5 Insane Facts About How America Has Gotten Bigger

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Patricia Thao

If you look at the data the general philosophy in the United States seems to be “bigger is better.” And over the past several decades, Americans have supersized our sodas, our refrigerators, our big-box retailers and ourselves — even our feet have gotten larger.

Here’s a look at a few of the most startling things that have grown in size in the U.S. over the past few decades:

1. Our portion sizes

You probably know that portions in the U.S. have been getting bigger — but do you know by how much?

When McDonalds first partnered with Coca-Cola in 1955, the only size of a beverage available was 7 ounces. By 1999, McDonald’s had introduced a drink that was literally six times as large as that — the 42 ounce Super-Size. Today, the largest size that McDonald’s serves in the U.S. is 30 ounces, though many people still get refills.

A similar trend has been at work with our french fries, hamburgers and restaurant meals in general. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the average restaurant meal today is four times larger than it was in the 1950s. As the graphic below from the CDC shows, the size of the average soda, hamburger and french fries portion has grown substantially since the 1950s.

2. Our chickens

To meet our insatiable demand for white meat, America has begun super-sizing its chickens. As my colleague Roberto Ferdman writes, Americans now eat 80 pounds of chicken per person per year, and we’ve begun breeding bigger and breastier chickens as a result.

According to a study published last fall, the most commonly raised type of chicken in 1957 weighed only about two pounds when it was 56 days old. Today, the most commonly bred type of chicken weighs nine pounds at the same age.

3. Ourselves

With the size of our food getting so much bigger, it follows pretty naturally that Americans themselves are getting larger.

As my colleague Chris Ingraham has noted, the average American woman today weighs 166.2 pounds, which is almost exactly as much as the average American man weighed about 50 years ago. The average weight of an American woman rose 18.5 percent in that period, from 140 pounds in 1960.

Men aren’t doing much better. Their average weight has risen 17.6 percent in the same time period to 195.5 pounds today. To make the same comparison, an American man today weighs almost as much as 1.5 American women from the 1960s.

4. Our cars

Compared with the gas guzzlers of 1950s, many cars have actually shrunk as time has gone on. Since the energy crisis of the 1970s, however, cheaper fuel prices and expanding waistlines have both encouraged cars and SUVs to once again get bigger.

5. Our houses

New homes in the U.S. today are about 1,000 square feet larger than they were in 1973, and the living space available per person has doubled over the last 40 years, Mark Perry of the American Enterprise Institute writes, citing data released by the Census Bureau last year.

The average house size in America fell slightly during the Great Recession, but it has once again strongly trended upward in recent years.

Credits to original author link.

10 Things You Need to Know About the Asian Diet

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Patricia Thao

The main focus of the Asian diet is to create wellness. This I believe is the best medicine. By practicing these diet habits you will see improvement in your overall health. We all know:

“Health is not simply the absence of sickness.” — Hannah Green

This top 10 list serves up healthier habits, better nutrition and enhanced immune function. This top 10 list has been perfected and practiced for centuries.

To paraphrase Sun Simiao, the great Chinese physician in the sixth century, one wastes the skill of a great physician if one does not first consider the food he or she are eating. This is still true today. Consider also when you eat and how you eat as you read these 10 Asian diet habits.

#1. Limit Drinks, Especially Cold Drinks With Meals

Americans have a bad habit of drinking a cold glass of water or soda with meals. Changing this habit alone will create better digestion of food. Limit fluid intake with your meals and you will stop diluting your digestive enzymes which are so important for proper digestion. Green tea or other hot teas before a meal supports enzymatic activity and helps enhance your digestive abilities. It’s best to add liquids 30 minutes before or after meals, not during.

#2. Have Soup Often

Soup is a nutrient dense food and fills you up quickly. You don’t need much, just a half cup is beneficial. Most Asian soups are made with bones and/or combinations of vegetables so you’re getting lots of vitamins and minerals even with a small portion. Whether it is bone broth soup, vegetable or miso, soups are rich in vitamins and minerals and easily absorbed. Secondly, but equally important is that the warm temperature of soup (like tea) can improve the entire digestive process.

