After a workout it is important to replenish the body.  Nutrients that have been lost through exertion are replaced to prepare for the next exercise session.  But, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the post-workout nutrition that you need.

What does the body need after a workout?  It needs fluids, protein and more fuel in the form of some carbs.  Without these nutrients, you can very well feel run down even if you were invigorated an hour before.  It is recommended that you wait no longer than an hour to eat after each workout session.

Fluids
The body loses fluid through your sweat.  If you notice that your sweat is salty, then you are also losing electrolytes.  The major fluid that you need to replace is the water.  For a healthy and productive workout, drink at least a glass of water before, one during and one after the workout.  If you feel like drinking more, that is fine too.

To replenish electrolytes, donít reach for the latest sports drink.  Instead grab a banana.  Bananas are packed with potassium and magnesium.  Since this category is fluids, add milk and or yogurt and blend until smooth for a post-workout shake that will put back the electrolytes that you need.

Protein
Protein is important for building muscle.  When you weight train, muscle is broken down so that it can be built back up while you sleep.  It needs protein to do that.  Choose lean forms of protein such as fresh turkey breast.  Combine it with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes for a great muscle boost.

Protein can also be replenished from non-animal sources.  Eating a serving or two of almonds, a tablespoon of low-fat peanut butter or a cup of black beans will provide you with protein as well as fiber.  Mix those beans with a little salsa for an extra kick.

What about soy?  Drinking a glass of soy milk or eating soy nuts will provide the protein that you need without the extra fat.

Carbohydrates
These provide the fuel for your body.  Carbohydrates that wonít spike your blood sugar are better sources, especially after a workout.  Stick with whole grains in breads, dried fruits and other grains like oats.

Create your own granola or trail mix. The commercial ones tend to be packed with fat, sugar, and even salt. Combine low-fat ingredients with carbohydrates that will supply steady energy for the rest of the day.  Carbohydrates that are high in fiber also keep cholesterol down and aid in digestive health.

Combine food suggestions from all three groups to create a healthy post-workout meal.  Keep the calories low but the nutrients high with your food choices.  To get a good meal or snack after a workout you don’t have to invest in pre-packaged alternatives.  Create what you need at home, put it in a baggie, or container, and take it with you anywhere. Just watch your portion sizes. One ounce can really be packed with calories if you use a lot of nuts in your mix.

Think about advertising.  The female population is inundated with photo after photo of the “perfect body” according to modeling agencies and style magazines.  Especially during the teenage years, the pressure to fit in and be liked by the opposite sex can lead to an unrealistic view of their bodies.

The same goes for men.  Seeing rock hard abs on models and male actors has them wondering if they need to look like that to attract girls.  This jaded thinking can lead to unhealthy eating and exercising habits that ruin a boy’s health and his self-image.

Men are still hesitant to come forward and reveal themselves as having a problem with eating disorders.  It is still thought of by some professionals as a ìfemaleî disease and they are not diagnosing it as much in males.  To help raise awareness, a few Hollywood actors have stepped forth and admitted that they suffer from eating disorders.

To heighten awareness, parents and others have to become familiar with the signs and symptoms of eating disorders not only for their daughters but also for their sons.  The first step is acceptance of the disorder in men and boys to shatter the stigma that is keeping them from getting the help that they need.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ice cubes
1 small ripe banana, peeled and sliced
2 large, ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Fill into a large glass and enjoy this delicious smoothie anytime of the day.

Anorexics are always concerned with weight.  They exercise to excess, constantly weigh themselves and count calories in everything – even water.  Any celebration that revolves around food will alarm them and they will likely bow out.  No matter how thin they get, they always say they are fat.

Where a person with anorexia tends to be underweight, people who suffer from bulimia nervosa are normal to slightly overweight.  They also fear getting fat and strive to control their food to control their lives.  Bulimics have a dim view of their body shape and often have low self-esteem.

As a way of coping with their feelings, they eat uncontrollably away from prying eyes.  Guilty feelings cause them to purge after their binging.  They vomit or use laxatives to get rid of the food that they have eaten.  They also shy away from any gathering that involves food and exercise a lot in an attempt to lose weight.  You may see boxes of laxatives or enema bottles in the trash or in their room if your child is bulimic.

Eating disorders are becoming quite common among teenagers.  Unless treated, anorexia and bulimia can get out of control and cause serious, irreversible damage to the body.  If you notice any of the above activities going on with your child or a friend, get them to a doctor immediately.  Early intervention can stop a lifetime of health problems and keep the disorder from proving fatal.

