Why Egyptians Can’t Diet

The 2008 Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey revealed that more than half of Egyptian men and women are either overweight or obese, the percentage being higher among women.

Although not as accurate as it could have been, the study is a significant indicator that Egypt is on the heavier side of the weight scale, with rising levels of obesity and accompanying heart diseases and type two diabetes.

So why can’t Egyptians diet? Here’s a list of struggles to overcome.

The Culture

The Egyptian perspective towards body size has always favored thekersh as a sign of wealth dating back to ancient times, as evidenced by this relief from Karnak of a noble man with skin folds of fat and moobs.

Overweight meant prosperity for both men and women up until the time of our grandparents. Men here still don’t regard being overweight as a problem. While such concepts have changed for unmarried women in our modern society, it is still deemed acceptable for them to gain weight after marriage and especially after pregnancy.

But this lax attitude towards working out and outdoor exercise, especially for women, needs to change. A healthy diet and lifestyle is based on conscious decisions.

The Diet

Although parts of the Mediterranean basin are famous for theirheart-healthy diets, Egypt – since the dawn of civilization and the cultivation of wheat – follows a grain-based diet. It was a surprise for archeologists to find overweight and obese mummies with diabetes and heart conditions among royals who have always been depicted as slim and healthy.

Rice and bread are commonly found on Egyptian dining tables. Kushari is the staple of Egyptian cuisine and, when the people took to the streets back in 2011, bread was one of the major demands. Modern Egyptians eat high-carb diets with a higher content ofmesabbek and usually low in protein.

And don’t even get me started on skipping salad as a norm and our world-famous, sugar-laden oriental treats. We need an immediate and drastic change in the Egyptian diet.

The Lifestyle

Spending hours on our commutes trapped in non-moving vehicles, our dependence on elevators, our overtime desk jobs, as well as other features of our sedentary lifestyles all aid in adding those layers of fat to our bodies.

We shifted from an on-the-go, active society to a lazy, couch potato one. We even gain weight during the month of fasting owing to binge eating while watching the carnival of series on TV. We need to reintroduce the value of an active lifestyle to society.

The Knowledge

This is a huge problem spread amongst almost all social levels of Egyptian society. We lack the proper knowledge. We don’t understand what constitutes healthy food choices inside and outside of the house, we’re tempted by the “ease” of crash diets and going under the knife as an alternative and, finally, we lack knowledge of proper workout methods for fat loss.

We see people around us dieting, losing weight and gaining it back as soon as they start dining out. We see gym freaks and guys pumping weights and consuming supplements instead of actually being healthy. Coaching – nutritional and fitness – is an urgent necessity.

The Exercise

We can’t talk about diet struggles without touching on the tragedy of exercise in Egypt. We’re a football fanatic society that spends hours watching matches – rather than actually playing – with sugar-loaded sodas in our hands. And we just don’t exercise enough.

Despite the rise in the number of sport clubs and gyms in Cairo, they are not accessible to the majority and few offer real, tangible help. We don’t have enough outdoor jogging and hiking spaces and we have no bike lanes in the streets. Public schools show no attention to physical education, especially for young women.

We are a society that I believe is eager to exercise, but we lack the proper means and facilities.

Although there are some great efforts from health professionals and key people in Egyptian society who aim to spread knowledge and promote initiatives that encourage leading active lifestyles, with healthy diet options and both outdoor and indoor exercise, we still have a long way to go.

As with most societal ills, the hope lies in the younger generations who are open to the outside world and have access to proper nutrition and fitness tips. But that is barely enough. We need governmental attention and support to actually implement nationwide changes – and that should be a major demand of the people.