#3. Eat a 3:1 Ratio Vegetables to Meat

3:1 means three times the amount of vegetables to the amount of meat. The meat and potato American diet does not make much room for vegetables on the plate. In fact, the favorite American vegetable, potatoes, (i.e., French fries) should be replaced with sweet potatoes if you absolutely can’t live without that starch. Better still, consider vegetables with bitter flavors. Give radishes, radicchio and bitter melon a spot on your plate.

#4. Small Plates and Chopsticks

Small serving bowls and small plates are a great way to eat smaller portions. I love to mix up attractive small plates and bowls in different shapes and sizes. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to eat from these but it helps you eat smaller portions. Chopsticks are an easy way to avoid the shovel techniques of eating. For the average American inexperienced chopstick user, they are guaranteed to slow down your rate of consumption and give your stomach time to send the message to your brain that you’re full and it’s time to stop eating.

#5. Rice Combining

Rice combinations like black, brown, red, or even purple rice are nutritionally denser than white or brown alone. (The best is unpolished/less processed rice, because it is rich in B vitamins.) Rice is eaten to supplement the meal in Asia, not a main course. Rice has always been a popular carbohydrate, cheap to grow and easy to transport and store. But as a carbohydrate it is converted into sugar during the digestive process. This means it can cause a dramatic effect in our glycemic index. This is good for fast energy, but bad if you want to avoid blood sugar fluctuations and bad for those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. Rice combinations are less starchy therefore less sugar conversion and lower in calories.

#6. Not Every Night Is Dessert Night

My kids will tell you from the time they were very little if they asked about dessert, my standard answer was “tonight is not dessert night.” Admittedly, this didn’t work so well past the age of 7, but it’s still a great rule of thumb. If you must have dessert make it fruit. Fruit is nutritious and delicious and a common Asian dessert. Cut and serve it up in a fun and interesting way to make it that much more exciting. Sugary cakes, cookies and ice cream can be for special celebrations only.

#7. Seafood — See Food Differently

No need to repeat what we already know. Research supports this common Asian diet practice of eating fish daily. We’ve heard all about the healthy oils from fish. Fish has always been part of man’s diet nearly everywhere in the world, not just Asia. But the Asian culture has kept this part of their heritage alive better than most.

#8. Asian Snacks are Healthier

Take a look at what Asians eat for snacks and compare it with the American chips and cookies and you’ll understand part of the reason Americans are so overweight and Asians are not. Choose seaweed snacks, nuts, dried fruit and seeds. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds. All are easy to find in nearly every market. These healthy snacks are packed full of micro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals and the choices are limitless. One caveat, do watch out for the salt content of nuts. Raw is preferred but admittedly not as tasty as salted. If you really want the salt, try “lightly salted” versions.

#9. Optimize Food Temperatures With Seasons

Energetic temperatures of foods should not be overlooked. Eat warming foods in cold weather and cooling foods in hot weather. This common-sense rule of thumb is barely spoken in Asia because it’s simply practiced. Cold drinks and cold foods such celery, melons and cold salads are not eaten in the middle of winter. Hot soups and stews with meat are preferred because this is what the body needs in cold weather. A hot summer day is the perfect time for watermelon or a cooling drink made with aloe and cucumber. Every food has an energetic temperature and acts on the body accordingly. Eating the right temperature foods during the various season of the year is an important part of a healthy diet.

#10. Avoid Cow’s Milk and Milk Combining

Milk combines horribly with just about everything, while supplying vastly too much calcium and not enough magnesium. Cow’s milk is completely absent in Asian diets. Other cultures such as Jewish kosher rules recognized thousands of years ago that milk products should be eaten apart from other foods. If you just can’t give up cow’s milk, at the very least don’t ignore the tenet of food combining. Combining the wrong foods, i.e., dairy, slows down gut motility to a snail’s pace, the exact opposite of what is best for healthy digestion. Replacements for cow’s milk are easier than ever today with the arrival of convenient cartons of almond, coconut, rice or organic soy milk.

