The Health Benefits Of Zucchini

One cup of zucchini has 36 calories and 10% of the RDA of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar and curbs overeating.
One of the very low calories vegetable that is used during weight reducing and cholesterol control programs. Zucchinis provide only 17 calories per 100 g. Contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. Its peel is good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce impairment and offers some protection against colon cancers.
Courgette is comparatively moderate source of folates, consists of 24 mcg or 6% of RDA per 100 g. Folates are great in cell division and DNA synthesis. When taken adequately before pregnancy, it can help prevent neural tube defects in the fetus.
It is a very good source of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart intimate electrolyte; helps reduce blood pressing and heart rates by countering results of sodium.
Fresh fruits are rich in vitamin A; provide about 200 IU per 100 g.
Cancer Prevention
Because dietary fiber promotes healthy and regular bowel movements, the high amounts of fiber in zucchini also help prevent carcinogenic toxins from settling in the colon. Moreover, the vitamins C and A, as well as folate, found in zucchini act as powerful antioxidants that fight oxidative stress that can lead to many different types of cancer.
Prostate Health
Studies show that the phytonutrients in zucchini aid in reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BOH), a condition in which the prostate gland enlarges and leads to complications with urination and sexual functions in men.
Anti-Inflammatory
Vitamins C and A not only serve the body as powerful antioxidants, but also as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Along with the copper found in zucchini, these vitamins deter the development of many hyper-inflammatory disorders, including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Heart Attack and Stroke Prevention
A one cup serving of zucchini contains over 10% of the RDA of magnesium, a mineral proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Zucchini also provides folate, a vitamin needed to break down the dangerous amino acid homocysteine, which - if levels in the body shoot up - can contribute to heart attack and stroke.
Lower Blood Pressure
Along with magnesium, the potassium found in zucchini helps lower blood pressure. If unchecked, hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to arteriosclerosis (blood vessel damage), heart attack, stoke, and many other serious medical conditions. Both the potassium and magnesium in zucchini, however, can help alleviate the stress on the body's circulatory system.
High in Manganese
A trace mineral and essential nutrient, manganese provides many health benefits and contributes to a slew of normal physiological functions. One cup of zucchini contains 19% of the RDA of manganese, which helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates, participates in the production of sex hormones, and catalyzes the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol.

'Cold' TCM Foods

The arrival of summer is important in traditional Chinese medicine as it is the time to release excessive heat in the body. Eating "cold" foods can help improve energy flow and reduce irritability.
Summer has arrived, according to the Chinese solar calendar, and now is the time to adjust your diet and schedule to ensure you stay healthy.
For all things TCM, there is a season. Spring is for sprouting, summer for growing, autumn for reaping and winter for storing. And with summer, the universe enters the "prosperous" season.
"Huang Di Nei Jing" ("Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor") says the energy of the sky merges with the energy of the Earth during the summer, thus yang ("hot") energy grows rapidly in the universe while yin ("cold") energy diminishes.
To coordinate with the universe, everyone should adapt their schedule by getting up early and going to bed late, which helps yang energy grow in the summer, according to Dr Zhang Zhenxian, physician at Yueyang Hospital.
Releasing excessive heat and blockage of blood and energy are the main principles of summer health maintenance in TCM.
Only by releasing heat in summer will you be able to absorb reinforcing therapy in autumn and winter, the seasons for reaping and storing energy.
Eating yin or "cold" energy, foods and sweating can help release blockages and improve energy flow. Do not avoid the sun in the early summer (use sun block),
but drink enough water to make up for the loss of fluids. Weak people and those with heart conditions should avoid sunstroke.
The heart in TCM refers not only to the organ that pumps blood but also the blood vessels and the brain.
The energy in the heart grows quickly in summer and may become too "prosperous," resulting in irritation and impatience. This increases the heart rate and puts more stress on the heart. It also aggravates hypertension and other conditions.
"Keeping calm and staying in a good mood is the priority for heart patients in summer," says Dr Zhou Duan, director of the TCM Internal Medicine Department at Longhua Hospital attached to Shanghai University of TCM. "A bland diet may also help."
People with hypertension should keep checking their blood pressure and take their medication on time.
"Cold" or "neutral" herbs and foods are recommended in the season as qing bu (clear reinforcement) is the dominant strategy for reinforcement in summer.
These foods usually help clear up internal pathogenic heat and dampness, while reinforcing healthy energy.
North American ginseng ("cold") and white ginseng ("neutral") are recommended. You can chew dried chips or make tea or soup. Try making congee with white ginseng, chrysanthemum, ebony, maidong (dwarf lily turf root), shihu (dendrobe) or wu wei zi (shizandra).
Ginseng leaves can help dispel pathogenic heat and promote creation of body fluids that are quickly consumed in hot days. American ginseng with royal jelly and Qingshu Yiqi Wan (Clear Summer-heat and Reinforce Energy Pill) made of herbs like ginseng and shizandra can help reinforce energy in summer.

