Four supplements that will benefit almost everyone

Four supplements that will benefit almost everyone - NaturalNews.com

How Much Is Your Fad Diet Costing You?

In Australia, your average under-35-year-old spends around $105 per week on food and drinks — that might include a meal out and a few (too many) cheeky bevvies. According to the most recent data available from Australian Securities and Investments Commission's (ASIC) MoneySmart program, if you're sharing the cost with your significant other, you're looking at closer to $207 per week between the two of you.

But it seems like everyone has pledged allegiance to one of the change-your-life diet and nutrition plans signed, sealed and delivered by the grand high priestess of #cleaneating.
Anyone who's given the latest "healthy" diets a spin will tell you maintaining them can be as draining on your bank account as it is on your willpower, and there's sufficient evidence to suggest that a significant lifestyle change will see you fork out more than you normally would. Sure, we all want to look like Miranda Kerr, but can we really afford the $216.75 it costs to purchase all the ingredients we need to make her breakfast smoothie (above)?

Guidelines from the Australian Government's Department of Health recommend we consume 8700 kilojoules (2000 calories) daily to maintain a healthy diet, which averages out to around $15 per day for an individual twenty- or thirty-something Aussie.
We decided to see how the fads stack up, and if they're really worth the cost.

The Mediterranean Diet

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Favouring fresh, seasonal produce, fish, grains and even a splash of vino, the heart-friendly and oh-so-exotic Mediterranean became a fast favourite among fad dieters. It counts Jennifer Garner, Elizabeth Hurley, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Heidi Klum among its devotees and, let's be real here, they all look pretty dang good.

While the "Mediterranean Diet" has been around for about 20 years, the Mediterranean diet has actually subsisted for millennia, with residents of Greece and its surrounds averaging six or more servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables per day.

An average day will see you chowing-down on chickpea salads and chicken kabobs, and there are no real curve balls in terms of what you'll be adding to your grocery list — chances are, you'll just need more of it. Katherine Hobson of US News & World Report estimated the cost of the average Mediterranean diet at around $18 per person per day — which, for the cost of your morning coffee, is a small price to pay for good heart health, improved brain function and a longer life.

Clean Eating

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Let's be honest, you probably saw the hashtag before you knew what it was about. While its online incarnation has come to envelop everything there is to love about being healthy and #blessed, the diet itself works on the relatively simple principle of ditching the drive-through and processed fare in favour of leafy salads, raw vegetable smoothies and lean unprocessed meat.
 
Some online commentators have wondered if one needs a celebrity salary simply to eat clean — Kim Kardashian and our Nicole Kidman are among the diet's recruits — but it's not that bad. The team over at Clean Eating Recipes estimate that maintaining their diet (that is, eating three meals and a few snacks every day) would set you back anywhere between $80 and $100 per week, or a very reasonable $13 per person per day.

But you'll find that basic cost quickly creeps up as you incorporate the recommended organic meat and produce — recent analysis of supermarket prices by Suncorp Bank found that organic food is 79 percent more expensive than conventional produce, so you could be liable for up to $25 per person per day. What's more, significant servings of superfoods such as chia seeds, which clock in over $4 per 100g at Woolies or Coles, will also add to the cost. You could be forgiven for thinking chia seeds are actually made out of gold.

Paleo

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Oh, Paleo — everyone seems to have an opinion, but very few people seem to understand what the Paleo Diet is about. Also known as the "Caveman", "Stone-Age" or "Primal" Diet, the idea is that you'll unravel human evolution, arriving at a time before we invented the wheel. Paleo purists and "extensive scientific research" will tell you we should only be ingesting the fare our ancestors ate, which might mean you're eating steak and eggs for breakfast (no, really), soup for lunch, and meat-and-three veg for dinner.

Yep, you're about to become a meathead in every sense of the word. Lean game meats (like kangaroo) and offal like liver and tongue are encouraged, seafood and shellfish are your friend, while eggs, some fruit, nuts, seeds and certain oils all appear in varying quantities.

Estimates based on Dr Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet and Paleo Diet Cookbook will see you fork out around $43 in "set up costs" — that is, purchasing staples you'll use in your daily food preparation on a daily basis — and you can expect to spend just over $130 per week, or $19 per person per day, on your groceries.

Meat, good. Cost, bad.

Author: Kristen Amiet. Approving editor: ..


http://lifestyle.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8921705

The Best Foods to Eat at Every Time of Day

Choose the right meals, snacks and drinks to boost your health all day long.

