FREE Online Courses on Nutrition

I've recently been wanting to learn more about nutrition and put the above courses on my watchlist. This site by Coursera offering many free online courses. Coursera is an education company that partners with the top universities and organizations in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for FREE! This is the latest trend in education called Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC). The courses covered are in many specializations from business, law, medicine, technology to life-long learning courses such as child nutrition & cooking, public-speaking and learning how to play the guitar.

One of the courses that is interesting is Nutrition for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention by Katie Ferraro. This course covers the basics of normal nutrition for optimal health outcomes and evidence-based diets for a variety of diseases. There is an introductory video by Katie. I find Katie's website to be full of very useful information, such as "Cookies Aren't Good for You? WhoNu?" where she explains the logic behind the labelled breakdown on the ingredients in the 'healthful' cookie brand.

Learning is a life-long process, so this is a great way to expand our knowledge and get out of our comfort zones.


“You'll never know everything about anything, especially something you love.”
― Julia Child

Cheers,

Alkaline Drink: Raw Apple Cider Vinegar & Raw Honey

Raw apple cider vinegar is widely touted to be the only vinegar that is alkaline forming in nature. It is made from crushed organic apples and matured in wooden barrels. Almost all sweeteners are acid forming. The great news is that raw honey is found to be alkalizing to the body. 

The simple combination of raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey is remedy for premature aging, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, bad breath, eczema and arthritis. Both apple cider vinegar and raw honey make a great combo for a refreshing drink.

Method to prepare:
Dissolve a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of raw honey to a glass of water. Enjoy!

Almonds - Alkaline or Acid Forming?

Almonds are great alkaline forming snacks.

Almonds are great snacks to curb hunger pangs in between meals. When it's mid-morning or afternoon, that feeling of wanting to grab a candy bar or a bag of chips hits, just grab a handful of toasted almonds and you'll get a boost of long lasting energy.

Almonds is one of the few alkaline forming nut. Chestnut is the most alkaline, with almond being moderately alkaline. Almonds contains more calcium that any other nut. It's polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat content help reduce LDL cholesterol. Make sure you choose the types that in their original form/flavor (raw, baked or toasted is fine), NOT the salted or multiple flavored types you see.

Fruits Infused Water Recipe - Alkalizing & Refreshing

The haze has hit Singapore and Malaysia badly this time. The API reading is at dangerous levels. In order to keep our respiratory track cleansed and refreshed, constant hydration is necessary. You can make this vitamin rich alkalizing water to boost your immune system. The recipe is absolutely simple and you' can't help but to keep guzzling this. I'm using what I have in the refridgerator, you can use your imagination and create your delicious concoction.

Ingredients:

• 1 Granny Smith apple (sliced thinly)
• 1 orange (sliced thinly)
• half a lemon (sliced thinly)

Method:

Place all the ingredients in a jug, top up with ice-cubes. Fill the jug with water. Leave in the refrigerator for two to 8 hours for the flavors from the fruits to infused the water. You can refill the jug with more water to get the most out of the fruits. You can add fresh herbs like mint, basil or dried herbs like cinnamon. 

This drink is most beneficial for weight loss. Bring along a thermal water bottle that you can refill. Keep it cool with ice for a refreshing boost of hydration.

Enjoy!

Alkaline Cook Book

I've just found my ideal Alkaline Cook Book which I will be referring to for my newfound lifestyle change. Here is what it's about:

Alkaline your Body the FAST and Easy Way, with Dr Annie Guillet's Step by Step-by-Step Alkaline CookBook

Discover the 'Secrets' High-Energy People Use to Create Mouth-Watering Meals and Delicious Snacks that Explode Your Energy Levels AND Make You FEEL TERRIFIC!

“The Alkaline Cook Book is crammed with easy to whip up ‘pH friendly' Alkaline Food Recipes to help you unlock ‘unlimited' energy, sharp mental concentration and radiant good health!”

