Health

Fermented foods are those food which has the probiotic bacteria in it, these bacteria are good for the digestion and also protects the layer of the intestine, these foods are good for the proper digestion of the sugar content of the food and also gives us good amount of energy throughout the day, you should add these foods to you daily diet, so that your stomach will be healthy, here are list of some of the fermented foods.

See also: Best Probiotics Reviews

Best Foods For Health Gut (Natural Probiotics)

1. Tempeh

Tempeh is the one of the best sources of the probiotic bacteria and it is obtained from soy. It has many health benefits such as ,it helps in maintaining the blood pressure, reducing the chance of heart attack, very beneficial for people who are suffering from digestion problems because it is easy to digest as it contain enzyme and probiotic for boosting up your metabolism rate of the stomach. Tempeh are rich in protein, iron, calcium, fiber.

2. Kimchi

Kimchi is delicious fermented Korean food that are loaded with probiotics, high in fiber that prevent constipation and stabilize the movement of bowel, powerful antioxidants that maintain the oxidative damage and protect the body from oxygen free radicals. It has many health benefits, as it lowering the chance of cancer because glucosinolates present in kimchi made with cabbage, fights against cancer cells, reducing the high cholesterol level, control diabetes, provide healthy digestion, fight against viral infection disease like cold and flu. Kimchi contains lactobacillus bacteria that provides relief from irritable bowel problem and heal your gut.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt is excellent milk product which is found to be very healthy for your body, even milk is first converted in the curd and then our body digest it, yogurt helps in protecting you from various disease. Yogurt is good food for your digestive system, as it eliminates harmful bacteria from your digestive system and helps you to be protective from intestinal infections. It contains high amount of potassium, that helps in flushing out excess sodium from the body, it also helps in reducing the high blood pressure, protecting you from osteoporosis due to presence of micro nutrients in it.

4. Kombucha

Kombucha is a delicious drink made by fermenting of the black tea, yeast, sugar and water. It is a probiotic drink as it has many healthy bacteria, enzymes and yeast that is very good for your stomach and easy in digestion of the hard substances of food. It contains powerful antioxidants such as DSL, vinegar, lactic acid and vitamin C that helps in cleaning and detoxifying your body, lowering the joints pain and boost your immune system.

5. Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is an amazing fermented food, which is used to solve the digestive problems and has an ability to boost your immune system. It is an excellent probiotic food made with fermented cabbage, it contains powerful enzyme, lactobacteria, vitamin C, high fiber that are beneficial for maintain healthy brain, reduce the extra fat from body and reduce cholesterol level. The presence of probiotics in sauerkraut helps your body to absorb the vitamins and minerals from the food easily by increasing intestinal flora and balance of bacteria in your stomach.

6. Natto

Natto is known to be the best source of the dietary fibers, which ease the metabolism rate of the stomach, you will get it by the fermentation of the soy beans, it has the vitamin K2 in it, which removes the calcium from the arteries and helps the bones to consume it, so that you will have healthy bones and heart.

There are great Christmas gifts for fitness buffs this holiday season. Equipment has gotten more streamline, and there are very small pieces of fitness equipment whereby a fitness buff can achieve excellent results. For your family members who are fitness buffs there are several great Christmas gifts from which to select.

For those who travel with business there are a few great Christmas gifts for fitness buffs that are compact easy to pack, and easy to use in the privacy of your hotel room. A resistance band which can be purchased from any Sporting goods store is perfect for working the arms, back, butt, and legs and is available from Wai Lana.com for approximately $14.95. A set of Mini-Contour Weights is the perfect addition for a balanced workout.

Both are great Christmas gifts for fitness buffs and are great for travel and maintaining physical fitness and tone while on the road. The Mini-Contour Weights are available from SpriProducts.com and retail for approximately $18.00.

Abs seem to be the toughest area for most people to master in terms of fitness. One of the top Christmas gifts for fitness buffs is the ProForm AB Coremaster, which provides the versatility of being able to sculpt and tone your core muscles and work at defining your obliques.

