In a well-balanced diet, the body is able to get enough nutrients for good skin health and for the body to function well as a whole. However, in today’s society a well-balanced diet does not exist in too many households. Often diets lack the vitamins, minerals, and other essential components for healthy skin and healthy bodies.

The proteins are needed for repair of body tissues. The skin and hair need enough protein and the deficiency causes dull and dry skin and scalp. Vegetarians specially need to plan their diets carefully to include protein rich foods such as soya beans, sprouts, cheese, milk, grains, peas & beans. Freshly made cheese from toned milk is an excellent source of protein for the vegetarians.

To get the maximum effect, eat products made from cooked tomatoes, especially tomato paste, as the process of cooking makes it easier for your body to absorb the lycopene. You need around 10mg a day. It will take around 2–3 weeks before your body starts feeling the benefits. Other foods rich in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, like oranges, strawberries, broccoli and cabbage. Vitamin C is also essential for your body to produce collagen, the material that keeps your skin firm and wrinkle-free.

Vitamin A is very important for the health of your skin and eyes. The richest sources of this vitamin are cod-liver oil, liver, carrots, spinach, milk and egg-yolk. If the diet is lacking in this vitamin, the skin becomes excessively dry and develops pimples. Vision at night becomes defective.But remember, neither should you overdose yourself with Vitamin A, because this can cause dryness and roughness of the skin, falling of the hair and soreness of lips.Cracking and soreness of lips also develop in vitamin B deficiencies.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect cell membranes. It has been proven to reduce the damage of sunburns and overexposure to ultraviolet light, which in turn reduces the risk of skin cancer. Green tea is also high in polyphenols — compounds that eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.

Two per cent of men (and eight per cent of women) are anaemic. Even more have low-iron stores, which can leave you feeling tired and weak. But another little-known symptom of low-iron stores, caused by not enough in your diet, is itchy skin.

This combination will improve the texture of your skin. Used regularly it will help reduce signs of aging such as liver spots and wrinkles. Carrot is high in beta-carotene and anti-oxidant vitamins, while avocado is a rich source of vitamin E. The thicker the consistency of the mask, the more intense the action on the skin.

Carrots are a good food for skin because they are a high source of beta-carotene. The body coverts beta-carotene to vitamin A for use within the body. Carrots are also a good source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that mops up free radicals, such as those produced by overexposure to the sun, that lead to the premature aging of skin. It also aids in skin collagen formation. Collagen helps skin look young and plump.

The (mostly unconscious) principle Thai food is the balance of five flavors which are spicy, salty, sweet, sour and bitter. The one indispensible ingredient which is generally used in seasoning a majority of Thai cuisine is fish sauce. Thai food is eaten either as a single dish or with rice. Steamed rice is the staple food although sticky rice is more popular in the north and northeast of Thailand.

Thai food is one of many things that you should not miss while you are traveling in this beautiful “Land of Smiles”. Since there are numberless delectable Thai dishes, I am writing this guideline for you to select the most distinctive and authentic ones out of the plethora of Thai signature dishes.

The following list is a top 10 rank of Thai food that you must not miss. The consideration and ranking is based on the popularity, uniqueness and authenticity of the delicacies. Here are the winners.10. Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan (Stir-Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts)Even though Kai Pad Med Mamuang Himmapan does not represent the overview of Thai food but it is a very nice treat to your bland taste buds. Since it is by no means spicy or hot, this slightly sweet and salty chicken fried with crunchy cashew nuts is aptly satiating for children or beginners who are not used to spices.

9. Por Pia Tord (Fried Spring Roll)Fried spring roll is one of the most popular appetizers among foreigners because it is not spicy and comes with sweet and sour dip. Spring rolls are crispy pastries with fried vegetable fillings. Though spring rolls are commonplace in many Southeast Asian countries, Thai Por Pia is different in flavors with a special dip prepared from Japanese apricot.

8. Panaeng (Meat in Spicy Coconut Cream)Panaeng can be cooked using either pork, chicken or beef. Panaeng tastes like Thai red curry but the coconut milk sauce is relatively thicker and richer. Compared to Thai red curry, Panaeng is mildly spicy and sweet. Paneang is best served with warm steamed rice. There is nothing to dislike about Panaeng expect the fact that it can be too greasy or fleshy for some people.

