References:)

BestHomeRemedies.(n.d) Soyabean-Natural Benefits and Curative Properties. Retrieved
February 12, 2009 from,
http://www.best-home-remedies.com/herbal_medicine/vegetables/soyabean.htm

Erstad S, MBA/MPH.(2009) Avoiding Mercury in Fish. Retrieved March 12, 2009 from,
http://health.yahoo.com/other-other/avoiding-mercury-in-fish/healthwise--tn6745spec.html

Linda Brannon & Jess Feist, Health Psychology, sixth edition,
The Transtheoretical Model (pp. 76) by James Prochaska,
Carrlo DiClamente & John Norcross (1992, 1994).

Patenaude F. (2007). Eating Fruit Before Meals and Other Food Combining Rules.
Retrieved February 12, 2009 from, http:/www.fredericpatenaude.com/fruit-article.html

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). (2009).Water : How
much should you drink every day? Retrieved March 11, 2009 from, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/nu00283

National Cattlemens’s Beef Association (n.d) Association between diet and cancer.
Retrieved March 18, 2009 from, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat

When the going gets TOUGH..

When the going gets TOUGH..

It was easy for me to follow the diet plan when I was kept indoors. But following a specific food plan outside home was troublesome. It is difficult to know how much of salt the hawker sprinkled on the nasi goreng that was served to me and it was not appropriate for me to ask for some other food when my friend’s mom cooked a pot of delicious beef curry for me. This year is a very special year; my best friends and I are turning 21 and we unanimously decided to celebrate our birthdays respectively. Can anyone imagine the amount of sugar I will be consuming this year? Birthday cakes, chocolates, flavored water, etc. I have been for four birthdays in the past two months; I found myself facing temptations to an extent that in a blink of an eye I was gobbling five to six pieces of chocolate cake.. who wouldn’t?? I realized how difficult it is to face temptations, and that self discipline is the key to success. I salute to those vegetarians who have such ease with doing away with meat, I wish I could be like them; discipline is what I need, and not forgetting some self motivation :)

I spoke to a couple of friends about my situation, and their encouragement to work this diet plan was an energy booster on my side. Following this program was not an easy thing to do. As a matter of fact my goal was to stick to the plan for approximately 2 months, but I only began two weeks after that. At the very beginning I was not keen on following this program simply because I did not have the urge to do so. As time went by, my behavior slowly began to change in ways that suited the needs of the plan. According James Prochaska, Carrlo DiClemente and John Norcross (1992, 1994), the transtheoretical model theory assumes that people progress as well as regress through five spiraling stages in making changes in behavior. These stages are the precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. The two weeks that I shook my legs not thinking little about the plan was during the precontemplation stage. During the contemplation stage, I was slightly worried about the delay in beginning the diet plan because skin rejuvenation does need a long time before the effects are visible. When I began speaking to my father and mother about a diet program that I needed to alight and what are the steps that my family needed to take to support this plan, I was going through the preparation stage. The effort to change my ways and follow the plan was during the action stage. As for now, I am still holding strong to the diet plan and this stage particular stage is called the maintenance stage.

I have learned much about myself in these two months. I have figured where I stand in terms of discipline and how strong my will power is to achieve a particular goal. Overall, the experience has been amazing and I am glad I went through it with much support from my family.

Rejuvenated Skin! (make up was not applied during the shoot;)
Lots of love!

-Eat SMART-

This rule has been passed down from mother to daughter in my family. MEALS must always consist of;
1. One leafy vegetable
2. Mixed vegetables ( capsicum+ carrot+ beans or cauliflower)
3. Salad
4. One meat dish ( Options: Chicken, Fish, Shellfish, Squid)
5. Beverages ( Options: Water, Soya Bean, Fruit Juice)
It is easy to follow a simple square that my mother usually prepares but what kind of food is appropriate to be included in order to redefine skin? I researched a little and what are the foods that I needed to consume and what I needed to avoid. I was curious to know why my mother avoided cooking red meat. To my surprise, a study conducted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association indicates that red meat could increase the chances of having cancer. Some studies have linked consumption of large amounts of red meat with breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer. When red meat is consumed, the digestion process triggers the formation of carcinogens. Apparently, when red meat is cooked, these carcinogenic compounds are then known as heterocyclic amines, a compound that increases the risk of having cancer. Red meat is also associated with cardiovascular disease because of its high content in saturated fat.
Fish should not be consumed all the time, which is the reason mother always prepares it twice a week. It is said that fish absorbs mercury. Mercury is metal found naturally in the environment. Human activities such as farming, burning coal, and using mercury in manufacturing increases the mercury cycling through the air, water and soil. In water, mercury changes its form and becomes methyl mercury. Eating fish with high levels of mercury can be very harmful. Mercury leaves the body over time through urine, feces and breast. The advisable amount of fish to take is 340grams (2 average meals) of a variety of fish and shellfish in a week. Fish should not be consumed more than that amount.
To maintain a healthy diet, women should consume 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day; 2 fruits and 3 types of vegetables. It is important to have a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables in a diet. Variety is important because no one color group provides all the phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fiber one needs for healthier skin. Choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables is easy. Just keep the 5 colors in mind: red, yellow/orange, white/tan/brown, green and blue/purple.
I usually substitute water with a glass of soya bean simply because it is really, very refreshing. Little did I know the health benefits of drinking soya bean. Does it have any effect on skin? Read more to find out:) Researchers say that soya bean is esteemed for its high food value. It also contains Vitamin B complex, biotin , folic acid, panthotenic acid and Vitamin E. Vitamin E is essential for skin rejuvenation. According to a website, BestHomeRemedies, states that soya bean is regarded as a valuable food remedy for eczema and other skin affections. It renders unnecessary use of animal protein, that is, meat, eggs and milk and thus reduces inflammatory activities in the skin and is fee from the tendency to produce sensitive or allergic reactions. When soya bean is taken, intense itching diminishes almost immediately and disappears completely after a few days. Amazing isn’t it?? The skin lesion also vanishes after some days. Improvement in skin health presumably occurs due to its skin lecithin content- a natural emulsifier which helps dispose fatty and cholesterol from vital organs.

