Smart Tips to Eat Healthy For Less

by Shirley McNeal

The year 2009 has brought an economic roller coaster our way at a very fast pace. Prices for products and services have increased including trips to the grocery store for food. A trip to the grocery store can be very expensive. But, with a little effort in planning healthy meals, you can learn to eat healthy even on a tight budget. Here are five tips to help you eat healthy for less:

1. Shop For Specials: Grocery stores usually advertise weekly specials on food products. Be sure to watch for flyers advertising weekly sales, coupons and special prices to take advantage of the specials whenever possible. Stock up on the products you use while on sale. To eat healthier, begin reading labels to compare the nutritional value of products. When comparing the products, check the prices and make sure you are getting your money's worth on the products you choose. For example, did you know that frozen juice has more vitamin C that ready to drink juice? When you buy juice, make sure it's 100% juice and not a juice drink, which only has about 10% fruit juice in it.

2. Buy Fruits & Vegetables: In order to develop healthier eating habits, be sure to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. The cost of these foods will be less costly if you purchase fresh produce and buy them in season. It will be less expensive to buy apples in the fall of the year and oranges, lemons and limes in the winter.

3. Eat Appropriate Size Portions: Limit the amount of food that you eat at mealtime. Moderation is the key. You can significantly stretch the amount of food to prepare and serve when people have limited their portions. Begin by decreasing the meat portion of the meal, and then add whole grains or wheat pasta foods. Whole grain products provide a lot of nutrients and are inexpensive to buy. Meat portions should be served in small portions. Beans can be used as a substitute for meat and can provide some of the same proteins and fiber.

4. Keep Away From Fast Foods: Find ways to have food available that can be prepared quickly in order to avoid buying fast foods. When cooking your nutritious meals, be sure to prepare enough for freezing so that it can be used at a later time. Having healthy foods available makes meal preparation much easier and faster. Therefore, you will have healthy meals on hand and less likely to pick up fast foods.

The cost of groceries has increased, but it is no more expensive to buy nutritional foods. It's just a matter of getting into the habit of planning a balanced diet in order to develop a healthier lifestyle. Of course, the planning also includes staying within your food budget.

Retired social services administrator, Shirley McNeal, owner of My Southern Home Place...The Bargain Store for Wholesale Gifts, Collectibles & Decor located at http://www.mysouthernhomeplace.com presents this article. We are a family owned and operated online store. We celebrate families, children, health and home and our business reflects these core values. We have a passion for bringing you and your family affordable products you will enjoy using and sharing with your friends and family. We invite you to visit our bargain store to see the variety of products, resources, gift registry services, as well as a work at home opportunity and fundraiser program available for you.

Should You Really Be Using Your Microwave?

by James White

Nowadays microwave ovens are used by almost everybody almost every day. Microwaves are very bad for our food and health and should never be used, however quick and easy they appear. There are many reasons why a microwave oven should never be used, we are going to have a quick look at just a few of the main ones.

The microwaves produced by microwave ovens damage the cell wall of foods to such a degree that the gut receptors are not likely to recognize microwaved food particles as food, resulting in an immune response. Microwave technology is actually used in the field of gene altering technology to weaken cell membranes!

Microwaves cause significant loss of nutrients in food. One study found that broccoli cooked in the microwave with a little water lost up to 97% of the beneficial antioxidant chemicals it contains. As a comparison, steamed broccoli lost 11% or fewer of its antioxidants. The nutritional value of protein in meat is also destroyed when microwaved.

Pretty much every microwave oven leaks electromagnetic radiation. So the kitchen becomes a place to avoid as these electromagnetic fields are detectable up to 6 feet away. Some doctors believe it is likely that up to 30% of all childhood cancers come from exposure to electromagnetic fields.

If you feel it is compulsory for you to use a microwave oven then a low power setting is going to produce less damage than the high setting. But be warned, studies have shown heating breast milk even at low settings can destroy some of its important disease fighting capabilities. It has been found that using the microwave to heat breast milk causes the milk to lose lysozyme activity and antibodies as well as fostering the growth of more potentially pathogenic bacteria. Milk heated a at high setting lost 96% of its immunoglobulin-A antibodies (agents defending off microbes). As for heating breast milk using low setting, adverse changes at such low temperatures suggest microwaving itself may in fact cause some injury to the milk above and beyond heating.

