Using Food and Nutrition to Boost Energy Levels

Of course we all know that food is the fuel of the human body. It stands to reason than that it can be used to make an effective difference to our energy levels.

Chinese medicine has much knowledge and a number of theories for determining the most useful foods for individuals to increase their energy levels.

Chinese medicine includes a concept known as Qi energy. Qi energy is taken from the Qi of the foods that we eat. Qi reflects the quality of the foods we consume. Much like putting the wrong type of fuel in a car is damaging to its system, taking in poor quality Qi has negative effects on the body. It can leave us weak and tired or with an increased vulnerability to disease through a poor immune system.

Fresh Organic Ingredients

Processing food damages its Qi. Freezing and long term storage also negatively affects the Qi. Artificial additives and preservatives have no useful Qi and can further damage that of the food itself.

Fresh, organic food has a much stronger level of Qi and so is said to contain a greater ‘life force’. It will provide your body with much better nourishment than processed, pre-packaged food.

It is a wise choice therefore to cook from scratch with natural ingredients as often as possible as opposed to using tinned or frozen goods.

Protein

Any nutritionist will tell you that it is important to eat a wide range of different foods to maintain a balanced diet. Protein is important as without it you can be left quite weak and feeling tired. Vegetarians have less options for foods that are a good source of protein, but they do have the option of beans, peas and nuts. Grains like amaranth and quinoa are a decent source of protein.

In Chinese medicine micro algae chlorella and spirulina provide high amounts of protein and are used in Qi and Blood tonics. In health food and supplement stores they can be found as either powders or capsules. They are useful for anyone who is concerned that their diet may leave them lacking in protein.

For people who do eat meat, it is important to remember to take it in moderation. Thought it is a great source and provides strength to the body, too much can be a strain on the digestive system, limiting its usefulness. It is smart to use smaller amounts in dishes like stews and casseroles to ensure you gain the best nutrition from the meal.

Time to Eat

Breakfast is a hugely important meal. It provides your body with the energy it needs to start the day and stimulates the metabolism. The digestive system works best in the morning, so it is the best time to take in the nourishment that you need. A meal such as porridge, low in sugar, rich in carbohydrates should be perfect to keep your energy levels up throughout the morning.

Late evening meals should be kept minimal. Digestion slows down later, but remember, that your meal will be powering you through the night as you sleep.

The Qi tonics

Qi tonics are foods which are known to be especially good at boosting energy. They include a wide variety of different types of foods. Oats, chicken, carrots and sweet potato are all regarded as Qi tonics because of their great energy boosting.

Consult with a Chinese nutritionist to find out which foods suit you the best. Effects of certain diets can differ from person to person, so it is important to know what works best for you.

Brain food – Omega-3

I like to eat fish. I always believe that fish is good for our health and it is low in fat and calories. But one of the key benefit of fishes is that it is high with certain nutrition, particularly Omega-3. Omega-3 is known to be good for the brain and especially beneficial for children. So it is good to give kids either fish oil and to eat more fishes itself.

I have been working on my memory all these while, seeing myself being forgetful lately. Investigating the internet for good method to improve memory, I have discovered that indeed Omega-3 is one of the great brain food. This post that I have come across covers a video interview that explain about the benefit of Omega-3 for the brain. Lynn, the interviewee, explain that Omega-3 is also a good for treating Depression. So do check it out.

Have you seen the Acid/Alkaline Food Lists?

Too Much Acid Invites too many Ills

It’s been proven in recent years that eating various foods leave behind what is known as an acid ash. On the other hand, there are also certain foods that leave behind what is called an alkaline ash after food and beverage and been metabolised by the body. It doesn’t take much guessing to work out which one of the 2 is the healthiest! There are many acid alkaline food charts online where you can find lists of the various foods and what kind of ash they leave behind.

If you’re someone who suffers a lot with acid reflux, then you might seriously want to check your pH balance and make some changes in your eating habits. It’s been proven my medical experts that a body which is more acid than alkaline is more suitable for all types to cancer to thrive in. Cancer really doesn’t like an alkalised body, so much so that it is said it cannot survive in such an environment.

Anyone who has taken it upon themselves to alkalise their body by eating more alkaline than acid forming foods, and embarked on an exercise regime thanks to their new found energy levels, will tell you that the days of being sluggish, dead beat, worn out, and generally lacking in zest, are long behind them.

Do Dietary Supplements Really Work?

The Diet Supplements Industry Finally meets its Match in the FDA

If it weren’t so sad, it would be hilarious. The General Mills Corporation tries to sell Cheerios on the claim that it lowers your cholesterol. If you watched any TV, and paid attention to the commercials, you’ll certainly recognize this claim. It was the Bush administration’s understanding approach that got companies confident over getting away with just about any claim they chose to put out there. Under President Obama though, the FDA is asking Cheerios to prove it or cut it out. It’s also going against Nestle’s Juicy Juice drinks that claim they will help you with brain development. Nestl

Food Gloves – The Best Way To Cook Your Freshly Caught Fish

A freshly caught fish can be cooked in a thousand and one ways. One of the first things you want to keep in mind is to prepare your food safely, so make sure that you use food handling gloves as you prepare your fish. Any fisherman worth his salt has his own unique way of cooking a freshly caught trout, salmon or whatever fish he caught. So fisherman all across the country has been handed down methods of cooking fish. Here are some tips to get the best out of your fish.

