Detox Machine that performs cleansing magic?

There has been a recent craze in Nairobi Salons about these detox amazing machines that clean you out through your feet and make you "whole" again. The foot spas claim to remove toxins through the feet and you find your toxins in the bowl after cleaning for about 30 minutes. But is this true? Do toxins flow because of this machine to the basin and clean you out?

So I decided to try it and make myself subject of the toxin removal process. So just like I had been told that the water would change colour it did! But were these really toxins? The answer is no!

The foot bath detox consists of a tub in which you place your feet. The tub is filled with water and then an electrical current is sent through the water. The claim from the makers and practitioners who use this product is that the electrical current causes the cells of your body to release toxins and that these toxins are then, somehow, drawn out of your body through your feet. The release of these toxins then supposedly turns the water different colors depending upon which toxins are being released.

Obviously, there is a reaction happening in the water since it changes colors drastically. Many of the people who have this done are quite convinced and impressed by this color change. People who use the foot bath detox will tell you that they have more energy and that they feel invigorated by the treatment. So, what is going on here? Is the color change really caused by toxins being released from your body? If not, what would account for the obvious change in water color?
The reaction is a simple hydrolysis chemistry reaction between the fats and mineral salts found on the skin of the feet. The hydrolysis of the water by the electrical current causes a soap-like reaction that changes the color of the water. The color change depends upon the type and amount of salts and fat the person’s body excretes. This accounts for the differences in color from person to person. 

So is this helpful?
These baths simply provide an alkaline environment for your body that help the body to feel invigourated and create an immune environment to diseases but only for 48 hours! So I felt energized as if I was from a massage but thats just because your body needs to thrive in an alkaline environment everytime as much as possible!

So yes you can go for one but do not be lied to that toxins are flowing out of your body to the bath and the darker the water the more the toxins that come out of your body!

I know you have questions post them here

The water changes color naturally because of the chemical reaction between the electricity and the salt water, not because of toxins. So, don’t be fooled by the infomercials. It’s actually, the debris that begin to form in the water that are the toxins. - See more at: http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/1304-the-ionic-foot-detox-fact-or-myth.html#sthash.posj85yT.dpuf

Valentine's Day Dishes?

Looking around town today, the craze and the hype about tomorrow is too obvious. Restaurants are at it again and the menus are full of sugar and "love" foods that are "special" for the day!

So today I decided to go to Java coffee house and find out just what do people eat during "love" days. Ordering my favourite chicken salad, the waiter tells me that cakes and spicy food is on a high order. So I think to myself just what are the foods for valentines day.

When you talk about food for love or the aphrodisiacs just what qualifies them as "love foods"?
Lets look at each one of them one by one:

Chocolates
Chocolates have flavonoids which are best for your health. Chocolate is made from the cocoa bean, which contains flavanols. Flavanols have antioxidant effects that can reduce damage to cells and increase vascular function. Both of these can reduce risk for heart disease. Flavanols are present in higher amounts in dark chocolate, so choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 65 percent or higher.

Avocados

 Avocados, a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin E and folic acid."Avocados are best known as a source of monounsaturated fats in the diet. They fall in the category of love foods for their fat content which is required for the production of sex hormones. The unsaturated fats found in avocados are essential for a healthy cardiovascular system.




Sea foods
Food like oysters shell fish and lobsters contain  an excellent source of the minerals zinc, iron and calcium. This is vital for improvement of mood and energy. You can choose these as a delicacy for your valentines day.








Eggs

They a good source of non-meat protein for people who choose to limit or avoid meat products. They are also high in choline, riboflavin and vitamin B12. They improve hormone metabolism and enhance energy and are also preferred as aphrodisiacs.





Strawberries and whipped cream
strawberries are a good source of energy and can be used to spice up the day and diet. They have also been proven to prevent risk to cancer.






Chicken

Some people prefer having a diet of chicken to change their normal diet and this can be effective in making the day more vibrant. A good meal made from chicken gives proteins that improves energy for the day and thus a great addition for the valentines special. Look for Kienyeji chicken for the best healthy results.





But really, there is no such food that cannot be consumed on this day as long as you eat the right portions of half vegetables, quarter carbohydrates and the other quarter with proteins.

There you have it, aphrodisiacs or not choose a meal that meets your calorie requirements.

Why You should Go Organic

When many hear about eating organic food, many think it is a boring thing let alone eating healthy. Going organic in your diet means consumption of food that has been grown void of fertilizers and other pesticides. I sought to know whether in Kenya there is an organic food spot and sale of food products that are affordable.

I was excited to find one bridges restaurant in Nairobi that was an all organic food place! All the food served here is in the right portions and is right from farmers who have embraced organic farming done by the Kenya Organic Agriculture Network. My selected meal was some brown rice with chicken stew and some vegetables, all organic which I enjoyed to the last bit!


So you ask why would you consider to be careful to buy organic food?

