Eat a Parasite and Lose Weight?

hThere is a new diet trend in Asia - eating parasites to lose weight. The above picture was taken from an ad in the early 1900s. Are we actually moving backwards instead of forwards here? How could we go back to this kind of life threatening diet?

Women and girls in Asia are feeling a tremendous amount of pressure to stay thin and unfortunately, exercise is not recommended because muscles on a woman is not considered attractive.

I am all for different cultures and what they contribute to the world; after all, the world would be pretty boring if everyone was the same. However, when one of your "cultural differences" means eating disorders, malnutrition and potentially death, I think that something should be done about it.

We can't stop women from feeling bad about their bodies; this is a choice that each individual woman has to make for herself. We can, however, regulate which diet products and ads are approved to be released to the public.

One might add that educating people about the dangers of putting a parasitic worm that lays 200,000 eggs per day might help the problem as well, but in my opinion, it wouldn't stop the problem. It is obvious that ingesting a parasite is bad for the body. I think that we have to go deeper here - much deeper.

The women in Asia are suffering from the same disease that women in North America have - it's just a little more advanced in Asia! Girls in North America as young as 7 and 8 years old are worrying about their body image. When I was 8, my biggest worry was that bedtime would come before I was done playing. I certainly never thought about pimples, how big my nose was or about how "fat" I looked in my clothes! My childhood was much happier for it.

What can we do about this problem? We can't stop magazines from publishing pictures of "perfect" people, and we can't stop pop stars from exuding the wrong type of self image to our youth, but we can teach our children to value what is important, and to be comfortable with who they are.

5 Ways to Stay Healthy

Obesity and "unhealthiness" are on the rise in North America, and more and more people are searching for ways to keep themselves and their families healthy. In a world of fast foods, junk foods and MSG, (not to mention all of the cravings brought on by TV commercials!) it is no wonder that our waistlines are expanding. There are a few ways to keep your body healthy however, so do not give up hope just yet.

1 -Drink Water: Everybody has heard all their lives that we should be drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, and for the most part, people tend to ignore this, or at best only partially obey it. Do not under-estimate the health benefits of water If you drink enough of it every day, it will constantly flush toxins out of your body, and you will feel the difference! Speaking from personal experience, since I started drinking 3 litres (100 oz) a day, I no longer feel the need for caffeine, and I have energy that I never thought possible.

2 - Eat Your Greens: Yes, I know what many of you are thinking right now - Rabbit food is for rabbits! Lettuce, broccoli, carrots, celery and all the rest of the "greens and veggies" group have more health benefits for your body than can even be named here. Vegetables are full of much needed vitamins and minerals. They also fight heart disease, stroke and contain cancer fighting phytocemicals.

3 - Go for a Walk: Do not underestimate the power of walking. It is the simplest and easiest form of exercise, yet it can do a lot for your body. Walking helps heart health, reduces body fat, helps to get you in shape and it only takes 30 minutes a day.

4 - Relax: The stress of life can get to us sometimes, but we need to be careful not to let it get the better of us. Stress is not very healthy for anyone, and it can cause some serious problems, like anxiety and heart attacks. Take some time to spend by yourself and with your family members each day. Relaxing like this daily can ease the stress of the day and put things in perspective.

5 - Get some sleep: Not getting enough sleep at night can cause obesity, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and a whole lot of other things that are not pleasant! Adults need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night to function well throughout the day. Tip: Getting too much sleep a night (more than 8 hours) can also cause fatigue!

These 5 suggestions will help you live a happier, healthier life, but only if you follow them! If 5 things seem to hard to do all at once, try focusing on doing one each week. Soon, all 5 ways to stay healthy will develop into good habits, and will become a normal part of your life - your healthier life!