HEALTH, DIET AND NUTRITION FAQ’s

Do you know the 3 rules of weight loss success? These 3 rules must be followed for long term dieting success. Follow these 3 rules and you’ll easily lose weight and trim down.

Fortunately you have help. A diet food delivery service can give you the edge at weight loss by fulfilling the 3 rules of successful weight loss. Here’s how:

Rule #1 of Weight Loss Success – You have to enjoy it.

I know, I know, what a crazy idea – enjoying the actual process of dieting. When you realize that the very word ‘diet’ conjures up feelings of deprivation, limp celery sticks and cardboard tasting meals, it’s no wonder that 95% of diets fail.

It’s not because they don’t work – it’s because they make us miserable. They’re not enjoyable. And humans do what they enjoy. Eating is a naturally enjoyable activity – it was made to be that way. Otherwise why would nature have provided such a wide variety of delicious foods?

One of the underlying fundamental flaws of most diets is that they don’t allow you to enjoy the food. Add to that the time you actually have to spend preparing the dull, bland boring, same-old-same-old diet meals and it’s a recipe for throwing in the towel.

So how can you enjoy losing weight? By enjoying the food you’re eating. When you choose delicious food you don’t feel deprived. You feel satisfied and you naturally eat less – which means the pounds come off faster.

But can ‘diet’ food really taste good? It can when it’s chef-prepared. Several diet food delivery services offer gourmet chef-prepared meals that are specially formulated to be both low in calories and taste amazing.

How do these dishes sound?

- Turkey with Cranberry Chutney Sauce with Rosemary potatoes and Asparagus Spears

- Tuscan Chicken Fettuccini

- Fiesta Beef Chili Tostada

- Asian Vegetable Stir Fry with Brown Rice

- Sirloin Steak in a Green Peppercorn Sauce Served with Petite Peas & Onions and Flame Roasted Sweet Corn

- Cheese Ravioli with Tomato Four Cheese Sauce

These are just some examples offered by chef-prepared diet food delivery services. They definitely don’t sound like your standard diet food choices.

Rule #2 of Weight Loss Success – It Has To Be Easy

Yes, we all know that losing weight involves a lifestyle change. But we have so much to do these days, most of us don’t have the time to plan meals, shop for special ingredients and spend hours in the kitchen.

And the harder it gets, the more likely you are to abandon your weight loss efforts.

So the easier you can make it, the better. In fact most people need food they can just grab, heat and eat.

That’s why diet meal delivery is so popular. The meals are prepared for you and properly portion controlled – with the right amount of calories and nutrients and vitamins. Then they’re shipped to your house every week.

All you do is grab a meal out of the fridge or freezer, heat for around 5 minutes and eat. How easy is that? And many services will also deliver to your workplace or just deliver 5 days of meals so you can choose to eat special diet meals during the week – and take the weekends off.

Rule #3 of Weight Loss Success – It has to be Affordable

Ok, we’re in tough economic times, there’s no doubt. You probably can’t afford expensive weight loss surgery, weight loss retreat centers or even pricey counselling programs.

But that doesn’t meal you have to give up on your dream of being svelte and slim-sexy. A weight loss program has to be affordable to be doable in today’s world.

Sure you can probably find some ‘free’ diet plans on the Net (but they also won’t fit the criteria in Rule #1 – It has to be Enjoyable and Rule #2 – It has to be Easy). Plus you still have to shop (and pay) for food with these programs.

While diet food delivery services used to be only for stars of the highest rank – it’s now become mainstream – and affordable. In fact some of the more popular services – because they have so many clients – can afford to drop their prices.

You can get diet food delivered starting around $10 a day (which is around $3 per meal). This is actually much less than most people spend on food per day.

Of course the higher up you go price-wise, the more gourmet meals you’re going to get. But even the popular gourmet services only charge around $21-25 a day, which still isn’t bad (you probably spent more than that on your last restaurant meal)

And sometimes you even get more than just the food – several services also offer great support and online tools like weight loss trackers, support forums and dietitian counselling – all included in your price.

So while most people think that diet food delivery is expensive, considering all of this, it’s actually one of the cheapest ways to lose weight.

So there you have the 3 simple rules of weight loss success. If you want to lose weight successfully, make sure that whatever program you choose meets these 3 rules above.

While the choice is up to you, a diet food delivery service meets these criteria – and since few people know about it, it can give you the edge in losing weight.

