Metabolism boosting foods(FactFriday #9)

I don't know about you, but I get very frustrated when I see my aunt eating everyday near the point of puking and not getting a pound heavier. She obviously has a fast (light speed) metabolism. On the other hand I drink half a glass of water and I become a land whale.

I have a very slow metabolism and I hate it. So recently I have been starting to look into foods that can make me digest food faster so I can burn calories more efficiently.

Firstly, metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself. The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising, and the calories you burn based on your individual genetic makeup.

Naturally,the metabolism slows down with age but we can help boost it if, like me, years of dieting and putting your body into starvation mode has destroyed its natural rhythm.

Here is a list of 10 well known metabolism boosting foods. These are not only good for you but also are very delicious!

• Egg whites, they are rich in branched-chain amino acids, which keep your metabolism stoked.

• Lean meat, it is full of iron. Deficiencies in the mineral can slow metabolism. Eat three to four daily servings of iron-rich foods, such as chicken or fortified cereal.

Negative-calorie foods( FactFriday #8)

A negative-calorie food is a food that requires more energy to be digested than it provides. While this concept is popular in dieting guides, there is no scientific evidence to support that any of the foods claimed as negative-calorie foods are such. Personally I think is more a placebo effect but as long as it tastes good and it feels me up with natural whole substances, I don't think what scientific studies show is relevant.

As a negative-calorie beverage, ice water has no calories but requires the body to expend a very small amount of energy to raise the liquid to body temperature. So it will help boost your metabolism. Same goes with hot water with lemon.

Foods that are negative in calories are mostly low-calorie fruits and vegetables such as:

•  celery

•  grapefruit

Why is water important? (FactFriday #7)

I have been seeing people lately stress more the importance of drinking water. I for one know that I don't drink half as much as I should. The other day I got a zit(gross, I know) and I realized that I haven't had that much water. That got me thinking....why is water so important.

Dealing with insomnia(FactFriday #6)

Any student at some point in time had had problems with getting enough sleep. Either it is because of the partying, exams, stress or bad roommates, we all have dealt with insomnia.

To help during those sleepless nights I have compiled a list of reasons for insomnia as well as some natural remedies that can help ease you in to the land of rainbows and unicorns!

Beat the blues (FactFriday #5)

Every once in a while everyone gets a bit down and not so motivated to go on. Believe it or not there are foods out there that can help you not feel so blue and down.

The thing that we should understand is that we should not stuff our faces just because we are sad. In no way shape or form am I suggesting to go out, buy a ton of junk food and sit in a dark corner and eat your feelings. These are just mood boosting snacks that can help but food is not an answer.

1. Chocolate helps with STRESS! Not only does chocolate taste divine but it can also help with stress. Opt for dark chocolate because it is jam packed with antioxidants.

2. Salmon is great for anxiety. Because I have been in the finals period of the school year, I have a fair amount of stress. Salmon is wonderful way to calm oneself.

Skim milk VS whole milk (FactFriday #4)

As I started talking about the good and bad fats, I saw that many, many, many, many people don't know that dairy products are better left whole. Because I cannot cover all of them I will start with the most basic of them all: MILK!

So...which is the healthier choice?

Tea bags! (FactFriday #3)

If like me, you are a tea drinker you might experience the same syndrome: Not wanting to let go of a tea bag. Well, after some research, I have found some ways to reuse the lovely pouches of wonderful ingredients!

Here are some of the ways you can recycle the bags!:

• Relieve tired eyes. Soak two tea bags in warm water and place them over your closed eyes for 20 minutes. After that you are as good as new! 

• Make you hair nice and shiny! Yes you can do that with just a couple of used tea bags. Soak the used tea bags in water and give your hair a wash. Not only will it make your hair liveliness but if you have a couple of grey hairs, they will be gone!

Benefits of working out (FactFriday #2)

We all know that working out is good for you body and mind and that it gets you in shape. There are many more benefits of dedicating 30 minutes a day (at least) to doing some exercise and be active. I have listed below the top 5 benefits:

1. Reduces stress levels. Exercise increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. So if you are having trouble at school or even at work, go for a run, do a 15-30 minute quick workout and feel yourself slowly relaxing.
   

Fats, good or bad? (FactFriday #1)

For some years now, I have been hearing that fat is bad. And I agree to a certain degree with this. You should definitely not pour a tub of lard in your mouth, but some fats are good.

If you think about whole milk and you are under the impression that the "skinny" version is healthier, you are sorely mistaking. The milk is more processed so that the fat can be eliminated. The natural, from the cow, whole milk is just pasteurized (like in the olden times), so that all of the bad bacteria can be killed. I remember my mum buying from farmers milk and boiling it! It was so good and helped me grow and be a healthy kid (that is until my dad and I found McDonalds).

If you think about it, all foods contain some amount of fat. Our bodies know how to handle fats that come from natural places. In moderation fat:

• is a source of energy. We store some of it so when their is a hunger, the body consumes what fat is in the body. This is why we create a deficit when we try to louse weight, so the body can use up all the fat that is stored away safely.
• is actually an essential fatty acid. These are the very known omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that are found in fish. These help us inflammation,  mood and behavior. 
• helps with the good functioning of our nervous system and brain. The nerve cells are actually covered in a fatty material that acts like bike oil. Actually our brain contains a lot of essential fats.
• helps maintain healthy skin and other tissues. The cell membrane contains a bit of fat, which is perfectly acceptable. When the amount of fat in these membranes gets out of hand, that's when we become overweight. 
• helps for steroids, which are needed for many different processes.

So all in all, fat is not that bad. But which type should we avoid at all cost? Well the saturated and trans fats are bad. They raise your cholesterol and increase the risk of heart diseases. On the other hand, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower your cholesterol and help fight heart disease. 

Good fats

• Monounsaturated

• Polyunsaturated