Post Workout Meal Nutrition – What To Eat After A Workout

The post workout meal (the meal you eat after a workout) is probably the most important meal of the day for anyone who cares about nutrition or wants to build muscle, lose fat or improve their body.

However, it’s also the meal that confuses people the most.

There are just so many different recommendations for what to eat during this meal, how much of it you truly need, and what foods are best to get it all from that it tends to drive people crazy.

Not to mention, there’s also the many shakes and supplements available, the trouble fitting it in with the rest of your diet, and just not even knowing if you should eat anything at all after you’ve worked out.

Well, the truth is that once you understand what your body needs (and doesn’t need) after your workout, how much is needed, and what the best sources are to get this nutrition from, the post workout meal will probably become the simplest meal of your day.

So, let’s clear up all of your confusion once and for all…

What You Should & Should NOT Eat After a Workout

Simply put, aside from water (which you should already know you need), your post workout meal needs to contain 2 things, and it needs to not contain 1.

You should be eating protein and carbs. You should NOT be eating fat.

More on the protein and carbs you need in a minute. First, let’s start with a quick explanation of why you shouldn’t eat fat after a workout.

Many times throughout this website I explain why fat is NOT a bad thing (when it’s the “good” fat) and why it is an important part of everyone’s diet. However, there just happens to be a certain time when fat (good or bad) wouldn’t be ideal to eat. This of course is in the post workout meal.

Why? Well, fat slows down digestion. In this case, it would be slowing down the digestion of protein and carbs. As you’re about to find out, this is the exact opposite of what you want to happen.

How Long After My Workout Should I Eat My Post Workout Meal?

Uh, pretty much as soon as you can.

I don’t mean put-down-the-dumbbells-and-start-eating. It doesn’t need to be quite that soon. However, there is this “window of time” that exists after your workout during which it would be the most beneficial for your body to receive its post workout nutrition.

Typically you’d want to try to get this meal into your body within 1 hour. If possible,within 30 minutes would be even better. I personally have my post workout meal about 5-10 minutes after my workout.

Seems impossible right? I mean, how can I do it so fast if I’m at the gym? I’ll explain that a bit later.

First let’s find out what type of protein and carbs you should be eating during this meal, and how much of each is best…

Post Workout Protein

Now that you know that time is of the essence when it comes to your post workout meal, this part is going to make a whole lot of sense.

See, eating this meal soon after a workout is important, but just because you are putting the food into your body quickly doesn’t actually mean the food is being digested and absorbed by your body equally as quick.

So, while chicken, meat, fish, and eggs are all fine sources of protein that I personally eat daily, they aren’t the ideal type of protein for the meal after your workout.

These foods are solid foods, and the protein in solid foods digest pretty slowly. You may have eaten a high protein food in your post workout meal, but by the time the protein is digested and finally ready to be used by your body, a whole lot of time would have passed. So…

What Protein Source Is Best?

This is why the ideal source of protein to eat after your workout is whey protein powder. Just mix it with some type of liquid (most often water) and you got yourself a drinkable source of protein.

A whey protein shake will be digested by your body much quicker than a solid food for two reasons:

1. Liquid meals digest faster than solid food meals.
2. Whey protein is the fastest digesting form of protein there is.

This is what makes whey protein pretty much the official choice of most people as their post workout meal protein source.

How Much Protein Should I Eat After A Workout?

As for how much, try to consume between 0.15-0.25 grams of protein per pound of your body weight (so a 175lb person would shoot for between 26-43 grams at this time). People who are VERY overweight should use their target body weight instead of theircurrent body weight when doing this calculation.

Which Whey Protein Powder Should I Use?

I personally use and highly recommend Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey. It’s high quality, tastes amazing, and mixes easily. It’s the best selling whey protein there is.

Post Workout Carbs

After protein, the next equally important part of your post workout meal is carbs. I know carbs are the nutrient people are most afraid of these days, but honestly, they’re really not scary (or “bad”) at all.

In fact, they are an extremely essential part of your after-workout nutrition and play a key role in your post workout recovery.

Why? Well, carbs will be used by your body to restore muscle glycogen that was depleted while you worked out. If your post workout meal doesn’t contain carbs, your body may actually instead break down muscle tissue for this same purpose (which would suck). Carbs also create an insulin spike which helps to move nutrients into your muscle tissue quicker.

