Mirror mirror on the wall, whose the fattest country in the world? Ouch. The obesity rate for American adults (aged 15 and over) came in at a whopping 38.2%, which puts the birthplace of the hamburger and the Cronut at the top of the heftiest-nations-in-the-world rankings, according to an updated survey from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Running at a not-too-close second is border pal Mexico, with 32.4% of population considered obese, followed by New Zealand, Hungary and Australia (the U.K. comes in at No. 6). The skinniest nations are Japan, with a tiny 3.7% of the population tipping the scales, followed by India, Korea, Indonesia and China. And across much of Europe, less than 20% of the population can be considered obese, according to the survey that was released Thursday. See visual on those statistics above. The future is fatter, not leaner. Perhaps even more disturbing is the glimpse that the OECD offers into the coming years. As the below graph shows, obesity rates are expected to increase until at least 2030, led by the U.S., Mexico and England, where 47%, 39% and 35% of the population are expected to be obese by 2030. As for solutions, the OECD suggest food labeling, and offered praise for health promotion campaigns across Facebook and Twitter, or dedicated mobile apps that have been shown to have the potential to help with weight loss and body fat. As one survey showed this week, obesity puts individuals at risk from related illnesses — diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and more. In other words, you can’t be fat and healthy at the same time.
Possible Contributors : People are more likely to snack when they are alone 2 billion orders and growing from phone orders Is Singapore following the trend ? Sources : Marketwatch, Channelnewsasia
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There is a lot you can do to lower your chances of having a stroke. Even if you've already had a stroke or TIA ("mini-stroke"), you can take steps to prevent another. Controlling your weight is an important way to lower stroke risk. Excess pounds strain the entire circulatory system and can lead to other health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea. But losing as little as 5% to 10% of your starting weight can lower your blood pressure and other stroke risk factors. Of course, you'll need to keep the weight off for good, not just while you're on a diet. The tips below can help you shed pounds and keep them off: Move more. Exercise is one obvious way to burn off calories. But another approach is to increase your everyday activity wherever you can — walking, fidgeting, pacing while on the phone, taking stairs instead of the elevator. Skip the sipped calories. Sodas, lattes, sports drinks, energy drinks, and even fruit juices are packed with unnecessary calories. Worse, your body doesn't account for them the way it registers solid calories, so you can keep chugging them before your internal "fullness" mechanism tells you to stop. Instead, try unsweetened coffee or tea, or flavor your own sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime, a sprig of fresh mint, or a few raspberries. Eat more whole foods. If you eat more unprocessed foods — such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — you'll fill yourself up on meals that take a long time to digest. Plus, whole foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber and tend to be lower in salt — which is better for your blood pressure, too. Find healthier snacks. Snack time is many people's downfall — but you don't have to skip it as long as you snack wisely. Try carrot sticks as a sweet, crunchy alternative to crackers or potato chips, or air-popped popcorn (provided you skip the butter and salt and season it with your favorite spices instead). For a satisfying blend of carbs and protein, try a dollop of sunflower seed butter on apple slices. Read article here. Sources : Harvard Medical School, Health Promotion Board. As demand for protein peaks, plant-based sources continue to attract more consumers.