The truth about 6 cholesterol myths:

6 Cholesterol Myths

What do you eat more of raw foods or processed foods?  If you have a hectic schedule, fast foods may fit into your plan but they are not the healthiest for your body.  Find out the benefits of eating raw foods and how to fit them into your lifestyle.

What is it about raw foods that have people gravitating towards them?  Raw foods were meant to be digested by your body.  Processed foods came along as a way of preserving meats and other perishables.  The refrigerator used to be called an ice box because it really was a box of ice that kept fresh meats and other foods cold until ready to eat.  Salting and sugaring came into use as preservatives in lieu of using the ice box.

Raw foods are edible in their natural state.  A little washing gets the dirt off but otherwise they can be eaten fresh out of the garden.  Think of tomatoes, strawberries, green beans, cantaloupe and other foods.  When eaten fresh, all of the nutrients inside are transferred to your body where they can be used.

Food that contains no preservatives or processes that alter their natural state are easier to digest in the body.  Raw foods from plant sources contain their own enzymes to aid in digestion.  The reason is that plants are living things.  Less effort is needed by the body to produce enzymes to break down these foods.

That is not the case with processed foods or processed fruits and vegetables.  The pasteurization process removes any harmful bacteria, which is good.  The heating process, however, removes major nutrients that are the reason for eating fruits and vegetables in the first place.  Added preservatives need enzymes manufactured by the body to break them down for nutrient use.

Raw foods contain natural sugars which can feed the sweet cravings we have developed over time spent eating processed foods.  It takes longer for raw foods to digest, meaning you are not hungry as often and your blood sugar remains stable throughout the day.  Want to give your kids fruit juice?  Juice the fruit yourself for a natural sugary taste that provides a bundle of good vitamins and minerals.  Your kids will love the natural taste of raw foods when they are started on that type of diet from a young age.

There are foods like potatoes, cabbage and sweet potatoes that are cooked before eaten.  Cooking these raw foods at home supplies more nutrients than the canning process.  You can make sure that they are not overcooked and therefore lacking much nutritional value.

It’s not realistic to think that you will eat raw foods all the time.  Meat can’t be eaten raw and most people arenít willing to give it up.  But, there is a solution.  Eat your meat, but eat it in limited quantities while filling up on raw foods like fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Using apple cider to treat certain ailments is an old folk remedy that people are still using today.  The basis of the remedy has been fashioned into a diet that centers on the use of apple cider vinegar.  This diet makes use of many of the proven health benefits of this vinegar.

Origins of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple juice.  Once you have created apple cider, you could stop there and enjoy this refreshing fall drink.  But yeast and sugars are added to the apple cider to create a more acidic environment leading to the production of apple cider vinegar.  The vinegar is used as an ingredient in many recipes and as a condiment for foods like cabbage or fish.  It can also be a reducing agent when creating sauces.

Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

For many, many years, people have used apple cider vinegar to treat conditions of the body.  These benefits are still viable today.  Apple cider vinegar contains many minerals and vitamins that the body needs on a daily basis, including vitamin A, C and the B vitamins.  Important minerals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are also present.

Apple cider vinegar has been known to lower cholesterol levels.  Because it is made from apples, this liquid contains the fiber found in apples.  Fiber helps remove fat and cholesterol from the system before it is excreted from the body.

This vinegar is also good for intestinal health.  It is a fact of life that we will eat something that doesnít agree with us.  Diarrhea removes harmful substances from the body but also good flora from the intestines.  The pectin in apple cider vinegar can help to replenish the good bacteria as well as protecting the intestines from other harmful substances that led to the diarrhea in the first place.

If you have diabetes or are at risk, swallowing a little apple cider vinegar each day can help your blood sugar.  Blood sugar levels can be out of control in the diabetic person.  Fiber in apple cider vinegar functions in the absorption of excess glucose in your bloodstream to help avoid sugar spikes that lead to problems with diabetes and also food cravings that lead to weight gain.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

The diet consists of drinking up to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before each meal.  It is said that this process will rev up your metabolism and help you to lose weight.  Apple cider vinegar can control blood sugar levels and this can hinder those bothersome sugar cravings that derail your diet.

One drawback is that ingesting so much of an acidic substance can harm your mouth and throat.  In your mouth, acid can damage the tooth enamel.  This is the outer protective layer on each tooth.  Once it is gone, it doesn’t grow back.  And just like vomiting, excess acid in the throat can burn the lining and cause strictures.

