Thursday, November 22, 2012

Getting Started With Healthy Eating

With the rise in obesity reaching epidemic proportions in some countries, more and more people are becoming concerned about their diet. Most people want to improve their diet but find this very challenging in today’s hectic, fast-food environment.

Before embarking on any plan to eat healthier, you first need to evaluate your present diet. How you look, feel, and how long you live can all be affected by diet.

Aim to include a wide variety of foods from different food groups as this will give you more varied nutrients. Each food group will provide different nutrients necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

A good indicator of the state of your diet would be breakfast - or the lack of it! A good balanced breakfast will provide the nutrients and energy needed to start the day and help to stop you reaching for the unhealthy, processed snacks. Always look for low-fat alternatives but be sure to check the labelling as processed foods generally contain a higher level of salt, sugar etc.

Drink plenty of water to keep the system flushed through and to remove any waste products. Waste products contain toxins that will adversely affect your health if not cleaned from your body.

Water is necessary to maintain a healthy balance of fluids and this also helps with other areas such as skin and hair condition. Something between 6-8 glasses of water a day is generally considered to be sufficient for most people.

One of the main keys to a healthy diet is variety. With a wide range of fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and dairy products now available no-one should be bored with trying to eat a more healthy diet.
Another major consideration is meal planning, as this will give balance and variety within the diet. Deciding what you will eat, and when, can also help with costs and time management.

As all food groups will contain both healthy and unhealthy foods try to reduce, or cut out, the unhealthy ones and replace them with a healthy alternative. Do not feel that you cannot have any treats because you have chosen to eat healthily. The trick is to have an occasional treat as a reward for sticking to your new diet. This will also give you something to aim for as you learn a new way of managing your food.

To summarize, first look at your diet. Then plan any changes. Be sure to use a variety of food groups to ensure you get the necessary vitamins and nutrients. Check for healthy alternatives and drink plenty of water. Have the occasional treat to keep you on track.
Disclaimer :- This information is for advice only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice.

Healthy Eating For Toddlers



If you’ve ever been around toddlers, chances are you’re familiar with the “toddler diet” – otherwise known as chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and French fries. There are ways to help your toddler expand his menu. Try using cookie cutters to cut cheese and sandwiches into fun shapes, make pancake “faces” with banana slices for eyes, and blueberries for the nose and mouth. Your picky toddler is more likely to eat if they’re hungry at mealtime – don’t allow them to fill up on juice or snacks between meals.

Another way to make sure your toddler is getting enough nutritious food is to be creative when preparing meals. Adding some thawed frozen spinach into tomato sauce, placing veggies on top of a slice of pizza, or adding shredded zucchini to apple muffins are great ways to sneak healthy food into your child.

Toddlers are prone to food jags – sometimes they’ll go weeks or months eating the same food day after day. If your toddler is gaining weight well, there’s probably nothing to worry about. What’s most important is that you not turn it into a battle – if your toddler realizes that they can use food as a method of control, you’ve lost the war. Consult with your pediatrician if you’re concerned – he may suggest adding a multivitamin to your child’s diet.

As your child gets older, it can still be a struggle to make sure he or she is eating right. Make an effort to have a family mealtime – not only does it give you an opportunity to catch up with your kids; it also helps you control the menu. Make sure that there is always a healthy selection of ready-made snacks available, such as fruits and veggies with dip. Offer your kids juice or water and limit sugary drinks like soda and drink mixes.

It’s important that the parent set a good example. Practice what you preach and realize that your kids will take their cues from you. Making choices like eating whole grains, avoiding fried foods, and eating more fruits and veggies will send the right message and increase the chances that your child will adopt a healthy lifestyle later on in their lives.

Boarding School Nutrition & Meals

Independent boarding schools take the nutrition of their pupils very seriously, as the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet at school age cannot be overestimated. Equally crucial is the education of school children in the benefits and importance of a healthy diet, and the implications of a poor or unhealthy one. By teaching nutrition and providing a healthy diet to boarding pupils at a young age, the school is helping to set up good habits which should last a lifetime. 

Effective measures will be put in place at independent boarding schools to ensure a nutritious and balanced diet is provided throughout the day, but also with a keen awareness of the importance of a varied and interesting diet. Provisions will be in place to cater for specific dietary requirements. Some schools go as far as to have a healthy eating committee and pupil's food committee so all parties have a say in the menu choice. 

Independent boarding schools should operate a healthy eating programme, incorporating a well balanced diet with great choice, exciting menus, and supervised, sociable meal times. Life moves so fast these days that many children eat out of the home, in front of the television, or in front of a computer and the social nature of meal times has been lost. The psychology of boarding school pupils eating together at set times echoes that of doing so at home with family. Dietary disciplines are also learned, even if subconsciously, such as not to eat too fast, and to wait for others. It is beneficial in learning social behaviour, not to mention table manners, and gives children the opportunity to interact away from the classroom and unwind. Good nutrition has also been shown to increase concentration, promote healthy sleeping patterns, and help develop good behaviour.

Healthy eating from a young age has been shown to assist not only health and growth but also intellectual development. Health problems can also be avoided such as under nutrition, obesity, and diabetes which are damaging to the health of a child and can cause a weakness to their immune system leading to more days off school with illnesses. Long term complications are also less common in those with a healthy diet such as heart disease and strokes. 

Independent boarding schools will often run audits on their food choices for pupils. Making sure they fit to strict guidelines for nutritional value. A healthy diet has been associated success in all areas of schooling including exam results and sporting achievements. By teaching healthy eating and making meal times a social event, independent schools encourage pupils to pick up good eating habits, and give parents and guardians peace of mind that their child or charge is receiving the best start in life.

The menu independent boarding schools should ensure to incorporate the full 5-a-day fruit and vegetables as recommended in the UK. A balanced level of protein and carbohydrates should be factored in, as well as a nod to the fact that they are children, and deserve a treat from time to time. Many schools promote their menus online for parents and guardians to peruse. It's always worth checking the menu of the boarding school you are considering, making sure they can cater for your child's needs.

Eating Healthier For The Rest Of Your Life

Most individuals can comprehend how eating can have an effect on their overall health, they can even understand the ways in which it impacts their health but many times men and women overlook the ways in which what they eat affects how they rest as well. The human body is a piece of machinery designed to work as one system with a bunch of individual parts. While all the parts in your body may seem separate to you they hold at least two parts in common. The brain which regulates all bodily functions and of course the heart which supplies the tissues and organs to keep the system alive and functioning properly.

As a result the entire system affects the entire system and if your body is still in the process of digesting something when you lay your head on the pillow at night, then most likely you will not be getting as restful a sleep as if you waited until what you were eating was fully processed throughout your body. This is one reason why it is not advisable to go right to bed after eating a full meal. Your body will still be investing a lot of energy in digesting those heavy foods and also sleeping will likely slow down your metabolism even further.

When it comes to eating the food you eat can also have an impact on what your sleep patterns are and if you're someone who eats a high fiber diet one that's rich in fruits and vegetables and one that is low in the areas of fat, cholesterol, salt, sugar, and caffeine then you are very likely getting a restful sleep each and every night. Studies show that those men and women with a better overall diet tend to not just fall asleep faster but also stay asleep longer and wake fully rested and energized.

