Usually I write about the benefits of water when the weather becomes warmer.
Water exists in a never-ending cycle from earth to the sky and beyond — without the energy of water no life can exist. Every day the water that you drink is purified by the liver and sent to other organs around the body. Water makes up 70 percent of our bodies and 90 percent of our brains and yet many people seem to think they can function without drinking pure, natural water. But when we go without we often feel tired and stressed and have headaches. People who have high blood pressure are often advised to drink more in order to alleviate their symptoms.
Water is our life force and if we lose 50 percent of the water in our bodies we can no longer maintain life. Water transports energy through our bodies and cleanses our bodies to keep them uncongested and clean. Drinking water also helps our bodies to function better and gives our skin a healthy glow. Try to drink not less than six glasses of water every day.
Exercise Hint
Housework Aerobics
If you work at it hard enough, even house cleaning can give you an aerobic workout! You can actually lose up to half a kilo a week by becoming a fast cleaner. Put a little speed into your vacuuming and go until you are feeling your muscles start to stretch. Next, head outside with your broom. The more you sweep, the more you will feel it in your muscles. You can make exercise part of your daily routine and make it productive at the same time. Besides a healthier metabolism, you’ll have a clean house, outside and in.
Recipe of the Week
Bombay Curried Chicken
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 tbs. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, sliced
6 small potatoes cut into wedges
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs. freshly grated ginger
1 tbs. curry powder
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
4 cups crushed canned tomatoes
600 g skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
juice of 2 lemons
parsley for garnish
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to wilt. Turn the heat to high; add the garlic, carrots and potatoes or turnips. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown. Stir in the ginger and curry powder. Add the butternut squash, canned tomatoes and chicken pieces and stir to combine. Adjust the heat so that the mixture simmers slowly and place a lid, slightly ajar, over the skillet. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked. Add the lemon juice and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. (This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.) Serve in warm bowls garnished with parsley.
Slimming Lifestyle:
Baked or Fried?
The method for preparing food can greatly change its nutritional value. For example, potatoes are naturally very low in fat. When baked, the average potato has only 120 calories and has less than one-half gram of fat. However, an equal amount of French fries contains almost double the amount of calories and more than 10 grams of fat! So, pay attention to the way food is prepared when selecting meals. My Healthy Eating Guide will help you to develop healthy eating habits — just e-mail [email protected] or a free copy.
Ask Alva
I am trying to lose weight and have discovered that I really love to eat fruit. But do I still need to count this in my calorie total? Peter S.
You shouldn’t worry too much because fresh fruit has few calories and next to no fat as compared to crisps or chocolate. However, don’t eat fruit to excess. Eating fruit and vegetables is a great way to keep healthy and it does mean that you can eat more fruit as snacks instead of the fatty, sugary alternatives, which is something that I always recommend. Alva
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
Selected letters will be replied to in this column.