  

10 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

You can feel wonderful during your pregnancy if you take good care of yourself. Increase your odds of a healthy pregnancy by following these sensible steps to keep yourself in top condition:

1. Eat five or six well-balanced meals each day.

2. Take a prenatal vitamin each day as directed by your obstetrician or midwife.

3. Drink plenty of fluids -- at least eight to 10 glasses a day -- avoiding caffeine and artificial coloring.

4. Don't drink alcohol.

5. Don't smoke or allow yourself to be exposed to secondhand smoke.

6. Exercise -- it's important for your general health and also can help reduce stress. Take a pregnancy exercise class or walk at least fifteen to twenty minutes every day at a moderate pace. Walk in cool, shaded areas or indoors in order to prevent overheating.

7. Get adequate sleep -- at least eight hours a night. If you're suffering from sleep disturbances, take naps during the day and see your physician for advice.

8. Wear comfortable, nonrestricting shoes and put your feet up several times a day to prevent fatigue and swelling of the feet, legs, and ankles.

9. Continue to wear a safety belt while riding in motor vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the shoulder portion of the restraint should be positioned over the collar bone. The lap portion should be placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and across the upper thighs, never above the abdomen. Also, pregnant women should sit as far from the air bag as possible.

10. Don't take over-the-counter medications or herbal remedies without first consulting your obstetrician or midwife.

Sources: National Women's Health Information Center; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your won health or the health of others.

25 Life Hacks to Eat Better

though making time for food and preparing meals may sound like a chore, it can be one of the most important keys to the success of your health goals. If cooking at home seems overwhelming now, don’t worry. The more frequently you’re able to use the following tricks, the less overall time meal planning will take down the road. Before you know it, healthy lifestyle choices will become habits.

For everyone racing through life at warp speed, these tips can help you to make the most of your time in the kitchen.

Keep it simple. Instead of following some fad diet with lots of rules, keep your healthy eating routine simple. Eat real food that’s mostly plants with lots of color and variety. Balance every meal with high-quality proteins like lean meat, fish, tofu or beans and complex carbs like brown rice, potatoes, quinoa, and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil. Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables to meet your daily fiber needs while keeping calories in check.

Don’t bring junk into the house. If you’re easily swayed to nosh on chips, cookies and ice cream, keep the processed snacks out of the house. This simple trick makes healthy eating easy. Out of sight, out of mind.

Eat more fat. Yes, you read that right. People who snack on healthy fats like a handful of almonds eat fewer calories over the course of the day because they feel more satisfied. So don’t skimp on fat; it keeps you fuller for longer so you will, in turn, eat less. Try these 6 high-fat foods that are good for you.

Make lunch the night before. Stop telling yourself you’ll have time to pack a lunch on your way out the door in the morning. While you’re cleaning up from dinner, put together your lunch for the next day. Whether it be leftovers from dinner or a mason jar salad, planning ahead makes it easy to walk out the door with a healthy lunch.

Use Pinterest with a purpose. Make a board of “Must-Make Meals” filled with weeknight go-tos so that when you’re planning and prepping your meals you know right where to turn (or scroll to). Take it a step further and organize recipes by category like “chicken,” “fish,” “vegetarian,” to get more variety in your diet.

Carry a water bottle. Because hydration is a vital part of being healthy, make it a priority to carry a water bottle around with you and refill it throughout the day. The Institute of Medicine recommends men that drink 120 ounces and women 90 ounces of fluid per day. If you’re active, you will need to replace what you lost through sweat as well. Here are some more great tips to stay hydrated!

Eat on a schedule. A person who eats 2,000 calories throughout the day will often have more energy and tend to lose more weight than the person who eats the same amount of calories all at one meal. By skipping meals or ignoring our hunger cues, we force our bodies to run off of fumes. Listen to your body when it says it’s hungry and you will find that it’s easier to resist the temptation of overeating later at night.

Make breakfast in 90 seconds. Breakfast doesn’t need to be a large production; keep it simple for mornings when you have to be out of the house fast. Homemade breakfast burritos are a fast, simple way to grab a meal in the morning using only a microwave. Place one 6-inch tortilla in a cereal bowl and crack an egg onto the tortilla. Add toppings like green chilies, a sprinkle of cheese, onions and leftover roasted veggies from the night before. Microwave for 90 seconds or until the egg is cooked. Top with salsa and voila: breakfast in 90 seconds.