Some of the biggest obstacles to getting a good night's rest for most men and women tend to lie in stress and also the consumption of high caffeiene beverages, alcohol, and sugar. Even stress can be caused by the improper consumption of certain foods and therefore, eating better can not just help you to sleep better but can also enable you to manage your stress better as well.

The better you eat the better the quality of your life will be and healthy eating not only helps you to feel and look better but also can help you to sleep more soundly, fall asleep more quickly, and to awaken rested and feeling good. In many ways you truly are what you eat or at the very least the quality of your life depends on the quality of your diet.

Burn off fat Fast With A healthier lifestyle

Inside a world filled with greasy junk food and unhealthy drinks, it's no surprise there are millions of diets to help individuals burn off fat fast and slim down. While sure a few of these diets will work, they frequently impose harsh restrictions in your eating routine and require constant, rigorous exercise. While those methods might be great for some, the easiest method to lose weight quickly is actually by practicing a healthier lifestyle.

While dieting and exercise are essential, they aren't the only real aspects that you ought to be focusing on. A healthier lifestyle includes watching your mental health, disease prevention and much more. With regards to slimming down, all these things might help or hinder your tries to slim down.

Healthy Eating and Slimming down
Weight loss program is the most crucial facet of a healthier lifestyle that will help you drop the pounds safely and quickly. Proper nutrition allows your body to make use of the nutrients provided from food without storing the surplus nutrients as fat cells. There are many diet tips that needs to be then anybody attempting to live a proper life. Listed here are five important ideas to follow:
You can't eat a lot of vegetables. Vegetables are lower in fat and calories. Additionally they give a large part of your everyday needs - vitamins, minerals, and much more. Our recommendation is that 8 areas of vegetables are eaten each day. Make sure to combine what kinds of vegetables you're eating.
Some people think you need to avoid fats, you will find good fats that will help you burn off fat. While fatty foods present in animal products ought to be avoided whenever possible, there's also unsaturated fats that promote weight loss. These may be located in foods like salmon, peanut butter, almonds, as well as shrimp
Smaller meals will result in less overeating. The standard diet includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rather than three big meals, replace your diet plan with six smaller meals. Consuming more meals which are smaller will keep your metabolism moving, which results in a rise in calories expended. Ultimately, this should help you lose weight quickly by losing fat the body has stored for energy.
 Fat-free isn't necessarily good. Lots of people automatically think that fat-free is much better for you personally. This isn't always true; actually, it's just the opposite. Normally, food companies take away the fat using their food and change it with processed sugars. This sugar is generally not burned through the body and will also be stored as fat, preventing weight reduction.
Finally, splurge every now and then. People believe that carrying out a strict weight loss program is likely to provide them with the greatest results. A sizable most of the time, however, this can lead to nutrient deprivation or can make your cravings for sweets or any other processed foods a whole lot worse. You are able to still lose weight quickly and permit you to ultimately have a sweet or unhealthy snack once in a while. It will likely be good for you over time.
Exercise for Fast Fat loss
Being active is extremely important. Both cardio and lifting weights are crucial for weight reduction. Cardio burns a lot of calories as well as helps release fats in your body. Cardio also increases blood circulation, which cuts down on the quantity of fat kept in the bloodstream - fat that may eventually become kept in the stomach and leg areas.
Cardio does not necessarily mean running full blast on the treadmill for Half an hour. Actually, there are some methods to burn extra calories without visiting the gym. Should you work on a workplace, using the stairs up four floors each day, 3 times each day, burns up 70 calories each day instead of 5 calories expended by waiting in a lift. Utilizing a push lawnmower burns 6 times as numerous calories as looking at a lawn tractor does. Finally, walking your dog for Fifteen minutes burns up as much as 175 calories. The purpose here's that to follow along with the kitchen connoisseur, you have to be sure you find time for you to exercise and also to get the blood flowing to lose more calories.
Lifting weights builds muscle and burns fat quickly. Following a vigorous lifting workout, some reports say that the person's metabolism is between 3-5 times faster than prior to the workout. This may lead to weight loss within the short-term. One pound of muscle also burns 50 calories each day whereas one pound of fat only burns 8 calories each day. For this reason lifting weights is essential for weight reduction within the long-term. By burning more calories each day, you'll shed the excess weight, drop body fat, and them back.
Other Facets of A healthier lifestyle to lose weight
Many don't realize that mental health can also be vital that you slimming down. Depression continues to be associated with overeating. Also, stress has been discovered to improve the quantity of fat kept in the body. Eating disorders are serious mental issues, because while individuals with these complaints may slim down, they're usually malnourished, be responsible for a number of problems. Mental issues are extremely serious and may prevent someone from slimming down in addition to living healthy. Any mental issue shouldn't be taken lightly and when you think you've one contact someone for help immediately.

Additionally, disease prevention and first-aid will also be worth focusing on towards a healthier lifestyle. Without correct vaccines, your body could be weaker to disease, which may be detrimental to long-term health as well as death. Proper first-aid care is required to prevent infection. While these aren't directly associated with slimming down, disease and sickness can stop you from carrying out a healthy diet, be responsible for deficiencies in nutrition which could possess a detrimental impact on your wellbeing.
Many of these areas are essential towards a healthier lifestyle, the best idea technique for losing weight. No diet system fully encompasses every factor of precisely what it takes to shed weight fast, but a healthier lifestyle is a superb starting point. From the right diet to exercising to practicing proper mental health insurance and disease prevention, there are lots of stuff you ought to be doing to assist together with your fat loss efforts. The kitchen connoisseur can result in an extended life.

Top 5 Healthy Eating Habits

Thin is not "in". Healthy eating habits are not about starving yourself. If anything, healthy eating habits are about feeding our family adequately with foods selected from the five food groups (more about this later). When you adopt healthy eating habits and eat the right healthy eating diets  and in adequate quantities,

a) You feel good,

b) You feel energetic throughout the day

c) Your skin glows in good health

d) Your immune system improves dramatically

e) You have less chances of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.

f) Reduced chances of being depressed

g) Your intellectual ability improves

h) Your memory improves

i) Your body weight is maintained

j) You spend less on medical bills

Preparation for a shift to healthy eating habits:

Think success 
Do you have the power to give up that twice-a-week burger and French fries? Or does your tongue rule you? Of course not! Each of us has the power and ability to take charge of our health. Whether we want to live out our future life on a daily diet of pills or be bright and sprightly with health as good if not better than those at half our age is up to us.

Once you take the first big step of saying "yes you can", remember that from time to time you will crave for some of the junk foods you loved so much. For such occasions, keep a fruit handy. Any fruit will do. Have whenever you feel like eating a burger or French fries or whatever - fruit really does the trick!

Acquire the basic knowledge of healthy eating food:
This site has a lot of information on what constitutes healthy food and the quantities you should be eating. Pay special attention to the Food Chart. It really is not difficult at all. Food is broadly divided into 5 parts; Grains, Vegetables, Fruit, Milk and the fifth part consists of Meats and beans. Each part consists of certain healthy food items and the quantities to be consumed on a daily basis. Once you have this basic knowledge you are ready to make the transition to good health by switching over to healthy eating habits.

Now that we know what to eat, let's change over to healthy eating habits.

