Food and Health Room

[Piling]

I don't know what it is exactly but it is contagious. Many students and teachers are ill and cough, like me. I have fever (my limbs ache and I am shivering if I don't take Ibuprofene).

I think it is a virus because it started with the first coldness of winter and such virus like cold air.

The air-conditioned also is an agent of propagation.

[Anthea]

Is it cold and flu? almost every one I see now complains of a mild cold and flu in London from Croydon, where my grand children live, to East London, my place.

I lived in West Croydon for years and was involved with the Kurdish community there but moved away several years ago - escaped is a better word - Croydon has become an extremely violent place

[Anthea]

I don't know what it is exactly but it is contagious. Many students and teachers are ill and cough, like me. I have fever (my limbs ache and I am shivering if I don't take Ibuprofene).

I think it is a virus because it started with the first coldness of winter and such virus like cold air.

The air-conditioned also is an agent of propagation.

You have FLU

You need to relax and take care of yourself

[Anthea]

Want to keep the flab at bay over the festive season?
The A-list's weight loss expert reveals the top 7 foods to boost your metabolism

Weight loss expert Louise Parker says it's possible to stay slim over Christmas
In a MailOnline exclusive, she says you should eat yoghurt, red and white meats
While eggs contain an array of nutrients – many of which are lacking in diets
And don't write off cheese - low fat versions are all perfectly fine to consume

Christmas. The time of year when it's perfectly fine to tuck into sweets, biscuits and a generous helping of roast potatoes.

But just because the festive period is one of indulgence, doesn't mean you have to put on weight.

Celebrity weight loss expert Louise Parker says it's possible to stay slim and healthy without sacrificing certain foods.

Here, in a MailOnline exclusive, she reveals the seven best foods to boost your metabolism - preventing you from piling on the pounds this Christmas.

If you look after your metabolism, you give your body the very best chance at keeping fat at arms length.

This should be the starting point of anyone serious about wanting to achieve and hang on to a fit and healthy body.

Your metabolism plays a massive role in keeping you lean for life, although each has its limits.

Whether it's strong or sluggish, you still have to choose really intelligently about the types of foods and the portions that you eat.

No mater how 'super', organic, gluten free, and every other 'healthy halo' promise emblazoned on the label, you still really do need to read it.

The good news is you can manipulate your metabolism. All it really refers to is how much muscle mass you have on your body.

The higher percentage of lean muscle mass you have, the greater your metabolism and the more calories your body can burn throughout the day, before sending it off to fat storage.

Muscle requires calories to sustain it, whilst body fat simply sits there. You have to eat protein.

There’s no need to live on endless amounts of meat either. Eating protein little and often just keeps your metabolism ticking over beautifully.

It’s a great idea to have some in the fridge, freezer and store cupboard so that you never get caught out.

GREEK YOGHURT

One of my absolute essentials as it's so flexible.

As it's strained, it's packed full of dairy protein and makes a wonderful base for birchers, protein smoothies and simple yoghurt based breakfasts, served with my two minute sugar free berry sauce compote.

Don't shy away from dairy unless you truly are lactose intolerant as it's a brilliant protein source and super high in calcium which studies prove aids fat loss.

SALMON

Salmon is a real favourite and packed with Omega oils.

Not only are these compounds known to be beneficial for the metabolism, but Omega 3 has been found to reduce the risk of a heart attack.

The oil does increase the calories so your portion of salmon should be smaller than your portion of a fat free protein, such as turkey.

Don't obsess over it, but just bear it in mind. Sardines, mackerel and anchovies are a wonderful addition to salads too – fresh or tinned are fine

TOFU, TEMPEH AND EDAMAME

Soya is a fabulous vegan protein – I keep edamame beans in the freezer for snacks or dosing up a stir fryor salad if the fridge is running low.

Firm tofu is fabulous in Asian stir fries as it's very mild taste is a sponge for flavour such as garlic, ginger and fresh herbs.

Silken tofu is a wonderful base for a protein smoothie too if you don't eat dairy or like to use protein powders

EGGS

Eggs are just so versatile and contain the most brilliant array of nutrients – many of which are lacking in the modern day diet.

They pack a punch with protein and are a great source of B vitamins, Vitamin A and a decent amount of D, E, calcium and zinc.

They do contain cholesterol but I've never seen a client's bad cholesterol go up following our method a whole. So don't skip the yolk.

My husband has a dozen a week and I've not upped his life insurance.

Great for fritatta's, omelettes and thrown on a quick bubble and squeak to up the amino acid content.

I store mine in the fridge and buy the best I can afford – Clarence Court are my favourites.

CHEESE

It's an easy one to strike off your 'healthy' list if you're watching your weight, but don't write it off.

Low fat cheeses such as quark, cottage cheese, paneer and other mild forms are bland but provide a great base for adding in other flavours.

I love cinnamon and cottage cheese on a cracker as a snack when you need a little sweet crunch.

Higher fat cheeses such as goats cheese, mature cheddar, Parmesan are a great way of adding a good dose of flavour to a meal, using a just a tablespoon – so you get great flavour for your buck.

I often toss some Parmesan into a quick omelette or toss feta into a salad more as a seasoning than a main ingredient.

RED MEAT

Beef, venison, lean lamb and even pork are all brilliant forms of protein.

There's a lot to be said for meat and two veg – but you don't need to cook it the way our grandmothers did.

Season well and play around with ready prepped seasoning. Classic roasts, slow cooking, stir-frying and slow roasting are my favourite ways of infusing meats with flavour.

I tend to eat red meats three to four times a week.

Beef is a favourite of mine and if it's grass fed will be a great source of CLA (conjugated lineoic acid, which helps us hang on to muscle mass whilst we are shredding body fat – more effective in people who are obese rather than a little overweight).

