Total Wellbeing Blog

Eggs: No Longer Your Diet Enemy

For years eggs have been portrayed as a food that you should not eat for fear of raising your blood cholesterol levels. Recent studies have proven that this is not the case and in fact eggs have been found to be a nutritional goldmine. One large egg has 210 mgs. of cholesterol which seems like a lot, but a recent study from the University of Connecticut suggests that even after eating three eggs a day for 30 days, the ratio between HDL( good cholesterol) and LDL( bad cholesterol) did not change. The result is no increase or change in one’s risk of heart disease.

In another study very significant study of 120,000 men and women conducted in 1999 at Harvard University, they found no correlation between the consumption of eggs and heart disease. Nor did the study find an association between egg consumption and strokes.

There’s also evidence that eggs help to create a feeling of fullness due to the high protein content. The Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2005, conducted a study of overweight women. In the study, those who had two eggs for breakfast felt fuller afterwards and ate fewer calories at lunch than women who had a bagel based breakfast with the same amount of calories resulting in more long term weight loss for the egg eaters.

The unsaturated fats and other nutrients including B vitamins may even be beneficial to heart health. It is the saturated fat-rich foods that are commonly consumed with eggs (bacon, sausage, cheese and biscuits) that can raise blood cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. A large egg has only 1.5 grams of saturated fat and about 70 calories, so it is the perfect diet food…..just be sure to watch the side of bacon.

For those of you who commonly toss the vitamin rich egg yolks, take note that they are a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin, relatives of beta carotene that keep eyes healthy and have been linked to a reduced risk of age related eye disease. A 2006 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that women eating six eggs a week for 12 weeks had increased macular pigment which is thought to protect the retina of the eye from the damaging effects of the light.

Other Eggs facts:

• Brown eggs are not more nutritious than white….they just come from brown chickens.
• Yolk color depends on what the chicken eats: wheat and barley produce light colored yolks, while corn produces a darker colored yolk.
• Organic eggs from chickens fed an organic diet do not have more nutrients than regular eggs; however some people may prefer them as a way to support organic farming.
• One large egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein (in the yolk and white) and only 70 calories. The yolk is also a source of zinc, B vitamins( including riboflavin and folate), vitamin A, Iron and other nutrients
• Egg yolks provide choline an essential nutrient which is especially important for fetal brain development. There are also other elements recently identified in eggs that may have anti-cancer, anti hypertensive, immune boosting and antioxidant properties.
• Low Cholesterol eggs from chickens fed special diets rarely provide enough extra nutrients to be worth their higher cost.

So ladies and gents, the bottom-line is that eggs are good for you! Most people can eat one or two a day. Just remember to skip the side of sausage and biscuits. Try poached eggs, hard boiled eggs or scrambled eggs with chopped vegetables for a big nutritional boost to your diet.

Article by Anita Mahaffey
Website: www.cool-jams.com
Blog: http://coolnewsforwomen.blogspot.com

Erase Tension and Stress with a Balanced Diet

Its a well known fact that regular exercise is a great stress reliever but there is also something else we can do to help which is balancing our diet.  Ensuring we get a well balanced diet improves our immune system, our bodies natural defense mechanism and also keeps our blood sugar levels in check which helps us to avoid the physical and emotional peaks and troughs throughout the day.

When our immune system is out of balance, we are also more vulnerable to everyday stresses and tension.  However, if our daily diet consists of foods that strengthen the immune system, we are more able to survive the effects of stress and tension we face on a daily basis.

So how do we make sure we get a balanced diet?  It's a lot simpler that we often think and incorporating just a few changes into your day can make all the difference.

Have a good breakfast
Start by making sure you have a proper breakfast.  Steer clear of sugar and caffeine filled breakfasts and opt for breakfasts that release energy steadily and slowly such as oatmeal, wholegrain cereal or wholegrain toast.  If you life is fairly stressful, chamomile tea is a wonderful stress reducer and a great substitute for your usual caffeine fix.

If you don’t have time to sit down and have a nourishing breakfast, try a vegetable smoothie.  Packed with vitamins and nutrients, this is much better than coffee and toast.