7. Som Tam (Spicy Papaya Salad)Som Tam is one of the most popular foods among Thai people for its fiercely spicy and sour flavors. Som Tam, which literally means “Sour Pounded”, is a spicy salad made from a mix of fresh vegetables including shredded unripened papaya, yardlong beans and tomato. Som Tam is unique that the spicy dressing and salad vegetables are pounded and mixed in the mortar using a pestle. Somtam is usually served with grilled chicken and sticky rice. Som Tam is good for your health that it contains no fat, low calorie and high vitamins. This is a truly authentic Thai dish that will make a great impression. The only reason why I’m ranking Som Tam at No.7 (though it deserves higher rank) is its strong spiciness that might leave your tongue burned and swollen. Just say “Mai phed” (not spicy) to your waiter if you really want to try.

6. Moo Sa-Te (Grilled Pork Sticks with Turmeric)This tantalizing sweet-flavored grilled pork sticks are refined with rich, juicy sauce made of turmeric and curry powder. Moo Sa-Te makes a savory hors d’oeuvres that will appease any taste buds. These juicy grilled pork sticks are usually served with two saucy dips – one is a mildly spicy thick sauce with ground peanuts, coconut milk and curry powder and another one is a sweet and sour vinegar sauce with chopped shallot, pepper and cucumber to mitigate its oiliness.

5. Tom Yam Kai (Spicy Chicken Soup)Chicken soup is very good to eat when you have a cold but Tom Yam Kai or spicy chicken soup is a yummy treat that you will fall in love with just in a first sip. Tom Yam Kai is a clear chicken soup seasoned with a blend of chili, lime and fish sauce. The broth is simmered with Thai herbs as lemon grass, shallot and galangal which give it a unique and satiating aroma. My foreign friends order this tasty soup anywhere they go so you should not miss it by any means!

4. Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Milk Soup)Although Tom Kha Kai is another variation of chicken soup, it deserves the No.4 because of its unparalleled taste and popularity. Similar to Tom Yam Kai, the broth is prepared with many types of Thai herbs with the special addition of coconut milk that makes this soup unique. Though the soup is seasoned with chili, lime and fish sauce just like Tom Kha Kai, thanks to the coconut milk, the broth is milder and less spicy. This is probably more liked by non-spicy eaters.

3. Kang Keaw Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry)Since we are having three dishes in a row made of “Kai”, you would have guessed that it is chicken in English. Not that chicken is particularly popular in Thai cuisine; it is usually used in most curry and soup. Kang Kiew Wan, literally translated as “Sweet Green Curry”, is nicely sweet and slightly spicy and tastes very delightful with a proper blend of the spiciness from green curry chili paste, blandness from coconut milk, sweetness of sugar and saltiness of fish sauce. It is usually eaten with steamed rice or served as a sauce to rice noodle known as “Kanom Jeen” likewise to how you eat Spaghetti.

2. Pad Thai (Fried Noodle)This national dish prides itself for its long history traced back in previous centuries. Pad Thai flaunts the authenticity of Thai culinary arts in using only fresh and best ingredients and the well-balancing of the five fundamental flavors.  The stir-fried noodle becomes popular because it tastes yummy and comes with a choice to add in a set of seasonings to suit your appetites. Through history, Pad Thai has evolved into two different styles: the classic and the variation. The classic Pad Thai is a stir-fried noodle with eggs, fish sauce, tamarind juice, red chili pepper plus bean sprouts, shrimp and tofu and garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander while another style is relatively dry and lightly-flavored. The latter is easily found in street vendors and dominant in Thai restaurants in the West but the having classic Pad Thai freshly cooked in its original country is a way to go.

1. Tom Yam Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)No other dishes can defeat this renowned Tom Yam Goong as the optimal representative of Thai gourmet. Tom Yam Goong is truly one of a kind with its fierce spiciness and sourness and a blatant use of fragrant herbs including galangal, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, shallot, tamarind and chili pepper. There are two styles of Tom Yam; the clear spicy soup and thick spicy soup. The latter is cooked by adding coconut milk or milk to the broth in order to thicken the stock and give the dish a milder flavor. Tom Yam is very versatile and can be made with prawns, chicken, fish and mix of seafood, and mushroom. Tom Yam Goong is the most popular variety of Tom Yam since Spicy Shrimp Soup is the original. Though not very surprising, Tom Yam Goong is definitely a signature dish of Thailand.Even though it is commonly known that Thai food utilizes many health herbs and spices, there have always been debates whether Thai food is really good for health since they tend to be somewhat greasy. It is important to note that it depends on each dish; some can be highly caloric but many dishes make a good use of herbs. Garlic, for example, is very good healthwise because it can prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer.

