Health for life

While Im talking about coffee, its only fair to mention some other aspects.

Below are three more studies. Two suggest that the caffeine in coffee can increase blood glucose (BG) and make cells more resistant to insulin after a meal. The third finds benefits in coffees non-caffeine phenolic compounds.

There are differences that set these studies apart from the ones just posted which discussed coffees possible role in reducing the risk for diabetes.

1. Their study populations were small, 14 and 9, compared to several thousands in the previous studies.
   
   
2. The first two studies tested the effect of just one chemical in coffee, caffeine, rather than the complete beverage.

There are a number of biologically active molecules in coffee. Some, unlike caffeine, may improve measures of glucose tolerance. An example of this is documented in the third study below. It found that, although the caffeine in coffee increased post-meal blood glucose, another component, chlorogenic acid, slowed the rate of absorption of glucose, resulting in a lower post-meal BG than if it had not been consumed.

1. Diabetes Care, August 2004
Caffeine Impairs Glucose Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes

The study group consisted of 14 people, average age 61, with type 2 diabetes. The intervention group received 375 mg of pure caffeine. After a meal, blood glucose levels were 21% higher among caffeine-takers when compared to a non-caffeine control group; blood insulin was 48% higher.

2. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July 2004
Caffeine Ingestion Increases the Insulin Response to an Oral-glucose-tolerance Test in Obese Men Before and After Weight Loss

The study group consisted of 9 obese, non-diabetic men, age 23-34.
Caffeine ingestion (5 mg/kg body weight, about 475 mg caffeine for a 210 lb man) was found to decrease a measure of insulin sensitivity by 15%.

3. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2003
Coffee Acutely Modifies Gastrointestinal Hormone Secretion and Glucose Tolerance in Humans: Glycemic Effects of Chlorogenic Acid and Caffeine

The study group consisted of 9 non-diabetic men and woman, average age 26. Participants were given instant caffeinated coffee, instant decaffeinated coffee, or glucose water. Components in coffee, possibly chlorogenic acid, were found to decrease the rate of intestinal absorption of glucose.

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Laser hair removal is one of the most popular requests from people that visit a medical spa. People are interested in this option because of the positive reviews they hear about it. It is a permanent way to eliminate hair on almost any body part you can think of. While this is typically something that women are interested in, many men opt for the procedure as well. For example, a man might want to have the hair on his back removed. The condition might be very embarrassing for him or his wife may find it unappealing.

Women like to have this done on many different areas of the body including the bikini line, under arms and face. One of the great things that laser hair removal offers is that you will no longer have to worry about embarrassing body hair. You will also never have to shave again. However, it might require several sessions of the laser hair removal to permanently eliminate the hair. For most people, six sessions are needed, but after that the hair generally stays away for years. There might be a few stray hairs that reappear after a year or so, and this may mean that you should come back for one more treatment.

Juvederm is another thing that people get at a medical spa. Juvederm is something that is used for wrinkle elimination. It is safe and it is very effective. It is in the form of a gel, which is then applied to a persons face. It is usually placed around the nose and lips, and offers immediate results. The results are not permanent, however, but they do last for approximately one year. At that point, you could go back to a medical spa to have it done again. This is one great alternative to getting a face-lift or another type of invasive surgery. This is a procedure that will give you results immediately, but you will not have to recover from it. Whatever types of services you would like to do to your face may be available at a medical spa. These procedures can help you look younger, and they will all make you feel better about yourself.

Article by : Andrew Stratton

Article Source : A Medical Spa Specializes in Many Different Types of Treatments

New Yorkers like their soup. Just how much was a phenomenon unfamiliar to me when I moved here in the mid-’90s and found myself serving it by the bucket to insatiable Upper West Siders. Diners based their lunch orders on the soup du jour and were often despondent if told their favorites were off-menu or, even worse, sold out.

It’s just soup, I would think, sometimes aloud to my fellow waitrons. But what did I know; I grew up eating soup from a can. Occasionally, my grandma would try to get me to eat her homemade vegetable or chicken noodle, but I rebuffed her advances. It wasn’t sodium-rich Campbell’s, and I would have none of it.

As a frugal eater-outer, soup never seemed like a good bargain. A bowl of soup can run upwards of $6 or $7 dollars in a New York restaurant. As a vegetarian, the “is there meat in it?” question is often difficult to nail. One chef/waiter’s meat-free soup is another’s fish stock surprise. A bowl of watery, mushy vegetables just didnt seem worth it.

But somewhere along my home-cooking journey, I discovered something: soup is amazing. It can be simple or complex, light or hearty, bland (in a good way) or rich. Soup is a fabulous way to get vegetables into the diet and, with few exceptions, is easy to make. I dont know what took me so long.

