Refined and unrefined grains
The foods listed above (apart from potatoes) are all produced from grains, such as wheat, corn or rice. They should be a part of all meals, filling about a third of your plate. They can come in two forms – refined or unrefined (often known as whole grains).
Refined grains have been stripped of their outer bran coating and inner germ during the milling process, leaving only the endosperm. They include white rice, white bread and white pasta.
In a whole grain the bran, germ and endosperm are all still present. The bran is an excellent source of fibre; the germ is a source of protein, vitamins and minerals; and the endosperm supplies most of the carbohydrates, mainly in the form of starch. Unrefined or whole grain forms provide far more nutrients than their unrefined counterparts.
Whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
Most people get their whole grain from wholemeal bread or whole grain breakfast cereals such as porridge, muesli or whole wheat cereals. Choose a whole grain variety over processed or refined grains, and look out for added sugar or salt.
Other whole grains include:
Wheat
Oats
Maize
Barley
Rye
Millet
Quinoa
Wild rice
Fibre
Dietary fibre is found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fibre cannot be fully digested and is often called bulk or roughage. The two types of fibre found in food are soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fibre, which can dissolve in water, is found in beans, fruit and oat products, and can help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar.
Insoluble fibre cannot dissolve in water, so passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables and it increases the rate at which food passes through the gut.
Evidence for health benefits of fibre
High-fibre foods take longer to digest, so keep you feeling fuller for longer. The slow and steady digestion of food through the gut helps control blood sugar and assists with weight maintenance
Fibre helps in the digestive process and can help lower blood cholesterol
Fibre promotes bowel regularity and keeping the gastrointestinal tract clean to help reduce the risk of developing diverticular disease and constipation
A high-fibre diet may reduce the risk of developing diabetes and colorectal cancer

To eat more fibre, try these healthy swaps:
Refined Unrefined
Frosted flakes Bran flakes
White toast Porridge oats
Cereal bar Rice cakes
French bread Wholemeal bread
Normal pasta Wholewheat pasta
Breadstick Dark rye crispbread


How much is enough?
Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods should make up about one third of your diet. Try these recipes from the BBC Food website:
Banana and Oat Smoothie
Wholemeal pizza baguettes
Ham and watercress sandwich on wholemeal bread
Creamy lentils and brown rice
Using wholemeal flour in baking, as in this Irish Soda Bread or half and half as in these Carrot and Pineapple Muffins


What about GI?
The glycaemic index (GI) is a way of ranking carbohydrate foods based on how quickly they increase blood sugar levels. Low GI foods are especially helpful for people with diabetes, who need to have more control over their blood sugar levels than the general population.
Ideally foods with a low GI, such as those rich in soluble fibre like oats and legumes, should be eaten more frequently than those with a high GI. But the texture, type of cooking or processing used, and the amount and type of sugars present can all affect the GI. Since foods are often consumed as part of a meal or snack, it can be difficult to calculate the GI. Focusing on unrefined, high-fibre, whole grain cereals and minimising rapidly absorbed, refined cereals and sugary foods will all help to lower the GI of your diet.

Fat transports the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K around the body
It can often improve the flavour and perception of foods, increasing their palatability
It supplies essential nutrients such as fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids (EFAs)
EFAs must be supplied from the diet, and are thought to have a positive effect on heart health and the immune system
Government guidelines recommend fats make up no more than 35 per cent of the energy in your diet, and that saturated fats should provide less than 11 per cent of total energy intake.
For the average woman, this means about 70g of total fat a day; for men, roughly 95g.
The latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey showed that, on average, UK adults consume about the right amount of fat, but that the intake of saturated fats is currently too high for good health (at present they provide about 13 per cent of total energy).
To reduce the amount of fat in your diet, try the following:
Look for alternatives to cakes, biscuits and savoury snacks, which are often high in fat - try fresh fruit, dried fruit and cereal-based products
Trim any visible fat off meat and poultry
Buy lean cuts of meat and reduced-fat minces
Poach, steam, grill or bake food rather than fry it
Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed or skimmed
Opt for low-fat dairy products
If you use lard, butter or hard margarine, switch to vegetable oil and low-fat spreads