Healthy eating habit 1: Cook daily

Any cut or cooked food begins to lose nutrients immediately. All nutrients are lost approximately 3 hours after cutting or cooking. So the first healthy eating habit should be to cook daily and not on a weekly basis.
Healthy eating plan 2: Plan your meals

Planning meals avoids last minute random selection of food. Healthy menu planner puts you in control of your diet and in charge of what goes into your stomach.

  Healthy diet plan 3: Eat on time

Your stomach secretes digestive juices at regular intervals in expectation of food. If it does not get food when it expects it, you begin to suffer from acidity and other medical problems. Conversely, if you feed the stomach when it does not expect to be fed, the food remains undigested for a long time because of the lack of digestive juices. The production of digestive juices and introduction of food into the stomach should coincide.

Healthy eating habit 4: Control the portions

When we lay out food on the dining table, family members' pickup their plates and heap food onto their plates. There is little control over the quantity of food they eat. Also, people tend to pick and choose and most dislike vegetables. Ideally, you should serve yourself and each member of the family taking care to see that the portion sizes are maintained and that each person receives the correct quantity of all the food on the table. If you have problems with portion sizes, use portion control plates and scoopers. These are ideal tools for ensuring portion sizes.

Healthy eating tips 5: Shop at the perimeter of the grocery store

At your next visit to the grocery store take a look at the items that are stocked at the perimeter of the store. You will be surprised to see fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fish, poultry and whole grain breads i.e. all the healthy portion sizes of food you need. The interior in contrast is stocked with processed foods - the kind you should avoid.

How to Avoid High Cholesterol Foods and Live Healthier

Did you know high cholesterol foods can shorten your life span by years? The more you ignore this advice and continue to consume these high cholesterol foods, you're digging your own grave a little more each day.

For you and your family, it's crucial to control your bad cholesterol levels to prevent the onset of life threatening diseases like heart attack and high blood pressure.
You must choose foods low in cholesterol and have to combine with a well-balanced meal plan. For people with busy lifestyles grabbing junk food is most likely the way of eating day in day out. It's important to choose healthy low cholesterol foods over fast food. It will help if you make sure to pack healthy snacks when on the go.

Perhaps the first step to change your eating habits is to prepare low cholesterol foods at home.

So what to eat?
When you start to consume low cholesterol foods such as lean meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and fruits you will start to experience a drop in bad cholesterol levels.
Besides the drop in bad cholesterol levels, you will also begin to lose weight and experience higher level energy, less stress as well as improved mental alertness.
Some low cholesterol foods may require preparation but not all of them. If you are not sure how to cook low cholesterol meals, my advice is to follow the diet plan layout by the weight loss experts or any nutritionist.

Go to www.loseweightweekly.com or click the link in the description below to read the review of the 7 day belly blast diet program that has helped thousands of people lose weight based on foods, nutrition and exercise.

There are ways to help you easily prepare healthy foods for the day. One good tip for you is to prepare foods for snack without preparation. Some of the good examples of foods that require no preparation are fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Another essential method to help lower your cholesterol is to drink plenty of water. Water not only helps to keep you hydrated, it will also help to flush the excess cholesterol from your body along with other impurities.

Consume plenty of water also part of the weight loss program because water helps to keep all of your bodily functions working at peak efficiency.

Another benefit of eating low cholesterol foods is the build-up of your immune system automatically. That means your body will fight off disease easily. People with better immune system are less likely to develop heart disease, atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in artery walls) or to have a stroke.
Don't forget to encourage your family to participate in healthy eating as well. Children usually follow parents' eating habits, so lead by example and show your family the benefits of healthy eating.

Eating Healthy Can Help With Insomia


Everyone has experienced at some time or another difficulty in falling asleep. Sometimes it is for one night or can be an ongoing problem. Tossing and turning all night isn’t anything new to most people occasionally but none the less it is a terrible feeling when you just start to fall asleep and it’s time to wake up. It can seem like a very long day with no rest behind you. Good sleep habits are known to be healthy for you in the long run.

Insomnia has varied causes and one of them can be your eating habits. The food you eat does play a part in how your body prepares itself to sleep. Different foods will cause different reactions in your body.

A good way to help you understand how foods play a part in insomnia is to write a journal. All you need to do is write down everything that you eat during your day and the times that you are eating it. Also write down how you slept, was it a sound, peaceful sleep? Was it a restless night? Include the length of time you slept also and then you will see a pattern forming from your daily intake of food and the quality and amount of the sleep that you had. This will guide you into being able to avoid certain foods that don’t agree with your sleep pattern and include more of the foods that seem to produce better results for you.

Everyone is different but there does seem to be some foods that are universally known to help induce and promote good sleep quality. This list can help you identify some of these but keep in mind that your body chemistry is unique, only research will help you find the best diet for you.

Milk really does help you sleep. So that old saying about a glass of warm milk before bed is definitely true, milk does have a chemical in it that helps you sleep.

Fruits seem to have a way to help promote a sound sleep. Lemons seem to be the most effective fruit.
Breads, preferably whole grain breads seem to have the most positive effect. But all bread products including, bagels and muffins are included.

As stated before every individual has a different body chemistry and finding what works for you may take some trial and error. Sometimes the natural sugar in foods will cause some people to toss and turn but in others it may not have that same effect. Of course we all know that consuming caffeine or processed sugars late in the day are not very good choices for promoting a good night sleep. Keeping a journal will help you identify what works for your body chemistry, what may help you get a good restful sleep and what to avoid.

Controlling your insomnia with a good diet is the healthiest and most natural way to a better nights sleep.

Eating A Healthy Breakfast




Most of the Americans never find time to have a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is certainly one of the means to achieve a long and healthy life. Remember you mother saying that breakfast is most important. Medical science has proved so now. If you are on the move always and need only a cereal that’s perfectly fine, but be aware of what is a healthy breakfast you require.

Breakfast is a means to energize your body after a night’s fasting. Since you are breaking the fast, you surely don’t require any more unhealthy food stuffed in your body that is already in a bad shape. A healthy breakfast will help you control you weight and mental faculties throughout the day. It is mere common sense to eat a healthy breakfast and you will soon start feeling the advantages of eating it.
Cereal is a very common breakfast to start for most people, but this is certainly not a healthy breakfast.

Here is another great food related site http://www.grocerycarriage.com. These grain based breakfasts do not have the appropriate amount of complex carbohydrates the body demands. Fiber has load of these carbohydrates, but most cereals have fine grain but without the other healthy ingredient. 30 grams of fiber, both soluble and insoluble is what comprises an ideal breakfast.

By consuming something that includes insoluble fiber it eases gastro intestinal problems. Your stomach and bowels will empty easier, and studies have shown that it reduces intestinal and colon cancers. Insoluble fiber works by sucking water into the intestines, and it eases passing stools. Soluble fiber in a healthy breakfast plays an important role too because the stomach contents won’t empty too fast. Other studies have shown that this cuts down on the incident of diabetes, and clogged arteries of heart disease.

Process cereal have a lot of sugar, and lacking in potassium hence not at all helpful to you. Many a times a vitamin rich should also be a part of a healthy breakfast. For males then you should consume good amounts of mineral selenium in your breakfast so as to reduced the chances of colon cancer.

Eating well in the morning is a must. You start the day on a right footing and can avoid those unhealthy eating sprees for your lunch. Instead you can have a lot of snacks between meals. This facilitates digestion and keeps your mental faculties alert. Eating a healthy breakfast might motivate others to practice the same and you will definitely live long enough to enjoy everything with your dear ones.

