Supermarket standoff: Pancake mixes

We have embarked on a taste test tour of your favorite supermarket foods. We nibble, we score, and we share the results with you to help you avoid the paralysis that can come with Brand Choice Overload. Today's topic: pancake mixes.

We strongly believe that pancakes made from homemade batter are almost always better than store-bought versions. Fluffy, filling, and topped with sweet maple syrup, pancakes are the ultimate comfort to an empty stomach on a cold winter morning. In a pinch, though, it's good to know how things stack up in the aisles of your local grocery store. So last week we filled our shopping carts with boxes, jugs, and a spray can (such a thing exists, when it comes to pancakes) of pre-made mixes. Then we cooked up a true pancake breakfast--11 brands strong--and scribbled away on our score sheets. At the same time, dietitian Sandra Frank pored over nutrition labels, calculating which brands are the best for you. 

Our Favorites for Flavor

#1 Hungry Jack Complete Extra Light & Fluffy Pancake & Waffle Mix

Directions: 1 cup mix, 1 cup water

Nutrition (prepared): One serving (3 4-inch pancakes) = 150 calories, 2g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 600mg sodium, 30 carbohydrate, 5g sugars, 4g protein, 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 10% iron

Ingredients: Enriched bleached flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, sugar, dextrose, baking powder (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate), partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of: salt, calcium carbonate, corn starch, eggs, polysorbate 60, corn syrup solids, mono and diglycerides, sodium caseinate, niacin,  mononitrate, folic acid, vitamin b12

Cost: $2.50 from Key Food in New York City

Blind Tasting Notes: "Nice and fluffy"; "Some sweet, some salt"; "Moist"


#2 Aunt Jemima Original Pancake & Waffle Mix

Directions: 1 cup mix, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 3/4 cup whole milk
Nutrition (prepared): One serving (4 4-inch pancakes) = 249.3 calories; 8.6g fat, 68mg cholesterol,  809.3mg sodium, 36g carbohydrates, 10g sugar, 7.8g protein

Ingredients: Enriched bleached flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, leavening (sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), salt, calcium carbonate

Cost: $3.49 from Gristede's in New York City

Blind Tasting Notes: "Very fluffy"; "A little sweet, but nice thickness"; "Very light, sweeter--good fluffy pancake"


#3 Nature's Path Organic Buttermilk Pancake Mix
Directions: 1 cup of dry mix, 2/3 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Nutrition (prepared): One serving (4 5-inch pancakes) = 171.3 calories, 5.2g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 350mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 8g protein

Ingredients: Organic whole wheat flour, organic buttermilk powder, organic vital wheat gluten, organic evaporated cane juice, non-GMO baking soda, leavening agent (monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, non-GMO corn starch), sea salt, tocopherols (natural vitamin E) added to enhance freshness

Cost: $5.19 from Whole Foods in New York City

Blind Tasting Notes: "Thick and toasty"; "Surprisingly light"; "Nice nutty flavor"


Nutritionist Sandra Frank's Picks

"The nutrition information label can be difficult to understand here. Pancake mixes prepared with additional ingredients, such as eggs, milk, butter and/or oil are not required by law to state the nutritional information, but manufacturers are encouraged to include a second column called 'as prepared'. Even with that second column, the information may vary based on the use of whole or low fat milk, eggs or egg substitutes and butter or oil. Note: None of the pancake mixes is considered low sodium. "

Please note that whole milk was used in all of the recipes that called for milk.


#1 Organic Batter Blaster Original Pancake & Waffle Batter

Nutrition: Serving size 1/4 cup (40g) = 80 calories, 0.5g fat, 15mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium, 17 carbohydrate, 5g sugars, 2g protein, 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 10% calcium, 4% iron

Ingredients: Filtered water, organic wheat flour (unbleached), organic cane sugar, organic whole egg solids, organic soybean powder, sodium lactate (lactic acid from beet sugar), diCalcium phosphate (leavening agent), sea salt, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), organic rice bran extract

Frank's Comments: "This is lowest in calories, sodium and fat per serving. It is considered a low fat food, but contains very little fiber."

