clean eating is meal to meal battle

A reminder to self. Nobody said it is easy.

photo credit: columbiacommunique.org

greek yogurt caesar salad, fortified

A slight modification to the earlier posted Greek yogurt Caesar salad dressing. Instead of using soft boiled egg for the dressing, I've taken the yolks from 2 hard boiled eggs and whisked them into the yogurt. I've also used half a carrot, grated, rather than baby butter head lettuce. It tastes about the same, only that the boiled yolk gives a slight chalky consistency in the dressing, but I like it anyway. 

Two eggs to reward myself for doing HardCore and BodyCombat today :o) Using cooked eggs also takes away the concern for salmonella problem for those who are particular about having partial raw eggs in their food. This recipe is without the raisins and I topped up with sunflower seeds instead, for that extra crunch. The egg whites are used as topping.

Total calorie 364kcal; carbohydrate 22g, protein 23g, fat 20g.

The pie chart doesn't look that balanced, but only because the calculation is based on dry weight of the particular food group, and for carbohydrate, fibre and sugar component is added together. The high protein component comes from the eggs, and dairy products.

This could feed 2 servings as side dish, but I had all to myself for lunch, considering that's all I'm having :o)

いただきます

congratulations mr international malaysia 2013

StuffsThatMatter would like to congratulate James Ng for bagging home the Mr International Malaysia, Mr Charming and Mr Perfect Body titles.

Now James, time to spill a secret or two here :o)

photo credit: Kenneth Yap

a cultured taste on greek yogurt

Yogurt has been an acquired taste for some, and for those who love it, the benefits of taking yogurt is really a long list.

Why should there be a tub of Greek yogurt in every fridge?

Really short answer:

1. Yummy
2. Low calorie
3. High protein
4. Probiotics

Short answer:

You can never have too much of it. A 1kg tub of these cultured goodness contains only about 590kcal, a quarter of a regular Joe's daily requirement of energy, but packed in more than 100g of protein. That is like eating about a half kilo of chicken breast meat!

But no one takes a tub a day, so it's good to keep it in the fridge and eat it for a week.

Not so short answer:

Many of us are introduced to yogurt as kids, via the sweet flavoured watery yogurt drink we all love. As we grow older, we become more vain with our weight-watching and stopped taking them anymore. But chosen wisely, we never have to for-go such delicious treats that packs in so much good nutrients.

I believe, being a reader of this blog, you are also a health-conscious consumer, who chooses foods that are nutrient rich and calori-economical (means packing more nutrients per caloric consumption).

There are 2 varieties of yogurt out in the refrigerated shelves in the supermarket. No, I don't mean plain and flavoured yogurt. If you've noticed carefully, you'll realise a recent invasion of a certain Greek yogurt in the market, so popular that every brands start to carry this version to stay competitive. Basically, Greek yogurt and regular yogurt starts off as a same thing, but Greek yogurt are further strained to remove much more fluid, that gram for gram, the Greek version contains more protein (twice or more) compared to the regular counterpart. That also gives it a thicker, pudding-like consistency.

What makes Greek yogurt so good?

1. Probiotics - Yogurt is produced by fermenting milk with the help of (good) bacterias of the Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria species. Don't let the name scare you, most of us already have these good microbes in our digestive system, and ingesting more of these live cultures will provide less chance for bad bacterias to occupy our guts. Some studies have shown that consuming these microbes will also improve the duration of diarrhoea and prevent vaginal yeast infection. It is advisable to consume yogurt after a course of antibiotics to replenish these natural gut bacteria that might get killed off by your medicines.
2. Protein - nothing wags the tails of health-conscious gymrats more than food that comes with high protein and acceptably low calorie count. A cup (170g) of Greek yogurt packs in around 17g of muscle-repairing protein at the expense of about 100kcal only, making it a perfect dessert for your post-workout munch.
3. Calcium - a serving of greek yogurt provides around 18% of the daily requirement of calcium. Calcium is a mineral that is important to maintain strong bones and teeth. Calcium also plays a role in essential body function such as blood clotting and regulation of muscle contraction.
4. Vitamin B2 / riboflavin prevents cracked lips, inflammation of the lining of mouth and tongue, mouth ulcers, cracks at the corners of the mouth; dry and scaling skin, and iron-deficiency anemia.
5. Vitamin B6 / pyridoxine is needed for normal brain development and function, and helps the body make serotonin and norepinephrine (mood hormones), and melatonin, which helps regulate the body clock. 
6. Vitamin B12 / cobalamin is essential in maintaining healthy nerve cells, and in the production of the body's genetic material. It also helps to make red blood cells and to help iron work better in the body, as well as regulation of immune functions and mood.
7. Magnesium activates enzymes, contributes to energy production, and helps regulate calcium levels, as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other important nutrients in the body.
8. Most importantly, it tastes good in my greek yogurt caesar salad. Yum!

