Healthy Eating Tips: Cook Smarter With Coconut Oil

I used to always cook with vegetable oils mostly because that's what my mom cooks with and that's the way I was taught to cook, and we've also been told that these vegetable unsaturated oils are more "heart healthy" and are supposed to protect us from heart disease. It turns out, that was a really BAD idea as they actually do more harm than good.

Here is why. Unsaturated oils like vegetable oil, corn oil, safflower oil just to name a few oxidize when exposed to any heat, even room temperature heat. The problem with oxidation in oils is that it makes it rancid and produces Free Radicals. Free Radicals are molecules that are missing a critical component and steal what they need from your healthy cells, altering your DNA which accelerates aging and over 90% of all diseases we suffer from today. This is BAD, and why you should move your family away from these oils, and stop cooking with them. Cooking with these oils accelerates oxidation, which produces more Free Radicals.

I've recently moved over to cooking with Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is saturated and heat stable so that it doesn't get damaged when you cook with it, and it does not oxidize so no free radicals are getting into my kids bodies destroying their healthy cells. You can cook with it, bake with it, and mix it up for dressings and other healthy treats.

Other benefits:
Promotes heart health
Supports the Immune System
Gives you Energy
Supports healthy metabolism
Promotes weight loss
Maintain normal Cholesterol levels

It also doubles as an excellent moisturizer for your skin.

If Coconut oil is a saturated fat, then how can it be healthy? It's all in the chemical structure. Coconut oil is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA's). Most vegetable and seed oils are comprised of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA's).

LCFA's are bad. Your body has a difficult time breaking them down which strains your liver, pancreas, and entire digestive system. They also lead to high cholesterol, which leads to a bunch of other problems. LCFA's almost always get stored as fat.

Medium-Chain fatty acids are easily digested; stimulate your metabolism, which leads to weight loss. They are also smaller and permeate your cell membranes easily and convert to energy rather than being stored as fat.

One other really cool fact that I as a mom found really interesting is that Coconut Oil contains Lauric Acid, which is a natural compound found in breast milk! Lauric acid is super important because it strengthens your immune system.

Be choosy when purchasing Coconut oil. I use Fresh Shores Extra Virgin Coconut Oil that I find in my local health food store. Find one that is cold pressed, organic, made with fresh coconuts (instead of dried "copra" used in cheap oils), not refined or bleached.

Angela is a Health and Wellness expert who turns the pickiest eaters into fruit and veggie eating machines!

Visit her site today for free info on how to "get" your child to eat the foods you want them to so they can lead happy healthy futures!

http://www.changeyourfoodchangeyourfuture.com/index.html

Angela is also the founder of the popular Change your Food Change your Future program. Helping parents and caregivers everywhere retrain the way they think about food, re-gain control, and get their children to eat something naturally green (without tears!)

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Heart Disease Diet - Health Tips for National Heart Month

It is February, National Heart Month. Here are some simple ideas for improving your cardiovascular health not only for this month, but also for the rest of your life. Every little bit helps, so don't fret if you aren't as successful as you'd like. Just give these tips a try, relax, and let the heart healing begin.

Cook at home. It doesn't take that much time if you plan well. A large pot of healthy vegetable and bean soup or chicken and vegetable stew can be divided into smaller portions and frozen for several meals. If you plan each cooking session to provide three meals, you'll only have to cook two or three times each week. Cooking at home allows you to pick healthy ingredients.

Keep a positive attitude. Excess worry, anger, and anxiety are all emotions that can damage the heart. Stress hormones are released that trigger physical responses that are great when facing a charging wild animal, but not so great if when these hormones are continually being released into the body. Take a realistic look at your life and try to maintain a balanced outlook. And laugh more!

Move your body. A quick walk up a flight of stairs or across the parking lot is much better than taking the elevator or parking right in front of the door. Getting your muscles working helps keep improve blood circulation and strengthens the heart.

