Healthy State of Mind
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Achieving and maintaining mental wellbeing is very important, for both mind and body. However, around one in four people suffers from some kind of mental issue during their lifetime, but many do not seek the help they need to manage or overcome the problem.
Awareness of mental health problems is constantly rising, making it easier for people to recognize the signs and know what help is available. Counselling is regarded as an effective form of treatment for many mental health issues.
The initial decision to take the plunge and accept help is undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of the whole process. However after this decision had been taken, a whole new set of questions can arise with regards to actually finding the counselor.
There are numerous issues to consider - practical and otherwise. What about, for example, location? Despite counsellors' assured complete confidentiality people may prefer to see a counsellor that is perhaps outside their local area, but still in surroundings they are comfortable in.
And what guarantees that the counsellor is the real deal? There are no laws in the UK that govern counselling, so what's to stop anyone setting up shop to listen to people's problems? There are qualifications and professional bodies, but these can often be confusing and over-whelming.
Counselling can take many different approaches - from person-based to psychoanalytic, and it's important to choose a counsellor with an approach the person will be comfortable with and respond to well.
Counselling Directory was set up to provide a simple, easy, and most importantly un-daunting way of connecting people that need help with the people that provide it. A comprehensive searching tool, the site allows postcode, town and country searches, and produces a list of counsellors registered in this area. Each counsellor has a profile, listing a bit about themselves, their approaches, what areas they deal with, and all their training, qualification and experience and fees.
The site shows which counsellors are registered/accredited with a professional body, and full profiles are only displayed after insurance and qualification documents are checked or membership with a professional body has been verified.
The site has also become a huge information bank - there are articles written by the counsellors, as well as comprehensive information on all kinds of distress - from depression to eating disorders to abuse, to help people identify their problems and become informed, not scared.
Healthywomenonline thanks the Counselling Directory for contributions to this post.
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Tags: mind, wellbeing
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Does Extra Calcium Hurt Your Heart?
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Concerns over a study linking calcium supplements with an increased risk of heart disease are not worth panicking over, according to the Complementary Healthcare Council (CHC).
The research published in the British Medical Journal found calcium supplements, taken without vitamin D, increased the risk of myocardial infarction by about 30 per cent.
Researchers said the risks associated with taking calcium supplements, without vitamin D, outweighed the benefits.
“The likely adverse effect of calcium supplements on cardiovascular events, taken together with the possible adverse effect on incidence of hip fracture and its modest overall efficacy in reducing fracture [about 10 per cent] suggest that a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is warranted,” the study said.
However the CHC has said the results of the meta-analysis of 11 studies involving almost 12,000 patients was flawed.
“The review did not clearly define if the 36 women who presented with heart attacks verses 22 on placebo had the same degree of atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease risk factors before taking the supplement.
“In addition, when evaluating these results it is important to consider that the total calcium intakes of the participants in these trials were up to 2400 mg per day (dietary calcium plus supplements).
“These levels are considerably higher than the current Australian recommended dietary intake of 1000mg to 1300 mg of calcium per day for adults and the elderly,” the CHC said.
“The weight of evidence to date indicates no increased risk of heart attacks or stroke with increased calcium intakes from diet or supplements.”
The Australian Self-Medication Industry (ASMI) was also critical of the study, saying the link between calcium supplements and heart disease was “controversial”.
A spokesman for the ASMI said other recent studies had ruled out a relationship between calcium supplementation and increased cardiovascular risk.
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Tags: Calcium, Supplements, Heart, Extra, Health
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The Worst Diets Ever Part II
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5. The 3-Day Hot Dog Diet
I’m not quite sure why they call this a ‘hot dog diet’ since the only time you actually EAT hot dogs is on the 2nd day at dinner.
Otherwise, you’re eating regular diet foods like cottage cheese, tuna, fruit, veggies, and black coffee or tea for 3 days.
Correction, you are instructed to have ½ cup of vanilla ice cream every night.
Go figure—hot dogs and ice cream?
We think they added 2 hot dogs on the menu for the second night just so they could call this a hot dog diet.
4. The Magnetic Diet
The foundation of this diet is in understanding which foods attract either health or disease to the body.
Contaminating magnetism supposedly attracts disease to the body and includes refined sugar, cholesterol, and white flour.
Invigorating magnetism include fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lean meat, and foods containing antioxidants.
In addition to only eating invigorating magnetism foods, the diet advocates doing meditation and re-programming the mind towards engaging in more healthy habits.
Um, it sounds like a new-age, catchy name for what we already know—eat a balanced diet, reduce sugar intake, reduce stress, and train your brain to replace bad habits with healthy choices.
3. Blood Type Diet
Developed by Dr. Peter D’Adamo, ND, you basically eat or avoid eating foods according to your blood type, and this is supposed to help you lose weight.