How To Cook Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup can be prepared with just a little effort. So how to make How to make Cauliflower Soup?The highlight here is the ginger-in three forms, fresh, ground, and crystallized. The cauliflower gives the soup body and creaminess without adding any actual cream. Makes 8 servings. Here are the easy directions:
HOW TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER SOUP
INGREDIENTS :
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
One 21/2-pound cauliflower head, trimmed and broken into small florets
1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest, plus additional for garnish
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, preferably white pepper
4 cups (1 quart) vegetable broth
2 cups plain yogurt (regular, low-fat, or fat free)
2 tablespoons honey
DIRECTIONS :
Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the canola oil, then the onion. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the caulifl ower fl orets and minced fresh ginger; cook, stirring often, until very aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the crystallized ginger, orange zest, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the broth, scraping up the browned bits on the pan's bottom.
Bring to a simmer; then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly until the cauliflower is very tender, about 30 minutes.
Working in batches as needed, pour the contents of the pan into a large food processor fitted with the chopping blade or into a large blender. Process or blend until smooth; turn off the machine to occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Pour the puree back into the saucepan. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pan.
Whisk in the yogurt and honey; bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly. Ladle into bowls; if desired, grate a little orange zest over each serving.
Variations:
Substitute unsalted butter for the canola oil. Add up to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper with the ground ginger. For a brighter taste, substitute 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest for the orange zest.
Curried Ginger Soup:
Add 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder with the ground ginger.

Food Is A Source Of Nourishment Gives Energy And Builds Tissues Of Body

Food is a source of nourishment gives energy and builds tissues of body. And the healthy food is the one which gives you better nourishment along with good energy that helps to build the tissues of body and be healthy. In the modern human being's hurried life it is important that one should have proper and planed diet to maintain his health. Proper diet means in which one can get an appropriate amount of all those nutrients which a human body needs for healthy growth and work. Healthy foods are many from which one can get a proper amount of nutrients; there are verities of natural as well as man made foods that give you the best amount of needed nutrients. Medically speaking nutrient is a chemical and substance that human body needs to grow properly, to build and repair the tissues, to give needed heat and energy to body, and to maintain the regular work of human body. Organic nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, water and mineral also considered nutrients. Nutrients that need in bulk quantity called macronutrients and those that are needed in less quantity called micronutrients.
One should use the above mentioned foods in groups, like he can use vegetable along with dairy products in one group and meet with poultry in another; this is what we call a proper diet program or plan. Each nutrient that healthy food provides has its own particular functions in human body, for instance protein is needed for growth and repair of body, and fats are used to generate proper heat and energy needed to body along with the cell formation. So every nutrient is important for being healthy.
There is a proverb, prevention is better then cures, and healthy diet prevents you from many diseases like obesity, blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and many others. Unhealthy diet is the major factor for many serious diseases as mentioned above. So it is better to have a planned and healthy diet and prevent yourself from many serious diseases which need serious medication. Diet is important also for those who are going through from ailments, proper food can make them prone towards getting better and gaining their health back rapidly. Good and healthy food helps you to counter the deficiencies like blood deficiencies.
But having a proper healthy diet is important that gives you the needed quantity of nutrients rather then increasing or decreasing the ratio. With the evolution of web and extensive research and development work in the field of medical makes it simple to educate people about what is the proper and healthy diet, what are nutrients and in what quantity human body need these nutrients, and what kind of diseases one can face after having unbalanced and unhealthy food. Many medical health and care companies, research and development related people and organizations are committed to provide you knowledge regarding proper and healthy diet, many also guide you personally online about what kind of food is best for your body and what kind of diet and healthy food plan you can fallow.