Eating Healthy is Not All Bad

I absolutely love sugary foods. However, the types of sugary foods that I like are things such as fruits, yogurt, Dunkin Donuts, etc. I don't really care for rich, sugary foods like fudge or a lot of chocolate, etc. That being said, I also try to limit my intake of sugary foods because I know that overdoing it in the sugar department wouldn't be good for me. With the increased number of instances of people who have diabetes, high cholesterol and other weight problems, sugar-rich foods certainly do not help matters.

What most people fail to realize or simply choose to ignore about foods that contain a lot of sugar is that sugar tends to get absorbed by the body and turned right into fat. The same thing is true of carbohydrates when they are consumed in massive quantities. For instance, did you know that in just one cup of pasta, there are almost 200 calories? Think about that the next time you make yourself a big plate of pasta. This doesn't even account for the fact that most people aren't simply eating a plate of plain pasta. Rather, there are other additives such as pasta sauce, pasta sauce with meat, parmesan cheese (or other cheese), and beverages, etc. Before all is said and done, you've consumed almost 700 calories in just one sitting! In order to burn that off, you would then have to run for an hour at a sub 8 minute mile pace!

Eating healthy doesn't have to be torturous though. You can still eat all of the foods that you love. Rather, eating healthy is about portion control and limiting your intake of certain foods throughout the day. For instance, my boyfriend loves to eat late at night. He claims that he actually cannot get to bed unless he has had something to eat. On the other hand, I prefer NOT to eat late at night. In the past when I was growing up and even when I was in college, I wouldn't be caught dead eating past 7:30 at night. However, a few times recently, I have joined my boyfriend in his late night eating rants, and let me be the first one to tell you that it doesn't work out well for me because I cannot go to bed on a full stomach. What ends up happening is I end up not being able to get to bed when I want to, and then my entire next day is thrown off.

To eat healthy means to maintain a healthy “lifestyle” which consists of getting enough sleep and making sure that you exercise. Instead of exercising simply to be able to fit into your jeans, you should also be exercising for your health. If heart disease runs in your family, wouldn't you want to take the proper precautions? If your stomach is hanging over your jeans, wouldn't you want to do something about it? We all have choices when it comes to our diet, so why not make yours a smart one?

Healthy Eating Healthy Skin



Healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, and having great skin all go hand in hand. Everything builds off of your diet. If you are not eating right you will not have healthy skin, it just is not possible. Okay if you are a teenager you might be able to pull it off, but those unhealthy eating habits you develop as a teen will creep up on you in your mid-twenties to thirties
Fortunately it is never too late to change your diet and shave 10 years worth of damage off of your skin. The first thing I want to talk about is your water intake. If you are like most people you do not drink nearly enough pure water. Let me just throw some quick numbers at you:
Muscle is about 75% water.
Blood is about 95% water.
Bone is about 45% water

Add it all together and over half of the human body is comprised of water! It is an essential element for every nook and cranny of our bodies. So why do we deprive ourselves of this crucial element? If you do nothing else but up your water intake you will have more energy on a daily basis, your skin will take on a healthy glow, your thinking and other cognitive skills will improve, your internal organs will function at a much more efficient rate, and you will increase your life expectancy.

Now with all of those benefits don’t you think you should just go ahead and drink a couple more glasses of water per day?
The next thing I want to talk about is processed foods, microwave meals, and fast foods. This is the trifecta of doom for anyone trying to improve the quality of their skin. Believe me I understand that with a crazy hectic schedule it can be hard to actually make a healthy meal. What I would suggest is that you set a goal for yourself to make a good home cooked meal at least 3 times per week. It does not have to be anything to complicated – Grilled or baked chicken with a nice spinach salad is easy to make, does not require a lot of effort or time and is loaded with nutrients that our skin craves. In fact doing nothing but drinking more water and upping your intake of spinach will have a tremendous impact upon the quality of your skin.

Protein and fish - Your diet is not complete and you will never have the beautiful skin you crave if you do not take in enough protein or eat enough fish. Protein is a major building block of our bodies, especially our muscles. Increasing your lean muscle mass may not contribute tremendously to your overall skin quality, but it will give you a long, lean and really sexy look that will cause jaws to drop when you walk by.

Fish is loaded with omega-6 which is an essential element (and one which most people are deficient in) for maintaining healthy skin. If you want to have beautiful skin try to incorporate a serving of fish into at least 3 of your meals every week. This will not only take care of your omega-6 requirement, but fish is also very low in bad fats and will give you plenty of good protein.
Following these tips alone and doing nothing else will get you the greatest skin of your lifetime.

Healthy Eating Tip - Healthy Snacking


Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean no snacking or that we have to resort to the carrots and celery snacks only. The National Cancer Institute does recommend that we eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. We can creatively fit those in while we are enjoying snacking. There are snack foods being made with soy and whole grains Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils are being replaced with healthier oils such as Canola or Olive Oil. Enjoy snacking while you keep your healthy eating style...

• Fruit – Fresh fruit is great especially when you are in the mood for something sweet. Try apple slices with peanut butter, orange slices, or a medley of fresh berries combined with banana slices topped with fat free whip cream. Create your own fruit drinks using fat free milk and low fat yogurt combined with frozen fruit.

• Vegetables – Vegetables seem to be difficult for many people especially when it comes to snacking. Buy low fat salad dressing and use it as a dip for fresh vegetables. Get creative with some of your favorite dip recipes and make them low fat or fat free. Low fat bean dips and salsa are great for dipping vegetables. Steamed vegetables with melted mozzarella cheese on top makes a delicious snack.

• Healthier Chips – Snyder’s of Hanover has come out with a line of healthy snack foods called Eat Smart. The Soy Crisps come in two varieties of seasoned soy chips having 7 grams of soy protein and 5 grams of fiber. The Soy Crisps are made with Canola Oil and Natural Olive Oil. A great alternative to potato chips.

Café Fries are another great snack by Eat Smart. Also available in two flavors these potato fries made with 100% pure Canola Oil which is naturally low in saturated fat. Other Eat Smart products include veggie crisps, cheddairs and natural snack dips.

Healthy Eating Plans


In today’s fast world, there is a lot of speculation about whether one should spend time to eat or not. Healthy eating plans will help you a great deal. It is the core of the body as well as life. This will give you all the energy that you need, and you will be very brisk not to say the least. A plan must always be made for the day.

Healthy eating plans will include a lot of calculations about the ingredients that you need. Then you will have to ensure that you do not skip breakfast. This is the most important part of the day’s meals. This will keep you going the whole day. Then there will be the need to understand that you should not eat too many big meals.

Instead you should be breaking down the meals into smaller ones, so that there will be a better absorption of food in the body. This is very essential with healthy eating plans. You must also ensure that you keep a regular timetable for the meals. If you follow the right time every day, the body will be in perfect shape.

If you are skipping some meal for some reason, you should also ensure that you keep your body charged with some energy bars or the likes. Healthy eating plans will include a lot of charts that need to be drawn. You can write down the things that you need to eat compulsorily and also that which you need to avoid.

It is good to keep track of what you should have and not have, as this will allow you to be very systematic with the way you eat. If you get bored of the regular menu that you have, you should make sure that you switch a lot of ingredients in the meal. This will allow you to keep eating the same supplements and also keep the body healthy.

