Designed to deceive? Confusion incarnate? Maybe, but food labels can provide you will a lot of information once you know how to read them. There are a few things you should look for on a food label, the first is the Ingredients list. This gives you an idea of what is in the product. The first [...]
The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a system that ranks carbohydrate containing foods based on their physiological effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. The GI of a specific food is determined by comparing the Blood Glucose Response (BGR) of that food with the BGR of glucose. Glucose is used as the reference food as it [...]
Most of us have heard the term antioxidant but most of us do not really know what they are or what they do. The science can be quite complex here so let's keep it simple: An antioxidant prevents oxidation caused by free radicals in the body. There are a variety of antioxidants including vitamins A,C,E, selenium, resveratrol, [...]
Exercise vs. Activity?! Are these not the same thing? No, not quite. Exercise is strenuous or "formal" exercise that gets you sweating and out of breath (you can talk but not sing). Examples include running, very brisk walking, cycling, fast swimming, most gym exercises, weight training, aerobics classes, and most team sports. Activity is gentler [...]
Smoking is the unhealthiest thing you can do to yourself. Quitting smoking will stop the damage immediately and start reversing the effects very rapidly. It’s best to choose a quitting date about 2-4 weeks away so you can plan, and choose sudden-stopping OR gradual reduction to zero. The ideal quitting plan involves considering nicotine [...]
ARE SWEETENERS REALLY BAD FOR ME? ----------------------------------------------------- For many years (decades actually) we have used sweeteners because they provide a sweet taste without the calories (and ultra-high-GI calories at that) of sugar. For many of us this has really helped with weight control and healthier living in general since it is really not that hard when [...]
In 90-95% of cases no specific cause for high blood pressure is found but in 5-10% of cases an underlying medical condition is found. High Blood Pressure cannot be felt or sensed and so repeated measurements are needed to make the diagnosis. This is why it has been called The SILENT Killer. The main [...]
Time, there is just not enough of it. Most of us feel this way, at least some of the time. Modern life is simply hectic. We seem to be running almost all the time and we just never seem to get to the end of the task list. Sound familiar? We thought so. The [...]
Holidays and weekends-away are great! You knew that of course. But have you thought about the impact of your wellness? All too often we abandon our exercise programmes, succumb to the buffet-table-blitz, indulge in a few more sunset-drinks than we should, etc. Does it have to be this way? Of course not! here are [...]
It is winter. We are sure you've noticed! This is a time when we are drawn to comfort foods (often high-calorie high-GI low-quality carbs) and comfort living (usually inactive and indoors). The result is all-too-often a gain in weight, a drop in mood and a decline in overall wellness. But it does not have to [...]
