Marinades not only make grilled foods taste better, they may also make them safer. That’s the word from a number of studies that have been looking into the risk of grilling meats on the BBQ.

The latest study suggests that adding beneficial antioxidants such as rosemary extracts or Thai spices to the meat can significantly reduce the risk of ingesting heterocyclic amines (HCAs).

Last year, scientists at the University of Porto in Portugal examined the effects of beer and red wine marinades on grilled steak and discovered that simply marinating in beer or red wine for six hours reduced the levels of two types of HA by up to 90 per cent compared with unmarinated steak.

Mix all or some of these ingredients together and you’ll end up with healthy and hopefully tasty marinade recipe.

Other key ingredients for healthy, HAA reducing marinades include vinegar, citrus juices, herbs, spices and olive oil.

As for some recipes and marinade ideas, check out Marinade.com for the most comprehensive list around.

And remember, never marinate meat at room temperature. Mix, add, and then refrigerate until needed.

Happy Healthy and Safe Grilling!

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Summer time is BBQ time for most of us. But in the past few years, there has been a lot of concern about the health issues relating to barbequing meats.

In particular,  health concerns revolve around the potential exposure carcinogenic compounds such as Hetrocyclic amines (HCAs) that increase as meat is charred on the grill and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAAs) that are created when fat and meat juices drip onto the coals and stones.

Back in 2005,  HCAs, which has been shown to cause tumors in animals and possibly increase the risk of breast, colon, stomach, pancreatic, and prostate cancer in humans, was added to The National Institute of Health’s hit list of cancer causing agents.

But that doesn’t mean you should stop BBQing.

It just means you need to grill safer.

Here’s how:

1. Marinade, marinade, marinade. Apparently marinading will not only make meats taste so much better. It also significantly reduces the amount of HCAs. But make it thin not thick as thicker marinades can increase the potential for charring.

2. Grill more vegetables than meats. Get creative. Put vegetables on skewers, make some veggie or tofu burgers. And don’t forget the quesadillas and tortillas.

3. Ensure proper cleaning of the grill before and after each use. Make sure that any burnt bits are scraped off the grill. Any residue left on the grill most likely will contain high levels of HCAs.

4. Frequently flip the burgers and cook at a lower temperature. Frequent turning not only accelerates the cooking process but also helps reduces the level of HCAs and can also help kill any bacteria.

5. If you’re cooking with coal, make sure you don’t place any meat directly over the coals. Best to cover the grill with aluminum foil. But don’t forget to pokes some holes in it first. Covering the grill also reduces harmful smoke that can result from meat juices spilling on the coal.

6. Reduce the grill time by pre-cooking or microwaving the meat before putting on the grill.

7. Never ever eat blackened or burnt meat.

Stop by tomorrow to discover some interesting and healthy marinades to try.

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Hey, we all know that being in a recession is the pits.

Fears of job and house losses, not to mention dwindling 401Ks (retirement funds) can make things like pretty gloomy.

But, believe it or not, the recession could actually be good for your health - well, at least your physical health.

Here‘s why - by suddenly looking at your life and starting to examine the way you live, how you spend, and what you do with your time, the recession could actually help you recreate a more healthy and even happier you.

Here’s how…
1. Pull out the saucepans and start cooking

Eating out is convenient but it’s not good on the wallet and it’s not good on the diet. So now’s the perfect time to get back into the kitchen and start cooking up good, healthy, and great tasting meals to be shared with the family.  This way, you know exactly what’s in the food and can regulate the amount of food you eat. A full plate at a restaurant is hard to resist. At home, serving up smaller portions will do wonders for the waistline.

For some it will sound more like a chore than having fun, but you might surprise yourself and discover your inner Julia Childs or Jamie Oliver. Make pouring over cookbooks and old recipe books a family affair and you might just find it becomes a family affair.

2. Grow Your Own Vegetables

Looking at all those recipes is going to give you at taste for fresh herbs and vegetables so why not get out and grow your own.

You don’t need a large patch of land. Container gardening is just as effective and will provide you with all the fresh vegetables and herbs needed to create tasty and nutritious meals.

3.  Walk more and drive less. 

Are you cringing every time you fill up the car with gas ? Then maybe it’s time to hit the pavements and use foot power or even pedal power to get around.  You know the old saying ‘running your errands’ - well, here’s a great chance to do just that, especially if you live in a pedestrian-friendly city. Walking, or even running, is not only good for your physical health, it’s actually good for you mental health as well.  And of course, there’s the added fact of the Vitamin D factor - ie sunshine - that is necessary for good bone health.

4. Re-discover the lunch box

Stop buying lunch at work and start brown bagging it. It will be cheaper and more nutritious if you plan and pack your lunch every day. 

