6 Basic Rules of Nutrition

By Angela S Sladen

This is not a comprehensive list of all the rules of good nutrition, but it is a very good foundational place to start. If you want to successfully change your nutrition habits and have it stick, perhaps try incorporating one new rule per week. That's only 6 weeks to a new you!!

1. Eat a healthy breakfast. This is also the number one rule to help one lose weight. Why? Because your body requires fuel to operate optimally. If you choose not to eat breakfast, you choose to stall your metabolism. Eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism (fat burning capabilities) for the day.

2. Eat six times a day. Why? Because your body can only digest and assimilate so much at one time. To get the full advantage of the food you eat, you need to eat more frequent smaller meals. It is true that "we are what we eat" but it is equally true, if not more so, that "we are what we assimilate". AND, please do not follow the popular train of thought that you should not eat in the evening. It is perfectly OK, and also necessary to keep your body in fully metabolic state, to eat in the evening, but not closer than an hour before bed, if possible.

3. Eat God's fast food and stay away from fast and/or convenience foods (canned, frozen, bagged, packaged or "instant" foods). Eat plenty of raw fruits and raw and lightly steamed (so they are still a little crunchy) vegetables every day. Easy to clean, easy to pack and easy to eat! Try adding a few nuts or seeds and you have a wonderful snack perfect for work or school.

4. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day; more if you are physically active. Your body is about 60 - 70% water so it requires water to function properly. Once you start drinking more water you will notice you can think better, you are not as hungry, your joints are not as sore, you have more energy, you feel better overall. If you are not in the habit of drinking water, once you start you will notice that you are thirsty more often. This is a good sign! I have a confession to make; I am not a big fan of plain water. I drink plain water because it is good for me (and my fiance insists!), but I do drink a lot of herbal tea during the day. Not caffeinated tea, just herbal tea.

5. Variety is the spice of life! There is not one particular food that provides everything your body needs but every good food provides something your body needs. It is the combination of all those individual foods and their particular bodily benefits that we are seeking to incorporate into our daily/weekly diet. It is unrealistic to think we can or will incorporate every good food into our diet in one day but we can layer the benefits of the good foods we eat throughout the week by eating a variety throughout the week.

6. Fight the white; Go to town with brown! You will need to stay away from, as much as possible, white sugar, white flour and hard animal fats (except butter). These foods have been labeled "robbers" because they don't contain enough vitamins and minerals for their own digestion.

Written by Angela Sladen, RSNA, CNC

Hi, my name is Angela Sladen and I am a fitness/nutrition/health fanatic! I've studied all three for over 26 years now and am still learning! I am asked over and over again, "What are your secrets to great health?", so I decided to start http://www.totalhealthmethod.com as a way to share what I've learned, lived and love! Be sure to check back on a weekly basis as I am adding a minimum of three new articles every week.

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Body Basics and FAQ

By Angela S Sladen

Our bodies are built from the foods we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Imagine your body as fire. It is mainly built from proteins (in muscles, cells, hormones and enzymes), fats (in and outside cells), minerals (in bones and teeth), and small amounts of carbohydrates (in cells and in the "glue" of the cell). The fuels for your body fire are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The kindling is essential fatty acids and iodine. Vitamins are the catalysts. They keep the fire burning effectively. The sparks that escape the fire, free radicals, need to be kept under control by antioxidants. The best fuel for your body is natural foods; raw, fresh fruits and vegetables; sprouted foods; moderate amounts of whole grains and legumes; yogurt; raw nuts and seeds; eggs, milk and oils; preferably, all organic. Eating natural foods and regular movement will ward off most health issues and dis-ease. Eating unnatural foods will cause constipation and other digestive problems. Constipation is a major cause of dis-ease. Food matter held in the bowel for too long will accumulate toxins which are then absorbed through the bowel wall into the blood stream and lymphatic system. This created a toxic body which leads to all kind of health issues.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. Why don't doctors talk more about nutrition if it is so important?

A. There is little or nutritional education in medical training. There are several reasons for this. First of all, the health care reimbursement system does not cover nutritional counseling; the medical field is by and large dictated through malpractice rulings, which nutrition has no place in and finally; the medical field is largely supported by pharmaceutical companies, again, of which nutrition and preventative measures do not support drug companies, they are seen as direct competition and opponents. So until the government views nutrition and preventative measures as an important part of our health care system, we must be responsible for our own health by reading and studying on our own. The irony is, if the government supported natural health measures, the cost of our health care would go down dramatically, our quality of life would go up significantly and the economy would respond in kind.

