Wednesday, 14 December 2022
How to Read Labels on Food Products

This is a simple guide to clearing up the most common sources of confusion about food labels and mastering easy choices for better eating.
Common Sources of Confusion
Regard all sugars equally.
Manufacturers sometimes use many different names for sweeteners, knowing that consumers may be trying to avoid sugar. You’re still getting a lot of empty calories if a food is high in molasses, honey, or high-fructose corn syrup.
Pay careful attention to serving sizes.
Portions are another tricky area. You may expect to get 4 servings out of a small ice cream container, but the label is actually based on half that much. Ensure you know how many calories you’re really eating!
Calculate the true value of organic food.
Organic food is usually more expensive, but there's no guarantee that it is nutritionally superior. However, you may still want to buy it if you’re concerned about avoiding pesticides.
Be vigilant about trans fats.
The "trans" fats found in many processed foods have been associated with heart disease and other health issues. A product may contain these fats even if the label says "0 grams." That’s because the FDA allows this as long as the amount is below 1 gram. Your best protection is to eat mostly whole, natural foods.
Hold out for 100% whole wheat.
Phrases like "100% wheat" or "stoneground" sound promising but may actually be the refined grains you want to eliminate. Always check the label to ensure that whole wheat or some whole grain is listed as the first ingredient.
Master the Easiest Choices.
Load up on vegetables and fruits. Getting most of your calories from fresh produce is the simplest way to eat healthy, and you can mostly forget about reading Labels.
Eat more fish.
Most experts agree that the benefits of eating at least two servings of fish a week outweigh any concerns about mercury. When buying canned tuna, choose "light" rather than "white" products. They’re likely to be lower in mercury and usually cost less.
Choose the leanest cuts of meat.
Look for packages that include the words "round" or "loin." Meat that is labeled "extra lean" typically has half the fat of meat that is labeled "lean".
Buy plain yogurt.
Yogurt is a power food that most people can eat even if they are lactose intolerant. Adding your own flavors to plain yogurt lets you avoid added sugars. Try stirring in fresh fruit, granola, or cinnamon.
Include healthy fats in your diet.
While it’s best to limit saturated fats and avoid "trans" fats completely, there are other fats that are good for you. Go ahead and indulge in sensible servings of extra virgin olive oil.
Diet plays a big role in the quality of our life and our overall well-being.
Learn to read food labels like a pro and make healthier choices for you and your family.
Thursday, 1 December 2022
Traits of a Highly Sensitive Person
You notice absolutely everything. The odd smell, the way the sunlight hits the water, the emotions of the person you’re with, and a million other thoughts vie for your attention. You’re Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), and you are absolutely amazing.
You might not feel
that way. If you’re one of the 15 – 20% of the population to experience this
kind of awareness, you’ve probably been called a few names. The world can be
harsh with people who seem ‘oversensitive’ and react accordingly. You might
have been told to ‘toughen up’ or ‘not let things get to you.’ Chances are,
your intuition has even been called into question, with no one understanding
how you see all the connections so quickly.
What the world
doesn’t realize is the Highly Sensitive Person actually is the one with the
edge. Noticing the details, being in tune with what’s going on, and even having
a deeper understanding of emotions and how things fit together, all make for
the perfect person to succeed where others fail. Read on to find out the traits of a Highly Sensitive Person and the advantages. In fact, some might even call
these traits your superpowers.
Your Sensitive Superpowers
You Understand the
Emotions of Others
Someone who can seemingly sense how
others are feeling is seen to have the edge in every walk of life. These are
the people who make for excellent counselors or social workers because they
have so much compassion. Coupled with action, someone with this kind of empathy
makes for a social justice warrior or even the best kind of politician. Empathy
means you’re that awesome friend who knows just how to comfort someone when
they’re feeling down or cheer them on when they’re flagging. This also makes
you more considerate of others, a trait that makes people want to work with you
or spend time in your company.
You’re a Great Listener
Empathy is what helps you to open up
to others, and more importantly, to be open to them. Highly Sensitive People
understand what’s it like to feel like no one is listening to them because they
listen to the pain of others and feel it deeply when it’s expressed to them.