Cost: $4.99 from Whole Foods in New York City

Our Assessment: This came in dead last for flavor. Our notes: "Too salty"; "Tangy...kind of weird for a pancake to be tangy"; "Unappealing texture"; "Funky scent, fishy taste--yikes!"


#2 Baker Mills Kodiak Cakes 100% Whole Grains Frontier Flapjack and Waffle Mix

Directions: 1 cup mix, 1 cup cold water

Nutrition: Serving size 1/3 cup (38g) = 130 calories, 1g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 395mg sodium, 27 carbohydrate, 2g sugars, 7g protein, 0% vitamin A, 0% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 8% iron

Ingredients: 100% whole grain wheat flour, 100% whole grain oat flour, non-fat dry milk, dry honey (honey wheat starch), leavening (sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum phosphate monocalcium phosphate), egg whites, salt

Frank's Comments: "Lowest in calories and tied for first place for low cholesterol, this is considered low fat and a good source of fiber. A great choice."
Cost: $5.75 online

Our Assessment: No one failed to recognize that this was a whole wheat option. Some liked that, some didn't: "Dry--cardboard"; "Grainy, not enough fluff"; "Nutty flavor, nice grainy texture"


#3 Nature's Path Organic Buttermilk Pancake Mix

Directions: 1 cup of dry mix, 2/3 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Nutrition (prepared): One serving (4 5-inch panckes) = 171.3 calories, 5.2g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 350mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 5g sugar, 8g protein

Ingredients: Organic whole wheat flour, organic buttermilk powder, organic vital wheat gluten, organic evaporated cane juice, non-GMO baking soda, leavening agent (monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, non-GMO corn starch), sea salt, tocopherols (natural vitamin E) added to enhance freshness
Cost: $5.19 from Whole Foods in New York City

Frank's Comments: "This tied for first place for its low cholesterol, second for low sodium and fourth for calories. This brand is considered a good source of fiber."

Our Assessment: Hooray! This was one of our favorites for flavor.

source: http://shopping.yahoo.com/news/supermarket-standoff--pancake-mixes-230953145.html

How To Burn Belly Fat & Lose Weight - 7 Minute Interval Workout

This video has got over a million hits.


 

how to lose belly fat in 1 week

Ayushakti’s Home Remedy to Reduce Weight Naturally

It is always important to make sure regular exercise is included in this kind of regimen.


 

Self-love

In this "selfie" generation, what do people really understand about self-love and it's great importance to the meaningfully divine existence of the human race?

"At the end of the day, all we have is who we are."  I chanced upon this kicker while bumming around FB today and I was so struck by this line. I immediately thought about my blog and the reason why I set it up. Take care of yourself. We always forget that. And indeed, at the end of the day we wonder why we oftentimes feel so down, so low, so tired, so alone. Sometimes so misunderstood, so neglected. But if we have somehow made an effort in taking care of ourselves, we wouldn't be feeling all so empty and wondering what happened when the dust has settled.

Loving yourself sounds a bit too selfish. But come to think of it, it is one of the most essential things that we need to do in this life we once in a while call survival. Too many times we get up thinking about our family, our loved ones, being there for them, providing for them and making them happy. This makes us happy and fulfilled and contented. But sometimes, loving others isn't just as simple as that. We cannot go on doing so if we have come to a point where we have forgotten who we are.

I would like to stress that is not in the context of being greedy and selfish as you love yourself. That is absolutely not that. Loving yourself simply means recognizing your need to say no every once in a while, understanding why you need to give time for yourself and do the things that make you happy, as long as no one else is affected in the process. Maybe it is watching a movie alone, maybe it is going to a spa, maybe it is taking a walk along the park. There are countless of ways in which we make this kind gesture to ourselves. Whenever I do this myself, I am surprised at what it does to me. Indeed, it can go a long way.