So, now that you know your body requires carbs after a workout, you’re probably wondering what foods they should come from.

Well, you know how there are supposed “good carbs” and “bad carbs?” As it turns out, this is actually the only time when “good carbs” and “bad carbs” switch roles.

Meaning, typical good carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, etc.) contain fiber and other nutrients that slow down its digestion. This is exactly what makes them “good” any other time of the day.

But by now you know the post workout meal is all about speed. And when it comes to speed, simple/high glycemic carbs digest faster than complex/lower glycemic carbs. Which means foods like white potatoes or white rice or a cereal like corn flakes are all good choices for a carb source after a workout.

However, just like protein, solid foods in general may not really be the absolute BEST choice at this time. Don’t get me wrong, they’ll still provide the same nutrition and get the job done. There just might be a better way.

And that’s where a little something called dextrose comes in. Dextrose is not a supplement… it’s actually just a type of sugar often used in sports drinks.

I know, I’m basically saying you should eat sugar. While that would be a terrible idea any other time of the day, your post workout meal is the one exception because your body is in a state where it is perfectly primed to handle these types of foods.

For this reason, dextrose has also become almost an official choice for a post workout carb source.

How Many Carbs Should I Eat After A Workout?

Most people should look to consume somewhere between 0.25-0.4 grams of carbs per pound of their body weight from dextrose (a 175lb person would shoot for between 40-70 grams). And once again, people who are VERY overweight should use their target body weight instead of their current body weight when doing this calculation.

Which Dextrose Should I Use?

I personally use and highly recommend NOW Foods Dextrose.

My Post Workout Meal

To finish this article up, here’s a full break down of exactly what I eat after a workout and exactly how I do it.

Before I leave for the gym, I put everything I need inside of a shaker bottle. A shaker bottle is just a plastic cup with a cover and some type of “blending” piece inside.

You just put something in it (like protein powder), add water, and shake it for about 5-10 seconds. It’s simple and extremely convenient for your post workout meal (or any type of shake).

So, I put in the appropriate amounts of whey protein powder and dextrose along with 5 grams of L-Glutamine (more about L-Glutamine), and 5 grams of Creatine (more aboutCreatine) and take a bottle of water with me.

After my workout I get into my car, open the shaker bottle, pour in the water, shake for 5-10 seconds and drink it on the ride home. The whole process takes less than a minute and the whole “meal” is finished in a matter of minutes if I take my time.

What I use:

• Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey
• NOW Foods Dextrose
• Optimum Nutrition L-Glutamine
• Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine Powder
• Shaker bottle
• Water

So, there you have it… quick, easy, convenient and contains the best sources of everything my body requires in my post workout meal.

***NEW*** Still have questions about this important meal? Confused about what to eat BEFORE your workouts as well? Need help with the rest of your diet? If so, your solution has finally arrived.

After nearly 10 years of requests, I’m happy to introduce The Ultimate Fat Loss & Muscle Building Guide. In it, I provide all of the answers, details and facts that make up the highly proven diet and workout system I’ve used to help countless men and women completely transform their bodies.

Fonte:http://www.intense-workout.com/post_workout.html

How to Taste Wine

When you are in an area of great wines, the tasting is one of the most interesting experiences you can do. If you want to walk between the rows of vines in a picture postcard and take the grapes with a glass of wine in hand, you must first learn to recognize the delicate beauty of this drink.

Step 1

Look at the wine, especially on the edges. By tilting the glass can more easily see the color change between the center and the outside. Observe the wine on a white background as a towel, a sheet of paper or a tablecloth is another great way to bring out the true color of the wine. Whites tend to become darker with time, while the reds take a brownish tinge, often accompanied by a sediment completely harmless to the bottom of the bottle or the glass. This is the right time to give a first sniff the aroma of wine before doing spin and to seize any odors that indicate that the wine is spoiled (know of cap).

Step 2

Twirls the wine in the glass. By doing so you will make the wine is distributed over a larger area, allowing the smell can be spread in greater quantity and reach your nose; It will also allow the oxygen combines with particles wine revealing flavors.

Step 3

Control the viscosity of the wine (the speed with which descends from the edges of the glass) while it turns. Usually the wines more viscous tend to have a higher alcoholic content. In addition to being a nice gesture has nothing to do with the quality of wine, but it can indicate the structure.

Step 4

Smell the wine. Initially you keep your nose a few centimeters from the glass, get closer progressively to bring him in. What smells can we differentiate?

