Daily Archives: 22 Sep 2017

The Health Benefits Of Red Wine

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Have you been looking for more reasons to enjoy red wine? There’s good news, because it really does provide you with a host of health benefits. Just remember to limit yourself to no more than five glasses of week (and certainly no more than two glasses a day).
Just look at the following incredible health benefits of red wine.
Heart Health
Red wine contains a variety of active compounds that contain properties to protect your heart health, including quercetin, polyphenols, and resveratrol. There have been numerous studies looking at how moderate enjoyment of red wine can be beneficial to various aspects which relate to heart disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, resveratrol can prevent blood clots from forming, raise healthy levels of cholesterol, and help prevent the damage that bad cholesterol causes arteries.
According to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, found that Quercetin promotes heart health through reducing inflammation, and regulating blood pressure.
Fights Bad Cholesterol
A study from Copenhagen’s Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University found that the level of wine consumption was directly related to the level of good cholesterol, with participants seeing an improvement of 5% after enjoying red wine in moderation. Additionally, Australia’s Curtin University completed a study that discovered that regularly drinking red wine could reduce the level of bad cholesterol, specifically in postmenopausal women.
Free Radical Fighting
Free radicals build up in your system and cause a variety of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Red wine contains antioxidants that counteract the stress that is caused by free radicals. These antioxidants bolster your immune system, and reduce the risk of a variety of serious health problems.
Diabetes Management
Red wine can reduce the speed with which glucose passes into the bloodstream through the small intestine. This helps with the prevention of blood sugar spikes that type 2 diabetes causes. When consumed in moderation, red wine can form part of a diet plan for those with type 2 diabetes. The reason that red wine is so much more effective than white wine is because red wine contains over ten times the number of polyphenols.
Prevents Weight Gain
The grapes that are used in red wine contain piceatannol, and this is similar in structure to the compound resveratrol. However, what piceatannol does is block immature fat cells from growing. Where it is present, it prevents cell development from progressing. It’s so effective at this because it can destroy these fat cells early on in the process, thus preventing the accumulation of fat cells and gains in body mass. How? By binding to the insulin receptors that are located in the fat cells, and then blocking insulin from controlling the cycle of those cells. Additionally, it blocks the activity of insulin to activate fat formation genes.
Dementia Preventing
The Mediterranean diet has long been known for its vast health benefits. Red wine is central to the diet, and according to the National Institute on Aging, those who follow it reduce the risk of dementia by 48%.
There has been more research completed on red wine as an effective preventative measure for Alzheimer’s. It is resveratrol that is highlighted as the key compound in red wine that can prevent or slow down the progression of dementia. This is because of its ability to reduce inflammation, and serve as a protectant to neurons.
Red Wine Ingredients
The reason that red wine is so beneficial to health is due to its ingredients, it’s the flavonoid content which boosts your health.
Quercetin is known for its ability to impact heart disease, chronic disease, allergies, high cholesterol, diabetes, skin disorders, gout, stomach ulcers, eye issues, cancer, and cognitive impairments.
Resveratrol is another key compound, and it is known for its ability to support the health of cells and tissues, protect against diabetes, promote circulation, fight oxidative stress, protect against cancer, prevent premature aging, and improve energy.

 

Top 5 Post-Workout Recovery Foods

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One important part of a successful exercise regimen is post-workout nutrition. What you eat after a grueling and sweaty exercise session is responsible for restoring the body’s energy and nutrients. During exercise, the body breaks down muscle protein structures and glycogen. You also lose a lot of water through sweat. Therefore, the key to any great post workout meal-plan revolves around replenishing glycogen levels, rehydrating the body and providing essential nutrients that aid tissue repair. You should avoid snacks and foods that are high in fat content and empty calories since they only negate all the hard work of your exercise efforts. Instead, opt for a nutritious post-workout meal plan that helps the body to recover. To help you get started, here are some suggestions for top 5 post-workout recovery foods and beverages.