Why you shouldn't buy frozen broccoli

Thanks yahoo for this informative article:

How to maximize the cancer-fighting properties of broccoli

If you want the full health benefits of broccoli, bypass the freezer aisle, as new research suggests that the frozen variety lacks the cancer-fighting properties the vegetable is known for.

While busy families often reach for bags of frozen broccoli for the convenience factor, a team of US scientists has found that blanching or cooking the vegetable at high heat -- part of the flash-freezing process --   zapped the broccoli of myrosinase, a key enzyme needed to produce sulforaphane, the powerful cancer-preventive compound.

Sulforaphane is formed when fresh broccoli is chopped or chewed, a process that puts glucoraphanin and myrosinase into contact with one another.

After conducting a series of experiments, however, scientists from the University of Illinois noted that blanching the vegetables at a slightly lower temperature than the current industry standard could help preserve most of the enzyme myrosinase without compromising food safety and quality. Instead of 86C, scientists recommend heating the broccoli at 76C.

But not all is lost when it comes to frozen broccoli. The cancer-fighting compound can be unlocked in both its frozen and cooked state when paired with other foods that contain myrosinase.

For example, team frozen broccoli with raw radishes, cabbage, arugula, watercress, horseradish, spicy mustard or wasabi to give the bioactive compounds a kickstart, scientists say.

As little as three to five servings of broccoli a week has been shown to have a cancer-protective benefit.

The full study was published in the Journal of Food Science and can be found athttp://bit.ly/1erOG3W.

The carrot's got a point

Sorry McDonald's lovers yucky news!!

A friend of mine shared this on Facebook saying all parents MUST READ this. Churning  stomach for you now, eh? 




I knew there was a reason why I like Jamie Oliver!!

Hamburger chef Jamie Oliver has just won a battle against one of the largest fast food chains in the world. After Oliver showed how McDonald’s hamburgers are made, the franchise announced it will change its recipe.

According to Oliver, the fatty parts of beef are “washed” in ammonium hydroxide and used in the filling of the burger. Before this process, according to the presenter, the food is deemed unfit for human consumption.

According to the chef and presenter, Jamie Oliver, who has undertaken a war against the fast food industry: “Basically, we’re taking a product that would be sold in the cheapest way for dogs, and after this process, is being given to human beings.”

Besides the low quality of the meat, the ammonium hydroxide is harmful to health. Oliver calls it “the pink slime process.”

“Why would any sensible human being put meat filled with ammonia in the mouths of their children?” asked the chef, who wages a war against the fast food industry.

In one of his initiatives, Oliver demonstrates to children how nuggets are made. After selecting the best parts of the chicken, the remains (fat, skin and internal organs) are processed for these fried foods.

The company, Arcos Dorados, the franchise manager in Latin America, said such a procedure is not practiced in the region. The same applies to the product in Ireland and the UK, where they use meat from local suppliers.

In the United States, Burger King and Taco Bell had already abandoned the use of ammonia in their products. The food industry uses ammonium hydroxide as an anti-microbial agent in meats, which has allowed McDonald’s to use otherwise “inedible meat.”

Even more disturbing is that because ammonium hydroxide is considered part of the “component in a production procedure” by the USDA, consumers may not know when the chemical is in their food.

On the official website of McDonald’s, the company claims that their meat is cheap because, while serving many people every day, they are able to buy from their suppliers at a lower price, and offer the best quality products.

In addition, the franchise denied that the decision to change the recipe is related to Jamie Oliver’s campaign. On the site, McDonald’s has admitted that they have abandoned the beef filler from its burger patties.
*************************************
AND REMEMBER SHARING IS CARING
To SAVE this , be sure to click this photo and SHARE so it will store on your personal page.

 Now, at least this one is consoling...

