Honey, the divine food

Honey is sweet, sticky and often yellowish. In general a light honey has a milder taste that a dark honey. Honey consists of 16-20% water , 75-79 % carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins (especially B vitamin complex) and several antibiotics. Honey is light and heat sensitive and looses its antibiotic properties if it is heated above 100 F (38ºC). Honey increases the serotonin level which makes it easier to relax and fall asleep.
Use the benefits of honey to:

• Get fast energy
• Lower infection
• Help remove toxins from the body
• Strengthen you immune system
• Heal and avoid infection in cuts and burns
• Get rid of fungus
• As sleeping aid
• Remove sugar cravings
• Ease coughing and sore throat

Make sure the honey you buy is a natural product that has not been heated. Don’t use it in hot drinks.
A daily bath with honey and balm helps to improve blood circulation.

How to measure heart rate

If you want to monitor wellness, your heart rate is probably one of the first measurements that pop into your head. Heart rate is a very effect measurement of our physical and emotional stress. Once you know your resting heart rate your heart rate monitor will show you when you get emotionally stressed as well as coach yourself to optimum exercise. When you measure your heart rate you can easily improve your level of fitness without pushing yourself too hard.
A friend of mine once told me that the person who gets the most out of a heart rate monitor is probably someone who is just starting to exercise. It is so easy to overdo it and you heart rate monitor will keep you from doing just that.

If you don’t have a heart rate monitor your body will give you an idea on how your doing. To get an optimum exercise use these rules of thumb:
If you can sing => your not working hard enough
If you can hold conversation but prefer not to => your on a good level
If you are too out of breath to talk => you need to slow down

Your target heart
To get a good workout it is commonly stated that you need a to keep you heart rate at around 60 to 80% of your maximum rate.

Your maximum heart rate (MHR) is calculated as 220 – your age

Your upper limit is calculated as 220 – your age * 0,8

Your lower limit is calculated as 220 – your age * 0,6

Your Resting Heart Rate:

Measure your resting heart rate after you wake up in the morning (before you even get out of bed).
By keeping track of your resting heart rate you will notice that as time goes, and as you become more fit, your resting heart rate will lower.

Healthy eating plan

Are you too lost in the food jungle? This guide will help you put together and menu and make good choices in the grocery store.

The table is shows the amount of servings depending on you recommended calorie intake. A general rule for adults are; a female who is moderately active physically needs around 2000 calories, a man who is moderately active physically needs around 2500 calories. If you want to loose weight or only do light physical activity in your day-to-day life you need less.

Food Groups	1,600 Calories	2,000 Calories	2,600 Calories	3,100 Calories	Serving Sizes	Examples and Notes	Significance of Each Food Group to the DASH Eating Plan
Grains	6 servings	6-8 servings	10-11 servings	12-13 servings	1 slice bread, 1 oz dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal	Whole wheat bread, English muffin, pita, bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, crackers, unsalted pretzels, and popcorn	Major sources of energy and fiber
Vegetables	3-4 servings	4-5 servings	5-6 servings	6 servings	1 cup raw leafy vegetable ½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetable ½ cup vegetable juice	Tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, green peas, squash, broccoli, turnip greens, collards, kale, spinach, artichokes, green beans, lima beans, sweet potatoes	Rich sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber
Fruits	4 servings	4-5 servings	5-6 servings	6 servings	1 medium fruit ¼ cup dried fruit ½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit ½ cup vegetable juice	Apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, prunes, raisins, strawberries, tangerines	Important sources of potassium, magnesium, and fiber
Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products	2-3 servings	2-3 servings	3 servings	3-4 servings	1 cup milk 1 cup yogurt ½ oz cheese	Fat-free or low-fat milk or buttermilk, fat-free or low-fat regular or frozen yogurt, fat-free, low-fat, or reduced fat cheese	Major sources of calcium and protein
Lean meats, poultry and fish	3-4 servings	6 or less servings	6 servings	6-9 servings	1 oz cooked meats, poultry, or fish 1 egg	Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or boil instead of frying; remove skin from poultry	Rich sources of protein and magnesium
Nuts, seeds, and legumes	3-4 servings/ week	4-5 servings/ week	1 serving	1 serving	1/3 cup or 1½ oz nuts; 2 Tbsp peanut butter; 2 Tbsp or ½ oz seeds; ½ cup cooked dry beans or peas	Almonds, filberts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, lentils	Rich sources of energy, magnesium, potassium, protein, and fiber
Fat and oils	2 servings	2-3 servings	3 servings	4 servings	1 tsp soft margarine 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 2 Tbsp salad dressing 1 tsp vegetable oil	Soft margarine, low-fat mayonnaise, light salad dressing, vegetable oil (such as olive, corn, canola, or safflower)	The DASH study had 27 percent of calories as fat (low in saturated fat), including fat in or added to foods
Sweets	0 servings	5 or less servings/ week	2 or less servings	2 or less servings	1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp jelly or jam ½ cup sorbet and ices 1 cup lemonade	Maple syrup, sugar, jelly, jam, fruit-flavored gelatin, hard candy, fruit punch, sorbet and ices	Sweets should be low in fat

Source: APPENDIX A. EATING PATTERNS Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. The table is updated to reflect 2006 DASH Eating Plan

Eat less meat

There are many reasons to eat less meat. You do not need to become a vegetarian but there is also really no reason to eat meat every day. When you plan your dinner for tonight think of this:

• Meat contains a lot of saturated fat
• Meat contains a lot of cholesterol
• Meat is more expensive than vegetarian proteins
• Animals are high up in the food chain so meat contains at lot of pesticides and antibiotics
• Organic meat is expensive
• Meat production adds to global warming; 3 times more fossil fuels are needed to produce a meat centered-diet vs a meat-free diet
• Reduce you you consumption of meat with 50% and you reduce the risk of getting a heart attack with 45%.
• Women who eat 2 ounces (3 ounces for mean) red meat per day are 30%-40% more likely to develop cancer in the lower part of the colon, compared to people who eat red meat a couple of times a week.

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