Vienna Miller writes for Diet Food Delivery Service – a website offering in-depth reviews and ratings of Delivery Diet services. For more information including which services offer free meals and deliver to your area, visit http://www.DietDeliveryReviews.com

One of the problems with oily skin is that it does generate a very shiny appearance and it also looks very unhealthy because it can attract dirt and bacteria at a very rapid rate.

But there is really no need to suffer from oily skin because there are no so many products that are available to treat this condition that there are just no excuses. With the advances of technology and also research most of the products that are available for oily skin really do help to control the amount of oils that are being produced and are able to help restore the skin to its natural state and so helping the skin become much clearer.

There are however a number of reasons why the skin does become oily. Within the layers of the skin are very small glands that secrete a natural oil that is also called sebum. This is needed to help keep the skin soft and supple and so it is essential in preventing the skin from becoming dry. But there are times when there are imbalances with the body or triggers that can cause these glands to become very overactive and this is when more oils are produced than needed.

You should not think that having too much oil on the surface of the skin is a bad thing because it is not. In some aspects it can also be a good thing because these natural oils help to fight off the signs of ageing, and so the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is drastically reduced. And for many people this should be considered to be a blessing, because there is really no other better anti ageing system that what you own body is able to create.

If you are not too sure what could be causing for your glands to be producing more oils than needed, then you just need to look at your lifestyle and you will probably find the answer. For instance if you are a teenager and you are currently going through puberty then this is a trigger for the glands to produce more oils. Whilst you cannot actually do anything about this, you need to be aware of what is happening with your body, and puberty is something that every person does experience.

Other factors other than puberty can also cause the glands to produce more oils. This includes the weather, the summer months can be worse for the production of oily skin. Then there is also the factor if a person is sweating too much. Using poor skin care products can also cause the glands to become overactive especially if they have a tendency to cause the skin to become dry and then there is the diet a person is eating.

Looking after oily skin does not need to cause a great deal of problems or at least it shouldn’t. Just remember the basics of caring for your skin and that you should not do too much as this can cause the glands to produce more oils even more. Eat a well balanced diet and make sure that you are drinking lots of water. You will be better equipped to tackle the issue if you are using organic based plant products for your skin.

Get more information about oily skin. Spend time learning about beauty products and get some information on facial beauty products also.

A very important issue today is beauty, the importance has never been more than it is today. Just as you are possibly worried with keeping your skin beautiful and healthy this surely doesn’t mean that you’re vain, but simply rather that you prefer to acquire the fullest possible care of yourself and your body.

The Internet is a great resource to find many things, and the same goes for natural skin care treatment. When you start looking for a natural skin care treatment you will find a lot of great options online. we will discuss a couple of the very best natural skin care websites that you can check out for your self for your natural skin care treatment.

Skinstore.com

This is one website that anyone interested in all natural organic skin care will want to visit. Not only do they offer up to date and valuable information on the topic of natural skin care treatment, but as well their own line of all natural skin care products.

They in fact have a very wide selection of natural skin care products to choose from, including masks, intensive serums, and night treatments. They have been in the business since 1984 and so they definitely have the knowledge and experience to offer and are a company that you can definitely trust in.

SkinCareRx.com

Another website focused on the topic of natural skin care treatment is SkinCareRX. They know that it is a serious business making sure that their consumers are safe from potentially harmful ingredients that pervade the majority of personal care products and to make sure that they are able to keep up to the task they subject their contents and production processes to the ultimate in independent scrutiny.

Whether you are looking for sun sensitive products, anti aging, best sellers, clearance, acne, or have another skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis, they have the right product for you.

Using the Internet to find information on natural skin care treatment and ideas is really going to be to your advantage, especially since you can browse through literally hundreds of different websites in a matter of minutes which will end up saving you a great deal of time and effort.

Just remember that there are many other resources available to you as well, including pamphlets, magazines, seminars, and so on. It is important that everyone be concerned with the health and look of their skin, and that they remember that there are many terrific, effective products out there that can help them maintain the youthful, radiant glow of their skin.

Knowing the benefits of an natural skin care treatment enlightens people to the plight of our environment and the world as a whole. The impact that commercially and chemically produced beauty products have on our world is tremendous. Waste from the production of the herbal treatment for skin with harmful chemicals as well as the side effects some of these have to the people and environment contribute to an unhealthy world. We need to be aware that we are slowly but surely contributing to the demise of the earth.