That’s 10, but if you would like just one more Asian diet tip there is one that the previous 10 helped create. #11 is regular bowel movements. Healthy eating and good digestion create healthy bowel movements and a healthy gut is a clean gut. Although often not talked about in the S.A.D. Standard American Diet, a minimum of one bowel movement a day is an absolute necessity. So much of our immune system is dependent on our gut health and this is one reason proper digestion is key to optimizing our health and wellness. This is our body’s natural detox method and the last on this list of Asian diet tips.

Original article link here.

Healthy Cookout Creations – A Multicultural Style

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Patricia Thao

The summer months are always a great time to start up the grill and invite over friends and family! The problem is, while all of the food is delicious, barbeque and all of its accoutrement add up to be a not-so-nutritious splurge. To rectify this, we’re providing you with three recipes that can help you keep the flavor you crave while eliminating the fat and calories you don’t.

Hawaiian Skewers

Hawaiian Skewers

Ingredients

1-2 packages of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 14oz cans of pineapple chunks
2 sweet onions, any variety
½ cup Barbeque sauce
Lime juice
Wooden or metal skewers (if you’re using wooden, don’t forget to soak them in cold water!)

Directions

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it up to a day in advance. Cut up the chicken and onions into chunks. Place the pieces in a bowl and pour the pineapple chunks, and a quarter of their juice, on top of the chicken and onions. Squeeze barbeque sauce and lime juice (to your liking) on top of ingredients and mix. Arrange the chicken, pineapple, and onion on the skewers. Refrigerate for at least an hour, then grill away!

Greek Yogurt Coleslaw

Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
Ingredients

½ cup nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
3½ tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
16 ounces (about 6¼ cups) bagged coleslaw blend or shredded cabbage

Directions

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper and whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined. Place slaw blend/cabbage in a large bowl and pour Greek yogurt dressing mixture over top. Stir to coat cabbage thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until using (preferably at least 30 minutes)

Recipe from twohealthykitchens.com

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad

Ingredients

4 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups blueberries
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup diced jicama (or apple)
1½ tablespoons lime juice
1½ tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced mint
⅛ teaspoon chipotle chili powder (optional)

Directions:

Place strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, and jicama in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together lime juice, honey, mint, and chili powder. Pour over fruit and toss to coat.

Recipe from spicysouthernkitchen.com

Credits belong to rightful owner.

reTHINK Your Drink

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Patricia Thao

“In an effort to get people and places to choose healthier beverages, the Minneapolis Health eDepartment has launched the reTHINK campaign. The new campaign aims to help people to understand how beverages make up a significant part of their diet, and what people drink can either positively or negatively impact their mind and body. Experts have identified sugary drinks as the single largest contributor of calories and added sugars to the U.S. diet.” – http://www.cdc.gov/

Sweeteners that add calories to a beverage go by many different names and are not always obvious to anyone looking at the ingredients list. Some common caloric sweeteners are listed below. If these appear in the ingredients list of your favorite beverage, you are drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage.

High-fructose corn syrup
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrates
Honey
Sugar
Syrup
Corn syrup
Sucrose
Dextrose

Here are some tips to find what is in your drinks:

Look at the nutritional facts that are usually on the side or back of the products. It gives information on how much a product contain sugar, sodium, and calories, etc. Make sure that you are aware of how much you consume throughout the day whether it is foods or drinks. You don’t want to exceed your daily calorie intake or waste it on unhealthy food.
Drink water instead of sugary and carbonated drinks. There are many benefits to drinking water. Water helps your body flush out waste, keep your body hydrated, maintain bowel movements, and more. It doesn’t have any calories and can help you lose weight. Don’t substitute water with anything, drink water!
When ordering drinks, go for less! Less is more and more satisfying. Whether it’s ordering smoothies, coffees, shakes, etc., get it in small, if possible kid size. If you get it in a smaller size, you won’t feel as bad eating it, you’ll save money, and won’t have the urge to finish the entire drink especially if it’s in a large size.
Sodium intake is another thing to watch out for. Too much sodium can lead to heart related accidents and diseases, high blood pressures, stroke, and more. “Based on a 2013 phone survey of more than 180,000 adults across 26 states, DC and Puerto Rico, CDC research reveals that just over half of U.S. adults reported taking action to watch or reduce sodium intake – while one in five say they have received professional medical advice to reduce sodium intake.” http://www.cdc.gov/

Facts & info belong to http://www.cdc.gov/.

