The 5 Worst Food Combinations

We decided to add this article in response to our previous blog, 10 Most Powerful Food Combinations.

So we know about the 10 most powerful foods, but every coin has a flip side. You should also know about the retroactive combinations that can cause health problems. Here are five common combos to avoid.

1. Coffee & Eggs
This deadly combination is found at every diner in America, and yet the potent polyphenols found in coffee actually reduce iron absorption from the eggs and decrease calcium in your bones. Tip: If you can’t get through the morning without a caffeine fix, try switching to chai tea, which contains caffeine but has spices that can improve circulation and mental clarity.

2. Milk & Anything
Since milk is a complete food, it requires digestion in its most concentrated form—by itself. Trick: If you’re craving a glass of milk, drink it with a spoonful of honey since the two can take on antimicrobial properties when consumed together.

3. Meat & Potatoes
Although this classic union makes for a hearty meal, starches are digested in the small intestine while proteins are digested in the stomach, so eating these together can result in digestive problems and a slowed metabolism. Technique: Instead of potatoes, try Creamy Mashed Cauliflower as a healthy alternative.

4. Fruit & Anything
Fruits are great sources of vitamins and antioxidants, but they also contain acids that cause them to ferment in the stomach and slow the digestion of other foods. Tip: Beans aren’t the only “magical” fruit—eat fruits by themselves on an empty stomach to avoid digestion problems and potential gas.

5. Non-Starchy Greens & Dairy
Creamed spinach makes for a filling side. Unfortunately, studies show that the chemicals in non-starchy veggies (spinach, kale, broccoli, etc.) can block the absorption of calcium from the dairy. Instead, try pairing them with lean proteins like fish or chicken. Technique: For a dairy-free fix that combines spinach and seafood, try Chef Dean Fearing’s Barbecued Blue Point Oysters.

Get more information about this topic plus additional tips, tricks, and techniques at Behind the Burner.

Plus: Check out Hungry Beast, for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.

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10 Powerful Food Combos

By: The Daily Beast

Research shows certain foods suddenly become healthier when eaten in combination. From spinach and beets to red wine and apples, here are 10 pairings that boost each other’s benefits.
Why does orange juice taste so good with oatmeal? And what is it about olive oil that enhances the flavor of tomatoes? The answers to these questions, it turns out, are buried deep within our instincts. New evidence suggests that certain foods that taste great together also interact with one another in nutritionally positive ways. In other words, two particular foods consumed in combination can actually deliver more benefits than either one would on its own. Epidemiologist David R. Jacobs refers to this phenomenon as “food synergy.” He believes that it might explain why we are inherently crave certain foods together, as well as how they join forces to protect and nourish our bodies. Here are 10 food combos that maximize absorption of the good elements while keeping the bad ones out of your system.

Spinach & Beets

Popeye has been selling us on the power of spinach for 80 years, but he should skip the canned variety and, if he really wants to do himself some good, throw in some beets. According to dietitian Joanne Larsen, dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach and kale are best eaten in combination with another veggie high in Vitamin C like beets, because “iron absorption in your intestines is improved by Vitamin C.” Tomatoes and bell peppers are also great sources of the immuno-boosting vitamin, for those who don’t like having pink-stained hands. Try serving Roasted Beet Salad over a bed of baby spinach.

Tomatoes & Olive Oil

Greeks consume more of these two ingredients per capita than anyone else, and they have higher life expectancies than Americans. Tomatoes are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene, which has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. But lycopene is also fat-soluble, which means combining it with a healthy, monounsaturated fat like olive oil helps boost absorption even more. Technique: Sautéed tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper make a great fresh pasta sauce; but you can also whip up a quick Caprese salad by adding some mozzarella and basil to sliced tomatoes drizzled with olive oil.

Beef & Carrots

When you’re in the mood for a hearty meal, try this mix that will boost your immune function. The Vitamin A in the carrots is best absorbed when bound to a protein. Plus, the beef delivers an extra dose of zinc, which protects against weakening of the immune system.Chef Gavin Kaysen’s Braised Short Ribscombine both to make a savory supper.

