Build the perfect snack

Smart Cheese Choices

Cheddar cheese - it is high in essential nutrients, and it packs 12 grams of protein and about 360 milligrams of calcium into a single serving. Choose a lighter version and you will cut the fat in half and reduce the calories by 1/3

Cottage cheese - A premium source of protein with 16 grams per 1/2 cup. Cottage cheese is also low in fat and calories.

Brie/Camembert- These creamy, spreadable cheeses are good source of protein (10-14 grams) and calcium (90-200 milligrams) but be careful not to overindulge because they also contain up to 200 calories and 12-14 grams of fat per serving.

Cream cheese - is not considered a proper serving of dairy due to its low protein (2 grams) and calcium(24 milligrams) counts per 2 tablespoon serving

The Good Mood Diet

Try raising your mood-lifting serotonin levels a couple of times a day by doing the following

-include protein in each of your three meals. this will raise blood levels of tryptophan , a chemical that eventually turns into serotonin. The best sources of tryptophan are poultry, seafood, and lean meat.


Also Have a small carbohydrate snack about 3 or 4 hours after each meal and about 1 hour before your next one. Make sure that your stomach is empty and that you eat no protein between meals. The carbohydrates should be easily digestible- such as one or two oatmeal cookies, or a piece of whole wheat bread. This will cause tryptophan in your blood to enter the brain,where is is metabolized into serotonin. Elevated serotonin will improve your mood within 20 - 30 minutes.

If you follow the rules, you will also fall asleep more quickly at night, because at the end of the day, your brain metabolizes serotonin into the natural sleep aid melatonin.

From happy to sleepy, all by way of a cookie. It doesn't get much cheerier than that.

(Prevention magazine - July 2008)

Weight Loss Hormone

It is called Lepin and it tells your brain to suppress hunger.

Leptin is a chemical that could be the "master hormone" for your appetite. Produced in the body's fat cells, leptin travels to the brain after a meal to suppress hunger. As the meal is digested, leptin levels fall and appetite rebuilds.

This system can be easily disrupted. A major culprit?- Elevated triglycerides in the blood, which prevent leptin from reaching the brain, allowing hunger feelings to persist.

Here is how you can takes steps to bathe your brain in leptin

-Eat foods low in triglyceridws: be wary of foods high in dairy fat (like whole milk and ice cream) which is 95% triglycerides

-Get hooked on fish oil: It may lower triglycerides and also facilitate leptin's passage to the brain

-Exercise- regular activity lowers triglycerides and helps the brain absorb more leptin

-Sleep about 8 hours- anything less is associated with lower levels of leptin in the blood and brain


An additional bonus to maintaining robust levels of leptin in the brain is a flatter belly. When appetite (and thus food intake is suppressedby leptin, the body first turns to its most readily available source of body fat, which is stored around the belly, for fuel.

Maximize Light to enlarge spaces

Electric light can effectively increase space. Highlight each of the four corners of your room to expand its size and brighten dark nooks with spotlights to create a more expansive feel.

Pare Down your Windows to enlarge a space

A simple blind, or sheer fabric drapes will help keep windows defined and allow the maximum amount of light to filter through. Larger drapes consume too much wall space and absorb lots of light, further reducing perceived spaciousness.

Trick your eyes to enlarge a space

Change perspective by hanging a series of landscape pictures with long narrow scenes to make you feel you are somewhere much larger .

Reflect on Your Space

Mirrors in any form, are great for bouncing light.

Glass tables, and even glass accessories, will increase the overall feeling of space thanks to their transparent qualities.

Blend Features to make spaces seem larger

Simplify your space by painting walls, trim and detailing in slightly different shades of the same colour. Paring down in this way softens decorative impact and helps promote a more generous feel.

Keep Walkways Defined for space enhancing

When you actually see floors, rooms appear larger so ensure you can move easily through space without running into abstacles.


Keep taller, bulkier items on the walls, and go low with sofas and case goods to keep lines clear.

Make Small Spaces seem larger

Maximum Storage

If you want to be orderly, go large on storage, especially where square footage is tight.

Install floor to ceiling bookcases, shelves and cabinets to provide loads of usable stash zones without devouring too much floor space.

If you can, try wall-mounted shelves instead of floor standing sideboards to further enhance floor space.

(Toronto Star - Nov 1,2008)

The Worst stall to pick in a public washroom

The one in the middle is the worst. According to unpublished data , the center stall has more bacteria than those on either end.