5. Lose some bad habits

Been thinking about giving up smoking or cutting down on the drinks. Well, now might be the perfect time to give it a go. Sit down and work out how much these habits are costing you and think of what you could do with the money instead.

6. Stop and Smell the Roses

Less money means fewer nights on the town and more time at home. So aim to foster healthier family relationships with family dinners, movies at home, and game time - monopoly anyone?

7. Drink more…Tap Water

Cutting out sodas and bottled water will save you a heap of money and will do wonders for your weight, your skin, and energy levels.

8. Less Carnivore, More Vegetarian

Reducing red meat and eating more vegetables and fruit not only improves energy levels but also helps the pocketbook.

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With May being National Correct Posture Month, it seems only right to think about ways to improve the posture.

Sitting at the computer for hours on end has, I’m sure, increased my habit of slumping so a few reminders and tips on how to straighten up won’t go amiss.

Here’s what Dr Greg Thielman, Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Philadelphia, suggests in the way of tips and exercises…

Evaluate your workstation: A workstation is anywhere that an individual spends a notable amount of time daily and for many of us, our primary workstation is standing or sitting at a desk. “If you’re sitting, don’t drop a ton of money on an ergonomic chair. Instead, position the chair to provide lumbar, shoulder, and if needed, head support.”

 Perform daily exercises: Dr. Thielman recommends regularly exercising the large muscles on the front and back of the thigh, the abdominal muscles, and performing three exercises daily:

1. Pelvic Tilt: “While sitting, push your pelvis back into the chair, hold it for three seconds and then relax. This tightens and strengthens your abdominal muscles,” explains Dr. Thielman.
2. Chin Tucks: “Also while sitting, put your pointer finger on your chin and push straight back. Be sure your head isn’t tilted up or down and this exercise will realign your spine and combat forward head position.”
3. Lean Back: “Lastly, most of what we perform at our workstations forces us anterior, so we’re constantly bending forward. To straighten the spine, stand-up, put your hands on your lower back, and lean back. This exercise combats the effects of being in a forward position.”

Invest in supportive shoes: Stiletto heels may look good, but Dr. Thielman warns they don’t do women any favors in the posture department. “There is no such thing as a good high heel shoe.” Shoes that cover the top of the foot are ideal. “Each brand fits differently, but the key is to find one that works for you and that gives the much-needed overall support.”

Pretty solid advice. But as a gadget geek, I thought I’d go a little further and check out the iPosture, a little round electronic disc that is designed to improve the posture. Oprah approved, it looks interesting. Apparently you wear it on your chest, either as a pendant, hooked to the bra strap, or stuck directly to the chest and every time you slouch,  it alerts you via a brief vibration to sit or stand upright. 

Sounds interesting and I’m contemplating ordering one. But in the meantime, I’ve downloaded the free iPosture App to my iPhone will spend the rest of the month checking it out.

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MSNBC reported the other day that ‘thanks to the swine flu, there’s a little less hugging and kissing  [going on] in the United States’.  They base this on a recent  Harvard survey that found about 1 in 10 Americans have stopped hugging, kissing, and even shaking hands because of swine flu concerns.

Sounds pretty extreme and probably not all that good for your health. Hugging, after all, makes people happier. And happier people will often be healthier people.

Hugging, a simple physical expressions of affection,  improves and strengthen peoples connections and relationships with other people and themselves.

Hugging, even in the time of swine flu H1N1 flu, is good for you. 

To find out more about why hugging is good, check out this recent article over at The Happiness Project that highlights some ‘hugging’ studies.  

So go on….

Hug someone today, especially your mother this Mother’s Day.

And let someone hug you back.

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…

Did you know that…

• The meat industry generates nearly 1/5 of the man-made greenhouse gases that are accelerating climate change worldwide, far more than transportation.
• About 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feed lot beef in the U.S.(2) Compare this to the 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy needed to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.
• The estimated 634 gallons of fresh water required to produce one 5.2 ounce hamburger would be enough for a four-hour shower. Compare this to the 143 gallons of water required to produce the same quantity of tofu.
• 2/3 of Americans are overweight or suffer from obesity. 6 Studies show that individuals on vegetarian or low-meat diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices.
• Chronic preventable conditions like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer kill 1.7 million Americans each year, 70% of all deaths in the U.S. Diets abundant in red and processed meats have been linked to increased cancer risk, especially of the digestive tract; while diets high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

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Given these facts, it’s not surprising that many experts are now suggesting that reducing meat consumption will not only lessen fossil fuel dependence but also help reduce chronic preventable conditions -cancer, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease - that are decreasing the life expectancy of people around the world.

In fact, there’s a campaign happening right now that’s urging President Obama to call on all American’s to go Meatless on Mondays.

