Too much or too little, the importance of Vitamin A

by: Shereena Sakhrani

Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble nutrient that plays a big part in your health but what’s it really for? Well Vitamin A plays a key role in your vision growth, bone development, reproduction, immune function, and healthy epithelial tissues.

The ABC's of Vitamins

by: Richard Dias

One average, Americans drop about $2.3 billion a year on supplement and vitamins. That right, billion. With all this money being pumped into these little flintstones-shaped pills, one would think that vitamins would be far less mysterious little critters.

If you’re like most adults, your fondest, early memories of vitamins were having them forced into you in the same, hated fashion like so much brussel sprouts and cabbage. But what exactly are vitamins?

The Scoop on Sugar Substitutes

Sugar is one of the leading causes of weight gain and other health issues. For many, it considered a guilty pleasure. You have to admit, when you see a plate of hot molten chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sprinkles on top, there are very few people who wouldn’t be tempted. You then decide to give in and enjoy that sweet molten chocolate; unfortunately after indulging you realize the amount of calories in that small piece of cake. If you’re diabetic it causes a huge spike in your blood sugar level.

There’s about 15 calories in one teaspoon of sugar, it doesn’t sound like a lot but it does add up. There’s probably ¼ cup of sugar in chocolate muffin, which would probably be around 300 calories.

Many of us love sugar but find it very difficult to give up. These days giving up sugar may not be too big of a problem anymore because there are many sugar alternatives out there. Sugar alcohols and stevia are two very popular sugar substitutes that are lower in calories and still have that sweet taste.

Stevia plants can be found in South America and also some parts the United States such as Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. People in South America and Japan have been using it for centuries. Stevia is an herbal supplement used as a natural sweetener due to its sweet taste with zero glycemic index and zero calories.

Another type sugar substitute that’s also popular are sugar alcohols. The reason why they’re called sugar alcohol is because part of their chemical structure resembles sugar and alcohol. Sugar alcohols are cabohydrates called “polyols” that are not completely absorbed by the body.  They come naturally from plants but mostly manufactured from sugar and starches. The benefit of sugar alcohol is that it has fewer calories than sugar. They’re great for people with diabetes since they don’t cause much of an increase in blood sugar level compare to sugar. There are many common types of sugar alcohol such as maltitol, sorbitol, isomalt. The most popular one would have to be xylitol.

Just about four years ago these products were mostly found in health stores. Now, because of their increasing popularity you can buy them in many different place; you can even buy them at your local grocery store.

Stevia and sugar alcohols are only two of the many different types of sugar alternatives out there. The use of sugar substitutes is still very debatable; some nutritionists are for it, while some are against it.

They may not taste exactly like sugar, but they are sweet and have fewer calories. If you are a sweet tooth and are looking for options, then sugar substitutes may not be such a bad idea.

By: Shereena Sakhrani

The Art Form Of Capoeira

If you’re into fitness and looking for a change from your typical yoga class, then Capoeira is the perfect solution for you. It is an upbeat cardio and conditioning exercise that fuses music, dance, and martial arts all in the same workout.

Capoeira was created in Brazil by African slaves during the sixteenth century; it was their hope for survival to escape slavery. At the time slaves were not allowed to fight due to the owners fear that they might turn on them.  The slaves used dance as their way of hiding fighting techniques used for self-defense. Slaves continued the art of Capoeira even after the slavery era, but because they could not get employment, many of them turned to gangs. In 1892, Capoeira was outlawed in Brazil due to its association with crime. The ban on Capoeira faded in 1918 and Afrticans were free to practice their style of art form. It wasn’t until 1937 when a man by the name if Mastre Bimba opened the very first school of Capeoira which led to it’s legalization in Brazil. Mastre Bimba performed the art form in front of Brallian President Getulio Vargas. The president was so impressed by the performance that he made Capoiera the national sport of Brazil.

Today, the popularity of Capoeira continues to grow and is known worldwide. Many classes are held to teach students the history of this tradional art form and also give them a great conditioning workout.

The most recognized move in the art Capeoeira is called the Ginga. The ginga is used as a way of keeping the body moving to prepare for an attack or to defend. As the routines get more difficult, kicks, punches and flips are added to enhance their skills.

What makes this form of martial arts so unique is that it joins dance, music and martial arts all in one. It’s a great condition workout especially for the legs and you can learn something about the Brazilian culture.

By: Shereena Sakhrani