The Benefits of Walking

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Patricia Thao

One of the easiest and effective way to stay active is to walk. Going on daily walks or walking more often can help your body stay healthy. Oppose to not walking at all, even a little exercise can help you maintain an active lifestyle. Here are some health benefits to walking and ways you can walk more:

Incorporate stretches, warm ups, and different exercise activities. It can help you walk longer and better. As a bonus, it’ll help you burn more calories. It would effectively help you out even more if you can have a routine.
During your breaks at work or free time, instead of sitting down take a stroll. It is a good change for your mind and body as you are required to move. It can help improve your mood, blood circulation, maintain blood pressures, and more. Many jobs require people to sit 8 hours all day and it doesn’t do the body any good. Humans weren’t made to sit all day so it’s good to do little exercise there and here.
Walking can help maintain your weight and even help you lose weight. Although walking is not intensive, you can lose weight by walking longer. The faster you walk or run, the more calories you lose. Also, since it helps your body become more active you will decrease the chance of developing obesity, osteoporosis, and lower the risk of plausible diseases, and diabetes.
“Among 44,452 male health professionals, walking at least 30 minutes a day was linked to an 18% lower risk of coronary artery disease.” – http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Walking-Your-steps-to-health
If you can walk there, do it! If you are going somewhere nearby, instead of taking a vechicle there it would be better for you to walk there. Although it can be boring, bring your music or whatever it is to entertain you along the way. Just make sure to pay attention to where you’re heading.
Wear comfortable shoes! If you know you are going to walk for a long period of time or you need special shoes to help you walk then be prepared! The chance of you walking in an uncomfortable shoes all day isn’t the best situation to be in. It can cause your feet to develop rashes, sores, and more.
Do it with a friend or a pet! It is more fun to walk with a partner so if you have someone to do it with, that’s even better. They can serve to motivate you to walk more often and longer.

Ways to Help Cope With Social Anxiety

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Patricia Thao

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Being in a social environment can be daunting and very uncomfortable to many people. It is a problem that many of us face when being put an socially awkward position. Or even the thoughts of having to socialize or being in a social place can make people anxious. Some people may have social anxiety worse than others or experience it in different ways, locations, and situations.

According to http://www.webmd.com/, social anxiety or social phobia is an “anxiety disorder in which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations. Anxiety (intense nervousness) and self-consciousness arise from a fear of being closely watched, judged, and criticized by others.” Some symptoms include:

Experiencing intense anxiety
Sweating
Increase in heart rate
Avoidance of social situations
More at -> http://www.webmd.com/

Here are some ways to help people cope with social anxiety:

Make sure to go to your doctor or local clinic to help you if you think you are experiencing social anxiety in unusual or extreme ways. If it is heavily impacting you, it would be very helpful for you to receive help and be aware of your medical condition. Ask your doctor if there is a possibility that it could be linked to another illness or a result of medications that you may be currently on.
Practice your social skills with close family, friends, and relative members. The more comfortable you are with yourself, you can start to relax and worry less. They will help you slowly communicate and adjust to social situations. Try different conversation starters, questions, and follow-up responses. Put yourself in social settings so that you can become more used to social settings.
Try to avoid thinking about what other people think about you. Whether they may or may not be judging you, you are in charge of how you feel about yourself. Concerning yourself over how you appear to others is not worth your time. Other’s judgements does not evaluate you as an individual.
Understand that you are not the only one who experience or goes through this. As part of growing up and developing, expect to be placed in weird situations, expect to be given endless criticisms, expect to have unwanted judgements, and above the all. You can’t stop it or avoid it, but you can learn and grow from it. You will eventually develop your own resilience, have thicker skin, and understand that not everyone wants to be your friend or perceive you in positive ways.
Your mental health is very important because it determines how you perceive and respond to stressful situations. Invest in some time for yourself to reorganize your thoughts, worries, goals, and such. Do little things that help make your life easier, simpler, or healthier.

