Welcome to Rhea's Research!

Rhea's Research encompasses the research I've done on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I'm committed to the transformation of humanity through the healing power of food and exercise and I'm using this platform as a means to share my tips, ideas and insights.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Healthy tips to reducing your portions

I read a version of this on Best Health Magazine's website. I think they're great tips and relatively simple to follow:

1. Wait 10 minutes before reaching for seconds. It takes about that long for our brain to receive the "full" signal.

2. If you're stuffed - or getting there, don't stress about eating everything you've been served. Worry less about wasting a bit of food, and worry more about overloading your body. If you're in the mood to eat a lot or if you like to take big portions, then fill up your plate with healthier options: veggies, salad, or a large bowl of stock-based soup. Large portions of these are okay as they're water-rich and low in calories. 

3. Don't eat straight out of a carton, box or bag. Take the portion you want onto a plate and put the rest away.
 
4. This is a great tip and one that I practice regularly - Use smaller plates and utensils for your meals. You'll automatically control your portion if you have less space on your plate. Similarly, you'll control how much food you intake at once if you use a smaller utensils - or chopsticks!

5. Once your food is ready, take your desired portion and put the leftovers away in the fridge if they're cold, or place them into their storage containers if they're still warm - that way it will take conscious effort to reach for seconds. 

6. Buy or prepare desserts or other high-calorie foods in single serving sizes. For example, make cupcakes rather than a cake. Or if you do purchase or bake a cake, cut the entire cake in advance into individual serving sizes. Trust me, this works!

7. If you're craving more food after your meal, add volume with fruit like an apple. Go ahead and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on it ;)

8. Most importantly - Give yourself time to eat - sit down, chew your food, take your time and enjoy the taste of your meal.


Follow these tips to keep your portions real and to maintain that sexy waistline!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Is cinnamon good for you?

What is cinnamon? It's the brown bark of the cinnamon tree and is used in it's dried tubular form - known as "quill" or as a ground powder.

This spice is most commonly used in baking. [When I think cinnamon, I think warm apple pie. Yum.]
But besides being a spice, some studies have confirmed its medicinal properties, namely as an antioxidant. Its health benefits have been attributed to the essential oil components found in its bark. Studies have also demonstrated its ability to lower blood glucose levels and hence act as a supplement in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. Its ability to reduce blood glucose levels has been well documented in animal studies but has yet to be confirmed in human clinical trials.

Cinnamon is also a great source of manganese, fiber, calcium and iron. Its use as an essential oil has also gained popularity over the years in aromatherapy. Other therapeutic properties of cinnamon include anti-fungal, -microbial, -clotting, -bacterial and astringent.

Further to its healing properties, sprinkling cinnamon atop your morning cereal, afternoon snack or herbal tea and coffee will satisfy your sweet tooth and prevent you from reaching for an unhealthier option, such as something sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup or refined white sugar.

I normally add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to my oatmeal (steel-cut oats - as these are unrefined and hence the most nutritious type). I also sprinkle cinnamon over sliced apples as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. If I'm craving something sweet after dinner, sometimes I'll heat up sliced apples, either in the oven or for 1-2 minutes in the microwave - just until they're warm and tender - and I'll lightly top them with cinnamon. It's my healthy but incredibly tasty version of warm apple pie.
























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J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Feb;28(1):16-21
J Immunol. 2009 Nov 1;183(9):5917-27