Step 5

Take a sip of wine without swallowing. The difference between drinking and tasting is that at the end of the process you have to spit. Move the wine in the mouth to make sure that all your taste buds come into action. You will be able to determine if it is sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (the 5th taste - think of it as full bodied or particularly tasty). Focused on the texture and other tactile sensations as an apparent sense of weight or body.

Spitting the wine into a spittoon if you plan to degustarne many others. If I was forced to swallow, intake of alcohol may impair your ability to taste. Also, if you have to drive, you should necessarily use a spittoon.

Step 6

"Aspira" wine. Keep your lips to crack as if I whistle, breathe with your mouth and exhale through the nose. This way you release the aromas of the wine by passing them in the only organ necessary they can be distinguished: the nose. Remember that enzymes and other compounds present in the mouth and saliva may alter some elements aromatic wine. Aspirate the wine will allow you to search for new flavors released by the interaction between wine and your mouth.

Step 7

Take another sip of wine, but this time try to introduce air (especially with red wines). In other words, try to sip it (without making too much noise), trying to identify the different notes of taste and texture.

Step 8

Concentrate on aftertaste. How long it remains in his mouth? Like the taste?

Step 9

Take note of feelings. You can use the language with which you are most comfortable with. The important thing is that you write your thoughts on wine and what you liked. Many wineries provide booklets and pens so that you can take your notes immediately. This way you'll have to pay attention to the characteristics of the wine and you will have written reference of its flavor to help you match it depending on the food or your mood.

Wines have four basic components: taste, tannins, alcohol and acidity. Some also have the sweetness, but it is a character only appropriate for the dessert wines. A good quality wine is balanced in all 4 aspects, but remember that as we age will decrease the tannins (read the section Tips for a more detailed description), the acidity will be reduced over the life of the wine (as it undergoes chemical changes, including the decomposition of the acids); the fruity flavor will increase and then decrease towards the end, while the alcohol will tend to remain stable. All these factors help to understand when to drink / decant a wine.

Here are some of the most common flavors for each of the known varieties (remember that the region of origin, collection strategies and other production decisions have a significant impact on the character of the taste of the wine):

Cabernet - black currant, cherry, other fruits blacks and green spices.

Merlot - plum, red fruits and blacks, green spices, floral.

Zinfandel - blacks fruits (often with a flavor of jam), dark spices.

Syrah (or Shiraz, depending on the location of the vineyard) - fruits blacks, dark spices 
(especially black and white pepper).

Pinot Noir - red fruits, floral, herbaceous.

Chardonnay - cool climate: tropical fruit, lemon in slightly warmer climes and melon in warm 
regions. With a higher proportion of malolactic fermentation, Chardonnay loses the notes of green apple and takes in more substantial: apple, pear and apricot.

Sauvignon Blanc - melon, gooseberry white, lime and melon.

Malolactic fermentation (determined by the presence of natural or artificial specific bacteria) in 

white wines will produce a creamy or buttery taste.

Aging in oak will get a taste of vanilla or nut.

Other elements of taste descriptors are minerality and character.

"Tannins" is a very common term in wine (usually red wine). It refers to the astringent and bitter compounds found in the skins, stems and seeds in grapes as well as in oak barrels where the wine ages. If you want to know the taste, try to taste the grapes of cabernet. In young red wines, tannins have a bitter taste and dry, but with age take on a more delicate flavor.

Step 10

Try to match wines with uncommon ingredients and note how they affect the taste of wine. With red wines try different cheeses, good quality chocolate and berries. With whites can try apples, pears and citrus. Pair wine is a more complicated process than simply say "red with meat and white with fish". Feel free to try the wine you like with any food, but remember that a perfect match is a highly rewarding.

Advice:

Talk to the people working at the estate. They are usually more than happy to share some of their knowledge, especially when it comes to their product.

If you're around, go to a restaurant or a "wine bar" that offers wine tastings. These are excellent opportunities to compare different wines and see how they react to different varieties different treatments. Usually you can taste three different wines without having to open three bottles and a restaurant / wine bar worth their schedule the event based on a thread that will make the experience more interesting and educational than a simple taste of 3 wines at random. Even the largest retailers of wines organize such events during the weekend.

When you are driving for wine-producing areas, try to live it as an adventure. Lose yourself in search of small hidden cellars. The big brands are very good wines, but rarely offer a tasting experience more personal.