From lip-smacking snacks, to healthy luscious dishes and sumptuous culinary delights – The Alkaline Cook Book is a must-have collection of easy-to-follow alkaline recipes to help you drain tiredness out of your system, power up your stamina and help your body operate at it's peak levels.

More and more professional athletes, peak performance individuals and other celebrities are turning to the alkaline diet for optimum health. Why? Because it works!
Yet the question remains… What's an easy way of enjoying alkaline foods that purify our body for the rest of us, without having to eat celery sticks or carrots all day long?!
The Alkaline Cook Book is the answer!

At Last: Alkaline Food Made Mouth-Wateringly TASTY!

Years of research into the great health benefits of an alkaline diet, combined with expert advice on how to cook up a super-healthy storm – all without compromising your enjoyment of eating fine food!
If you're a devoted food lover, who wants to indulge in fine cuisine without feeling guilty, you're going to love these scrumptious alkaline recipes that are easy to make and divine to eat.

Discover luscious alkaline recipes to make you healthy from the inside out, supercharge your body with ‘unlimited' energy levels and restore radiant good health and
mental clarity…

The alkaline recipes in this beautifully designed cook book are simple and easy-to-follow. Special care has been taken to purposely avoid any unnecessary detail or long- winded instructions. The goal, of course, is to get you started eating right away for optimal health.
Our high-paced, caffeine and sugar-powered lifestyles have overburdened our bodies with an excessive acid load making our bodies feel tired, worn-out and exhausted. Often we find that our energy levels are just a bit too low to take us through the day, or worse still, sometimes we even feel tired as soon as we roll out of bed. I’m sure you know that feeling!
Lack of energy destroys our careers, relationships and stops us from living our true potential!

Are you currently experiencing any of the following conditions?

• Low energy
• Fatigue
• Excess weight
• Poor digestion
• Headaches
• Muscle pain

If you are, then there’s a strong chance that your body’s pH is out of balance. These are just a few of the symptoms people experience when their body is too acidic.

If you’ve never tried eating a diet of exclusively alkaline foods, these are some of amazing health benefits that alkaline “foodies” experience - and YOU CAN TOO!

Click Here!

Articles: Alkaline Fruit Juices

By Anthony S Sparks

Image credit: MeiTeng

Find Out Why Alkaline Fruit Juices Should Become A Major Part Of Your Diet

It is suggested that roughly 80 percent of our dietary intake should consist of fruits and vegetables. Drinking fruit juices will provide a great percentage of that amount. Learn which fruit drinks are included in the alkaline family.

Apples, when eaten, are a great source of vitamins and minerals. When consuming apple juice, you are getting the nutrients needed to help keep you healthy. "An apple a day..." comes to mind when thinking of the apple. Just because you may eat apples on a regular basis, you can still enjoy the flavor and benefits of drinking apple juice. Apples are rich in vitamins A, C and some B vitamins. Vitamin A is good for overall health, vitamin C helps boost the immune system, and many of the B vitamins provide energy.

Bananas are another good source of vital nutrients and vitamins. Bananas contain high levels of calcium and potassium. Calcium is great for bone development and overall good bone health. Potassium helps muscles to stay nourished. A shortage of potassium in your body could result in cramps. It is suggested that you consume a juice which contains banana. (ie. orange/banana, orange/strawberry/banana...)

Sweet grapes are another good source of alkaline juice. Any variety of sweet grapes will do. These tiny fruits contain high amounts of antioxidants and are very tasty. Most grape juices have little or no additives so they are basically pure fruit juice. Grapes contain resveratrol which keeps heart muscle flexible. It is also believed that resveratrol may reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease. Pterostilbene is an antioxidant found in grapes that helps lower cholesterol and is good for anyone who is at risk for high cholesterol.

Everyone's favorite fuzzy fruit, the peach, is another great alkaline juice fruit. Peaches and peach juice helps maintain healthy skin, hair and nails. Peaches contain vitamin A for overall health, potassium for healthy muscles, vitamin C to help the immune system, Iron to enrich blood cells, and vitamins B-1 and B-2 which will help with energy levels. Peaches also include niacin, sodium, and phosphorus.

