Foods for a good night’s sleep (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)
Insomnia or lack of sleep can have a terrible effect on your body besides a rough morning. We list out certain food that can help you get sound sleep.
Bananas: Researchers have found that having a banana before going to bed can help people suffering from sleep apnea by keeping their throats open and therefore reduce the risk of choking. Bananas are also excellent source of magnesium and potassium, minerals that help prevent muscle spasms or cramps during the night, making them a good bedtime snack as well especially after a heavy exercise session.
Cherries: A natural source of melatonin, researchers in the Journal of Sleep and Sleep Disorders indicate that consuming cherries before bed helped people sleep faster and easier. The fruit is a natural sleep aid.
Flax seeds: These are ideal for increasing levels of sleep regulating serotonin in the body due to high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to help reduce anxiety, depression and stress which are leading causes of insomnia.
Dairy products: Some research suggests that a deficiency of calcium in the diet can cause disturbed sleep patterns and a lack of deep sleep. Dairy products come to our rescue.
Oats: It is a good source of tryptophan. Try eating a small bowl of porridge before bed to help you get some deep sleep.
The caveman diet: Meat-eaters love it, critics call it ‘a craze’
By Randy Shore, Vancouver SunJuly 13, 2012
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors thrived on a daily menu of whatever was at hand until the development of agriculture about 10,000 years ago.
Photograph by: Vancouver Sun , Handout
Fruits, nuts, grass and whatever grubs, insects or game you can kill with your hands or a rock.
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors thrived on a daily menu of whatever was at hand until the development of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, and a surprising number of dieters and fitness buffs are turning back their dietary clocks.
In a nutshell, the paleodiet is an attempt to approximate the caloric and nutritional intake that human beings evolved to eat, before we started to plant grain and legumes for their easy, abundant, but largely empty, calories. Or so the theory goes.
The modern menu includes grass-fed meats, fruits, cooked and raw vegetables, wild fish and unprocessed oils such as olive or avocado. Wheat, dairy and legumes, such as beans and peanuts, are not allowed because they are relatively recent additions to the human menu. Some versions forbid added salt. Most people limit or eliminate alcohol.
“It’s really popular, at least half the people at my gym are eating something like the caveman diet,” said Cassandra Kruger, a trainer at Momentum Fitness in Vancouver. “It’s in the same vein as the South Beach and Atkins diet in that they don’t include any refined carbohydrates, so no grains, no sugar, no flour and no processed foods.”
Some nutritionists warn that low-carb diets carry potential health hazards from kidney stones and low blood pressure to calcium deficiency and osteoporosis.
Ultralow carb diets induce ketosis, a state in which the body burns fat for energy. You will lose weight, but it is not without risk.
Warehouse manager Rahim Khan of Langley started on the paleodiet just before his 27th birthday. He weighed 250 pounds, heavy for his 5-foot-11 frame.
“Less than a year later I hit my optimal weight of 173 pounds,”said Khan, who lost weight even as he cut back on his workouts. “I used to be in the gym three or four days a week and sometimes for two hours, now it’s 30 minutes and I’m out.”
Khan, his wife Liz and their three children all follow the paleodiet at home. Exceptions have to be made when the kids visit their grandparents, Khan laughed.
“I was skeptical at first,” said Liz, who admits feeling sick and lethargic for the first two weeks after the change. “But I feel so much better now, I didn’t even know how lousy I felt before.”
The Khans eat grass-fed beef, pork and chicken, usually the fattiest cuts they can find. Wheat in all its forms has disappeared, along with soy and corn. Dairy is confined to butter and small amounts of aged cheese.
Fruits and vegetables make up the balance of the plate, which Rahim says he usually fills twice at supper time. When their personal workload gets heavy, the Khans will add a sweet potato with butter for extra energy.
“I like to just call it my lifestyle, it’s the most logical way to eat,” Rahim said. “What I do is based on the feedback my body gives. When I feel good I know I’m doing the right things.”
The cavemen diet is an attractive weight-management program, because it is naturally low in calories and you are generally encouraged to eat whenever you are hungry. But the paleolithic menu probably has the most traction with people who have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.
“Just look at how many people are eliminating gluten from their diet,” Kruger said.
Indeed, gluten-free foods are among the fastest growing product classes at the grocery store. And theceliacscene.com lists dozens of restaurants across Metro Vancouver that offer gluten-free meals.
Chilliwack mom Lori Wedel made some paleolithic adjustments to her entire family’s diet to address her and her daughter Eva’s gluten sensitivity.