If the tannins are too dominant by a little 'time to wine. In fact there are several types of tannins: those of the skins, seeds and those of those of the barrel. They need time to "polymerize" and precipitate in a solution. Anyway, ventilating a wine for some time could do so "open", balancing the aromatic elements that characterize the wine. If you're serving a bottle, pour the wine into a decanter or a carafe for an hour or two before drinking.

Do not worry if your tastes are different from the people who are close to your side. Everyone has their own and the fun part of the tasting is understand what your own.

Use the right glass for each wine. There are many shapes and sizes, but generally the most experienced tasters and connoisseurs drink it from goblets or glasses specific tailor-made for a variety of grapes. For starters you can follow a rule of thumb: the larger glasses for reds and smaller for whites. The Austrian company Riedel is the most noble manufacturer of tasting glasses, but for beginners will be fine even cheaper glasses.

Warnings:

Many wine, once opened, are not kept for more than a few days. Lose freshness and fruitiness, dishes and becoming oxidized. In any case, they will be rare cases where a good wine turn to vinegar (although many believe it is possible, it is a myth).

When you participate in tasting events will meet people with different levels of wine knowledge. Some "wine snob" pontificarsi tend to think they know it all: not all novices are ready to put up with this experience. However, an expert taster to approach respectfully and inclined to share their knowledge can be very informative.

When using a decanter or glass in lead, there is a remote possibility of poisoning, proportional to the time in which the wine it came into contact. If you use a glass of this type, Burn it within 48 hours to avoid taking risks.

As for golf, wine is associated with a status, a lifestyle reserved for the few. If you want to be accepted in a circle of connoisseurs could become a costly experience.

Cosa mangiare in estate? Ecco alcune indicazioni per una sana e corretta alimentazione

Il clima del nostro Paese si sta sempre più avvicinando a quello tropicale, il caldo non dà tregua e sono soprattutto gli anziani a soffrirne di più. Un’appropriata alimentazione, anche in estate, è un ingrediente essenziale per conservare un buono stato di salute. I nutrizionisti concordano che occorre in primo luogo non far mancare mai acqua all’organismo. 

Il rischio maggiore, soprattutto negli anziani, è la disidratazione e questo perché, la persona di una certa età non sente facilmente lo stimolo della sete; una facile strategia, da attuare in questi casi è quella di mettere in frigo due bottiglie di acqua minerale e ogni tanto berne un bicchiere, fino a consumarla del tutto a fine giornata. 

Qualsiasi acqua va bene, anche quella di rubinetto, a meno che non esistano patologie particolari, che indichino un consumo di un altro tipo di acqua. Non dimentichiamo, infatti, che l’acqua è un vero e proprio alimento, costituito non solo di H2O, ma ricca di sali minerali, importantissimi per l’organismo, soprattutto dell’anziano. Introdurre, quindi, molti liquidi, ma attenti alle bevande gasate e troppo fredde, che se è vero che danno un refrigerio momentaneo, possono essere causa di complicanze importanti, quali la congestione. 

Moderazione anche con i succhi di frutta, che sono ricchi di zuccheri ed aumentano l’introito calorico, oltre ad essere meno dissetanti. Ricordarsi che tutto quello che non è acqua è “caloria”. Evitare le bevande alcoliche, che aumentano la sudorazione e la sensazione di calore e limitare i caffè.

L’idratazione può essere garantita anche da frutta e verdura, che contengono fino all’80% di liquidi; questi risultano ricchissimi di sali minerali, vitamine, antiossidanti e fibre, che insieme all’acqua consentono un buon funzionamento gastroenterico. 

Non dimentichiamo che il metabolismo nell’anziano è rallentato ed è quindi frequente la stipsi, che peggiora in condizioni di disidratazione. 

Per quanto riguarda l’alimentazione, un buon piatto di spaghetti non deve mai mancare a tavola, perché sazia senza appesantire. Attenti però ai condimenti troppo elaborati, ricchi di grassi e piccanti; preferire pomodoro e basilico al ragù. 