Avoid sugar slumps
Avoid sugary snacks throughout the day.  You may notice that a while after eating a sugary snack or a bar of chocolate, you feel fatigued.  While the sugar may help in the short term, you are just making your energy and stress levels worse.  Snacking on protein is much healthier for you and helps to maintain blood sugar levels as well.  Popcorn is another snack which can get you through the 3 o’clock yearning for something sweet.

Reduce salt intake
It's a good idea to avoid salt as it can increase blood pressure which, when confronted with a stressful situation, can increase the tension twofold.  A lot of fast or processed food contains much higher levels of salt so it's worth preparing your own food where possible. 

Instead of going out to lunch, you can make lunch at home and bring it to the office.  Cut up some carrots, celery, and add some cottage cheese or tuna in water.  Or, you can make a nutritious salad with pieces of chicken and lemon vinaigrette. 

Up the antioxidants
Get plenty of nutrients by including vegetables, fruits, lean meats, fish, chicken, beans, and leafy green vegetables.  These are not only healthy for you, but contain antioxidants that are beneficial in reducing free radicals in your body. 

Stay hydrated
When we are dehydrated, we feel irritable and have trouble concentrating.  Make sure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.  If possible, keep a glass of water nearby at all times and sip it regularly - it soon becomes a habit. 

Balancing your diet to improve tension stress is as important as exercise.  You will not only feel good, but your energy level will be constant, your concentration so much better and you will achieve far more whilst keeping the tension and stress at bay.

Miracle Superfoods
Discover the world's 23 healthiest superfoods and key nutrition insights guaranteed to radically improve your life

The Vacuum Law of Prosperity

Have you ever heard the phrases 'nature abhors a vacuum' or 'out with the old and in with the new'?  The vacuum law of prosperity is one of the worlds natural laws - a bit like the law of gravity for example.  These natural laws aren't something we can see but they exist in all areas of our lives.  If you take gravity (because it's one we all know about!), we believe that is exists and we have proof of this. We know that if we drop something from a height that it will always fall to the ground.  Gravity is all around us, yet we can't actually see it. 

The vacuum law of prosperity is as real as gravity and the best way to see it in action is to try it out in your life.  This law is all about creating a vacuum in your life to make way for new things - both physical and emotional. When you want something, it cannot come into your life until you get rid of something else that is in it's way.  Once you have got rid of something, this law will ensure that the void is filled and if you know what you want in that void and keep it firmly in mind, nature will find a way of bringing it to you.

This is such an easy law to work with and can create some pretty big changes in your life if you choose to try it out.  Here are just some examples of how you can make it it work for you:

• Do you want new clothes? - clear out your closet and give your old or unworn clothes away.
• Do you want to feel more peaceful at home? - clear out the clutter once and for all.
• Do you want to be more focused at work? - clear out your desk drawers, desk space and all old paperwork.
• Do you want new curtains? - take your old ones down and give them away.
• Do you want to worry less about money? - give your finances a full audit.
• Do you want a better relationship with someone? - let go of your emotional baggage that's holding you back.

Sometimes we don't always know what we want to replace what we no longer want.  Sometimes just getting rid of physical and emotional baggage allows more space for wellbeing, relaxation, creativity and peace in our lives.  It is well worth taking stock of your life and thinking about how this wonderful natural law can work for you.

Find out more about natural laws at Thoughtsalive.com

Relaxation Tips and Techniques - Free Health Report

With the pace of our lives speeding up more than ever, it is important that we take time to relax both for our physical and mental wellbeing.  Our free report for relaxation tips and techniques will give you easy ideas on how to include certain activites into your day to make sure you take time for yourself to unwind from the stresses of everyday life.  Click on the link below to get your free report.

Easy Relaxation Tips Free Health Report

Click here for more health reports

Pilates Introduction - find out more from Lindsey Jackson

If you have often thought of including Pilates into your fitness regime but want more information to see if it's for you? Lindsey Jackson, a personal development consultant, coach and trainer has written 2 articles for our readers to explain more about how Pilates can improve your health and fitness and also how it can help during pregnancy.

Click on the links below to read the full articles:

Pilates Introduction

Pilates in Pregnancy