Catch some ZZZs. Getting enough shut eye at night goes a long way to protecting your body. Because hormones are regulated while you sleep, people who get quality sleep on a daily basis tend to make better food choices and have slimmer waistlines.

Stockpile healthy snacks. Say sayonara to the office candy stash or a drive through when mid-day hunger strikes. Keep healthy snacks on you at all times—pile them in your office drawer, fridge, gym bag and purse. Convenient go-tos include nuts, homemade trail mix, fruit and nut bars, apples, bananas, clementines, single-serve nut butters, dried edamame and air-popped popcorn. If you have refrigeration, stock up on Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and hard-boiled eggs for protein-packed snacks.

Choose whole grains. Make a simple swap in your eating routine by choosing 100% whole grains instead of highly processed white or enriched grains. Whole grains, like steel cut oats, brown rice, barley and 100% whole grain bread or pasta, provide greater nutrition from energy rich B-vitamins to filling fiber. Bonus: Whole grains have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load, meaning they won’t spike your blood sugar as much as simple carbs.

Create a shopping list. Plan your meals and build a list. When you shop from a list, unnecessary temptations don’t land in your grocery cart; your bill (and you) will be more fit as a result.

Grocery shop once per week. When you’re busy, popping into the grocery store on a daily basis is a waste of your precious time. Instead, organize your schedule and plan to go grocery shopping at the beginning of the week to be more efficient.

Go for frozen foods. Frozen produce can be a healthy alternative to fresh foods, and they will last longer too. Fruits and veggies are picked at their peak of ripeness and flash frozen to retain the most nutritional value. Some good staples are corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, edamame and spinach. Don’t forget about protein too—frozen proteins like shrimp, salmon, tilapia and even chicken can make weeknights easier. Tip: Stay away from frozen foods that are packed in sauces and syrups.

Opt for pre-chopped veggies. Trouble cutting up butternut squash? Have a crying fest when you chop an onion? Buy pre-cut veggies so all you need to do is cook and eat. Stock up on diced onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, celery, broccoli and cauliflower florets, diced butternut squash and baby carrots to make your life easier.

Shop the salad bar. If you have trouble eating all of your veggies before they go bad, or only need a quarter cup of onion for a recipe, try an alternative approach. You can buy just the right amount for you and pay by the ounce by stocking up on veggies from your grocers’ salad bar. This will save you prep time too. Try adding common salad bar items to meals like omelets, stir-fry or homemade pizza.

Shop at the farmer’s market. It’s nearly effortless to fill up on fresh local produce and eggs when you gather your food at the farmer’s market. Though farmer’s markets have a reputation for being pricey, seasonal produce is often competitively priced with what you’ll find at the grocery store. As long as you can bypass the kettle corn, you’re golden.

Prep for meals in advance. Being proactive about meal planning can save a lot of time and stress in the long run. While the upfront work may sound scary, you’ll be thankful when you find yourself running late and only have a few minutes to eat. Pick a day or a night to prepare several meals that you can simply warm up throughout the week. Or take the time to separate your snacks into portion-controlled bags that you can grab on your way out the door. Raw vegetables are always a simple, nutrient-dense option. If you’re new to meal planning, check out our great beginner’s guide, which is full of tips and tricks to get started.

Fall back on family favorites. Instead of wracking your brain and reinventing the wheel each week, have a list of (healthy) recipes that you know your family will enjoy. This makes meal planning easier and saves you time in the long run. Working with recipes that you know by heart makes cooking less of a hassle.

Plan for leftovers. If you are preparing a large meal, double the batch. Prepare one to serve and the other to put in the freezer or fridge. This way you have double the food but half the mess! You can also prepare extra chicken or steak to cut up and add to a salad to make for a filling lunch the next day.