One piece of medium-sized fruit, such as an apple, peach, banana or orange
One slice of fruit, such as melon, mango or pineapple
One handful of grapes or two handfuls of cherries or berry fruits
One tablespoon of dried fruit
A glass (roughly 100ml) of fruit or vegetable juice
A small tin (roughly 200g) of fruit
3 tablespoons of fruit salad or stewed fruit
A side salad
A serving (roughly 80g) of vegetables, such as frozen or mushy peas, boiled carrots or stir-fried broccoli
Cooked dishes that contain significant amounts of vegetables may also count

More than ever we are using our eyes to stare at small type and images on computer screens, televisions, and cellphones—a modern trend that leads to eye fatigue and an increase in age-related eye problems. But diminished eyesight does not have to be an inevitable part of living long.
Use these 5 secrets to promote and preserve the health of your eyes.

1. A juice to brighten your eyesight

An age-old Chinese folk remedy for clearing the vision is a blended juice made from celery, peppermint, and Chinese parsley. Research has caught up with this wisdom, and we now know that luteolin, an antioxidant bioflavonoid found in these three ingredients, has been found to provide the best protection of cell DNA from radiation. Some evidence shows that luteolin helps protect the eye from UV radiation damage, as well as from glycation, a process in which sticky sugar molecules bind up protein, potentially damaging the retina. Luteolin also promotes healthy blood sugar levels and regulates insulin sensitivity. Blend together celery, peppermint, and Chinese parsley in a blender with a little water or a juicer. Drink this fresh juice daily to see well into the future!

2. Eat for eye health

Let nature help you maintain vision health with its bounty of beneficial foods for eyesight. Spinach is full of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that protect your retina from the macular degeneration that comes with age. Don't forget: fat increases lutein absorption, so remember to sauté your spinach in a little olive oil. (More leafy greens for a long life.) Other lutein and zeaxanthin vegetables include spinach, kale, turnip greens, collards, mustard greens, squash, green peas, broccoli, pumpkin, and corn. Chlorophyll-rich algae like spirulina, chlorella, and blue-green algae possess nutrients that are beneficial for the eyes. Carrots, loaded with vitamin A and beta-carotene, are also a great help to your eyes. Bilberry, a cousin of blueberry, boosts blood flow to eye nerves and is also rich in antioxidants. Goji berry is used to strengthen the eyesight, so snack on them in between meals.

3. Stay hydrated

Proper hydration is essential for good eye function. So drink filtered water regularly to stay hydrated. A slow and regular intake of water creates a constant supply of water to lubricate and nourish our eyes. Drink 8 glasses of water every day.

4. Eye exercises to fight floaters

These simple exercises improve and maintain good vision and may also get rid of those pesky floaters in your eyes.

Rub your palms together to create heat, and then place them against your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this three times.

Roll your eyes in circles, starting at the top and slowly circling 10 times clockwise and 10 times counterclockwise.

Hold a pen at arm's length, focus your eyes on it, and slowly bring the pen closer until it's about six inches away from your nose. Then slowly move it back, keeping your eyes focused on the pen, 10 times in all.

Using your thumb knuckles, massage your temples in small circles, 20 times in one direction and 20 in the other. Repeat the same actions above the mid-point of the eyebrows at the forehead, then below the eyes on both sides of the bridge of the nose.

Take a nap on the job! Put your head back, close your eyes, and relax for three minutes.

After a month you will notice an improvement in vision and a decrease in floaters. Try to do these exercises first thing in the morning, just before bed, or whenever your eyes feel tired, like after computer use. Make sure your hands are clean and that you are relaxed. The key to progress is daily practice, so make it a habit! Additionally, take care of your eyes by wearing UV-protective sunglasses.