Stand on the Balls of your feet -to seem more confident

Simply shifting your weight to the balls of your feet will help you feel more grounded - whether you are having a tough conversation or giving a presentation at work or a speech in front of an audience.

Other Tricks - Pause to collect yourself before you start speaking, The wait will actually make you seem more sure of yourself.

Keep your pace even as you build to your point.

Maintain eye contact and if that feels uncomfortable, look at an earring or a sideburn- the effect is the same.

Power up your walk

This will help strengthen your core.

You can easily slip in a little core conditioning while you are walking.

Take a deep inhalation, then, with a strong exhalation, pull in your navel toward your spine, hold for a count of 5 and release. Do this ten times while you are walking, take a short rest, and do two more sets. Remember though to keep your shoulders back and relaxed down when you pull in your navel and try to also keep your lower back relaxed and released down and long.

Stand Up for a Bigger Calorie Burn

Researchers discovered that inactivity ( 4 hours or more) causes a near shutdown of an enzyme that controls fat and cholesterol metabolism, so you store more fat, rather than using it for energy.

To keep this enzyme active and increase your fat burning, break up long periods of downtime by standing up -for example, while talking on the phone.

Eat an Apple before lunch

New research found that people who did eat an apple before lunch, consumed fewer calories at the meal than those who had taken in the same calories in the form of apple sauce or apple juice.

A whole apple feels like more. It has more fiber and nutrients, and makes you feel full longer.

The people in the study ate the apple about 15 minutes before their meal.

If you want to burn fat - spice things up

Forget bland condiments. If you want to burn fat spice things up.

Australian researchers found that following a spicy meal, levels of insulin - the hormone that triggers body fat storage -were lowered by as much as 32%.

Apparently you are more likely to burn fat following a meal spiked with chile peppers than after one that isn't packing heat.

Walnuts instead of chips

Instead of snacking on some chips, open up a bag of nuts.

Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may keep you feeling fuller longer.

In a study for weight loss, researchers discovered that those who ate 8-10 walnuts a day lost more weight and body fat.

Sprinkle Cinnamon

Sprinkle cinnamon to improve your memory
Just smelling this heady spice can boost your brainpower and improve memory. In a study, participants who chewed cinnamon flavoured gum scored higher in tests of memory and visual-motor response speed.
So did the participants who simply smelled cinnamon before the tests.

Quick spicy fixes: sprinkle cinnamon on apple slices or use a cinnamon stick in your morning coffee

I used to have cinnamon on my morning toast when I was young - perhaps there was a reason for it.

Also apparently sweetening your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this spice instead or sugar, can save a couple of hundred calories a week. You will also be doing your heart a favour as cinnamon can lower heart-damaging cholesterol.

Brighten Your Smile

Brushing with a paste made of baking soda and water a few times a month removes superficial staining and whitens teeth by a shade or two.

The graininess neutralizes stains and polishes teeth but isn't abrasive enough to wear down your enamel

(Prevention magazine - Nov '2008)

Soothe Skin

Another use for milk- soak a clean washcloth in cold mild and place it over your face for 10 minutes.

"Milk contains proteins, fat, amino acids, and vitamin A- all of which reduce redness and calm irritated skin"

The lactic acid in milk exfoliates , so skin looks soft and glowing

Keep Your Bag Off the Floor

Whether it was at a restaurant or in a bathroom stall, you probably plopped your purse or bag on the floor for just a moment today. But that is all it takes to put your health at risk.

Floors and countertops are often contaminated with germs that cause colds, stomach problems, and eye infections. Those germs get on your hands so when you touch your eyes or mouth, they can invade your body, increasing your chances for illness.

To minimize your exposure, hang your purse on a door latch or hook when you are in a bathroom stall, and place it on your lap when you can. Wipe down your bag once a week with a disinfecting cloth.

(Shape magazine - Nov-2008)

The Best Snack For Allergy Sufferers

A cup of yogurt a day may keep a stuffy nose at bay.

A new study found that when people with allergies to grass, pollen and ragweed drank a beverage containing probiotics ( the good bacteria found in yogurt), they experienced lower levels of the antibodies that trigger reactions.

To build your reserves, try mixing yogurt with fruit and cereal.

(Shape magazine Nov-2008)

Help Keep your Toothbrush germ- free

Close the lid of the toilet before flushing, so those millions of microbes can't propel onto the floor, the sink , and the TOOTHBRUSH!

Cut back on caffeine

Drinking the recommended five or more cups of green tea a day may pump your body with enough caffeine to induce the jitters.