Prep a big soup. Soups are a simple way to eat more produce and fiber-rich beans. Opt for homemade, broth-based soups instead of creamy ones. Make a big batch and freeze some of it for another week. Pour single servings into to-go containers to make it easy to grab and go for work lunches. Sip on soup for lunch to fill your body up with good stuff.

Blend your veggies. Add a smoothie or fresh juice to get a few servings of fruits and veggies in your diet. Smoothies make a great breakfast or snack. Make them yourself so that you’re in control of the ingredients. If you’re making it a meal or want a snack that lasts,blend fruits and veg with proteins like Greek yogurt, kefir or milk and healthy fats like cashews, nut butters, avocado or coconut oil.

Make mason jar salads. Not only do these look awesome, but they also make salads fun and functional. No more oddly shaped to-go containers that don’t fit right in a lunch box and never seem to get dry in the top rack of the dishwasher. Prep a salad in a mason jar by filling the bottom of the jar with a simple, vinegar-based dressing, toppings like chickpeas or grilled chicken, chopped veggies, feta cheese, apples, nuts and seeds and lots of greens at the top. Seal tightly with a lid. When you are ready to eat, just shake the jar and dump into a bowl. Once you start using the mason jar, you’ll be taking salads to work on the daily.

Batch roast your veggies. Before your week begins, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and roast off your favorite veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mushrooms, butternut squash, kale and sweet potatoes. This small step will help ensure healthy eating during the week. Toss roasted veg on a salad, in an omelet or breakfast scramble, serve on the side of grilled chicken or in a wrap. To roast vegetables, preheat oven to 425 degrees, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange veg on baking sheet not to overcrowd the pan, mist veg with olive or coconut oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 25-45 minutes, depending on toughness of the veggies, until vegetables begin to turn brown and crisp.

Stock your pantry. Pantry staples make it easy to whip up a dinner in no time flat. Convenient pantry items include low-sodium canned beans, canned tuna, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, nut butter, mixed nuts, unsweetened dried fruit, and whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole-grain pasta.

Health Benefits of Adult Coloring Books

dult coloring books are all the rage right now. In fact, many of the popular ones are the best sellers in their respective categories on Amazon (in fact, 1/3 of the top 15 best sellers in all categories are coloring books!). Turns out there are some health and psychological benefits of coloring, a fact that children may instinctively know (like so many other life lessons we should learn from our kids!).

Most children naturally love to draw and color and we actively encourage this in our children. Yet, sometime around “real school” age, we stop encouraging creative activities like coloring and drawing and instead encourage more structured academic activities. By adulthood, the idea of cracking open a coloring book seems almost laughable… except that researchers have been studying the benefits of this classic childhood activity for adults for over a decade.

Benefits of Adult Coloring Books?

It might seem crazy that something as simple as a coloring book could actually be beneficial, but research continually supports this idea. In fact, researchers have known for over 100 years the benefits of coloring on the adult brain and famous psychiatrists throughout history (including Carl Jung) have recommended it to their patients.

Stress Relief

Coloring has been shown to have stress-reducing benefits. The reason? Coloring is said to calm the amygdala, the part of the brain related to the fear/stress response while stimulating the parts of the brain responsible for creativity and logic. A 2005 study documented a reduction in anxiety in subjects after a short time of coloring geometric patterns.

In fact, coloring therapy is being used experimentally for those with anxiety and stress related disorders. Some people report sleeping better when coloring for even 5 minutes before bedtime.

Focus and Creativity

There’s a reason that adult coloring books are becoming a favorite among high-profile business professionals in high-stress industries and creative professionals. There is evidence that even a short coloring session can help improve focus and spur creativity. Some offices are even making time for group coloring sessions for employees as a way to improve group focus and creativity during big projects.

While we may think of group coloring time as an activity for pre-schoolers, high-profile executives are joining the trend!

Social Time

Group coloring time is becoming an increasingly popular activity in many places as clubs and social groups pop up to facilitate it. Even in my own small town, the library is hosting adult coloring sessions and I’ve seen several Mom’s Night Outs that advertise “Coloring and Wine” (count me in!).

