Quick Breakfast Taco

A smaller cousin of the breakfast burrito, the breakfast taco made with reduced-fat Cheddar and egg substitute is a satisfying and healthy breakfast option.

1 serving
Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon salsa
2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters

Preparation
Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds.
Meanwhile coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add egg substitute and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos.
Nutrition
Per serving: 153 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 0 g fiber; 453 mg sodium; 207 mg potassium.
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 very lean meat

Drinking Your Way to Health? Perhaps Not

By Dennis Thompson

Just about every month -- if not every week -- a new study emerges touting the health benefits to be gained from a daily glass of wine or a pint of dark beer.

The benefits related to cardiovascular health have become well-known. A study released in mid-July, for instance, found that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in women by increasing the amount of "good" cholesterol in the bloodstream and reducing blood sugar levels.
But other studies have linked a daily drink, most often wine, to reduced risk of dementia, bone loss and physical disabilities related to old age. Wine also has been found to increase life expectancy and provide potential protection against some forms of cancer, including esophageal cancer and lymphoma.
But don't invest in that case of Pinot noir just yet.
Experts with the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say that though these studies do show some benefits to moderate drinking, the health risks from alcohol consumption far outweigh the potential rewards.
Drinking any alcohol at all is known to increase your risk for contracting a number of types of cancer, said Susan Gapstur, vice president of epidemiology for the American Cancer Society. These include cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon/rectum and breast.
"At the end of the day, if you are at very high risk for cancer, you might want to limit your alcohol consumption even further," Gapstur said. "It's a lifestyle modification you can make, and we don't have as many lifestyle modifications for preventing cancer as we do for coronary heart disease."
There also are other health risks from moderate drinking, including liver damage and accidents caused by impaired reflexes, said Dr. Jennifer Mieres, director of nuclear cardiology at the New York University School of Medicine and an American Heart Association spokeswoman.
The health benefits from drinking generally are related to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatories found in red wines and dark beers, Mieres said, but those substances can be found in a number of different fruits and vegetables.
"When it comes to disease prevention, you're better off changing your diet to include fruits and vegetables and get your antioxidants and anti-inflammatories from natural sources," she said.
For example, people can get resveratrol -- the antioxidant found in red wine that's believed to provide most of the drink's health benefits -- from drinking grape juice just as well as from drinking wine, Mieres said.
"For people that don't drink, not drinking is important," Mieres said. "You can get the same benefits of drinking from leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. To me, it's not worth the risk to start drinking. But for people who enjoy a glass of red wine or enjoy drinking, the key is to stick to the definition of moderation," she said.
Moderate drinking is defined as one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. What counts as one drink are:

12 ounces of regular beer or wine cooler
8 ounces of malt liquor
5 ounces of wine
1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor

Drinking anything more than that on a daily basis is known to lead to a host of health problems that can reduce your life expectancy, Mieres and Gapstur said.

"I think the take-home message is, if you don't drink, don't start to help protect yourself from coronary heart disease because there are so many other things you can do," Gapstur said. "If you already drink, you might want to limit your consumption."
Though the studies touting the positive health effects of alcohol are scientifically accurate, they also appear to play into people's desires for quick fixes to complex problems, Mieres said.

"To prevent heart disease, 50 percent of the work has to come from you," she said. "Prevention is a big piece, and you have to be accountable. You have to make lifestyle changes, and that's very tough to do. People look for easy ways to get heart-healthy benefits, and drinking is an easy way to do that. It's a known human tendency: Let's find an easy way out that doesn't involve a lot of thought or work."

'Liquid candy': Unhealthy

By Dr. Philip S. Chua

The following findings of the Harvard research, which we are quoting in full, are a most convincing confirmation and re-affirmation of the other clinical studies in the past:

Risk rises with soda consumption

Harvard Medical School researcher Ravi Dhingra, MD, and study colleagues looked at nearly 6,000 middle-aged men and women who had exams every four years. At the outset, all were free of heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Four years later, in comparison to people who drank less than one soft drink a day, researchers found that those who consumed one or more sodas a day experienced: A 25% increased risk of impaired (or higher than normal) fasting glucose and high triglyceride levels. A 31% greater likelihood of becoming obese. A 32% higher chance of lower HDL levels. A 44% increased risk of metabolic syndrome. These results were published in the July 31, 2007, issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Study results were a surprise

Dr. Dhingra and his colleagues were surprised that regular and diet soft drinks posed similar risks for metabolic syndrome--which remained the case even when the study was adjusted for dietary factors such as saturated and trans fats, calorie and fiber consumption and levels of physical activity. There are several theories as to why this might be--perhaps the extreme sweetness of soft drinks makes people more apt to eat sweet foods, or the caramel content may promote insulin resistance and inflammation. But these are theories, and no one knows for sure. To others though it is now obvious that high acidic levels will help cause these symptoms.