The best alkaline fruit juice is also the most uncommon. Fig juice tops the list when it comes to alkaline fruit juices. Fig juice is commonly used as a laxative and, therefore, rarely considered to be a drink of enjoyment. Fig juice is extremely high in vitamin B-6. It is estimated that there are 110mg of vitamin B-6 per 100g of juice.

As we can see, alkaline fruit juices have many positive ingredients necessary for good health. One key identifying factor of alkaline fruits and their juices is that they are sweet. The juices in these fruits are rarely tangy or tart like most citrus fruits. Those fruits are high in vitamin C and contain a different pH level than the alkaline fruits and juices. Regardless of the one you choose as your favorite, any and all of these fruit juices will provide a high percentage of your daily fruit intake.

Find out the 3 simple alkalizing steps you can use right now to instantly gain more vibrant health, energy and optimal weight - FAST...

Discover how balancing body pH works & why a balanced pH diet is highly recommended for your health. Including free alkaline food chart, food combining chart, recipes, acidity test and the steps you need to take next

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_S_Sparks
http://EzineArticles.com/?Alkaline-Fruit-Juices&id=6081147

Juicing

I believe consuming our food in its raw form is the best still, with its fibre and enzymes still intact. It gives me a more satiated feeling with all the chewing and swallowing going on. I've also experimented on juicing as a supplement.

Started off with my more than a decade old Philips juice extractor. The juice I got out of it wasn't much. Decided to upgrade to an Electrolux Juicer. It looked somewhat similar to this Big Mouth juicer.

I got amazing results comparatively. I didn't have to add any water. It was pure juice!

 A whole Granny Smith, a whole seedless orange (peeled), two celery sticks

The best parts were, I could put a whole apple without having to slice it laboriously into small slivers! And the kids enjoyed it too! Woots!

Guacamole - the Alkaline Superfood

This is my latest alkaline food repertoire...the guacamole. 

Ingredients for Guacamole (serves 1-2 persons):

• 1 ripe Avocado (mashed or diced);
• Cherry tomatoes, a handful (diced);
• 1 medium Onion (finely chopped);
• 1-2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped);
• Coriander / cilantro, a handful (finely chopped);
• Lemon juice (I squeezed a quarter of a lemon); and
• Sea salt (to taste).

Method:

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours at least to let the flavours build. 

Serving suggestion:

Serve as is, use as a salad dressing (if avocados are mashed), use as a dip. Enjoy!

There are many variations to a guacamole recipe. I found this recipe to be handy as I have the ingredients almost always on hand, except that my avocados are not ripening as fast as I'm consuming them... yummy!

My Alkaline Diet Begins

I have always been conscious of the foods that I consume since I hit puberty. I recalled how I struggled and experimented with the type, quantity, timing and frequency of my food intake due to the my sudden increase in weight then. As I was rather petite (5' 1"), and with a voracious teen appetite, it wasn't a surprise that I was at my heaviest at 53-54kg then when my ideal weight should be 45kg. Ever since then I have been conscious of the food I take. It was more of a weight rather than a health concern then.

I recall devouring magazines and articles on what food to avoid and what food to take. I started to eat more green vegetables and fruits, cut out red meat. If I were to take chicken I would remove the skin, avoid greasy foods. However, I do have my weaknesses for milk chocolates, especially Cadbury during 'that period of the month' as well as breads. This craving for sugar and yeast laden food has me constantly battling candidiasis.

I recently had the greatest privilege to have been a participant of Unleash the Power Within by Tony Robbins in Sydney April 12-15 2013. The greatest part of the seminar that I could take action immediately was on Vital Life. What he shared has me determined to take charge of my own body. I applied it immediately as the food made available were those that were live alkaline foods and juices. It felt great!

 The crowd in OZ was just great!

 Tony, you are so full of energy! Thanks for sharing on Vital Life.

Alkaline diet kick-start - live food 

Pesto pasta ;)