For example, this diet specifies that blood type B people should avoid corn, wheat, lentils, tomatoes, chicken, peanuts and sesame seeds, and they should eat goat, mutton, venison, eggs, green vegetables, and low fat dairy.
However, the Mayo Clinic doesn’t think much of this diet and they say that “eating or avoiding certain foods according to your blood type isn’t thought to have any favorable influence on weight or health” and they also feel that this diet plan is unlikely to meet your nutritional needs at all.
Again, another diet that leaves you malnourished in the end as well as very tired if you’re a B blood type person who has to go out and start hunting and shooting all of your food.
2. The Air Diet
The Air Diet of the Institute for Psychoactive Research doesn’t require you to avoid any foods or change your current diet or exercise habits—you just breathe.
Hmmm. How novel.
Instead of focusing on what you eat or how much you eat, you focus on breathing.
The idea is that if you practice rhythmical breathing, then you breathe more air.
The more air you breathe, the more weight you lose.
The best part is that you can do this anytime, anywhere—while driving, laying in bed, working, walking, having sex, and so on.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I’m breathing when I do all of those things. Whatever. NEXT!
1. Tapeworm Diet
This must be the most disgusting diet ever thought of, and there is evidence that “tapeworm diet pills” were marketed from 1900 – 1920's.
Basically, you ingest beef tapeworm eggs (beef tapeworm is supposedly the best choice), and then you take medicine to kill the tapeworm after you’ve lost the desired amount of weight.
It doesn’t take a genius to know this diet is both ineffective and unhealthy.
You’re not changing your eating habits with this “diet,” so all the weight will come back once the worm is gone, and it's extremely unhealthy to have a parasite living in your body sucking all of the nutrition out you.
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Tags: Diets, Worst, Top 10, Ever, Unhealthy
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The Worst Diets Ever Part I
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10. The Pasta Chocolate Diet
Am I dreaming? Pasta AND chocolate?
You know the old saying: “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is” and that's the case here.
You can’t drink anything but water, and the only chocolate you get is up to 1-ounce at the end of the day as an evening snack along with some popcorn, but you do get to eat pasta for lunch and dinner.
Prohibited foods include sugar, alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, tea, nuts, all junk food imaginable except for popcorn, fried foods, dairy products, salt, and red meat.
Do you know how small one ounce of chocolate is?
Is it really worth it to not have a steak every once in a while?
Most real diets encourage you to have some red meat prepared in a healthy way.
This diet offers major food restrictions with a reward of 1 ounce of chocolate each night along with the absence of some very important nutrients.
9. The Chicken Soup Diet
You’re allowed one breakfast per day (only one?), then you can eat as much chicken soup as you want for the rest of the day.
This can’t be good.
You’re basically living off of cereal, bagels, yogurt, figs, and gallons of chicken soup.
This is similar to the “Cabbage Soup Diet” and both diets smell of malnutrition–among other things.
8. The Zen Diet
It's really a very simple plan–only eat food in its natural state, no red meat, and limit other meat considerably.
Some Zen diets forbid all meat and dairy.
The biggest problem is that little to no meat means not enough protein necessary for brain chemistry, muscle repair, and bone building; and little to no fat, the good fat, affects the body's satiety and ability to stabilize blood sugar and decrease inflammation.
Bring on the bacon!
7. Caveman Diet (Prehistoric Diet, Stone Age Diet, Paleolithic Diet)
As you might guess, this diet revolves around trying to mimic the diet of the caveman.
Allowed foods include lean meat (I suppose dinosaur meat was lean), fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts; and excludes: grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.
All foods eaten are those that can be hunted and gathered.
Please tell me why we would want to pattern our eating habits after a caveman?
Wasn’t their average lifespan around 15 years old or something??
6. The 12-Day Grapefruit Juice Diet
This one really is too good to be true.
You can eat till you’re full, you can double or triple the amount of meat, salad or vegetables for each meal, you can fry food in butter and use butter generously on vegetables, and you MUST eat bacon when they say to eat bacon.
You can eat any kind of cheese, and you can have mayonnaise and regular salad dressing.
But as the name indicates you must drink 8 ounces of grapefruit juice with every meal as it's supposed to be the catalyst for burning off what you eat as long as you’re eating the right combinations of foods—don’t forget the bacon!
You also have to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.
The promise, while gobbling down all that cheese, butter, bacon, and mayo, and swimming in water and grapefruit juice, is that you will lose 52 pounds in 2 ½ months. Right. NEXT!
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Tags: Diets, Worst, Top 10, Ever, Unhealthy
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Arctic Gym - Alternative To Wii Fit
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For the people, who loves to workout at home with interactive peripherals, Arctic Gym will offer a fun alternative.
