SpaFinder May Madness Sale

SpaFinder holding a May Madness Spa Sale.For every £25 SpaFinder Gift Voucher purchased, SpaFinder  will throw in another £5! Perfect for stocking up on SpaFinder Gift Vouchers for Summer Weddings, Birthdays, Father’s Day, Graduations and pre-holiday pampering! Available on all orders up to £250. No promo code is required as all qualifying orders will automatically receive the free vouchers.OFFER END DATE:31May2009.

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WHOLE FOOD

Whole foods are those that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. They typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat.
There are several ways to meet the body’s needs with respect to whole foods. One way is to consume a variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables every day.
Need For Whole Food:
White people need organic food to survive, and where they purchase this food is as important as what they purchase. There are some regions that do not have Whole Foods, but do have an abundance of white people (college towns), in these situations Whole Foods can be substituted with a local co-op grocery store where you have to pay a membership to shop there.
Why We Should Buy Whole Food:
Of course, above and beyond social and environmental ethics, and even taste, people buy organic food because they believe that it’s better for them. All things being equal, food grown without pesticides is healthier for you.
Origin Or Market For Whole (Organic) Food:
There will always be a market for “organic” food, whether it is bought at a local farmer’s market or at one of these boutique food stores, but it will always be on the fringe. The reason is that since about 1910, the earth has not had the ability to feed its population. A major food production problem was solved in those years when the introduction of synthetic fertilizers began multiplying yields, and staved off starvation for generations. Ever since then, world hunger has been a distribution problem, either of the food itself, or of water. In fact, a large portion of the nitrogen atoms in your body had their origin in an ammonia plant somewhere. You can cringe at the idea, but organic farming as the exclusive method could not have fed the world for the past 90 years.
Benefits of Whole Food:
There are a many benefits of a whole foods diet that will positively impact your health. If you are considering making the shift to a whole foods diet, are curious about whole foods nutrition, or simply want to learn more about the whole foods benefits…this article will benefit you greatly.
Top most Benefits of a Whole Foods Diet
Increased Fiber Consumption: Whole foods such as broccoli, brown rice, almonds and oatmeal are great sources of fiber - with six to fifteen grams per serving. Compare this to most animal products which contain no fiber.
Fiber aids in moving wastes from the body and keeping the digestive system clean and functioning properly.
Less Fat Intake:
A whole foods diet includes foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, that contain far less fat than a diet which includes animal foods. In fact, even low-fat meals can often have twice as much fat as a whole foods meal.
A lower fat, whole foods diet can help keep cholesterol levels down, reduce the number of calories consumed and help increase your health and vitality.
Decreased Sugar Consumption:
A whole foods diet, which includes a variety of natural complex carbohydrates, is typically more filling and will decrease your desire to eat processed sugar products - which will also decrease your overall food intake.
More Nutrients:
A whole food diet contains plant foods that are a richer source of nutrients than animal products.
Variety of Foods:
The variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts that are available on a whole foods diet is almost endless. This variety leads to a greater consumption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that perform health-promoting functions in the body.
Great Satisfaction and Less Overeating:
The whole foods diet includes a wide variety of foods that are dense in nutrients and fiber. These whole foods require more time to properly chew and eat, which results in the consumption of fewer calories. More satisfying meals lead to less overeating, which in turn leads to an optimal level of health and longevity.
It’s evident that the benefits of a whole foods diet far outweigh any benefits that may be derived from a diet which includes predominantly animal products. In addition, whole foods are less harmful to the human body.
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NATURAL HEALTH SUPPLEMENT

Concept of health supplement:
The concept behind Natural Health Supplements is to offer a quality range of highly nutritious, highly functional single ingredient products and innovative formulations that allow you, the user, to incorporate them into your diet as you please. The Natural Health Supplements range of proteins, carbohydrates, fibers and nutrients gives you the flexibility to add to your own recipes to meet your specific nutritional requirements.
NOTE: Natural Health Supplements (Natural) products contain no added sugars, flavors, artificial sweeteners, stabilizers or other additives.
Do You Need Natural Health Supplements:
The problem with most people is that they base their health on how they feel. Just because you feel healthy and in perfect fit now, does not mean you do not need supplements.
When it suddenly strikes - an illness, a health problem, a sign of old age, weakness - we begin to search for a dietary or herbal supplement to help us get out of the hole we have unfortunately dug for ourselves. so the answer to this question is YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Nutritional supplements Vs Proper Nutritional Food:
Nutritional deficiency is almost impossible to avoid in these modern times. With our busy lifestyle, the ever-tempting convenience of fast food, it is now very difficult to enjoy excellent daily nutrition.
This is not to say, though, that health supplements should replace proper nutrition. Besides, nutritional supplements are still supplements. They work by complementing your diet to make sure you get the right nutrients that you need.
I admit that it is difficult, even for me, to stay away from fast foods or non-fresh foods. If your lifestyle and work conditions prevent you from having a nutritious diet, then your only hope for better illness-free health is a good dietary supplement.
Benefits of Natural Food Supplements: There are much more benefits that nutritional supplements can provide. The main point is that these supplements help you have the optimum health you deserve and minimize the risk of diseases.
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Eat Organic Food and Stay Healthy