5. Instant eye remediesTry these dietary and herbal remedies for overall eye health:

To nourish your eyes, follow Popeye's lead. Boil 4 ounces of fresh spinach in 4 cups of water. Drink this spinach tea daily to give vital nourishment to your eyes.
Grape seed extract (OPC) and bilberry extracts contain potent antioxidants for eye health.
Taking ginkgo on a daily basis has been shown to improve circulation to the eyes. Find it in a health food store.

When your eyes feel tired, lie down and place slices of cucumber on your eyelids to soothe the eyes and restore moisture.

As a general rule of thumb, eye exams should be done once every 2 to 4 years for everyone under age 40 and once every 2 years after. This way, you can detect issues before they become severe.

You can find these eye health secrets and many others in my newest book Second Spring.I hope these help you maintain good vision well into your golden years! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

The Biggest Loser trainer-and SELF's newest contributing editor!-is always go-go-going. What you see on TV is only a slice of Jillian Michaels's life. When she's offscreen, she's still whipping her contestants (and herself!) into shape.

How does this powerhouse fuel her jam-packed schedule? She prioritizes. "If I didn't work out and watch what I ate, I'd easily be 200 pounds," she admits. "I'm not the girl who loves to go to the gym. And I'm not the girl who loves broccoli, either. But I am the girl who feels potent, capable and confident when she feels strong, and I don't want to give that up. To me, it's about building a better body." Find out what a fitness guru really eats with SELF's day in the diet of Jillian Michaels.

Breakfast

To start the day off right, Michaels stocks up on carbs for long-lasting energy. "Breakfast is usually whole-grain Ezekiel English Muffins with almond butter," she says. "And I eat two whole English Muffins, about 500 calories." Try these breakfast recipes!

Lunch

"For lunch, I'll usually have some sort of fish and veggies," says Michaels, who usually eats with her Biggest Loser contestants. "Salmon carpaccio and a vegetable or salad. But if it comes with cheese, I won't eat the cheese."

Snack

For a quick afternoon pick-me-up, "I'll have hummus and carrot sticks or chips and salsa or an orange and raw almonds or Brazil nuts," she says. "A little bit of protein and a little bit of carbs." No matter what she's munching on, you can bet it'll be the healthiest option. Try these snack ideas!

Dinner

"I try to cut out carbs whenever possible," Michaels says of her final meal. "And I eat organic whenever possible. I work with organic chefs who help me on my website and we create recipes and test them out. I eat fish a lot."
Sweet treat"I try to get my dark chocolate in somewhere throughout the day," she admits. "I have to have it. I work it into my calorie allowance and I will always have 200 calories of chocolate...always!"

Jillian Michaels may be a tough-as-nails trainer on ABC's The Biggest Loser, but that just goes to show how far she's come since her karate coach kicked her into a corner back when she was just a teenager.

"I was the fat kid," she admits in SELF's July issue. "I had acne, braces, a nose the size of a softball. Then I went from the kid who would eat lunch in the teacher's classroom because I didn't want to be in the schoolyard to the kid who could break two boards with her right foot. It makes you carry yourself differently." These days, Michaels is walking tall. Check out her personal workout tips to build up your body and your confidence.

1. Don't take it easy on yourself. "One of my trainers beats the crap out of me; he's the incarnation of my karma. We do everything from explosive kettlebell to hoisting 100-pound punching bags over my head to running up stairs with 100 pounds over my head two at a time," Michaels says. "Sledgehammer workouts, throwing boulders-this guy is insane." Whew! (Work out with kettleballs!)

2. Do what you hate. "Calisthenics, sprints, speed agility, quickness drills-it's so tedious and so monotonous and I hate every second of it," confesses Michaels. And yet, it pays off. Not only does she have a rockin' body, but she has the stamina to keep up with her crazy schedule! (Get fit in 15 minutes!)

