5 Foods You Should Eat Every Day

The new trend among the weight conscious? Eating more. Don't focus on consuming less of the "bad" foods — aim to incorporate more of the good foods into your diet. Not only will you feel less deprived, but you'll also end up being too full to crave the junk. Try these five nutritional superstars for a result that's even greater than the sum of its wholesome parts:

1. Spinach

For $1.50, the price of a large bag of spinach at most grocery stores, you can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis, lower your cholesterol, and raise your I.Q. Spinach is an excellent bone-builder, containing vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium. It's also high in flavonoids, plant molecules that act as antioxidants, which have been shown to prevent breast, stomach, skin, and ovarian cancer. Spinach is a great source of vitamin A and vitamin C, which not only keep you from getting sick in the winter, but also de-clog your arteries and reduce heart disease.

Spinach contains antioxidants that neutralize free radicals in the brain, thereby preventing the effects of aging on mental activity. Scientific studies have demonstrated that both animals and people who eat a few servings of spinach per day improve their learning capacities and motor skills.

Serving ideas: Sauté spinach with olive oil, pine nuts, and raisins — the olive oil will help you to better absorb its nutrients. Don't love the flavor so much? Try these spinach brownies from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook — you won't taste a thing.

2. Eggs

In the Snackwell-crazed '90s, dieters feared eggs because of their fat and cholesterol content and suffered through millions of tasteless egg-white omelets. But research has shown little, if any, connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, and the humble egg is finally being recognized for the remarkably complete set of nutrients it provides. It makes sense: Something that contains the ingredients for an entire life can give you the fuel you need to get through the morning.

Eggs are a great source of protein, containing all eight amino acids (if you eat the whole thing). As any healthy dieter knows, protein is essential for staying full and having energy.

Serving ideas: For breakfast on the go, roll up a veggie omelet in a whole-wheat wrap. Or, update the classic egg salad by chopping yours up with Italian tuna, black olives, and some olive oil and vinegar.

3. Blueberries

A Tufts University study found blueberries were the number one source of antioxidants among 60 fruits and vegetables analyzed. Blueberries contain antioxidants that can (get ready): prevent ulcers, cataracts, and glaucoma; decrease risks of heart disease and various types of cancer; and lower cholesterol. They can also reduce aging of the brain, keeping your memory sharp and diminishing the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Serving ideas: Throw some frozen ones in the blender with honey or agave syrup for a granita-like treat. Or, serve in a salad with spinach, sliced almonds, and balsamic vinaigrette for a light and gourmet lunch.

4. Apples

Eating an apple a day can keep all kinds of doctors away, from physicians to dentists. Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber, which not only make them filling, but also work double time to reduce cholesterol. Some doctors even recommend drinking apple juice after eating a fatty meal to reduce the food's negative effects on your body.

Apples have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. And if that's not enough to make you bite into a Fuji or McIntosh, consider this: Chewing apples stimulates saliva, which scrubs stains off your teeth and freshens breath instantly.

Serving ideas: Spread peanut butter on sliced apples for a yummy taste of childhood. Or, dice them up in your oatmeal before cooking and sprinkle with cinnamon for an apple pie-flavored breakfast.

5. Winter Squash

One cup of winter squash provides 170 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin A, a nutrient necessary for night vision that's hard to find in other foods. Squash's bright orange color comes from a high dose of carotenoids, antioxidants that prevent eye degeneration due to aging and filter out carcinogenic light rays. Makes you think of jack-o'-lanterns in a new "light," doesn't it?

Roast the seeds alongside the flesh and you'll reap a host of other benefits. Winter squash seeds contain a significant amount of L-tryptophan, which can help to prevent depression. They're also a rich source of magnesium, a mineral Americans don't consume nearly enough that's vital to almost every bodily function. Eating your daily dose of magnesium will lower your risks for heart disease, abdominal obesity, and diabetes.