That’s why you listen and listen so well. People love this about you and know
just who to go to when they need a sympathetic ear.
You Take Time to Think
Highly Sensitive People have a lot of
information to process, all the time. This gives them a lot to consider when
they’re making decisions. This can lead to some frustration on the part of
those who work with the HSP, as they generally aren’t quite as fast as others
might be when it comes to deciding a new direction or strategy. On the other
hand, your HSP will have considered all the angles, so you know when they do
give their opinion, it’s well worth the wait.
You Know Who to Trust…and
Who NOT to
All that information collected by a
Highly Sensitive Person is always put to good use. It’s the HSP who notices
when something is ‘off’ about someone, far quicker than anyone else would
figure out the same thing (if ever). This is because the HSP is tuned into the
fine details of the world around them. All those ‘tells’ that give away a liar,
for example, might as well be advertised on a billboard when an HSP is around.
More often than not, though, the HSP doesn’t always consciously know why they
do or don’t trust someone. They process so much information! This usually comes
out more like intuition. If this sounds familiar, you might want to spend more
time listening to your gut. If you don’t feel good about a person or situation,
pay attention. More often than not, you’re going to be right.
You Get Things Done
When you’re a Highly Sensitive
Person, you’re more likely to have figured out one of the secrets of the
universe: multi-tasking doesn’t work. The HSP knows just how much they can get
done when they concentrate, and so they tend to do it well. Single-tasking is
their strength. If this is you, you already know just how amazing you are when
it comes to getting things done and are frequently surprised how everyone else
seems to struggle with this so much.
You Know What’s Going On
Do you really need someone to explain
what someone said just now? Probably not. The Highly Sensitive Person uses
their eye for detail, and couples it with their listening skills to put
together the finer nuances of conversation better than anyone else. You probably
understand the subtext better than anyone else and are frequently the one
called upon to explain to your friends what that guy meant when he said your
friend was ‘interesting.’
You’re More Open-minded
The Highly Sensitive Person is so
good at seeing where others are coming from, and they have a tendency to
refrain from making judgments until they’ve had a chance to hear things from
the other person’s point of view. This means you’re willing to give another
viewpoint a shot and even willing to have your mind changed if the other person
has the facts to support what they’re saying. This makes you more open-minded,
a definite superpower in this day and age.
You’re Really Creative
Being able to think outside the box
is one of the true benefits of being a Highly Sensitive Person. The HSP is used
to noticing details and facts and has a great facility for putting things
together, usually in ways the rest of the world wouldn’t think to. Also, the
connection to emotions and the desire to express them tends to draw the HSP
into highly creative career choices. As an HSP, your creativity is probably
constantly being put to the test. You can’t help but think about things in new
ways. When encouraged, you’ll come up with all kinds of ideas, and have the
ability to be a great problem-solver.
You Bounce Back Quickly
There’s a lot to be said for being
resilient. The Highly Sensitive Person is used to overcoming stuff. With so
many stimuli, they’re frequently overwhelmed. At the same time, just in order
to live halfway normally, they have to learn how to cope when overwhelmed and
get past the discomfort. This means if you’re an HSP you face new challenges
better than those around you and are back on your feet again quicker when
knocked down by a challenge.
You Hang in There
Once you’ve bounced back, the Highly
Sensitive You is more likely to try again. What makes the HSP so stubborn about
continuing where others would quit? Simply put, they know how to keep their
eyes on the prize. All that thinking means they’ve already considered why the
end goal is beneficial and what it’s going to take to get there. With this kind
of clarity, it’s no wonder you’re so great at keeping going, even when the
going gets tough.
You’re Good at Being Alone
While this doesn’t seem like a superpower
at first glance, it is. Alone time is where the Highly Sensitive Person
recharges, so they’re going to seek it out naturally. But this is also great
for you when you’re an HSP because it means you also don’t need to be
entertained. You know the value of quiet, meaning you’re not cluttering up your
life with people who are only so much noise or distractions that only cost you
time and money you can’t afford to spend.
You Are the Calm
Where do people go when they need
refuge from the chaos of the world? They seek out the Highly Sensitive Person,
who is the expert at creating a peaceful oasis. Why? If you’re an HSP, you
already know – it’s because you hate the wild emotions of conflict and with
your empathetic nature, will work hard to soothe the drama and restore peace.
