Rice, healthy? Choose carefully

We are often told that rice is an important staple of any healthy diet.....but there's a huge difference between white rice and brown.

Brown rice is what almost all forms of white rice looks like before it has been put through a refining process which involves the out-side hull and bran being removed. This makes rice lighter and faster to cook.

Rice that has been stripped of its natural wholeness has been stripped of its fibre, proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Sometimes white rice is labelled as “enriched", meaning unnatural fortifications and additives. These fortifications are used because the stripping process removes most of the iron, vitamins, zinc and magnesium from the rice. This is one of the main reasons why brown rice is much higher in minerals and vitamins. Nutritionally, there is no comparison between these two forms of rice.

1. Brown Rice is Rich in Selenium
Extremely high in selenium, an important trace mineral known to drastically reduce our chances of developing certain forms of cancer, as well as heart disease, inflammatory conditions and rheumatoid arthritis.

2. Brown Rice is Very High in Manganese
One cup of brown rice provides over 80% of our daily manganese requirements. This mineral helps the human body create the important fatty acids that make healthy forms of cholesterol. It is also beneficial to the health of our nervous and reproductive systems.

3. Brown Rice Holds Naturally Occurring Oils
These heart-healthy oils are naturally found in brown rice and can help the body reduce LDL forms of cholesterol.

4. Brown Rice Promotes Weight Loss
Because of its fiber-richness and ability to keep healthy bowel function, brown rice “keeps things moving” in a way that promotes weight-loss and metabolic function. After one bowl of brown rice, you’ll feel more full despite eating a smaller amount of food.

5. Brown Rice is a Whole Grain
Unlike white rice, brown rice has not lost its wholeness. Studies show that six servings of whole grains weekly can lower the creation of arterial plaque build-up and reduce chances of developing heart disease and high cholesterol.

6. Brown Rice is an Antioxidant
Most people associate antioxidants with blueberries and green tea, but many are unaware that brown rice is also a source of antioxidants.

7. Brown Rice is Very High in Fibre

Studies have correlated the high use of whole grains like brown rice with lowered levels of colon cancer. This may be related to its high fibre content. Studies show that fibre actually attaches to cancer-causing substances and toxins, helping to eliminate them from the body, and keeping them from attaching to the cells in our colon. Brown rice also contains the necessary components to stabilise digestion, prevent/relieve constipation and promote proper elimination/bowel function.

8. Brown Rice is a Slow-Release Sugar
Unlike stripped rice, brown rice can help keep blood sugar stabilised as it releases sugars slowly and in a sustained fashion. This makes it a better option for diabetics, as compared to white rice. While studies in Asia have shown a link between the consumption of white rice and risk of type 2 diabetes, new research shows that individuals who eat at least two servings of brown rice weekly can reduce their chances of developing diabetes 2 by up to 11 percent.

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What are your intentions for 2013? Intentions are different to goals, where the future is always the focus and not what is happening to you in the present moment. A lot of energy is spent working out whether you will reach that goal, whether you'll be happy when you do, and what happens afterwards.

Setting intention is more of a path or practice that is focused on how you are "being" in the present moment. Your attention is on the ever-present "now" in the constantly changing flow of life. You set your intentions based on understanding what matters most to you and make a commitment to align your worldly actions with your inner values.

20 Tips for Relationships

Eat Yourself Healthy - Go Green

Superfoods are vibrant, nutritionally dense foods that have recently become widely available and which offer tremendous dietary and healing potential. They have often been used for thousands of years by indigenous people to heal the mind and body, and can be thought of as nature’s medicine.

Greens are good, but green superfoods are even better! Green superfoods have the highest concentrations of easily digestible nutrients, fat burning compounds, vitamins and minerals to protect and heal the body. They contain a wide array of beneficial substances including proteins, protective phytochemicals (scientists estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals having the potential to affect even chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke or metabolic syndrome) and healthy bacteria helping you to build cleaner muscles and tissues, aid your digestive system function and more effectively protect you against disease and illness.

Avocados are high alkaline fruits that contain healthy, monounsaturated fats, which have been shown to slow brain ageing. They have also been shown to help protect against certain types of cancer, and are a great source of antioxidant vitamin E. An added bonus: the fat in avocado has been shown to help your body absorb the nutrients from leafy greens and other vegetables.

Chlorella is a single celled green algae that is a powerhouse of nutrition. Extremely high in chlorophyll and magnesium, chlorella is the best detoxifier, getting rid of toxins from the skin, liver, brain and other organs. Chlorella is a complete protein source and aids in clear skin, blood sugar balance, mental clarity, balanced digestion, a strengthened immune system and mood stability.

Cruciferous Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts are well-known for their cancer-fighting properties. Recent research has found that these veggies can help prevent certain types of cancer, and keep cancer from coming back in those already diagnosed. Like leafy greens (see below), cruciferous vegetables also help reduce oxidative stress in the body, meaning they help protect against the harmful impacts of free radicals.

Green Tea has graduated from the teapot to the medicine chest as science has shown its wide-reaching effectiveness in addressing concerns ranging from sunburn to life-threatening problems. Green tea has shown to not only aid in weight loss, but also is the most efficient nutrient in protecting against radiation damage, especially at the thyroid. Furthermore, it supports healthy tendons and ligaments, stomach function, blood sugar levels and is an extremely potent antioxidant.

Kale & Dark Leafy Green Vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods around! They are a great source of vitamins K, C, and E, and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also rich in protective antioxidants and phytonutrients like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Spirulina: A cyanobacteria once coveted by the Aztec, spirulina is now considered once of the most nutritious food sources known to man. Once called “the best food for the future” by the United Nations World Food Conference, this blue-green algae is a complete protein rich in B vitamins and has been reported to help correct anaemia, reduce radioactive damage and lower cholesterol.

Wheatgrass: An unprecedented alkalizing and detoxifying green, wheatgrass deeply cleanses the blood, organ and lymph system. One ounce of wheatgrass has the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of green vegetables in nutritional value. It is a powerful thyroid stimulator, correcting obesity and reducing acidity in the body. Due to its remarkable similarity to our own blood composition, regular consumption has tremendous anti-ageing benefits.

We include these superfoods on our English retreats. Give these a go, and you'll notice a huge boost of vitality and sense of well-being.