Chic-Shuk Secrets

I used to think the best diet food is low fat and calories reduced. However, its not always true! The best diet food that is healthy, can fight disease and will slim you down is: Nuts! Nuts are fatty, but they keep you full, plus the extra protein they contain will revs up metabolism. Recent studies found that people who ate nuts on a daily base lost 39 percent more weight than those who didn’t , even though their calorie intake was the same! On top of that amazing weight loss fact, keep in mind that nuts can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and- cancer!!!  now, that a reason to go nuts, don’t you think ???!!!

All peppers are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, but Red Peppers are simply bursting with them plus considered to be a great source of Vitamin B6. This very nutritious vegetable and the antioxidants it contain help preventing cell damage, cancer, and diseases related to aging. Further more, Red Pepper support the immune function, can reduce inflammation like that found in arthritis and asthma, promotes proper blood clotting and strengthens bones.

With all of these great health benefits and nutrition values, I love cooking this Moroccan-style healthy veggie meal since satisfy as steak and tasteful as a gourmet dish:  With 302 calories, 9 grams of protein,  8 grams of fat and 4 grams of fibre per serving, you cannot go wrong with this MUST TRY RECIPE !!!

Couscous-Stuffed Red Pepper W/Yogurt:

Ingrediants:

85 grams of whole wheat Couscous
2 tbsp Raisins
50 ml hot vegetable stock
1 tsp clear honey
1 large lemon- squeez for juice
2 garlic cloves
small bunch flat-leaf parsley
150 ml tub non-fat natural yogurt
2 tomatoes , roughly chopped
2 red peppers , halved, cores removed
1 tbsp olive oil

How to make:

• Pre-heat oven to 400* degrees.

• Place couscous and raisins in a heatproof bowl. Stir stock, honey and lemon juice, then pour over the couscous. Cover and leave to absorb for 5 mins.

• Place the lemon zest, garlic and parsley in a mini food processor and whizz until everything is well chopped.

• Stir 1 tbsp of this mixture into the yogurt, then set aside. Stir the remaining mixture into the couscous with the tomatoes and some seasoning.

• Spoon the couscous mixture into each pepper half, then sit them in a small roasting tin. Drizzle with oil, then bake for 40 mins until peppers are tender.

• Serve with the yogurt and a simple green salad on the side, and- ENJOY!!! 

It is scary how all that work stress can effect our health and our waistline, even if we don’t eat more then usual. Chronically stress can majorly increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. More then that- The darkest secret of stress when it comes to your weight watching lifestyle routine or, in different words- why do you gain weight from being stressed without eating more then usual? Apparently, A long term stress can increase levels of Cortisol, which is a hormone that promotes the storage of belly fat and is the main reason of why you can get fat and gain weight without eating more then usual.

Don’t let your job making you fat, and try to calm the non so healthy stress by after hours Yoga or Meditation, which are  beyond cutting stress have shown many health benefits and been considered to be natural cures to improve heart health, lower bad cholesterol, reduce migraines, bolster the immunity, lessen depression and fight pain symptoms.

Amazing how a supermodel can be so deep and proves to know nutrition, yoga and inner peace knowledge. According to a latest interview, the 26 years old Miranda Kerr has been working on a book over the past few years, `Treasure Yourself`, which is a motivational self-help book to encourage young women and girls to respect their own beauty and feel confident in themselves. Miranda has an incredible busy modeling career especially with `Victoria Secret` and she somehow manages to be one of the most grounded girls in the fashion and modeling business. She credits her inner calm to YOGA and MEDITATION, which have shown to improve heart health, lower bad cholesterol, cut stress, reduce migraines, bolster the immunity, lessen depression and fight pain symptoms.

Kerr has studied Yoga for more than 10 years and she even studied health and nutrition for 18 months at the Academy of Natural Living in Cairns, Australia. She simple has that awareness! “Yoga is so important to me“, said Miranda. “I’ve been doing it for a long time now and I’ve taken it to a fairly serious level. Through yoga, I became interested in meditation and positive affirmations!” Nice!

Eating right, has major Health and Beauty benefits.

One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself from many diseases, illnesses and early aging of the skin is to eat right and keep a healthy diet. It is the best natural powerful defense against cancer, diabetes, heart disease or stroke. Whether or not you have a family history of those diseases, what you eat and how much you eat can help reduce the risk.

What does Eating Right mean?!
Making healthy, smart choices whenever it comes to foods, on a daily base. Whether you`re eating inside or outside, gourmet food, or fast food- with today`s variety of ingredients and products, there are always better, smarter choices you can make:

• Eat at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day!

• Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains and sugars

• Substitute healthier fats for not-so-healthy fats

• Beware of portion distortion, and help trim down the number of calories you eat.

• Substituting lower calorie and lower fat foods for higher in calories and fats foods to help maintain a healthy diet and weight.