Organic food is often perceived as the food grown in farms without any involvement of artificial methods such as applying pesticides, herbicides, and genetic modification. But in developed countries like US, Japan, and other countries the term ‘organic’ is precisely defined by the government and there are certain rules prescribed regarding the quantity of production. No individual can use this term unless it satisfies the defined criteria.
There are two broad categories of organic food.
1. Fresh food
2. Processed food.
Fresh organic foods are produced without any involvement of artificial chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics etc. and are usually the products of farming. They are highly perishable in nature and are not available in all the seasons.
Processed organic foods contain more of organic ingredients but are subjected to manufacturing processes unlike the fresh organic food. They are not prepared with artificial flavors and artificial methods such as chemical ripening and food irradiation.
Today, organic food processed occupies a predominant position compared to fresh food. In the earlier days when a consumer wished to buy consumable goods he personally visited the farmer to fetch the food he needed. But today, the direct link between the farmer and the buyer does not exist. The consumers will first obviously visit the market place to buy the kind of food they want. But they will not be able to correctly identify the quality product, as they do not personally observe the farming practices. In order to provide a quality assurance to these goods they are strictly certified and labeled by the law. Therefore it builds a sense of goodwill in the minds of consumers.
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Why choose organic food?

The demand for organic food is so high in the UK that farmers struggle to keep up. Why are so many people choosing organic? It’s believed that organic food is more nutrient dense, better for the environment, and more ethical than non-organic.
In our health conscious times, we all look for ways to eat better. Going with the organic label seems a no-brainer. The scientific jury is still out on whether the nutrition levels of organic food are genuinely higher. However, the certainty is that if you are eating organic, you are eating far fewer chemicals and additives than if you didn’t make this choice. The long term effects of the build up of herbicides, pesticides, and antibiotics used in modern food production is also not entirely known. It’s safe to say, though, that we are probably far better off avoiding these potentially very toxic additives. The easiest way to do so is to eat organic.
With the state of the environment in peril, we all need to do our bit for our planet. Organic farmers work with the preservation and protection soil, water and air quality central to their practices. In order to earn and keep the label “organic,” farmers must work with the Soil Association or other regulators to ensure standards are met and kept. By not using agrochemicals, organic farmers do not interfere with the balance of nature, allowing local wildlife to flourish. They also keep their carbon footprint down since many of these chemicals are produced using fossil fuels. You can reduce your own carbon footprint by buying locally produced, organic food.
Treatment of livestock is a concern for many people. Battery hens, confined pigs, and factory-farmed cattle live short, restricted and often uncomfortable and painful lives. The hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals these animals are fed try to deal with the effects of their confinement and constant closeness to other animals. Animals reared on organic farms have a better quality of life – more space, access to the outdoors, organic diets, and longer lives.
If you are concerned about your health, the environment, and animal welfare, going organic on your weekly shop can make a difference for you, the planet, and the animals.
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What does “organic” mean?

The term organic appears on more and more labels for food, cosmetics, and even clothing. What does the word actually mean? In a sense, all food is organic since it comes from a living source. However, over the last few years the word organic has been used to describe food that is produced in a particular way. Organic food is made using more natural methods than recent mass farming practices have employed to keep up with demands of mass markets and production.
Organic food can be divided into two basic categories – crops and livestock. Crops that are organically produced have been treated with fewer or no artificial fertilizers or chemicals. Organic producers make use of natural methods such as proper crop rotation to maintain soil health and ensure food is nutrient rich. Organic farmers work with the natural cycles of environment rather than manipulating or dominating them.
Organic meat, including poultry, comes from animals that have been treated ethically and with careful attention to animal welfare. Medicines and chemicals such as antibiotics and growth hormones are not used in animals for organic meat products. Animal health and disease prevention are basic principles of organic farming that ensure you eat less chemicals while the animals live healthy, chemical-free lives.
For people concerned about the environment, buying and eating organic food can be an ethical lifestyle choice as well as a healthy one. Organic food is produced using methods that minimize pollution and impact upon the environment as little as possible.
The word organic could almost be substituted by “natural.” Food labeled as “organic” in the UK has been produced maintaining high standards of soil protection and animal welfare. Making the choice to buy organic foods can help the environment, provide you with better nutrition, and ensure livestock are treated ethically.
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Organic Food Labels

