Cooking With Herbs
If you want to add flavor without adding fat to some of your family favorites, try seasoning basic dishes with a variety of dried or fresh herbs. Use herbs with cooked fish, chicken, and meat and for pasta dishes and salad dressings. You can also add fresh herbs to salads themselves.
Dried Versus Fresh Herbs
Dried herbs (store-bought or home-dried) should be kept in a cool, dry place and used within six months of purchase — or of opening. After this time, they will rapidly begin to lose flavor and pungency.
Fresh herbs should be wrapped, unwashed, in paper towels and placed in a resealable plastic bag. They will keep in the refrigerator for three to seven days. Some varieties of fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, last longer than others, such as basil and dill.
If you want to be a little more enterprising, try growing one or two herbs in small pots on a sunny windowsill. As long as you keep them trimmed and well watered, the fresh leaves will be there any time you need them.
Here’s how to incorporate some popular herbs and herb blends into your favorite meals:
Basil: Fresh basil can be used whole, torn, or chopped in salads, egg dishes, and pastas. Dried basil is perfect for baked chicken or fish and in soups.
Chives: A relative of onions and leeks, chives have a mild onion-like flavor. Snip them with scissors or gently chop with a sharp knife, and then try them in chicken salad, scrambled eggs, or salad dressings.
Cilantro: This lively tasting herb is popular in Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Use it to make salsas, toss it into salads, or sprinkle it over baked chicken or fish. Fresh is preferable to dried.
Dill: Available both fresh and dried, dill is a great addition to salads and sauces, as well as to fish, chicken, meat, and vegetable dishes.
Herbes de Provence: Typically a mix of dried basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, summer savory, rosemary, and thyme, this herb blend is found in the spice section of most supermarkets. It’s good in vegetable stews and used as a rub for grilled meat, poultry, and fish.
Marjoram: A member of the mint family, marjoram has a sweet, oregano-like flavor. It can be found dried in the spice section of the supermarket. It’s an excellent addition to Italian dishes in place of oregano.
Mint: Most people think of mint as an herb used in desserts or drinks, but it is also terrific in soups and salads. Fresh is far preferable to dried.
Oregano: A relative of mint, oregano is an aromatic herb commonly used in tomato-based soups and sauces, and for seasoning poultry, lamb, shrimp, or vegetable dishes. It’s available both fresh and dried.
Parsley: Fresh parsley makes a great garnish for cooked meats, chicken, and fish and is tasty in bean, pasta, and rice dishes. You’ll find it dried in Italian seasoning and other packaged herb mixes.
Rosemary: There’s nothing quite like the piney flavor of this wonderful herb, which is often used to flavor meats, fish, soups, stews, vegetables, sauces, and dressings. It’s available both fresh and dried.
Sage: This Mediterranean herb has a strong earthy flavor that is perfect for chicken, pork, ham, bean, and vegetable dishes. It’s available both fresh and dried.
Tarragon: Distinguished by its anise-like flavor, tarragon is a great addition to fish and vegetable dishes, sauces, and salad dressings. It’s available both fresh and dried.
Thyme: Popular in French-inspired dishes, thyme has an assertive flavor that goes well with many foods, including tomato dishes and vegetable soups. It’s also an excellent seasoning for meats, poultry, and fish. It’s available both fresh and dried.
Good Foods for Healthy Liver
Eating healthy foods for the liver can improve and support liver function on a daily basis. Having a healthy liver results in greater energy and general well-being.
A poorly functioning liver can result in tiredness, headaches, bad breath, allergies and intolerances, problem skin and weight gain.
Foods that are healthy for the liver fall into two main categories
First are those that promote the detoxification process of the liver. And second, are those that are high in antioxidants and therefore protect the liver while it's carrying out its detoxification processes.
Below are a list of the top eight foods that are considered to be good for your liver.