Green Tea & Lemon

Green tea is a true liquid miracle worker—it’s packed with antioxidants, revs up metabolism, and keeps you hydrated. When drunk with lemon, its benefits become turbocharged—your body absorbs 13 times as many more antioxidants than when consumed on its own.

Green Tea & Lemon

Green tea is a true liquid miracle worker—it’s packed with antioxidants, revs up metabolism, and keeps you hydrated. When drunk with lemon, its benefits become turbocharged—your body absorbs 13 times as many more antioxidants than when consumed on its own.

Garlic & Fish

These two flavors were made for each other, and when combined, the cholesterol-reducing fish oils and heart-healthy garlic can act as an anti-inflammatory agent. Although the possibilities are endless, it’s hard to beat Chef Leah Cohen’s Pan-Seared Trout with Market Vegetables.

Red Meats & Rosemary

While red meats shouldn’t generally be seen as health foods, we’re all going to order the steak once in a while. But you can mitigate the damage in a way that only adds to the taste. The antioxidants rosmarinic acid andcarnosic acid, both found in rosemary, can soak up and neutralize the meat’s free radicals, which are one of the key causes of signs of aging. Try the Italian favorite Ragu d’Ugnello for a meal that lets you indulge your carnivorous impulses without causing wrinkles.


Orange Juice & Oatmeal

This is the real breakfast of champions. The combination of these morning basics has actually been shown to prevent heart attacks and clean arteries twice as effectively as ingesting either one on its own. The organic compounds known as phenols (found in both) stabilize cholesterol levels when consumed together. Tip: Instant oatmeal is often processed with added sugars, salt, and colorings, so go for old-fashioned rolled oats. Homemade Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energizers will get you out of bed.

Apples & Red Wine

With all the recent studies proclaiming the health benefits of red wine, you might be tempted to swap your apple a day for a glass of Pinot—now you have an excuse to enjoy both. Apples contain an anti-inflammatory flavonoid called quercetin, while red wine contains the flavonoid catechin. Together, they work to prevent blood clots and improve cardiovascular functioning. Try 5-Star Sangria for a healthy bit of boozing.


Blueberries & Grapes

Both of these antioxidant-packed fruits are great for on-the-go snacking or for adding to yogurt. But it’s also been proven that fruits mixed together actually have a greater antioxidant response than one fruit eaten on its own. Trick: Buy blueberries and grapes when they’re in season, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then store them in bags for year-round use. Break out the blender and try them in this Blueberry Grape Smoothie.

Nuts & Seeds & Dried Fruit

Trail mix, anyone? Nutritionist Lauren Talbot says that nuts and seeds are high in protein and contain little water (as do dried fruits), and that eating these dense foods together makes for easier digestion. Toss together someCrunchy Trail Mix for a nutritious snack.

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5 Worst Food Combinations

Human Foods that Poison Pets

Feeding pets food that we enjoy is not only wrong, it can also be fatal. There are some foodstuffs that humans relish which cause illness and death if eaten by pets.

Chocolate, macadamia nuts and onions are good examples. Each of these foods contains chemicals which rarely cause problems for humans, but for dogs, these same chemicals can be deadly.

Chocolate Toxicity

Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.

When affected by an overdose of chocolate, a dog can become excited and hyperactive. Due to the diuretic effect, it may pass large volumes of urine and it will be unusually thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also common. The effect of theobromine on the heart is the most dangerous effect. Theobromine will either increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. Death is quite possible, especially with exercise.

After their pet has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours.

Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 10-kilogram dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog unwell.

Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous forms, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.

Onion & Garlic Poisoning

Onions and garlic are other dangerous food ingredients that cause sickness in dogs, cats and also livestock. Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger.

Pets affected by onion toxicity will develop haemolytic anaemia, where the pet’s red blood cells burst while circulating in its body.

At first, pets affected by onion poisoning show gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea. They will show no interest in food and will be dull and weak. The red pigment from the burst blood cells appears in an affected animal’s urine and it becomes breathless. The breathlessness occurs because the red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body are reduced in number.

The poisoning occurs a few days after the pet has eaten the onion. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness.

Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion. A single meal of 600 to 800 grams of raw onion can be dangerous whereas a ten-kilogram dog, fed 150 grams of onion for several days, is also likely to develop anemia. The condition improves once the dog is prevented from eating any further onion

While garlic also contains the toxic ingredient thiosulphate, it seems that garlic is less toxic and large amounts would need to be eaten to cause illness.

The Danger Of Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are another concern. A recent paper written by Dr. Ross McKenzie, a Veterinary Pathologist with the Department of Primary Industries, points to the danger of raw and roasted macadamia nuts for pets.

The toxic compound is unknown but the affect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.

Dogs have been affected by eating as few as six macadamia kernels (nuts without the shell) while others had eaten approximately forty kernels. Some dogs had also been given macadamia butter.

Luckily, the muscle weakness, while painful, seems to be of short duration and all dogs recovered from the toxicity. All dogs were taken to their veterinary surgeon.

Pets owners should not assume that human food is always safe for pets. When it comes to chocolate, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts, such foods should be given in only small quantities, or not at all. Be sure that your pets can’t get into your stash of chocolates, that food scraps are disposed of carefully to prevent onion and garlic toxicity and that your dog is prevented from picking up macadamia nuts if you have a tree in your garden.

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How To Become A Vegetarian

Vegetarianism is a diet in which no meat is consumed. The diet consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and legumes. Some people consider themselves vegetarian if they include fish in their otherwise vegetarian diet. These people are called "pesco vegetarians." Most vegetarians are considered "lacto ovo" vegetarians, which means they consume dairy and eggs. A strict vegetarian, called a "vegan" does not consume dairy, eggs, or honey.

When making the transition from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian diet, it's best to start slowly, to allow your body, brain, and taste buds to slowly adjust to your new diet. If you go from eating steak and sausage for years to suddenly trying to eat nothing but salads and beans within a day's time, your body and taste buds will most likely rebel, resulting in a failed attempt at vegetarianism. Instead of diving in head-first, try these five simple tips to make your transition from meat eater to vegetarian easier.

Increase Your Vegetable Consumption

Before you cut meat out of your diet, begin getting used to the staples of a vegetarian diet. If you seldom eat fresh vegetables, start by adding in one or two servings per day for a few days. Within a couple of weeks, you should be consuming at least six servings of vegetables per day.

Arm Yourself with Vegetarian Recipes

Before you give up meat, you need to find vegetarian recipes that appeal to you. You don't want to stop eating meat, then find yourself hungry every night because you don't know what to eat. Invest in a good vegetarian cook book, or find healthy recipes online (Soon we will have more vegetarian recipes so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter!).

Taper Down Your Meat Consumption

Instead of quitting meat cold turkey, give yourself and your body some time to get used to functioning with less meat. Do this progressively over the course of a few weeks. Do this in a way that will cause you the least amount of stress. Some people find it easier to cut out red meat, opting to eat only chicken or fish for a few weeks, then tapering down their consumption of these meats. Others prefer to taper down all meat at once. For example, instead of having some form of flesh with each meal, you could cut back to having meat only twice a day for a week, then cutting that down to only once per day, eventually dwindling down to once or twice a week, and eventually absolutely no meat.

Have Protein Sources Ready and Waiting

When you switch from a meat based diet to a vegetarian diet, your body will crave protein for the first several weeks. This is because it is used to the high-protein content of meat. Be ready to combat these cravings with healthy nuts and legumes. Carry a packet of raw almonds in your purse or brief case so that you won't succumb to the call of a burger when your body starts screaming for protein in the first few weeks of your vegetarian diet.

Timing is Everything

The transition from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian diet is a major life change. Make sure to make the change during a time when you are not experiencing too much stress. This stress coupled with the major diet change may cause you to abandon your new vegetarian diet (which may make you feel as though you failed, which causes more stress). For best results, don't embark on a vegetarian diet when you're planning a move, planning a wedding, or around the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. A perfect time to start a vegetarian diet might be New Years, when most people feel a sense of renewal and promise.

Relax

Because the switch to a vegetarian diet is such a major life change, you need to find ways to relax while your body and mind make this new transition. Find relaxing distractions, like walking, yoga, or gardening. A relaxed body and mind will be more open to the changes that a vegetarian diet requires.

