium, apples for fiber, oranges for Vitamin C and folate, pineapples for Vitamin C and manganese and avocadoes for the good kind of fats.
Yogurt
Yogurt is an energy booster because of its protein, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It can be eaten alone or mixed with other food. Choose the healthy option of food to eat with yogurt, like granola, fresh fruits and chia seeds. Greek yogurt has twice the protein and half the sugar content in plain yogurt. It is also widely available since it has become quite popular. Make sure to go for the low-fat or fat-free alternative as Greek yogurt has more fat content than the plain one.
Cheese, eggs
Cheese and eggs are protein-rich food that are not high in calories. A hard-boiled egg does away with the fats from frying oil. Pair it with unsalted crackers for a filling energy-giving snack. Another good source of protein is cheese which contains tyramine. Tyramine improves mental alertness and increases energy. Night shift workers can bring cheese sandwiches to eat during breaks for added vigor.
Soy and soy-based food
Like cheese, soy also contains energy-boosting and alertness-improving tyramine. Fortunately, there are many soy and soy-based food and snacks you can bring to work and have for break time. Soy milk, tofu with rice and cereals are just a few examples. Look for them in your grocery store.
Protein bars
These snacks are meals on-the-go that are perfect for fixing your lethargic mood during your work hours. They are protein-rich and have carbohydrates and fats as well. They come in various flavors and their ingredients come from different sources. Protein bars with plant-based protein and low sugar content are best for a healthy snack.
Night shift workers should take care of their health, especially nurses who are on their feet taking care of their patients. Taking these healthy snacks to boost energy will ensure optimum performance in the workplace.
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How to Stay On Course When Going for your Health Goals
Most of us are aware of how healthy we are and while some of us achieve good health through looking after ourselves, many of us sometimes lack the motivation and confidence to stay focused when it comes to a specific goal or even a general lifestyle change. Often when summer is coming around, we feel the enthusiasm to lose weight and get fit and healthy, because we want to look good in the summer months. Many people start healthy regimes as a New Year’s resolution in January – which can be a somewhat thwarted promise to ourselves that this year we are going to get healthy! [Read more…] about How to Stay On Course When Going for your Health Goals
Quickly Boost Your Mood With These Food Items
We know that there is a link between food and mental health, so the logical thing to do is to watch what we eat.
Some people binge eat when on a low, while some starve themselves. As is usually the case, finding a middle ground is the best thing to do.
When you feel that your mood is sliding down that slippery slope, grab some of this fast mood-boosting food. You’ll be doing yourself a favor and averting disaster.
[Read more…] about Quickly Boost Your Mood With These Food Items