You’re Good at Taking Care
of You
All that listening to what goes on
around them makes Highly Sensitive People very good at knowing how to best take
care of themselves. They’re more apt to notice when they need a break, or even
just how good it feels to work out. If you’re HSP, then you’re in the position
to be the master of your health, making you a hero to yourself.
You Notice EVERYTHING
Perception becomes a superpower when
all those details you’ve constantly noticed can be put together into solutions.
This makes the HSP incredibly valuable in the workplace or even socially. More
than that, you are more apt to gain true enjoyment from things like art and
music, as you’re going to discover the nuanced detail everyone else missed. All
this combines to make your life incredibly rich and fulfilling.
You Know How to Live…and
Love…Well
The Highly Sensitive Person
experiences everything so completely. You experience every range of emotion so
deeply it becomes part of every experience. So while a regular person might
have a good time hiking in nature, your experience is going to be richer, with
vivid memories of every detail from sights and sounds, to the way the pine
trees smelled, and how the water in the stream felt when you stopped to go wading.
What’s more, you share these experiences just as fully, meaning when you hit on
something particularly strong like love, you reflect that love so fully and
completely, the relationships of others seem paltry by comparison.
Conclusion
The Highly Sensitive Person
experiences so much more than everyone else in life, and while this sometimes
can become overwhelming, more often than not, it leads to a fuller, more
exciting life. This ability to experience things so deeply is, in fact, your greatest
superpower. So, if you have the traits of a Highly Sensitive Person, rejoice! Sure, things are more
challenging sometimes, but the benefits are so worth it!
Friday, 11 November 2022
7 Ways To Silence Your Inner Critic
Were you ever about to do something - and then
suddenly, that voice inside your head starts talking?
These are seven ways to silence your inner critic and take control of your life:
- Acknowledge and understand.
When negative thoughts come up, acknowledge your thoughts. Try to
understand the source of where your thoughts are coming from.
●
How old do I feel right now?
●
Why do I feel this way?
●
What are some patterns I
recognize?
●
Where do these thoughts come from?
●
How do these thoughts affect my
behavior?
- What advice would you give a friend? If a friend came to you in the same situation as you feel, what
advice would you give to them? Many times, we are harder on ourselves than
we are with others.
- Separate facts from feelings. Your brain might be hardwired to think that no one wants to talk
to you or that you’re a bad person. But is that actually a fact? Practice
sorting through facts and your feelings.
● What is another, more positive way you could look at the situation?
- Practice self-acceptance and self-compassion. Replace negative or critical thoughts with accepting and
compassionate ones. Have a selection of empowering, compassionate beliefs
that you can tell yourself instead of succumbing to negative ones.
- Write down positive thoughts. When your inner critic comes out, what is it saying? How can you
challenge your inner critic?
● Write down times in your life that
people have said positive things about you.
● Focus on your strengths and what you are good at.
- Distract yourself when you start replaying mistakes
in your head. Have you ever made a mistake and
replayed those moments over and over again? That doesn’t resolve the
issue. If you find you’re ruminating instead of actively problem-solving,
distract yourself from those thoughts.
●
Take a walk.
●
Read a book.
●
Listen to a podcast.
●
Play a game.
●
Cuddle your pet.
- Remind yourself that everyone has an inner critic. Having an inner critic is a human function. It comes from the
parts of our brain that evolved to protect ourselves. If you find yourself
in a loop of critical thoughts, remind yourself that every human experiences self-doubt at one point or another.
Your
inner critic does not have to control your life!
Taking these steps to silence your inner critic and nurture a more empowering
inner dialogue can help you grow and expand your horizons.
There’s a difference between that harmful
voice telling you that you are not good enough and wanting to improve yourself.
Use the tips above to silence your inner critic so you can reach your full
potential.
Monday, 31 October 2022
Meal Planning With Intention
Meal planning is taking time to plan and write down your meals for a period of time, which could be a week, biweekly or monthly. Meal planning is not just about making a list of groceries and being sure you get everything on that list. It also takes having a solid plan, expecting the unexpected, and being realistic.
