Want Beautiful Skin? Foods to Eat to Make Your Skin Glow

March 16, 2012 by

Beautiful SkinHave you ever heard the expression “you are what you eat?”

When it comes to beautiful skin, it couldn’t be truer. The healthier your diet is, the more your skin will look firm, even, clear and healthy.

If you have a poor diet it can leave your skin looking blemished, sallow, dry, red, irritated or otherwise unattractive.

No matter how many expensive face creams and cleansers you spend your money on, changing your diet will have a much greater effect of the overall look of your skin.

Here are a few delicious and healthy foods that will give you glowing and beautiful skin:

Water: The number one change you can make to your diet to improve your skin is to drink more water. It will help your skin look moist and soft, and it will flush out toxins from your body.

Cantaloupe: High in antioxidants, this delicious fruit will help your body to absorb free radicals and reduce skin problems.

Broccoli: This vegetable is very high in Vitamin A, which is the vitamin which encourages your body to create new skin cells. If you eat more broccoli, your skin will be renewed more quickly and the healthy and fresh skin will show through.

Salmon: This tasty fish, as well as other fishes such as tuna and sardines, is full of Omega 3. This is a type of “good fat” which our body needs, and it will help to reduce inflammation in the skin.

Grapefruit:  This zesty breakfast treat is high in Vitamin C, which helps to delay or reduce wrinkles in the skin.

Lean Red Meat: If your skin is looking pale and sallow, you might have an iron deficiency in your diet. Lean red meat which is low in fat is a healthy way to increase your iron intake. If you don’t eat red meat, eggs are an alternate source.

Almonds: This snack is filled with Vitamin E, which protects your skin against sun damage.

Include these healthy items on your next supermarket shopping trip, and see if they make a difference in the health and appearance of your skin!

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Trying to Lose Weight? Eating to Get the Most Out of Your Workout

January 23, 2012 by

Did you know that the food you eat before and after working out can have an impact on how effective your exercise regime is? Strawberry Smoothie

Working out takes energy, and the food that you use to fuel that energy makes a big difference. When you fuel up on the right nutrients you can superpower your workout and make the most of your time in the gym.

What to Eat Before the Gym

Some people swear by working out on an empty stomach, but studies have shown that because you have no food in your system to use as fuel this can cause your body to burn your muscle reserves for energy.

You are going to the gym to build muscle, not deplete it so it is better to eat a small meal before working out to give yourself some energy.

This meal should include lean protein, lots of fiber, complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, and a small amount of fat. These types of foods take longer to absorb and make you feel fuller for longer, and they provide lots of fuel to energize you for your workout.

A great pre-workout snack would be whole wheat bread with peanut butter and a banana, scrambled eggs and toast with fruit, or a protein shake or smoothie made with yogurt and fruit. If it is less than one hour before the workout, go for a small meal but if you have more than two hours before you get to the gym you can eat more.

What to Eat After the Gym

Once you are finished working out, you should be drinking lots of water to replenish the sweat that you have lost.

Within one hour of finishing your workout, you should have another small snack with high quality protein, because this will help build your muscles and aid your body in recovering.

Nourishing your body with healthy proteins and complex carbs before and after a workout will give it the fuel to build muscle and become stronger.

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Which Is Better : Fresh Produce Or Frozen Produce?

April 18, 2011 by

Frozen Fruit and Fresh Fruit : Which Is Better?There’s a long-standing myth that freezer-section produce is “worse for you” than fresh produce from a farm. The truth, however, is often the opposite.

Because of upgrades in packaging and delivery methods, frozen produce is often more fresh than “fresh produce”, and contains higher nutrient levels, too.

The key is to know how to shop for it.

The main advantage that frozen produce carries over fresh produce is that frozen produce is picked in its most ripe — and most nutrient-rich —  state. Then, when the produce is flash-frozen, its nutrients become locked-in and sealed.

Fresh produce, by contrast, tends to be picked before it’s ripe, and is left to ripen in transit.

Because food nutrients degrade with exposure to heat and/or light, the longer it takes produce to get from the farm to the supermarket, the fewer nutrients the produce will have. 

Did you know? Fresh fruit and vegetables might sit for up 2 weeks before they’re sold by your local supermarket. And not to mention how long it may take you to consume them.

Another advantage of frozen produce is that it’s often less expensive than fresh fruit. For example, looking at the cost of strawberries bought in bulk:

This isn’t to say that frozen produce is “better” than fresh produce. It just depends on your circumstance. If you plan to consume the produce within a short period from purchase, and can account for its ripeness and freshness, fresh produce may be preferred. Or, if you eat organic produce, free from pesticides and chemicals — certain produce may be better eaten fresh.

But know the facts. Frozen produce can be healthier and cheaper — a good combination for your household.

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