AMA Radio Talk Show (2012) – Korean

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Patricia Thao

AMA Radio Talk Show – Korean

Date recorded: 2/22/2012 Wed 5:00 pm

Host: Sungho Park

Guest: InSook Jung, ChunYoung Park, KyungSoon Shin, JungHae Oh, MoonSup Kang

————————————————————————————————————————-

Sungho (SH): Introduced self, REACH program, and Asia Media Access

InSook (IS): Introduced self – She has lived in Minnesota for 36 years and been retired.

ChunYoung (CY): Introduced self – He immigrated to Minnesota in 1936.

KyungSoon (KS): Introduced self – She has lived in Minnesota for 30 years.

JungHae (JH): Introduced self – She has lived in Minnesota for 30 years. She is a restaurant owner in downtown in Minneapolis.

MoonSup (MS): Introduced self – He has lived in the U.S for 36 years and been retired.

SH: Introduced today three questions – 1. What are the three most important factors for a healthy Korean community in Minnesota? 2. What are the three most important health issues in a Korean community in Minnesota? 3. What are the three most risky behaviors against a healthy Korean community in Minnesota?

SH: What are the three most important factors for a healthy Korean community in Minnesota?

IS: Strong family relationship, healthy life style, and religious or spiritual values are the three most important factors. Strong family relationship can improve our community in many ways like low crime rate, child education, safe neighborhoods, etc. Keeping healthy life style will be helpful for our community to become healthy. Religious values are the most important one.

SH: I agree with that strong family relationship is one of the three most important factors. When one’s home is happy, all goes well.

CY: Overall atmosphere in Minnesota is very active. Because of cold weather, Caucasian is majority in the population. There are many professional jobs in Minnesota. Many Koreans in Minnesota have professional jobs. Also, high education standard is one of characteristics of Minnesota. A good educational environment is the most important factor, too.

KS: I agree with Mrs. Jung’s opinion. Strong family relationship is important. Religious belief supports for our healthy life. Korean church is supporting immigrants to be adapted to the U.S. Healthy life style will be built in a way volunteering to community and caring other neighborhoods by a religious belief.

MS: The most important thing is to understand a culture of America and social system. Since there are many difference between the cultures in Korea and America, understanding them will be very helpful for us to be adapted in the U.S. Also, solving language problem will help since it is much effective way to understand the America culture by learning the language.

SH: We can think religious belief, strong family relationship, and understanding America culture are the three most important factors for a healthy Korean community in Minnesota.

SH: Are you satisfied with the health care system in Korean community?

SH: Student insurance does not cover many common health problems like dental problems.

JH: Costs of a private health insurance are high. Some of Koreans are still working to pay their health insurance. We have a private health insurance before 65 years. We need to have a solution for this.

BREAK

SH: Welcome back to our discussion. We start at the second question. What are the three most health issues in a Korean community in Minnesota?

MS: Many Koreans usually do not exercise. This life style will cause high blood pressure and cardiac disorders.

SH: I think regular exercise is very important. When I regularly exercised, I felt less fatigue.

CY: Because of cold weather in Minnesota, there are many winner sport events. However, many Koreans do not participate.

IS: There are many fitness centers in Minnesota. Our environmental conditions for exercise are good. Therefore, their will of exercise is important.

SH: The health issue that is the most important in the Korean community was health problem caused by lack of exercise.

SH: What detail efforts do you think that can improve community health?

IS: We can make an exercise group or regular meeting. Every one encourages each other. Also, if there is someone who can lead the exercise group or meeting, it will be better.

SH: I heard annually there is a Korea shorts event in Minnesota. It is a great way to encourage people to exercise.

MS: However, only few people participate in the event. Many people do not participate. This is a problem. Although we make many sports events, only few people will participate. We need more participation. I think generally Koreans do not tend to participate in public events. To encourage people to participate, we need to make our events more interesting and well-prepared.

SH: We can think health problems associated with lack of exercise. As a solution, we can organize exercise group or make regular meetings for exercise. To encourage people to participate in the events, the agency needs to make well-prepared and interesting sports events.