So what’s the issue about fruits? Should it be taken before are after a meal? I personally love to eat fruits, especially when I know that it is essential in repairing my skin, but when is the appropriate time to eat them?? The BIG question is about to be answered. Natural Hygienist states that the reason why fruits should not be taken after food simply because fruits contain simple sugars that require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the stomach. Other foods that are rich in fat, protein, and starch will stay in the stomach for a long period of time because it requires more digestion. If the fruit is taken after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and fermentation will take place. So, the BEST way to take a fruity bite is to eat the desired fruit, wait for about 5-10 minutes, then make way for the hefty meal that is about to be indulged.

TIPS FROM ME TO YOU

I found a few ways that would help me or should I say ‘remind me’ that I am on a special diet. I placed sticky notes in places where I would often be such as my room, bathroom, and in the kitchen. I scribbled ‘Diet for Beauty’ on these multi colored sticky notes simply because I thought the note was rather eye catching. Dad decided to become the ‘Human Alarm’, meaning, every time I drifted away from the program, he would be the one who would talk me back into sticking to the program. He would also prepare a proper balanced meal for the whole family. At times, he would remind me again, and again, again on the benefits of certain foods, for example; Cucumbers are anti-oxidants that it destroys free radicals so that it will prevent us from having cancer. This has been mentioned REPEATEDLY at the dinner table (Yes, and people sometimes wonder how our family has a good set of facial skin).

In my diet plan, I needed to drink an ample amount of water to flush out toxins and carry nutrients to my cells. If I chose not to do so, dehydration would take place and this would lead me to be less energetic to do anything. In order for my skin cells to be constantly replenished, I needed to drink 9 cups of water a day. 9 cups of water is equivalent to 2.2 liters of water. The average urine output for an adult is about 1.5 liters and an additional 1 liter through breathing, sweating and through bowel movements. The amount of liters left in the body causes me to feel less thirsty and to produce colorless or slightly yellow urine a day. So how did I keep up with drinking 9 cups of water? Easy. I measured my bottle, estimated that bottle was equivalent to three cups of water, so I simply refilled my bottle three times a day. This method helps me to maintain an adequate amount of water intake. To ward off dehydration, here are a few steps to follow:

• Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal
• Hydrate before, during and after exercise
• Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings

Another method that I found useful was to make sure that the food that I needed to consume was always visible to the eye. For instance, the fruity basket is always placed on the counter. I made sure that a tub of yogurt and a soya carton is the first thing I see when I open the fridge. The food that I needed to be away from is placed way at the back of the fridge and kitchen cabinet.

Cool trick, huh:)

Perseverance!!

Being persistent is the one thing i seriously need to master in. Yes, i have tried telling myself over and over again to write something in my blog but my lazy little self tends to lure into other issues. But, here I am, today, at 5.15 pm on a beautiful Sunday evening, writing about how i have been 'repairing' my skin lately. I wrote a list of things that I needed to consume such as;

1. Drink 8 glasses of water everyday
2. No FAST FOOD, no matter how much the temptation is:(
3. Prepare a bowl of salad every other day( Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons)
4. Drink Fruit Juices!( Vitamin C is good for me,.. and this applies to the family too)
5. Eat more home cooked food
6. A bowl of yogurt after any square meal,p.s, without sugar:(

I love rule number one. I have no problem with drinking water and drinking fruit juices. I struggled with rule number 3 and 6, simply because, it did not have any sugar in it. Besides all that, I did find it tough to keep up with the plan.. my PERSEVERANCE slipped away sometimes, and when I realized that, I would immediately jump back to the routine.. and i would slip away from the plan again.
So this is my struggle, being persistent, but i did find a few keys to fix this little( maybe i should mention big) problem of mine. I'll keep you posted:)