Scott Ingram is a contributing Editor for http://www.routineskincare.com Find out which natural skin care treatments, products & solutions will continue to be useful at any age. Our site is dedicated to provide you information on natural skin care treatment and about skin care opitions that you have available to you.

“Oh, the horror! Crows feet, laugh lines, chicken skin… Has my body finally caught up with my age?” No one relishes the thought of one day looking like a shrivelled up old lady. They say it’s all in the mind. That you can control the way you look by the way you think and feel about yourself. Yes, you can continue to think about yourself as the young lass you once were. But, when you look at yourself in the mirror, the truth stares you right back at your face. “How can I continue to feel good about myself when I do not like what I see when I look in the mirror?”

Today’s technological and medical advances have made possible treatments to fight old age. There is nothing wrong with growing old, mind you. There is a whole lot of good that comes with being at that ripe age. It is just the physical aspect of growing old that is cause for much concern. The physical manifestations of old age cannot be stopped. But, they can be delayed or temporarily erased.

Wrinkle treatment is one of the most sought after age-defying products in the market. Wrinkles are just about synonymous to old age. And for anyone who wants to look young again, wrinkle treatment is the first priority in a host of beauty treatments. There are expensive surgical and dermatological procedures that you can avail of for your wrinkle treatment needs. Surgical wrinkle treatments may include botox, face lifts, eye lifts etc.. Although these surgical treatments promise to make you look and feel younger, these are also invasive, may cause a bit of discomfort, and could be very expensive. With these procedures, your face undergoes some “manhandling” using pins, needles and tubes. There are shows on local networks, or even on the internet, that can give you an idea of exactly how these surgeries are done. A lot of would-be patients have actually decided against going through these procedures after seeing how invasive these procedures are.

The safer and less costly wrinkle treatment would be to use an anti-wrinkle cream. You may choose to consult with a dermatologist and ask for a prescription. You may also choose to pick out one of many wrinkle treatment products available over-the-counter at your local drugstore or pharmacy. There is one that is sure to fit your skin type. Most of the newer anti-wrinkle creams would either be formulated for all skin types or would have variants for use on different skin types. Some anti-wrinkle creams also come in regimen packages to address your skin’s needs. A set of anti-wrinkle preparation that can be used in the morning and in the evening is most convenient. All you have to do is to apply the first cream in the morning to provide your skin with the protection it needs from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. And then apply the second cream in the evening after your skin cleansing ritual to rejuvenate your skin cells and to repair whatever damage may have been sustained by your skin during the day.

Medical studies have shown that there is very little we can do to completely erase wrinkles caused by aging. These wrinkle treatments can minimize the appearance of these wrinkles with constant use. Effectively trying to erase the signs of aging should not end with just using wrinkle treatments. It is truly all in the mind. Once you have dealt with the external aspect of growing old, deal with the internal aspect as well and accept the person that you have become.

Melinda Dayton is a skin care specialist and works with retailers to help promote their anti wrinkle cream , wrinkle cream, and wrinkle treatment products.

Considering a home meal delivery service? These services prepare meals for you and then ship them to your home weekly.

All you do is store the meals in your fridge or freezer until you need them. Then when you’re ready – just heat and eat.

There are many different types of meal home delivery. You can get gourmet meal delivery, weight loss meals, low sodium meals, low fat meals, Zone compliant meals, vegetarian meals, diabetic friendly meals and more.

You can choose meals by occasion like a special date, birthday, new baby or holiday meal. You can even send gourmet meals as a unique gift to a friend or business colleague.

Meal delivery is exploding in popularity as people realize that it can save them both time and money. Here are a some of the ways a meal delivery service can help you:

1) Save Time – When you have meals prepared and shipped to you, you save a lot of time. There’s no shopping for groceries, washing ingredients, preparing the meals. Plus there’s minimal cleanup afterwards.

Plus, depending on if you’re using a microwave or conventional oven, it can take from 5 to 30 minutes to heat your food – so it’s ready very fast.

According to some services you can save 10-15 hours per week just on food preparation alone. The time you save can then be spent on more important things like your family, career or hobbies.

2) Save Money – Most people think meal delivery is expensive. But actually it’s not. And in fact, it can save you money.

How? Because these services can buy food in bulk and get huge discounts. They’re experts in knowing exactly what they need to buy and what they don’t. These savings get passed on to you.