3. Get rock-hard abs without crunches. Still looking for that perfect tummy toner? Stop beating up your belly with endless sit-ups. "I never isolate my abdominals," she says. "It's all high-energy training, body weight, core multiple muscle groups and a really clean, clean diet. It's not one move." (Flat abs made easy!)

4. Pay attention to your diet. If you're not watching your diet, all the reps and miles in the world won't count. "The key is body fat," instructs Michaels. "You need to shed body fat, so cut out processed foods. Cut out alcohol whenever possible. Keep your water level really high so you're not retaining." Keep an eye on what you're putting in your body so you have no problem showing it off.

Olive oil is also one of the best, all-natural moisturizers. Now, researchers are learning about its anti-cancer properties, and their results are very exciting for skin health!

Ancient Greeks bathed with olive oil, and its skincare benefits have held up to the scrutiny of science. We now know that olive oil has at least four different types of antioxidants in it. Antioxidants neutralize damaging free radicals that can lead to skin aging and skin cancer. Well designed studies have shown that mice who drink extra virgin olive oil develop less skin cancer after exposure to UV light.

But, that's not all. The most exciting finding, in my opinion, is that applying topical olive oil to the mice skin after UV exposure also decreased the number of skin cancers. So whether ingested or applied directly to the skin, the oil is interfering with tumor development!
Moisturizing Properties

While skin cancer prevention is a relatively new benefit of olive oil, its moisturizing properties are renowned. Olives contain the compound linoleic acid, a component of skin that helps prevent water from evaporating. A linoleic acid deficiency causes skin to lose too much water, and those without it eventually develop dry skin.

Linoleic acid cannot be made by the body and must be supplied by topical creams and lotions, or from the diet. So, eating olive oil or olives, adding the oil to a warm bath or applying it directly to the skin can help the skin stay supple.

In my search, I have discovered some very special olive products. It is crucial to use extra virgin olive oil because it is made from the first press of the olives and has the highest amount of antioxidants. My favorites include La Amarilla de Ronda Organic Olive Oil and Costa dei Rosmarini Olive Oil. (These can be purchased by contacting Ciao imports at info@ciaoimports.com or (305) 495-8619.) For just a few dollars, you'll have one of the best, all-natural bath oils and after-sun moisturizers around!

Have you ever taken your child to the dermatologist? It can be tough to know when it's necessary - after all, they get all kinds of scrapes, and it's normal for their skin to change as they grow.

However, there are a few skin changes that you should never ignore. Take your child to a pediatric dermatologist right away if you see any of these:

Changing mole: A mole that grows, changes color or bleeds warrants an urgent call to a pediatric dermatologist (try to get in this week). Although skin cancers in children are rare, they do occur. Also keep in mind the ABCD rule of melanoma skin cancers. Make an appointment immediately if any of your child's moles are: Asymmetric - have an irregular shape where one side doesn't mirror the other; have Borders that are fuzzy or indistinct; are Colored with more than one hue, or include black, white, red or yellow coloring; or have a Diameter larger than a pencil eraser. Click here for more on the early signs of skin cancer.

Blisters and a fever: An outbreak of blisters and fever could indicate a serious problem, especially if the child has 10 or more blisters. See your dermatologist immediately if this occurs to rule out serious problems.

Skin infection: If a cut or scratch is red, feels warm and shows yellow puss -- especially if your child complains of pain -- this is a sign of an infection. A pediatric dermatologist will be able to clean the cut and make sure it heals properly, with the smallest amount of scarring.

Reddish birthmark: A large reddish birthmark in the midline of the face, or one that gets in the way of a child's vision, can be treated with cortisone or with a laser (depending on the type of birthmark). One type of red birthmark, known as a port wine stain, can be a symptom of a rare neurological disorder called Sturge-Weber syndrome. While many reddish birthmarks will fade or even go away by the time your child is around 9 years old, others should be treated as early as possible. A dermatologist will be able to tell you what type of birthmark you are dealing with.
Large brown birthmark: A brown birthmark larger than a quarter can, rarely, be a symptom of neurofibromatosis, an inherited disease in which nerve tissues grow into tumors.