I stumbled on this simple, rich and light green pea soup on Chow.com a few weeks before Easter. The vibrant green color caught my eye; it looked like spring and tastes like spring: green peas, leeks, fresh mint, a squirt of lemon. The sun came out just to see if it could have a taste. With only a few ingredients, this brightly colored soup whips up quickly and makes an impressive starter or light lunch supplement.

Coincidentally, my colleague E supplied the optional crème fraîche when she whipped up a batch from scratch. It was lighter than I expected and added a delightful tanginess to the sweet peas.

Take Chows advice to water down commercial broth, if you go that route. I didnt for my first batch, which made for a very oily soup when combined with the whole tablespoon of butter the original recipe suggests. I recommend halving the fat and using home-brewed broth (or watered down store-bought) for a less greasy mouthfeel (ew…I said mouthfeel).

Now for the variations. Ive made this soup about five or six times since Easter when it made its debut (to raves). After a couple of batches, I started changing up the veg and the herbs, and it just kept being fantastic, like changing the curtains when you want to freshen up the living room. The variations are listed below the recipe.

I finally get it. Soup is easy, delicious, and versatile, and except for the eating out part, 8 million New Yorkers cant be wrong.

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If this recipe floats your boat, paddle on over to:

• Chilled Summer Squash Soup
• Sweet Potato Soup with Swiss Chard
• Vegetarian Miso Soup

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Green Pea Soup
Serves 4–6
adapted from Green Pea Soup from Chow.com


1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
1 medium leek, root trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
2 1/2 cups homemade vegetable broth or 1 cup low-sodium store-bought vegetable broth mixed with 1 1/2 cups water*
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
3 cups shelled fresh peas (from about 2 1/2 pounds of peas in their pods) or 16 ounces frozen peas, thawed**
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves***
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
Crème fraîche, optional

1) Heat olive oil or butter in heavy bottomed sauce pan. Saute leek in oil with pinch of salt. Add broth and bring to boil.

2) Add green peas, remaining salt, and black pepper. Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

3) Remove from heat, stir in mint (or parsley), and allow flavors to meld for 10 minutes or so.

4) Transfer soup to a blender and puree in batches until smooth. Add lemon juice to tasted.

5) Serve hot or cold with a dollop of crème fraîche or a sprinkle of finely chopped mint or parsley.

Broccoli Potato Variation
Makes 6 servings
* 4 cups vegetable broth
** 12 ounces broccoli, chopped + 8 ounces, red bliss potatoes, washed and chopped into 1/8" dice

At step 2, add broccoli and potatoes, remaining salt, black pepper. Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Cauliflower Variation
** 16 ounces frozen cauliflower, thawed
***1/4 cup parsley

At step 2, add cauliflower, remaining salt, and black pepper. Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
Green Pea (four servings): 131.8 calories, 1.9g fat, 5.5g fiber, 6.6g protein, $.78
Broccoli Potato (six servings): 85 calories, 1g fat, 4g fiber, 3.6g protein, $.59
Cauliflower (four servings): 71 calories, 1.9g fat, 3.8g fiber, 3.6g protein, $.73

Calculations
1/2 tablespoon butter: 70 calories, 7.5g fat, 0g fiber, 0.5g protein, $0.08
1 medium leek: 54 calories, 0g fat, 2g fiber, 1g protein, $0.25
2 teaspoons kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
2 1/2 cups homemade vegetable broth: 50 calories, 0.25g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.48
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
16 ounces frozen peas: 350 calories, 0g fat, 20g fiber, 25g protein, $2.19
[12 ounces broccoli: 164 calories, 0g fat, 20g fiber, 16g protein, $1.32]
[8 ounces red potato: 140 calories, 0g fat, 4g fiber, 4g protein, $1.00]
[16 ounces cauliflower: 108 calories, 0g fat, 9g fiber, 9g protein, $1.99]
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice: 3 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.00

Note: One teaspoon of crème fraîche per serving adds 7.7 calories and .7g fat.

Green Pea Soup
TOTALS: 527 calories, 7.75g fat, 22g fiber, 26.5g protein, $3.12
PER SERVING (TOTALS/4): 131.8 calories, 1.9g fat, 5.5g fiber, 6.6g protein, $.78

Broccoli Potato Soup
TOTALS: 511 calories, 8g fat, 26g fiber, 21.5g protein, $3.53
PER SERVING (TOTALS/6): 85 calories, 1g fat, 4g fiber, 3.6g protein, $.59

Cauliflower Soup
TOTALS: 285 calories, 7.75g fat, 15g fiber, 14.5g protein, $2.92
PER SERVING (TOTALS/4): 71 calories, 1.9g fat, 3.8g fiber, 3.6g protein, $.73