Come secondo è preferibile consumare il pesce alla carne, più digeribile e ricco di acidi grassi polinsaturi, importantissimi perché proteggono dalle malattie degenerative tipiche dell’anziano. Anche i gelati possono essere consumati, ma quelli alla frutta, più ricchi di acqua e meno calorici

LE DIECI REGOLE D'ORO 

1. Bere molta acqua, almeno due litri al giorno 

2. Moderare l’assunzione di succhi di frutta, ricchi di calorie 

3. Limitare le bevande gasate 

4. Fare attenzione alle bevande ghiacciate 

5. Evitare le bevande alcoliche 

6. Limitare l’assunzione di caffè 

7. Consumare molta frutta e verdura 

8. Fare pasti leggeri, preferendo la pasta e il pesce alla carne 

9. Evitare cibi elaborati e piccanti 

10. Sì ai gelati ma preferire quelli al gusto di frutta 

What to eat in the summer? Here are some tips for a healthy and proper nutrition

The climate of our country is increasingly approaching the tropical heat does not let up and it is mainly elderly suffer more. Proper feeding, even in summer, is an essential ingredient to retain a good health. Nutritionists agree that it is first necessary not to never miss the water body. The greatest risk, especially in the elderly, dehydration and this is why, the person of a certain age not easily feel thirsty; a simple strategy, to be implemented in these cases to chill two bottles of mineral water and occasionally drink a glass, to consume it entirely at the end of the day. Any water goes well, also that of the tap, unless there are pathologies particular, indicating a consumption of another type of water. Do not forget, in fact, that water is a real food, consisting not only of H2O, but rich in mineral salts, very important for the organism, especially the elderly. 

Introduce, therefore, plenty of fluids, but attentive to sodas and too cold, if it is true that give a refreshing momentary, can cause complications important, such as congestion. Moderation with fruit juices, which are rich in sugar and up caloric intake, as well as being less refreshing. Remember that everything that is not Water is "calorie". Avoid alcoholic beverages, which increase sweating and feeling of warmth and limit coffee. 

Hydration can also be delivered from fruits and vegetables, which contain up to 80% of liquids; these are rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, which together with water they allow a good functioning gastrointestinal. Do not forget that metabolism is slowed down in the elderly and is therefore frequent constipation, which worsens dehydration conditions.

As for the power, a good plate of spaghetti Never miss table, because it satisfies without weighing it down. Beware, however, condiments too elaborate, rich fat and spicy; prefer tomato and basil to the sauce. As second is best to consume the fish to meat, more digestible and rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, important because they protect from degenerative disease and Elder.

Even the ice creams can be consumed, but those to the fruit, the more water-rich and less caloric ".

THE TEN GOLDEN RULES

1. Drink plenty of water, at least two liters a day

2. Moderate your intake of fruit juices, high in calories

3. Limit sodas

4. Pay attention to the frozen drinks

5. Avoid alcoholic beverages  (Yeah Right!)

6. Limit your intake of coffee

7. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

8. light meals, preferring pasta and fish to meat

9. Avoid processed foods and spicy

10. Yes to ice cream but prefer those fruity

Fonte:http://www.studiosana.it/resources/docs/documentiDivulgativi/Cosa%20mangiare%20in%20estate.pdf

WHAT TO EAT IN SUMMER FOR NOT TO GET FAT

You do not want to frustrate efforts to dieting? Here's what to eat in the summer to stay in shape and avoid gaining weight, even a pound!

The diet that you followed all spring has paid off, and now you just have to try and not get fat even as you are on vacation! Difficult to resist the thousands of temptations that surround you, but if you do not fly back home with some extra pounds, here's what you eat!

1. Water
Drink a lot! Water is a true beauty secret that allows you to purify you and sgonfiarvi! It will also replace fluids lost through sweat, thus taking away the cellulite. Drink a lot you will also have a feeling of fullness that will keep you from eating every 10 minutes!

2. Fruit
Fruit at will and the second golden rule your summer vacation: the secret to never having hunger pangs is to intersperse the main meal with a serving of fresh fruit. This will bring you less hungry at meals, and do even the load of vitamins. A perfect idea with fruit are centrifuged >>

3.Verdura
Along with fruits, vegetables are the secret ingredient of the summer diet. You are spoiled for choice with fresh salads and fast: eating raw vegetables, as well as save yourself the trouble of turning on the stove, will help you keep intact all the nutritional properties of vegetables. Add a serving of vegetables at all meals and they're greedy use it as an afternoon snack!