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This is an article we found interesting, we did not write this nor do we want to take credit for the contents within. The link to this article was not working at the time of re-posting so we were not able to include a link.

The Green Life Pages

No More Muscle Cramps With Pickle Juice

Currently professional, college and high school football teams and college and high school cross country track teams are beginning their hot summer practices. They will also begin their need to drink pickle juice as a way to help stave off muscle cramps. Runners and bikers, especially those in the very warm southern climates also know full well the benefits that pickle juice provides. Pickle juice can definitely help to prevent muscle cramping.

Pickle juice contains salt, calcium chloride and vinegar. The basic ingredients are similar to what you would find in isotonic drinks. Where pickle juice has acetic acid, isotonic drinks contain citric acid, like the sports drink featuring the name gator and power in it.

Great Moments in Pickle History:

The history of pickles stretches so far back into antiquity that no definite time has been established for their origin, but they are estimated to be over 4,000 years old.

-Cucumbers are mentioned at least twice in the Bible (Numbers 11:5 and Isaiah 1:8) and history records their usage over 3,000 years ago in Western Asia, ancient Egypt and Greece.
-Cucumbers were brought to the New World by Christopher Columbus, who is known to have grown them on the island of Haiti.
-George Washington was a pickle enthusiast. So were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Dolly Madison.

OK - Let's Get to it.

Sometimes you may sneak a sip of juice from the pickle jar. That's OK. That seemingly worthless liquid, which often gets tossed into the trash when the pickles are gone, could be the key to athletic endurance and avoiding debilitating leg cramps?

PURPOSE WITH SOME BACKING

The use of pickle juice as a defense against muscle cramps first attracted headlines when the Philadelphia Eagles credited pickle juice with their cramp-free win over the Dallas Cowboys in the over-one-hundred-degrees Texas heat. Rick Burkholder, the Eagles' head trainer, called it his "secret weapon." Pickle companies (such as Mt. Olive Pickle, Vlasic Foods and Golden Pickle) claim that pickle juice is similar to an isotonic beverage and can prevent muscle cramps caused from strenuous exercise.

Golden Pickle has even created a sports drink, appropriately named "Pickle Juice Sport." Golden Pickle claims that Pickle Juice Sport has "approximately 30 times more electrolytes than Powerade and 15 times more than Gatorade." It is even endorsed by Dallas Cowboy Jason Witten.

This past weekend I participated in a bicycle race in Wichita Falls, TX, called the "Hotter N Hell". My distance was 100 miles in hills and I believe that drinking the above mentioned pickle juice helped me to stay in the ride and then finish with a flair(for me). With temperatures reaching upper 90's and humidity around 80% there was a whole lot of sweatin' going on. Lots of bikers had to be picked up by the SAG wagon and carted back to the finish line, unable to complete the ride. I started cramping in my upper quads at about mile 68. I stopped at the 70 mile support area and consumed 24 ounces of straight pickle juice. After about 30 minutes I felt completely refreshed and took off again. I stopped again at two out of three remaining support areas and filled up my drink bottle with pickle juice. I experienced no more cramps and closed the last 5 miles with a 20 mph average. 24 oz of straight pickle juice is way above what a 2 oz. serving suggests, but I did also drink some of my own energy drink as well. However, I do know the effect I received after drinking the 24 oz was real. No more cramps was also real as well.

RATIONALE

So how does this work? Muscle cramps are caused by dehydration from exercising in hot weather and not drinking enough fluids. How could pickle juice help? When you sweat during exercise, you lose a lot of salt and minerals. These minerals and salt are also known as electrolytes. This loss of electrolytes can cause muscle cramping, especially in hot, humid weather. Cells in the body use electrolytes in the cell fluid to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses to other cells. In the case of my bike ride, I had to be able to use my muscles in both a pulling and contracting motion, or muscle contractions. Pickle juice has a very high salt, or electrolyte content. Therefore, drinking pickle juice before and during exercise could possibly provide your body with enough salt, that your muscles will not cramp.

Confused? Don't be. Anything liquid containing any or all of the four commonly considered electrolytes, sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium will work to help to prevent muscle cramping. Obviously, the more the better. Give it a try on a daily basis and see for yourself. Don't worry about how people look at you when you tip that empty pickleless laden jar of liquid up to your lips.

