Go, Grow, and Glow your way to health

 

The balanced diet covers all the bases of nutritional needs, says MakatiMed dietician

Atkins, South Beach, Keto, Master Cleanse: How many of us are still on these diets? If the answer is “none,” it’s no surprise.

“Trendy fad diets may promise quick weight loss, but they are unsustainable in the long run,” shares Maricar Esculto-Khan, MD, a nutritionist-dietician, internist and medical nutrition specialist from top hospital in the Philippines Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed). “Diets that exclude one or more food groups put your health at risk. High-protein diets, for instance, lack fiber and essential vitamins and minerals found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which you need to fortify your immune system against disease. A protein-rich diet may also strain your kidneys and liver, and increase LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, which is detrimental to heart health.”

By contrast, back-to-basics diets that account for all food groups are not only workable, they’re healthy, too, says MakatiMed. “Balanced diets address all of our daily nutritional requirements in a wide variety of foods, so we feel satisfied and not deprived,” underlines Dr. Esculto-Khan.

One such is Go, Grow, and Glow, an eating plan that incorporates at least one food from each category. “Go” refers to energy-giving foods like carbohydrates: Think rice, pasta, bread, corn, and sweet potatoes. “Grow” includes foods that are excellent sources of protein, which our body needs for growth and repair: Pork, beef, poultry, seafood, beans, tofu, nuts, and dairy products are good examples. Fruits and vegetables fall under “Glow,” the foods that strengthen the immune system, support digestive function, and enhance skin, hair, and eyes.

“Compared to other diets, this is easy to follow and maintain,” says Dr. Esculto-Khan “For breakfast ‘Go’ could be bread, ‘Grow’ could be an egg, and ‘Glow’ could be a slice of papaya. For lunch, Go, Grow, and Glow could mean a plate of rice, fish, and veggies. And dinner’s Go, Grow, and Glow could be mashed potatoes, a piece of chicken, and side salad. You could be a meat lover or a vegetarian; either way, Go, Grow, Glow can be adjusted to your preferred eating habits.”

Of course, what we eat is just part of the equation to staying fit and healthy. For Go, Grow, Glow to truly work, observe portion control and incorporate exercise into your routine—or at least stay active by walking whenever you can. “We Filipinos love our rice, and if we pile scoops of them on our plates yet stay sedentary, we don’t reap Go, Grow, Glow’s health benefits,” reminds Dr. Esculto-Khan.

Loop your doctor in before you start the diet. “Although Go, Grow, and Glow is generally healthy and safe, it’s always best to let your family physician in on your plan,” says Dr. Esculto-Khan. “A diabetic may be asked to replace refined white rice with brown rice, while a hypertensive can choose fish and lean cuts of chicken instead of red meat.”

“That’s the beauty of Go, Grow, Glow,” says Dr. Esculto-Khan. “Because all food groups are represented, the combination possibilities.

For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph. Follow @IamMakatiMed on Facebook and Twitter.

MATSTONE® Horizontal Slow Juicer: A wonder machine for Diabetics

Daily pricking is something that diabetics like me would have to learn to live by.

For years, I didn't know I had diabetes. That's because seldom do I have my physical check up. And it's something that I regret even up to this day because had I known I was diabetic early on, then maybe my diabetic retinopathy wouldn't have reached its advanced stage. But I'm still grateful that I still have my vision although not as clearly as it used to be. And sadly, diabetic retinopathy is irreversible. I just need to make sure my blood sugar's maintained and keeping them low means my eyesight will be okay. 

Over the years, diabetes has become one of the top causes of death in the Philippines according World Health Organization’s 2012 statistical profile of the country. The International Diabetes Federation also notes that the Philippines has become one of the world’s emerging diabetes hotspots, ranking as the top 15 in the world for diabetes prevalence where 4 million people are diagnosed with the diseases, and possibly a large unknown number of those who are unaware that they have diabetes. While diabetes can be passed down through heredity, factors like having an unhealthy lifestyle and becoming overweight or obese may contribute in developing diabetes, especially those who are in their middle age or older.