“When Eva was three or four we started noticing that she was having trouble with her digestion,” said Wedel, a community support worker.
Gluten sensitivity can cause symptoms including constipation, diarrhea and abdominal pain.
“We decided we needed to investigate what might be the problem and we started to do an elimination diet,” she recalled.
Eva showed no change when dairy was removed from the menu. “But when we got to gluten it was completely different and rapidly different,” she said. “Within a week we noticed big changes, some we didn’t expect.”
“We thought she was a typical four-year-old until we started changing her diet,” Wedel said. “She was a terror with concentration problems and aggression, but once we started removing gluten it changed altogether.”
Wedel’s own allergies to nuts and to seafood meant there were few processed foods in the house anyway, but even fewer when the family began to eliminate sugar, artificial colourings and gluten.
“The difference in Eva made it impossible to go back,” Wedel said. “We can’t eat another way.”
Rather than keeping abundant carbohydrates in their diet with gluten-free breads and pasta, the Wedels just eliminated bread and grain-based foods such as pasta. At $7 a loaf for gluten-free bread, it just didn’t make sense.
“We eat meat every day and a whack of vegetables, usually in a stir-fry,” she said. “We don’t follow the strict paleodiet, if we have sushi we eat the rice and sometimes we have quinoa.”
Even though the Wedels don’t consider themselves paleodieters, Eva likes to joke that she is a caveman child. Lori’s husband Will, an engineer with the City of Chilliwack, is a big fan of the hefty portions of meat, usually chicken, pork and grass-fed beef.
“For me the biggest change was just deciding that not every meal had to be like my mom taught me, meat, potatoes, grain, you don’t need those to live,” she said.
Wedel’s sister Brittany Eidsness, a registered holistic nutritionist, helped tweak the family’s menus.
When calories from wheat, rice, potatoes and refined sugar are eliminated from the diet, the ratio of fibre, vitamins, minerals and important nutrients per calorie consumed goes way up.
The exception is vitamin D, which hunter gatherers produced in great abundance because they lived outdoors and spent long hours walking and foraging.
“People have a hard time figuring out what to eat and this diet is healthy and very clear,” she said. “It removes all of the foods that cause us problems.”
Proponents of the caveman diet point out that so-called “diseases of civilization” — heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes — were not a problem to people who lived in the Paleolithic period, which ran from about 2.5 million years ago until farming took hold about 8,000 BCE.
“The paleodiet is naturally low-carb and focuses on clean protein sources like grass-fed beef, wild fish, naturally raised chicken and eggs,” said Eidsness. “Then you are going to have as many vegetables as you can possibly eat, with the possible exception of nightshade vegetables for people who are sensitive to them.”
Stricter paleodieters avoid eating members of the nightshade family, which includes peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes, in the belief that they cause loss of calcium and may trigger arthritis or autoimmune disease.
People transitioning to the caveman diet can expect a minor rebellion by their body. Many people experience lethargy, headaches and flu-like symptoms that Eidsness attributes to a withdrawal from the body’s addiction to sugar and carbohydrates.
Critics of the paleodiet trend point to a long list of incongruities, knowledge gaps about the true nature of man’s diet during the Paleolithic period.
A true paleolithic diet would probably include some wild game, tart berries, insects, roots and wild tubers, shellfish, rodents and the occasional cache of honey. But it would also vary enormously from north to south, coast to inland and continent to continent, ranging from a chimpanzee-like diet of fruits to a very fatty meat-based diet of seal and caribou consumed by Arctic peoples.
The truth is that defining a true paleolithic diet is next to impossible.
What we do know is that the abundant calories of cultivated grain gave rise to a massive human population boom and gave birth to permanent sedentary civilization, both of which roil unabated to this day.
In addition to the potential for health impacts from eating an ultra low-carb diet, a leading Canadian nutritionist warns that paleodieters often eat more meat than is healthy for them and the planet.
The environmental cost of a largely meat-based diet is probably the strongest argument against eating like a modern caveman, said David Jenkins, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Metabolism.
“We just can’t produce enough calories in meat protein and fat to feed the world’s human population, it’s not sustainable,” Jenkins said.
Widely accepted estimates suggest it takes 16 kilos of grain to produce one kilo of beef and at least 441 gallons of water.
“The [caveman diet] craze is interesting in that it focuses on increased fibre foods, but people get bored of fibre if you can’t have it as bread or pasta or rice,” Jenkins said. “These are the starchy staples that allowed us to multiply on the face of the planet.”