Are you looking at the apple cider vinegar diet?  While you look at the health benefits of this vinegar, consider using in moderation for the health benefits and to avoid any negative effects.

Among the various diets found in today’s world of searching for better health, you can find what is known as a juice fast or detoxification diet. This type of fast diet involves the consumption of only water, raw vegetable and fruit juices for a certain period of time. The reason behind this diet is for the beneficial antioxidants and vitamins contained in fresh juices. This diet is considered one of extreme detox as there is no solid food consumed for the duration.

There are many reasons people may choose a juice fast diet over another type. Juice fasts can be used for losing weight, religious reasons, or to assist in weaning oneself from possible unhealthy habits. These could include overeating, caffeine addiction or smoking – to name a few. Then there are fasters who are a little more serious about their routines with juice fasting. They use it as an alternative healing technique to many conventional treatments. It may be used as a healing method for pain management, arthritis, infections resistant to antibiotics and other ailments as well.

There are certain people for whom juice diets aren’t recommended. This group of people includes pregnant or nursing women, children, diabetics, or people with anemia. Anyone with an impaired immune system, low blood pressure, terminal illness or epilepsy should also stay clear. People with any chronic illness or condition should steer clear of a juice fast unless they doing so under strict medical supervision. Never try a juice fast before or after surgery.

When considering how long your juice fast is going to last, there is an easy rule of thumb to follow. Continue with the juice fast until you have two days without any symptoms of detoxification. If you wish, you can also stick to a juice fast three or four days a week while eating a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables the other days. Along with sipping your juice during the day, it is recommended you also consume approximately six glasses of water at room temperature.

(makes 2 big servings)

Ingredients:
1 cup of instant oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt
Honey to taste
Handful of unsalted cashews

Method:
Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for about 2 – 3 minutes until hot.

Serve immediately and enjoy this super-healthy and delicious spicy oatmeal

Hello guys!

Summer is around the corner, and for the next week Healthful Goddes is going to dedicate a segment “For The Body” with information about: Tai-Chi, Judo, Akido and Kickboxing!

The first article of “For the Body” is about Tai-Chi, the martial art considered to be a form of meditation. People practicing Tai Chi, also known as “players” learn to emphasize not only slow, deep breathing but rhythmic movements as well. This assists development of a focused and calm mind.

Tai Chi is an enjoyable activity for those of all ages and fitness levels. Each individual can practice the postures and movements in a manner relative to their own level of fitness, energy and state of mind. Each individual starts where they are, and learns at their own pace. It can be beneficial to the fittest athlete, the teenager and everyone in between. You may even find those in wheelchairs as part of a group practicing Tai Chi in the park near your home. You could take part even if you don’t think you could be coordinated or agile enough. These are all aspects you can learn at your own pace.

Traditional Chinese Medicine states that disease results from weak and impaired flow of qi (pronounced chee) through the meridians. There are fourteen main energy meridians which link internal organs and the entire physical body with the mind and emotional systems. These meridians arenít visible; however, you can detect them by the energy which moves through them. With the gentle movements of Tai Chi these energy channels are opened, thereby allowing the rhythm of the movements of the muscles, spine and joint to release energy through the body. This flushes out any stagnant qi, replacing it with fresh qi that is newly oxygenated.

The slow pace of Tai Chi provides the effect of performing a body scan to clear any place where there may be tension building up or stored. By releasing the grip of debris in both mind and body, we allow more space for positive aspects such as love and light to enter our lives. Aside from the meridians Tai Chi uses to work the internal organs, it also clears the joints of any potential debris in those areas, such as calcium deposits. This benefit is a result of the different movements requiring the body to rotate to about 95% of its ability. Tai Chiís health benefits are being quickly discovered in western medicine.
Health and life are simple reflections of our mind state. Body and breath move along with the mind. This encourages cleaning out any roadblocks which normally would keep us from moving forward. These roadblocks keep us locked in emotional and psychological patterns that arenít always healthy. The empowerment of “meditation in motion” can keep us in the train of thought that change itself is a constant in our lives, and new beginnings always follow closures.

Whenever stress and tension start taking their toll on health and well-being, it would be wise to look to those who have attained that level of harmony within the body.  Whether one is seeking to find that silence, relaxation and focus of thought, or if what is wanted is a gentle fitness program to increase flexibility and overall general health, Tai Chi would be an excellent place to start.