There are some diet food delivery services for example that come in around $3 a meal. Other services cost around $15 a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner – which is less than most people spend on food per day. You can even find gourmet food delivery services that run around $25 a day which is still less than you’d spend on a typical restaurant meal.

There’s also another way you save money. You save on groceries – because you’re not stuck throwing out food that has gone bad in your fridge.

3) Get Healthy Food For Your Family – This is a big one. With childhood obesity rates skyrocketing, many families are looking for healthier alternatives to fast food meals.

But what can you do if you work full time? There are meal delivery services that will prepare complete, healthy, nutrient-balanced meals for you.

So you can make sure the kids are getting proper nutrition without the excess calories and preservatives found in prepared or fast foods. Plus when there’s dinner ready and on the table, kids are less likely to snack on junk foods out of hunger.

4) Send a Gift That Stands Out- If you’re looking to avoid the standard box of chocolates or flowers and send a gift that really stands out, you can send a gourmet meal to someone special.

There are delivery services that have special themed chef-prepared meals that you can choose to send to someone else. Themes include Birthday meals, New Baby meals, Thank You meals, Congratulations meals, Meals for Her and Meals for Him.

This is also a much more personal gift to send to someone if you can’t be there on their special occasion like Mother’s Day, the holidays or a birthday.

5) Look Like A Gourmet In Front of Your Friends or Significant Other – Ok, so you’re not the best cook in the world – I can relate. But you want to entertain in style. Or you really want to impress that special someone.

So what do you do? You can actually get gourmet chef-prepared meals delivered to your home before the big day.

You can order anything from a Romantic Italian feast to a Marine Shore Clambake with live Lobsters. And with detailed heating instructions on the package, even the worst cook can look like a gourmet chef.

6) Great For Ill or Recovering Patients – Many people find that meal delivery is a God-send if they are ill or recovering from surgery. It takes very little effort to just heat a meal up in the microwave of oven.

You don’t even have to leave the house – which is a great way to take care of yourself if you’re sick. And ordering from a service that prepares healthy, nutrient balanced meals can even speed your recovery time.

So those are some of the ways a meal delivery service can help you save time and money. The most time you’ll spend with meal delivery is trying to decide which service to choose and finding all of your available options. There are lots of different services out there so take your time deciding which one is right for you.

But overall, if you’re looking for a convenient way to eat healthy, gourmet meals even on a budget, meal home delivery may be the perfect solution.

Vienna Miller writes for Meal Delivery Reviews – offering in-depth reviews and ratings of healthy meal delivery services. For more information including which services deliver to your area, types of plans available and which services offer free meals visit: http://www.DietDeliveryReviews.com/Meal-Delivery.html

If you’re in bed all day with flu-like symptoms, allergies could be the actual root cause. Often, people mistake simple allergy signs for more severe conditions like a cold or the flu.

To learn more about allergies and differentiating between an illness and a possible allergic reaction, keep reading.

All Allergies Aren’t Created Equal

Just because someone is having an allergic reaction doesn’t mean they’ll automatically exhibit a runny nose and itchy eyes. In fact, many allergies are symptomatic as stomach pains, aches, a rash or other flu-like indicators. Allergies are simply a range of reactions to different antigens, and those reactions can vary depending on the individual and the allergy itself.

Some allergic reactions are disguised as a low-grade fever, aches, pains and chills – all signs associated with the flu.

Understanding the Difference

Typically, a flu won’t be either too short or long in duration. If your aches, pains and flu-like symptoms seem to continue for several weeks or over the course of an allergen “season,” it’s a likely indicator that you’re reacting to a particular pollen or airborne particle. When flu symptoms continue indefinitely without relenting, you may have a bigger problem – like mold in your living environment.

If you suspect that mold or asbestos may be causing your chronic flu-like signs, you should consult with your doctor and look into having your home thoroughly inspected.

Be Aware of the Seasons

When it’s mid-February and you live in North Dakota, you’re not likely to be suffering from allergies, unless you’re experiencing a reaction to animals or other allergens. Typically though, pollen allergy season occurs during the warm months.

However, not all allergic reactions are caused by pollen. As mentioned earlier, some may be caused by mold in the living or working environment, some may be a result of airborne particles and pollution and others may even be caused by diet.