Caveman diet proponents claim that eating what they believe to be the human ancestral diet will reduce their risk of disease, pointing out that Paleolithic era people were not afflicted with today’s most common ailments, many of which are associated with obesity and old age.
That idea might just hold water.
Pre-agricultural humans did live long enough to suffer from diseases of age and there is evidence arthritis was common, though obesity, heart disease and diabetes were rare or entirely absent.
Jenkins is skeptical that such dramatic alterations in our modern diet are key to better health.
“The first step in adopting a paleolithic lifestyle would be to throw away your car keys and walk everywhere,” he said. “The diet we have adopted over the past 10,000 years suits our physiology just fine if we are exercising. The problem is we put all these starchy calories in our body and then try to burn them driving everywhere in our cars.”
The quality of drinking water supplied to Hong Kong is fully guaranteed, despite the increasing number of environmental incidents on the Pearl River and growing demand on the Chinese mainland, a senior official said.
Lin Xudian, deputy director of Guangdong Water Resources Department, said maintaining fresh water for the special administrative region is a priority.
"At present, 1.1 billion cubic meters of water have been allocated to satisfy Hong Kong's annual water demand, which varies according to needs," he said.
About 820 million cubic meters of water were transported to Hong Kong in 2011 through the Dongjiang-Shenzhen water supply project, which met 70 to 80 percent of demand, according to Guangdong Water Resources Department.
The project, which was built in Dongguan, Guangdong, has provided up to 21 billion cubic meters of water to Hong Kong since it came into service in 1965.
The source is at the lower reaches of the Dongjiang River, a tributary of the Pearl River, the banks of which have seen increasing industrialization and urban growth in recent years.
Environmental incidents do happen, Lin said, but stressed that sufficient water has been stored in Hong Kong's reservoirs to meet any contingency.
The river water sourced to Hong Kong is Grade 2, a higher standard for drinking water, Liu Zhisen, a water resources protection officer at the Pearl River Water Resources Commission under the Ministry of Water Resources, said in May.
"Pollutants in the Pearl River can now be diluted and absorbed in certain sections," and are not harmful to the river, he said.
A monitoring system for the Dongjiang River will be completed in the near future, to ensure safe supplies to Hong Kong, Lin said.
Hong Kong's water supplies department estimated a shortfall of 39 million cubic meters of fresh water by 2020, partly caused by a rise in population.
In his 2011 policy address, Donald Tsang, former chief executive of Hong Kong, announced plans to explore having a desalination plant in the city to meet its thirst. Contact the writer at jinzhu@chinadaily.com.cn
Kahon Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this story.
Jumpstart your day with freshly-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices. They
work wonders for your body and mind. Here are a few options for you. A juice
is not a complete meal It is unwise to adopt juicing as a meal
replacement. Ideally, you have to consume it with your meal or as an in-between
snack. It should be an addition to your regular meals. Acne and pimples Your skin shows up different types of
bumps when sebum (oil) gets blocked and bacteria begin to grow. These bumps can
be blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or cysts. Your formula:
Juice one lemon and add to one cup of hot water. Drink first thing in
the morning on an empty stomach. Why: Fresh lemon juice
purifies the blood by removing metabolic waste and by changing blood pH from
acid to alkaline. Constipation Constipation is a common digestive problem
that makes it difficult for you to have a regular bowel movement. Your stools
become hard, making it difficult for you to pass without strain. It is common in
pregnant women. Your formula: Carrot 20 tbsp + beetroot six
tbsp + cucumber six tbsp. Why: Drinking beet regularly helps
relieve constipation. Beetroot and carrot juice, when combined, are excellent in
curing gout, kidney and gall bladder problems. Cucumber is also a dependable
laxative food. It supplies bulk to aid bowel action. Allergies Your eyes are itching or you're sneezing all
the time. It indicates that the allergy bug has struck you again. An allergy is
a reaction of your immune system to something that does not bother most other
people. Your formula: Carrot 12 tbsp + celery four tbsp +
pineapple four tbsp + beetroot two tbsp Why: Pineapple
contains bromelain (enzyme) which is known as a treatment for inflammation and
swelling of the nose, ear, and sinus. The natural organic sodium (salt) in
celery is very safe for consumption. In fact, it is essential for the
body.
Menopause Menopause is the
transition period in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing eggs.
