Which Red Wines Are Good for the Heart?

An occasional glass of red wine is beneficial to your health. The alcohol and antioxidants in red wine are considered healthy for your heart when consumed in moderation. Certain red wines have a higher amount of antioxidants and are potentially a greater heart-health benefit.

Alcohol

Alcohol increases the amount of the good HDL cholesterol levels in your body and lessens the effect of the bad LDL cholesterol and reduces blood clots.

Alcohol can be addictive and can damage the liver and raise blood pressure. Doctors do not encourage anyone to start, or increase, drinking alcoholic beverages for heart health.

Antioxidants

The antioxidants found in red wine called poly phenols protect blood vessel linings.
There are two types of poly phenols found in red wine, flavonoids and non-flavonoids. The non-flavonoids appear to prevent fat from blocking arteries.


Research shows that the non-flavonoid resveratrol may reduce obesity and diabetes, both of which can lead to heart damage. There are other indications that resveratrol minimizes instances of blood clots. Most research has been completed on mice and not on humans. Resveratrol is found in grape skins. Because red wine ferments longer than white, it contains more resveratrol.

Red Wines

The amount of poly phenols in the wine is dependent on the type of grape used in the fermentation process. Wines made with thick-skinned dark grapes such as the tannat and malbec grapes have the highest amounts of poly phenols.

Tannat grapes are grown in the Madiran region of southern France. Malbec grapes are found in the Loire Valley and in Cahors, France.

Wines that contain a large amount of poly phenols and may be considered to have heart-health benefits include: California Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel (old vine), Sangiovese, Aglianico and Nobbiolo.

Eating Foods to Cure a Yeast Infection

Yeast infections are usually caused by fungi or yeasts called candida that are particularly suited to the moist "climate" of the female genitalia. While candida are nearly always present in and around the vagina, sometimes the balance of these organisms can be thrown off kilter---particularly when you have taken antibiotics that kill off "good" bacteria---and the fungi can reproduce quickly, creating itching, burning and discomfort. Following these home cures can help reinstate the body's natural balance. While these cures can help, if the symptoms don't go away, you may need to see your doctor, as the condition could be a more serious infection. Above all, don't be embarrassed or distressed: Most women have had at least one yeast infection in their lives.

Possible Remedies

Cure a yeast infection by trying one or more of the foods described below, including yogurt, cranberries and garlic. Extracts like dong quai also help strengthen the female reproductive system, and chaste berries, juniper berries, ginger and raspberry leaf can have a beneficial effect. As a first line of defense, ingesting foods and natural substances can be preferable to using over-the-counter products like Monistat, douching, or resorting to prescription medications.

Yogurt

Buy and consume yogurt with live bacteria cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. You can also buy capsules of L. acidophilus. These bacteria can prevent and fight yeast infections. As yeast infections often make their way from a woman's intestines to her vagina, it helps to ingest L. acidophilius, as food travels through the intestines.

Cranberry

Drink cranberry juice or swallow a few cranberry pills, available at GNC and many drugstores. It won't hurt to ingest two or three or them at the same time. Cranberry is often used to help clear urinary-tract infections and can help restore the balance of "good" bacteria.

Tea

Make a tea using ingredients like chaste berries, juniper berries, raspberry leaves, ginger or dong quai. These ingredients---all of which you can find at your local health-food store---can be used to help alleviate vaginal discomfort and have helped women affected by painful menstrual cramps.

Water

Drink lots of water. Make sure that you are getting about six to eight 8 oz. glasses each day. Drinking helps to flush toxins out of your body. If you drink soda, coffee, or even too much tea, you may want to cut down on those drinks and consume more water than usual. Water helps maintain healthy kidney and urinary-tract functions, both of which help prevent and fight yeast infections.

What Are Some No Carb Snacks?

A strictly zero-carb diet is anything but easy-- carbs lurk everywhere in natural foods. Even healthy foods like fruits and vegetables contain hefty amounts of both sugars and complex carbohydrates. Going low-carb can be done simply by reading labels. Low carb would be less than 15 grams per serving. It is still possible to eat pasta, bread, dairy, and fruits and veggies when on a low-carb diet. The hard-core no-carb approach can be a challenge.

Nuts

Almonds, peanuts, cashews and pistachios are no-carb options for a quick snack. Nuts are high in protein, contain essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and oils, and--like all high-fiber foods--help control overeating by creating a feeling of fullness. However, because of their high fat content, limit daily intake to about 1/4 cup. A 1-cup serving of almonds provides a diet-busting 550 calories and 47 grams of fat.