To eliminate up to 90 % of the caffeine - yet still benefit from all of the tea's disease fighting antioxidants- steep the tea for 30 seconds, and dump out the water ( along with the caffeine).

Then pour in new water, and steep for three to four minutes more.

Don't peel your fruits and veggies

There are 27 times more antioxidants in the skins of fruit and veggies than in the pulp - so save time and stop peeling

GET-HAPPY SNACKS

A hearty snack does more than quell hunger - it can also improve your mood.

The secret is to eat something with carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.

Carbs in foods like whole grains, fruits, and veggies reduce stress, the protein in eggs, dairy and beans keeps you alert and energetic, and omega - 3 fats in flaxseed, walnuts, salmon and sardines may ease depression.

Fish Fix - one slice of wholegrain bread, 1 1/2 ounces of smoked salmon and 1 slice of hard -boiled egg

Dairy Dose - one cup of plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1 tbsp of walnuts

Protein Power- 2 tbsps of hummus, 1/2 cup carrots and 5 flaxseed crackers

Lean back and relax - your spine will thank you

Apparently Doctors in Scotland with the use of MRI machines have discovered that sitting just ten minutes hunched forward or ramrod straight - with thighs at a 90 degree angle to the body -compressed disks, placing strain on muscles of the lower back.

However, when people sat on cushion with their hips slightly higher than their knees - the trunk and thighs were at a 135 degree angle - the spine remained close to its natural alignment, easing pressure on disks and keeping muscles relaxed.

So try raising your chair high enough to put your hips above your knee, or sit on a cushion and recline slightly.

Read this if you want to sleep better at night

Studies show that very bright light - the equivalent to outdoor early morning light - will increase brain activity. Some scientists believe that the light emitted by a computer monitor late at night can do just that and therefore confuse your body's sleep-wake cycle- particularly when combined with the stimulation of an engaging video game.

You are better to wind down before bed by watching tv( at least 15 feet away to be unaffected by its brightness) or even better to read a book or magazine.

(Prevention magazine June '07)

This May come in handy someday

What would you do if someone next to you collapsed. You would call an ambulance for sure.

Apparently even doing rudmentary CPR- i.e. doing chest compressions but no mouth-to-mouth- can save an adult's life.
Place hands on chest. Press hard at a rate of 100 times a minute ( the pace of the Bee Gees' "Staying' Alive")

To Strengthen your bones-eat dried figs

A quarter cup of dried figs has nearly twice the calcium as the same amount of low-fat cottage cheese.

Also dried figs pack antioxidants and heart-protective omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids into their punch.

Add figs to your morning yogurt or roast them with chicken.

(Chatelaine magazine, August 2008)

2 MINUTE LOWER BODY WORKOUT

Tracing the alphabet in the air with your foot targets your thighs, hip flexors and lower abs.

Sit on a chair, hands on the seat, feet flat on the floor. Lift and extend right leg parallel to the floor. Point toes and trace all letters of the alphabet as large as you can in the air with your toes. Switch legs and repeat.

Get out of a slump

To stand up tall, bend your left arm behind your waist and GRAB YOUR RIGHT ARM AT THE ELBOW.

This simple move pulls your shoulders back and down ( where they belong). Hold for about 10 seconds and then switch arms.

Do this 2 or 3 times throughout your walk.

Brain Food

For speedier afternoon thinking, which snack would you choose - a slice of watermelon or a chunk of cheese.

Reach for the watermelon - People who eat foods that are high in healthy carbs but low in fats (watermelon and other fruits being juicy examples) seem to have faster brain processing speeds than people whose diets are low in carbs but high in fats.

Carbohydrates are a critical source of the type of energy that brains need to perform. Fat on the other hand seems to gum up your mind.

If there is no fruit to be found, then try turning on all your office lights or even better, go outdoors and get a dose of natural light. Light directly affects areas of your brain that are involved in alertness.

It is ok to snack before meals- it won't spoil your appetite

You can nibble on fatty foods before you eat, but it must be the good kind of fat. Eating some healthy fat about half an hour before a meal can keep you from reaching for large servings.

Eating good fats stimulates a hormone that signals your brain that you are not as hungry as you thought.

All you need is about 70 calories of healthy fat - six walnuts, 12 almonds or 20 peanuts. You can also munch on apples or other juicy high-fibre fruits.

Good reason to text message more

Too much chatting on your cell phone may cause hearing loss.