Menstruation becomes less frequent, eventually stopping altogether. Hot flushes,
night sweats and vaginal bleeding and itching are common
symptoms. Your formula: Carrot 18 tbsp + beetroot six tbsp +
pomegranate eight tbsp Why: Pomegranate is touted as a
wonder fruit since it shows promise in improving depression and bone mineral
density. Blood pressure High blood
pressure (HBP) or hypertension means high pressure in the arteries. Normal
blood pressure is below 120/80. If your blood pressure is 140/90 or above, it is
considered high. Your formula: Carrot 16 tbsp + 4 cloves of
garlic Why: Eating garlic lowers blood pressure and
cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Allicin
compound and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in garlic are responsible for relaxing blood
vessels, thereby improving blood flow in the arteries. Diabetes Diabetes is a
chronic condition in which your blood sugar levels are high. It doesn't have a
permanent solution but the right diet and exercises can help control the sugar
level to prevent further problems. Your formula: Carrots 12
tbsp + brussel sprouts 10 tbsp + string beans 10 tbsp Why:
The pods of string beans or french beans are a medium strength
diuretic, stimulating urine flow and the flushing of toxins from the body. Also,
brussel sprouts are rich in fibre and vitamin C.
Cold, fever and
flu There is no immediate cure for common cold. It needs to be
treated internally. For the flu, your doc might suggest pills or a syrup to
fight off the virus. But why become a slave to medication when you can cure
yourself with vegetable juice? Your formula: Carrot eight
tbsp + orange eight tbsp + lemon two tbsp + four cloves of
garlic Why: Carrots, oranges and lemons are a great source
of natural vitamin C. Garlic is well known as nature's antibiotic and hence can
treat common cold and aid in faster
recovery.
Obesity Obesity means having
too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight. A person may be
overweight from extra muscle, bone or water, as well as from having too much
fat. Your formula: Carrot 22 tbsp + Cabbage 10 tbsp or
spinach 32 tbsp Why: Spinach contains a range of active
substances which are indispensable to the body. Also, cabbage juice impedes
conversion of carbohydrates to fats and hence is beneficial in controlling
obesity.
Play it safe Be pesticide free: Even under
the best soil, sprays and pesticides enter plants and roots and are absorbed by
them. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with cold running water; use a stiff
brush if necessary. Clean your juicer: Cleaning any kind of
juicing equipment doesn't take more than 10 minutes. So stop giving excuses, and
clean your juicer immediately after use, to prevent any remnants from
contaminating the juicer. Avoid storing it: If you're
planning to juice first thing in the morning and consume it later, it's not a
good idea. Juices are perishable, so it's best to drink them immediately. If
you're careful, you can store a juice for 24 hours but with moderate nutritional
decline.
Why not eat them? You are probably
wondering, "Why not eat the whole vegetables and fruits instead of extracting
the juice and discarding the fibre?" The answer is, solid foods require many
hours of digestive activity before their nourishment is finally available to the
cells and tissues of the body. However, the removal of the fibres in the
extraction of the juices enables them to be quickly digested and assimilated
with minimum of effort.
To make it more palatable If
you're not a pro-juice person and cringe at the thought of downing bland
liquids, try these tricks to make your juice tastier: Lime and lemons: Add a quarter or half a lemon to the juice.
It is a rich source of vitamin C. Moreover, it contains 5 per cent citric acid,
which gives it a sharp pungent taste. Cranberries: If you
love cranberries, add some to your juice. Cranberries have 5 times the
antioxidant content of broccoli, which means they may protect against cancer,
stroke and heart disease. Limit the cranberries to about 8 tbsp per pint of
juice. Fresh ginger: If you like the taste of fresh ginger,
grate it and add it to your juice to give it a little kick. It's great in
lowering cholesterol levels.
Tanvi TrivediTanvi Trivedi| May 21, 2012, 12.00AM IST
8
Glasses of water a day keeps fat away (Thinkstock photos/Getty
Images)
Incredible as it may seem, water is quite
possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off.
Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps the body
metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will
cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually
reduce fat deposits.
Here's why:
The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't
work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the
liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the
body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't operate at
full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat more fat remains stored in
the body and weight loss
stops.
Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention.
Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored
water along with some essential nutrients.
The best way to overcome the
problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs -- plenty of
water. The more salt you eat the more water your system retains to dilute it.
But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy -- just drink more water.
The
overweight person needs more water than a thin one.
Water can help
relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it
needs from internal sources.
How much water is enough? On the average, a
person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. The
amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the
weather is hot and dry.