No matter what the food is, the same old concept of moderate intake comes into play. From Mcdonald’s burger to Japanese Sushi, a key to optimal fitness is to avoid overconsumption. Thus, a claim that Thai food is mainly coconut-based and fattening should never be an adequate reason for you to still order a Big Mac. Ravish your taste buds with Thai food – tasty and healthy!

The Entire Metabolic Process Depends On An Alkaline Environment

As a matter of fact, the entire metabolic process depends on a balanced internal alkaline environment. A chronically over-acidic pH corrodes body tissue, slowly eating into the 60,000 miles of veins and arteries like acid eating into marble. If left unchecked, it will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of the heart to the neural firing of the brain. 

Above all, the acid-alkaline balance is a well known theory of the cause of overweight. It has shown that fat is actually an over-acidification problem. Why? Because the body creates fat cells to carry acids away from vital organs, so these acids literally don’t choke the organs to death. Fat is saving life! Fat is actually a response from the body to an alarming over-acidic condition. 

The 4 Rules Of New Levels Of Health, Wellness And Energy

The solution is to alkalize and energize the body and its cell system. Changing to an alkaline lifestyle can result in a lean, trim body, while experiencing a new level of wellness, energy and fitness. These rules guide on how to become healthy, well balanced and fit again.  

1. More Green and Yellow Vegetables and Grasses: Fresh vegetables and grasses are an excellent source of the alkaline salts that are anti-yeast, anti-fungal, and anti-mycotoxic. The chlorophyll (or “blood of the plant”) contained in plants and grasses is identical to the blood of humans, except for one atom. Green foods such as wheat grass and barley grass are some of the lowest-calorie, lowest-sugar, and most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. Also juiced, green vegetables are very cleansing. Vegetables and grasses are also loaded with fiber.   

2. More Healthy (and NOT animal) Proteins:  Broccoli, spinach, sprouts, garbanzo beans, tofu or fresh fish with scales and fins carry the sub-cellular units and the amino acids to make proteins in amounts that are congruent with the body’s needs. Also, all green vegetables are high in calcium. Animal protein foods are unhealthy and provide more protein than is required by the human body. Our bodies are only 7 % protein. Animal protein foods often contribute factors to the body that are unneeded and then represent a challenge to dispose of (e.g., saturated fats).   

3. More Alkaline Green Food Supplements: In case one shouldn’t be able to completely change the diet to green and alkaline food, taking powdered alkaline supplements sprouted for maximum cell absorption is an option, like, for instance, Supergreens. With powdered greens the need to constantly eat healthy vegetables and greens disappears. Taking alkalizing, pH balancing and highly energizing SuperGreens is an easy way of adding 49 different grasses, vegetables, sprouted grains and leaves, as well as 125 vitamins, minerals and amino acids to your diet. If taken daily, they even allow to not changing eating habits, although it is recommended, of course. 

4. More Alkali-forming Foods: Good alkali forming foods include fresh sprouts, spinach, kale, Swiss chard, avocados, lemons, limes, cucumbers, celery, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans, eggplant, broccoli, fresh tomatoes, zucchini, green/red/yellow peppers, onions, okra, garlic, parsley, watercress, cabbage, squashes, soy beans (tofu), garbanzo beans, raw almonds, Brazil nuts, hazel nuts, sesame seeds, flax seed, sprouted grains and legumes. Green juices from all green vegetables and their tops are highly alkaline. Also, vegetable broths are extremely alkalizing to the body. These need to be yeast-free and preservative-free.

Changing to an alkaline, healthy diet low on calories and the increased intake of alkaline food and alkaline supplements supports vital cellular activities and functions and will create new levels of healthiness, energy, wellness and fitness.

If you find that a day goes by and the only thing you’ve had to eat is a bagel and coffee or maybe some fast-food you will no doubt be feeling the physical effects of a lack of nutrition. Lack of mental clarity, weakness and irritability are all signs you haven’t given your body enough good food to eat.

On the other hand, if you or your children indulge in high calorie diets on a regular basis you will notice the effects of over nutrition. Weight gain and related symptoms will also zap your energy and put a strain on your body.

