Dietary Benefits of Brown Rice

“99 ABC’s of Wellness” Article Credit: The original article 99 ABC’s of Wellness is by Mylene Mendoza-Dayrit, which has appeared on the Philippine Star on January 12, 1999.

Principle #16: Benefits of Brown Rice

"Brown rice is rich in thiamine, niacin and fiber. It is also more filling than white rice." (excerpt from the original article)

Brown and white rice are the same in terms of carbohydrate, calorie, and protein content but the former has richer nutritional components compared the the latter.

In the process of polishing rice, there are certain nutrients that are lost like Vitamin B1, B3 and Iron. Producers of enriched rice return these nutrients to make more healthy rice. The Food and Drug Administration require them to do this.

Other nutrients that are lost in the polishing process are magnesium and bran oil. Brown rice is said to have 195 mg of magnesium per cup. This is reduced to only 84 mg per cup of white rice. Bran oil is said to help lower LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol.

Most people like white rice more but with this information maybe we can have brown rice more often in our diet.

Image:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice

Benefits of Skin Brushing

“99 ABC’s of Wellness” Article Credit: The original article 99 ABC’s of Wellness is by Mylene Mendoza-Dayrit, which has appeared on the Philippine Star on January 12, 1999.

Principle #15: Benefits of Skin Brushing

"Brushing the skin with dry brushes or “loofah” sponges can slough off or exfoliate the dead skin cells to reveal fresh, younger looking skin." (excerpt from the original article)

According to a website that I have visited, skin brushing is more than just a beauty regimen. It provides health benefits for the body. According to whole-body-detox-diet.com, skin brushing is a good addition to a person’s detoxification program as a form of therapy. It website says, skin brushing: 

• Stimulates blood and lymph flow
• Removes dead skin cells
• Stimulates the hormone and oil glands
• Reduces cellulite
• Strengthens the immune system
• Stimulates the nervous system, tones the muscles, tightens the skin
• Nurtures your body

(Source: http://www.whole-body-detox-diet.com/dry-skin-brushing.html)

It is astonishing that simple skin brushing can give a lot of benefits to the body. Let’s just take the lymphatic system of the body, which is essential for the body’s cleansing process. Lymphocites or white blood cells are responsible for bringing nutrients to cells and take wastes out. Then, they go back to the blood vessels so they could release the wastes they have gathered. However, the body needs to get rid of these lymphs right away to avoid swollen tissues due to high toxicity level. Skin brushing can help stimulate and speed up the cleansing process of the lymphatic system.

Loofah Sponge (wikipedia)

Skin brushes are made up of soft natural fiber bristles. Loofah sponges are also good for skin brushing. In the Philippines, loofah is patola, a green vegetable akin to cucumber. It would be ideal to do skin brushing in the morning before shower. Be gentle on sensitive parts of the body like the breasts but vigorously on other parts like the sole of the feet, arms, legs and areas where cellulite builds up.

Benefits of Breathing Exercise

“99 ABC’s of Wellness” Article Credit: The original article 99 ABC’s of Wellness is by Mylene Mendoza-Dayrit, which has appeared on the Philippine Star on January 12, 1999.

Principle #14: Benefits of Breathing Exercise

"Breathing techniques can be very successful in “calming the mind and nurturing the spirit”. Coupled with meditation, it can reduce stress and promote good health." (excerpt from the original article)

Experts have proposed the value of breathing and meditation in handling stress. They say that it relaxes the body and thus, it provides relief from fatigue and stress related irritations.

While I am surfing the net, I have come across Dr Andrew Weil’s site where he teaches different styles of breathing exercises. He says, "Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders." (Andrew Weil, M.D.)

Here’s an example of one breathing exercise he teaches:

Sit in a comfortable position with the spine straight and head inclined slightly forward. Gently close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then let the breath come naturally without trying to influence it. Ideally it will be quiet and slow, but depth and rhythm may vary.

•     To begin the exercise, count "one" to yourself as you exhale.
•     The next time you exhale, count "two," and so on up to "five."
•     Then begin a new cycle, counting "one" on the next exhalation.

Never count higher than "five," and count only when you exhale. You will know your attention has wandered when you find yourself up to "eight," "12," even "19."

Try to do 10 minutes of this form of meditation.

Personally, when you find yourself in a very stressful day, nothing beats talking to a person who listens well and responds swiftly. The best form of meditation is still prayer. You may not hear God’s voice audibly, but He warms your heart more than any other. His presence will calm your weary soul and lift your spirit up. You won’t get disappointed if you try it.

Benefits of Biking

“99 ABC’s of Wellness” Article Credit: The original article 99 ABC’s of Wellness is by Mylene Mendoza-Dayrit, which has appeared on the Philippine Star on January 12, 1999.

Principle #13: Benefits of Biking

From baking soda, let us now go to biking. Well, it is "a good aerobic activity whether done indoors or outdoors." (excerpt from the original article)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity is second to tobacco smoking as a health risk in developed countries. If that is the case, one can decrease his health risk by stopping cigarette smoking and starting to increase physical activity.

Biking is a good physical activity that can help burn many calories and build muscles without the need of lifting heavy weights. Done indoors, working out on stationary bike can help burn calories without putting too much strain on the knees compared to cycling on a real bike. In fact, it is a good rehab work out for people with knee or leg injury.

However, optimum result can be achieved on the real bike. Dr. Edward Coyle at the University of Texas in Austin has formulated a way of computing the calories a cyclist will burn at a particular cycling speed.

For instance, a 140-pound man biking at 20 mph will burn 35 calories per mile (140 pounds x 0.25 calories/pound), and a 160-pound man biking at the same speed will burn 40 calories per mile (160 pounds x 0.25 calories/pound). The heavier you are, the more calories per mile you will burn (www.eHow.com).

Like swimming, cycling is a healthy activity that the family can enjoy. It is not only good for the body, it is fun. I remember learning how to ride a bike in my childhood days. It has been a lot of fun.

However, cycling is also a dangerous sport so if you want to try biking make sure you wear proper safety gear.

Some info courtesy of:

www.ehow.com/

Images courtesy of:

Family Biking: http://thevthotel.wordpress.com/2011/04/25/biking-big-in-blacksburg-and-the-nrv/family-biking/

Woman Biking: http://www.livestrong.com/article/401706-stationary-cycling-heart-rate-zones/