Q. Aren't my health issues are inherited and therefore I can't do anything about them?

A. It is true that you may be "prone" or "pre-disposed" to a certain illness or ailment, but the real truth is that you have more control over your health than any other thing. It is known that the environment (which also includes the way we feed out body) plays a much bigger part in our health than our genes. If we get the proper "fuel" for our body we won't lose our hair and we have a MUCH lesser chance of getting cancer. Everyone has different nutritional needs, based on their genetics. This is where personal responsibility comes in; we need to read, study and live health!

Q. Doesn't stress play the biggest role in my health?

A. Only when stress becomes distress; a negative factor in our life, does it affect our overall health. Everyone is confronted with stress. A kiss causes stress. Exercise causes stress. The plan is not to avoid stress, but to supply the proper tools for our body to handle stress.Stress is particularly hard on our adrenal glands. The adrenal glands produce the hormones designed to deal with stress. If we do not feed our adrenal glands the nutrition they need to properly respond to stress, they fatigue, build up scar tissue and finally wither. This is when stress can no longer be handled properly by the body and we respond with sickness and dis-ease.

Q. Why do I have to take supplements if I am eating properly?

A. Unless you are eating perfectly organic and home food grown in fertile soil, drinking pure water and breathing perfectly clean air, you are not getting all the nutrients your body needs for optimal health and a body that fights dis-ease most effectively. Most food we eat has lost a large portion of their nutrients during processing, packaging and shipping. Also, it is now recognized by top nutritionist that the RDA for vitamins and minerals are generally far too low.

Written by Angela Sladen, RSNA, CNC

Angela Sladen has been educating and working in the fitness/nutrition industry for over 20 years. She's owned her own women's fitness/nutrition centre, personal trained and nutritionally consulted hundreds of women, writes articles on a regular basis for health magazines and blogs and own several businesses.
She is also mom to 10, grandma to 3.
To find out more, please check out http://www.totalhealthmethod.com.

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How To Naturally Reduce Cholesterol - 7 Essential Foods

By Joseph E. Smith

If you are looking for an answer to the question 'How to naturally reduce cholesterol?', you need to consider these six foods that are known for their ability to reduce cholesterol fast! Lowering cholesterol naturally is significantly easier for those who follow a healthy diet and this is also the healthiest way to fight cholesterol. Workouts can also help you to reduce cholesterol naturally but they are not very effective if your body is still consuming food high in cholesterol. There are also foods that work against cholesterol by lowering your bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing your good cholesterol (HDL). A combination of a healthy diet incorporating these foods together with targeted workouts would be ideal. Many high cholesterol substances in your diet can also be substituted for a more cholesterol-friendly alternative. Here are 7 foods that will prove to be very beneficial to cholesterol levels simply by including them in your diet:

1. Oats - Now, it's time for you to give a break to your regular egg or cheese based breakfast, and try on something like Oats because they are known for their ability to reduce LDL cholesterol by at least 5% in a span of six weeks. Oats contain beta-glucan which absorbs LDL and flushes it out from your body.




2. Red Wine - According to the Department of Metabolism And Nutrition in Spain, red wine has a dramatic effect on LDL cholesterol. A study conducted by them revealed that red wine can reduce LDL by at least 9% in the span of a few weeks.




3. Meat or Fish - Meat can do serious damage to people who are suffering from cholesterol and if you can't avoid meat completely, try to consume low-fat meat. If you use chicken, go for light meat and avoid skin completely. However, the best way to stay healthy is to use oily fishes like salmon in your diet. They are known for their ability to increase good cholesterol in your body and replace saturated fats. Include fish-based meals and stay away from meat to stay healthy.




4. Beans - Beans are known to have a lot of health benefits and for cholesterol patients, the advantages are even more enormous. They can reduce LDL by 8% and the high fibre content in them keeps your body detoxified. Beans are also a natural source of proteins, so they provide you with the necessary nutrients too.




5. Spinach - Apart from their extensive supply of vitamins, spinach is also known for its lutein content that fights muscle degeneration and reduces the chances of a heart attack. This is interlinked with cholesterol issues so can use steamed spinach as a part of your meal and fight cholesterol.




6. Garlic - Garlic has many health benefits such as preventing blood clots, reducing blood pressure and fighting against infections. They are also known to keep cholesterol particles away from your artery walls, preventing a build up of cholesterol in your bloodstream.




7. Olive oil - Olive oil is a cholesterol-friendly replacement for the usual sunflower cooking oil. It should be used in low flame cooking and they are really good as a part of your salad dressing or on mashed potatoes.