Your diet is a crucial element to feeling good, strong and alert. If you’ve been suffering from a diet lacking in nutrition, or an over indulgence in nutrition, you’ll certainly be feeling the effects on your overall health – and even worse – you may be setting yourself up for more serious disease.

You obviously need calories for energy. It is vital to obtain the necessary amount of calories every day to maintain your optimum health. Individuals who do not take in the proper amount of calories because of ill health, physical disability, dieting or problems with absorption, usually begin to loose weight, lack concentration and as time passes they begin to loose the function of organs such as the reproductive system and eventually major functions of the heart and lungs.

A diet too high in calories will also put your health at risk. More common than under nutrition in developed countries like the United States, obesity puts a strain on the organs and increases the risk for health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.

Knowing what a typical serving size of food is can help you determine if you (or a family member) are taking in the appropriate amount of calories. It is important for parents to teach children moderate eating habits to ensure good eating for life. I cannot stress this point enough!

Aside from merely watching caloric intake it is important that your diet has strong nutritional value as well. You could eat an entire box of doughnuts to meet your calorie needs without having met your daily requirements for vitamins, protein, calcium and other minerals.

Choosing a diet that lacks nutrition on a regular basis will lead to a lowered resistance to illness, general weakness, and irritability. Other diet deficiencies, such as a lack of calcium, can lead to more serious disorders like osteoporosis.

While pregnant and/or lactating women, the elderly and ill individuals may have no choice but to to supplement their diet with multi vitamins, the average healthy person should attempt to get most of the nutrition they need in a normal diet that includes fruit, vegetables, protein (meat and lentils), dairy and fibre bread and cereals).

Fast-food in the diet is not harmful if it is only an occasional treat, but may show its negative effects if consumed as a major part of the diet. Educating yourself and your family on what a healthy diet is will help you and your family feel great and enjoy good health for years to come.

to do anything? Can I do anything about my health?

Maybe these questions are not related to you, but you will be surprised how many people never care

about this.

Most people start thinking about their health when it’s almost gone. The problem is that we’ve been

brainwashed from our childhood that only thing we can do is treat what ever disease we have. So eat

well (meaning, tasty food), drink (what ever you want), and be merry while you still have your health.

Because after you loose it, all these things won’t be available for you. So many young people are

living by these rules. Thinking I have to seize the moment, before I get sick.

And this attitude, this philosophy is responsible for many diseases and early deaths.

Most people don’t realize that there are preventive methods which won’t be a hindrance for good food or

a happy fulfilling life. In fact, really good, tasty food is usually unprocessed real food, as apposed

to junk food. But preventive issues are not in the food itself, but in what is missing in most food we

consume today.

So, what we can do to prevent many diseases and illnesses, and prolong our life expectancy is beyond

what our parents had? It’s all comes down to our diet. I use this word loosely. By diet I mean

nutrition supplements we all need. We can eat almost anything if our food contains minerals and

vitamins in optimal amounts. But the truth is our food today is deficient in almost all of the required

minerals and vitamins. With today’s methods of growing vegetables and grains and other agriculture

products we are not getting all necessary nutrients we’re supposed to get. And that’s why we have so

many diseases.

Almost all major diseases we have in today’s society could be traced to deficiency of minerals and

vitamins. And if we would only take them daily most of diseases would disappear. And this is not what

your doctor wants you to know. You see, he is benefiting from your sickness. He wants to see you in his

office often. And drug companies, like drug dealers, want you to be hooked on those drugs, because this

is how they get their profits. But you don’t have to be sick, and you don’t have to contribute to their

wealth.

Just take the necessary nutrients and you’ll have a long, healthy and happy life.

Many people think that good supplements cost a lot of money and don’t consider taking them. But think

about this as a cheap health insurance. It is wise to invest in your health about buck a day, because

if you won’t, you will invest in lives of doctors and drug companies. So, my advice is find good

supplements. Take them religiously every day.

And enjoy a good, healthy, long life with out aches and pains.

People have much more control over their health than most of them realize. If you want to take more personal responsibility for your health, forget your New Year’s “Resolutions” (if you’re like most, you probably already have!), and make some real goals to improve your health and prevent future degeneration.

You Have the Power

The first step in the journey towards optimum health is to realize that you, indeed, do have the power to influence your health as you age. While the genes you inherited from your parents do affect your risks, for most diseases this influence is tiny compared to the role your lifestyle plays.