Get a Diagnosis

Talk to your doctor, particularly if your flu-like symptoms persist for a lengthy period of time. You may be advised to see an allergist to be tested for various allergies. Your physician might also prescribe various flu or allergy treatments to test how effective they are.

Another professional you may want to speak to is a naturopath – this individual will test you for a variety of food and environment-based allergens. He or she can also help you improve your diet as a way of boosting your immune system and improving your ability to help you fight off viruses like the flu.

Get a Flu Shot

If you’re living with flu-like signs, allergies may be the root cause. But, you should still protect yourself against the flu. For future years, protect your body against the flu by arming it with an up-to-date flu vaccination.

A number of people avoid a flu shot over fears of either ineffectiveness or actually catching the flu from the vaccine. This, unfortunately, does happen in a small percentage of cases. However, all-in-all almost anyone will benefit.

For great information on recognizing disease symptoms – please visit diseasesymptomtips.com – a popular site to assist you in spotting early warning signs of diseases – such as a alcoholism symptoms – teenage depression – and many more!

Brain tumors and their symptoms are afflicting more people every year. Since most brain tumors exhibit indicators like seemingly innocent headaches that are generally caused by less severe disorders, they’re often discounted or brushed aside as insignificant. Consequently, an accurate diagnosis isn’t attained until the tumor grows to a size that may make successful treatment impossible.

If detected early, many brain tumors can be treated and possibly cured. New treatments, such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, gene treatment therapy and radioactive treatments, are being used more often as they develop and become increasingly effective.

Therefore, doctors and patients alike are being recommended to become alert to brain tumor symptoms and follow up with a proper medical examination when these signs occur. Though brain scans are expensive, they’re safe, easy to obtain and may save your life if they detect a tumor early enough that it can be cured. For an overview of symptoms associated with brain tumors and why it’s so important to watch out for them, keep reading.

Symptoms of Brain Tumors

If a brain tumor is still small and fairly young, it can often be treated. However, most symptoms depend on the size of the tumor and where it’s found in the brain. For example, a benign tumor may take years to grow and even longer to cause an identifiable sign.

Among the primary precursors are persistent or relentless headaches, particularly those that happen at night or upon awakening. With children, headaches that occur in conjunction with nausea or vomiting can be a harbinger of trouble.

Additional common symptoms include personality changes; vision or speech problems; behavioral issues; tiredness, numbness or paralysis or trouble walking or balancing; seizures that are similar to epileptic seizures, and sensory problems, like hearing or smelling something that’s not there.

Too often, symptoms such as changes in behavior are ascribed to a mental disorder or to the aging process and are not addressed until it’s too late to cure.

Why You Should Be Aware of Possible Indicators

Brain tumors are on the rise, being the second most common type of cancer in young children and occurring as often as ovarian cancer in adult women. Roughly half of primary brain tumors are diagnosed as benign. This means they grow and spread slowly and can typically be cured or removed. The other half are diagnosed as malignant – they are fast-growing and intrusive. Many of these can be treated, but are not always curable.

Where to Get Additional Facts

If you would like more information on brain tumor symptoms, try contacting the American Brain Tumor Association. Their website can be found online at abta.org. Click through to research more information on brain tumors, diagnosing tumors, developing treatments and where patients can go for support.

In the meantime, if you or a loved one spots any of the identifying signs of a possible tumor, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with a specialist in the field. A timely diagnosis can potentially spell the difference between ongoing health or a life cut short by cancer.

For helpful information on various cancers – please visit cancerinfotips.com – a popular site providing symptom and treatment insights – such as treatments for Leukemia – Chemotherapy effects – and many more!

Stress – we all feel it on a daily basis, in varying degrees. Some days are much worse than others, while other days, you might even go so far as to say you’re relaxed. But in truth, stress is the norm more than we’d like it to be. And while we might never be completely stress free, we certainly don’t need to be stressed out every day. With Feng Shui, you can begin to lighten the load of stress in your life – all by changing the flow of energy in your life. This way, you can be cool and calm, no matter how much pressure you might have in your life.

You Can Stop the Stress Now

What’s great about Feng Shui is that you don’t have to simply change a few things in your environment and then wait for weeks to see the results. You can make simple changes right now and see results right now.