Here are the benefits:
The biggest health benefit of organic foods is their lack of pesticides. Pesticides can cause nerve damage, birth defects, cancer, and other health problems depending on their chemical makeup. Pesticides can be washed off of produce, but that still doesn’t make them entirely safe.
The health risks of pesticides don’t solely remain with consumers either – anyone involved in the growing process of conventional produce are likely to be exposed to pesticides. They can then affect others they come in contact with. This can cause serious health consequences including long term neurological problems.

Organic meat and dairy products have been shown to have higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for our bodies. They can help reduce inflammation, improve cardiovascular health, fight depression, help with ADHD, Alzheimer and other mental disorders, and even improve prenatal health.

Now when shopping in Kenya you can look out for the KOAN mark of quality for example to know whether food sample is organic or not. Taking caution to include organic food in your diet can also include:

• Growing your own food samples in your backyard whereby you add no fertilizer or pesticides
• Buying food only from organic dealers not just food shown to be locally grown.
• Ensure you look at the labels carefully when buying from supermarkets to allow for best results.

Now you know, if you cannot be able to buy it, you can visit the Bridges Restaurant in town or UpperHill for a treat you have not had in a while. The food there is sumptous yet healthy!

You may have questions post them here:

MANGO: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE TRUTH

Every time it is January, the mangoes begin to flow in the markets since this fruit is in season! Just like it is required, it is best to eat fruits that are in season for price reasons, freshness ability and to eat the natural forms of the fruit. I love that we can eat the small mangoes that are rare within the cause of the year.

These small mangoes taste better, have more fibre than the apple mangoes available within the year and certainly are cheaper. One is never enough. I just cannot remember when I just took one and felt satisfied! For an apple mango..the big ones I can eat just one and it is well. So what is this big difference?

It is obvious that apple mangoes have been  grown as a blend and thus do not have the fibre that you much require from a fruit. I will speak about the real mango...The small ones.. These are the best mangoes to ever include in your fruit diet. Unfortunately these small fruits can be good and bad at the same time. To some they can cause diarrhoea and stomach upsets while to others they get the most from them..So what is the good about mangoes?

THE GOOD

• Mango has got the required daily requirement for vitamin A! This makes it a great choice to protect your eyes from a range of conditions. The vitamin A in mango may also decrease your risk of macular degeneration.
•  Helps with Wound HealingEating mango is a smart choice if you have suffered an injury or have undergone surgery. A 1-cup serving of raw mango pieces contains 76 percent of the daily recommended intake of this vitamin. The vitamin C in this tropical fruit helps cuts and lacerations heal faster.
• Contributes to Fiber Intake.One serving of mango contributes 2.6 g of fiber. You require 25 to 38 g of fiber each day to combat constipation and diarrhea, and eating mango can help you meet your goals. The fiber in mango may also help prevent breast cancer.
•  Promotes Mood. Funny enough I know..Mango contains vitamin B-6 – 11 percent of the daily recommended intake per serving – which promotes the production of serotonin. This hormone elevates your mood, so eating mango may help prevent depression and improve your feeling of general well-being.

THE BAD
 The fructose in mangoes is problematic for some people because of the way it’s absorbed. In those suffering from DIETARY FRUCTOSE INTOLERANCE, fructose is absorbed poorly; as a consequence, it gets transported to the large intestine where it’s broken down by bacteria in the colon, resulting in the production of methane and hydrogen gas. The end result: a noticeable increase in intestinal gas. This uncomfortable state can be avoided by reducing your consumption of foods with higher fructose-to-glucose ratios.

THE TRUTH
So why do you get stomach upsets from eating too many small mangoes? Ideally, the small mangoes have got a very high fibre content. When you consume too many, there is too much fibre in the system which overloads your system and since it has to be eliminated by your digestive system, this is the reason you will find yourself having loose stool! The fibre being insoluble which prevents constipation if taken in high amounts translates to diarrhoea!

So no worries, indulge in these small mangoes while they last but make sure not to have too many.

You must have questions, post them here!

Even Women Get Gout...Dietary Remedies

Looking around today's sedentary society, many men are faced by the problem of gout brought about by an itching toe, joint or even the knees. Gout has since become common among people in this society, both men and women who have already reached their menopause.

Gout is a form of arthritis that can be found as a symptom on the feet-big toe specifically caused by excessive deposits of uric acid. Once called the “disease of kings,” gout has long been associated with portly men – especially those who could afford to overindulge in rich foods and alcohol. But gout in women is not uncommon, especially after menopause.

During menopause, which occurs at age 51 on average, (
and maybe 45 nowadays) a woman’s body drastically cuts its production of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen may help the kidneys excrete uric acid, so after menopause, a woman’s uric acid level begins to increase. It usually takes several years for the uric acid level to reach the point where crystals can form. By about age 60, the number of cases of gout in women and men are about equal; after age 80, more women than men have gout.