Researchers in India measured the hearing of 100 cell phone users and 50 landline-only folks and those who had cell phones for 4 years or more showed a steep drop in auditory test results.

The scientists also found that talk time matters: People who chatted on their cell for over an hour daily had more hearing damage than less loquacious types. Use a hands-free earpiece with volume control whenever possible.

(Prevention magazine - March 2008)

WARD OFF WRINKLES IN A SPLASH

To suds away signs of aging, gently rub facial cleanser onto damp skin for 2 MINUTES AND RINSE 10 TIMES with lukewarm water ( I don't think any of us spend long enough washing our faces so try this for a squeeky clean feeling)

WORKOUT TIP-Squeeze the bar

During workouts , the most overlooked point of contact is the hand grip. Wrist, elbow and even shoulder injuries can be prevented by squeezing the bar - dumbbell handle, barbell or any other cable attachment.

This has a snowball effect throughout the body. A tight grip will stabilize the wrist musculature, decreasing unwanted movement of the wrist and elbow( remember , the hand, wrist, and arm are all connected).

If your wrist is isometrically stabilized during most movements, your elbows and shoulders will less likely compensate, leading to a decreased chance of injury.

Also, squeezing the bar sends an automatic response for you abs to contract.

Help for your eyes while on the computer

Our eyes converge, or cross together, in order to focus on a close-up object, like a computer screen. Keeping your eyes in this position for long periods of time causes strain. This can cause dry, burning eyes, headaches, blurred vision and sensitivity to light.
Over time this eyestrain can lead to permanent changes such as nearsightedness

PROTECT YOURSELF
Get rid of the glare. Switch off overhead lights and use lamps, and position your monitor so that windows are to the side instead of in front of or behind it.

TAKE A BREAK
Research shows that people blink half as much as usual- just six to eight times a minute - when they are looking a a computer screen, which can dry out the eyes.
So make a conscious effort to blink every so often.

Also look away from the screen every 10-15 minutes and stare as far off as you can for a few seconds to relax your eye muscles.

ADJUST YOUR SCREEN
You might think moving your computer closer to you is easier on your eyes, but it is best to keep your distance.
Your screen should be 20 -28 inches from your face.

Also tilt the screen so it is 25 degrees lower than eye level ( this angle can reduce vision fatigue

SIMPLE WAY TO EASE NECK PAIN

Doing your own physical therapy can help ease neck pain.

Bend at the hips, allowing your arms to dangle towards your feet and your head to hang without tension. As you breathe slowly in and out, gently swing your head from side to side to loosen the neck.

You will become aware of the joy that lengthening these muscles can offer.

Bend your knees as you slowly come back to a standing position.

SAVE YOUR SKIN

As much as half of your exposure to the UVA rays that cause sun spots and fine lines occurs while you are indoors. The main source is light coming through windows (most glass blocks only UVB rays).

To save skin:
wear a sunscreen every day even if you are staying inside.

(Prevention magazine- June 2008)

EAT DARK CHOCOLATE

The anti-oxidants found in dark chocolate called flavonoids may safeguard your skin from the sun.

Nibble on 2 oz. of dark chocolate a day. Don't mix it with milk though because milk prevents the absorption of polyphenols.

SUN PROTECTION

Eat Brightly Coloured Foods

Colourful foods are high in anti-oxidants, which can help protect your skin from the sun's worst effects by reducing your free-radical load.

The more colourful the plant, the higher it's protection against unwanted rays.

Some of the most colourful plants get their hue from lycopene, a naturally occurring pigment- or type of carotenoid- found in red and pink fruits. Carotenoids help people by clustering in those places most vulnerable to sunlight: the eyes and the skin.

Raw tomatoes are high in lycopene but cooked tomatoes are even better for you since cooking releases lycopene.

You can also get helpful amounts of lycopene from watermelon and pink grapefruit. Other carotenoids are easy to find. Stick to brightly coloured blueberries, strawberries and red, yellow and orange peppers.

(Natural Health Magazine May 2008)

Don't be too quick to cook your garlic

Chop, Slice or crush your garlic cloves, then set them aside for at least ten minutes before sauteing.

Breaking up garlic triggers an enzymatic reaction that releases a healthy compound called allyl sulfur. Waiting to cook garlic allows enough time for the full amount of the compound to form.

(from Shape magazine March 2008)

Do an eye meditation

Rub your palms quickly together until they feel warm. Cup them over your closed eyes. Feel the heat emanating from your palms, but don't touch your eyelids

You want complete blackness and it takes about six minutes to get rid of any afterimages.

