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Thursday July 15, 2010

High protein shakes are instantly becoming identified among the athletes as well as individuals who hope to eat up healthy as well lose weight. They are easy to prepare, tasty and healthy. All these powders do is provide your muscles with protein to rebuild and they are in no way superior to a well balanced meal! With more and more women opting for protein powder as a better health option, check out this week's article on Protein Powder: how far are they safe?

In fitness
Namita

Exercise plays an important role in promoting health and well-being for pregnant women. Women who exercise during pregnancy have reduced weight gain, more rapid weight loss after pregnancy, improved mood and improved sleep patterns. Some studies have also shown faster labors and less need for induction with pitocin in women who exercise regularly during pregnancy. Others have demonstrated that women who regularly exercise are less likely to require epidural analgesia and have fewer operative births.

Stay Determined

Reaching the end point for any achievement is driven by determination and zeal. Overcoming the tough times means we must fight with all we've got in order to succeed. The strength of the spirit within us must be willing to push us beyond our boundaries and limits in order for us to succeed. Nothing is gained by giving up when we hit obstacles.

To succeed we must have a plan that gives us an idea of how we wish to pursue our endeavor. In this plan we would have schedules. It doesn't have to be followed to the letter but it is important for us to have some type of scale to measure any progress or regression. It also helps keep us focused on what we desire. Structure also helps us maintain our health and puts in place measures to ensure that we do.
 

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"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
H. Jackson Brown

Apple Foam with Blackberries

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 225g/8oz blackberries

• 150ml/ ¼ pint / 2/3 cup apple juice

• 5ml/1 tsp powdered gelatine

• 15ml/1 tbsp clear honey

• 2 egg whites

Instructions:

• Place the blackberries in a pan with 60ml/4 tbsp of the apple juice and heat gently until the fruit is soft. Remove from the heat, cool and chill.

• Sprinkle the gelatine over the remaining apple juice in a small pan and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Stir in the honey.

• Whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Continue whisking hard and pour in the hot gelatine mixture gradually, until well mixed.

• Quickly spoon the foam into rough mounds on individual plates. Chill. Serve with the blackberries and juice spooned around.

Cook's Tip:

• Make sure that you dissolve the gelatine over a very low heat. It must not boil, or it will lose its setting ability.

Nutritional Information (Per portion):

• Energy 49Kcals/206KJ

• Fat 0.15g

• Saturated fat 0

• Cholesterol 0

• Fibre 1.74

Protein Powder: how far are they safe?

High protein shakes are instantly becoming identified among the athletes as well as individuals who hope to eat up healthy as well lose weight. They are easy to prepare, tasty and healthy. All these powders do is provide your muscles with protein to rebuild and they are in no way superior to a well balanced meal! These products do serve a convenient meal replacement when you don't have time to eat a full meal. 
Protein from whey, soy, and/or rice is a key ingredient in supplements for body-building as well as in products for endurance, sports recovery, dieting, and meal-replacement. But how good is the quality of these protein powders and protein drinks and how do they compare nutritionally?

According to a review conducted by ConsumerLab.com protein powders and drinks revealed lead contamination in two protein supplements -- delivering 6 to 18 mcg of the heavy metal in a daily serving. Four grams of extra sugar was found in one serving of a third product. The other protein supplements tested met their label claims and did not exceed contamination limits for lead.

Consumer Reports says the three products indicated below were of particular concern -- because consuming three servings a day could result in exposure to arsenic, cadmium or lead that exceed proposed limits for contaminants

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