The labeling of organic food can be confusing and misleading. It’s important that you realize what the labels mean before purchasing any food item. You may think the word organic on packaging indicates the food is healthier, but it’s not always as “organic” as you may think.
According to UK standards, food labeled as organic must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. However, foods labeled as “made with organic ingredients” must contain between 75% and 95% organic foods. So, although the word organic appears on both labels, it’s important to realize that “with organic ingredients” means that up to 25% of the food may not be organic.
Processed foods with more than one ingredient are more likely to contain less organic products than those with fewer ingredients. Again, the word “organic” on the label indicates a percentage of organic ingredients, not an entirely organic product.
Several bodies regulate the labeling of organic food. One of the most well known is the Soil Association. Any food sold as organic under their approval will have met their standards of soil protection. This applies to the food’s growers, processors, and importers. If the Soil Association logo appears on a product’s packaging, you can be sure of its standards.
Another labeling regulatory body is the RSPCA. Look out for their “Freedom Food” label. You can be sure that you’re eating meat produced from animals treated to the highest standards of animal welfare if they have endorsed the produce.
If you are in any doubt about a food’s labeling, look for the word “organic” on its own, rather than part of the phrase “made with organic,” as well as a logo from the Soil Association, the RSPCA, and other regulators.
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Best organic choices

