Food Allergies As Holiday Frustration?

Imagine you arrive at your holiday destination you have been looking forward to for months and on day 1 you are confronted with food allergies and food intolerances in your family.

Those nasty unexpected things like food allergies that can screw up your idea of the perfect start of you well earned quality family time. I use the word idea purposely. Because I found out it that is just what it was. In our mind we make up that vacation has to be perfect, but vacation is like any other day in life. You have to take care of the most important things in life first. And well if you have food allergies and intolerances popping up that’s kind of in the category urgent.

So we, the Dutch Nomad Family, arrived in our home country after 24 hours of traveling that it took us from Bali. Within 48 hours Thijs started showed symptoms of food allergies, which affected his skin and caused itchy eyes.

We already know cheese is a no go for us. Can you imagine this being the case for a Dutch Vegetarian! But as with everything, you do get used to it and at some point the joy of eating this Golden Delicacy doesn’t match the negative effects on your body.

So after only 2 days of leaving our home in Bali Thijs started developing a rash around his mouth, which over the next 2 days spread all over his face and later his arms and legs. While dealing with ignoring a jet-lag, the cold, catching up with friends and keeping a business running, my fogged mind and off balanced body where working hard on observing food intake and comparing it to Thijs’ normal diet.

It may not be a surprise that the big change was the amount of candy, ice cream, bread with “hagelslag” and “beschuit with muisjes”. My kids do get candy, ice cream and bread back in Bali, but that would be in the form of an organic fruit lollipop, energy balls, sugar free candy, 80% dark chocolate, 1 slice of sourdough or black rice bread with almond butter and occasionally a vegan ice cream.

When I got to this point of realisation it became simple, but also hard. Why hard? As I said earlier it takes some time to get into a rhythm a again and than you have to deal with an issue on top of kids wanting to play, eat and enjoy the stuff they don’t normally have. However, something being a challenge has never been an excuse. So I talk to friends, share on Facebook and start finding places I can buy gluten free foods.

I just want to take time here for a sec to sympathise with all moms who have gone through this and are confronted everyday with food allergies and related issues. I’m proud of you that you found your way through all the food labels that almost always says traces of gluten, nuts and seeds. Unbelievable even in the organic health shop this disclaimer is on the oats!

As you I found my way through all the labels and found gluten free products. So I bought gluten free breads, crackers, vegan cheeses and spreads. Stocked up on fruit and raw vegetables suitable as snack and felt ready to start our road trip. I also started using TripAdvisor to look for Vegan Restaurants. This actually has brought us to some awesome unexpected places during our explorations and has made us meet lovely like-minded and inspiring people.

Having our travel food supply in order I realised I needed to do something about the symptoms of Thijs his rash as well, so I got a prescription from the doctor.

Parallel I search in the awesome database of Integrative Nutrition (my health and lifestyle tribe), watched a module on food and simple preparation by Joshua Rosenthal. Totally inspired by his “simple cooking” approach I feel empowered to pull this of during traveling as well. Grateful for the reminder of letting the kids help me with food preparations I get the feeling this food challenge it’s becoming a family effort and joyful experience instead of a weight on my shoulder.

Click here for a FREE Integrative Nutrition Class

A little side track confession from my side: it always surprises me how I can forget my normal patterns so easily when I board a plane and get into traveling mode.

A week into our travels I can now say that the frustration I felt in the beginning has developed to accepting and surrendering to the circumstances. As strange as it may sound it turns out Thijs his allergy actually gives me the opportunity to gather new experiences and connect to people on the subject I love most in life: the relation between health and lifestyle and the role of food in that.

I feel here lies one of my biggest tasks as a mom, educating my kids on food and the effect on it on their body. Unexpectedly this subject has become a part of our holiday itinerary, but as we love exploring, this will for sure provide us with new fun nomadic experiences.

As we were in Paris, I made Thijs and Isis aware on how they feel after they consume some of the local food. And believe me, they have to think hard when I ask them to put the pleasure of eating a croissant in perspective to life experiences like going to the summit of the Eiffel Tower. I commit myself to educating my kids on the value of a happy and healthy lifestyle and how it will affect the way they feel and therefore what they will accomplish in life.

Enjoy Local Foods, Eat Wise and ‘Bon Appetit’!

Inge, Tom, Isis and Thijs aka Dutch Nomad Family

Wine As A Bedtime Snack Helps With Weight Loss

Have you ever finished your dinner, but then found yourself hungry close to bedtime? You’re not alone – plenty of us feel the need to snack as the night progresses, and luckily, studies have deduced the perfect nightcap: wine.

 You heard us.


