Our daily energy requirement will depend on sex, age, physical activity and body weight. In general, most people will require their meals to provide them with no more than 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day.

Important Facts To All Chocolate Lovers Out There!!

Chocolate needn't be the enemy though, new research has found that in moderation chocolate can actually be beneficial to to your health.

Polyphenols are substances found in Chocolate that act as antioxidants and help stop cholesterol from blocking your arteries, and so reducing the risk of heart disease.

There is also evidence to suggest that the pleasure we gain from indulging ourselves every now and then can have a positive effect on our immune system. On a psychological level, totally denying ourselves a favourite food can make us far more likely to binge, eating more than we would normally. Added to that, because of the way we treat chocolate as a bad, banned food, the feelings of guilt and disgust at our lack of self control can be enormous. And this for many of us starts the cycle all over again.

Chocolate, chips, sweets or any other food that we consider as bad food, should not be banished from our life completely. They can be a part of your diet as long as they are eaten in moderation and your diet is a healthy and balanced one.

Is there a key to long life and good health?

The people from the Japanese Island of Okinawa appear to have found the answer. On this small Island, there are 427 people over the age of 100, in a population of just 1.27 million. That's nearly 4 times the average number of the West. Rates of heart disease, cancer and stroke are the lowest on the world, and the menopause occurs 10 years later than in the West.

So how do they do it? A high level of soy, vegetables, fish and low levels of alcohol play a part, as does a high level of physical activity well into old age. Stress is also low. They consume 30% or less of there diet as fat and keep salt intake low.

Okinawa Hints and Tips

1. Lower stress by taking time out each day. Listen to soothing music, have a relaxing bath, use relaxing oils like lavender and chill out for at least 30 minutes every day.
2. Drink at least 6 glasses of water per day. You will need to keep weight down, so drinking water before meals will help fill you up and keep portions down.
3. Keep salt levels low. Check labels to make sure sodium levels are low and try to stop adding salt to food whilst cooking and at the table. Okinawa residents consume only 3 teaspoons of salt per day.
4. Ratios of food intake should be as follows;

Sweets
0 - 3 servings

Meat, poultry plus eggs
0 - 3 servings

Vegetable oils and condiments
1 - 2 tablespoons

Fatty fish like sardines, mackerel and salmon
1 - 3 servings

Fruit Soya, tea, apples and beans Calcium foods
2 - 4 servings

Rice, noodles, bread and whole grain plus Vegetables
7 - 13 servings.

5. Sticking to this diet will help you lose weight anyway, but you could also follow the Okinawa principle of Hara Hachi Bu - eat until you are only 80% full.
6. Try drinking green tea - as well as being good for you, it has also been proven to help metabolise fat. The most effective way to get the fat metabolising effect sis to take a green tea extract supplement.