A big part of meal planning with intention involves considering you and/or your family’s specific needs knowing that sometimes things come up and your meals won’t always be perfect. The idea is not to start any meal from scratch.
Benefits of Meal Planning
Eat Healthy Meals
If you want to make the switch to being a healthy eater who transforms their diet, one way to look at it is just by balancing your plate. Meal planning helps you to control your food choices because you get to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time. Planning out your meals makes it easier to stick to your food choices.
Healthy, Balanced Plate
Meal planning can help you create a balanced plate. A balanced plate is simply one that contains all the necessary nutrients for a healthy meal. Not every plate will have these in the same portions, but it is a good place to start when transforming your diet to a healthy, sustainable one. The basics nutrients to focus on with a balanced plate include having a protein, carb, and a healthy fat, with some fruits or veggies in for fiber.
For example, a dinner with salmon, brown rice, and roasted vegetables fit all the categories. Salmon is both protein and healthy fats, the brown rice is your carb, and vegetables allow you to get in more fiber, plus also have some carbs. If you used oil to cook your vegetables, that can be a fat as well.
What Nutrients Are You Missing?
Planning your meals can help you figure out if you might be missing out on some important nutrients, Start by listing all your favorite meals and snacks, and what you eat most often. Next to each meal, write down the components, like protein, carb, fat, fiber. Do you notice a trend of one category of foods you always eat? Maybe you have found you are really good at getting your carbs in, but tend to be missing out on fiber. Or perhaps you are great with protein and carbs, but don’t have a lot of healthy fats in your diet.
Read: 9 Heart Healthy Low Cholesterol Foods
Finding the Missing Ingredient
Of those food groups or nutrients you notice you don’t have much in your meals, which ones do you enjoy in those food groups? If you are not getting enough fiber in your meals, then you need to find some foods with fiber, and list the ones you enjoy. This might be healthy grains, vegetables, or fruits. Make a list of these foods that you can incorporate more into your meals, and your diet will start being a lot healthier and more balanced.
Eat the Right Portions
Planning and portioning out your food ahead of time can help to stop you from overeating.
Reduce Food Waste
You buy only what you need for your meals.
Save Money
Planning and cooking your meals at home can be less expensive than eating out.
Save Time
Planning and cooking meals you love ahead can save time, You don't have to waste time deciding what to eat or cooking from scratch. This is helpful if you have a busy schedule or need to leave your home early in the morning.
Reduce Grocery Store/Market Time
When you have planned your meals ahead, you will have a list of the exact food items and groceries you need. This reduces time you spend going to the stores frequently to buy an ingredient for an unplanned meal. It also reduces time spent wandering at the grocery store because you have a list of the food items you want to buy.
Meal Planning Tips
Start With a Plan
You should always have a good plan when you are meal prepping. For some people, they like to write down days they know they will be eating out and just plan the remaining days, while others are on a budget and want to use what they have in their fridge as much as possible in the meal plan.
Create a weekly habit where you go through the food you have, decide on meals with those ingredients, and make a list of what you need. This is a really easy way to start with healthy meal planning.
Use Ingredients That Cross Over Multiple Meals
To avoid getting bored, think of foods or ingredients that you can add to your meal plan that you are able to use for multiple types of meals.
For example, you might have veggies that you are using for a salad, and use the leftover veggies in sandwiches or wraps throughout the week. You can use parmesan cheese for pizza, pasta, and even to top salads, and use leftover chicken for new types of casseroles.
Don’t Cook Too Many New Recipes at One Time
If you try to cook 5 brand new recipes in one week, you will probably get overwhelmed, and by day 3 or 4, be over cooking altogether. When you first get started with meal planning and meal prep, choose just 1-2 new recipes to try each week.
This allows you try new recipes and new foods for your healthy diet, but you can avoid becoming stressed or overwhelmed. It also ensures you are also cooking some meals that you already know your family enjoys.
Be Realistic With Your Own Needs and Preferences
It is great to use other meal plans people recommend, but if your family hates pasta, for instance, why are you trying to make a pasta salad with dinner one night? The great thing about meal planning is that it is easy to personalize to your own family’s preferences. Always start with foods you enjoy, and use those to create healthy meals.