Serving ideas: Mix canned or pureed squash with cinnamon and the sweetener of your choice for a decadent and surprisingly low-cal treat reminiscent of Thanksgiving candied yams. One-half cup of pureed pumpkin has 40 calories, in contrast with yam's 180 (and that's if you don't add butter or marshmallows). Or, roll the seeds in cinnamon and sugar, crunchy sea salt, or curry powder, then roast them in the oven. And don't limit yourself to pumpkin — delicata and kabocha squash seeds are equally nutritious, with their own unique, nutty flavors.

(Source: realbeauty.com)

Tiga Langkah Tes Rambut Sehat

Rambut sehat berkilau tentu menjadi dambaan bagi setiap perempuan. Sayangnya, berbagai faktor seperti polusi, penggunaan blow dryer dan flat iron, pelurusan/pengeritingan rambut, pengecatan rambut, hingga kekurangan nutrisi bisa membuat rambut kusam dan rusak.

Untuk mengecek sejauh mana kesehatan rambut, ada sejumlah tes yang dapat Anda lakukan. Semakin cepat dilakukan, Anda pun bisa memberikan penanganan yang tepat untuk mengatasi masalah kerusakan rambut yang dialami. Guna memastikan diagnosa, ulangi setiap tes tersebut paling sedikit menggunakan empat helai rambut masing-masing dari area kepala yang berbeda.

1. Cabut sehelai rambut hingga ke akar dan periksa bagian pangkalnya. Rambut yang kuat memiliki bohlam yang tebal. Jika tidak ada bohlam, itu berarti folikel rambut berada dalam kondisi tidak sehat. Penyebab kerusakan tersebut bisa berasal dari proses penataan rambut menggunakan alat panas atau zat kimia, atau bisa juga karena kerontokan rambut.

2. Lilitkan sehelai rambut di antara jari telunjuk dan jempol seperti seutas tali, kemudian gunakan tangan yang lain untuk menyentaknya. Jika rambut langsung putus, itu berarti rambut kekurangan pelembap. Namun jika rambut meregang seperti permen karet, maka rambut memerlukan protein untuk menguatkan ikatan keratin rambut.

3. Jatuhkan sehelai rambut ke dalam segelas air. Helai rambut yang sehat akan tetap mengapung di permukaan. Jika helai rambut tenggelam, itu berarti batang rambut berpori. Kerusakan tersebut dapat terjadi pada rambut yang diwarnai, atau karena kekurangan protein.
(Source: Media Indonesia)

5 Strategi Susutkan Lemak

KOMPAS.com - Riset terakhir menegaskan bahwa hal utama yang perlu diperhatikan saat kita ingin menurunkan berat badan adalah  mengendalikan asupan kalori. Terutama, bila usia kita sudah semkin mendekati 40 tahun ke atas. Batas yang sering dianjurkan oleh para ahli adalah sekitar 1.600 kalori per hari.

Sebagai panduan, simak lima tip berikut untuk membantu memangkas kalori, mengendalikan dorongan ngemil, dan memastikan program penurunan berat badan berjalan maksimal.

1. Perhatikan porsi makan di rumah
Bukan kegiatan makan di restoran saja yang perlu diwaspadai. Menurut studi terhadap 18 resep yang dimuat dalam sebuah buku resep masakan klasik, hidangan khas rumahan ternyata menyimpan 63 % kalori berlebih dalam setiap porsinya. Salah satunya karena porsi makanan di masa sekarang semakin lama semakin banyak.
Solusi: Saat memasak, kurangi bahan-bahannya hingga setegngah dari komposisi resep. Atau, segera sisihkan separuh hidangan untuk disantap pada waktu makan berikutnya.

2. Tampik minuman manis
Orang yang menghilangkan konsumsi minuman manis dalam sehari, bisa menurunkan berat lebih banyak dalam waktu 6 bulan. Bahkan, satu gelas minuman sudah bisa memberi perbedaan yang signifikan. Ini bila dibandingkan dengan yang berusaha mengurangi asupan kalori dari makanan padat, dengan jumlah yang sama. Peneliti dari John Hopkins University berasumsi, kalori yang berasal dari cairan tidak cukup memuaskan, sehingga kita cepat merasa lapar lagi.

