image via www.bellyburningfood.com

In his bestselling book, Eat Right for Your Type, Dr. Peter J. D’ Adamo discusses the importance of eating according to your blood type. Dr. D’Adamo claims and proves that if you ate foods that are compatible with your blood type, you would experience allergy resistance and enjoy an overall good health.

Dr. D’Adamo’s claims have been questioned by many detractors for its lack of scientific evidences, although many have claimed to have improved health when they followed Dr. D’Adamo’s diet plan. I have found this study to be very interesting because personally, I am suffering from allergies which I really want to get rid of.  My doctor says that there is no way that I can ever get rid of this, but at least I am hoping that I could develop some resistance to it.  Anyways, here are some of Dr. D’Adamo’s  diet recommendations for you, according to your blood type.

Foods for Type O:  Low in carbohydrate, dairy products, high in protein

Choose:  Lean beef, chicken, fish, turkey, vegetables, and fruit. Limit: dairy, grains, legumes, and beans. Some specific foods to avoid: avocado, brazil nuts, oranges, cauliflower, mustard greens, cabbage, brussels sprouts, pork, goose, poppy seeds, eggplant, corn, melons, coconut, coffee, beer, black tea, ketchup, vinegar, milk, yogurt. Type O people should also engage in a lot of exercise.

Blood Type A: People who have Type A blood should eat plenty of fish and vegetables and limit on dairy intake. Choose:fish, vegetables, beans, whole grains, most fruits. Limit: chicken, turkey, and dairy. Some specific foods to avoid: beef, pork, shellfish, aged cheeses, cashews, pistachios, kidney and lima beans, wheat bran, potatoes, olives, yams, cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes, melons, bananas, oranges, mayo, beer, black tea.

Blood Type B:  These people should have plenty of meat intake, dairy, fish, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Choose:lamb, venison, rabbit, fish, most dairy, rice, oatmeal, green leafy vegetables, most fruits. Limit: beef, turkey Some specific foods to avoid: chicken, other poultry, pork, shellfish, American cheese, blue cheese, sesame, lentils, chic peas, black beans, wheat, corn, tomatoes, avocado, pumpkin, olives, coconut, pomegranates, pepper, ketchup, distilled liquor.

Blood Type AB:  Blood Type AB people can combine both A and B diets.

Choose:Lamb, mutton, turkey, fish, eggs, yogurt, non-fat milk, soft cheeses, most nuts and beans, most grains, most fruits and vegetables. Limit: No grey area with type AB Some specific foods to avoid: beef, pork, poultry, venison, shellfish, aged cheeses, sesame, kidney, black, and lima beans, sunflower seeds,  buckwheat, corn, avocado, bell peppers, black olives, tropical fruits, oranges, pepper, black tea, distilled liquor.

Ok, pizza craving satisfied!  We ordered Shakey’s Special, with one pitcher of iced tea.  We paid around 18 USD — I personally think it’s a bit expensive.  But everyone loved it, so the cost did not matter that much.

For more information about Shakey’s, visit www.shakeyspizza.ph.

But of course, what kind of trip to the Philippines would it be without a Jollibee experience?  So we did go to Jollibee before our flight to Bangkok– at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3! Yay!

…and  someone is happy.  No, VERY happy.

As for me, you can’t see my smile, but I was so  happy with this:

Until then, Jollibee.  Seriously, you should come to Bangkok!

So they took us to the Outback Grill.  All of them have not gone there yet, but have heard of so many feedbacks from friends so we all decided to check it out.

The moment we sat down, the management asked our group if someone would like to try the “Goliath Challenge.”  Curious, we got the owner of the restaurant talking.  Well, the challenger is to eat the “Goliath burger”, a basket of fries and a glass of Coke.  The catch here is that if he would be able to consume everything in an hour, he would not pay for the 900+PHP meal– but if he fails the challenge, he will pay.Sounds easy, our friend said yes without thinking twice.

The Goliath burger

The challenger, Gen with wifey, Rej

While Gen was busy eating (haha!) we had a great time catching up while enjoying our meal.

Sorry this is the only dish I was able to take a photo of– the rest were gone before I could even pull out my camera

After almost an hour, Gen finally decided to give up– much to our delight since we have been wanting to eat those fries and yes, we were curious about how the burger tastes like! LOL! :p

His photo would be posted here… those who dared to “slay” Goliath but failed

Another highlight of our dining experience there was the dancing part– these people danced first and then they invited us to dance the “Chicken dance”

I so enjoyed the “Chicken dance”– it was hilarious!  I really think  that could have been the cause of the heavy downpour! Haha!  Opps, guilty!  I greatly enjoyed the restaurant’s ambiance.  The music, the country/ vintage theme, and yes, the dancing!