Add heart healthy herbs to your cooking. Herbs aren't just for flavoring, many of them have a wide range of health benefits. One of the all time heart healthy favorites is garlic. Use it raw or buy it dried, just be sure to avoid garlic salt. Experimenting with herbs livens up your food and improves health.

Add yoga to your exercise routine. The slow movements are less stressful on joints and each move improves not only flexibility and strength but also promotes a healthy heart. Recent research shows that yoga improves circulation and lowers blood pressure.

Never, never eat trans fats. Partially hydrogenated oil is a man-made substance that more and more research shows is the worst fat, far worse than saturated fat for heart health. Cities have banned its use and some major retailers are cutting it from products in the stores. Don't rely on labeling on the front of the package, flip the package around and read the ingredients. Put it back on the shelf and by an alternative product if you see partially hydrogenated oil or margarine as an ingredient.

Add soluble fiber to your diet. This fiber is known to bind to cholesterol in the digestive tract and remove it from the body. Found in a wide variety of foods, apples and oats are great sources. Legumes are another, add them to soups and stews, or on salads for a heart healthy meal.

Follow these heart healthy tips and you will promote good health for the rest of your life.

Monique Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality, natural, alternative health products to treat and prevent heart disease. To learn about how to prevent and treat heart disease naturally, visit her blog for weekly tips at Heart Disease Diet

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Lifestyle Diseases on the Rise

What is a lifestyle disease? When you think of a disease you usually think of the H1N1 swine flu or tuberculosis something you can catch from someone. A lifestyle disease is associated with your environment, by the way you live your life and the choices you make everyday.

When you go out and eat a lot of junk food everyday, drink too much alcohol, smoke, lie on your couch and watch TV all day these things all contribute to you getting what they call non communicable diseases. These are diseases like diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease and others.

Our lifestyle choice c many times in the beginning start out as minor issues like a little weight problem, then a sore knee. If we continue with that lifestyle then obesity slowly sets in and the sore knee turns into a major knee joint problem that doctors many times recommends operation instead of losing the weight which caused it in the first place. I see it happening everyday to my friends.

Hang on it gets worse. Over time this person gets diabetes and not to mention high blood pressure and other joint problems like their back and shoulders. From here they start to develop heart related diseases. When I talk to them about their problems they show me a handful of pills they take so they do not have to lose the weight. In other words they do not want to change their lifestyle.

People now days want to treat the symptom and not the cause of the problem, yet they complain all day that their knee is so sore. They tell the doctor to give them a stronger pain killer. Next thing you know they are scheduled for knee surgery. Why? The signs are all there that it is the weight that is causing the problem. Now these are smart people. They are just ignorant of the fact that they got to change their lifestyle. Imagine the problems uneducated people and their families with little medical care have. Their health problems are far worse.

A lot of this is due to lack of proper health care, low income, poor eating choices, lack of education and not enough exercise. Also poor common sense plays a big part in the choices people make because even educated people get these lifestyle diseases.

We are bombarded all day by advertisements for the newest double chocolate chip cookie or some new burger place opening up does not help in fact it just adds to the problem. What about the beer ads which try to be funny to make people watch and remember them.

It is all about choices. What we eat and what we feed our children is our choice. You see children now days getting things like childhood diabetes which was unheard of 20 years ago. These lifestyle diseases are spreading at an alarming rate and are turning into an epidemic. They are just as deadly as the swine flu or TB. This affects all of us some how. It may be our spouse, parent or child. Even our finances, if you are sick you cannot go to work.

It also adds to the burden of our health care system like increases in our medical insurance premiums, lack of hospital beds, doctors and nurses. It also adds to the burden of the state when people sign up for free health care program.

We need to teach the people to get them making wiser choices like eating more fruits and vegetables versus cookies and burgers. Getting them to get off the couch and outside and start taking walks which by the way costs no money. In fact with better choices they will actually stat to save money which they spend on junk food, bad snacks, tobacco and alcohol.