Cheese Pizza Recipe

How to make homemade Four Cheese Pizza recipe? Although there are many variations of this pizza parlor favorite, here's my favorite, with a little roasted garlic to help tone down the heaviness of all that cheese. If you'd like to come up with your own combination of four cheeses, keep this in mind: at least two of them should be semi firm cheeses like Cheddar or Monterey Jack; at least one should be a hard cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano; and none should be a soft cheese like ricotta or goat cheese. Look for roasted garlic cloves at the salad or deli bar of your local supermarket. Follow this simple directions:
INGREDIENTS:
Yellow cornmeal for a pizza peel or olive oil for a pizza tray or a large baking sheet
One recipe homemade dough or1 poundpurchased fresh dough or frozen dough, thawed; or one 12 to14 inchstore bought, pre baked plain pizza crust
1 head roasted garlic, cloves separated and their husks removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoonDijonmustard
4 ouncesmozzarella, shredded
4 ouncesprovolone, shredded
4 ouncesMuenster, shredded
2 ouncesPecorino, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
BAKING TIPS:
With a pizza stone. Preheat the stone in the oven at425°Ffor 30 to 45 minutes; or preheat the stone on a gas grill at medium, indirect heat (about425°F) for 30 to 45 minutes; or build an indirect, medium- heat fire in a charcoal grill and preheat the stone for the same amount of time.
With a pizza tray or a large baking sheet. Preheat the oven to425°F, a gas grill to indirect, medium heat (about425°F), or build an indirect, medium heat, well ashed coal bed around the perimeter of a charcoal grill.
CRUST TIPS
Fresh dough on a pizza stone. Dust a pizza peel lightly with cornmeal, then set the dough at its center. Start dimpling the dough, pressing into it with your fingertips as you stretch it slightly, until it's a thick, flattened circle with lots of little ridges. Pick it up by the edge and slowly rotate and stretch the circle until it's about14 inches in diameter. Set it floured side down on the peel.
Fresh dough on a pizza tray or a large baking sheet. Grease either lightly with some olive oil on a paper towel. Lay the dough on the tray or baking sheet and dimple the dough with your fingertips until it's a flattened circle then pull and press it until it forms a 14- inch circle on the pizza tray or an irregular rectangle, about 12 inches long by 7 inches wide, on the baking sheet.

Healthy Diet Plan

There is no mystery behind the creation of a simple and healthy diet plan and anyone can make one with just a little help. Many people know what to eat in order to lose weight and maintain it over time but the efforts are not successful because of the absence of a smart eating plan which can be easily created with countless tools available on the internet. Remember people, work smart not work hard. Whilst searching for a suitable diet, people face the common problem that the diet needs to be custom-made or specifically designed for the person otherwise it doesn't really work. Your specialized eating plan should be created to suit your lifestyle and not the other way round. The trick behind creating a healthy diet plan is to identify the foods that you can include in your daily intake. After identifying the foods that you can have, the bridge needs to be crossed from knowledge to action and actually implementing that information.
This is where the creation of a healthy eating plan comes in so that you can follow it to the dot. One of the basic things to know about healthy diet plans is that they need to touch upon all the categories in the Food Pyramid so that nothing that your body actually requires is left out of your diet. A healthy diet plan should be such that you have a massive breakfast, a moderate lunch and a mild dinner. This is the expert take on having healthy eating habits so that you metabolism remains fast with work to do whilst you engage in everyday activities. You should search on the internet for relevant healthy diet plans according to your weight and height and then implement them in your routine. A smart thing to do would be going to websites such as ehealthydietplan and create a healthy, workable diet for you. The website requires you to enter your information such as target weight as well as your gender to generate a personalized diet.
The calorie requirements for men and women differ greatly and thus there is a difference in the recommended foods as well. Then, you have to specify whether you have a sedentary, active or moderately active lifestyle. The website will then generate the information relevant to your body such as Body Mass Index and Body Fat percentage. You can take a look at the diet plan that gives you several options for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner. What's more: the diet plan will even show the breakdown of calories consumed at different times so that you don't even have to manually calculate them. Afterwards, once you are equipped with a healthy diet plan that perfectly suits the needs of your body; you know which foods to pick in the super market and what to order whilst dining in a restaurant. You should also consider pairing your healthy diet plan with some exercise routines and supplements so that you have a balanced active lifestyle. For more information on the easy and dead simple healthy diet planner, please follow the link in the resource box below.