Adverse health effects

Drinking soft drinks of any kind has been linked to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, lowered calcium and potassium level, heart disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, dental cavities and nutritional depletion. There is also a claim that it may have an adverse effect on conception. These liquid candies also contain caffeine which could disrupt sleep and lead to anxiety and DNA damage and hyperactivity, especially among children.The prevalence of obesity among Americans doubled between 1977 to 2001 and this trend was paralleled by a doubling of the consumption of soft drinks. An increase in the body mass index (BMI) of 0.24 kg/meter square was found among children for each (ONE!) soft drink they consumed. Studies on adults (50,000 female nurses on one study) revealed that drinkers of even one can of soft drink led to weight gain, and increased blood sugar among diabetics.One study reported this interesting finding: “One four-week experiment compared a 450 calorie/day supplement of sugar-sweetened soft drinks to a 450 calorie/day supplement of jelly beans. The jelly bean supplement did not lead to weight gain, but the soft drink supplement did. The likely reason for the difference in weight gain is that people who consumed the jelly beans lowered their caloric intake at subsequent meals while people who consumed soft drinks did not. Thus, the low levels of satiety provided by sugar-sweetened soft drinks may explain their association with obesity. That is, people may who consume calories in sugar-sweetened beverages may fail to adequately reduce their intake of calories from other sources. Indeed, people consume more total calories in meals and on days when they are given sugar-sweetened beverages than when they are given artificially-sweetened beverage or water.”One alarming report: “In 2003, the Delhi non-profit Centre for Science and Environment published a disputed report finding pesticide levels in Coke and Pepsi soft drinks sold in India at levels 30 times that considered safe by the European Economic Commission.” Another study showed that those subjects who consumed soft drinks had lower bone mineral density, placing them at increased risk of suffering, not only osteoporosis but bone fractures. More scary is the increased risk for the development of metabolic syndrome (a group of conditions that include type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, high blood fat, low level of good cholesterol).It is our government’s role and responsibility to protect our children by not allowing our schools, public or private, to have vending machines that sell soft drinks and other unhealthy products, much like outlawing the vending machines that used to sell cigarettes.The Departments of Health and Education and other agencies concerned must also ensure the public that all schools require a course in nutrition for all students and offer only healthy menus in their cafeteria. After all, a healthy citizenry translates into a healthy nation.

Caffeine can ease muscle pain

A STUDY of 10,000 women in Australia found that those who are generally positive, optimistic and expect good things to happen are less likely to die from heart disease than pessimistic, negative women.

This supports the notion that women, in general, are “feeling” human beings, who use the power of emotion as a normal way of being themselves. You know the saying “Men think, women feel.”

So ladies, guard your hearts by nourishing them with uplifting and joyful feelings. Today, throw out the bad memories that may haunt you and drag you down. You will live longer with a smile on your face and fewer wrinkles.

Pain reliever

According to the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, the caffeine in coffee may lessen muscle pain by blocking the activity of a chemical called adenosine. This is released as part of the anti-inflammatory response to muscle injury which then activates pain receptors in body cells.

Researches had several men pedal on a stationary bike for a high-intensity workout. They were given 2-3 cups of coffee an hour before the workout.

Less thigh muscle pain was experienced by the men who had coffee than the group who were given placebo. Coffee may not be an urgent need before every workout, but if you are trying a new sport or exercise routine, a cup or two might just do the trick to prevent or ease muscle pain.

Exercise personality

Experts say you need to choose an exercise based on your personality. Which one are you? There are five basic personalities.

Square – People who enjoy exercise but repeat the same routine thus their development reaches a plateau.
Suggestion: Vary regimen.

Rectangle – Those who love to exercise in a group, enroll in a fitness class or adventure group of hikers, climbers.

Circle – These are talkers who literally talk their way through an exercise routine. To maximize time, get a personal trainer to keep you disciplined and focused.

Squiggles – These are the pleasure seekers who exercise to feel good, forgetting routines and preferring variety. Therefore, match exercise to your personality and watch your energy and health levels improve, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Prostate health

Quercetin, the apple antioxidant, ensures prostate health. In a double blind, a placebo-controlled study group of men with chronic prostatitis showed that a supplement with quercetin, papain and bromelain improved symptoms in 82 percent of the group in a month’s trial. Inflammation and swelling of the prostate gland producing pelvic pain lowered libido and painful urination in men. The dosage of 500-mg quercetin twice daily was used in the study.

So gentlemen, eat an apple a day and include the following foods containing this powerful antioxidant: green tea, red grapes, red onions, cherries, broccoli, raspberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes. Organic has 79 percent more quercetin than regularly grown ones.
Source: Techniques in Urology, Well-Being Magazine

Now that you know how emotions can affect your body as well as your health choices, isn’t it time to reassess your lifestyle? Let’s start with a positive thought.

Affirm: “Good things coming to me beginning today.”