BREAK

SH: We are back. Welcome back to our discussion. What are the three most risky behaviors against a healthy Korean community in Minnesota?

JH: Bad eating habits and lack of exercise are the most risky behaviors against a healthy Korean community in Minnesota. In my case, sometime I skip meals and overeat at late night since I am very busy on my business. I know exercise is important and I need to exercise, but it is difficult to afford my time for exercise. I think if we work together like in a group and encourage each other, it help improve our health.

KS: I think exercising together is a good idea. After exercising, I feel less fatigue. Our family try to eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

SH: I agree with that these two behaviors are the most risky behaviors against a healthy Korean community in Minnesota. I want to add another factor. Smoking might be one of the most risky behaviors. Surprisingly many students are smoking while few seniors and middle-aged males are smoking. It is a problem since the students will be following generation in the Korean community. What efforts do we think that can reduce the smoking population?

JH: Smoking is addiction. Their will of quitting smoking is more important than social regulations. Despite of very cold weather, many heavy smokers smoke outside since they cannot smoke inside a building.

SH: I think so. In my school, there are many programs for quitting smoking. However, very few smokers participate.

IS: Also, there are some gamble problems. I was some of cases. Some people have gambling debts and some of them are in bankruptcy.

SH: How do we prevent and solve these problems? Can you educate them?

IS: We already have the program for quitting smoking and gamble problems, but they do not participate in those programs.

MS: We really need their participation. Moreover, we need to get their interest.

IS: Currently, there is no specialist for these matters. If there are enough specialists who can make more effective program, it will be really helpful. We need them.

SH: Okay, that sounds like the biggest reason is their will. Bad eating habit, lack of exercise, smoking, and gamble problems are caused by lack of their will. Also, as the solution and prevention, we think making programs for these problems with specialists in those fields.

SH: We discussed today all questions and could see that religious belief, strong family life, and understanding America culture are the three most important factors for a healthy Korean community in Minnesota. Also, the most important health issue in the community was health problems associated with lack of exercise. As a solution, we can organize exercise group or make regular meetings for exercise. To encourage people to participate in the events, the agency needs to make well-prepared and interesting sports events. From the third question, we could know bad eating habit, lack of exercise, smoking, and gamble problems can be considered as the most risky behaviors against the healthy community. Also, as the solution and prevention, we think making programs for these problems with specialists in those fields.

SH: It was great time to discuss about our current life condition. Thank you for your participation today, again.

Guests: Thank you!

National Men’s Health Month

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Patricia Thao

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June is National Men’s Health Month, a public awareness campaign organized by Men’s Health Network (MHN). The MHN is a national non-profit organization committed to improving the health and wellness of men and their families with health prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. According to the Men’s Health Network, the program is celebrated across the United States each June with screenings, health fairs, and other health education outreach activities.

The purpose of National Men’s Health Month is to heighten awareness of preventable health complications and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases among men and boys. It is a great way to help promote healthy living and health awarenesses among different communities.

View the MHN’s June 2015 Calendar of Events and find what upcoming events will take place in your local area in recognition of Men’s Health Month. The site will provide more in depth information and other calendars with different events. Make sure to check it out!

Here is a quick view of the Men’s Health calendar.

Source: Men’s Health Month Website

Japan’s Onsen

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Patricia Thao

“Onsen” means “hot springs” in the Japanese language. Japan has literally thousands of geothermal onsen scattered throughout the country, due to its volcanic activity, as well as “sento” or indoor public bathhouses with heated water. Onsen is really popular among tourists and in Japanese culture. Here are some facts and benefits about the onsen culture in Japan:

Before entering into the hot springs, people are required to shower first. In this way, you can clean your body and allow your body temperature to adjust to the heat of the hot springs. Also, onsens are for people to soak in the water and not for people to clean themselves in.
Onsens are enjoyed by being fully nude. Outsiders might find this quite odd, but you are allowed to bring a small cloth with you. And men and women are separated so it should more comfortable.
Did you know that people with tattoos aren’t allowed to show it or have to pay extra fees to be able to use onsens? Tattoos in Japan have been long outdated and ban in many areas because they can associate it with being part of the yakuza.
Some of the benefits of using hot springs for health is to help control blood temperature, massage body muscle, relieve painful joints, and much more. Here is a quick link about onsen’s effect on the body.
Best of all, it helps people to physically and mentally relax. Often times, onsen may have services such common rooms, foods, traditional clothing, and other traditional aspects that customers can enjoy to fully experience the onsen culture.