Healthy Eating And Exercise Control In The Holiday Season

We love our holidays and apart from all the gifts and a chance to meet our relatives and in general having a good time, we also look forward to those once-a-year goodies that we get to eat. In fact, we wouldn't be off the mark to say that the cakes, chocolates, puddings and other goodies are the highlights of our holiday and more often than not, we remember the holiday for what we did and what we ate.
For most of us, holiday is also a suspension of normal activity including our normal healthy eating diets and exercise. American Weight Watchers report states that the average American gains between 7 and 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day! Little wonder that Fad diet marketers go on an overdrive and make the most money after the post holiday season.
Of course, the temptations are all too evident. At every house you visit you are offered cakes, puddings, chocolates, cookies and other mouth watering goodies. Being the holiday season we don't like to refuse and once we put a small piece of that chocolate cake in our mouth, it oh so melts away that it is absolutely difficult to not go for another helping and pretty soon we've finished half if not more of the items on the portion control plates. And even God would not be able to help us if we are invited for lunch or dinner. The table is so laden with mouth watering dishes and the aroma is so enchanting that our senses go on an over drive and all attempts to control our minds seems hopelessly futile. Healthy eating breakfast and cooking also seems to go out of the window.
During the holiday season, the kitchen too undergoes a dramatic change - we use lots of butter, chocolate, sugar, cream and everything that we would normally refuse to touch because they are not healthy. The local super market and grocery store too add to the temptation by putting out attractively packaged foods and "holiday season" only items. We of course justify and comfort ourselves by saying this is all a once-a-year affair. Besides, it would not feel like a holiday if we do not indulge would it? The atmosphere is simply too overwhelming.
If our description of the holiday season applies to you, you would be forgiven for thinking that it would be impossible to apply any kind of control. Yet, it is not difficult at all - just requires common sense approach! To help you stay on top of your holiday we present you some excellent healthy eating tips for healthy holiday eating:
Eat small healthy snacks every two hours. If your snack time coincides with some delicacy being offered to you - select a fruit, sugar free salad based item or cut yourself a small portion. Have some excuse ready for not eating more. Remember, nobody will force you to eat. It's all a matter of your own control. At meal time if you find the dining table is laden with unhealthy goodies, take small portions. Fruit will always be there so help yourself to a large portion of fruit. Select portions of grilled or baked meats.

Changing Those Arm Fat Into Muscles

If you want to know if his article is for you all you have to do is a quick self examination test. You can just feel up the lower part of your upper arms which is usually called the triceps with your hands. If they are loose and indeed fat and you want them to be toned up then read on. Alternatively, you can spread both arms out wide by your side and shake them. You might not really like the sound you hear. It's time to get some muscles there.
There is a science behind this and let's attempt to use this paragraph to explain it. Your fat cells are actually holding excess 'material' and what that does is to make your loose its elasticity and tone (not the bones now but the flesh). There is no predetermined place where your fat cells must reside. It is all given to genetics. Dealing with them may be as simple as changing some thing about your lifestyle and this will work over time but you can always get the job done faster.The arm is made up of just one type of muscle bundled together. So do not think for a moment that Barbell curls is the answer to everything because it can only work on certain parts of your arm.
You will have to come up with a plan that works on every part of your arm because both the biceps and triceps each contain other sub-bundles of muscle groups.Calorie intake helps the accumulation of fat on your arms. Doing something as 'simple' as adjusting your calorie intake through adjusting the kinds of food you eat will cut of the supply line. The thing is no matter the exercise regime you take if you don't balance it out with the kind of food you eat it would always work to nullify the toning up process.
The use of 2 sets of 21s adds great tones to your biceps and the muscles in your forearms.Don't forget that it must be done properly. Do it while standing and use a curl bar.The 21 moves you are going to make are split into groups of sevens. The first seven is done halfway towards the curl, the next halfway towards the very top and the last is a full length curl.This is a high octane exercise and you can add a twist by pumping your wrist twice when executing the first seven as you reach the halfway point before you allow the weight to drop down this adds to tone up the forearm muscles.
Use Hammer Curls plus triceps to work on the triceps and the outer bicep muscles. Do this about 15 by 3 times whenever you come to this stage. Start standing like the first but to balance out properly one leg should be placed ahead of the other.If that is not working for you bracing one leg on a chair or exercise bench may do the trick. Using dumbbells, grip them as you would a hammer making sure your palms are inward instead of the other way.