Traditionally meal replacements have featured predominantly in gyms, sports fields, hospitals and social development projects with the purpose of providing nutrient dense foods to meet increased requirements and/or poor intake. However, with the fast-paced lives many of us now lead, meal replacements are quickly becoming a viable option for healthy meals on-the-go. Often, the healthy [...]
Going gluten-free (gluten being a protein found in the likes of wheat, rye and barley) has been a prominent trend in the past few years. More people seem to be buying and cooking gluten-free. Despite its popularity, it still seems largely misunderstood so before you ban gluten, here are some facts to clear up any [...]
One in 5 children (5-19 years old) is overweight these days. This has nothing to do with "puppy fat" and unless something changes these children do not "grow out of it". Instead, they face very real immediate and future health risks. Immediate health effects: Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular [...]
Yes, South Africans do love a good old braai and find several occasions to celebrate over “n stukkie vleis”, whether it’s watching a rugby or soccer match, a birthday party or just celebrating the weekend and warm weather. It's not a uniquely South African thing but it is certainly a strong part of our national [...]
We need good nutrition to be at our best but the workplace can be a real challenge - often we don’t have the time to prepare anything or we forgot about that grumbling stomach because we're too busy working or running around. We become desperate and start grabbing anything (and not healthy-anything either). There are ways [...]
Java, Mud, Joe, Brew......Coffee is one of those rare treats that contains next to no calories and offers real health and performance benefits. It is also one of the leading sources of antioxidants in the Western diet. This article discusses the numerous proven benefits (and risks) of coffee as well as suitable safe dosages of [...]
Choose dairy – Not only is dairy a great source of protein and low GI carbohydrates (making for a great snack on the go, effective for weight management and even a post-exercise recovery meal), it also contains tryptophan, which as it is metabolized is converted to mood-boosting serotonin. Plus, its calcium, magnesium and potassium [...]
Many of us have heard that it takes 21 days to build or break a habit, but researchers have found that in actual fact, on average, it takes more than two months before a new behaviour becomes automatic -- 66 days to be exact. How long it takes to form a new habit varies widely [...]
Most of us may have heard the term BMI and know it is linked with our weight but what exactly is it measuring and how accurate is it? BMI is used by dieticians, doctors, nurses, other health professionals and the general public. Basics of BMI BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the [...]
When it comes to alcohol and diabetes, there is some confusion as to whether it can be included or not. There is a large body of information that states that moderate drinking has cardio (heart) protective effects but it can also cause havoc with your blood sugar levels. Can you answer the following questions? Is [...]