3. Bersahabat dengan protein
Pada penelitian yang dilakukan di Eropa, orang-orang yang komposisi menu hariannya terdiri dari 25 % protein ternyata bisa lebih sukses menurunkan berat badan. Protein, baik dari makan besar maupun snack, bisa membantu kita merasa kenyang lebih lama. Saat dicerna, protein juga butuh kalori lebih banyak ketimbang yang diperlukan karbohidrat dan lemak. Demikian simpulan para peneliti.

4. Awali dengan makanan berkuah
Riset membuktikan, kita menyantap kalori 20 % lebih sedikit jika mengawali waktu makan dengan sup, alih-alih langsung menyantap makanan utama. Catatan: hindari sup yang tinggi kalori, seperti yang dibuat dengan menggunakan krim.

5. Minum jus sayuran
Jus dari ekstrak sayuran bisa memuaskan lapar dan mengendalikan asupan kalori. Ini terlihat pada penelitian di University of California, Davis. Relawan yang minum sedikitnya 240 ml jus sayuran (rendah sodium) bisa kehilangan berat badan 4 kali lebih banyak. Ini dibandingkan mereka yang punya pola makan serupa, namun tidak menikmati jus sayuran.

A warrior of light is never predictable

A warrior of light is never predictable.He might dance down the street on his way to work, gaze into the eyes of a complete stranger and speak of love at first sight, or else defend an apparently absurd idea. Warriors of light allow themselves days like these. He is not afraid to weep over ancient sorrows or to feel joy at new discoveries. When he feels that the moment has arrived, he drops everything and goes off on some long-dreamed-of adventure. When he realises that he can do no more, he abandons the fight, but never blames himself for having committed a few unexpected acts of folly. A warrior does not spend his days trying to play the role that others have chosen for him.

The warrior of light does not worry that, to others, his behaviour might seem quite mad. He talks out loud to himself when he is alone. Someone told him that this is the best way of communicating with the angels, and so he takes a chance and tries to make contact. At first, he finds this very difficult. He thinks that he has nothing to say, that he will just repeat the same meaningless twaddle.Even so, the warrior persists. He spends all day talking to his heart. He says things with which he does not agree, he talks utter nonsense. One day, he notices a change in his voice. He realises that he is acting as a channel for some higher wisdom. The warrior may seem mad, but this is just a disguise.

The moment that he begins to walk along it, the warrior of light recognises the Path. Each stone, each bend cries welcome to him. He identifies with the mountains and the streams, he sees something of his own soul in the plants and the animals and the birds of the field. Then he allows his Personal Legend to guide him towards the tasks that life has reserved for him. On some nights, he has nowhere to sleep, on others, he suffers from insomnia. ‘That’s just how it is,’ thinks the warrior. ‘I was the one who chose to walk this path.’ In these words lies all his power: he chose the path along which he is walking and so has no complaints.

(Author: Paulo Coelho)

Another obsession of mine in making myself thinner...Apparently not very hard. Just say no to TV(like I can do that)

Cut back TV time, burn more calories

It may seem obvious that spending less time lounging on the couch may help burn more calories, but a team of researchers from the University of Vermont recently confirmed that cutting back daily TV time increases the amount of calories you burn. The study, published last month in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, included 36 adults who were either overweight or obese, and who watched at least three hours of TV per day. 20 participants were randomly assigned to cut their TV time in half—which researchers enforced with a timer that would lock the out after their allotted viewing time expired. At the end of the three week trial, participants who'd had their TV time cut in half burned an average of 120 extra calories per day—or roughly the equivalent of half a candy bar—compared with those who carried on with their routine viewing habits.

While cutting back on TV time helped participants burn more calories, it didn't impact the amount of calories they consumed each day, researchers found. Still, burning 120 extra calories per day is a start. As Dr. Jennifer Otten, lead author of the study, told the New York Times: "If you add it up over time, it's equivalent to walking eight miles a week. Over a year, it might help prevent weight gain of 12 pounds.”

(Source: Time)

New Year's Resolution

January 5, 2010

My first day of blogging (again).

One of my resolutions for this year include to spend more time to write and read. So far, have yet to achieve in both. But (God willing) there is time. So, in hope for the best, I'm starting the entry.