The Healers in Your Kitchen

Most people do not realize that common items in their kitchen have a variety of healing properties. Here's a look at some of these items and the healthy ways in which they can be used.

Here's an easy way to help you more easily shed unwanted pounds: Take more time to chew your food. In today's fast-paced world where meals are often eaten "on the run," all too many of us don't even pay attention to what we are doing and tend to gobble down our food. Researchers have found that being more conscious while we eat and chewing each mouthful of food 30 to 40 times provides a variety of health benefits, including weight loss. Because food that is thoroughly chewed is far easier for your body to digest, less energy is used up during the digestive process, enabling the nutrients that the food contains to be used by your body more quickly. In addition, chewing food slowly and thoroughly makes it easier for you to notice and enjoy your food's flavors and aromas. As a result, you will start to feel full and more satisfied more quickly than if you gobble down your food. The end result is that you won't eat as much food per meal, thereby reducing your caloric intake. Research has shown that, on average, people who thoroughly chew their food consume an average of 70 fewer calories per meal, compared to people who eat food in a rush.