Five Tips to Sensible Eating and Weight-Control

We seem to be bombarded by hundreds of diet fads that come and go, and leave us searching for that elusive magic pill that can work wonders on shedding those extra pounds! Unfortunately, there are no magic bullets or quick fixes when it comes to maintaining good health and the ideal weight, other than two things: what we put into our body and how we move it!
1.Eat slowly and chew your food well – remember digestion begins in the mouth! People who gobble their food fast…tend to put on weight fast!
Why? It takes 20 minutes for the brain to signal that you are full.
2.Practice portion control – this is crucial for weight management. Measure out your pasta, cereals, and especially desserts, and resist the temptation to go for seconds. More importantly, watch your snacks and alcohol drinks at parties –They are loaded with unwanted calories! Avoid diet colas at all cost – they trick your metabolism!
3.Keep a food diary – keep track of everything you eat for a week, and how much? It makes you accountable and helps you identify areas for improvement. Do a quick calculation of how many calories you are consuming, or get someone to help you with this.
4.Not just what you eat, but when you eat is also a key factor in weight control. Eat a light nutritious breakfast which includes fruit. Eat your main meal at Mid-day when your digestive fires are burning. Eat supper early. Eat two snacks like fruit, nuts, yogurt between meals and drink plenty of water.
5.Discover the power of thermo-genic herbs and spices (eg. Ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne) to speed up your metabolism and burn calories!

The path to wholesome eating style is individual, and should fit your lifestyle and tastes. There are many experts who can help, but choose someone who listens to your needs and works with you to make your diet realistic and enjoyable!
Submitted by: Jini Aroon, Cooking Instructor, Delta, BC
Jini has an avid interest and experience in Food and Nutrition, having worked as a Nutrition consultant for several years. She has also been teaching practical and healthy cooking classes for 20 years in Delta and Vancouver, BC

Our recent visit to Beijing was full of  pleasant surprises!  First, we had no idea that a city with a population of 18 Million people would be so orderly and clean!  I expected traffic noise , clutter and pollution, but instead traffic moved smoothly even during rush hour.  The people were friendly and courteous even though our language skills were less than perfect! We were fascinated to learn about their ancient culture..how the elderly are well-respected and not isolated as in Western Societies. The young people are adapting to modern times…learning to survive  in a fiercely competitive society.  Children have to study very hard to get admission to  Universities and adults have to work hard at their jobs.  The government enforces population control by the ‘One family – one child ruling”!

Highlights of our visit:

We visited the  ”Forbidden City”, Tiananmen Square( where the great massacre occured about 20 years ago), the  Summer Palace,.  the Temple of Heaven with it’s beautiful gardens where the retired people come to relax, socialize and practice Tai Chi.  We felt priveledged to visit the  “Great Wall of China” estimated to be about  8,000 km long and leave out humble  foot prints on this great Wonder of the world! A rickshaw ride to the Hutong district was yet another highlight of the trip, where we were treated to a very authentic lunch by a local family. We also visited the Capital Museum, Lama Temple, Beijing Zoo and ofcourse the Pearl factory, Jade Factory and silk Factory show rooms.  Shopping at the various Markets  for name-brand shoes, handbags, scarves and jackets was a crazy but worthwhile experience!

What is a perfect gift?

During the holidays and special occasions we often give gifts because it is customary to give. This Christmas, the big box stores struggling under a huge economic burden, are slashing prices and fast forwarding their sales. It makes it so easy for us to pull out our credit cards and get into the game. Gift baskets filled with chocolates, nuts and candies in attractive packaging glistening with cellophane and tinsel ribbons, just waiting for a new home! But think again…the unfortunate thing is many of these gifts somehow add to the clutter, and collect dust over the years! Many people track to the stores after Boxing Day to exchange or return unwanted gifts! Think about the unnecessary packaging that adds to the mess in the environment!

Giving from the Heart!

A few weeks ago, I asked my 20 year-old daughter what she needs for Christmas, she firmly replied that she does not need anything! Instead of giving unnecessary gifts to each other, she suggested that we contribute to United Way to give a gift hamper to a needy family. What a brilliant idea! The whole family agreed but my husband came up with a better one…instead of giving $500 to United Way, and part of it going in administrative costs and the hamper going to an unknown family, he suggested we make up the food hamper ourselves and give it to a family we know, facing dire economic circumstances. Being an advocate of gift certificates, I suggested filling a gift hamper is tricky, because we may not know exactly what they need. So instead, we all settled for a gift certificate to a local grocery store so that they can choose what they need when they need.

Why wait for Christmas?

These days, there are many who are feeling the pinch of losing jobs, facing illness or losing a loved one. Gift-giving can be all year round. I often take a home-cooked meal, a basket of fruit, a bowl of soup, to a lonely person in the neighborhood. It can be done throughout the year. So here are my criteria for a perfect gift: It is…

- A gift from the heart
- A gift of learning – ie: a course at a school board
- A gift of health -ie: a membership to a fitness/yoga/dance class
- Something the other person may really enjoy, but may not buy!
- Something that will not add to the clutter.
- Something that will not burden the environment.

Here are a few suggestions from Jini’s Ethnic Gourmet:

Gift Certificates which can be used for:

- Whole fruit baskets & platters (from $25.00)
- Cut fruit arrangements for special occasions (from $50.00)
- Theme Night Cooking Parties (from $50.00 per person)

Special offer…

The first 10 baskets ordered will get $5.00 off.

First 10 hostesses to book Theme Parties will get 10% off!

* You will have 1 year to redeem your gift certificate.

* To qualify for discount, all bookings must be made by 31 January, 2009.

Theme Night Cooking Parties!

New & exciting themes… full of fun and learning at the same time!
All you need is a minimum of 6 friends or 3 couples! The perfect gift for holidays, anniversaries or birthdays!

Sensational salads

Perfect for people who hate cooking! Learn to build a wholesome meal around a salad!

A sure way to stay healthy and slim all year round!

Learn creative tips and short cuts to make easy salads with the right touch of herbs and spices. You will love the flavors of these salads bursting with the goodness of fresh veggies, dairy, chicken, sea food, beans, sprouts, nuts and seeds.

Mexican Fiesta

Put on your sombreros and move to the Latin beat! Enjoy the bold flavours of fresh salsa, guacamole with nachos, quesadillas, tacos and more and chase it with a margarita or two! Ole!

Bollywood Bling!

Feel like an Indian princess or a Rajah for a day! Put on a saree and deck yourself with jewellery! Be entertained with Bollywood music, while you master the secrets of making a perfect curry with exotic Indian spices.

Tapas

Tapas is a Spanish term for light appetizers and tasty morsels of meats, seafood, olives, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, roasted peppers, cheese and veggies all drenched with true Mediterranean flavours… served to your guests in an easy and casual style throughout the evening. Paired with the right wines to match the food, your party is surely going to be a hit!

30 minute dinners

Ideal for young couples or singles just starting out on their own. Practical solutions to making healthy dinners with home-made goodness faster than ordering pizza or definitely better for you than frozen entrees!