 

Dengue fever remedy

I wonder why these hospitals and doctors wouldn't at all acknowledge the effectiveness of these herbal remedies. These doctors are supposed to have taken their oath right, to protect and preserve life, or something like that? If people learn to use these herbal remedies, there is then lesser need for doctors, right? 

 


I would like to share this interesting discovery from a friend's classmate's son who has just recovered from dengue fever. Apparently, his son was in the critical stage at the ICU when his blood platelet count dropped badly after 15 liters of blood transfusion. His father was so worried that he sought another friend's recommendation whose son was saved.

He confessed that he gave his son raw juice of the papaya leaves. After drinking the raw papaya leaf juice, his platelet count rose up instantly to a good level.. Even the doctors and nurses were surprised. After the second day he was discharged. So he asked me to pass this good news around. Accordingly it is raw papaya leaves, 2pcs just cleaned and pound and squeeze with filter cloth. You will only get one tablespoon per leaf.. So two tablespoon per serving once a day. Do not boil or cook or rinse with hot water, it will loose its strength. Only the leafy part and no stem or sap. It is very bitter and you have to swallow it like "Won Low Kat". But it works.

That papaya juice is a natural cure for dengue fever. As dengue fever is rampant now, I think it's good to share this with all. Please spread the news about this as lately there are many dengue cases. It's great if such natural cure could help to ease the sufferings of dengue .

Furthermore it's so easily available.
Blend them and squeeze the juice! It's simple and miraculously effective!!

Tips to Help You Exercise and Keep Fit at Work

For most people that work in offices, their jobs requires that they sit at their desk for long hours on the same spot and this reduces the level of exercise that they get every day.

Most people that work in an office environment tend to add on weight very easily because they spend most of their time sitting at their desk.

Furthermore, when most office workers leave office, they sit down on trains or inside their cars to convey them home, and when they get home they also sit in front of their television set in the evening to relax. At the end of the day, the average office worker spends about 20 hours each day totally inactive.

Also, added to this inactivity is the fact that quite a number of large offices have their own restaurants where their “Inactive workers” can go and fill up their bodies with lots of foods so, at the end of the day quite a number of their employees will end up with wide waist lines.

This inactive lifestyle is particularly even more pronounced amongst IT workers who spend virtually the whole day sitting in front of their personal computers.

If you are an office worker caught up in this inactive life cycle, you have to find means of injecting some form of exercise into your daily routine so that your inactive daily routine does not send you to an early grave as this kind of inactive lifestyle will only make you fat and more predisposed to the development of serious diseases like diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart diseases etc.

Tip 1-Learn to use the staircase

Most corporate workers depend too much on elevators to get their offices; most of them will still want to use the elevator even if their office is on the first or second floor. If you want to keep fit, you can use the staircase as a form of exercise, and even if you work on the ground floor, you can take occasional strolls on the staircase; just grab a piece of paper so that you will appear as if you are going on an important business.

Tip 2-Make use of stress balls

If you use the computer keyboard a lot at work, this particular exercise is very good for you. What you need to do is to get a stress ball which you squeeze repeatedly for at least one minute; make sure you form a tight fist every time you squeeze it.

This simple exercise increases your forearm strength and it also increases the rate of flow of blood into your hands and forearms.

Tip 3-Drink lots of water

The most nutritious refreshing drink that you can take is not cold soda; the best drink for your body is ordinary plain clean water. Anytime you feel thirsty at work, just get an empty glass and walk over to the water fountain to fill your glass with water.

By the way, are you interested in knowing the right foods that you must eat to complement your fitness efforts?

About The Author: Charles D Moody

If so, click here to read a review of the highly recommended Primal burn fat burner system to help you get started on this natural and simple fat loss program.Finally visit weight loss solution to sign up for a free 7 day fat loss diet e-course by the diet solution program.

source http://www.yourmodernliving.com/tips-to-help-you-exercise-and-keep-fit-at-work/

Sharing a feel-good read today

The author forgot to clarify something though. It has to be both ways. It has to be the two of them to consider all these things. It has to be a joint effort to make it work.

