Food well being

We have arrived in August, a month of holidays in which many people want to show off a golden, healthy and long-lasting tan. Even in this context, nutrition can significantly influence the way in which the skin tans and remains beautiful over time, as well as protecting it from damage from UV rays, bringing foods rich in substances capable of neutralizing the production of free radicals to the table. Fruits and vegetables, in particular, play a fundamental role for our body as they provide water, vitamins and mineral salts. They also protect the epidermis and replenish what is lost through[Segue]

Green beans, with their bright color and crunchy texture, are a fresh pillar of summer cuisine. Also called cornetti or, vulgarly, tegoline, in the North-East of Italy, they are loved for their versatility and nutritional profile. Beyond their delicious flavor, green beans also offer a number of health benefits that make them a valuable addition to any diet. Green beans are low in calories (about 30 cal per 100g) but rich in essential nutrients. They are an excellent source of vitamins K, C and A, which are essential for blood clotting, the immune system and vision respectively. They also contain[Segue]

An unbalanced diet, accompanied by stress, little physical exercise and a sedentary lifestyle can cause various consequences for the body, including, more frequently, fluid stagnation, which in turn causes water retention, swelling of the legs and abdomen, cellulite and blemishes due to poor circulation, which affect many people, especially women. Often the main cause of water retention is a wrong lifestyle, but this problem can also be associated with serious pathologies such as heart or kidney dysfunction, inflammation or allergic reactions. In addition to these causes, there are predisposing risk factors such as: overweight, excessive sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol abuse,[Segue]

Training offers numerous benefits to our body, such as that of building a muscular base useful for the well-being of the musculoskeletal system and that of supporting psycho-physical health, motivation and sociality. However, to get the most out of your physical efforts – whether it's an intense hill run, functional training in a park or a long walk in the mountains – it's crucial to pay attention to the recovery phase, especially post-exercise nutrition. Recovery is not just a passive period of transition between one workout and another: it is the moment in which the body repairs itself, strengthens itself and[Segue]

In recent decades, sweeteners have become a constant presence on our tables. Used to reduce caloric intake while maintaining the sweet taste, they are often present in light drinks, "sugar-free" products, foods for diabetics and chewing gum. But how much do we really know about these ingredients. What are the benefits, and what are the potential risks of consuming them. Firstly, sweeteners are mainly divided into two categories: natural including stevia, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and artificial including aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, saccharin, cyclamate. The latter are often hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and small amounts are enough to obtain a sweet taste. Moderate use[Segue]

In recent years there has been an increase in the consumption of protein products, both as supplements and in the form of protein-enriched foods. This trend is due to the idea that a high protein consumption increases muscle mass and strength, promoting weight loss which has led many to believe that a diet rich in proteins is beneficial for health. Some examples of such diets are the Atkins Diet, the Paleo and the ketogenic diet, based on drastic carbohydrate reduction, which help spread the idea that consuming more protein and reducing carbohydrates is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Among[Segue]

When we think of summer in terms of food, we think of easy, quick and refreshing recipes. The main ingredient of summer recipes is cucumber! Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus), is a plant that is part of the cucurbitaceae, family to which belong many plants used in our kitchen, such as pumpkin, melon and watermelon! This family of plants has origins in eastern and southern Asia, then spread thanks to trade and easy cultivation, throughout the Mediterranean scrub and in good parts of northern Africa. The fruit of the plant is eaten, from the thick ''skin'' green, oblong shape, slightly acidulous in[Segue]

The arrival of summer and longer days encourage to stop off at home and dine later, often taking breaks before dinner to enjoy a good aperitif. This moment, if not well managed, can lead to the consumption of high-calorie foods and rich in sugars and frustrate the efforts made during the winter to try to keep informed. It is always recommended to combine a little movement before or after moments of relaxation, then go to consume the aperitif by bike or with a long walk is already a good strategy. Also often taking advantage of the moment of relaxation I recommend to[Segue]

A correct body composition and percentage of muscle mass are important aspects for the maintenance of good health. What can we do to increase the volume and quality of our muscles? We must act through training focused on muscle hypertrophy. Muscle hypertrophy is the increase in the volume of muscle fibers, resulting from a constant and adequate training stimulus. The hypertrophic process occurs when muscle fibers undergo microlesions during training (especially those with overloads), and are subsequently repaired during the recovery process, becoming larger and stronger. There are two main forms of hypertrophy: Myofibrillar hypertrophy: involves the increase of contractile muscle components and[Segue]

Food allergies are a growing public health concern.  Allergy sufferers (e.g. pollen, birch, grass) often develop reactions to apparently unrelated foods. This phenomenon is known as cross-food reactivity. Cross-reactivity occurs when the immune system recognizes similar proteins in different substances (e.g., pollen and food) for structural similarity and triggers an allergic reaction. In the case of food allergies, the immune system has a reactivity towards dietary proteins that are recognised as foreign when they reach the intestine or cross the intestinal barrier.  Food allergy can therefore be seen as an error of our immune system that recognizes as a foreign agent (antigen)[Segue]