References belong to rightful owner.

9 Ways to Flatten Belly Without Dieting & Exercise

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Achieving a better body is a challenge for anyone because we are all different. Some things may work for another person, but not for you. It is hard to find motivation to start working out and dieting. But don’t worry, there are some other steps you can take to feel more confident. Here are some ways in which you can easily achieve those goals:

1. What about the body posture? “Yes, needless to say that having a good and perfect posture will surely reflect a better figure and diet. Kim Lyons, a Biggest Loser coach, says that straightening up your body will not only be good for our bones but also for our physique. “When your posture is good, you’re automatically engaging and toning your stomach muscles.” He advised that if you tend to forget to stand up straight, sticky notes that are strategically placed will constantly remind you. It’s not bad to try this at all. It may come difficult and tiring at first but trust me you’ll get used to it.”

2. Bowel movements? “You definitely need to take bad toxins and wastes out of your body. Train yourself to have a bowel deposit every day. This will help you avoid feeling bloated and constipated. It’s also a good way to list in your daily routine for a good diet planning.”

3. Drink more water! “Try to at least drink 7-8 glasses of water a day. Keep all the fluids coming! It’s also helpful for your body so that it’ll flush away those toxins. Who knew that water therapy is the best diet for a flat tummy.”

CE_0413_WomanEatingSalad

4. Eating healthier is always a plus! “Many of us don’t know about how to properly eat our food. Some just scarf down the meals meaning they just eat the food really fast and hastily. The right way is to chew each bite or intake at least 8-10 times before swallowing. Dr. Reichman says,” The body has to work overtime to break down good in the stomach and intestines, which can lead to major gas and indigestion.” In addition to this, when you’re eating fast, you’re actually swallowing some air too which could be a cause for developing a round stomach. So, chew your food thoroughly and don’t gulp. Take your time to eat the food.”

5. Walking is exercise? “Now, you might say that walking is an exercise, and yes it truly is! But to take a walk is already part in our everyday lives and we can’t get rid of it knowing that it is really helpful in burning some fats plus it helps you take toxins and ailments out of your body. “Try to squeeze in a 30-minute walk daily. The simple boost in metabolism will help you burn the waistline fat more efficiently. And if you want to work out, skip those gadgets that promise “miraculous abs in minutes”. Remember that you don’t get things easily. You need to work hard for it. And going for a basic exercise such as walking will give you better results.”

6. Does taking supplements help too? “C.W. Randolph, M.D., author of From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, says that excess estrogen causes the body to retain fat around the waist. The supplements, calcium D-glucarate ( 1,000 milligrams ) and B- complex, have been shown to help you excrete the hormone, which can cause to a reduced belly fats around the stomach.”

Of course, do your research and make sure that supplements you take are good for your body. And read the directions on how many you can take per day because taking too much of anything can do more bad than good.

7. Chewing gum less is a good thing? “Researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology say that chewing a gum is also swallowing some air which can also lead to an increase size in the middle. Plus, some artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol that is found in some gums, give out gas.”

8. What should I eat more of? “Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria that help your digestive system break down food, preventing the gastrointestinal issues that can keep you from having a flat stomach,” says Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. He suggests that we should consume a daily serving of probiotic-rich food like yogurt, ginger beer, mild, dark chocolate or taking supplements containing at least 50 milligrams of probiotics.

9. Time to relax? Dr. Reichman says that when you’re completely frazzled, your body increases the production of stress horomones and sterious, which negatively affects your digestive system, causing a major constipation. Did you know that stress pumps up the production of cortisol, a steroid hormone, which sends excess fat directly to the midsection of your body. He greatly recommends you to take at least 20 minutes a day to relax and go for something that minimizes your stress.

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