First of all, you want to assess just how stressed you are in your life. Take a moment to look around the space where you’re feeling the most stressed. If it’s your office, look at your desk and around the room. Where are the areas that are cluttered and messy? Make a note of these spaces and use a Feng Shui bagua to see just where these messes correlate to energy centers. For example, if you notice that the back left hand corner of your office (from the door) is messy, you will find out that you are feeling the most stress about money matters in relation to your job. And thus, you might want to focus on changing that area as well as your outlook in that part of your life.

In addition, you don’t just want to diagnose the clutter, you should be getting rid of it. When you simply leave your physical areas in disorder, you are leaving your mental state in disorder as well. Cleaning up the clutter – and keeping it away – is the best way, hands down, to help you maintain a cool demeanor, no matter the situation.

You will also want to remove any bright colors from your space that might be interfering with your stress levels. Bright reds and oranges are great for energy, but when they’re used in excess, they can also make you feel frazzled. Try to stick with neutral colors and blues to help soothe your anxiety levels. You will also want to add some sort of water element to the space that stresses you out as this will help to calm you even more – a fountain, a picture of water, etc.

Fending Off Stress Attacks

Many of us are constantly under stress because of the type of job we hold. So, in order to use Feng Shui in our lives, we need to make permanent changes to allow for positive energy to flow into our lives at every moment of the day.

Start by making sure your doorways are always free of obstacles and clutter. When you have messes in your doorway areas, you are hindering the flow of healthy energy into your space. In addition, make sure your door can move easily.

Take the time to surround yourself with things and images you love. This will help to bring a smile to your face, no matter what is happening in your world. Think about adding pictures of your family and friends as well as decorative elements that make you feel happy. For some, this might mean adding spiritual sculptures, while others might want to add flowers. Decide what makes you feel calm and happy – and then add it to your life.

Plants are also a great way to reduce the flow of stress in your life. Not only do they provide you with cleaner air naturally, but they also help to transmute the negative energy of your life into something that’s more positive. Play soothing music during the day or CDs with nature sounds so as to help to energize your space with calming tones, but also not so soothing that they lull you to sleep.

While you may never be able to stop stress from being in your life, Feng Shui is always there to soften the blow of another deadline or another crisis you need to handle. Take a breath, make changes, and you’ll be a happier person as a result.

Candace Czarny, ASID, CFM, LEED AP, “Award Winning” Interior Designer, Feng Shui Expert & Author of 20 Minute Feng Shui is continually ranked “Top 10″ in Google and Yahoo. Clients testify of dramatic results!

Isn’t it strange? When we were children, we wanted to grow older as fast as possible because we wanted to have and enjoy all the good things that only grownups were allowed to! When we reached the adult age, we missed our childhood because of all the responsibilities that came with growing up. And when we grow old, we miss both!

So, how do you ensure that you age gracefully with fewer burdens to yourself or others? Allow me to list a few things that will help you in this endeavor:

1. First of all, remember that aging is all in the mind. If you think you’ve grown old, you most certainly have. But if you remain young at heart, you’ll age more slowly and gracefully.

2. Try to maintain a routine in your life. This includes waking up early in the morning, going to bed early, taking a short nap in the afternoon, eating the right food at the right time, etc.

3. Exercise at least 3 times a week. If you can’t do pushups, do some light aerobic exercise. Take a walk for at least 45 minutes a day, preferably in the morning.

4. Maintain a reading habit and endeavor to learn something new every day. Never let the brain idle; an idle brain is the devils workshop. And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s. Your knowledge will also help your children and grandchildren in learning the ways of life.

5. Avoid or drastically reduce tobacco intake at all costs.

6. Avoid or reduce your alcohol intake. If you must, take a glass of red wine. A light beer is OK once a while.

7. Avoid or reduce junk food and products with high fat content / cholesterol. Avoid fried food at all costs. Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially starch. De-toxify your body at least once a month.

8. Avoid stress at all costs. Stress is a major aging accelerator. Remember, getting tensed about a problem is not going to make it go.

9. Laughter is the best medicine and it is 100% true. Crack jokes and have a nice laugh every single day! Quite a few clubs now include laughter sessions.

10. Regularize your water intake. Insufficient water intake causes dehydration which makes you feel tired and distressed. It can also result in headaches, constipation, chronic fatigue, dizziness, impotence, hair loss and more. Drink half a glass or one glass of water every hour.

11. Do not nag your children or grandchildren to the point that they would rather avoid you, or worst still, prefer you dead. Remember, everyone prefers to live their life in their own chosen independent way. You may advice them at times but don’t go overboard. If they stop caring for you, you have no one to blame but yourself.