Seeds

Pumpkin, squash, sunflower, and flax are good seed choices for a quick snack. Seeds contain less calories and fat than nuts and still provide essential amino acids, protein and healthy omega-3 fats. Seeds are a good source of magnesium and zinc. Moderation is still the word when consuming seeds, especially if weight loss is one of your goals.


Jerky

Beef jerky or turkey jerky is another no-carb snack option. Both are very low in calories and high in protein. However, unlike most nuts and seeds, jerky is highly processed and often high in sodium and saturated fat. Turkey jerky contains less saturated fat than beef jerky as it comes from a leaner meat. Again, moderation is best.

Soybeans

Soybeans are a great source of fiber, protein, and folate and are low in cholesterol and sodium. When steamed, known as edamame, soybeans are even more nutrient-rich and lower in calories and fat. The USDA rates this food 4 out of 5 stars in terms of weight management and optimal health.

Cheese

All cheese can make a good snack if you pay heed to serving size. Even one ounce of cheese can be high in calories and fat. Cottage cheese is low in calories (average 110 per 4-ounce serving) and is a great source of selenium and protein. Another cheese you can snack on is mozzarella, especially the handy string-cheese form. If you choose the part-skim variety, a serving provides a mere 150 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber, and approximately 36 grams of protein.

How to lose Weight and Lose Belly Fat Eating Every Three Hours, Three Hour Diet

For many people the task of losing weight and toning belly fat can be a long hard struggle. The good news is that weight loss can be easy and less stressful with the right diet. The three hour diet is a great plan. It requires you to eat every three hours so you will not feel hungry as you lose the extra weight and work on achieving a flat stomach.
Now you are probably wondering how this works, how someone could eat so often and lose weight, right? Well its simple actually. The three hour diet uses timing methods to trick your bodies metabolism into burning stored fat. For more details see the tips below.

When you skip meals it actually slows your bodies metabolism. It tells your body that food is scarce and it places itself in starvation mode storing up all of the extra fat. When you eat often the exact opposite takes place. Your body decides that there must be plenty of food available and it starts using the stored fat. So you need to make healthy food choices and eat often.


Start with a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating first thing in the morning jump starts your metabolism and tells it to get busy burning stored fat.

Next you want to make sure that you have a snack or healthy meal every three hours for the rest of the day. Keep your snacks at around 100 calories. Have a healthy lunch and dinner.

Stop eating three hours before bed time. This will prevent your body from turning late night snacks into fat as you sleep.

Eating small meals often will prevent you from feeling hungry. It will also prevent you from over eating at meal times. Incorporate this diet plan with at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and you will be on your way to a more healthy and thin body. As well you will eliminate unwanted love handles and belly fat. You will feel better, look better, and be over all more happy.

How to Cook Popcorn in Olive Oil?

Popcorn is a source of fiber. According to the staff at the Mayo Clinic, 2 cups of air-popped popcorn provide 2.3 grams of fiber (see Resources), making it a healthy snack food if you don't load it with butter and salt. Another healthy food is olive oil, which contains monounsaturated fat and "can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol levels in your blood," says Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. (see Resources). Wouldn't it be great if you could combine the two? Well, you can.
Instead of using an air popper, pop your popcorn in olive oil for a healthy snack. The oil makes the popcorn just moist enough for salt to stick to it--no butter needed.

Put the kernels in the saucepan. Remember that as the kernels pop, they will greatly expand and quickly fill up your saucepan. Pop a small amount of kernels the first time so that you get an idea of how many popped kernels your saucepan can hold.

Add enough olive oil so that you can see the oil, but not so much that it covers the kernels (like a salad with a bit much dressing--the lettuce isn't swimming, but you can see the dressing).

Put the lid on the saucepan.


Put the saucepan on a burner set at medium-high heat. Do not walk away; depending on your burner, the pan and the kernels, the popping may begin sooner than you think.

As the oil heats and the kernels begin to pop, grasp the handle of the saucepan with one hand and the lid with the other hand. Gently shake the pan back and forth to move the kernels around on the bottom of the pan. This prevents burning.

When the kernels are done popping (some don't pop and will begin to burn, which you'll smell), empty all popcorn into the bowl and add salt.