More Americans are cutting back on meat consumption, even if they’re not committing to a vegetarian or completely meat-free lifestyle, according to research from Mintel. The top reason U.S. consumers opt for meat alternatives is because they occasionally like to have meat-free days (31%), but health reasons are also driving interest, with three in 10 protein alternatives consumers saying they are watching their cholesterol (30%) and are worried about eating too much saturated fat (29%). More than one third (35%) of Americans are eating protein more from sources other than red meat, Mintel research noted. However, while more than two thirds (66%) of protein alternatives consumers agree they are healthier than real meat, nearly half (46%) say protein alternatives products are too high in sodium. More than one quarter (28%) of those who opt for protein alternatives are trying to lose weight. About 29% of new meat substitutes in 2016 featured a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate claim, up from 7.1% of new products in 2015, according to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD). “Americans are embracing popular trends like ‘Meatless Mondays’ as an easy and consistent way to include meat-free meals into their diets in an effort to reduce meat consumption as health concerns surrounding red meat continue to grow. With so many consumers turning to protein from sources other than meat and poultry, there is an opportunity for marketers to reach a sizable group with concerns related to health, particularly cholesterol and fat content,” said Billy Roberts, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel. Fueling Growth The infatuation with protein in general over the last few years has resulted in more consumers associating protein with providing a source of energy, helping with weight management, promoting satiety and building muscle mass and strength, according to Packaged Facts. Consumer interest in plant protein specifically has been fueled in part by new research and the popular belief that a diet containing more plant-based foods and beverages, including plant protein, is associated with better health. In addition to making it possible to avoid the saturated fat associated with animal proteins, plant proteins are a safe option for consumers with dairy or egg allergies or sensitivities. Millennials in particular are more often foregoing meat, Packaged Facts noted. About 10% of this demographic consider themselves vegan, and a survey conducted by 210 Analytics found that more than 60% of Millennials consume meat alternatives, products once almost wholly ignored by the majority of consumers. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which helps to inform the U.S. government about scientific evidence related to diet, nutrition, and health, indicated that diets higher in plant-based foods are more health promoting and associated with less environmental impact than the current, traditional U.S. diet, noted Michelle Simon, executive director, Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), while presenting at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA in March. Diets made up of plant-based sources are more sustainable, use fewer natural resources, and are less taxing on the environment, she added. According to SPINS data from January 2017, plant-based milks are a $4.2 billion market globally; plant-based meat $606 million, plant-based cheese $104 million, and tofu products $92 million. Growth has been fairly consistent across the category, noted Ms. Simon, which is a positive indicator. “Consumers are making the shift and companies are doing a good job getting products out there.” The plant-based milks market has faced some challenges with respect to labeling, however. In December of 2016, 32 members of Congress sent a letter to FDA requesting that the agency not allow plant-based brands to use the word “milk” on their labels. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced companion bills in the Senate and House, respectively, called the Dairy Pride Act, which would not allow plant-based food companies to use any dairy terms on their labels. “The dairy industry is gunning for us,” said Ms. Simon. “There’s no question there are challenges in the dairy industry and I’m sympathetic to them, but they’re not caused by anything the plant based foods industry is doing.” Plant-based milks are properly labeled with their common or usual name and courts have agreed with this position, she contended. “We do have the law on our side.” Still, the industry does need to create consistency and standards about how its products are labeled, she added. That will take time, and ultimately it’s up to stakeholder to come together and make those determinations. Having a trade association dedicated to building consensus is certainly valuable, she added. I am deeply moved after watching this video above. In one part, the video said, the business of slaughter will stop only when the demand for meat stops! Instead of arguing if meat is good for us or if eating greens will cause us to lose certain vitamins, why not go on a week's trial of meatless diet?
Take the challenge and see for yourself the changes.Let your results be the judge. I did it! I stopped eating meat last year and also my favourite coffee (kopi-C), dairy products (milk and egg) and now I am on a gluten free diet as well. I have not regretted that decision since and surprisingly have not suffered any withdrawal symptoms as I thought I would have. There are still many myths ongoing that says we need meat and eating vegetables alone cannot replace the vitamins, nutrients that meat can offer. I hope this article here would change your perspective towards going green in your diet (if not spare a thought for the animals above). Our local athletes, from bodybuilder to triatheletes had adopted a vegetaraian diet and are achieving great results without meat. Do you know that Moringa, probably the superfood of the 21st century beats all its peers in terms of vitamins, minerals and nutrients ? See the facts below. The entire plant, from its leaves, to its pods and seeds are edible and throughout Asia, it has been a staple diet among the Thais, Pinoys and the Indians as well. It is also the plant that receives the most research focus (more than 300 papers on one single plant) and many cosmetics company from Dior, The Body Shop, The Face Shop,etc have extracted the moringa oil to make into their best selling hair care products. Food and beverage companies like Pepsi, Nestle,etc too have jump on this bandwagon as well. Read article here and here. We may not be athletes like those featured in the article but going green as many worldwide has discovered gives them a renewed sense of energy, remove toxins in their body, have a healthier glow on their face and definitely become more productive at work. Wouldn't we all want to have that? With a healthier body, we can then pursue more leisure activities that make us happy, spend more times with our family and loved ones. Years later when we looked back, this could be one of the best decisions we ever made in our lives. Key facts (World Health Organisation - Obesity and overweight fact sheet 2016