12. Make people want to be with you! When you have to kill time, you may want to visit friends and relatives regularly. Always remember to make it worthwhile for them to meet you. When you’re planning to have dinner with them, don’t go empty handed. Take some fruit or gift with you – don’t make someone feel you like a burden. Be the first to propose to leave; don’t wait to see a bored expression on their face. Make them look forward to see you again, not despise your company.

13. Yoga and meditation is also good for anti aging – you should seriously consider it.

14. Finally, remember that your physical health, mental health and spiritual health all go hand in hand. Each of them either boosts the others or affects it negatively, depending on what you do.

I hope you found this article useful. Unfortunately, aging is a huge subject and I cannot give it justice with just one article. If you’re really serious in learning more about it, I urge you to visit http://www.bharatbhasha.com/aging.php where we cover this subject in much more detail. It is a free content site, so do drop in!

Nirjara Rustom moderates the anti aging tips section of http://www.bharatbhasha.com at http://www.bharatbhasha.com/aging.php. The content here is free to read, so do check it out.

When I get home and have short time to prepare lunch, the quickest dish is always pasta. You can easily have a complete meal in 10 minutes (plus the time to boil the water).

Pasta is a genuine food, that mostly of the times contain only water and wheat flour, being safe for people of all ages. The difference is how we dress it. But following the rules of Mediterranean Diet, that combines vegetables with carbohydrates, if the right quantity of fat (good fat) is used, it can really be considered a high quality meal for all ages.

The number of calories of a pasta dish (not considering the dressing) is around 300 kcal. Plus the dressing it makes a complete meal for about 600kcal, that matches perfectly with a balanced and healthy diet.

There are many industrialized dressings that may contain chemicals, but as seen along the following recipes, it is really easy and simple to cook a good and genuine meal with easy-to-find fresh ingredients.

Tasty Pasta with Tuna

This recipe is my children’s favorite one. It’s a complete meal as you have pasta (carbohydrates), extra virgin olive oil (good fat), grated parmesan and tuna (proteins).

You’ll need for 4 people:

400gr of pasta (500gr if you want a unique and complete dish)

3 cans of tuna with olive oil (I use the 160gr can)

5 anchovies fillets

4 pieces of garlic (chopped)

3 spoons of extra virgin olive oil

4 or 5 spoons of grated parmesan

1 lemon juice

How to do it:

Put the pasta into the boiling salted water and set your timer for the cooking time (part of the goodness of a pasta dish is its correct cook – a too much cooked pasta loses taste).

Then put the extra virgin olive oil inside a frying pan and add the chopped garlic, the minced anchovies fillets and soon after the tuna. Mix it all, add a small piece of peperoncino (optional) and right before turning the gas off, add the lemon juice.

When the pasta is done, drain it with a colander and put it back inside the pan. Add the tuna mix and the grated parmesan. Mix it all well and…it’s ready.

Tagliatelle Alfredo

I got this recipe from a waiter of Alfredo’s restaurant at Epcot Center, many years ago.

You’ll need (for 4 people):

400gr of tagliatelle(fresh fettuccine would be great)

250gr cream

120gr of a good quality grated parmesan

1 spoon of butter

How to do it:

After putting the pasta inside the boiling salted water (tip: add a thread of oil to the water. It avoids fresh pasta to attach one with another), take a pan and put the butter, the cream and the grated parmesan together. Take it to low gas and mix it until it gets hot, but not boiling.

When the pasta is done, drain it with a colander and add the warm cream and mix it all. It’s done.

Pasta with bottarga and cherry tomatoes

Here you need to have grated bottarga, but it worths the expense.

You’ll need (for 4 people):

400 gr of spaghetti

4 spoons of extra virgin olive oil

4 or 5 pieces of garlic, chopped

Minced parsley

500gr of cherry tomatoes

Grated bottarga

How to do it:

After putting the spaghetti into the boiling salted water, put the extra virgin olive oil inside a pan, add the chopped garlic and parsley and let it color a little. Then add the cherry tomatoes cut in halfs, mix it with the rest for a while and then turn off the gas.

When the pasta is done, add this mix adding the grated bottarga. Perfect with a glass of good white wine.

Enjoy!

Ana Maria da Costa. Economist, living in Italy since 1983 and proceeding the studies in Food and Wine culture. Her website All About Italian Food gives useful information about Italian food