Garlic and onions
Garlic contains allicin which is a sulphur-based compound needed by the liver for effective detoxification. Garlic helps the liver rid the body of mercury, certain food additives and the hormone oestrogen.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage)
These vegetables are very powerful detoxifiers of the liver. They contain chemicals that neutralise certain toxins such as nitrosamines found in cigarette smoke and aflotoxin found in peanuts. They also contain glucosinolates that help the liver to produce enzymes it needs for its detoxification processes.
Freshly squeezed lemon in hot water
Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in a cup of boiled water first thing in the morning helps to cleanse the liver and promote detoxification. It also stimulates bile production, cleanses the stomach and bowel and stimulates a bowel motion.
Beetroot (Beets)
It's a blood-purifying tonic that is also capable of absorbing heavy metals.
High-antioxidant fruits
In a study done by the US Department of Agriculture at Tuffs University, it was found that the following list of fruits had the highest levels of antioxidants (in descending order): Prunes, raisons, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, pink grapefruit, cantaloupe, apples and pears. Antioxidants help to protect the liver from the high levels of free radicals that are naturally produced during the process of detoxification.
Apples
Apples contain pectin that bind to heavy metals in the body (in particular in the colon) and help their excretion. This reduces the load on the liver and its detoxification capacities.
Artichoke
Increases bile production. One of the jobs of bile is to remove toxins through the bowel, as well as 'unfriendly' micro-organisms. It has been suggested that 30 minutes after eating globe artichoke, bile flow is increased by over 100%.
Bitter leafy salad greens (dandelion, chicory, endive, rocket)
The bitterness of these foods helps to stimulate bile flow within the liver.
Improve Your Body With Pilates
In addition to maintaining a wholesome diet, incorporating regular functional exercise, like Pilates (pronounced “pah-LAH-tees”), into your routine can help take your health and fitness to the next level.
Whether you want to build your core, strengthen your muscles without adding bulk, improve your flexibility, or maintain a sleek physique, Pilates is a great exercise option. Joseph Pilates, who developed this method of body conditioning in the 1920s, designed the workouts to strengthen “the core” — the muscles of the abdomen, back, pelvis, and hips — through targeted exercises, focused breathing, and body awareness.
If you have never tried Pilates and then maybe you should get started!! Many gyms, recreation centers, and health clubs offer a variety of Pilates classes for beginners and seasoned athletes alike, using different equipment and methods. If you prefer one-on-one instruction, you may want to consider joining a specialized Pilates studio. And with so many Pilates workout DVDs available, you also have the option of practicing at home. Be sure to swap core workouts, including Pilates, with cardio exercise on alternate days.
Additional Benefits of Pilates
The breathing exercises that are done as part of a Pilates workout can improve the flow of oxygen through your bloodstream and help relieve stress and anxiety. In addition, Pilates improves your range of motion, posture, balance, and coordination. All of these can enhance your sports performance and help prevent injuries incurred from lifting, bending, and climbing stairs. Some studies suggest that Pilates, which is low-impact, can be used to help treat orthopedic injuries, such as lower-back pain, by counteracting the effects of muscular imbalances. And it is often recommended for people with arthritis. As with any form of exercise, always get a doctor’s approval before beginning Pilates, particularly if you haven’t been working out or you have an existing ailment.
Pilates Equipment
When Joseph Pilates first developed this method of exercise, he based some of the workouts on a piece of equipment called the Reformer, which is a bedlike contraption with a padded sliding platform that uses pulleys and springs to create resistance. One-on-one Pilates classes are taught using the Reformer, but there are also group classes that use a mat, free weights, exercise bands, and a Pilates ring (also known as the Magic Circle), which is a flexible plastic ring with a rubber shell that provides resistance to help condition your core.
Many people prefer using the Reformer because it offers more resistance and support, but the mat allows more flexibility when doing the different poses. Expert trainers recommend taking one or two classes at a studio or gym to get acquainted with the exercises before purchasing a DVD for home use. Similar to yoga, Pilates is done barefoot while wearing comfortable, fitted clothing.