Dry, itchy skin: Dry, itchy skin, usually behind the knees and in the bend of the arm, can be a symptom of eczema. Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema results from a combination of dryness and sensitivity, and allergies can also play a role. Prescription medicines, including topical corticosteroids and non-steroid creams such as Elidel, can help heal eczema and reduce itching.

A newborn with pustules on the face and body: Any unusual skin changes such as blisters, redness, skin peeling and pustules should be shown to your pediatrician. These are often not problematic but can be a sign of serious disease -- so exercise caution with any newborns and bring them in to the pediatrician right away.

Dry, white scales in the scalp: These may be caused by dandruff, reaction to chemicals in shampoos, lice or fungal infections. Fungal infections of the scalp are very common in children and should be treated as soon as possible to prevent spreading to other children.
White swollen bumps with umbilications (concavity) in the center- these are often a virus known as molluscum contagiosum. These must be treated by a dermatologist to prevent spread to other children. Usually adults are immune to this and do not develop the lesions, but frequently other children in the household will become infected. This condition is not dangerous but the bumps are difficult to get rid of and are very contagious.

Acne- Why waste your money on over-the-counter products when your insurance will likely cover the most effective acne treatments? Seeing a dermatologist early can prevent acne scarring and the self esteem issues that often result in adolescents suffering from breakouts.
Besides these symptoms, you should trust your instincts if something is nagging at you, and don't hesitate to take your child to see a specialist.

How do you find a pediatric dermatologist? Head to the American Academy of Dermatology's website and use its Find a Dermatologist page. Enter your zip code and choose Pediatric Dermatology from the Specialties menu. You can also look for a university medical school near you, which will likely have a dermatologist who specializes in pediatric dermatology.

Threading is an ancient hair removal method that's finally taking hold in the U.S. Practiced for centuries in India and the Middle East, the technique uses a thin cotton thread to pluck out hairs one by one. The threader wraps the thread around her fingers and holds the other end between her teeth, then glides the twisted thread over the hair, gently pulling it out. It doesn't sound like it should work, but it does!

There are several reasons why this is my favorite method for shaping eyebrows and removing hair from the upper lip, especially if you can't afford (or are not a good candidate for) more expensive options like electrolysis or laser hair removal. Here's why I love it:
Threading is fast and precise: A good threader can expertly shape your eyebrows in just about no time flat.

If you have a skin type that's prone to hyperpigmentation, heat from hot waxing can stimulate melanin production and make dark patches worse. Since threading doesn't involve heat, it solves this problem.

For those using Retin-A or other retinoids, threading is the way to go. Retinoids leave skin more delicate and prone to burning. Waxing is a big no-no because a layer of skin can rip right off with the wax.

It's cheap! High-end salons can charge $20 or more to thread your eyebrows, but if you live in a larger city you can get the same results by exploring salons in your town's Little India. I've had my eyebrows threaded for as little as $3!

Threading is particularly effective when used in conjunction with laser treatments because it offers instant gratification, while the laser provides a long-term solution. Some hair-removal centers even offer threading services on the premises. You see, after laser hair removal, the hair remains in its follicle for a week or more. Threading within 24 hours of a laser treatment will remove these hairs for a smoother look; just note that you still have to wait at least three weeks before your next laser treatment.
Wishing you great brows!
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Dr. Baumann is author of the best-selling book, " The Skin Type Solution." To learn more about her revolutionary skin typing system, visit her Web site, SkinTypeSolutions.com.
All of Dr. Baumann's recommended skin care products are available online, and a portion of proceeds goes to The Dermatology Foundation.