It all starts with education. Some how we got to teach people what is good and healthy to eat versus what is bad and the consequences are. Not only people with lack of education are teaching their children the wrong lifestyle. We got to protect our children from these diseases. They learn by watching us and what we eat. We got to stop feeding them the junk and sweets or at least have a limit.

Children today spend far too much time indoors. You got to get them off the computer and to turn off the TV. Get them outside and playing in the yard. They need to exercise and they can do it just by running around.

Sometimes education in the schools will actually rub off on the parents at home. Schools are now spending time and money to teach children about proper diet and health issues. This in turn can influence the choices their parents make at the grocery store and where they decide to dine out and how often. But we cannot only depend on our schools and our children. We must educate the adults; make them aware of the problem the causes of them and the consequences. It should in the start in the home from the parents.

Les has been writing about health and relationships since 1999. Work hard but be smart. Buying a big piece of land for your first home? Got a lot of acreage to clear? Work hard but be smart and go get a Walk Behind Brush Cutter instead of breaking your back. Go take a look at the Walk Behind Brush Mower website for more information on prices and options. Save your back for your wife. She will be happy you did.

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Live A Healthy Lifestyle And Avoid Heart Diseases

The busiest walks of life belong to those who have sedentary lifestyles. But one must be very careful for lifestyle define what kind of life are you going to have.

In most cases, heart diseases have been the biggest problem of people. It has been related to one's way of living and it has been the number one, top killer and cause of disability in most progressive countries and world. So, one must take part in the battle against this disease.

Live a healthy lifestyle.

As simple as it sounds, people can be saved from the calls of death by simply altering and positively changing the outward direction of your physical self. Start with assessing yourself about how you live your day. Are you having enough time to see and take care of yourself and what can you do to improve the way you live your life now? Now that you have asked, here are some of the basics that you have to learn.

Eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight. The food one eats affects one's bodily function and explains why a person suffers from a certain disease. Being overweight or so as to say, obese, may increase your risk to heart attacks and other aberrations. One must seek the ideal body weight in order for one to keep track of how one's body is being affected by their intake. The body mass index or the BMI is the standard basis in determining and assessing one's status. In addition, the proper food intake should be taken into consideration. Watch out for your food, and put in mind that eating foods with low saturation of fat and cholesterol and those which are high in fiber will sweep u and prevent the buildup of unwanted fat deposits that may lead to plaques and cause heart insufficiency.

Have a diligent amount of exercise. A regular dose of 30 minute exercise will suffice to maintain a desirable weight and help maintain the blood pressure be lowered. Moderate in intense physical activity that lasts for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week is the most ideal habit to pursue a healthy way of life.

Refrain from smoking and alcohol intake. Though sometimes done in moderation, these two habits will increase your risk for heart problems for these stimulants basically cause the narrowing of one's blood vessels or pathways (or what they called vasoconstriction). This impedes the circulation of the blood and may alter the balance and continuity of blood flow that will lead to serious to fewer problems.

Have yourself checked and ensure a better future for you and your family. There are ways to prevent and treat medical heart conditions, take a step to lower the risk of your problems. Have your blood cholesterol checked and monitor your blood pressure, manage other underlying diseases such as diabetes and if there are any then take medications as prescribed.

Ralph J. Greene enjoys writing for Uniformhaven.com which sells baby phat scrubs and baby phat lab coats as well as a host of additional products.

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20 Steps to Effectively Managing Heart Disease and Diet

Let's face it, in most cases heart disease and diet are synonymous with one another, and even when they aren't many of the condition which unhealthy eating habits promote contribute to heart and artery disease. So staking steps to avoid a future heart attack, or managing your cardiovascular health after that initial heart attack should include a heart healthy diet.

Any heart healthy diet will need to control saturated fat consumption. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are found in large quantities in butter, cheese, coconut oil, sweetbreads, cream, poultry, poultry skin, luncheon meats, some canned meats, and well marbled red meat. The amount of saturated fat in the diet can be more damaging to blood cholesterol levels than cholesterol in foods such as egg yolks.