If you are unsure about what you can have and what you cannot, you should immediately go to a consultant. You may not know what kind of food is making you put on weight etc. Once you keep track there will be an easier way to control the unnecessary weight. By having a good plan when you eat, you will constantly keep the body charged, and you will be able to fight all diseases as well.

Healthy Foods To Eat Are Easy To Spot
When you are talking about healthy foods to eat, the first thing that will come to your mind is fruits as well as vegetables. These should be a compulsory part of your diet. Without these, there could be no proper diet at all. When you are looking for healthy foods, you must first ensure that they are natural.

You must try hard to avoid canned and other artificial foods as much as possible. You should ensure that you eat some good amount of cereals or bread for breakfast. This will be healthy foods to eat for the morning, as they would provide the necessary energy. You can eat as much greens as you can, as they contain vitamin c, calcium and fiber.

Broccoli is also an excellent food that you can eat, as it contains folic acid and vitamin c again. Wild salmon is one of the most sought after foods, and it helps reduce the risk of heart attack. Healthy foods to eat must be made into a list, so that you will know when you are going to consume them. Other good foods will include grape tomatoes, sweet potatoes and milk.

The main kind of food that you should avoid is fat and those that have too much sugar. This is a very important fact to remember, as there could be a lot of dangers involved in it. Healthy foods to eat are a must in a daily diet, as it will help a great deal. Besides giving a great deal of instant energy, there will be a lot of good things, which you can maintain the system with.

Good foods should also include a lot of ingredients, which are complementing each other when it comes to the energy levels in the body. Whether it is at night or morning, nuts of various types will be a very good idea. This is what will contribute a great deal to giving the body strength. Without proper food intake, you could be making the body very irregular.

A lot of diseases could also be part of your body if you are not careful. Since the resistance will be very low, there will be a lot of chances, which will allow the diseases to easily attack the system. One must be very careful about the quantity of the food that is being taken, as that is what is most important.

Diabetes: Eating Healthy, Eating Well!


Types Of Diabetes:
There are two types of diabetes, and they really are two quite different diseases. In type 1, or insulin-dependent diabetes, insulin injections are needed. But in type 2, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, most people can keep their condition under control with just diet and medication. This type of diabetes is actually much more common than the insulin-dependent type.

How do I find out which type of diabetes I have?
Your doctor will tell you what type of diabetes you have and what you need to do. You can also ask your doctor to refer you to a Diabetes Education program. There, trained health professionals can teach you about diabetes and insulin.

What Is Insulin?
Insulin is classified according to how long it works in the body. There are five different types of insulin, ranging from short to long acting. Some insulins are clear in appearance, while others are cloudy.

Types of insulin
The five types of insulin include:
1. Rapid onset-fast acting insulin
2. Short acting insulin
3. Intermediate acting insulin
4. Mixed insulin
5. Long acting insulin.

Diabetes And Healthy Eating
Healthy eating, combined with regular physical activity and weight control, is important to manage diabetes.

People with diabetes should eat mainly high fibre carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals and vegetables and fruit. They should also reduce their intake of fat, especially saturated fat. Limiting the serving size of your meals is often required to maintain a healthy body weight. It’s also a good idea to see a dietitian who can help develop a healthy eating plan.

Healthy eating helps a person with diabetes to:
1. Maintain general good health
2. Control blood glucose levels
3. Achieve normal blood lipid (fat) levels
4. Maintain a healthy blood pressure
5. Maintain a healthy body weight
6. Prevent the complications of diabetes.

No Special Diets Required
Healthy eating for people with diabetes is no different than for everyone else. People with diabetes do not need to prepare separate meals or buy special foods, so relax and enjoy healthy eating with the rest of your family.

Helping Your Child Stay Healthy

Does your child love junk food and calorie bombing French fries and hot dogs? Does he/she refuse to eat fruits and vegetable? Is your kid gaining weight by not exercising? Is he/she becoming a couch potato? Here is the solution to your entire disturbance, a guide to Healthy Eating for Kids.

Healthy Eating for Kids is a food guide in order to assist the mothers and help them in making, their child healthy and fit. It contains numerous delicious recipes full of nutrition and proper amount of energy. This guide concentrates on making meals that are not only full of nutrients but also appeal to a child’s plate adding temptation in a kid’s mouth. It contains very creative and unique food ideas, the dishes having fun names to excite your kid, have child amicable textures, appealing colors and different shapes to add to your child’s fun. This guide contains fun recipes under 6 different categories that are snacks, drinks, lunch at home, packed lunch for school, evening meals at home and desserts.

Since, one cannot force, a child to eat healthy grub, this guide teaches the kids and their mothers how to keep fit without dieting but by taking in scrumptious meals possessing less calories and high energizing nutrients. This guide clearly aims at teaching healthy eating and not deprivation of food or dieting. All it endeavors is making the right choice of food dense with nutrients. Such food guides also emphasizes on usage of easily available ingredients, fast and easy for parents, encouragement for a child to get involved with a nutritious diet.

It is actually an adventure for kids observing Healthy Eating. With this, both parents and children eat peacefully at the dinning table without much of a chaos of tantrums. This becomes a grand satisfaction for parents who watch their kids gobble down fresh fruits and watch them eating vegetable which they once disliked.

Food being the only source of bad nutrition for kids, this guide comprises of delicious nutritious delicacies, low in sugar and high in grains. These recipes are not at all time consuming, most of them can be prepared in 15 minutes or so. Kids are so busy with school or college and extra activities that they necessarily require healthy food. Since, these recipes take hardly a couple of minutes; they may be served faster than a hamburger or French fries. By enlarge; this guide is a family guide not just for kids to help your family stay in shape.

Children taught nutritious food intake at an early age tend to carry it along throughout their lives and with the statistics of child obesity, child sugar are on a rise, don’t risk your kid’s life by encouraging him/her to take in junk food instead make intake of nutritious diet a priority. You could buy such guides and equip your child with a decent livelihood free from illness and diseases. Various websites and magazines too provide similar tips.

How to Lose Male Stomach Fat: Healthy Food and Healthy Eating Habits

Having and maintaining a fit and healthy body is no joke. There are a lot of things to be considered. Plus, the results are not achieved overnight. You would really have to work hard for it and be patient enough to yield the best results. But of course, the results can be rewarding. Having a fit and healthy body has a lot of benefits. Aside from the fact that you will be healthy inside, you will also look good on the outside.

As a matter of fact, the latter is one of the huge factors why a lot of men are looking for ways on how to lose male stomach fat and become healthy. As you may already be very much aware of, the perfect man image is that with washboard abs. And to have that, you must get rid of that belly fat first.
Do not worry so much though because this is very much attainable. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of means to do that. To give you a clearer idea on this, here are some information that you will definitely find useful in your quest to lose that stomach fat.

The fact is, losing male stomach fat can be achieved in no time if you eat healthy food and practice healthy eating habits. Eating healthy food while practicing healthy eating habits at the same time are definitely among the most efficient ways on how to lose male stomach fat. As a matter of fact, doing these will definitely go a long way. But how do you do that? Here are some ways.

For one, you should never skip or miss your breakfast. As you may have already repeatedly heard, seen or read, breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a lot of reasons. The most significant and pertinent of them when it comes to losing belly fat is the fact that having breakfast will jumpstart your metabolism early during the day.