Here’s the way it plays out for the average American: by the time they are in their 30′s or 40′s, most are on at least one regular prescription drug – typically cholesterol medication, blood pressure medication, and/or Viagra. By their 60′s, most people are falling apart, on multiple medications, and suffering from arthritis pain, obesity, depression, insulin resistance, and a host of other complaints. Within 10 years, many are dropping like flies.

But of course it doesn’t have to be this way.

Imagine the Future

How do you imagine your life playing out? Pour yourself a beer (do it now, before we get to the part where we actually write out lifestyle goals), kick back, relax, and dream. Imagine that you’re 70 years old. Are you still in vibrant health, playing tennis, running on the beach? Or are you old and fat, with just enough energy to get off the couch and make it to the refrigerator and back during the Wheel of Fortune commercial?

Then imagine checking your Health Savings Account balance. Does it have $325,000 in it, or $325? If you’re not in the best health, chances are your HSA won’t be either.

If that’s too far in the future, just imagine January 2009, and where you’d like to be. It’s mostly your choice.

How Are You Going To Get There?

Once you’ve imagined the perfect future, its time to get serious about getting there. And the key is to focus on lifestyle habits, not end results.

Diet

Nothing is more important to your long-term health than eating a healthy diet. So your focus, as much as possible, should be the quality of your diet.

Base your diet on real, whole, unprocessed foods. Fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat, nuts. Until 10,000 years ago, humans did not have access to bread and potatoes, and it is only in the past 100 years that we’ve begun eating high quantities of sugar, corn syrup, white flour, and other modern foods.

If losing weight is one of your objectives, going on a diet is NOT the answer. Chances are you’ve tried that before, and you know it doesn’t work. But what does work is permanently changing your eating habits, and where most people get stuck is they start out with a feeling of denial. Whether its wings and beer, or Twinkies and root beer, whatever you eat that’s gotten you to this point is probably what you feel like you “deserve” to eat, and you may feel that its not “fair” that you won’t get to eat this way anymore.

Get over it. The fact is that no one eats that way without consequences. Instead, choose to eat good food. Not temporarily, or just until you lose the weight. Don’t tell anyone that you are “on a diet”. Tell them that this is the way you eat, period.

Exercise

We are built to move, and anyone can improve their body’s functioning by moving more. The basics: muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.

Here’s what your prescription should be:

1. Lift weights 3 times per week. Join a gym, or simply buy some 20 and 30 lb dumbbells. Each week make sure you work out your arms and shoulders, chest and back, and legs.

2. Do something aerobic 3 times per week, for 20 minutes or more. Don’t just go for a stroll, but actually do something that makes you breathe hard – whether it’s jogging, rollerblading, basketball, or whatever.

3. Stretch every night. 5 minutes or less ought to do it.

The Power of Written Goals

So at this point you should have two ideas in your head. One is a picture of you at some point in the future. How you look, how you feel, and how you function. The other is the permanent lifestyle changes you plan to implement to get you there.

Now is the time to put it on paper. This is a powerful exercise that will make your thoughts more “real,” and more likely to come to fruition.

First, write out a detailed description of your future, exactly as you would like it to be.

Then write out your lifestyle habits in positive wording. What kind of food are you going to eat? What kind of food are you going to have around the house? Where and when will you eat out, and what kind of food will you order?

Remember, it is very difficult to make changes if you have feelings of denial. Fighting hunger is virtually impossible. Instead of concentrating on what you won’t eat, concentrate on what you will eat, and on the end result. And if you want to splurge on some Ben and Jerry’s occasionally, go ahead.

How Much Will You Have In Your HSA When You Retire?

In 2008 the maximum annual HSA contribution is $5800 for families. If a family makes the maximum contribution each year, gets an 8% return on their money, and has $500/year in medical expenses, they’ll have $261,885 in their HSA after 20 years. If they have $3000/year in medical expenses, they’ll only have $138,354 after 20 years.

Stay healthy, get wealthy. They certainly go together. And with looming Medicare insolvency, you will certainly want to have as much of your own money available to pay future medical expenses when they do happen.

At one time it wasn’t uncommon for me to have wings and fries for dinner, washed down by a few beers. At other times it was beer for dinner, supplemented by a few wings. Amazingly, the human body is able to take these raw ingredients, and produce heart, lungs, eyes, and everything else that keeps us going. But if we were able to look more closely, we’d see poor ingredients produce a poorly functioning body.

If optimum health hasn’t been a focus in your past, make 2008 a year of change. You’ll be glad you did.