The Outback Grill is located in Bacaca Road, Garcia Heights, Davao City.  For more information about the restaurant, you can like their facebook page here.

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]]> http://www.eatdrinkblog.info/the-outback-grill-and-its-goliath-burger-challenge/feed/ 7 http://www.eatdrinkblog.info/why-brown-rice/ http://www.eatdrinkblog.info/why-brown-rice/#comments Sun, 10 Feb 2013 13:15:24 +0000 admin http://www.eatdrinkblog.info/?p=446

It is a given that most Asian families consider rice to be their staple food.  Every meal would have rice in it.  Our family has decided to shift to brown rice this year.  Although the polished white rice looks a lot more delicious, brown rice has more health benefits which we think are needed by our growing family.

Brown rice still has the rice hull and bran, which means that very important nutrients like proteins, thiamine, calcium, magnesium, fiber, and potassium are still present.  These nutrients may be gotten rid of from the “polishing” process.

Here are some important facts why brown rice is a good choice for your family:
1.  Rich in Selenium-  this nutrient reduces the risk of developing diseases such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis.

2.  High in Manganese and Natural Oils- This nutrient is needed by our nervous and reproductive organs.  It is needed by our bodies to synthesize fats.  A cup of brown rice provides 80% of our daily manganese requirements.  As for the natural oils, they are necessary to neutralize cholesterol levels.

3.  Promotes Weight Loss- now this, I like!  Since brown rice is considered wholegrain, you would feel full even with small portions. Most importantly, brown rice keeps normal bowel function.  If you are one with regular bowel movements, brown rice should be good for you.

4.  Rich in Antioxidants-   Blueberries and strawberries are most popular for their anti-oxidants– but now we know that brown rice has rich anti-oxidants as these two.

5. High in Fiber, Stabilizes Sugar- Foods that are high in fiber are known to prevent colon cancer.  Brown rice eliminates toxins from attaching to the colon walls.  Furthermore, brown rice stabilizes the body’s sugar level.  If you are one who has problems with high sugar level or diabetes is one illness that runs in your family, it’s best that you shift to brown rice the earliest time possible.  Here is an interesting fact:  1/2 cup of brown rice reduces the risk of diabetes by 60%, while those who consume white rice can have 100% risk of the disease.

Perhaps the main struggle about shifting to brown rice is that it may taste different.  I am just grateful that the kids have no problem with that.  As to the price, it may cost a little bit more than white rice but its health benefits outweigh the price difference.  Mind you, there is always a price to pay when we choose to be healthy!

Since our flight was at 9:00 in the morning, you can imagine how early we woke up (not to mention that we barely slept the night before) — we had to head for the airport at 7 in the morning.  We did not have a proper breakfast so we did not have a choice but to buy from the Cebu Pacific meals when the kids told us they were hungry.  Good thing we had 1,500 PHP courtesy of our visiting friends months ago.

The meals at Cebu Pacific were unbelievably expensive, but we have to admit that the sandwich was so good!

Sandwich at 100 PHP (2.50 USD)

Pepsi in can at 100 PHP, instant noodles at the same price

Lesson learned:  have a proper breakfast before a flight– if not, be at the airport early so that at least we can buy these at 1/4 the price.  But that’s always easier said than done when you have two kids in tow, right?  So I guess I am just happy I have at least experienced what it’s like to eat a Cebu Pacific meal.  LOL!

Well the short answer to that is the blending and/or burning of essential oils. But the real wonder behind this practice is the essential oils themselves. Essential oils are extracted from plants through distillation, giving them the fragrance and specific health traits of that particular source.

The benefits are largely felt through inhalation, as the essential oils fumes, when heated; stimulate the olfactory nerves which in turn

send signals to the brains limbic system. This then sets off either an emotional, physiological, hormonal or an immune system response from the body. It is from this that we get the therapeutic effects of the oils. However essential oils can also be applied and benefited from though ingestion or skin application, but they must be heavily diluted down with either water or a base/carrier oil as pure essential oils are very concentrated and can cause damage. It is important to follow recipe instructions when using the oils.

There are hundreds of different types of essential oils, and seemingly endless combinations. All of them have some sort of benefit which can help treat or ease a vast array of conditions. Please bear in mind they do not cure illnesses or diseases, simply act as a helping hand.

Despite the array of essential oils available there are some particularly common and useful specifics which offer a nice range of emotional and medicinal benefits. Lavender essential oil is a particularly popular choice out there largely for that reason. It is used as a relaxant, a treatment for colds and the flu, and also eases arthritic pain. There are some that have more skin orientated benefits; lemon essential oil for example is incredibly good at cleansing and revitalising the skin; treating acne, cellulite whilst generally reinvigorating the pores. The multi-functional nature of these oils gives you much choice and creative licence.