Working on your abs will also provide improvement and flexibility to your back. Definitely one of the top Christmas gifts for fitness buffs the ProForm AB CoreMaster generally retails for approximately $229.00 however was found on sale for $149.00 from ProForm.com.

Of all of the Christmas gifts for fitness buffs the ultimate is the Bowflex Home Gym. Bowflex advertises results in as little as six weeks; however one can achieve excellent results working out 20 minutes a day using Bowflex at least 3 days a week.

There are several different styles of Bowflex Home Gyms depending on the model preferred. The great things about Bowflex Home Gyms is that one can do circuit training and strength training. If interested in a Bowflex as one of the top Christmas gifts for fitness buffs visit he Bowflex Web site.

The general price range is from $899.00 up to $2299.00. For more information on details of the different models, and price differences of Bowflex Home Gyms, one of the top Christmas gifts for fitness buffs visit the Bowflex Shop.com Website today.

From the simplest of Christmas gifts for fitness buffs to the most complex, a true fitness buff will enjoy a gift that suits his or her lifestyle and helps in achieving personal fitness goals. For more information on Christmas gifts for fitness buff visit the referred to Web sites today.

After you have been working out, your muscles need to recover. Recovery is the process of replenishing muscle glycogen. The more efficient you are at recovery, the harder you are able to work during your next session and as such, you will see better results. It is critical to feed your muscles with carbohydrates, as explained later.

Immediately after a workout, your muscles are most receptive to producing new glycogen in the first couple hours afterwards. Blood flow to muscle is increased, which makes muscles absorb glucose quickly.

Muscle cells are also incredibly sensitive to the effects of insulin during this time, which promotes glycogen synthesis. What does this all mean? This means that it is most efficient for you to take in carbohydrates immediately after your workout, along with protein (the building blocks of muscle). You can think of carbohydrates as the energy needed to put those blocks into place.

If you are attempting to put on muscle I recommend a consumption of 1 to 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight immediately after your workout. If you are attempting to lose fat, consume .5 to 1 gram per kilogram. You should try to have a meal or a shake with a 3-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein as soon as possible.

For carbohydrates, I recommend using honey as it is a high-glycemic carbohydrate, easily absorbed by your muscles. Combined with protein powder in a shake, it is an effective post-workout recovery meal. Studies have shown that honey combined with a protein supplement may boost post-workout recovery and help prevent drops in blood sugar levels after exercise.

In fact, honey even out performs maltodextrin, another commonly used post-workout carbohydrate in shakes. If you are unable to eat a meal at this time, it is best to drink something like a sports drink containing glucose, sucrose, all high on the glycemic index. These drinks may contain fructose, which should be avoided if possible.

Be sure to continue taking in about 50 grams of carbohydrates every two to three hours afterwards. Remember that foods high on the glycemic index provide a fast, short burst of energy, while foods lower on it provide a longer, constant stream of energy.

It is important to consume a mixture of both of these types of food in order to maintain your blood sugar level. Foods high on the glycemic index may produce a fast, undesirable surge of blood sugar. Your body responds by producing too much insulin to remove the sugar, and your blood sugar level will drop. This will result in dizziness or general weakness.

It’s difficult enough trying to stay in shape without having to give up everything that you like. For those of you who like to snack, there are still some great healthy snacks available.

Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are definitely some of the healthiest snacks available. Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are a combination of fruit and soy combined to make one of the tastiest and most nutritious bars on the market.

A lot of soy products get a bad rap, however with energy, nutrition, and cereal bars, it requires one experiment a little bit. The fact is there are many unique benefits to soy-based products.

 

The soy used in Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars is taken from the highest of quality whole soybeans, which means that they have not been previously modified or processed. The soy in Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars promotes the enhancement of bone density, and helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are also rich in fiber, which adds to your fiber requirement daily, in an easy convenient nutrition bar.