Weight management is simply about every balance, how much calories we take in and how much is being expended with the excess being stored in the body and turn into fat. We advocate sticking to a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, drinking plenty of water, moderate exercise and having sufficient rest/sleep. The formula is not difficult to follow but for many who are time starved and eating out often, this may seems like a challenge to them. How to use Moringa for Weight Loss Moringa is loaded with beneficial elements such as iron, magnesium, calcium and vitamin A which are very essential when trying to lose weight. This is a healthier way to get required nutrients without necessarily adding calories. Here are different ways to use moringa for weight loss:Benefits of Moringa in weight loss Please note that the moringa tree should not be used solery as a weight loss remedy. I personally think that most people get that bit wrong. Moringa should only be used as a nourishment and to energize your body to boost weight loss efforts. Help reduce appetite The soluble fibers in the Moringa leaves are known to lower the cholesterol levels in your body and provide your guts with the right microbes. The fibers absorb a lot of water and therefore make you feel fuller for long hence limiting the amount of food you eat. This process slows down food absorption and keeps the blood sugar in the balance as most of the fat in the body is burnt. The more fat you burn, the more weight you will lose. Chlorogenic acid in Moringa supports weight loss Moringa leaves have the compound known as chlorogenic acid which is known to support weight loss by continuously balancing the blood sugars and burning fats in the body. The people who consume chlorogenic acid are said to burn more fats and this leads to weight loss. Boosts nutrients and reduce calories A cup of Moringa leaves contains around 13 calories only and 15 calories in 2 tablespoons of its powder. Moringa leaves also have vitamins and minerals. In the process of weight loss, add Moringa leaves in your meals either in the form of powder or leaves, and it will supply you with nutrients required in the body in return helping you lose weight. Moringa doesn’t have carbohydrates or fats, and therefore it helps you consume less number of calories in your meals and lose weight as well since there is less fat to be burnt. Increases metabolism Moringa has fatty acids which help speed up metabolism. People who consume Moringa are known to have high levels of energy. Due to the increased metabolism in the body, calories are burnt very fast hence enhancing blood circulation in the body muscles. The process leads to burning of more calories in the body. Our Moringa powder, supplement and tea are organically grown and harvested by local farmers in northern Thailand and are packed in convenient format for our customers. Capsules available in 120 or 500 capsules bottles Tea - available in 5, 20 or 50 bags Powder - available in 200gram bottle Please note that moringa supplements, tea or powder is not meant to be a meal replacement. If you are unsure, please consult your local doctor before making any purchase. There is no question that regular exercise is essential to good health: that alone is motivating for some folks. For others, setting meaningful personal goals — finishing a 10K race or getting back into those jeans you love — and keying into what motivates you can help launch a successful workout program. Motivation takes many forms, so find the carrot (or stick) that works for you. Maybe you’d like to get ready to tackle new activities, like climbing a towering rock wall, churning through the water during a triathlon, or making it 26.2 miles in a marathon. Perhaps you hope to feel fit and good about your body. Maybe a friendly bet with a spouse or friend — loser pays for kayaking lessons — or just wanting to hold up your end of the bargain with a new exercise partner will do the trick. Hiring a personal trainer or tapping a buddy for workouts or walks can supply motivation. Friends who can cheer you on and hold you accountable to your plan help, too. And most of us enjoy a reward, so make a list of (ideally non-food) rewards for meeting weekly or daily goals. One reward is simply seeing progress, so consider tracking your progress regularly. Whether you are running more miles, lifting heavier weights, not getting out of breath when you take the stairs, or have to get a smaller belt, write it down or use one of the many fitness apps available for your phone, tablet, or computer. Setting exercise goals can change idle hopes into reality, especially if you put some supports in place. (source - Harvard Medical School) Hope this running video motivates you as much as it had for me. Be a victor in life, go get it! See you at the top!
Want to know the secret of Manny Pacquiao, the world-class, eight-division champion Filipino boxer? I saw this video on my Facebook posted by someone and thought this simple and easy to prepare recipe is a must try for all salad enthusiasts. One can gets creative over the choice of fruits available according to the seasons. Other fruits that I like include :
Dragon fruit - high in polyunsaturated fats, Vitamin C, carotene, protein, etc Grapes - no cholesterol, Vitamin C & K, antioxidants,etc Papaya - rich source of fiber, copper, magnesium plus other nutrients Coconut - highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Avocado - good source of pantothenic acid, dietary fiber, vitamin K, copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Water melon - contains significant levels of vitamins A, B6 and C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids. Apricot - excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of pro-vitamin Acarotenoids), and a good source of vitamin C, copper, dietary fiber and potassium. Try both the dried apricot and fresh type. You could also sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of Moringa Pure Powder into the salad for its potent nutritional values ! Share this with the family and have a great bonding time! A healthy family stays together! |
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