4. Fish and white meat
What better season to take a portion of luscious fish! Surrender yourself to the joy of a mixed grill or fresh tartare: in these cases the only thing to which you should pay attention are the condiments with which accompanied the meal. No mayonnaise, mustard or other sauces, yes in olive oil and lemon. Avoid then fat cooking methods, fried FORBIDDEN (concedetevene at most one in the whole holiday) or cooking with butter: perfect fish steamed and baked. Among the meats to prefer white meat, like chicken, lighter and easily digestible.

5. Breakfast

Enjoy full relaxation in this meal: the classic drink coffee or milk and affiancatelo from a yogurt with fruit and some cookies light. For a cool glass of juice. A mid-morning snack treat yourself: maybe a cereal bar >>

6. Proof of the aperitif

Resist or, if you can not avoid, try to make it as healthy as possible. No liquor, at most a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic fruit without sugar. Put down the chips and peanuts and prefer instead vinaigrette or light refreshments >>

7. Ice cream and popsicles

Unless you eat a pound every day, will not make you fat. To be certain not to take excessive amounts of sugar can always make popsicles at home. The ice cream can turn into a full meal if enriched with fruits and grains, but must not become a habit.

8. Repair tear facts

Tears to the rule are granted but try to limit the damage by a minimum of physical activity. There are for example very easy exercises that you can do even under the umbrella!

fonte:http://www.leitv.it/prima-ti-spoglio-poi-ti-rivesto/benessere/cosa-mangiare-in-estate-per-non-ingrassare/?refresh_ce-cp

People, Not Technology, to Blame for Ills

Lately I’ve read a lot of articles and opinion pieces in which people have been complaining about technology.

    They complain that smartphones and tablets make people too reliant on technology, that they can now be tracked wherever they go, and that technology has made face-to-face communications a thing of the past. In fact, several in this paper have said that “technology has gone too far.”Yet, when the same people who do all the complaining about technology are saved by a new robotic surgery or helped by genetic testing, although grateful, they will simply take that technology for granted.

I see this over and over again with cataract surgery. Twenty-five years ago, my father almost died from cataract surgery and was left with worse vision than before the operation. Today, high-tech devices and procedures have greatly improved this type of surgery, allowing it to return sight to millions without complications. Yet the people who are helped seldom go out and sing the praises of how technology helped them.

So let’s stop for a minute and realize that technology has brought, and continues to bring, many advances and improvements in our lives.

Although some people are glued to their smartphones, aggravating onlookers, not too long ago I used my cellphone to call 911 for someone who was having a health emergency. Technology came to the rescue. There was no other telephone available. If I had not had a cellphone, that person could have died.

Today’s technology does even more. It allows grandparents to connect with their grandchildren via free video-calling, even if their grandchildren are halfway around the world. Technology brings us entertainment options that were not even thought about 20 years ago. It also puts a world of information at our fingertips.

You see, the problem is not with technology, it is with how people use that technology and how few restrictions people put on it. When I was growing up, we were only allowed to watch only certain television programs. No one left the television running all day, as is the habit in many homes today.When my kids were growing up, they were not allowed to have a telephone, television or computer in their bedrooms. If they wanted to talk on the phone, watch television or use the computer, they had to be in the main part of the house, where there was always a watchful parent eyeing their activities. At that time, we were considered strict parents.

In today’s world, there are very, very few parents who would even consider doing a “terrible” thing like that to their kids. Parents now want to be “friends” to their children. Restrictions are few. In many houses the television blares constantly, and children spend most of their time in their rooms playing video games and talking on their cellphones.

Certainly portable devices make controlling technology more difficult, but it is not an impossible task. Yet, parents not only let their children succumb to the constant use of technology, they themselves often yield to the temptation of using technology without restrictions.

Like many others, I have also been aggravated to see a young family in a restaurant where each of the children is glued to their gaming devices while the parents are completely preoccupied with using their smartphones. But let’s stop blaming the technology and start blaming the people who use it.

Technology can help us live longer, healthier lives. It can help us communicate with others. It can help us increase our knowledge. It can help us have fun. We can all use technology to our benefit, but we need to control our technology use. We also need to learn all that we can about today’s technologies so that we can use it intelligently. For instance, if you don’t want to be tracked, learn how to turn off the GPS on your smartphone.

Let’s stop blaming technology and start working on using it more prudently and teaching our children and grandchildren to do the same.

The ills of technology

Teaching with the use of modern technology reduces the amount of mental activity done by the students. Some technological innovators even tell their children to use pencil, paper and books at school, as technology is seen to hamper the early learning process. The engineers of these new products and ideas prefer their children not be exposed to technology until they are older.