 Recent studies have pointed out that wine can help diabetics and improve your sex drive, but apparently, wine is also a great way to prevent midnight munchies. According to Linda Monk, a 47-year-old woman who’s lost 6 pounds in three weeks, the benefit of having a nightly glass of wine is that the treat suppresses her cravings for unhealthy snacks like “sweet, biscuits, and chocolate.” Instead, the moderate portion of wine makes her feel sated without going to town on the late night eating. Linda is gleaning advice from Tim Ferriss’s book: The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide To Rapid Weight Loss. Ferriss champions the theory that if you enjoy a little wine in the evening, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and thus less inclined to give up on dieting. Red wine is supposedly preferable to other snacks.


According to The Daily Mail, a study that took place over the course of 13 years at Harvard University found that amongst a group of 20,000 women, those who drank half a bottle of wine a day lessened their risk of obesity. As half a bottle is the equivalent of two glasses, Linda and the other women seem to be live proof of the study. 40-year-old Samantha Merrit is another woman who sings the praises of nightly wine, claiming “the calories don’t seem to have made an impact on the bathroom scales…Now, I can happily say no to a dessert and I treat myself to a glass or two around four nights a week.” Besides her appetite being satisfied, Merrit also credits the wine with helping her sleep and feeling less anxious.

As is always the case, the trick is moderation. While having a glass or two before bed is a good substitute for going crazy on chocolate snacking, drinking too much wine can leave you consuming more calories than a late night binge, and leave you feeling pretty hungover for work. Stick to 1-2 glasses if you want to curb your hunger, sleep better, and feel less deprived.

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Source: Vine Pair

How One Woman Lost Nearly 100 Lbs by Making Weight Loss Fun

Before: 232 lbs
After: 137 lbs

Kacey Lauchnor, 25, grew up in a family with suspect health habits. "If we ever ate a vegetable, it was covered in cheese," says the graphic designer from Herriman, Utah. Her eating habits continued throughout college and after her wedding, and by 2012, 5'6" Kacey clocked in at 232 pounds. "I knew I was getting fat," she says. "But I still thought, I'm not that fat."

Full Meal Plan to Lose Weight By: Joanna Soh

Amazing benefits of Malunggay ( Moringa Oleifera )

Healthy School Breakfast Ideas!

Tips for Starting a Healthy Lifestyle!

Advantages and Disadvantages of Pearl White Slimming Capsule

The advantages of Pearl White Slimming Capsule are:

1. It makes you slimmer in just 2 - 3 weeks.

2. It makes you alive and energetic 

3. It makes your skin fairer complexion

The  disadvantages of Pearl White Slimming Capsule  are:

1. Insomnia 

2. Constant defecation 

3. Dry/ chapped skin 

4. Difficulty in breathing 

5. Anxiety

The cost of this product ranges from 280 - 300 pesos per bottle. Available in Suyhoo pharmacy if you're living in davao city.

Since you know already the advantages and disadvantages of Pearl White, it’s up to you to decide.

Sunscreen Guide: What To Wear, When And Why

Memorial Day rings in the summer season and, along with barbecue equipment, beach toys and sandals, stores are beginning to pad their shelves with sunscreen. That's a great thing: sun damage is responsible for 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers in the United States, itself the most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. In fact, more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States.

“The risk of skin cancer is very real," FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said in a recent statement in support of the government's first annual "Don’t Fry Day" on May 25. “The FDA strongly recommends that consumers regularly use a Broad Spectrum sunscreen with an SPF value of 15 or higher in combination with other protective measures to more effectively protect themselves and their families whenever they are in the sun.” But with so many options on store shelves -- not to mention an impending change in the way that sunscreens are labeled and rated -- selecting the appropriate sun protection can be a confusing endeavor.You should read the Full Story

Is Hair Coloring Safe?

IN THIS day and age of social consciousness, where youth and inner and outer beauty are revered, where image is considered very important, hair coloring has become a widely accepted cosmetic aid. Among those who used this hair grooming tool was US President Ronald Reagan, even in his 80s. Many public figures and media celebrities, especially women, have benefited from the practice.

Are there advances in research and development over the past 60 years which have resulted in hair dyes and coloring system that are more efficient, less damaging to hair fiber, and safer in general? Let’s explore and comb through this colorful issue.

How old is hair-dyeing?

Hair coloring may have even pre-dated civilization itself. This is one of oldest cosmetic procedures known to man, besides face and body color artwork, which was practiced by ancient cultures in Egypt, Greece, Hebrew nation, Persia, China and early among Hindu people. Today, this is universally common appearance-enhancing tool and a trillion-dollar business industry.

Coffee reduces death risk

New study released by researchers at the US

National Cancer Institute (part of National Institutes of Health) and American Association of Retired

Persons (AARP) says “older adults who drank coffee, caffeinated or decaffeinated, had a lower risk of death overall than others who did not drink coffee.”