Eats by the Hour

It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat that matters. “Our food dictates everything from our mood and energy levels to sleep patterns and cravings,” says Marci Anderson, a registered dietitian in Cambridge, MA. So whether you want to feel alert in the morning, blissed-out at lunch or sleepy at night, smart food choices can get you there. You don’t have to eat everything that follows in one day; just pick what suits your needs.

1.) 7 A.M. Goal: Feel full

Are you hungry when your alarm goes off? Good! “That’s a sign that your metabolism is revved up,” says Anderson. And eating, rather than skipping breakfast, is associated with better metabolism and health, she says. Eat within an hour of waking up and aim for a balance of complex carbs, fats and protein, which helps control your appetite throughout the morning, according to research from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Some suggestions: oatmeal topped with peanut butter and berries or whole-wheat toast topped with Cheddar and avocado.

2.) 9 A.M. Goal: Focus on work

You may be hardwired to expect your morning jolt from coffee, and three cups a day have been shown to be healthy. Java may also perk up your ability to focus and pay attention, says registered dietitian Lauri Boone, author of Powerful Plant-Based Superfoods. For a similar lift with less caffeine, gulp some green tea. Its antioxidants—in particular EGCG—have been found to promote brain cell production and improve memory and learning, a 2012 Chinese study found. Or for a caffeine-free concentration boost, chew a stick of gum, per one UK study.

3.) 11 A.M. Goal: Avoid treats at the meeting

Yes, the breakfast on slide 2 keeps you satisfied, but it’s normal to feel hungry again after three or four hours. Eating a small snack before a meeting stocked with cookies or doughnuts takes the edge off your hunger, so you can resist temptation. Anderson recommends a cup of lowfat Greek yogurt because it contains 15 to 20 grams of filling protein to reduce cravings. Then, if a doughnut still looks good, grab a half and savor the splurge back at your desk.

4.) 1 P.M. Goal: De-stress at lunch

If your morning tasks leave you anxious, try a salad with spinach, summer squash and zucchini topped with quinoa on your break. The vegetables provide plenty of vitamin B6, which helps make mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters and aids nervous system function. Quinoa, a complete protein, is rich in magnesium, and that relaxes blood vessels and muscles, says Boone. You can also sprinkle maca root powder on top, she adds. The nutty-tasting veggie “may enhance the body’s natural ability to respond to stress,” she says.

5.) 3:30 P.M. Goal: Beat an afternoon energy slump

You may want to reach for a sweet latte, diet cola or bag of candy to battle afternoon fatigue, but caffeine can prevent you from falling asleep later, while sugar can bring on a crash that leaves you even more tired. A snack of whole foods, on the other hand, provides real energy for a productive afternoon. Try an ounce of nuts, like almonds, walnuts or pecans, or a nut-and-fruit bar like a Larabar. Bonus: Moderate nut consumption has been linked to a slightly lower weight and waist circumference, finds an analysis of many studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

6.) 5 P.M. Goal: Fuel up for a workout

An early evening workout may bolster your performance and energy at the gym, according to a small 2009 study. So if you’re heading there after work, make sure you adequately fuel your muscles. Aim for easy-to-digest carbs, which provide a quick hit of energy without upsetting your stomach. Think a small smoothie with milk, yogurt and berries. If you’re not hungry, drink coconut water—it’s got sugar and electrolytes to keep you pumped and hydrated, says Boone.

7.) 7 P.M Goal: Stay slim at dinner

You’re probably more sedentary after supper, especially when the temperature drops in winter. Though the best way to torch calories is with a post-meal walk, you can also bump up your burn by adding chili peppers to your meal. The heat from their capsaicin can help spike metabolism and control appetite, according to research from Purdue University. Another slimming strategy: Cook with herbs and spices. When people ate a reduced-fat but spiced-up meal in a University of Colorado study, they reported liking it more than the full-fat version. Why? Spices contribute loads of flavor, but zero calories. So shake on smoked paprika, oregano and garlic powder.

8.) 10 P.M. Goal: Fall asleep

If you’re having trouble catching zzz’s, first ask yourself if you’re hungry. If so, pour yourself a glass of vanilla soymilk, suggests Anderson. It contains carbs, which promote the production of tryptophan, the amino acid that makes Thanksgiving dinner guests need a nap after turkey. “The body uses it to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that tells the brain to go to sleep,” she says. Plus, the calcium in the drink helps relax blood vessels for an extra calming effect.

http://www.healthdigezt.com/the-best-foods-to-eat-at-every-time-of-day/