You may be just embarking on the organic food craze or you may be prioritizing your organic choices. The decision to buy organic can be motivated by cost, health, and ethics. If you are looking at what organic choices make more of a difference than others, you can begin with the following foods.
Milk: Organic milk contains more nutrients than conventionally produced milk and has fewer of things you don’t want. Cows producing organic milk are not routinely fed antibiotics, don’t get treated with growth hormones, and don’t eat feed containing animal products. Because their diets contain more natural grass and clover, organically reared dairy cattle produce milk with more anti-oxidants, Omega-3, and other vitamins.
Apples: Apples are widely gown and eaten, so demand for them is high. We also demand apples that are blemish free and high in colour. This means that non-organic apples can be treated with very high levels of pesticides in order to keep them looking healthy and appetizing. The impact on the ecosystem is severe. Better for you and the environment if you choose organic.
Potatoes: Like apples, potatoes are widely eaten and grown. We eat them in mash, chips, pies, and just plain baked. Potatoes can sprayed with high levels of pesticides if not organically produced. If like most of us, you eat a lot of this versatile and popular vegetable, you’d do well to switch to organic.
Strawberries: Recently, health conscious consumers have given a lot of attention to berries. We are told that they contain high levels of anti-oxidants, brain boosting nutrients, and all-important fibre. They are an easy-sell to children as they bright colours and sweet taste appeal to kids of all ages. However, strawberries are also amongst the highest sprayed foods in the supermarket, unless of course, they are organic.
Spinach: As good as strawberries are for us, spinach is even better. Loaded with calcium, folic acid, iron, vitamins A, C and K, spinach is a nutritional super star. However, it can also be a source of pesticides. Choosing organic means you get all the benefits of this super-food without the risks of toxic chemical build-up.
Whatever organic food choices you make, you will do well to begin with the foods above. As you add more organic foods to your regular shopping trips, you will be boosting your health and reducing your exposure to dangerous chemicals.
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Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Fresh foods begin losing vitamins as soon as they are picked, and often sit in warehouses or in transit for as long as two weeks before they find their way into the market to sit even longer waiting to be purchased. Fresh fruits and some vegetables are harvested before they are even ripe, and depend upon time and other means to reach the ripened state. Canned foods are harvested at their peak of ripeness and normally cooked and processed from the source within hours, thus preserving more vitamins than their fresh counterparts. To attain a full balance of nutrients, findings from this research show that canned foods can be an important part of the mix when it comes to getting more nutrients, variety and taste satisfaction. The current trend is pushing fresh, organic foods for nutrition and health, but truth be told, fresh vegetables are not necessarily more nutritious than canned. A 1997 study by the University of Illinoi’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition found that canned fruits and vegetables provide as much dietary fiber and vitamins as the same corresponding fresh foods, and in some cases, even more. For example, canned pumpkin provides 540% of the Recommended Daily Intake of vitamin A, while fresh pumpkin only provides only 26%. Research also shows that how much a fruit and vegetable can contribute nutritionally to a diet depends on its processing method. Research shows that canned, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables can all lose nutrients during processing and storage, as a result of exposure to heat and air. In some cases, there appears to be a higher nutrient content in canned foods, such as increased carotenoids in canned vegetables due to the heat in the canning process.Many fruits and vegetables are important sources of dietary fiber. The canning process does not affect fiber content, making them comparable to fresh and frozen varieties. In fact, the heating process appears to make the fiber more soluble and, therefore, more useful to the body. Many canned fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin A. Since little of the vitamin is lost during the canning process, canned products have vitamin A levels similar to their fresh and frozen counterparts. In some cases, such as canned pumpkin, the vitamin A levels actually are higher. Canning has no effect on proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If you can meat, for example, it will have the same amount of protein and fat after canning as it had before. Exposure to air destroys Vitamin A. If you remove the air, even if you heat the food, the amount of Vitamin A in the food stays much the same. So canning hardly affects Vitamin A. Exposure to heat usually destroys Vitamin C, but only in the presence of air as well. If you remove the air, the amount of vitamin C in the food remains much the same. Neither does canning appear to affect vitamin B2. But it does have some effect on vitamin B1. If the food containing vitamin B1 is very acid, the amount of vitamin B1 stays much the same. If it is not very acid, canning it safely needs higher temperatures for a longer time, and then not much vitamin B1 remains. Canned poultry and fish, considered protein foods are comparable to their fresh-cooked counterparts in nutritional value, since protein is not affected by heat treatment. This makes the canned varieties convenient alternatives to fresh-cooked, since they require much less preparation time. While the specific production processes differ somewhat depending on the ingredients concerned, canned foods are basically all manufactured the same way. The ingredients are washed and prepared, weighed into cans and liquid added, and sealed, sterilized, cooled and inspected. Methods of manufacture: Marine products can be boiled in water, preserved in brine, seasoned, preserved in miso, plain broiled, broiled in soy sauce, preserved in oil, smoked and preserved in oil, preserved in a tomato sauce, and preserved seasoned with spices. Fruit is preserved in syrup, vegetables are boiled in water or seasoned, and meat is boiled in water, seasoned, or cooked and salted like corned beef. Other types of canned foods include canned meals that combine a variety of ingredients, soup, cooked rice, baby food, food for patients, and pet food. Imported canned foods are cheaper than domestic produce and also differ in type. Generally speaking, domestic canned foods are 50% more expensive than imports. One emerging new trend is the production of overseas dishes using products from countries concerned. Canned tomatoes are higher in lycopene than their fresh counterparts. Lycopene appears to be effective in helping to reduce the risk of cancer. In fact, lycopene may be more effective when it is consumed after tomatoes are canned or cooked. Canned poultry and fish, both protein foods, are comparable to their fresh-cooked counterparts in nutritional value. Protein is not lost during the canning process. And some varieties of canned fish tend to have higher calcium levels than their freshly cooked counterparts. Many canned fruits and vegetables are high in vitamin A. Canned products have comparable levels of vitamin A to their fresh or frozen counterparts. Most vitamin C is retained after being canned and remains stable during the two-year shelf life of the product. Canned grapefruits and pineapple are significant sources of vitamin C. Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for a least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the temperature. Dampness may corrode cans or metal lids and cause leakage so the food will spoil.Natural compounds in some foods, particularly acids, corrode metal and make a dark deposit on the underside of jar lids. This deposit on lids of sealed, properly processed canned foods is harmless. There are certain items which will never go bad. Salt, sugar, and honey will never go bad. You could store them for thousands of years, and use them safely. In the case of honey and sugar, insects might get into them, but they will never actually go rancid. Let’s start with tuna. There have been studies about the mercury content so it is recommended that you eat it like twice a week. Corned beef in a can packs a lot of sodium that you do not need. Read the labels and try for a brand that doesn’t contain over a day’s worth of salt in a serving. There are less salty foods like chicken and dumplings, beef stew, and chili in a can. As far as pork and beans go you might switch to pinto beans, black beans, navy beans or kidney beans. The pork and beans have a lot of added fat, salt and sugar. You can take the other types of beans and there will actually be more beans in the can instead of liquid. You can take salad dressing and put on the beans or use catsup or barbeque sauce on them. Pork and beans seem cheap to buy but you are paying for the juice they are packed in. So it’s not such a great value.