There are also organic oil equivalents on the market which have been extracted from plants that have been grown without the use of pesticides or any other chemicals as certified by the UK soil association.

If you have a good understanding of what essential oils are and how they work it means that you can have a much more enjoyable and ultimately more fulfilling experience of aromatherapy.

Now the festive season is truly upon us I’m already thinking of the New Year and how I’ll be feeling about the months’ worth of binging which has led to a full stone weight gain in less than 4 weeks. One could suggest this isn’t an unavoidable truth however I have now lived through enough Christmas’s which would suggest otherwise.

So the hunt for the perfect diet begins. Firstly I explore an Ayurveda detox diet, however after reading the first few phases which require one to undergo therapeutic vomiting and the taking of therapeutic laxatives I’m back to the drawing board.

I remember reading an article in The Guardian about the Dukan Diet and start reading up on the Dukan diet phases. The first phase is called the “Attack Phase” which requires you to cut out carbohydrates and strictly intake 72 high protein foods. This instantly sounds more appealing compared to the vamana or vomiting phase of the Ayurveda detox diet.

Phase two allows you to alternate protein only days with days which allow a mix of protein and 28 of the recommended vegetables from the Dukan 100 foods list. Once again this phase sounds far more appealing to phase two of the Ayurveda detox.

The welcome return of pleasurable foods reappear in the Consolidation phase, or phase three. Here you basically start to re-balance your diet with some of the old foodie friends you miss. However it seems the key to success is in not going overboard and sticking to some of the key principles in stages one and two. ­

The final stage to the diet is called Stabilisation which enables one to sustain a stable reduced weight via continuing the support that was received within the first initial stages.

While researching the Dukan diet you notice there is huge community of fellow dieters online which are encouraging each other throughout the phases. This network of helping hands is the final sum in the equation which enables me to choose that the Dukan diet is the January weight loss plan for me.

It took us so much time to choose what flavor to get, so we asked the lady to just choose four flavors for us.  She gave us juices out of pandan and lemon grass leaves, and the two others we forgot (those were my two favorites, how could I forget? )

What struck me was the lemon grass.  It was the first one I’ve tried and the honest truth? I thought it was disgusting.  I felt like I was drinking “lechon” juice.  Sorry, but the smell of lemon grass really reminded me of roasted pigs.

But really, it intrigued me because hubby insists that lemon grass has lots of health benefits.  So I decided to check it out.

Accordingly, one of lemon grass’ health benefits is that it fights disease-causing pathogens like virus, bacteria and different kinds of fungi.  Lemon grass juices can therefore be good cures for influenza, common colds and infections.  On top of that,it could be applied on wounds, acne, insect bites and skin irritations.  It can also tighten skin pores– this is totally a good news for those who desire to have flawless skin without having to spend much.

For best results, it is recommended that lemon grass juice be taken in on  a regular basis.  It has the capacity of promoting body detoxification in a natural way.  It reduces cholesterol and uric acid levels in the blood.

Lemon grass juice also ensures normal kidney function and normal urination.  It can also be a good cure for arthritis and other kinds of inflammations.  Making this juice can be very easy and does not require complicated processes.

Here is an easy recipe:

Ingredients:

1.)  3 large lemon grass stalks

2. )4 cups of water

3.) 3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Hoping that you have washed and cut the lemongrass stalks into smaller pieces, keep it aside. Pour water in a saucepan and add the prepared lemongrass. As water begins to boil, reduce heat to low setting and cover with a lid. Allow liquid to simmer for 1½ hours, or until the boiling water thickens a bit and turns greenish. Add sugar and wait till it dissolves completely. Strain and pour in a serving glass to enjoy a hot drink, or serve it with crushed ice to make iced lemongrass juice.

After having read all those health benefits of lemon grass, I think it would not take time for me to learn to love it.  After all, to be healthy is one of the goals I have for this year!

For my readers, I will just copy-paste the recipe for you.

Banana Muffins (makes 12 muffins)

3 or 4 Large bananas, mashed (the more bananas the moister, so I use 4)

1/2 cup white sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup, but I don’t like them too sweet)

1 slightly beaten egg

1/3 cup melted margarine or butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups flour

Mix the mashed banana, sugar, egg and margarine together. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Mix wet and dry ingredients all together! Pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in 350 degrees F oven for approximately 20 minutes. Enjoy!

*These are much more flavourful the next day, and they freeze very nicely too!

*Also, if you like walnuts, you can throw a handful of those in there as well for some added flavour and texture, or try adding chocolate chips, or better yet, BOTH! Yum 

More more recipes, you can visit Cat’s site.

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