Beauty scrub

Get one tbsp of salt, mix with 1 tbsp of any unused oil at home. Use it to scrub any dry, rough parts of your body.

Love and light!

By Cory Quirino

Anti-aging remedies for young and old

As we age, our skin’s demand vary. There are a lot of changes and measures we can actually take to keep our skin young. It is important to remember that there is a right procedure for the right age. Most of the time, getting treatments too early may also lead to immature—and irreversible—aging.

I asked reputable dermatologist Dr. Aivee Aguilar-Teo for tips on age-appropriate treatments, procedures and simple ways to care for our skin. Her answers:

Individuals in their 20s, generally, have resilient skin elasticity, higher metabolism, faster skin cell growth and regeneration. Thus, your 20s is the best time to adopt preventive methods and a strict skin care regimen to delay the signs of aging.

Dermatologists recommend liberal usage of moisturizers and sunscreen, and, of course, minimizing sun exposure. Starting a regular fitness routine is also recommended at this point, since the body’s fat-burning abilities already start decreasing in the mid-20s.

Treatments. Here are some popular non-surgical procedures for people in their 20s dealing with common cosmetic problems like acne, premature wrinkles, unwanted facial and body hair and cellulite:

* Skin Care and Skin Rejuvenation
* IPL Photofacial
* Blue Light Therapy for acne
* Microdermabrasion/Diamond peel
* Chemical Peels
* Laser Hair Removal
* Body Contouring and Cellulite Treatments
* Mesotherapy
* Radio Frequency

These are some other popular cosmetic treatments for people in their 20s:

* Breast Augmentation
* Rhinoplasty/nose surgery
* Liposuction
* Lip Augmentation

Skin care in your 30s-40s

People in their 30s still have healthy skin, but elastic collagen fibers begin breaking down and cell production starts to lag. Facial wrinkles are more prevalent than they were in the 20s, as are fine lines and age spots.

Slower metabolism in the 30s and 40s can also mean the development of stubborn stores of fat that are hard to remove, even with regular exercise.

Good habits for older skin

Regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet and daily vitamin supplements become important to keep your skin and body healthy as you continue to age. Drinking lots of water to keep tissues hydrated and consuming plenty of antioxidant-rich foods are also advisable for preserving the skin’s vitality.

In your 30s and 40s, aside from daily sunscreen application and frequent moisturizing, topical anti-aging/antioxidants such as retinoic acid, alpha hydroxy acid and topical vitamin C should be incorporated into the regimen.

Treatments. Here are some of the most popular non-surgical skin rejuvenation treatments for 30 and 40-somethings today:

* Skin rejuvenation and skin tightening treatments
* Chemical peels
* Microdermabrasion
* IPL Photofacial
* Fractional/Erbium Laser Resurfacing
* Botolinium toxin injection for wrinkles and fine lines
* Dermal filler injection for deep lines and folds
* Radiofrequency (Thermage/Refirme) for skin tightening

Body contouring treatments:
* Mesotherapy
* Carboxytherapy
* Radiofrequency
* Ultrasound assisted lipolysis
* Hair regrowth treatments
* Mesohair
* Laser Regrowth
* Surgical body contouring
* Breast Augmentation or Breast Lift
* Liposuction
* Abdominoplasty/Tummy Tuck

Skin care for those over 50

When people hit the 50s, 60s and 70s, the signs of aging have usually begun attacking in full force. Collagen levels are at an all-time low, skin elasticity is minimal and age begins to show prominently on the face.

The effects of exposure to the sun and elements over the years manifest themselves. The most common problems are deep wrinkles, drooping skin (particularly around the eyes and jowls), loss of volume (cheeks and nasolabial area), prevalent age spots and pigmentations (melasma) and other skin imperfections such as varicose veins and spider veins.

Treatments. Non-surgical skin tightening methods are popular for patients of all ages. However, they might not yield the same level of results in more extreme cases of loose or sagging skin at this age. Hence, surgical procedures might be a more effective treatment in some cases.

Skin rejuvenation/tightening

* Deep chemical peel
* Radiofrequency
* Fractional/CO2/Erbium laser resurfacing
* Botolinium toxin injections
* Dermal filler injections
* Surgical Skin Tightening
* Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery
* Facelift
* Neck Lift
* Brow Lift

Many patients in their 50s and 60s also choose to combine a facelift or surgical skin tightening procedure with rejuvenation treatments like chemical peels, IPL Photofacials, microdermabrasion, or fractional laser resurfacing for maximum effect.

Liposuction and tummy tucks are popular choices for taking care of loose skin and excess fat deposits around the torso.

Finally, no matter which age bracket you are, be sure to discuss all treatment options with a trusted and qualified board-certified dermatologist or plastic aesthetic surgeon. Not only will you be able to learn more about the risks and benefits of various procedures, you will get an informed opinion about which procedure will work best for you.

by Ria Francisco-Prieto