Any time you can get a bag of beans and cook them you can save money and they will be a lot healthier for you. If you cook a roast in a crock pot and chop it up and add potatoes and fried onions then you will have a few days supply of beef hash. Pasta is inexpensive and good to eat with beans and rice is easy to prepare and eat with beans. Instead of tuna, you might want to eat eggs, or bake a whole chicken and eat off if it for 3 days.
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Healthy Eating Active Lifestyle

Healthy, balanced eating habits provide nutrients to your body. Nutrients give you energy and keep your heart beating, your brain active, and your muscles working. A balanced diet helps ensure that you get all the nutrients you need. Eat a wide variety of foods. No one food provides all the nutrients you need. Choose a wide variety among and within the food groups. Use moderation as your guide for everything, including the calories you eat each day, your exercise and other activities, your desserts and sweets, and even your restrictions. Moderation lets you eat all foods. Vitamins and minerals are known as micronutrients. They play many important roles in the structure and function of your body, such as making new cells and promoting wound healing. Healthy foods can help you prevent and treat disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure and may lower your risk of lung, oral, esophageal and stomach. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products that are high in fiber may lower your risk of heart disease. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables 8 to 10 servings per day), following a low-fat diet, eating low-fat dairy products and reducing salt intake can lower high blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. Take care to limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake, Choose foods low in salt, Limit your alcohol intake if you choose to drink, Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugar. When planning a meal, start with moderate amounts of carbohydrate rich foods like bread, pasta, rice, cereal, or fruit and vegetables, and then add meats, poultry or dairy products for protein. This way you can be sure of getting adequate carbohydrate, protein and vitamin-rich foods. Try to fill half your plate with vegetable at your evening meal. Healthy eating can actually help you to maintain an active lifestyle ,improve your immune system and bodily functions, increase your energy, improve your mood ,regulate your body weight. Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance. For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals. Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal. Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes. Increased amount of fruits and vegetable does more than just provide more nutrients and better overall nutrition. Maybe the increased amount of fiber helps with regularity, decreases appetite, and cuts down on the spikes in hunger pangs that other unhealthy foods may cause. We know that foods that are nutrient-deficient leave the body feeling hungry again after a shorter amount of time. Indeed, to get the best from your vegetables, you don’t need to turn your kitchen into a laboratory, nor to become an expert in plant nutrients. Just know that variety and combinations of vegetables with even small quantities of meat, eggs, milk or cheese is the best way of giving your body the full range of amino acids, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals it needs. A regular fluid intake from our daily diet is crucial to maintain good health. This is because the human body does not store water in the way it stores calories, so we need a constant supply every day. The human body loses on average the equivalent of 6-12 cups of water each day. Without water, we’d be poisoned to death by our own waste products. When the kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water. If there isn’t enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones. Water also is vital for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism. For treating headaches it is suggested to drink a good glass of pure water and to rest for about 20 minutes. This treatment is considered much more natural and healthy than the intake of pain killers. Experts are quoted as suggesting that children weakening health is partly due to their increased exposure to environmental toxins, and that water quality and consumption has a part in the capability of their bodies to eliminate those and their effects. All the negative influences of inadequate or low quality water supply are much more dangerous for small children and babies than for adults.It is reported that medical studies point out that children ailments are on the rise. Although it is still important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes, dietary cholesterol isn’t nearly the villain it’s been portrayed to be. There are innumerable health benefits of eating meat, to say, for example, it serves as a fabulous source of high quality proteins, which a single vegetarian food is not able to provide. It contains all the essential amino acids that the body requires. The red meat contains very high quantities of iron, when compared with plant origin foods. 100 grams of Liver contains 6000 mcgm of iron as against 325 mcgm in 100-gram carrots. Read further to explore information about the advantages of eating meat. Though meat is rich in nutrients, but, there are certain things that meat lacks in. It doesn’t contain any kind of fiber, which helps to keep your digestive system in order. Also it is very high in saturated fats, thus it is recommended to eat meat, but in moderate quantities. Eating meat also aids the absorption of iron from vegetables and cereals. One of the benefits of eating meat is that when you eat a proper balanced diet it can help iron absorb into the body. Since meat is the very best and most easily absorbed source of iron, premenopausal women, teenage girls and young children all of whom are at high risk for iron deficiency might consider including a little meat in their diets. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure that is, don’t eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.

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