1. Fruit Smoothie with Protein Base
A fruit smoothie will not only hydrate the body after a workout, it also allows you to pack plenty of nutrients in a single beverage. Another advantage about liquid meals is that they are quick to digest and absorb. A smoothie recipe that combines carbohydrates and protein provides the primary food sources required after a workout. Try blending frozen fruit with Greek yogurt, whey protein shake, or soymilk. You can also add a natural sweetener for a better flavor.

2. Dried Fruits and Nuts
If you don’t have the time to whoop up a full meal after your workouts, dried fruits and nuts are a convenient snacking option with plenty of beneficial nutrients. Dried fruits will provide a healthy dose of simple carbohydrates plus you will get a quick injection of protein from the nuts.

3. Grilled Chicken Mixed with Veggies
When your body is in recovery mode, you will need a good supply of proteins and carbohydrates. A dish containing grilled chicken and vegetables makes a healthy full meal to help your body recover. Grilled chicken will nourish the body with low-fat lean protein to repair muscle tissue while the vegetables shall ensure you get complex carbohydrates to replenish your muscle glycogen.

4. Tofu Veggie Scramble
If you are a vegan, it is still possible to get a health protein and carbohydrate meal for post workout recovery. Tofu scrambled with spinach, green onions, sweet corn, roasted potatoes and red peppers makes a colorful and nutrient rich dish that you can whoop up for your main meal after hitting the gym, track or treadmill. You can add a dash of garlic for some flavor to your tofu veggie scramble.

5. Chocolate Milk
This fantastic recovery drink contains everything you need after a workout. It has carbs and proteins for muscle recovery, water to replace fluids lost through sweat along with electrolytes like sodium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Chocolate milk is very easy to prepare since there are whey protein powders that come fortified with this flavor. All you need to do is take a scoop of your favorite whey chocolate powder, add to milk and mix thoroughly with a shaker bottle. You can even take this convenient drink with you to the gym and rehydrate immediately after a workout.

When Should You Eat After a Workout?

Foods and drinks have different time frames for consumption after a workout. For example, fluids can be taken during and even immediately after a workout in order to keep hydration levels up throughout the exercise session. Nutrition experts recommend snacking 30 minutes after a workout. Snacks can have 0.5 to 0.7 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. A full mean is best taken within two hours of your workout to ensure a fast recovery.

 

5 Health Benefits of Eating Nuts

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Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that nuts are great for your body. They come with plenty of health benefits, and they are super easy for keeping in the cupboard for a quick snack, so here are some of the main things you can expect when you add nuts to your diet.

1. They help you to lose weight
When you look at the calories in nuts, you might be surprised, shocked and even put off the idea. However, not only do they have plenty of protein that will help you feel fuller for longer, the fats they contain are actually good fats that won’t do your body any harm when consumed in moderation. Rather than being tempted to snack on foods which are higher in calories, you’ll fill up quicker on nuts and won’t overeat as easily.

2. Nuts help to lower cholesterol
Struggling with high cholesterol can leave you feeling not quite right, and it can be dangerous for your body too. While it might seem like a common issue, you should try to lower your cholesterol if it is too high. Nuts are one of the foods that you can eat in order to achieve a healthier cholesterol level.

3. They are a great source of calcium
With the constant debate of whether we should be eating dairy or not, and the increase of people going vegan (either for health reasons or fashion!), almonds serve as a brilliant replacement in order to get the calcium that our bodies need. From helping our teeth and nails to improve the condition of hair and skin, we all need calcium and nuts can provide it.

4. They can reduce inflammation
Inflammation in the body can cause a huge amount of health problems. From stomach aches to joint ache and other issues like arthritis, reducing inflammation is important if you want to feel healthy and strong. You can include nuts in your diet by adding them to salads, stir fries or even just snacking on them during the day.

5. Nuts are a good source of fiber
It’s not just calcium that you’ll get from nuts – you’ll also get a good dose of fiber. Many of us struggle to get enough fiber in our diets, and this can lead to easy weight gain, stomach and bowel problems and overall fatigue. Almonds are particularly good at providing fiber, but hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and walnuts will help you too.