The Best Protein Shakes for Weight Loss

Protein shakes can be made with several intended uses in mind. Many people tend to categorize them as tools to help people gain weight and build lean muscle mass. However, protein shakes can also be used effectively for weight loss when made with the right ingredients. If you combine several different healthy ingredients, you'll get a healthy, quick beverage that can greatly assist your weight loss goals.

Benefits

There are many benefits to using protein shakes as a weight loss tool. The protein in the beverage will help to keep your body feeling full, preventing snacking later in the day. Some of the other ingredients for protein shakes will help provide your body with other essential nutrients, such as antioxidants and vitamins. Additionally, starting your day with a protein shake will kick your metabolism into a high gear immediately, allowing you to burn as many calories as possible all day long.

Protein Powders

With weight loss in mind, it's always important to eat plenty of protein that will help keep your body feeling full. However, you will not require the large doses of protein that those looking to build new muscle need. Therefore, adding in protein powder is entirely optional if you have other sources of protein in your shake. A half scoop of protein powder, which will provide upwards of 10 grams of protein while adding less than 100 calories, is more than sufficient if you so choose. Additionally, protein powders come in various flavors that can help add to the taste of your shake.

Fruit

Fruit is an essential ingredient for protein shakes. The fruit you use will in large part determine the flavor and consistency that you end up with. Additionally, adding fruit will provide a huge boost of vitamins and antioxidants that your body needs for overall health. The fruit you use can be either fresh or frozen, but you should avoid fruit salads or other mixes that contain sugary syrups. Include one to three servings of fruit in your protein shake.


Liquid Ingredients

The liquid ingredients for protein shakes will provide you with plenty of variation. Any kind of fruit juice can be used, such as orange juice or pineapple juice. Additionally, low-fat or skim milk can be used in place of the juice for a different spin. For a thicker shake, add several handfuls of ice.

Other Ingredients

There is no limit to the kinds of ingredients for protein shakes that you can use. For a different twist you can include a tablespoon of peanut butter along with a cup of milk and a banana. For an additional boost of protein and a thicker consistency, you can add in a small serving of low calorie yogurt into your protein shake.

How to Use Water with Lemon for Weight Loss

Some fad diets claim that you can lose a lot of weight and melt away fat simply by drinking lemon juice mixed with water. Some of these "detox" diets even recommend going without food for days or weeks, and make other potentially unhealthy recommendations, such as the use of herbal supplements and laxatives.

But lemon water doesn't have any magical fat-burning properties, and fasting isn't a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight. However, as a virtually calorie-free beverage with a little zing to it, it makes a great diet drink, and staying hydrated is key to losing weight. Always consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Replace Sugary Sodas

Losing weight is all about controlling your calorie intake. To shed pounds, you need to remain in a calorie deficit, meaning you're taking in fewer calories than you're expending each day. By reducing your calorie intake by 500 each day, you can shed about a pound a week. Water is, of course, calorie-free, and lemon juice is virtually calorie-free -- the juice of one whole lemon only has 11 calories. If you typically have two sodas a day, just by replacing them with a glass of lemon water, you can shave 300 calories off your daily intake.


Stay Hydrated, Eat Less

If you've ever felt hungry and then drunk a glass of water only to notice that you're not hungry anymore, you've experienced firsthand that thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Instead of reaching for a snack the next time you feel peckish, gulp down a glass of water with fresh lemon juice. Then, wait a few minutes to see if you really need those extra calories or if the lemon water was enough to satisfy you.

Drink It Before Meals

Drinking a glass of lemon water before a meal might help you eat less at that meal to reduce your daily calorie intake. Researchers from the American Chemical Society conducted two studies on drinking water as a weight-loss strategy. In the first study, they found that participants who drank two glasses of water just before eating a low-calorie meal consumed 75 to 90 fewer calories at that meal.

In their second study, the researchers divided 48 adults into two groups, both of which followed a low-calorie diet for 12 weeks; one group drank 2 cups of water before meals and the other group didn't. At the end of the study, the water drinkers lost almost 5 pounds more than the water drinkers. The researchers presented their findings at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

A Twist on Lemon Water

You can drink your lemon as a soothing hot drink or as a cold refreshing drink. Use fresh-squeezed lemon, or buy bottled lemon juice for convenience. Just be sure whatever you buy doesn't contain added sugar. If you get bored with lemon water, try jazzing things up with fresh mint, cucumber slices, watermelon cubes or crushed berries. Fresh fruit will add a little sweetness to your water while contributing negligible calories.