This encouraging recent report went on to say

“coffee drinkers were less likely to die from heart

disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes, and infections, although the association was not seen for cancer.” To minimize errors in the interpretation, this large study adjusted for the

effects of others risk factors on mortality, such as smoking and alcohol intake.

The Grapefruit Diet is a weight loss diet

The Grapefruit Diet is a weight loss diet built solely around the humble grapefruit.

The idea that a single item of food has miraculous weight loss properties seems a farce. The grapefruit is a marvelous fruit – a natural simple carbohydrate high in fiber and vitamin C. But to use it as the sole foundation of a weight loss program is unwise. However recent research has discovered that the grapefruit has more to it than meets the eye.

The Grapefruit Diet Plan

12 days on - 2 days off

Vegetables Allowed:

Red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas.

Vegetables to Avoid:

The 8 Steps To Creating An Effective Diet Plan

In order to create your ideal diet plan, we’re going to be taking the following steps…

1. Figure out the goal of your diet.
   Before we can get into any of the specifics of putting a diet together, the first thing you MUST do is figure out what your goal is. Meaning, do you want to lose fat? Do you want to build muscle? Do you just want to eat, feel and be healthier? Whatever your specific goal is, you absolutely need to know it beforehand so that everything we do from this point on is aimed directly at reaching that exact goal.
2. Figure out your ideal daily calorie intake.
   Once we’re ready to start putting the actual diet plan together, the first place we will always start is with calories. As you will see, there is no aspect of your diet that is more important than your total daily calorie intake. It’s the true key to an effective diet. Everything else, while still definitely important, is just secondary in comparison.

7 days slimming coffee

7 days slimming coffee is a fast-acting, fat-burning beverage, effective for weight loss with no side effect and dependency.  It is one of the best-seller brand with high reputation from its consumers.  Weight loss made simple and rapid you will lose excess pounds and become slimmer that you can see and feel in just 7 days. It is tasty and refreshing, good for fatty people, night

worker and those who wish to keep fit. continue Reading

Best Foods for Quick Weight Loss

Read through our list of best foods for quick weight loss and re-think your diet. Consume ingredients rich in minerals and antioxidants to guarantee the dazzling results of your slimming project.

Make a long term investment and stuff your fridge with healthy and nutritive fruits, veggies and dairy products. These ingredients will help you cut back on calories and strip off a few stubborn pounds. Learn from the best and skim through the list of best foods for quick weight loss created by pro dietitians.

Update your slimming strategies and skip fasting to make sure you enjoy your fat burning program. These food items should feature in the meal plan of all those who want to kiss goodbye to their overweight.

1. Asparagus
2. Black Cod or Cod Liver Oil

3.Yellow Peas
4.Guava


continue reading

Lose weight for good and not just for Christmas

If looking well and losing weight is important to us, why do we spend so much of our energy every single day focused on either thinking about food or eating? Why do we feel so helpless about being able to maintain our ideal weight?

I would like you to ask yourself a question, "What is truly important to me in my life" and make a list of about ten values that are important to you in no more than one or two words. Here are some examples family, work, love, positive thinking, golf, success, wealth, open-mindedness, happiness and fun. Now that you have made your own list, prioritise and place them in order of importance from 1 to 10. Continue Reading

Weight Loss Diet Plans For fast and effective

A fast weight loss diet plan sounds almost too good to be true. Is it even possible to lose weight quickly, look and feel amazing without being forced
into an unsafe diet or without taking harmful drugs? Well, to lose weight successfully, you will need some sort of weight loss diet plan . You have to set some goals and go after them. And results wont come overnight so you will have to be patient. There is no such a thing as an effective and safe fast weight loss plan . You cannot simply pop a pill and burn off all the extra fat in a couple of weeks or even a couple of months. Your body just does not work that way and will either reject or shut down from abusing it with this strategy. Here is a healthy weight lossdiet plan with everything you need to lose weight safely and consistently:

What a good method of fast weight loss?

Your body won’t release fat stores if you lower calories below what it needs and increase exercise. It will slow your metabolism to compensate and store every spare ounce as fat. If you continue lowering your calories, it will continue lowering that set point, til you can survive off nothing and store fat on anything.

You will lose more body fat eating protein and fat (don’t eat protein alone) than not eating AT ALL. To lose weight fast eat all you want but nothing but meat, eggs, healthy oils, mayo, butter and half an avocado a day (you’ll need added potassium). Keep the calories high and the fat percentage high, at least 65% of calories. Adding in green vegetables & some cheese will continue weight loss but at a slower pace.

What’s a great diet for fast weight loss?

Basic Diet Consists of 3-4 days of eating the following foods at each meal (4-5 meals/day):

4-5 oz of fish, chicken, lean beef, turkey
4 cups of veggies of these types (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, brussell’s sprouts, collard greens, spinach) - these are usually frozen and I measure out 4 cups total of any combination of them
1 tablespoon olive oil
seasonings to taste (salt, pepper, hot sauce, soy sauce - anything without calories). No need to limit salt intake here if you like to salt your foods.