If you want to reduce cholesterol fast, make sure you include these healthy foods in your diet and you will be surprised by their significance. They can do a very good job in fighting the bad cholesterol levels in your body, thus reducing the chances of cardiovascular diseases. If you add 3 or 4 days of cardiovascular workouts with this diet, you will be amazed with your results. Cholesterol is often an overlooked health issue with disastrous consequences so take action now!

Want to learn more about how to naturally reduce cholesterol? Visit my website at http://www.lowercholesterolmadeeasy.com for helpful tips and information on reducing cholesterol.

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Is Emotional Eating Impacting Your Weight Loss Program?

By Steve Caldwell

Oddly enough, most people have some level of awareness on what foods are good for them and what are not. If losing weight was simply a matter of awareness and knowledge about the right foods to eat, then we would not have an obesity epidemic. Unfortunately, no matter how much we know about proper eating, nutrition and exercise, it is not enough to keep us on track in achieving our target weight and other health goals. One of the major contributes that impact our ability to achieve a healthy weight is emotional eating. In order to understand whether this is a factor, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you eat more when you are at work and have stresses or deadlines placed on you?

• Do you eat when you are bored?

• Do you eat when you just want something that "tastes good"?

• Do you eat while working, watching TV, or doing other tasks?

• Do you eat when you are sad or depressed?

   

If the answer to any of these questions are yes, then you are likely an "emotional eater" and should consider tactics to offset these behaviors. Below are a few tips that could help

1. Try relaxation methods to reduce stress While we cannot always change our life situation, there are several techniques for reducing stress. Yoga or simple breathing control techniques are probably the easiest and less expensive option. You may also consider taking food supplements that target stress reduction. Supplements like 5-HTP, GABA, and some propriety blends can usually be helpful. As always, be sure to do your homework and/or consult a physician when considering the best food supplements for your situation.

2. Eat food only when at the dinner table. Often we eat unconsciously while doing other tasks. By eating only at the dinner table (with TV off), you are more aware of what you are eating and in tune with body knowing when you should stop eating. Try also to slow down when eating as it often can take up to 20 minutes for your body to get the signal that your are no longer hungry.

3. If bored, seek out physical activity. Physical activity not only burns calories but if it is something you enjoy, will reduce your boredom or depression. It doesn't have to be strenuous. Just get up and move. Even a few short walks each day can both improve your emotional disposition including boredom.

4. Enjoy Life! It is OK to "occasionally" eat something just because it "tastes good". The trick here is to manage portion control. Make sure you take a reasonable serving size then move away from the food source before eating. Going back for seconds is OK for foods with low caloric density high bulk, however should not be a tactic for foods such as ice cream or other high calorie density low bulk foods (usually highly processed)

    

Finally, understand that you will likely periodically have lapses in judgement. The best thing here is to realize what happened, determine what you can do to recover and then move on. No reason to beat yourself up about the occasional mistake as the net result would probably increase your stress level which is the opposite effect that you want.

For more information on health related articles like this one, please feel free to visit us at Enhanced Life Options and have a healthy and happy life.

What's All the Fuss About Organic Food These Days?

By Susan Guzman

The buzz is all about organic food these days. Everyone is concerned about the importance of eating only organic, or at least to eat organic whenever possible. The highest nutritional value in our foods comes from organic foods. Wherever we turn we are seeing ads for detoxing our body. "Rid your body of toxins and feel 20 years younger are the claims being made about eating organically. So what exactly does organic mean, and how does eating organic improve our health?

Organic foods are grown with no poisons. They are natural foods that have been grown with more conscious care for the health of the soil, the plants, and the people who will eat them. Over 100 studies have found that the nutritional quality of organic foods far surpasses that of conventional product. Why take a chance and risk exposing yourself, and your children to chemicals that could destroy their health? Choose organic, choose natural, and you choose health. Scientist have proven in many studies that organic food choices have far superior nutritional quality than conventional food choices. They have also proven that foods grown with pesticides are definitely linked with disease and deaths for humans and animals.