You will find that with Soyjoy not only are you enjoying an all-natural product, but you will also enjoy the taste. The current selection of Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars contain dried raisins, mangoes, berries, apples, four grams of protein, and of course whole soy. All Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are trans fat free and are portion controlled.

Once you have found your perfect nutrition bar it makes life easy in terms of maintaining your weight, energy level, and nutrition. Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are convenient and easy to simply stash away in your bag for enjoying later.

The good thing about adopting your own personal nutrition bar such as Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars is that you know you are eating real food that is nutritious, without the worry of the damage fast foods might do to your current physical condition.

Soujoy Fruit and Soy Bars are currently available in four flavors including Apple, Berry, Raisin Almond, and Mango Coconut. Each bar contains anywhere from 120 to 140 calories depending on the flavor selection and contents of the fruit and soy bar.

 

So where can you purchase Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars? Sojoy fruit and soy bars can be found at most retailers including Walgreen’s, CVS, Brooks Pharmacy, Eckerd, Food Lion, Acme Markets, Albertson’s, and a host of other stores.

Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars retail for $1.39 each. Overall the Soyjoy Fruit and Soy Bars are tasty, and filling, and will definitely tide you over until your next healthy meal. Visit the Soyjoy Web site for a list of retailers.

Let’s cut to the chase-without a personal rewards system your diet is going to be a chore rather than a series of successes. If you have tried and failed diets in the past, than maybe it’s time to reward yourself along the way. A diet shouldn’t be a punishment, but a means to a healthier you.

Keep this perspective and receive the benefits without negative self-thoughts. A rewards system isn’t just about the rewards, but about giving yourself positive reinforcement to help you on your way. So how can you personalize a system? Let’s take a look at your options, shall we?

First and foremost, your rewards should not be food. Food isn’t the enemy, but it shouldn’t be a temptation either. Your reward should not center on food. Or maybe I should emphasize that differently-it shouldn’t center on eating food in excess.

For example, don’t say “Once I lose 2 pounds I’ll treat myself to a half of a pie!” This might sound obvious, but how many times have to eaten more after you weighted in less? It’s a strange relationship, but for some it is a hazard.

The only way you should use food as a reward is if it is in moderation-like buying a single ice cream cone, or ordering a dessert at a restaurant. Your reward is to eat something out of the ‘healthy’ category once in a while, but not every week.

So what are reasonable rewards? Think about your hobbies. If you like sports, than use a new tennis racket as motivation for losing (or whatever sport you like). If you love to cook, than purchase something ‘professional’ for your kitchen. A reader? Use novels to quench your rewards appetite. The less you focus on food in your system, the better you will be at keeping with your diet and benefiting from rewards.

The next question is how often should you reward yourself. For a rewards system to benefit you, you need to have a weekly reward that is somewhat small (like spending time alone in a luxurious bubble bath), and one that is ‘greater’ for key points in your weight loss.

For example, keep a goal in mind like, “When I reach the 10 pound weight loss mark, I’ll get that purse that I’ve been wanting.” Whatever your goals, you need to set up your rewards system now, and keep to the schedule.

 

Don’t go overboard with rewards everyday, but make them at least weekly (small ones, that is) so you can stay focused. Because dieting is a daily thing, you need to keep things in perspective once a week.

Of course, your rewards don’t have to be material either. You can plan a vacation, sign up for a class that you’ve been wanting to take (e.g. dance, pottery, music, etc), or even just take some ‘personal’ time. Time set aside is usually more precious than material things anyway.

Undoubtedly, a rewards system can be a simple and effective way to reach your goals. So if you have tried and failed diets in the past, maybe it is time to reward yourself for small successes on your way to the greater one.

There are thousands and thousands of diet books out there. They all claim to be revolutionary, new, exciting, easy, and essentially the best way to your weight loss goals. I’ve read a good number of these books, and found their information to be lacking in truth or just simply impractical.