Re-posted From Matt Ney's Article.

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Secrets To Living To Be 100

Eat Less, Live Longer

Research shows that a modest diet and occasional fasting will lead to a healthier body and mind.

One good rule of thumb is to use the "three-quarters rule" which basically means you stop eating when you are three quarters full.

One of the reasons we benefit from eating less and fasting is because our bodies spend less time digesting and more time perfecting and ridding itself of harmful toxins which, inevitably, helps us to live longer.

Snacking Instead Of Full Meals

The act of eating three bigger meals a day is a cultural habit rather than a biological need. The body needs a steady stream of nutrients throughout the day thus making it more beneficial to "snack" throughout the day.

This habit is less taxing on the digestive system and helps to speed up the metabolic systems. Also, by dividing the caloric intake you greatly reduce the risk of heart disease.

Free Yourself From Addictions--- Holistically

Smoking, drinking, and other drug abuse cause incalculable harm to the body and kills thousands everyday all the while costing more than any other substance we as humans can consume. So you lose your health and your money all for a quick high.

We are not judging though because addictions are an individual affair and affect each person differently.

The sooner your quit the sooner your body can repair itself.

Chinese researchers have found kudzu flower reduces craving and withdrawal from alcohol and other substances. That being said we recommend seeking a physician or specialist's opinion on how to take a more holistic approach to quitting.

The minute you stop your body begins to repair itself so be sure to stick with it. We recommend doing a couple of 24 hour fasts and consuming more water than usual, this will help eliminate the harmful toxins your body has built up over the time you were consuming.


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10 Ways To Green(ify) Your Holiday

Throw Out Disposable

So many families have huge dinners with tons of friends and family throughout the holiday season and sadly the majority opt for disposable dishes for the ease and comfort it has to offer. Sadly, this reality is harming our planet in so many ways and our landfill's intake increases by almost 30% just in the months of November and December.

Go green and use washable dishes, glasses, and silverware!

Gift Giving Has Gone Vintage

This year more and more people are opting to not buy brand new gifts and get on a more creative, and green, route and buy their holiday gifts from antique stores or consignment shops.

Not a terrible way to save money (any more) because some of these shops have some amazing stuff to offer!

Cheers!

Planning to bust out the champagne for a huge group of friends this year? Why not rent champagne flutes from a local party supply company rather than going out and buying the plastic flutes that rarely get recycled? It is greener and cheaper!

ReWrap

Not a lot to say here because not much needs to be said! Be creative and wrap your gifts in old bags, newspaper, or even recycled (and recyclable) wrapping paper!

Gift In Experience Not Clutter

We are Americans and even though our current economic status has changed most of our mindsets we are still a "materialistic" society. So this season gift in experiences rather than buying your friends and family something that is likely to make its way to the storage unit in a couple of years. Gift certificates to restaurants, salons, and spas or even concerts are great examples!

We live In An Age Of Technology

Sending a cute little card decked out in glitter is sweet, but sending an electronic greeting this holiday is so much cheaper and a wonderful alternative to our current method. Think of the trees and resources used to get that expensive little card to its destination.

Have A Recycled Christmas

Most holiday decorations are made with plastic, paper, metal, or glass which inevitably takes a toll on our environment because these things are all unnecessary. Instead make your own or buy decorations that are made with sustainable materials. You will be surprised at what is out there to meet the green demands!

Take A Page From Martha's Book

For the office party this year and for your child's gift giving needs go a step above the rest and get crafty. Your saving the environment, money, and teaching yourself and your child the true meaning of gift giving.


Opt For A Live Tree

Live trees are renewable resources and fake trees are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in China so if your trying to solve this age-old "real vs. fake" debate we hope you will choose the renewable option, which, in our opinion, is best.

Just be sure your tree is as local as possible (anything beats shipping from China) and recycle it into mulch when finished!

Be Smart With Your Lights

Buy LED lights instead of the, widely popular, incandescent varieties on the market. These lights use about 10% of the energy consumed by incandescent lights and last 50 times longer!


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