Author - Kevin Angileri

Good Carbohydrates Are Must In Your Diet

September 5, 2014
Kevin Angileri
Healthy Tips
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Carbohydrates Information

From our childhood we are told to eat balanced meals for proper nutrition, of which, carbohydrates are an important part. Their primary function is to supply the body with glucose that is one of the main sources of energy.

Types of Carbs

Carbohydrates are grouped into two categories – good (complex) and bad (simple) carbs. The former takes longer to break down since it is created by three or more sugar chains linked together.  Foods containing good carbs are rich in both sugar and fiber. Bad carbs don’t need to break down as it is in the simplest form. Some examples are cookies, chips, soft drinks etc. Ingesting bad carbs on a regular basis can lead to sudden weight gain, increased risks of heart diseases, and more chances of diabetes.

Good Carbohydrates and Their Uses

Good carbs might take longer to break down but since they are rich in fiber, they help to regulate blood sugar levels. Your health can take a serious setback if the sugar levels in the blood rise quickly, which happens after consumption of bad carbs. Good carbs also provide the body with energy, minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Phytochemicals act as anti-inflammatory agents and are natural sources of antioxidants.

Take a look at a few examples:

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain lots of vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber and other essential nutrients. It is advisable to consume at least 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day (2000 calorie consumption) as part of your diet plan. If you eat them with the skin, your intake of fiber-rich sources will increase. For instance, eating a pear or consuming an orange rather than orange juice is healthier. It was debatable till a few years back that you should steer clear from potatoes and bananas. However, they are part of the “good carbs” group if consumed in moderation such as a small/medium sized banana and a 1/2 to 1 cup of potatoes.

Legumes

Peas, lentils, beans, etc. fall under this category as they are loaded with carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and don’t contain much fat. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, legumes can reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and prostate cancer. Having 3 cups of legumes a week on a 2000-calorie daily diet is sufficient.

Whole-Grain Products

Beans, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole oats, millet, whole-grain barley, pasta & corn, buckwheat etc. are considered to be healthy for the body as they are high in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber. As mentioned before, they cause a slower modification in blood due to a low glycemic index. Ideally, you should choose breakfast cereals with more than 3 grams of protein and fiber that have less than 30 grams of total carbohydrates.

It is difficult to resist temptation especially when you are faced with eating your favorite cookies or hamburger. It is fine to give in once in a while, but don’t make it a habit as good carbohydrates are necessary for your system to function well and lower risks of ailments. According to Atkins, it is healthy if 30-40 percent of your daily calories consist of carbohydrates so please try to maintain that.

 

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Baby Boomers And Social Security

September 5, 2014
Kevin Angileri
Kevin Angileri Blog
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Baby boomers and social security

It’s 3:00 PM and I have just finished lunch.  The record breaking rain has stopped and the sun is back out again.  It is 82 degrees and 76% humidity, balmy, to say the least.   I have been thinking about, what to write about.  Since most of my friends a “Boomers”, let’s talk about them.  Definition of Baby Boomer: Anyone born between 1946 and 1964, which leaves me out.  But, there were about 76 million people born between those years.

Some are or are about to be on Social Security.  So I thought I would give out some interesting info for those closing in on 65 years of age.  Firstly, congrats on getting to 65.  I went to the Social Security Administration website and found some cool stuff.  Wait till you see this.  According to the Social Security Administration:

A man reaching 65 years of age today, has a life expectancy of 84.3.

A woman reaching 65 years of age today, has a life expectancy of 86.6.

About one out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one out of 10 will live past age 95.

And there is more.

There is a Life Expectancy Calculator.  You put in your gender and age and it tells you, about how long you are going to live, barring falling and breaking your neck or some other life altering incident.  My life expectancy is 86.2.  I should have saved more money for my retirement !!!!!!!

The moral of this article is stay healthy and prepare for a long and happy life.

There is lots more information at www.socialsecurity.gov

Hey, make me look good, subscribe to our site.  The button is on the right.

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Building Blocks Of Carbohydrates

September 3, 2014
Kevin Angileri
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Building blocks of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a kind of macronutrients that is beneficially required in your diet plans every day. Starch, sugar contained carbohydrates provides you glucose, which is the source you require to work, while fiber maintains everything functioning. Your body system utilizes all digestible essentials in a same mode. Whether the intake is from healthy foods or refined ones, but this doesn’t justify that all types of foods are produced equal

Good and bad carbohydrates-

Almost all types of foods comprise some kinds of carbohydrates like starch, fiber or sugar. Some may also accompany a combination of all. Good carbohydrates are generated from reduced processed food items like low-fat diaries, whole grains, legumes, veggies as well as fruits. You’ll acquire starch or sugar or both from heavily diagnosed and processed food items too. But these are frequently grouped under the category of “bad carbohydrates” because besides from calories, these items tend to provide minimal quantities of micronutrients, unsaturated healthy fats, proteins as well as some amounts of fibers too.

Starch Carbohydrates-

Starches are molecules complexly built from the sugar branches mostly. Due to multifaceted structure, your body consumes some time for breaking them down, providing you long-surviving energy from a constant supply of glucose. Beneficial carbohydrate starches present in the diet you follow should derive from the whole grains, beans, seeds as well as some nuts rather than processed food items. You will still collect starch from the manufactured productions which include bread, crackers and chips. They usually deficit from having vitamins, minerals or fibers in it, but still they are consumed in greater quantities.