Of course, national meatless days are nothing new. President’s Wilson, Truman, and Roosevelt all instituted them to alleviate worldwide food shortages and ensure food for troops overseas.

But this newest campaign, ‘Meatless Mondays’, envisions the White House issuing meatless menus and recipes every Monday to inspire Americans to cook and eat healthier meals.

Interesting concept but I can’t help but wonder what the meat industry lobby will make of it all.

Trying to get some kids to eat vegetables is like pulling teeth. They’ll do just about anything to avoid that green, orange, or yellow thing sitting on the plate. Hiding it doesn’t work. Somehow, they always seem to know it there.

Well, turns out there’s an easier way to get your kids to eat their greens, yellows, and oranges.
Just give them a cool name like ‘X-ray Vision Carrots’, ‘Tomato Bursts’, or ‘dinosaur broccoli trees’ and the vegetables won’t stand a chance. They’ll be goobled up quick.

That’s the finding of a new study by Cornell University researchers. They presented 186 four-year old “X-ray Vision Carrots” and found that these pre-schoolers ate nearly twice as much as they did on the lunch days when they were simply labeled as ‘carrots’.

As researcher Brian Wansick says “Cool names can make for cool foods”. And the best of this is that once the kids started eating the carrots, they continued to eat them even on days when they were no longer labelled ‘X-ray Vision Carrots’.

Such a simple idea with great results. But I think that many mothers already knew this.

But the interesting thing is that doesn’t just work on kids. Adults too have an affinity for cool food names. For example, changing the name of seafood filet to ‘Succulent Italian Seafood Filet’ on a restaurant menu resulted in sales increased by 28% and taste rating increased by 12%.

Maybe it’s all in our mind.

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Healthbolt’s on a diet this week…

… a diet of books about healthy eating and dieting.

I’ll be reviewing a different book everyday this week, starting tomorrow with entertaining and informative ‘Your Big Fat Boyfriend’ (How to Stay Thin When Dating a Dieting Disaster) by Jenna Bergen.

Good news for those of us who discover at the end of a meeting or lecture that our notes are hidden by messy doodles, unintelligible to anyone but ourselves.

According to recent study carried out by UK researchers those who doodle have better memory recall than those who do not.

The study had the participants divided into two groups - one group was encouraged to color in shapes on a piece of paper while listening to a 2.5 minute telephone message and the other group was left to their own devices while listening.

Both groups, by the way, were told before the message began that it would be dull.

Directly after listening to the message, everyone was asked to write down the eight specific places and names mentioned in the message.

The results - doodlers on average recalled 7.5, while the non-doodlers only managed 5.8.

Seems doodlers might look like they are not paying attention but in fact, it turns out that they are paying more attention that those who are not doodling.

Why?

Well, the experts think that this is because doodling stops you from daydreaming.

So, go ahead, doodle away…

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It’s Healthbolt Carnival time again. A day late but worth the wait. So grab that coffee and start clicking…

Robert Burton Robinsonfrom Mind Over Mania looks at 9 Ways Yoga Makes You Younger.

Mert Erkal from Hugepedia.com suggests some interesting ways of Finding Time to Exercise.

Britannica Blog from Britannica Blog lists the Top 10 Myths About Anorexia.

Evan Pfaff from Who’s In First Blog looks at Home Exercise Equipment.

Cory from Eating Healthy looks at Exercising in a Recession with some tips to get good, fun exercise for cheap.

Dan Abshear from Informaproject offers some Thoughts About The Influenza Virus.

Dr Tooth from WorlDental reports on Stress-Free Teeth Treatment Services In Dental Spas.

Tristan from Body And Fitness Blog suggests Running In The Evening To Burn Fat.

Randy Powell from Eating-Veggies.com: High Alkaline Diet blog asks Are Alkaline Foods Right For You?.

Michael Molloy from One Step To Fitness.com wants to Make Fitness Fun.

Joel Gray from Health Tips 101 looks at Tips And Tricks To Staying Healthy As We Get Older.

Ashley Cook from Frugal Girl provides some Quick Home Meal Ideas.

Cyndi from Evolution Ezine?Evolution Ezine - Collect your free mind power and self growth gifts has some Anxiety/Stress Relief techniques.

Kara-Leah Grant from Prana Flow NZ discusses yoga in Witnessing the evolution of yoga from Vinyasa to Prana Flow to Flow Motion to Your Yoga.

Den Levin from Battle Anxiety has six self-help Tips For Hypochondriacs.

And James Colquhoun from FOODMATTERS. writes about Heart Disease Prevention Made Easy.

That’s it for this edition of the Healthbolt Carnival.

Submit your blog article to the next edition of healthbolt carnival using this carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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