February 5, 2008

Good-Food-for-the-Heart Series: Brown Rice








This is the second day of our feature for the Good-Food-for-the-Heart series, and we will talk about the health benefits of brown rice.

There are a lot of countries, especially in Asia, where rice is considered as their staple food. There are several types and ‘colors’ of rice, but white is probably the most popular. As compared to white rice, however, brown rice is more nutritious because the milling process which converts the natural color of rice into white strips these grains of their health benefits.

Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese, selenium, fiber and magnesium. It is also rich in vitamin B1, B3, B6 and iron. Taking one cup of cooked brown rice per day will provide your body with the trace minerals needed to produce energy, maintain a healthy nervous system and protect your body against cell damage. The fibrous content of brown rice helps reduce certain risks of certain cancers and diabetes.

Finally, its benefit to the heart lies in the fact that natural oil which brown rice contains helps lower your bad cholesterol. Fibrous grains like these also help regulate blood pressure due to its magnesium content.

True enough, brown rice is one heart-friendly food that should be part of your daily meals. Happy eating!


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Molnlycke’s BARRIER Protective Glasses For Health Workers









You often see protective glasses or goggles being used by construction workers when they have to weld or solder something.  This home medical equipment is also commonly used by bikers or riders to protect themselves from the dust or other elements.

However, one of the top sectors that can benefit from wearing these protective glasses are health workers who are often exposed to contagious virus.    In fact, this was recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration several years ago when there was an avian influenza outbreak.

Humans can get infected with avian influenza when they get in contact with poultry that is infested so even poultry workers have been mandated to use these goggles to avoid contamination through particles that go into the eyes.

There are a lot of diseases out there that can be prevented from spreading out if only people know how to use protective wear such as this Barrier protective glasses from Molnlycke.


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THE NUTRITIONAL DANGERS OF MICROWAVE OVENS?


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While researching the article for this post, I happened across information that declared that microwave ovens are harmful to our health. That opinion caused me some concern because as a working mother, my children eat a great deal of food that is prepared in the microwave. Our microwave cooks breakfast, lunch, and occasionally dinner for my family. I purchase food that is meant to be prepared in the microwave so that my children can eat healthy, nutritious meals that I don’t have to spend hours cooking and cleaning up.

I’m happy to tell you that the Food and Drug Administration has reported complete safety in regards to microwaved food. Allegations that microwaves destroy the nutrients and vitamins in food are false. The belief that microwave ovens cause stomach and intestinal cancers are unfounded and untrue as well. Microwave ovens do not cause radiation exposure to food, they do not change the structure of food, all they do is cook the food more quickly without having to add water in some cases, which might actually enhance the nutritional value of the food.

Everything that you’d like to know about the hazards that your microwave DOES NOT pose to your health is available at http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/microwave.html


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