WHITE MEAT

Chicken and turkey are mainstays in my home and probably the most versatile of proteins.

I roast a chicken each weekend and make stock straight away for a Monday night soup.

Minced turkey is wonderful for making patties with fresh herbs and wonderful simply stir-fried with some Asian vegetables and Thai basil.

My children love bashing the living daylights out of little chicken fillets between clingfilm, which I roll in egg, a little wholemeal flour and Parmesan and bake in the oven for a quick mid week supper.

Ms Parker's Knightsbridge Clinic in London is a mecca for A-listers, CEOs, sports stars and those wanting to get and stay red carpet ready in total discretion.

Link to Article - Photos:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... olism.html

[Piling]

Only perverse mind can celebrate Christmas with tofu

Here are my last creations :

https://larosededjam.wordpress.com/2016 ... asseroles/

https://larosededjam.wordpress.com/2016 ... ch-butter/

Today I will cook a nice Velouté de Champignons. In winter, soups are nutritive and delicious. Good to rest the liver after rich meals.

Well, Julia Child's recipe is full of cream and butter in her velouté

But there is onions in it. I love onions. Yesterday I bought 2 kilos of onions and 1 kilo of potatoes. In a soup, the right balance is 2/3 of vegetable and no more than 1/3 of potatoes.

[Anthea]

I will eat almost anything - apart from red meat and pork - that someone else cooks for me

[Piling]

Alas, red meat and pork are absent in Kurdistan.

Today is Fruitcake Day. A cake that in French we associate always in our imagination with the English Tea Time.

[Londoner]

Only perverse mind can celebrate Christmas with tofu

That is the question of taste and culture.

As a rule all animal and dairy food products are unhealthy. They are the cause of all serious diseases and speed up ageing.

Tofu made from soybeans. There are conflicting reports about health benefits of soybeans. There are reports about the deadly health effects of soybeans and there also reports about miraculous health benefits of soybeans. I used to add soybeans to kimchi now I stopped it.

[Anthea]

Alas, red meat and pork are absent in Kurdistan.

Today is Fruitcake Day. A cake that in French we associate always in our imagination with the English Tea Time.

Fruitcake Day

Sadly, my local shops are closed during holidays

I did eat rather a lot of chocolate over the weekend

[Anthea]

New M&S ready meals could be the ideal way to lose weight and control ones calorific intake without the calorie counting of normal diets

I wonder if Cadbury is going to bring out it's own line of diet food

‘I lost half a stone in two weeks eating M&S ready meals!’
We challenged two women to try what might be the easiest diet EVER!

If somebody told me they'd eaten sausages for breakfast, prawn and crab macaroni cheese for lunch, and steak bolognese for dinner, I wouldn't think they were on a diet, I'd think they were hungover.

But M&S's new line of Balanced For You healthy ready meals - designed to promote healthy eating, portion control and weight management - features tasty treats such as these, alongside other tastebud-tantalising delicacies such as creamy king prawn risotto; smoky pulled pork; chicken katsu curry; beef & chianti ragu; aromatic lamb curry; prawn & crab macaroni cheese.... do I really need to go on?







http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... n-out.html

LOOKS GOOD - SMELLS GOOD - TASTES GOOD

[Piling]

It is a calories counting : but they just count it for you.

[Anthea]

It is a calories counting : but they just count it for you.

I think it is a brilliant idea

Tasty healthy smaller portions

[Londoner]

New M&S ready meals could be the ideal way to lose weight and control ones calorific intake without the calorie counting of normal diets

These are processed foods, fully oxidated. At least they speed up your ageing and they are not nutritious enough.

[Anthea]

New M&S ready meals could be the ideal way to lose weight and control ones calorific intake without the calorie counting of normal diets

These are processed foods, fully oxidated. At least they speed up your ageing and they are not nutritious enough.

I think they are a lot more nutritious than most other diet foods

[Anthea]

Man cuts out alcohol and coffee for 2 years

Thousands of people are 3 days into a Dry January, the tedious annual ritual of skipping all alcoholic drinks for 30 days.

But what happens if you manage to nail Dry January, then decide to keep going – for another 2 years?

A New York designer did just that, and the results were genuinely surprising.

One of the big things that disappeared from his life? Gossip.

Tobias Van Schneider wrote, “If there is one thing I noticed quite early, then it’s the lack of social interaction my new diet brought with it.”

“When a group of people asks me to join them for drinks, I mostly default to answer with NO because I just don’t want to deal with gossip as a sober person.”

There were also some clear, big wins for both his body and his wallet: he says he saved $1,000 a month, his sleep quality improved, and he felt less stressed.

Living in New York, Tobias says it’s normal to have 1-2 drinks every day and found that by cutting out the occasional cocktail, he managed to accrue $1000 more in his bank account.

“Assume that I have 2–3 cocktails every other day (which are $10 each without tip), including some wine bottles every month for at home I can easily spend $1000,” he added.

While his cash-flow increased, so did his sleep quality as Tobias afforded skipping that post-work beer for an improved night’s kip.

“Removing alcohol from my diet increased my sleep quality drastically,” he wrote.

“I sleep better, and I wake up with more energy.”

Similarly, removing coffee from his diet meant that he felt more relaxed.

Tobias admits that the drink always made him feel stressed out, increased his chance of anxiety and also caused problems with his digestion.

Originally posted on his personal blog, Tobias’ story made its way onto article-sharing site ‘Pocket’ where it quickly became one of the most read pieces.

Able to identify with his story, a huge number of Pocket users recommended Tobias’ post.

One user wrote, “I should have a print of this article in my wallet!”

While another added, “It's kind of true. I should try it: less money spent, less restaurant, less bad night of sleep, less empty calories, more free time.”

Link to Article - Photos:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 07031.html