Diabetes could be kept at bay, if people would just lead on to a better and a healthier lifestyle, like Lumen Tamayo who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes after she gave birth to her second child. It wasn’t easy to take in at first, but she turned around all of these ill-feelings about her diabetes and used it as a motivation to lead a healthier lifestyle. As she started taking regular exercise and preparing more healthy meals for herself, she gained a more positive disposition in dealing with her diabetes. And knowing that stress could shoot up her sugar level, she got into short meditations to ease off the tension. Here watch her testimonial video on how she had managed to change her lifestyle as well as eating habits:

Get healthy and win a Free roundtrip ticket to Vietnam with TeamNUTRILITE™

There are countless benefits that come with getting fit with a group or a partner.  A group or partner will help you stick to your diet, stay focused on your goals, keep you motivated, remind you to keep exercise appointments, and push you to exceed your limits when working out. It is with this insight in mind that Amway formed Team NUTRILITE™.  

Team NUTRILITE™ is a global community of people interested in achieving optimal health through living a healthy lifestyle. This includes engaging in regular fitness activities, eating a healthy diet, and taking NUTRILITE™ Food Supplements to help fill in the nutrient gaps as in line with Nutrilite’s mantra: “color yourself healthy.”

Team NUTRILITE™ members support and inspire each other with the aim of achieving one ultimate goal: OPTIMAL HEALTH.   Aside from the advantages of having a growing global support group to help members achieve their health and fitness, joining team NUTRILITE™ comes with exclusive membership perks such as:  a PPV point earning system, invitations to special exclusive NUTRILITE™ events, and discounts on NUTRILITE™ products.   

  

Becoming a Team NUTRILITE™ member is easy.  Just purchase any of the following NUTRILITE™ products - NUTRILITE™ Double X 31-Day Supply, NUTRILITE™ Double X 62-Day Supply, BodyKey Jumpstart Kit, or BodyKey Renewal Kit; fill-out the enrolment form and submit to any Amway Distribution Center.  All members will automatically get a free Team NUTRILITE™ shirt.

Another added treat is that Amway Philippines will be rewarding deserving Team NUTRILITE™ members with round trip tickets to Vietnam.  Visit our Amway Philippines Youtube channel at http://bit.ly/1XBlrnE for more information on the Team NUTRILITE™ program and how to win roundtrip tickets to Vietnam. 

So head on to any Amway Distribution Center and be a Team NUTRILITE™ member today!

NUTRILITE™ is exclusively distributed by Amway Philippines. 

Life Lessons I’ve Learned from Chef Martin Yan, host of Asian Food Channel’s Taste of Asia

Chef Martin Yan with Purple Plum Fairy

“You should love your job, whatever it is. Love it so that you won’t feel pressured, so that you will always feel inspired and energetic,” says the legendary chef Martin Yan when he hopped our table at an exclusive event organized by Asian Food Channel at the New World Hotel last week. Through the invitation of a dear friend, Security Blanket was fortunate enough to be one of their guests that particular night. Chef Martin Yan was in town for a series of live cooking demonstrations as one of AFC’s popular celebrity chefs. Chef Martin’s known for his amazing knife skills and wit. He was so good at it that he even showed us how he’s able to debone an entire chicken in 18 seconds. Yes, that’s how fast he can do it!

MEGAFIBER Product Review: The New Standard in Food Fiber

I've been introduced to fiber dietary supplements in college from a friend who has introduced me into it. At first, I was a bit hesitant about trying it out because at the time it was really something new to me. Later on, after making some thorough research, I've found out it has a lot of health benefits and it's naturally safe and effective. So when I was asked if I wanted to try MEGAFIBER and do an honest product review about it, I've said yes without giving it second thoughts! 

Fiber health supplements are made from psyllium fiber which acts as our body's 'natural broom' to get rid of toxins from our bodies. For those not familiar with Psyllium fiber, it actually comes from the outer coating, or "husk" of the psyllium plant's seeds. It is not wheat, and is therefore gluten free. The psyllium husk is also a natural source of soluble fiber, similar to fiber found in grains such as oats and barley.