 


AM I WITH THE RIGHT PARTNER?

During a seminar, a woman asked," How do I know if I am with the right person?"

The author then noticed that there was a large man sitting next to her so he said, "It depends. Is that your partner?" In all seriousness, she answered "How do you know?" Let me answer this question because the chances are good that it's weighing on your mind replied the author.

Here's the answer.

Every relationship has a cycle… In the beginning; you fall in love with your partner. You anticipate their calls, want their touch, and like their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to DO anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept of my feet."Picture the expression. It implies that you were just standing there; doing nothing, and then something happened TO YOU.

Falling in love is a passive and spontaneous experience. But after a few months or years of being together, the euphoria of love fades. It's a natural cycle of EVERY relationship.

Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts. The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship; you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even angry subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your partner might start asking, "Am I with the right person?" And as you reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when relationships breakdown.

The key to succeeding in a relationship is not finding the right person; it's learning to love the person you found.

People blame their partners for their unhappiness and look outside for fulfillment. Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes.

Infidelity is the most common. But sometimes people turn to work, a hobby, friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances. But the answer to this dilemma does NOT lie outside your relationship. It lies within it.

I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But you'd be in the same situation a few years later.

Because (listen carefully to this):

The key to succeeding in a Relationship is not finding the right person; it's learning to love the Person you found.

SUSTAINING love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. You have to work on it day in and day out. It takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it demands WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make it work. Make no mistake about it.

Love is NOT a mystery. There are specific things you can do (with or without your partner), Just as there are physical laws Of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. If you know how to apply these laws, the results are predictable.

Love is therefore a "decision". Not just a feeling.

Remember this always: God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let GO..

The Vitamin Alphabet

Vitamins play an important role in maintaining our health. Let’s discover the numerous health benefits provided by these vitamins!

Vitamins and their functions

The most common vitamins that we hear about are the vitamin A, B, C, D, E and K. While vitamin B and C are water soluble (are not stored in the body and must be replaced every day), the rest are water insoluble.

Vitamin A for better vision

Vitamin A is important for maintaining healthy eyesight and is also useful in treating night blindness, which is caused due to vitamin A deficiency. This vitamin also keeps your immune system strong.

Now, you may want to know where to get your vitamin A from:

Perhaps you’d heard your grandmother say, eat carrots and you may never have to wear glasses – well, it might not be entirely true, but carrots definitely help in keeping your eyesight sharp! Make sure one or more of these vegetables/fruits are a part of your daily diet:

• Spinach
• Sweet potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Mango
• Red Bell Pepper
• Liver
• Lettuce

Vitamin B for energy

Actually, vitamin B has a big family – B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin and pantothenic acid – phew, that’s some group! So, vitamin B is responsible for generating energy and setting it free when thebody needs it. This bunch of vitamins also helps in making red blood cells, and carrying oxygen throughout your body.

Vitamin B deficiency can lead to weakness, fatigue and in some cases you might even end up developing cardiovascular problems. You can get your B complex vitamins from:

• Lean meat
• Legumes
• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Soy nuts
• Salmon
• Shrimp
• Yogurt
• Avocado

Vitamin C for resistance

Vitamin C helps you build resistance against common infections such as colds, flu, helps rebuild tissues, bones and blood vessels. Researches have proven that vitamin C helps strengthen your immune system, supports your connective tissues and even prevents nasal congestion. Get your dose of vitamin C from:

• Guava
• Papaya
• Strawberry
• Orange
• Green chillies
• Tomatoes
• Cauliflower

Vitamin D for strong bones

Your body needs Vitamin D for absorbing calcium and phosphate, which in turn is necessary for the growth and development of bones. Lack of vitamin D in the body can make your bones soft and brittle and may cause osteoporosis. In addition, insufficient vitamin D in the body can lead to chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, blood pressure and heart disease.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets in children, a disease which causes softening of bones leading to fractures or deformity.