The ARCTIC GYM is interactive video gaming mat, which you can connect to your TV and contains more than 80 preprogrammed games, including aerobic and muscle workout, yoga training, jogging, dancing and arcade games.
The ARCTIC GYM gaming mat is divided into thirty pressure sensitive pads with sensors to detect body and feet positions, the system recognizes your movements and display them to the TV and measures your performance and fitness progress.
It measures 170 x 60 cm, weighing only 1.3 kg and comes with 3m RCA cable for TV and feature 3D graphics, which will represent your movements skills.
There are three preset exercise modes to choose from: aerobic mode, muscle workout and yoga.
But Arctic Gym also features other games like basketball, bowling, highway racing, you can compete in 100m running, high jumping walking race, and of course the old school dancing games which supports up to two players to play simultaneously and allows real-time competition.
You know - dance with the beat, following the steps on the screen and have fun.
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Tags: Arctic Gym, Wii Fit, Fitness, Wii, Health, Fun
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Fresh Caesar Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
2 large heads Romaine lettuce
1 egg, beaten
Juice of 2 med. lemons
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
1 c. virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 c. Caesar croutons (or plain)
Anchovies (optional)
Directions
Prepare greens for salad.
Combine egg, lemon juice, cheese, salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Combine oil and garlic.
Saute croutons in 1/4 oil mixture.
Combine remaining oil mixture with lemon mixture.
Chill.
After dressing is sufficiently chilled, place 3/4 of it in salad bowl.
Add greens and 2 cups croutons.
Toss.
More dressing may be added if needed.
Garnish with anchovies, if desired, and remaining croutons.
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Tags: Caesar Salad, Recipe, Salad, Caesar, Fresh
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Vegetarian Diet: It's Not All Good
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Many people these days are becoming interested in vegetarian diets for health and ethical reasons. There's a lot of evidence that a vegetarian diet, done properly, will prevent or cut your risk of getting a whole host of diseases, from heart disease to cancer. And we're always being told to eat more vegetables and grains, so why not go all the way? This diet can help people lose weight and is often less expensive than a meat-based diet.
But are there any disadvantages to a vegetarian diet, other than not being able to eat out as easily? Are there risks to going vegetarian?
Many people who don't know a lot about the vegetarian diet worry when their loved ones go vegetarian because they fear it's not possible to get good protein without meat. That isn't true; beans, rice, tofu and other grains provide plenty of protein if the diet is well-planned.
This is really the problem with a lot of vegetarians, who are often called junk food vegetarians. They go veggie but haven't really studied or planned what to eat instead of meat so they end up eating a lot of processed foods, maybe a lot of dairy and other things that aren't very healthful. These are the vegetarians who will get sick, gain weight and usually give up on being a vegetarian because there isn't enough to eat.
People who do a little planning and experimenting before going completely veggie will find there is plenty to eat and will ultimately end up with diets having more variety than their omnivore counterparts. (How many meat eaters do you know who eat quinoa, for instance? A whole new world of food opens up to you.)
So, to return to the question, are there health risks for this kind of vegetarian, the people who plan their meals and eat a variety of good, healthful foods?
The only nutrient required by the human body that is not provided by a vegetarian diet is B12, and that's only a problem for vegans, who use no animal products of any kind. Lacto-ovo vegetarians, who eat eggs and dairy products, don't have this worry because B12 is found in dairy products, as well as eggs and meat.
B12 is key to a healthy nervous system; it helps with synthesis of DNA during cell division. Lack of B12 causes formation of abnormal cells, which eventually will lead to anemia.
It doesn't have to be a problem for vegans, either, if they use one of the many vegan products fortified with B-12 (such as soy milk or nutritional yeast) or take a vegan B-12 supplement. A study of people on a raw foods diet (food that is uncooked or very lightly warmed) found B-12 lacking in their bloodstreams, but a raw food diet is quite different from the vegetarian diet most people consume, so it's not likely to be a problem.
Some meat advocates say that children who are raised as vegetarians or vegans will not get enough nutrients for their bodies to grow properly, particularly iron, zinc and copper, as well as B12 and calcium. While vegan and vegetarian children tend to grow a little slower than meat-eating children, if their diets are well-planned they can be as healthy as any other children.
Studies have shown that vegetarian women of child-bearing age are more likely to miss periods than meat-eating women, and there are concerns about pregnant vegetarians and vegans not getting enough nutrients for the developing baby. Thus it is recommended that vegan and vegetarian mothers-to-be (as well as nursing moms and their children) follow diets that ensure adequate amounts of calcium, riboflavin, iron and vitamin D, with supplements if necessary, as well as supplemental B12 for vegans. Children must also be monitored from proper protein intake.