 
So what do you do to avoid or manage this painful joint ache?
In addition to medication, you can control how much uric acid your body produces by avoiding foods high in purines, which increase the uric acid level when digested and metabolized. Such off-limit foods include alcohol, bacon, liver, beef,pork and turkey . Go light on sweetened drinks such as sodas, juices etc.(especially the soft drinks). Loose weight and ensure you eat meals according to your calorie requirement. Low calorie intake in a bid to starve or loose weight increases uric acid production in the body. Alcohol acts as an accelerator and inhibitor to uric acid removal and that is why most men who take beer will definitely get gout at one point or another.

In the end, a high fibre diet allows for your body to keep eliminating excessive uric acid and avoid gout!

There you have it, Be careful as a woman, you just might be having Gout after menopause without your Knowledge

Quail Eggs versus chicken Eggs? which is Better?

Almost everyone in Kenya has heard the craze that caught people about quail eggs and how they should begin keeping quail birds since they are much better nutritionally. Ideally most people believe that quail eggs are the miracle food that anyone has made in a long time! Most believe that if they take it they will improve their brain power, become more healthy, their diseases will go within a day and so on.

But how true is this? Well, just like the way we consume fish and obtain benefits of it, quail eggs have to be taken over time for any nutritional goal to be achieved! Doing my research to support the claims that have been made to people about the benefits of the egg, I have not found any scientific research that backs up their benefits. Infact, all claims that have been made over the internet seem to have come from farmers and producers of the egss who aim to make money out of innocence.

But since this article is meant to compare quail eggs with chicken eggs, lets stick to the subject.
 If you do a simple google search of the nutritional value of chicken eggs compared to quail eggs you will be surprised to find the results indicating that quail eggs have far much more cholestrol as compared to chicken eggs. Infact taking just one is not enough, not to mention the expense of about 70 shillings per egg compared to the normal 10 to 12 bob for a chicken egg.

Put aside what you have heard or been told and look at the following nutritional information:

Then look at the following information about chicken eggs:

So for one let no one lie to you that you can loose weight through eating quail eggs.Their cholesterol level is 844mg compared to the 372mg of the same amount of eggs! That aside the claims about healing anaemia, anti-aging, immunity boosting, weight loss and all other hearsays are simply hearsays! They have not been scientifically proven yet and one can only rely on them at their own peril!

The key to healthy living is through eating variety of foods to reach health goals. Pinning this on one "magic food" fails to meet the major idea of having varieties of food on our plate to achieve healthy goals!

I know you have questions..post them here..

No single food provides all the nutrients our bodies need to function well, the key to healthy eating is to eat varieties of real foods. When we learn to eat healthy foods in the right proportion, we wouldn’t be looking for miracles in one single food. - See more at: http://zonefitness.com.ng/quail-egg-versus-chicken-egg-which-is-better/#sthash.82L7pU7M.ERzbeXmr.dpuf

When the story about quail egg being the “cure for all diseases” began to spread, the first I did was to look at the nutrition content of the egg. - See more at: http://zonefitness.com.ng/quail-egg-versus-chicken-egg-which-is-better/#sthash.82L7pU7M.dpuf

When the story about quail egg being the “cure for all diseases” began to spread, the first I did was to look at the nutrition content of the egg. - See more at: http://zonefitness.com.ng/quail-egg-versus-chicken-egg-which-is-better/#sthash.82L7pU7M.dpuf

So What Happened Over that Holiday?

Happy new year friends!!!

I must say that am excited about this year and the way it has began for me. I would love to hear how you battled with the chicken, goats, cows, fish, ugali, rice, chapati and emerged victorious without gaining too much weight that you probably were not sure about!

Mmmh I must admit that holiday was too food-tempting! I remember when I travelled during the 24th of December and all I began doing on the way was indulge in little pieces of nyama choma and some soda! Yes, even a nutritionist has her days!.

Arriving home, I was met with the open arms of two chicken that had been assorted to fit dinner. One of them was deep fried while the other was grilled. On the side was some ugali and some beef as well as some vegetables to push the meat around. Ofcourse like the guest I was told to sit down and be served.(you know how coming from the city and reaching the surbabs is taken). So I sat and up came a plate heavy with the chicken and beef alongside the ugali and only a spoonful of vegetables!

Woooh I just remembered the post I had done the day before but my eyes couldn't help it! I began indulging and as they say the rest is history! Now just like you am wondering how much I weigh!

Not to worry though, January might worry the weight and fat away! But how much would you be weighing and what is the best thing to do?
You may be surprised that you have not changed weight but I want you to take this simple exercise and comment below and I will tell you what to do!

1. Go take your weight
2.Take your height in metres and square it
3. Divide your weight by the figure of  height you have squared
4. What did you obtain?
If you got 18.5 to 24.5 then your weight is normal
If 25 and above then you are either overweight or obese
below 18.5 then you are underweight and might be close to being malnourished!

5. So what to do?
I will ask you what do you plan to be your activity level this year? If your BMI measure that you did above is high choose to take stairs instead of a lift
Take a walk instead of that drive
Exercise and you will find that your body adjusts.

I know you have enough questions...Post them here