Have you had your Greek yogurt today?

いただきます!

sources:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/yogurt3.htm

http://www.webmd.boots.com/vitamins-and-minerals/calcium

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/590715/2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_complex

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/

When life gives you lemon.....

The humble lemon has been hailed as one of the miraculous fruits, which could be used to cure everything from simple sore throat to cancers! I'm not kidding, just google the words "lemon+benefits" will return you with more than 36 million results.

Anyway, I did some extra reading and listed here, 5 of the benefits of lemons that makes sense to me.

1. Lemon cleanses the skin and alleviates acne - lemon juice contains citric acid which is an anti-microbial and kills the germs that causes acne break-outs. The acidity of lemon juice also act as mild astringent to minimise skin pore and reduce oily deposit.
2. Lemon as liver detox / aids digestion - lemon juice stimulates bile production and prevents build-up of gallstones. This in turn promotes digestion and liver function in the movement of gastric juices.
3. Lemon to soothe sore-throat - lemon juice contains the substance cerotenoids which is an anti-inflammatory agent. It also contains vitamin C which is essential for health of mucosal (mouth) and throat lining through the biosynthesis of collagen. Furthermore it contains citric acid which is anti-microbial.
4. Lemon as energy-booster - lemon juice contains simple sugars for fast absorbtion and metabolites for quick energy recharge.
5. Lemon combats foul breath - lemon acidity promotes salivation and also an anti-microbial.

Under no circumstances I'm denying the other anecdotal health benefits of lemons as claimed by other websites, but some of them needs a little bit more convincing. I will be doing more reading on the health claims of lemon and add to the list above. 

But hey, I'm bought into idea that lemon is a superfood, and personally I do take a lot of it, on a daily basis. Just squeezing about 10 nos of medium sized ones will yield around 450mls that will last me about a week, kept in the fridge.

home made greek yogurt caesar salad

Long enough have I been cheating myself to eat healthy outside, by ordering anything that has the word 'salad' in it's name. And a peek at the calorie count for a typical dinner sized Caesar salad made in a restaurant may fetch up to 800kcal depending on the ingredients used. So, choose the lesser evil? Perhaps if we don't do it that often.

However, I do try to eat clean whenever I prepare my own salad at home. My latest craze, using yogurt as dressing. You may notice the new hype on yogurt, claimed to be the healthier version - the Greek Yogurt - that almost every brand carry a variation at the moment. But for the best benefit of clean eating, try to get the plain version, which is sans the fruit jam and unnecessary sugar chucked in.

Here's my take on a yogurt based Caesar salad:

• 1 cup shred cabbage (about a quarter of a medium Beijing cabbage)
• 1 cup baby butter-head lettuce (about half a head)
• a pinch of seasoned nori

Dressing:

• 3 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 1 large soft boiled egg
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
• a sprinkle of raisin
• a drizzle of honey
• a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Total calorie 235kcal; carb 15.7g, prot 15.8g, fat 8.0g.

The above portion fills up a whole salad bowl, that can easily feed up to 4 people as a side dish. I however, split them into 2 servings, or sometimes when I'm really famished, gobble up in one seating, which I admit goes against my philosophy of moderation.