Other health risks that have been touted include an argument that the body was made to digest meat and going for a long time without eating meat could cause bacteria in the digestive system to become idle, which, theoretically, could make it easier for vegetarians to get sick.
But this theory simply doesn't seem to hold when you consider that the vast majority of vegetarians are healthier and live longer than meat eaters. Just because our bodies have evolved to eat meat does not mean it is necessary for health.
Vegan children who don't get enough sunlight could get rickets, a vitamin D deficiency, and iron-deficiency anemia is common among vegetarians and vegans. Symptoms include feeling weak or tired, fast heart beat, faintness, easily bruising, hair loss and long or heavy periods.
If you or someone you know is considering becoming a vegetarian, you might want to ease into the diet to make sure you will come up with enough meat-free meals that you will like, that are healthy and that will keep you from getting bored with the diet. The key is to get sufficient nutrients and calories from a variety of foods and to enjoy yourself along the way.
If you're worried that you might have a vitamin or nutrient deficiency, consult a doctor for blood tests and alter your diet with whole foods first rather than resorting to supplements. The body can more readily use nutrients that come from foods directly rather than in a pill. Visiting a nutritionist may also be helpful if you don't know what to eat to improve your health as a vegetarian.
Becoming a vegetarian is a big step, and it's not to be done lightly. If you precede carefully, transition slowly and wisely from omnivore to vegetarian, eat a variety of foods, experiment and have fun exploring new and different ways to eat, you should be successful and not have any of the potential health problems that can come from a vegetarian diet.
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Tags: Vegetarian, Diet, Cons, Aware
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Tofu Parmigiana Recipe
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Ingredients
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided salt to taste ground black pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in bowl of cold water.
One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side.
Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn, and brown on the other side.
Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and remaining oregano.
Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8 inch square baking pan.
Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu.
Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
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Tags: Tofu, Parmigiana, Recipe, Healthy, Vegetarian
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Delicious Healthy Summer Recipe
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Apple Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups finely diced red or green apples
1/4 cup chopped golden seedless raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3 tablespoons minced onion
2/3 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup apple jelly
1/4 cup dry sherry
Directions:
Place chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper and pound with rolling pin or meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick. Make apple stuffing by combining apples, raisins, nuts, onion and sage. Place a spoonful of stuffing on each chicken breast and roll, tucking in all sides; secure with wooden picks if necessary. Bake chicken, uncovered, in a preheated 350ºF (175ºC) oven for about 45 minutes, brushing frequently with Apple Glaze.
Apple Glaze:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Makes 1 cup.
6 servings.
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Tags: Chicken, Apple, Recipe, Summer, Delicious, Healthy
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The 10 Best Healthy Ready Meals
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1) Innocent Indian Daal Curry
You really can't go wrong with this uber healthy Indian daal curry pot. Boasting 3 of your 5 a day, it's low in fat, contains a whopping 73% of your GDA of fibre and packs a good protein punch.
2) Chargrilled Chicken & Vegetable Noodles with Miso Dressing (M&S)
With a higher than usual protein content, this delicious chicken dish with superfood miso should help you resist snacking between meals.
3) Cook Lamb Casserole with Minted New Potatoes
This hearty winter warmer from Cook is the ultimate comfort food treat. And best of all, there's only a tiny 2.2g of fat per portion.
4) Innocent Mexican Sweet Potato Chilli
With an impressive rainbow of veggies including tomatoes, sweet potatoes, red onion, sweetcorn and spinach, this chilli and low GI brown rice pot offers a good 3 of your 5 a day.
5) Sainsbury's Roast Chicken
If you're craving a homely roast but want to avoid the usual hefty sodium content, opt for this low fat chicken dinner - it contains under a gram of salt.
6) Tesco Healthy Living Vegetable Curry
This mouthwatering curry is packed with vitamin C and spices including turmeric, renowned for its medicinal properties. It's also high in fibre and low in fat.
7) ASDA Great Stuff Organic Chilli Con Carne
The Great Stuff range is 100% organic and free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives. This tasty chilli is also ridiculously low in salt with just 0.3g per pack.
8) Clive's Organic Ready Pot Meal, Moroccan Tagine
This scrumptious and subtly spiced organic North African stew pot is bursting with seasonal produce, sustainably farmed. It's also gluten, dairy and yeast free.
9) Tesco Light Choices King Prawn & Roasted Garlic Linguine
With 100% natural ingredients, this delectable prawn pasta dish from the Light Choices range is surprisingly low in saturated fat, at just 3.4g per 400g pack.
10) Wild Rabbit in Leek & Elderflower Sauce with Camargue Red Rice
It may not be to everyone's taste but wild rabbit is lean and packed with B vitamins. Camargue red rice has a nutty flavour and is particularly high in fibre.
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Tags: Ready Meals, Healthy, Best, Ten, Vegetarian, Supe...
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