20 steps to can help with heart disease and diet.

*When cooking substitute olive or canola oil for high saturated fat palm oil, lard, shortening, or butter.

*After cooking place soups, chili, or gravies in the refrigerator. After a few minutes the saturated fat will solidify on the surface. Skim, reheat, and then serve.

*Drain fats from meats after cooking.

*Use herbs as a substitute for butter and other high fat seasonings such as bacon grease or pork fat.

*Use the newer, lower fat canola oil sprays in place of cooking oil.

*Bake, broil, or boil foods instead of frying them.

*Trim poultry fat and remove skin before cooking.

*Trim the fat from beef or pork before cooking.

*Choose less expensive tougher cuts and use your cooking skill to tenderize them.

*Substitute skim milk for high fat options.

*Serve more whole grains and vegetables and less meat. Holding meat serving down to 4 oz or less per meal is suggested by the American Heart Association.

*Choose fat free or low fat cheeses, sour cream, salad dressings, and mayonnaise.

*Substitute mustard for mayonnaise when given the chance.

*Substitute fresh fruit for high fat desserts.

*Find healthy options for snacking. Walnuts, sunflower seeds, dark skinned grapes, or apples are all heart healthy choices. If at home you can be more creative such as a slice of pear with a dash of peanut butter on top.

*Eat baked cold water fatty fish high in omega 3 essential oils twice a week instead of pork, beef, or poultry.

*Substitute soy or bean based products for hamburgers patties or high fat franks.

*Substitute herbal teas, fresh fruit, and vegetable juices for soft drinks.

*If you must drink coffee consider adding a few flax seeds or a tablespoon of flax seed oil to your java each morning.

*When given the choice choose products containing plant stanols or sterols. These natural substances have been shown to lower blood cholesterol over time.

*Becoming an expert label reader when shopping is our 20th and perhaps most valuable suggestion. When reading labels keep in mind that the AMA suggest a heart healthy diet consisting of no more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.

What else? Managing heart disease and diet is challenging to say the least, and some feel they need a little extra help to get over the hump. For these individuals a natural cholesterol reduction supplement, along with a daily exercise routine is an additional two step approach that could prove helpful in sending artery clogging high cholesterol dancing out the back door once and for all.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of safe and effective high quality alternative health products and natural living, with over 10 years experience in the field. Learn more about natural remedies and natural health at Purchase Remedies.com

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Coffee Health Benefits For Heart Disease

Heart disease remains a top killer despite enormous amounts of money spent on the treatment and prevention of this disease. On the average, the human heart beats about 72 times a minute and pumps the equivalent of about 3,600 gallons of blood every day. The heart is one of the hardest working organs we have, truly an amazing "machine" that works perfectly most of the time for millions of people.

During exercise or stressful situations, the heart pumping action automatically increases significantly. This increased pumping happens because of the heart tissue's increased demand for oxygen. Undoubtedly, a strong healthy heart is important to everyone, regardless of age, sex, ethnic origin or any other criteria.

A healthy life style lessens the chance of heart disease. This lifestyle involves exercise, keeping weight in a healthy range, not smoking and effective stress management, among other good preventative therapies. The choices you make regarding what you eat, what you drink and how you live have a big impact on your health and the likelihood of heart disease. Drinking coffee is not associated with the development of cardiovascular problems as long as coffee drinkers follow a healthy and balanced diet.

The Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard School of Medicine conducted a very extensive and long term study of over 128,000 men and women between the ages of 14 to 20 years. Their findings, published in 2006, have stood the test of time through additional validation provided regularly through research conducted by many other recognized private and non-private research institutions, laboratories, and universities worldwide.