MEGAFIBER is loaded with stuff perfect for those who'd like to adopt a healthier lifestyle because it keeps obesity away. MEGAFIBER is 100% made from the best food fiber in the world.  It is a natural and safe way to regularly rid the body of wastes that can lead to digestive disorders and serious health conditions.  There are no additives, sweeteners, preservatives, artificial colors or flavoring in MEGAFIBER. It is also cholesterol-free, yeast-free and gluten-free. 

Based on recent studies, the amount of soluble fiber in psyllium is nearly 5X higher than that of oat bran. 

100 grams of psyllium = 50 grams of soluble fiber

100 grams of oat bran = 5 grams of soluble fiber

Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), MEGAFIBER promotes digestive health and ensures regular bowel movement.  It wards off both constipation and diarrhea, helps regulate blood sugar and uric acid, reduces cholesterol, and assists in weight management.  Taking MEGAFIBER is so easy, one tablespoon of MEGAFIBER regularly, mixed in a half glass with your preferred breakfast drink is enough to result to better health and overall wellness.

All-natural MEGAFIBER helps regulate the digestive system and ensures regular bowel movement, cleans out the digestive system and eliminates waste from the colon and intestines, providing relief to those suffering from constipation.  When it absorbs liquids, it forms a slippery film and swells by 8 to 14 times its normal weight and forms a soft, bulky mass that passes quickly and easily through the colon and acts like a sponge in the intestinal tract. It also helps stimulate the reflex needed for the bowels to empty.  

MEGAFIBER binds with cholesterol secreted in bile acids and excretes it before it is absorbed into the blood stream, it helps reduce cholesterol and correspondingly, the risk of heart disease. At the same time, it provides a feeling of fullness which in turn helps reduce hunger pangs, and lessens the tendency to overeat.  This could lead to weight loss as MEGAFIBER also assists in capturing then excreting the fats in our food. It also promotes better sugar control since it slows down digestion.  It allows food to be digested more slowly, releasing carbohydrates more evenly, thus giving diabetics a better chance to cope with increase in blood sugar after meals.

MEGAFIBER helps in our digestive health and ensures regular bowel movement. Psyllium fiber is frequently used to treat constipation. It absorbs liquid in the intestines, swells and forms a bulky stool, which is easy to pass. Those who suffer from diarrhea will also benefit from MEGAFIBER because it does not only absorb water from watery stools, its bulking effect naturally helps reduce bowel movement, thereby reducing the number of times one must go to the bathroom to poop. Increased fiber intake absorbs excess water in stools and allows intestinal muscles to hold on. When compared to taking medication, taking MEGAFIBER is effectively proven to help stop diarrhea but it does not result in constipation. 

 MEGAFIBER is suitable for children but NOT infants. Parents can simply mix MEGAFIBER with their child’s favorite juice and allow it to gel before spoon feeding the mixture to the youngster. Using MEGAFIBER does not affect the taste of my favorite juice. Once mixed with the juice, MEGAFIBER becomes a soluble gel, it's like drinking an aloe vera juice or your child's favorite commercialized beverage with nata de coco. 

What I love most about MEGAFIBER is that it raises the bar in fiber supplement packs as consumers and fiber users like me gets the best food fiber on this planet packed with multi-health benefits without putting a hole on our pockets-- MEGAFIBER made it sure that they are affordable to the masses. MEGAFIBER is worth your every peso, sold at Mercury Drug stores nationwide in bigger 7.5g sachets at P10.75 each, travel pack of 30 sachets at P325, and in bigger 300g jars at P430. It also comes in half-kilo family size packs at P705 for even greater savings. Forget about those yucky green grass and switch instead to MEGAFIBER. 

MEGAFIBER has also installed customer service hotlines 524-6549, 354-2208 to 09 and 09474890262 to facilitate product inquiry.  Product information may also be obtained at www.megafiber.com.ph, MEGAFIBER facebook page, and thru email info@megafiber.com.ph

 Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are my own. 

Xoxo,