In order to avoid this, make sure you diet comprises of the following foods:

• Cod liver oil
• Salmon
• Fortified dairy products
• Egg
• Mushroom
• Cereal
• Swiss cheese
• Shrimp
• Oysters

You can also get your vitamin D by basking in the sunlight for a few minutes every day!

Vitamin E for youthful skin

This one helps protect your cells and tissues from damage. The health benefits of Vitamin E come from its antioxidant properties. It promotes heart health, respiratory health and is good for your brain.

In addition, vitamin E is beneficial for skin and hair care. It is packed with antioxidants and therefore promotes blood circulation to the scalp. Vitamin E oil is known to speed up cell regeneration and is used to treat scars, acne and wrinkles. This in turn creates an anti-aging effect, making your skin look younger. Foods rich with vitamin E include:

• Sunflower seeds
• Pine nuts
• Chili power
• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Cooked spinach
• Cooked taro root
• Papaya
• Kiwi
• Olive oil
• Wheat
• Turnip greens
• Dried apricots

Vitamin K for blood clotting

Remember, as a kid, how surprised you were when you got a cut and your blood acted like glue, stuck together at the surface of the cut to stop the bleeding? That’s vitamin K at work! It plays a vital role in blood clotting. It is also important for building of strong bones and preventing heart diseases.

Vitamin K helps prevent post-menopausal bone loss and calcification of arteries. Recent studies show that vitamin K may possibly provide protection against liver and prostate cancer.

Here’s where you can get your vitamin K from:

• Herbs
• Spinach
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Cucumber

This content is from mDhil (Click to subscribe to  the mDhil healthcare channel on Youtube.)

More from mDhil:

• Natural Wonders: Carrots
• Veganism, being truly vegetarian!
• Eggseptionally healthy! The many health benefits of eggs

You may also like:

5 myths about vitamins

The worst fitness fads

Drinks that help you stay young

10 inspirational quotes to help you train harder

Top 10 cellulite-busting foods

source: http://ph.she.yahoo.com/the-vitamin-alphabet-012430505.html

5 health facts you don’t want to hear

Health facts you don't want to hear

There is no quick fix

Nowadays we are constantly bombarded with promises from the next big thing in fad dieting, with claims of ‘instant results’ or ‘dropping pounds overnight’. As much as we’d like these boasts to be true, they sadly aren’t at all. Studies actually show that fad diets result in weight gain. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the majority of participants who went through fad diets instantly gained weight following the diet due to lowered levels of the hunger suppressing hormones peptide YY and leptin.

Science aside, ask yourself this – are you really going to keep up with those ridiculous eating habits in the long term? Diets with such severe results are 99 per cent of the time completely unrealistic, and the sooner you accept that the sooner you’ll start learning healthy eating habits that actually work.

Exercising doesn’t mean you can eat what you like

Whilst it’s true that exercising frequently means you can enjoy the odd guilt-free treat once in a while, it should by no means be an excuse to eat to excess. In half an hour of running the average person will burn around 250 calories. You can eat the equivalent amount in any range of snacks in a matter of minutes. You’ll notice these time scales don’t balance out, so if you continue to eat unhealthily you’ll soon find that the effects of exercise simply can’t keep up.

A simple way of avoiding this temptation is by counting the calories you burn and consume. Once you see how much effort you have to put in to burn off even small snacks, you’ll realise exercising isn’t a free pass to stuff your face with junk.

‘Health foods’ can be unhealthy

Many supposedly ‘healthy’ foods aren’t quite what they’re made out to be. For example, if it claims to be fat free it’s probably packed with sugar. Sugar free? You can bet it’ll be full of artificial sweeteners. Take cereal bars as an example. This popular ‘healthy’ breakfast choice can contain around four teaspoons of sugar per bar, as well as high amounts of saturated fat. A survey conducted by consumer magazine Which? showed that an alarming 97 per cent of cereal bars on the market contain added sugar.