This is mainly because this is the natural way that your body works. Once food is brought down to your digestive system, your metabolism will set to work and start breaking down the food that you eat. This way, the metabolic process will start early and your metabolic system will work more efficiently and way faster. In the same manner, this will prevent you from storing more fat in your body.

But of course, you have to make sure that you eat the right foods for breakfast. The same holds true for all your meals during the day. Avoid foods that are known to have bad fats and too much calories. But instead, you should focus on foods that are rich in fiber and the nutrients that your body needs. In the same manner, fruits and vegetables as well as whole grain and whole-wheat food are known to be very helpful for those who are looking for ways on how to lose male stomach fat. Lean meats and skim milk are also good options that you should try.

Healthy Eating Tip - Dining Out And Healthy EatingDin


Many of us feel that when we are trying to lose weight or just trying to keep up a healthy eating style, that we need to cut dining out of our lives. Not true! We can enjoy dining out just as much as we did before as long as we know how to do it.

When going to a restaurant, either call ahead to ask some of these questions or ask your server if they,
• Serve margarine instead of butter;
• Provide fat free (skim) milk instead of whole milk or creamer;
• Serve salad dressing on the side;
Cut off any visible fat from meat or poultry;
• Grant special requests.

Make your meal selection based on how the food is prepared. Here are some healthy choices:
• Steamed;
• Broiled;
• Baked;
• Poached;
• Roasted;
Garden Fresh.

Try to avoid ordering any appetizers and try not to grab for bread. You can even ask your server to not bother bringing bread to the table. Going out to dinner is usually a treat to ourselves, so if you want to splurge a little, have a half a piece of bread or order half of an appetizer to split with the others you are dining with. Same with desserts, share a dessert and only have one or two tastes.
Don’t skip those going out to dinner plans, just make healthier choices.

Healthy Eating – Success With Positive Aging Begins With Healthy Eatingp


We all dream of changing in 30 days. We all expect instant rewards at the speed of thought. And, we also expect success at first try. However we were not programmed that way. It takes many years to develop the ingrained pattern for leading our unique lives. The path to winning with positive ageing begins with re- programming the mind.

Once you have chosen the life enhancement of healthy eating, expect success. However your present eating habits and patterns have been ingrained possibly from child hood. Here is a simple behavior that leads to success. Notice yourself. It helps you to identify and learn how you operate with food and how to navigate the path to change to ensure success.

As you create an intention to change, notice your emotions. Let’s say you have an intention to eat healthy. You might have to deal with fear of failure, insecurities of choice of food and resistance to learning new life skills. Holding the intention is the way to success. Next relish the mistakes. When you perceive a failure, don’t stop trying! Adopt the practice to immediately Start Over. This might sound simple, but it is a powerful mind focusing and behavior altering technique for anyone serious about switching to positive aging using healthy eating techniques.

To maintain your focus, become mindful of your task. Notice if your energy shifts when you fret about a failure. Notice how you feel if you skip the fretting and just Start Over. This helps your new pattern to become truly ingrained in your consciousness as you replace the old pattern. It’s like a musician practicing the same scale on a piano until he feels it is perfect. Musicians don’t say, I made a mistake and give up. Musicians know “it takes a joyful sound to make the world go round” and this is the process it takes to turn your life around.

For instance, at your favorite coffee shop you automatically order your usual 500 calorie sugary drink. Forget about chastising yourself, or accepting your old behavior, just simply Start Over. Order a healthier drink now! Treat the unhealthy drink as a sacrifice and do it with out judgment, without feeling unworthy or feeling that this new path is impossible or that you are designed to be an unhealthy failure. Right then and there you began again. You Started Over. And old wise saying – Now Is the Moment of Power – is working here. It helps you to stay present and not go back to pass behavior or dread the future.

When making positive aging changes it helps to scrutinize your old patterns. Become aware of what automatic behavior brings you comfort and joy. Can you visualize you life without this pattern? These are the times that you will constantly have to remind yourself that you can Start Over. You want to eat a healthy breakfast but you never have time. A starting over pattern would be to reorganize your shopping and preparation time. Winners exceed their expectations by Starting Over.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

5 Super Healthy Foods That Can Help You Lose Weight

Eggs
Eating eggs can help you feel fuller longer and provide energy for your busy life. One egg has about 70 calories and 13 essential nutrients, including vitamin D, that can help manage weight, strengthen muscle, promote healthy pregnancy, support brain function, and increase eye health. Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption, helping to form and maintain strong bones.
The 6 grams of protein in a large egg is the highest quality available. One egg provides about 12% of the Recommended Daily Value of protein and all the essential amino acids the body needs. For muscle strength, repair and preservation, try eating eggs after exercising.
What about the effect of eggs on blood cholesterol? Recent studies about Total HDL (the ratio between good HDL cholesterol versus bad LDL cholesterol in the blood) reveal that eggs have little impact on blood cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol in a single large egg is about 186 mg and all is in the yolk. One egg a day fits within dietary guidance, which recommends limiting cholesterol consumption to 300 mg per day. The Mediterranean diet recommends three to four eggs per week.
Today you can buy eggs that contain omega-3 essential fatty acids, which cannot be produced by the body. Omega-3 fatty acids are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. Enriched eggs provide the same amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as 3 ounces of oily fish, such as salmon.

Nuts
Nuts and seeds can help with long term weight loss and control of glycemic and lipid levels in the blood. They are full of heart-healthy fats, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and lots of vitamins and minerals that are difficult to get elsewhere. Nuts are naturally cholesterol-free and have only traces of sodium. They make great snacks and salad toppings. Their high fat content indicates you should choose the type and amount of nuts you eat carefully. When it comes to nuts, a little goes a long way, so a handful is plenty to get the fullness and nutrition your body needs.
Which nuts are best? The healthiest nuts are almonds, filberts (hazelnuts), chestnuts, peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, cashews, pecans, macadamias, and soybean nuts are excellent health choices. Almonds and soy nuts rate highest for nutrient density. Walnuts and Brazil nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which defend against heart disease. Peanuts and peanut butter are super sources of niacin. Almonds and filberts contain significant amounts of vitamin E. Filberts contain a high amount of the amino acid tryptophan, which is a sleep aid. Seeds are a good source of folic acid. Soybean nuts and peanuts are actually legumes, not nuts. They come from plants rather than trees. Both are very nutritious. Soybean nuts are the most nutritious nut and are quite tasty when roasted and lightly seasoned.
How nuts and seeds are prepared makes a big difference in their nutritional quality. Fresh nuts are best and are available in fall and winter. Choose raw or dehydrated nuts when possible. For weight loss, avoid nuts that are salted, sweetened, or overly processed. Roasting and toasting nuts destroys delicate nutrients, but dry roasting is least destructive. You can lightly salt or season nuts yourself. With all processed nuts and seeds, check the labels for added fats, sugars, and preservatives.
Try replacing a high carbohydrate snack with one or 2 ounces of nuts!