To live healthily you have to be familiar with true principles of weight loss, and know practical ways that you, personally, can achieve your goals. Melanie Douglass’ book Losing it!: 5 keys to successful weight loss that work, is an inexpensive way to brush up on your healthy living techniques, and maybe learn a better approach to weight loss.

Without giving away all the information of the five steps that Douglass lists in her book, these steps are part perspective and part action. We all know the way to lose weight, but these five steps are designed to keep you going when you don’t want to.

It is essential to have the correct perspective of why you want to loss weight before you can get started. If you only want to lose weight for someone else, vanity, or because you just want to, than you might find yourself falling short.

Douglass’ text gives you motivation for the right reasons-health, energy, better quality of life, etc-rather than stressing how great you are going to look in a size 0. Any book that doesn’t emphasize appearance over health is worth the time to read.

The book includes an Eight-week strength training program with photo illustrations, an appendix of recipes, and some success stories. Douglass doesn’t spend a lot of time telling you about the usual gibberish, but rather focuses on actual numbers, gives clear examples of each principle, and even provides charts for exercise that you can duplicate for daily use.

If I didn’t know it was a diet book, I would have considered it simply a healthy living book. There is no reason to skip over any chapters since each section provides a little new and a little old information, providing a refresher along with a new way to focus on each step to better health.

Although this book is designed by a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and provides references to scriptures and quotes from prophets, the information in it can be applied to everyone.

You will expect to pay anywhere from $12-15 for the book at Deseret Book or Amazon, which is a good price range for the vast library of information inside.

The author, Melanie Douglass, is a registered dietitian, and a certified personal trainer; her experience and training as given her the ability to relate health information to the common person. Her explanations are well-written, and by personalizing the 5 keys, you really will be able to bring forth a healthier you.

Exercise is boring, right? Whether it’s walking on the treadmill or swimming laps, don’t you find that you compete with yourself just to put come excitement into the routine? Isn’t competition so much more fun? The Nintendo Wii system can apparently make losing weight and working out fun!

The first time Mickey DeLorenzo tried boxing with his new Nintendo Wii system, he wound up winded and sweaty. He knew that he was getting a good workout, and decided to test his theory. He began a six-week experiment that ended on January 15th.

He didn’t diet. He didn’t increase his water intake. He didn’t pass on the holiday turkey and pumpkin pie, either. All he did differently in his routine was to add 30 minutes of workout time each day with the Nintendo Wii sports games.

He used the Boxing, Tennis, Bowling, and Baseball games. Golf, which also comes with the Sports pack, would not likely be a good choice for a cardio workout.

Mickey measured everything: weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), heart rate, body fat percentage, pain and soreness, and calories burned per session. At the end of six weeks, he had lost nine pounds!

The idea of this appeals to the competitor in me. Now I admit, I’m not a “gamer.” I can’t stand the idea of sitting on the couch for hours at a time, exercising only your fingers; I swear I can almost feel my butt spreading to massive proportions as I play. But this Nintendo Wii system, one that gets me up off the couch and moving, that’s a system I could grow to love.

The fact that I can program my opponent to look like an ex-spouse is a complete bonus!

And then there are the friends and acquaintances that I would love to beat up on in the Boxing game, jabbing and punching without any police arrest afterward. It might even be worth it to invite them over for the night; after I’ve practiced a bit, of course.

The Nintendo Wii system has been called a “simple” system, one that’s perfect for those of us who aren’t really fans of computer games. Well, I’m one of those people. It works for me, since it doesn’t look so intimidating. I wouldn’t have the first clue how to go about playing some of the games my twelve-year-old nephew plays.

If you’re wondering about any drawbacks, Mickey did mention a problem with so-called “Wii elbow.” The first three to five days, he was very sore from his shoulders to his wrists. I could live with that; I have heating pads.

So thanks, Mickey DeLorenzo, for sharing your experiment with us. Now, where’s the nearest electronics store.