1.Use Food Gloves When Frying Fish

Breading and frying a freshly caught fish is as good as it gets. The smell of butter emanating from the frying pan and the flair a fisherman puts in flipping his catch is worth its weight in gold, almost. For the novice fisherman, make sure that the butter is extra hot but not yet burning. Also, make sure that the fish is well coated in batter. Season your batter to your heart’s content, salt and pepper never goes wrong. You may want to try other herbs and spices with the batter for a more delicious fish.

2.Grilling Fish Requires Food Service Gloves Also

At first glance, grilling would seem to be the easiest way to handle your fish. A newbie might assume that grilling fish is the same as grilling steaks or burgers. Unlike fowl or cattle, fish tends to secret most of its own juices when cooked. On a grill the delicious juice drips into the coals.

To prevent losing the moisture, first coat the fish with oil. The oil will seal a part of the moisture inside. Second, keep an eye on the fillets and turn them as soon as a cut would reveal that the fresh fish is cooked halfway through. After being flipped, watch the fish carefully. Remove the fish as soon as it is cooked through.

An option to basting the fish with oil is to wrap it in aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will keep the moisture and marinate the fish in its own moisture. Placing herbs and spices inside the foil with the fish enhances the grilling process and the fish itself.

3.Wear Food Gloves While Baking Fish

Baking is the best option for the fisherman who does not want to watch over the fish during cooking. The fisherman can prepare the marinade and pre-heat the oven, then pop the fish into the oven for a predetermined amount of time. You may want to check on the fish from the time to time, ensuring that you don’t overcook the fish.

Whatever fish you caught, a good recipe and proper cooking will for sure enhance the catch. Take time to prepare for cooking, a badly cooked fish will no doubt spoil your day. Remember the first rule of cooking, don’t overcook your fish.

About the Author
The author has been writing articles online for 4 years now. Come visit his latest site FoodGloves.net that discusses Food Handling Gloves – Reviews by Keith Martin.

Making Nutritional Sense of Fast Food Menus

Fast food is always around you and you probably eat at those restaurants more than you wish to admit. By now, most of us know that the food that you get through such places is not always the best for us. In fact, these restaurants have some of the highest calorie foods you can find with very little nutritional value. Fast food menus have changed, however, so it is possible to pull up to a drive thru when you need something fast or on the go and get something that you are not going to feel horrible about after you are done eating.

If you are feeding your family from the drive thru near your home, you want to pay extra close attention to your options on any fast food menus. Today there are more healthy options that you can choose and there are also some other tricks to use when you want to have the usual, but you want to save on calories and not do a lot of damage to your diet plan. Your children are going to love more nutritional items if that is what you get for them. Besides, most of the time, they are only interested in the toy in the kid’s meals anyway.

For you children, there are some healthy items on fast food menus that you should look for. In fact, you should find out who has the best selection of items that are pretty decent in the way of calories and nutrition and those are the drive thrus that you should use the most often. Some have ham and cheese sandwiches, and others offer apple slices instead of fries. There are a lot of great options on many fast food menus so look around and find out where you can do your best for your family.

Interested in knowing how to choose cake pans? Check out Big Cooking pots to find out more simple and useful pots and pans tips.

Hiring A San Diego Personal Chef

For families or professionals without the time to prepare a meal each day, the option to hire a personal chef in San Diego is a popular, not very expensive, way to provide a regular meal of the highest quality for your San Diego family. The decision to keep a San Diego personal chef on a retainer is a decision that must be made carefully, for each chef has certain credentials that make him or her an expert in a culinary field. Businesses may wish to hire personal chefs for office functions or everyday use, San Diego cooking classes, and should make sure they can cater to every employee appetite.

To become a certified chef, a minimum of two years study is required. During this time, the majority of students learn the everyday tools of the trade — such as precision cutting, cooking en masse, use of most tools, and a bevy of generic recipes — but also certain specialization. For haute cuisine chefs, the study is tilted towards higher-end meals, the type of which are almost exclusively served in five-star restaurants. Pasty chefs are hired more often in bakeries or dessert production. Saucier chefs are mostly employed by restaurants, but only with ethnic foods (such as Italian, Chinese, Mexican, etc.) which are their calling card.

The rates of San Diego personal chefs can vary; the head White House chef makes nearly a quarter of a million dollars a year, while some working in restaurants may only collect around ten dollars an hour. For higher end service, most notably for businesses, expect to pay at least thirty dollars an hour for the best food.