I am not a vagetarian myself, but I have a lot of vegetarian recipes in my “portfolio”. You don’t have to be a vegetarian either to enjoy all the benefits of those delicious dishes! If your diet is not balanced (lack of fruits, veggies, cereals) a good way to start is to have one meat-free day a week. And after some time you will start eating healthy, vegetarian dishes everyday!

I don’t have a meat-free day, but 3-4 out of 6 of my daily meals are vegetarian. But it’s not a bad idea to have one. A good friend of mine who is a bodybuilder, fitness trainer and diet advisor used to say that a “vegetarian day” once a week cleans your guts due to its very high amounts of fiber and is therefore very good for your digestive system.
Other benefits that are associated with vegetarian diet are:

• lenghtens life
• lowers bad cholesterol and is consequently good for your heart
• helps you to lose weight (low calorie)
• strenghtens the immune system (high in vitamins and minerals)
• lowers the risk for diseases like constipation, hemorroids, diverticular disease, gallstones, hiatal hernias, appendicitis, irritable colon, bowel polyps, and appendicitis.
• Colon cancer is very rare in people with a low-meat diet.
• Prevents and controls diabetes (due its high amount of fiber)

There are lots of more facts and benefits of vegetarian diet vs. meat-centered diet. I will post an extra info on this later.

In these series, low calorie and vegetarian recipes, I will post some of my favorite dishes that are healthy and tasty even for a meat-eater like me!

Part 2 with first recipes is coming very soon (this week). Just search for “vegetarian recipes” on BodyTweaking in few days.

Cost: I buy everything on a weekend-market here. The cost is always $0.50 for a kilo (ca. 3 lbs) of stuff: be it bananas, apples, cereals, tomatoes, etc. Some cost more, others less. But in average it’s always 50 cent.

Inspite of the popular belief Romans were not vegetarian. Apart of so much evidence that supports this fact I don’t believe that a bunch of vegetarians could conquer the mediterranean world (hehehe, it’s a joke :)). What is true is that Romans ate much more vegies and fruits than we do today.

Another cool fact a friend told me (he is a historian) is that on long marches and when there was not much food available the main diet of the Roman army consisted of

• olives and
  
• black, whole grain bread

Is it true? Could be. Whole grain bread is a fantastic source of constant, long-lasting energy. Add high-energy, healthy olives and you’ve got a great mix to go for miles. Besides, these supplies are light-weight and easy to transport. And don’t forget all the good benefits of olives!

• Due its incredibly high amount of monounsaturated fat it helps lowering the “bad” cholesterol and raises the leves of good cholesterol, which is beneficial for your heart.
• Olive oil contains high levels of antioxidants, specially vitamin E, which is believed to prevent cancer and several other diseases.
• Olive oli is the only oil you can consume “raw”. It’s the main component of any mediterranean diet and is believed to be the reason for longevity in this reason.
• It tastes wonderful!

I am seriously considering trying this roman army diet on the “Carros de Foc” challenge this summer :).

Cost: 3$ for 800gr of high-quality olives; should be enough for 6-14 meals.

Niacin benefits are wide-ranging and it is vital for a proper functioning of your body. Especially niacin is valuable for your nervous system and brain and as a useful tool for cholesterol levels control. On the other hand lately there has been a lot of discussion about a niacin side effect, so called “niacin flush”, which occurs during a niacin overdose. Let’s look at this powerful vitamin more closely.

Niacin is one of the water soluble B-Complex vitamins, also known by its short name: B-3 vitamin. Niacin is also referred to as nicotinic acid, because it’s literally an oxidation product of nicotine. Despite of its poisonous “parent”-substance, B-3 vitamin is whether a drug nor is it toxic. It’s a relatively harmless vitamin and needs no medical prescription.

Nicotinic acid is essential for proper DNA synthesis and repair. People with B3 deficiency are believed to be more likely to get cancer than those with higher levels of niacin in their diet.

Niacin for cholesterol reduction

B-3 pills are often prescribed for a radical cholesterol reduction. As a matter of fact it’s one of the most popular ways to get rid of unnecessary serum lipid content and therefore reduce a large number of heart-related diseases.

Nicotinic acid and aging

Niacin’s relatively new and most spectacular benefit has been discovered not long ago in Chicago’s Rush Institute of Healthy Aging which found out that people with diets high in niacin had lower risk of getting Alzheimer and age-related cognitive decline. The Alzheimer risk has been reduced by 80% through a daily intake of 48mg niacin.

Niacin has a great impact on your nervous system: it reduces the risk of Schizophrenia, it helps you relax naturally and fall asleep more rapidly, it fights insomnia, it decreases anxiety and depression, etc. B3 is crucial for your emotional balance and well-being.

The natural way of getting niacin without any side effects is through your normal food. It’s also possible to buy B3-vitamin pills in your pharmacy. Although it’s a non-prescription vitamin, if you have a history in heavy alcoholic problems, liver disorders, diabetes or if you are pregnant, you should still consult your physician before buying those pills.

Niacin side effects

While getting cholesterol out of your blood vessels, niacin also dilates these blood vessels a little. If you take an overdose of niacin (usually more than 30 mg in one go) you may notice your skin getting a little red, a warmth feeling under the skin and maybe some itching. This effect is called “niacin flush” which indicates a saturation of niacin in your body.

Usually the niacin flush ends after 10 minutes. Nevertheless depending on the overdose the effect can be lighter or stronger and last for more than 30 minutes. The effect can also be reduced if you take niacin pills during meals with a lot of liquid. To avoid any effects 20mg of niacin for each of 3 daily meals is a good and healthy amount.

If you should consider taking niacin naturally through normal food you shouldn’t worry about side effects, because it’s highly unlikable to get an overdose of B3 that way.

Niacin can be found in

• fish
• poultry
• meat
• rice
• eggs
• etc.

4 ounces of swordfish has 13 mg niacin, 4 ounces of chicken breasts has 15 mg of B3.

Have you ever wondered why Japanese older people are in better mental shape than the elderly people from the west? Check their diet for niacin and make your conclusions.

Note: A real bodytweaker has got enough B3-vitamins in his/her diet to stay healthy without the blush
Cost: N/A

Moody patients who buy diazepam should instead consult a physician and they are more likely to be advised lorazepam or the contemporary meridia. This is another drug from cipro group.