Drinks aren’t much better either. ‘Diet’, ‘light’ and ‘sugar free’ versions of your favourite drink can seem like a great healthy alternative, but according to a study conducted at the Texas Health Science Center, people who frequently consume diet drinks are 41 per cent more likely to be overweight. It’s thought that this is because the concoction of artificial flavourings and sweeteners found in these drinks can spark the appetite, whilst simultaneously inhibiting the brain cells that tell your body it’s full.

You can’t target an area of your body to lose weight

‘Spot training’, as it’s often called, is a health myth that sadly isn’t true. Losing weight on a particular part of your body with targeted training is not a realistic goal. Yes, that’s why those thousands of crunches you’ve been doing haven’t dented your beer belly. There are plenty of studies that have proven this to be the case, including one carried out at the University of Massachusetts. Participants who ‘targeted’ their stomachs by only doing abdomen exercises were found to lose weight equally across their abdomens, upper backs and buttocks.

Instead of worrying about a certain target area when you work out, you should focus on losing weight all over your body. That means there’s no way of quickly ditching that flabby stomach other than good old-fashioned exercise and healthy eating.

Fruit and veg aren’t what they used to be

It’s a well-known fact that eating fruit and vegetables is a great way of keeping your diet healthy and nutritious. But did you know the fruit and veg available today isn’t as healthy as it once was? Go back just 50 years and you’d find fruit that is higher in six major nutrients including protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin C. This was revealed in a study at the University of Texas, with some modern-day fruits seeing as much as a 38% reduction in certain nutrients.

The researchers put this down to modern farming methods, including hybrid breeding of crops to make them larger, and the range of pesticides being used which have stripped some of the nutrients from soil. However, fruit and veg are still a great source of nutrition in your diet, so until a time machine is invented you’ll just have to make do with what we have available today. 

source: http://ph.she.yahoo.com/5-health-facts-don-t-want-hear-070039015.html

How to shut down Windows 8

Been stressing myself out trying to find out how to shut down my Windows 8 at work. I recently got this new pc and I knew it is always a challenge to learn how to use a new gadget. But I have to. Good thing I remembered "googling". 

How to shut down Windows 8

Rick Broida@justrick

• Oct 17, 2012 7:52 AM
• print

If you read my post the other day and decided to test-drive Windows 8 by setting up a dual-boot configuration, you've probably encountered the same conundrum as every other user: How the heck do you shut down your PC?

In pretty much every version of Windows prior to this one, you'd click Start, then Shut Down.

Windows 8 notoriously lacks a Start button, so obviously the old rules don't apply here. More on that in a moment; in the meantime, here's how to shut down Windows 8:

1. Mouse over the little gadget in the lower right corner of the screen. (You can also move your mouse cursor to the upper left corner; same result. Or, you can press Windows-C on your keyboard.)

2. In the slide-out menu (known as the Charms Bar) that appears, click Settings.

3. Click the Power button, and then click your desired action: Sleep, Shut down, or Update and restart.

So, there you have it. In Windows 8, it requires four actions to shut down your PC: hover, click, click, and click.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's always been something of a joke that shutting down your PC required a click of the Start button. Now the joke has turned downright cruel, with Microsoft seemingly going out of its way to hide one of the most basic computing options. In. The. Settings. Menu.

Shutting down a PC is not a setting. It should not require three clicks. Windows 8 arrives with a bunch of cool-looking tiles in its Start screen; how hard would it have been to add a Power tile?

The unfortunate reality here is that Windows 8 doesn't work as a desktop operating system. On a tablet, it's pretty sweet. But I have a feeling I'll be sticking with Windows 7 for a long time to come.

Check back Friday when I'll teach you how to create a Windows 8 shut-down shortcut that works with just one click.