Some hospitals have banned the use of microwave ovens for the purpose of heating baby foods or formulas of anykind. If they know that microwaves are damaging for food and should not be used then its kind of crazy that they still use it to prepare adults food!

Chemical components of adhesive, polymers, paper and paperboard products used in microwave packaging migrate into food. Microwaving some packaging may cause it to disintegrate, allowing carcinogens and other uncharacterized chemicals contained in the packaging to enter food.

James White

James is a level 1 coach at Dax Moy Personal Training Studios, Islington, where he works with clients to achieve rapid fitness and fat loss results.
To find out more or to contact James with questions related to this article. http://jameswhitepersonaltraining.co.uk

What You Must Know About Eating Red Meat

by Mark Rosenberg, M.D.


How often do you eat a hamburger or a steak? How about a ham sandwich? According to a federal study of over half a million men and women, the answers are crucial. As early as the 1970s, people began to realize that consuming large quantities of red meat may not be beneficial to their health.

After decades of research, this assumption has not changed. In addition, nutrition pros recommend that we limit processed meat like cold cuts due to excess sodium and chemicals like nitrites. Thanks to the enlightening new study, we have quantified the risks associated with eating red and processed meat. Don't miss out on this vital information.

Can Eating Meat Kill You?
Think back over your meals for the last week. Did you grab a burger for lunch more than once? Did you throw some steaks on the grill or even snack on a pepperoni pizza? We now know that people who consume the most red and processed meat in their diets run a significantly higher overall risk of dying compared to those who consume the least. Specifically, death due to cancer and heart disease increased for those who ate the most meat.

The study followed over half a million men and women, ages 51 to 70, for 10 years. During that period, about 70,000 people died. Scientists examined their eating habits and determined the following information: Men who ate the most meat had a 22% higher risk of dying from cancer and a 27% higher risk of dying from heart disease. Women had a 20% higher risk of cancer death and a stunning 50% higher risk of death due to heart disease.

Let's take a look at the amount of red and processed meat that can harm your health. After analyzing the dietary information provided by the study participants, researchers found that those who ate the most red meat consumed about 4.5 ounces per day on average-or the equivalent of a quarter-pound hamburger. Those who ate the least totaled just over half an ounce per day on average. The most processed meat consumed was about 1.5 ounces per day (about 2 deli turkey slices) and the least was just 0.11 ounces.

What This Means for Your Diet
The facts I outlined above are rather sobering. I suspect that many of you will take a closer look at your eating habits and modify your intake of red and processed meats. The good news is that it's not as difficult as it may seem at first. I put together some tips for my patients to help them fine tune their diets to promote a longer, healthier life. Try them for yourself.

1) Get protein the healthy way - The same study showed that white meat may have a protective effect: Those who ate the most fresh turkey, chicken and fish had slightly lower risk of cancer death and death overall.

2) Make red meat a supporting player - I'm not encouraging meat lovers to become vegetarians. Lean red meat is a good source of iron and other nutrients. Simply increase your intake of produce, legumes and grains and reduce your red meat consumption. Have a small steak fillet once per week or make dishes like stir-fry and salads with half beef and half beans or tofu, rather than all beef.

3) Cut processed meats - The occasional sausage sandwich is probably okay, but these foods have few redeeming qualities, so make them occasional treats. Instead of deli ham or turkey, grill chicken breasts or roast a large turkey breast on the weekend to use for sandwiches all week. Try a chicken pizza instead of the usual "meat lovers" varieties.

4) Stay out of the drive-thru lane - Many people don't realize how much fast food they are consuming. Pack your lunches or visit salad bars and delis that stock more natural foods. If you're stuck at the pick up window, opt for grilled chicken sandwiches and salads.

5) Don't stress - If you realize that red and processed meat is a big part of your diet, don't worry about revamping your menu overnight. Making one small change at a time means you're more likely to stick with your new healthy habits. For example, replace 2 beef meals with fish or chicken for a week, then increase it to 3 and 4 meals each subsequent week. Next month, replace your cold cut sandwiches with canned tuna or bean burritos.

When healthy changes become second nature, you can feel good about a diet that's helping you live longer and stay disease free.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging
http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com
http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com/blog