Sugars-

Sugars are not particularly a sinful effort. Your body requires sugar in order to get enough glucose fuel you might require after skipping a supper or at times of roust physical workouts. Good Carbohydrate sugars are mostly encountered in healthy items like lactose in low containing fat yogurt as well as milk or fructose present in apples or oranges as well as some other fruits also. Your system treats, natural sugars the same manner as it treats the added sugars like sucrose present in sugary desserts. But junk items don’t contain all the essentials like minerals or vitamins or fibers that you naturally derive from good sugar products.

Fibers-

You might not consider fiber under the category of carbohydrate, though it does constitute a same chemical makeup relating to sugars or starches, indulging itself in the category of carbohydrates. The difference with these is because the complex entity is somewhat different from others that your body will not be able to break it. Insoluble fibers like veggies, whole grains or fruit skins are the best example that includes them actively under the category of good carbohydrates.

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Addiction To Cigarettes

September 3, 2014
Kevin Angileri
Kevin Angileri Blog
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Hello everyone, I am glad you came back to our site.  For some reason, I woke up at 3:45 this morning.  I decided to sit down and write a few words.  Addictions came to mind, so I would like to tell you about mine.  I have many small ones, but the most devastating to me are smoking.  Maybe, it will strike a note with some of you.  So, lets talk about my addiction to cigarettes.

I have COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.  Sounds kind of scary and, it is.  It is a combination of two illnesses.  Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema.  There are many ways to get it, but primarily, you get it from smoking cigarettes.  I got it from over 50 years of smoking cigarettes.  I think, often, of the cost of my addiction to smoking.  When I first started, cigarettes were on 25 cents a pack.  Now, I pay as much as $7.00 or more, for something that will probably end my life.  I tried to calculate the amount of money, I have spent on this deadly habit, but I cannot.  Probably enough to have quite a large bank account, if I had saved all those dollars.

Of course, the biggest problem, is my inability to stop.  I have tried and tried and failed over and over again.  The longest period of time, I have been off cigs In all these years is 120 days.  And all it took, was one more to get me hooked again.  The very worst part is that I know, is that the next cigarette is going to hurt.  While I am smoking, it hurts.  I guess, that is why, they call it an addiction.  The good news is that I have only 6 cigarettes left in this pack.  I have smoked 3, while writing this.

If you are also addicted, please find a way to quit.  Go on the internet and find a “quit smoking” site.  They are a great help.  They will even send you some medication.  They will send you 1 of 3 type.  Patches, gum or lozenges and they are free.  They assign a coach, to call and help you through the first 60 days.  It is free, so take advantage of their services.  I took the lozenges and they worked for me.  They tasted awful for the first 4 days, but you sorta get used to them and they start tasting good.  That is the time I was off for 120 days.

So today, October 3rd, 2014, I will once again attempt to kick this disgusting addiction to cigarettes habit.  I know, that if I succeed, I can lengthen my life by years.  Wish me luck and I will give you an update on November 1. If you need to talk to someone, just go to the “contact us” button, on the menu.  Jot me a line, and I would gladly give you a call.  (U S A only please)    Good luck.

FYI…5 left

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Benefits of Protein Shakes for Diabetic Patients

September 2, 2014
Kevin Angileri
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protein shakes for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus, also referred to simply as diabetes, involves a group of metabolic diseases that affects how the body is able to breakdown sugar in the blood, or blood glucose. Excess sugar in the bloodstream can lead to serious health complications. Some of these conditions include kidney and eye damage, cardiovascular disease, stroke and neuropathy. Combining a healthy diet and regular exercise will help to maintain a healthy blood glucose level. Protein shakes for diabetes can be a healthy alternative for diabetics seeking to maintain insulin level and to control hunger.

Benefits of Protein Shakes

Protein shakes are often marketed as an aide for those that seek weight loss, or to build muscle. Protein shakes can assist with weight loss by replacing other higher-calorie beverages, such as soda. Protein also works to satiate the appetite, maintaining blood glucose levels, decreasing the desire to snack on sweets. This function is especially important for those with diabetes with an increased insulin production. Protein is an essential nutrient for proper growth and development of muscle tissue. When drinking a protein shake, the protein is broken down by the body into various amino acids, and recovered by muscles. These recovering muscles use the amino acids to repair themselves, thus becoming bigger and stronger.

How to Choose the Best Protein Shake For Diabetes

Unfortunately, not all protein shakes are created equally. Those with diabetes must be especially cautious when choosing the best shake for their nutritional requirements. Many store-bought shakes can be high in fat, calories and have added sugars. Foods that are processed tend to have less nutrients, vitamins and minerals than a natural alternative. A general rule to follow when making healthy choices and reading labels is, the fewer the ingredients, the better the choice. Learn to become an expert label reader. Manufactures list ingredients in order of highest content to lowest, so avoid those shakes with sugar listed as one of the first three ingredients. Diabetics should choose a protein shake that contains less than 200 calories as a snack, and less than 350 calories if used as a meal replacement. There are many ready-to-drink store-bought protein shakes designed with diabetics in mind. Some of these brands include Glucerna SR, Boost Glucose Control, EAS AdvantEDGE Carb Control, Atkins Advantage, and Slim-Fast Lower Carb Diet. There are also protein shake powders with diabetics in mind such as Almaseed, Kenzen Body Balance and Extend Nutrition Shake.

Those with diabetes may opt to prepare their own protein shakes. This allows the individual to control the ingredients and the nutritional quality of the shake. A healthy homemade protein shake can include delicious ingredients such as almond milk, soymilk or fat-free milk, fruit, peanut butter or almond butter, Greek yogurt, and chocolate or vanilla flavored protein powder.

Summary

Protein shakes can be a healthy addition whether an individual is seeking to lose weight, build muscle or maintain a steady blood glucose level. With the help of a physician, regular exercise, and a well-balanced diet, those with diabetes will find success managing their blood glucose levels.

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