Article 6
Most of us have heard about the glycaemic index and we probably decided to choose foods that have low glycaemic index label attached.
That is not all; here are important factors you probably should consider.
ü Intact grains such as whole wheat, barley, whole corn and whole rye have much lower GI values than flours (tiny particles) made from the same grains.
ü Milling, beating, grinding, mixing, mashing and refining foods raise the GI of that food.
ü Foods containing soluble fibre, such as oats and legumes, have a lowering effect on the GI because they delay gastric (stomach) emptying.
ü Phytates, lectins and polyphenols (tannins) normally slow digestion and thereby decrease the GI. These are found in vegetables, fruits, legumes and tea.
ü Acidity will lower the GI of a meal. Add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to meals as a dressing. For example, beetroot salad with a vinegar dressing will have a lower GI than hot cooked beetroot without the dressing.
ü Cold cooked starches, (e.g. boiled, cold potatoes in a potato salad, cooked cold maize porridge) have a lower GI than the hot freshly prepared starches.
ü Cooking food raises the glycaemic index, thus include raw uncooked vegetables in your meals.
ü The glycaemic index of a meal is determined by all food items combined. A low GI food items can lower the glycaemic index of another food, e.g. The addition of milk to weetbix can lower its glycaemic index.
ü Fibre, particularly soluble fibre can lower GI. Add psyllium husks or oatswell product or any fibre supplement to breakfast cereal; add vegetables salad to a sandwich or add lentils to soup.
ü Always look for the amount of fibre in all processed carbohydrate rich products. Choose products with more than 5g of fibre per serving.
Article 5
BACKYARD VEGETABLE GARDEN
These are the pictures of my organic vegetable garden this morning. I enjoy the sight of it.
Growing your own vegetables garden provide you and your children with good health from abundant essential minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals and essential fats. In addition, you will enjoy psychological health and movement to your muscles. It is indeed a good way to save you money and hospital bills.
Article 4
Beat Diabetes
The 07th of April is world health day and the theme for this year is “Beat Diabetes”
Key facts about Diabetes:
- In 2014 the global prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 9% among adults aged 18+ years.
- In 2012, an estimated 1.5 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes and More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
- World Health Organization predicts that diabetes will be the 7th leading cause of death in 2030.
- A healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes type 2.
The lesson learned on diabetes is prevention is the cure, start with healthy eating pattern, exercise and avoid tobacco or alcohol use.