Easy Fast Weight Loss Ideas

This article is taken from iloveindia

In today's world, where everybody is getting conscious about looking good, it has become all the more necessary to keep oneself in shape. If you have a good figure, not only it enables you to flaunt your body, but also it helps in boosting your confidence level. For some people, obesity becomes a serious cause of concern, thus affecting their mental fitness.

There are several reasons as why some people are overweight. It is interesting to know that your metabolism rate has a major impact on your weight loss program. People with low metabolism have a hard time in losing weight because of their slow metabolism fat gets stored in their bodies. There are some people who suffer from the problem of hormonal imbalance, but one of the major causes of obesity in people is their unhealthy eating habits and inadequate exercising.

Given here are some easy and fast weight loss ideas:

• Make water your favorite drink. A person must have a minimum of 8 glasses of water in a day. Avoid taking soft drinks or carbonated beverages; moreover replace them with water. Water helps in reducing weight in the most effective manner.
• Don't stuff yourself with food in a single sitting; instead have 5 to 6 small meals or snacks in a day. Eating several small meals helps the body to release less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps to control hunger.
• Make a habit of walking. Instead of driving car to the nearby market, prefer walking down. Walking is more important for people in sedentary jobs. Walk for at least 45 minutes every day; it helps in burning extra calories.
• Keep small plates for serving food because a study shows that the less food put in front of us, the less food we'll eat. So downsize your food plates and coffee mugs, and say goodbye to those extra calories.
• Eat more vegetables during meals as water-rich foods like zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers reduce your overall calorie consumption. Some other water-rich foods include soups and salads; they are good source of nutrition.
• Use vegetables to make hefty meals. Like pasta salad loaded with vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes can be eaten twice. Same applies for stir-fries; add vegetables to make a fluffier omelet.
• Avoid taking white foods as they contain large amounts of carbohydrates, which may further lead to weight gain. Replace white sugar, white rice, and white flour with whole grain breads and brown rice.
• Switch to ordinary coffee because coffee drinks at shops has extra calories, owing to whole milk, whipped cream, sugar, and sugary syrups. A cup of regular coffee, having skim milk brewed with good beans, tastes great and moreover has fewer calories.
• Use skimmed milk as it is high in calcium and low in calories. For coffee, use nonfat powdered milk.
• Prefer eating cereal for breakfast five days a week. Following this, you will consume more fiber and calcium, and less fat than those who eat other breakfast foods.
• Prefer having meals at home. We're more likely to eat more - in fact, more high-fat, and high-calorie foods- when we eat out than eating at home.
• Try to eat slowly and put your fork or spoon down after every bite. Drink water often and talk about your day with your partner. If you eat slowly, you would feel contended with your meal.
• Eat only when your stomach wants food. Usually out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or frustration; many of us unnecessarily have food. If you want to have something specific, it's probably a craving, not hunger.
• Prefer flavorings like hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings rather than butter and creamy or sugary sauces. These flavorings not only provide flavor with no fat and few calories, but the spicy ones also turn up digestive fires, causing your body to burn more calories.
• Eat fruit rather than drinking fruit juice. Eating whole foods will keep you satisfied for longer period of time than juice. Moreover, fruit juices are very high in calories.
• Eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinner. A cup of cooked rice or pasta has about 200 calories, while a cup of cooked veggies has just 50 calories. This will help to avoid a grain calorie overload, and high-fiber veggies will help satisfying your hunger.
• After every two hours, get up and walk around the office or your home for five minutes. A brisk five-minute walk after every two hours will you're your body active.
• Once a week, make a habit of washing something thoroughly - could be floor, windows, shower cabin, bathroom tiles, car, etc. It helps in burning out about four calories for every minute spent in cleaning.
• Take a walk before dinner and it'll not only burn calories, but also cut down your appetite.
• Prefer not eating with a large group as we tend to eat more when we eat with other people, probably because we spend more time at the table. When eating in groups take a note of time and leave the plate, as and when you have had enough.
• Skip watching TV for an hour and go for a walk instead. Or else, you have now time to finish your domestic chores.
• Take most of the calories before noon because studies tell that the more you eat in the morning, the less you'll eat in the evening. Moreover, you will get more chances to burn off those early-day calories than late-night calories.
• Order alcohol by the glass, not the bottle. This way, you'll be more aware of how much alcohol you're intaking. Alcohol is high in calories, however moderate drinking can be good for your health.
• Stock your refrigerator with low-fat yogurt. Cut down 500 calories a day from your diet and eat yogurt three times a day for 12 weeks. It will help you lose more weight and body fat.