While coloring does take focus and promotes relaxation, it isn’t such a difficult activity that it can’t be done while talking or spending time with others, making it an increasingly popular group activity. If you have kids, this is a fun activity that you can do with them!

Alternative to Meditation

The psychological benefits of prayer and meditation have been well studied, but many people find it difficult to “turn-off” and calm the mind. Coloring and other hands-on activities offer an alternative because they allow you to “do” something without the need for active concentration. In studies, activities like coloring are able to produce a similar effect to meditation in the brain.

Benefits Aren’t Specific to Just Coloring

It is important to note that while coloring is a fun activity for many children and adults, it certainly isn’t the only creative activity with these benefits. Music, drawing, crafts and even home repairs (if you enjoy them) were found to be meditative and therapeutic. Knitting has also been studied for its ability to lessen depression and anxiety.

I’ve personally always noticed the same effects from other types of creative activities like painting, drawing, and DIY projects but can see how coloring can be even more relaxing as there is no need to create anything from scratch and the ability to follow a pattern and template removes some of the need for active thought.

Adult Coloring Books: How To

I was surprised to find hundreds of options when I started looking at adult coloring books, as well as dozens of opinions about the “right” way to color them (reading the reviews/comments on adult coloring books is not stress relieving!).

I ended up ordering several books (including one that was on the best seller list) and apack of colored pencils. Since adult coloring pages tend to be much smaller and more detailed than the coloring books of childhood, I would definitely suggest colored pencils or very fine tip markers over crayons or regular markers.

This has become my favorite book, since the quotes are inspirational and can be used for decoration when you are done coloring them, but there are different types of coloring books for every interest and preference (including animal patterns, geometric shapes and patterns, any many others.

Bottom Line

Though coloring therapy is being used experimentally for those with PTSD, anxiety and other stress-related disorders, it isn’t a substitute for regular therapy or consulting with a qualified professional. Despite its hype, it probably also won’t be a magic fix for any health or stress-related problem.

It is, however, a fun and relaxing activity and an inexpensive way to relax, de-stress and spend some time with friends or your kids. Since it may help sleep, focus, and creativity, I figured a $6 book was worth a try!

quick easy recipe for a healthy breakfast

How to Boost Your Self-esteem Quickly

Self-esteem comes naturally to some, but seems so elusive to others. If you need to boost your self esteem, here are a few tips to help you.

If you’re tired of feeling bad about yourself, or just want some tips for those down days, these 7 practical strategies will help you take action to boost your self-esteem.

Tip #1: Think back to when you did something new for the first time.

Learning something new is often accompanied by feelings of nervousness, lack of self-belief and high stress levels, all of which are necessary parts of the learning process. The next time you feel under-confident, remembering this will remind you that it’s perfectly normal – you’re just learning!

Tip #2: Do something you have been putting off.

Like writing or calling a friend, cleaning the house, tidying the garden, fixing the car, organizing the bills, making a tasty and healthy meal – anything that involved you making a decision, then following through! A great way to boost self-esteem is to accomplish something new.

Tip #3: Do something you are good at.

Examples? How about swimming, running, dancing, cooking, gardening, climbing, painting, writing… If possible, it should be something that holds your attention and requires enough focus to get you into that state of `flow’ where you forget about everything else. You will feel more competent, accomplished and capable afterwards, great antidotes to low self-esteem!

And while you’re at it, seriously consider doing something like this at least once a week. People who experience ‘flow’ regularly seem to be happier and healthier.

Read also: Take this self-esteem test.

Tip #4: Stop thinking about yourself!

I know this sounds strange, but low self-esteem is often accompanied by too much focus on the self. Doing something that absorbs you and holds your attention can quickly make you feel better.

Tip #5: Get seriously relaxed.