Caesar salad usually comes with hard boiled eggs, and some crouton. So if you're feeling really naughty, throw in a sliced boiled egg and substitute the crouton with 3 pieces of Munchy's Oat Krunch with Chia seed, which adds up another 8g of protein at the expense of about 200kcal. Not too bad if you have friends to share this with.

いただきます

back for more?

Back pain, or specifically lower back pain, is a condition that affects any gender and age. While certain lifestyle and occupation predisposes one differing levels of risk for getting low back pain, up to 60% of people would experience low back pain at any point of their life.

Your first instinct when having an acute lower back pain is probably to retreat to the bed and lay still as much as possible. This would probably be beneficial in helping you to cope with the initial pain, but studies have shown that beyond 48 hours, bed rest and total inactivity may undermine healing, reduce muscle tone and worsen flexibility.

Once the worst pain has subsided (meaning pain is now more bearable without the help of painkillers) you can try out these stretching exercises as suggested by our exercise expert, James.

Cat / Camel back stretch

Kneeling down on all fours, gently curve the back up until you feel the stretch, hold it for 5 seconds. Then gently curve the back down and hold for another 5 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

Supine back flexion

Lay on your back, and begin by raising both knees toward your chest, by actively contracting your hip muscles. Hold for 5 seconds. Now grasp both knees with your hands and pull towards your chest. Push the small of your back into the floor while doing so. Hold for another 5 seconds.

Trunk rotation

Bring both knees towards your chest by actively contracting your hip muscles.Then, keeping your shoulders on the ground, roll both knees across to the other side. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the midline. Do the other side and repeat three times each.

Hamstring stretch

Sit on the floor and tuck one foot into your centre. Then, keeping your back straight, lean forward with your chest. You should feel a stretch in the rear of your thigh. Remember not to bend out of your back muscles, but rather lean forward. There are several variations of the hamstring stretch, which can be done on your back, standing, and with the assistance of a towel.

Quadriped arm/leg raises

Kneeling down on all fours, with your head pointing straight ahead, lift the opposite arm and leg, keeping them as straight as you can. Hold for 10 seconds. Do the other side, and repeat three times each.

Muscle sprains generally takes up to 2 weeks for full recovery, and the sooner you resume your physical activities, the better the circulation will be at your back and hopefully, faster recovery. But remember not to take painkillers to mask the pain, just so that you can go back to the gym, because you could be doing more damage without even realising it.

There are, however, some exercises that you should not do, according to James. Try to avoid these when having acute pain:

1. Straight leg sit-ups
2. Bent leg sit-ups or partial sit-ups (curl-ups) when you have acute back pain  Lifting both legs while lying on your back (leg lifts)  
3. Lifting heavy weights above the waist (standing military press or biceps curls)
4. Toe touches while standing

Point to remember: most back pain can be prevented with proper postures, and good form during weight lifting exercises. Physical activity may promote blood circulation, tone muscle, increase flexibility and speed up recovery of back sprains. All the best!

It has to matter.....

1. I remembered few years ago, before the complete invasion of Facebook status, tweeting and other micro-blogging apps, we used to write longer sentences and chain our thoughts in a way that delivers messages coherently in blogs. Well at least many of us do.
2. Recently I've revisited my old blogs, and mourned their death. Those were the days when I'd edit photos to supplement my writings, and spend time reading other people's blogs. Then it occurred to me - the reason why even I myself lost interest in my own blogs - was because I wrote on stuffs that didn't matter. 
3. So this is an attempt to revive the excitement in writing, sharing my thoughts on issues I find interesting, sharing my struggles to live healthily, and perhaps simplifying FAQs on health/medical concerns. I'd also be having a few contributors who are specialists in their own fields and rights, to supplement entries on effective exercises, diet tips, grooming and other stuffs that matter.

Well, shamelessly I'm going to still drop my old blog link here, hoping to get some traffic :o)

www.arte0patch.blogspot.com