Apples
It's no secret that apples are one of the healthiest and most versatile foods around. But, did you know they are also great for losing weight? Whether red, yellow, or green, apples are low in calories and sodium, and they are fat-free. Apples are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and natural sweetness. For weight loss, the pectin in apples releases body fat and suppresses appetite. They help maintain blood sugar levels and stave off hunger.
Fresh, unpeeled apples are best for weight loss. The antioxidants in the apple skin are quercetin, epicatechin and procyanidin B2. A large apple has five grams of fiber, and it is almost 85 percent water. Apples are also a very good source vitamin C. As a super food, apples keep you fuller longer. Apples are also known to prevent certain types of cancers: lung, breast, colon and liver.
How do you select an apple? Choose an apple that is firm to the touch and has smooth skin with no wrinkles or bruises. Fresh apples have brighter color than those that are not fresh. Store your apples in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Are organic apples healthier? Research shows that conventionally-grown apples are higher in residual pesticides than organic apples. Since we don't know the complete effects of pesticides on humans, it is a good reason to buy organic. Pound for pound, organic apples cost little more than non-organic; sometimes they cost less. By purchasing organic apples, you support the future of organic farming in America. Apples can be grown in all 50 states. The variety is endless. Finally, organic apples taste better and fresher.
An apple is easy to pack for lunch or snack. Get in the habit of taking an apple with you to the office or on the road. You can eat up to three apples a day for good health and weight loss.

Oatmeal
We can't talk about healthy weight loss without talking about breakfast, which can raise your metabolism by 10%. Nutritionists agree that oatmeal should be a staple food in our diets. Oatmeal has lots of fiber to make you feel fuller longer and decrease your appetite. At the same time, oatmeal keeps your energy levels higher longer.
Oatmeal is high in protein and low in calories. At 30 grams per half cup, the carbohydrates in oatmeal provide a slow burning fuel for your body. Oatmeal is also a significant source of magnesium, phosphorous, selenium, copper and manganese. Some fitness coaches recommend eating oatmeal 1 to 2 hours before doing your weight loss workout. This gives you a longer lasting blast of energy for a longer workout that speeds up weight loss.
The primary health compound in oatmeal is beta-glucan, which has been shown to benefit the treatment of diabetes and its associated complications. Beta-glucans also promote wound healing and alleviate ischemic heart injury. Many scientists have researched and documented the effects of beta-glucans.
What is the best type of oatmeal? All types of unflavored oatmeal are similar in nutrition and fiber. All promote a healthy diet. They differ in texture and the time and tools required for preparation. Steel cut oats are chewy and take the longest time to cook (about 30 minutes). Steel cut oatmeal can be prepared ahead of time and reheated as needed. Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) are less chewy and take about 10 minutes to cook. Instant, or quick-cooking oatmeal, is creamy and takes about 5 minutes to cook. Microwaveable oatmeal is popular for its simplicity and availability.
The healthiest packaged oatmeal is unflavored and unsweetened. Check the labels for added sugar and other calorie-laden ingredients. It's best to sweeten your oatmeal yourself with berries, bananas, raisins or a little raw honey. Milk, nuts and cinnamon are also healthy additions for enhancing your bowl of oatmeal.
Of course, you can eat oatmeal any time of day that suits you. Oatmeal before bedtime triggers a rise in blood sugar, which in turn triggers insulin production. This releases sleep-inducing brain chemicals, such as melatonin, which is a common sleep aid.

Salmon
Though known as a fatty fish with relatively high fat content, salmon can be an effective tool in a weight loss diet. In fact, the fat composition and omega-3 essential fatty acids in salmon make it an ideal food for weight loss. Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat. The fat composition of salmon can help the cardiovascular system, control high blood pressure, prevent certain types of cancer, prevent sunburn and promote healthy brain activity.
What is the healthiest way to prepare salmon? Grilled, broiled or baked salmon serves as a delicious and healthful main course. Salmon is a key protein in many healthy diet systems, including the popular Mediterranean diet. It can be cooked in a variety of ways with a variety of seasonings. Raw salmon, as in sushi, is an excellent source of nutrition for weight loss diets. Choose simple seasonings, such as lemon, lemon juice, dill weed, garlic, onion powder, mustard, white wine, salsa, vinaigrette and extra virgin olive oil. Avoid rich, fatty sauces and overcooking the fish.

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Memory

You can have a powerful memory through your diet. Digesting very nutritious foods can help develop not only a healthy body, but also a healthy brain. Each and every cell in our body, including our brain cells, needs consistent supply of oxygen and nutrients to function properly. These very important substances are being distributed to the brain through the bloodstream. Anything that interrupts blood flow leads to brain cell starvation resulting to cognitive malfunction and memory loss.
For optimal brain health, you should check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You have to know your numbers and if they are elevated, immediately do something to bring them down. You can do exercises, eat a healthy diet, and if your doctor prescribes you medication, take it.
Researchers have shown that eating the right kinds of food can really enhance or boost your memory capacity. Here are some foods that you can include in your diet to keep your memory healthy and sharp.

1. A healthy heart makes for a healthy brain. To lower down cholesterol levels, eat oatmeal, oat bran and high fiber foods. Oatmeal has soluble fiber that reduces your bad cholesterol or low-density lipoproteins. Bad cholesterol can accumulate in the walls of the arteries forming a plaque that would further result in obstruction of blood flow. This condition is called atherosclerosis. If the obstruction affects the brain, then memory loss is most likely to happen. Soluble fiber can also be found in foods such as apples, pears, prunes, barley and kidney beans. Olive oil is good too. It also lowers bad cholesterol.

2. Eat foods rich with antioxidants. Antioxidants are elements that destroy harmful free-radicals which are natural byproducts of our body. Antioxidants also prevent brain cell damage which is essential for long-term memory function. Foods rich on antioxidants are strawberries, blueberries, red grapes, peaches, carrots, watermelon, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables.

3. Vitamin B6 and B12 enriched foods are important also. Examples are soy beans, eggs, shrimps, yeast, walnuts and dairy products. Vitamin B helps keep an amino acid called homocysteine at a healthy level. High homocysteine levels can lead to increased risk of Alzheimer's and a faster rate of brain shrinkage in the elderly.

4. Have fish oil and Omega 3 in your diet. Fish is rich with Omega 3, a very important fatty acid that lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of developing blood clots inside the arteries. Omega 3 cannot be produced by the body so that is why we need to consume foods that are rich with this fatty acid. It is recommended by doctors to eat at least two servings of fish a week.

5. Folate, also known as folic acid, can improve your memory. Studies show that people eating lots of foods rich in folic acid had faster information processing and memory recall. Foods rich in folate include fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, broccoli, wheat germ, lentils, black-eyed peas, green peas, soybeans, spinach, artichokes, beets and oranges.

A powerful memory can have numerous benefits. But in order to achieve that, you must eat the right foods. You lose brain cells when you age. But if you take care of yourself and eat the right foods, you can keep your memory at its full capacity.

The Important of Healthy Foods

Food is the fuel that our bodies use for energy. The three main sources of fuel are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The body changes them into glucose for energy or stores them as fat. A car uses gas for energy-we use glucose! Eating a balance of healthy foods that contain carbohydrate, protein, and fat every day will help your blood glucose stay in balance and keep your weight where you want it to be.

Today most people are to accept as a fact that "to be healthy" a well-balanced diet is required. They want what's best for their live. Healthy foods are an important issue because healthy eating is important to good health. There are lots of reasons to eat healthy foods, here are just a few:

  • For energy and vitality to live
  • To grow at a healthy rate
  • To help keep blood sugar or glucose levels in balance-not too high or too low
  • For weight control
  • To control of blood fats and prevention of heart disease
  • To keep the body working properly
  • To help the body avoid other health problems caused by diabetes
Good nutrition is an important part of healthy foods. Many causes of disease are related to poor nutrition, including heart disease, diabetes, overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Poor nutrition can also impact day-to-day life by affecting concentration and work performance. For children, a poor diet can have a significant effect on proper growth and development.