There appears to be a dramatic decline in general knowledge and real problem solving. Reading and writing have degenerated. Our culture expects instant gratification on all levels, including in the romantic realms. Patience in people is dwindling. It does appear that the freedom technology created has not been used with responsibility.

People are working themselves into panic-dominated lives. A politician bragging about generating jobs was answered by a family man: “Yes, three for me and two for my wife to make ends meet!”

Our collective attention is drawn to celebrity worship and all this scandalous television seems to change people into passive observers watching the worst of human behaviour. We are losing our faith as well.

Man used to live close to nature and now he hangs images of animals and plants on the wall. He buys pre-packed chicken instead of rearing it. Cities are full of non-smiling faces, confirming that people are not as happy as when parents in the past pushed prams to a local field to see children play and climb real trees. The modern mother wraps up her children and takes them in a high-tech car to a school full of pictures of nature hanging on a wall.

Parents in the past activated more physical and mental processing in their children out of living closer to nature.

Fonte:http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111117/letters/The-ills-of-technology.394193

Vitamin B? Why beer is good for your health

I do likes me a cold one on a hot summer day, and a fall ball game just isn't the same without an ale in my hand. Fear of the great beer belly has kept suds out of the refrigerators and hands of beer enthusiasts all over the land, but is it possible that one of America's favorite beverages has gotten an undeserved bad rap?

After all, beer is created from just four basic ingredients: water, barley, hops and yeast. The result of these ingredients dancing together is alcohol and CO2. That's a combo that goes down easy, and there are so many ways to blend the brew that you're sure to find an ale, stout, lager or amber that is just right for you.

The dirty deets

Your doc may have told you that drinking alcohol in moderation is good for your health, but usually wine gets all the cred for the antioxidant benefits. Truth be told, beer and wine contain the same amount of antioxidants. There are some other things you should know:

•The protein and B-vitamin content of beer is higher than wine. Yeah, going for a brewski after a rousing game of touch football with your work team will help you replenish your protein better than a glass of chardonnay. But here's a buzzkill: Even though beer is a good source of B vitamins, the alcohol in it mostly cancels out those benefits.

•Beer offers anywhere from 95 to 360 calories in a 12-ounce serving, with the average bottle of beer in the 150-calorie range. A five-ounce glass of wine will run you about 120 calories. Sometimes the light beer is a better calorie choice than the wine. Since the FDA doesn't require calories to be on the label, do the homework and math on your favorite beer to know where it should be in your beverage lineup, because those calories do find a way to linger. (Call it a beer belly, call it a muffin top; you just don't want to find one circlin' your middle.)

•One to two beers a day is good for your bones. Brew contains silicon, which is in very few foods and is linked to bone strength and health. Now that's something to consider before going for your next bone-density scan.

•Think light in color equals light in calories? Not always the case. "Light" actually refers to the percent of alcohol and calories. Higher-alcohol beers have more calories, so if you're watching your weight, a Guinness is actually about the same as a Bud.

How to chow down

You get up to one (femmes) or two (dudes) alcoholic beverages a day, according to the Centers for Disease Control. When it comes to suds, that means a 12-ounce bottle or a draught with an inch of head. More than that can tip the health benefits into the health damaging category.

•You want a well-chilled pint glass. Keep it in the freezer for at least a couple of hours so it's all white and frosty and smoky when you pull it out. Tilt the glass and pour a stream of refreshment down the side, standing the glass upright as you get to the end of the pour. This allows for the perfect amount of fluffy bubbles at the top.

•Beer is a great liquid ingredient to add to your soups, marinades and culinary whole-grain masterpieces and can replace broth, stock or plain water. It adds delicate flavor and aroma. The alcohol will cook off, so no need to worry about getting your buddies drunk off your eats.

•If there is leftover beer from your beer-can chicken, beer bread or beer-battered jalapenos, dump it over your head. Seriously, beer is great for restoring life and shine to your hair by nourishing and smoothing strands.

In the know

If you had begrudgingly written off beer, put it back on your roster. Strategically place it into your beverage batting order when you're at a game or looking for refreshment that pairs well with friends and fun. Don't overdo it, though. Too much of this good thing will take you out of your own starting lineup.

Fonte:http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/30/health/beer-good-health/