If you are feeling low, anxious or lacking in confidence, the first thing to do is to stop thinking and relax properly. Some people do this by exercising, others by involving themselves in something that occupies their mind. However, being able to relax yourself when you want is a fantastic life skill and so practicing self-hypnosis, meditation, or a physically based relaxation technique such as Tai Chi can be incredibly useful.

When you are properly relaxed, your brain is less emotional and your memory for good events works better. A great ‘rescue remedy’!

David Leonhardt ‎@amabaie

"Nothing boosts self-esteem like thinking about one’s success." http://thehappyguy.com/boost-self-esteem/ …

4:19 PM - 27 Jan 2014

Tip #6: Remember all the things you have achieved.

This can be difficult at first, but after a while, you’ll develop a handy mental list of self-esteem boosting memories. And if you’re thinking “But I’ve never achieved anything”, I’m not talking about climbing Everest here.

Things like passing your driving test (despite being nervous), passing exams (despite doubting that you would), playing team sport, getting fit (even if you let it slip later), saving money for something, trying to help someone (even if it didn’t work) and so on. Nothing boosts self-esteem like thinking about one’s success.

Tip #7: Remember that you could be wrong!

If you are feeling bad about yourself, remember that you way you feel affects your thoughts, memory and behavior. So when you feel bad, you will only remember the bad times, and will tend to be pessimistic about yourself. This is where the tip `Get Seriously Relaxed’ comes in!

Once you have tried out a few of these, consider making them a permanent part of your life. For most people, good self-esteem is not just a happy accident, it’s a result of the way they think and the things they do from day to day. Good Luck!

how often do you need to see a dentist ?

A lot of us think that we should visit the dentist every six months – even if it’s not what we do in practice. Whether those biannual check-ups are really necessary is, however, a matter of debate. In fact, it’s not even clear where the six-month figure initially came from. Some believe it dates back to the 18th Century, long before the advent of randomised controlled trials that could test its benefits.

People with a lot of problems with their teeth do, of course, need to visit the dentist often. But what about everyone else? Permanent teeth are more vulnerable to decay soon after they’ve come through, so when children have just grown their first permanent teeth at the ages of six to eight they need those regular check-ups. In the teens, teeth are less vulnerable, until wisdom teeth come through in your twenties. So the risk varies at different times of life.

In 2000, three-quarters of dentists surveyed in New York were recommending six monthly check-ups, despite the absence of studies examining whether the frequency of visits made a difference to patients at low-risk of tooth decay or gum disease. Today, many organisations such as the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry still recommend six monthly check-ups.

But for several decades some have been arguing that the choice of six months as the ideal space between visits is rather arbitrary. Back in 1977 Aubrey Sheiham, a professor of dental public health at University College London, published a paper in The Lancet bemoaning the lack of evidence for six monthly check-ups. Almost 40 years on, he’s still making the same point.

In 2003 a systematic review examined the research that had then been done. The results were mixed. Some studies found no difference between the number of decayed teeth, fillings or missing teeth in those who attended the dentist frequently and those who didn’t, while other studies found fewer fillings in those who went a lot. When it came to gums most research found no difference in the amount of bleeding, plaque or gingivitis in permanent teeth. One study found that going to the dentist more than once a year made no difference to the size of tumours at diagnosis with oral cancer, while another found that if people waited more than a year between visits, tumours could be more advanced when they were found.

Last year the Cochrane Collaboration performed a similar systematic review of the research, and they were disappointed with what they found. The quality and quantity of the research was simply too poor to back up or refute the idea of six-monthly check-ups. They found just one controlled study where patients were randomised to attend the dentist either annually or every two years. Those who went annually did better, but it’s possible that the dental staff knew whether patients were in the annual or two-yearly group, which could have influenced the treatment they received and biased the results.

There’s something else we have to bear in mind. Even when a study finds, for example, that children who go to the dentist frequently have fewer fillings, there may be other factors at work. Those same children may have other advantages; they may belong to a higher socio-economic group, eat more healthily and have better quality dental equipment.