People who want to follow a healthier eating plan should try to:
  •  Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten as part of an everyday diet.
  •  Buy fresh produce in season for the best prices.
  • Select canned fruits and vegetables as a convenient way to include more produce in the diet. Look for fruits canned in light syrup or natural juices.
  • For vegetables, choose "No Salt Added" versions if sodium intake is a concern.
  • Choose frozen fruits and vegetables, which are available year round and are rich in important nutrients.
  • Choose whole grain products when possible. Look for "Whole Wheat Flour" or "Whole Wheat" as the first ingredient on the nutrition facts label.
  • Include up to three servings of fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1-2%) milk and milk products each day.
  • Select lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts as quality protein sources.
  • Focus on choosing food items low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
  • Use proper serving sizes for all foods to prevent excess calorie consumption. Information on the correct serving sizes for each food group is available at The Food Guide Pyramid.

Many factors can affect the nutritional health of both individuals and communities, including an individual's knowledge about healthy nutrition, cultural practices related to food choices, and having access to information about an adequate and healthy diet.

Healthy Food Tips: Protein Rich Foods for Vegetarians

Research suggests that healthy individuals should eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Athletes and bodybuilders need approximately two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Vegetarians have a difficult time getting the recommended amount of protein. Even though there are plenty of meat substitutes on the market, most of them are highly processed and contain harmful ingredients. The best vegetarian protein sources are minimally processed or unprocessed. Protein supports the proper functioning of the body, stimulates the production of red blood cells, and promotes the growth and repair of body tissue.
Here are some of the best protein rich foods for vegetarians:

Quinoa
Quinoa is a complete protein, which means that is contains all of the nine essential amino acids. One cup contains about eight grams of protein. Its texture is much like that of rice. This food has almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. It is also a great source of magnesium, iron, lysine, manganese, and riboflavin (vitamin B2).

Beans
Vegetarians can use beans as their main source of protein. The most popular and healthiest types of beans include black beans, lentils, haricot beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, butter beans, and split beans. They also contain high amount of fiber, antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates. You can get seven to 10 grams of protein per half cup of cooked beans. These vegetables are comparable to meat when it comes to calories. They support weight loss and improve digestion.

Seitan
This popular meat substitute is processed from wheat gluten. You can marinate it at home or buy it already seasoned. Seitan contains over 31 grams of protein per three ounces. This protein rich food is also referred to as wheat meat. In both quantity and quality, the protein in this food is similar to that in beef.

Nuts
Nuts are rich in protein and healthy monounsaturated fats. 100 grams of nuts contain 25 grams of protein. This nutritional power food is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Regular consumption of nuts lowers cholesterol levels, prevents coronary artery disease, and reduces the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers.

Dried Seaweed
Dried seaweed contains more protein than milk, meat, chicken and other sources of animal protein. Studies have shown that seaweed is a complete protein, unlike most edible land plants. This plant is primarily composed of unsaturated fatty acids and contains up to 55 percent dietary fiber. Seaweed is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians.

Children's Health - Choosing Healthy Foods For Your Kids

Are you concerned about your child's eating habits? It can be challenging to feed toddlers a healthy diet every day, but I have a secret weapon. A homemade smoothie is an easy way to serve your child at least one serving of fruits, vegetables, and calcium every day. Follow these five simple guidelines to help your child eat a nutritious diet:
Five Effortless Nutrition Suggestions for More Nutritious Kids:
3+ portions of veggies, 2 portions of fruit, 3 portions of whole grain products, 3 food servings of calcium, 1/2 their entire body weight in grams of lean health proteins
One serving size of veggies is just one cup raw or 1/2 cup prepared.
 Even though it can often be difficult to get small children to eat raw vegetables, it's simple to include at least one portion of veggies in a delicious homemade smoothie. Spinach, mixed greens, and steamed baby carrots are specially effortless to conceal in mouth watering shakes. One of the best smoothie recipe with blended veggies is called Frog Juice, and my favorite recipe made with baby carrots is Bunny Juice. Your kids will happily eat their vegetables if you serve them inside a healthy smoothie!

It's substantially simpler and easier to persuade children to eat their fruits instead of vegetables. One helping of fresh fruit is one actual fruit (such as 1 apple or mango), or 3/4 cup of berries. Although fruits aren't necessary to make great drinks, smoothies taste better with a bit of sweet fruit added! Frozen bananas are very popular in smoothies, because they add cold and creamy texture to the drink. The preparation to add bananas into a juice smoothie is basically non-existent: just peel and throw in. Apples are another popular fresh fruits to add to smoothies. Apples are very nutritious and taste great.
Whole Grain Products have a greater nutritional value than processed, highly refined, white grains. Because children consume a relatively small amount of food day-to-day, it is imperative to ensure that they receive the maximum nutritional value for the amount of food that they eat. One serving of whole grains is equal to 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, 1 slice of whole grain bread, 1/2 cup dry oatmeal or 1 cup whole grain breakfast cereal (with less than 6 grams of sugar, and 3 or more grams of fiber per serving). You can easily add a serving of breakfast cereal to your child's drinks, or add dry oats if your vita mixer is effective enough. The whole grain cereal found in the baby section is one other option, though it will be challenging to find a baby cereal with at least 3 grams per serving of fibers.

Chances are your son or daughter will get nearly all of their daily calcium supplement by drinking milk, but calcium is also found in yogurt, cottage cheese, traditional cheeses, green veggies, legumes, and tofu, along with calcium-fortified food items including waffles and orange fruit juice. One serving of calcium is equal to 1 cup dairy, yogurt, or calcium-fortified juice, 1/2 to One cup beans or broccoli, or four ounces of tofu. You should seek out low-fat versions of dairy, yogurt, and cheese, which are healthier since they have less artery-clogging fat. Children over the age of 2 should always consume 1% milk, never the full fat variety. Smoothies made with low-fat milk, soymilk, citrus veggie juice, or even low-fat natural yogurt are specially scrumptious solutions to consume your calcium.

Lean proteins is another sticky point in children's diets. My own child weighs in at 36 pounds. It's ideal for her to consume one half of that in grams, 18 grams, of lean protein each and every day. Children can get protein from a assortment of sources: cooked chicken, poultry hamburgers, yogurt, lowfat milk, peanut butter, tofu, eggs, almonds, vegan burgers, lasagna, and string cheese are common proteins sources amongst this particular age bracket. You'll really need to look at nutrition facts for one's particular grams of proteins for each amount for each item. Try to consider that barbequed chicken along with turkey burgers are definitely the hefty hitters, averaging twenty-one gr of protein per helping that is the dimensions of ones palm. Natural yogurt, low-fat dairy, peanut butter, as well as tofu are usually fantastic sources of trim necessary protein that taste delightful in kid's shakes!

Now that we've reduced down every single nutrition rule you can see exactly how our nourishing smoothie tested recipes for children could go a considerable ways to ensure your child is ingesting great-tasting, healthful food each day. All the best!