Is a gluten free diet right for you? In America’s weight loss academic many diets have arisen. Low fat, low carb, Atkins, and many more.

This alone has come under fire as it has been discovered in some people are allergic to it, and others feel it affects their weight adversely.

Now more and more we’re seeing more gluten free diet recipes and strategies. Here’s a better look into gluten and the gluten free diet.

Gluten is found in many things, and is actually a protein. It is the main ingredient in many breads or other things that contain rye, wheat, and barley as reported by WiseGeek.com.

This is the reason why it is found in many cereals and other products that are comprised of these grains. Though it is not found in everything some foods and other grains such as corn, barley, soybeans and sunflower seeds are completely free of Gluten.

Even though products and foods labeled Gluten free, are not actually free of Gluten. This is used to describe the low and minimal levels of the protein that for the most part does not affect anyone. Be aware that though many foods have gluten in them, they will not be listed on the ingredient list most of the time.

Still, there many whole foods that can be eaten and used to comprise a sensible gluten free diet. Fruits and vegetables and anything that is natural and whole. Look for packaging that has only as single ingredient.

This lets you know that you are eating “that” and only that and nothing else. Gluten is also being used as a thickening agent for some foods. It is needed for some foods to rise.

Though it is not essential, there other things that can be used to cause the same effect, and can be substituted for gluten. Certain additives like corn starch and eggs just to name a couple.

Chex cereals are naturally gluten free says Glutenfreecookingschool.com. Most other processed foods contain gluten and should be avoided if you are allergic or trying to restrict yourself of gluten.

Probably the most dangerous aspect of gluten is those who are afflicted with Celiac Disease. Celiac disease affects how gluten is digested in the body. Celiac disease can be fatal if those who are afflicted with the disease aren’t careful minding what they eat.

Some foods that are supposedly gluten free, may have been processed alongside foods that contain gluten. This is very common during the packing and manufacturing of these and other milled grains. This arises the possibility of cross-contamination, which could be problematic for those looking to avoid it completely.

Sticking to whole foods is always best, to stay healthy. The gluten free diet may not be for everyone. Some people may still need, what could be missing from gluten free diets in regards to nutrition.

It may seem hard to eat right in the winter, but there are plenty of healthy winter eating strategies to keep you on the right track. The winter is a tough time for eating healthy because many fruits and vegetables are not in season, which makes them expensive. This article will discuss several healthy winter eating strategies.

Snacks

Winter is a season when you will find yourself attending many holiday parties and dining out more often. Snacks can help you avoid over eating at parties and restaurants. Eating a small healthy snack before you go to a party or restaurant will curb hunger, and it will allow you to make a healthier choice of what you are going to consume.

 

Soup

It is harder and more expensive to eat fresh vegetables during the winter months, but that’s why soup is made for winter time. Soup is easily made using canned or frozen vegetables, and it can be a very healthy and hearty meal. Soup can be made quickly and easily in a crock pot, and it is a nutritious meal that will warm you up during the cold winter months.

Drinks

Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are a favorite during the winter because they give you a warm cozy feeling, but these drinks can easily add on calories and decrease in healthiness when you add sugar and milk to them. Try going black with your coffee or tea, or cutting back on the sugar you add. Fat free milk and healthy hot coco mixes will also provide you with nutrients without the bad stuff.

Winter Bounty

Apples, pumpkins, and root vegetables are all available in the winter, and these vegetables can play a wonderful role in your winter eating strategies. Experiment with these varieties and enjoy healthy eating in the winter.

Grains

Another strategy for eating in the winter is warm winter grains. Whole grains are a healthy way to add fiber to your diet, and eating whole grain breads is a healthy option. Another delicious way to eat healthy grains in the winter is by eating oatmeal, bran meal, or other warm grain dishes. You can add fruit to these dishes for a sweet treat as well as added nutrients.

The winter does not have to be a time of weight gain, and there are many strategies that will help you eat well in the winter. Try these ideas and you can have a healthy winter eating plan.