Sit quietly in this position, and slow your breathing to a steady rise and fall. This deep relaxation helps to soothe both eyes and body.

Do this at least three times a day or when ever you need a quick eye break.


(Natural Solutions magazine, March 2008)

Rub Yourself Awake

"Massaging your face boosts circulation, making it a surefire way to wake up"

Starting at your forehead and working down to your chin, lightly flutter-tap or drum your fingertips, varying the velocity, intensity, and location until you've touched your entire face.

Bonus: these moves give you a quick healthy glow.

The Helthiest Cheese

Not only is soft goat cheese leaner than cow's milk varieties( it has 76 calories per ounce - versus 114 for cheddar)- and 3 fewer grams of fat), it also may provide better protection against anemia and osteoporosis.
Researchers explain that goat's milk products can help our bodies absorb nutrients like iron, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium more effectively than their cow-derived counterparts.

(study from the University of Granada in Spain)- shape magazine January 2008)

The power of tea with C

New research shows you might want to add a dash of citrus juice to your next cup of green tea. Since tea's antioxidants are most stable in an acidic environment - and our digestive tract is near neutral in the small intestine - a dash of lemon or orange juice makes the antioxidants more available for absorption by the body.

(excerpt from"Natural Solutions" magazine- study by Mario Ferruzzi, PHD, at Purdue University)

Change your sun visor

Move the visor in your car to your left side to block UV rays while you are driving. The left side of women's faces tends to look older because it incurs more sun damage from driving.

Stretch at your desk

Counter the metabolism-depressing effects of midday stress by boosting circulation and easing upper body tension. And take deep breaths while you stretch to provide cells with the energy-producing oxygen they need to burn fat.

CHAIR REACH AND DROP
A. Sit on edge of chair, feet flat, back straight. Extend arms overhead, palms facing each other, and gently arch back as far as comfortable. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then sit back up and lower arms to the side.

B. Clasp hands behind back and lean forward from hips, bringing chest toward thighs, arms toward ceiling. Hold 10-15 seconds.
Release and repeat.

A surprising way to protect yourself from the sun

According to a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, people who drank at least one cup of tea a day were about 30% less likely to develop two of the most common forms of skin cancer, squamous-cell and basal-cell carcinomas.

The polyphenol antioxidants in tea protect skin from damage caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays

Turn Around

Spend 1 of every 5 minutes of your daily walk travelling backward to strengthen your hips and butt without putting undue stress on your knees.

Head uphill this way and you will also burn 20% more calories than you would if your were facing forward

Give yourself a posture check

When you lean forward at a desk you elongate your upper back muscles, making them weaker and vulnerable to injury.

Most people don't realize they are hunching, so give yourself a once-over a few times a day to ensure you are sitting properly.

Make sure your hips and shoulders are in line, with a neutral curve in your spine. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground, and your ankles should be in front of your knees.

Then do this stretch a few times a day. Sit up straight and raise your arms to your sides at shoulder height. Bend your elbows so your hands are behind the back of your head, then squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for three seconds, repeat three times.

Quick Memory-Boosting Trick

If you want to be sure to recall something you read, warm up your memory first by moving your eyes from side to side for 30 seconds. Horizontal eye movements are thought to bolster interaction between the two hemispheres of the brain, and communication between them is key to retrieving certain types of memories

Producing New Brain Cells

The brain has an instinctual urge - almost like a hunger - for new experience. Animal studies have shown us that the brain rewards novelty by releasing a pleasure-inducing chemical called dopamine. Learning is reinforced because it is essential to helping the brain grow and thrive.

Here is the best part.

If you seek out new experiences throughout life, your brain will keep growing, sprouting new cells (neurons) and the branches between them (dendrites) - no matter your age. Your capacity to learn new things is unchanged no matter how old you are.

Here are some simple ways to break routine habits that may be prematurely aging your brain. And just like physical exercise, the more you can do, the more you will benefit.
- Brush your teeth with the opposite hand
- Reverse your usual walking or running route
- Shop in different stores
- Play different games

Enjoy Good posture for Life

Lengthen your spine and prevent slumping easily with the SHIRT PULL

Cross your arms and wrists in front of your waist. Now raise your arms as if you are pulling a shirt up and over your head. Grow taller as you reach up. Then lower your arms, letting your shoulders drop into place. Keep your ribs up. Repeat frequently during a walk to help maintain good posture