• The studies released continue to show conclusively that men and women who drank six or more cups of filtered coffee daily do not have a higher risk of developing strokes than people who drink less coffee or no coffee.
• Furthermore, other studies have concluded that women coffee drinkers have up to a 25% reduction in mortality risk as compared to women who are not coffee drinkers.
• In addition, the research also shows that people who smoke and are heavy coffee drinkers have less heart disease as compared to those who do not smoke and do not drink coffee.

Interested in cooking with coffee as part of healthy cuisine practices? Cooking with coffee is a brewing trend for many cooks worldwide and you can make it your own as well.

• For healthy eating, increase the amount of fish you eat weekly. For example, plan on cooking on the grill Salmon, Chicken, and Tuna basted with rosemary and coffee extract.
• For a side dish, cut up sweet potatoes with a little ground cinnamon and olive oil. Edamame and Swiss Chard, steamed lightly and served with some walnuts on top will make a nice and colorful side dish.
• Coffee contributes hints of bittersweet chocolate, roasted nuts, ripe dark berries, and fruit -like undertones that add unique flavors to dishes. No other spice can do this.

A healthy and balanced diet will be beneficial for the heart and the whole body. As coffee lovers, it is good to know that coffee offers health benefits. So, go ahead and enjoy a nice cup of fruit and cream flavored gourmet coffee such as Blueberry Fields Flavored Coffee or Orange Seville Flavored Coffee!

Timothy ("Tim") S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him "The Gourmet Coffee Guy."
He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author's website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com

© Copyright - Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

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Good Eating Habits Can Prevent Heart Disease - Know What to Eat, What to Avoid, and How to Cook

You can prevent heart disease to a great extent just by improving your eating habits. So, educate yourself about the food items that you should eat and the ones that you have to avoid. Besides that, it will also be great if you learn how to cook a heart healthy diet. You will find the following information very helpful in this regard.

Eat Right Foods
Following is a list of food items that you should include in your diet to prevent heart disease.
o Use unsaturated vegetable oils, such as sunflower, safflower, olive, and canola.
o You need 6 cooked ounces of protein food group on a daily basis. Peas and beans can be good source of protein.
o Your daily food intake must also include 2-4 servings of dairy products. However, you are recommended to eat low-fat or nonfat milk. You can also try yogurt.
o Include plenty of whole grains in your diet, such as pasta, rice, and cereal. Eat at least 6 servings of these food items on a daily basis.
o Most importantly, you must eat at least 5-6 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Food Items That You Have To Avoid
Following is a brief rundown about the food items that you have to avoid in order to prevent heart disease.
o Goose and duck meat should be avoided at all costs.
o Cut down the intakes of high-fat processed meats, such as sausage, bologna, and hot dogs.
o The use of organ meats should also be taken in a very limited quantity. Organ meats may include brain, kidney, sweetbreads, and liver of chicken or other birds or animals.
o High-fat dairy products should top your avoid list. Such products include cheese, butter, ice cream, cream, and whole milk.

Some Heart Healthy Cooking Tips
In order to keep your heart healthy and to prevent heart disease, you should also be very careful while cooking the different food items. Following are some quick tips.
o If you must eat meat, make sure that you have trimmed fat thoroughly. If you are cooking poultry, don't forget to remove its skin before cooking.
o For basting, you can use marinade, fruit juice, and wine.
o Use very low amount of solid fats (if at all you have to use it) while cooking. Solid fats include soft margarine, lard, and shortening (fat that is used to make pastries).
o You should try cooking methods that require no or very little fat. Such cooking methods may include broiling, baking, and boiling.
o When browning, you are recommended to use a cooking rack to drain off fat.
o Don't use the yolk of the eggs in your recipes. But, you can use egg whites.

Overall, the basic idea is to eat from every food group - you just have to focus on the quantity, quality, and the amount of fat and salt in it. In order to prevent heart disease, you should eat foods that are low in salt and fat.

The author is web content writer and has much experience in writing quality content for many sectors but this article specializes in heart disease. For more information about signs of heart attack, prevent heart disease and more http://www.tiddee.com/health/heart-disease

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