Danish researchers who conducted a study investigating the effects of mixtures of several pesticides on the sex organs of male rats, found some very disturbing evidence of impact on the formation of sexual organs. They noted that the chemicals, including phthalates (di(2-ethylhexyl) or DEHP), which is commonly used in products such as IV bags, carpets, and wallpaper caused reproductive deformities. Each month dozens of new pesticides, cleaners, fertilizers etc...show up in local supermarkets and other retail stores. These products, advertised heavily are purchased and used and thus the destruction of the earth continues. Virtually all fruits and vegetables have been genetically modified by man to become more disease resistant. A food manufacturer, or for that matter a farmer, is in business and has to sell more of his product and produce that product at a lower cost to make money. He has to find a way to produce the most of the product in the shortest amount of time at the lowest cost to make the highest profit. The answer to his question is to mess with mother nature and change these natural fruits and vegetables with some man-made concoction that came out of a laboratory so that they grow bigger and faster totally against the natural course of things, and are resistant to disease. So through genetic modification, your all natural carrot let's say is no longer all natural, it is really a man made product. Jack LaLanne said it best. Jack LaLane is an incredible human being. He is in his nineties; he is vibrant, healthy and strong. He doesn't get sick. He is a dynamic, healthy individual. Jack says: "If man made it, don't eat it." That's the bottom line. What you put in your mouth should be as close to as nature intended as possible.

Virtually everything that you put in your mouth has pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, growth hormone, genetically altered material, or chemical food addictives. Even when you eat an apple you are taking in all the deadly chemicals that were used in the growing and harvesting of that apple. All of our fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds are grown with highly poisonous chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Many have been genetically modified, turning them into poisonous material. Even when you consume fresh fruits and vegetables, you are ingesting small amounts of poisons. The same applies in the meat industry, dairy farmers, and even fish which was always deemed as a healthy protein is very high in toxin chemicals to make the fish grow unnaturally fast and larger.

The addictives being put in the food are unnatural, toxic chemicals. They adversely affect the body, they suppress your immune system making it more susceptible to disease, they make you age quicker, and they turn your body from the natural alkaline pH state to the acid pH state, which means you can easily be prone to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, allergies, etc.,etc.,etc. Not only are these chemical addictives toxic, when they are put into the food the processing of the food strips away much of the nutritional value. There are over 15,000 toxic chemicals that are allowed to be added to food without being listed on the label. Many of the diseases that people have today can be attributed to the toxins we are innocently putting into our bodies daily. Although the FDA says it is not harmful to ingest these toxins in small amounts, they don't take into consideration what these small amount of toxins do to us as we ingest them daily and they begin to accumulate in our cells and we are not eliminating them as rapidly as we are ingesting them.

So what can we do to eliminate some of the toxins we are putting in our body? How can we maintain vibrant health and live a longer fuller life? Well you don't need to radically change your entire lifestyle, or give up enjoying the pleasures of eating out with friends. Even just the slightest adjustments to your diet can radically improve some of your major health concerns and you can drastically heal some of your illnesses with minor changes to your diet. Let's see how this all works.

When you eat organic foods, you provide your body with vitamins, minerals, filtered water, and much more. These provide us with vital foundations for health. Most food sold in stores is grown with pesticides and toxins. Organic foods are grown with no poisons. They are natural foods that have been grown with more conscious care for the health of the soil, the plants, and the people who will eat them. Over 100 studies have found that the nutritional quality of organic foods far surpasses that of conventional produce.

Organic food is now more readily available, and it is becoming more affordable. While buying and eating organic food helps our bodies, its consumption may help our planet even more. Organic farmers use less energy, less water resources, and NO pesticides.

Eating organic is one opportunity to choose a path of optimum health, lowering our risk of heart disease and cancer that seem so rampant these days. The number of Americans who buy organic food "has grown at a rate of about 20% a year over the past 12 years" says Katherine DiMatteo, Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association, which represents the organic industry in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Research shows that organically produced fruits and vegetables have higher levels of minerals and healthy cancer-fighting phytochemicals and antioxidants than their conventionally grown counterparts. The increased levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals make for more flavorful food. Organic produce has a lower water content than conventionally grown, making the flavors more true and concentrated. Many varieties of organic produce are grown specifically with flavor in mind. Taste is more often an afterthought in industrially farmed produce, with considerations like shelf life, ease of shipment, and uniform appearance taking precedence. Eating organic foods also lowers the risk of toxic chemicals in the human body. Because of the widespread use of agricultural chemicals in food production, people are constantly exposed to levels of pesticides residues through their diet. Many people seem unaware that when eating industrially produced meat, and or dairy products, they are also ingesting unwanted antibiotics, hormones, and other food additives. Eating industrially prepared meat and dairy products can compromise your ability to fight off sickness and disease.

Keep all of this information in your mind when shopping in your local supermarket. Look for and buy organic whenever possible and available. Just recently, Michelle Obama began digging up a patch of the South Lawn of the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden to provide food for the first family and, more important, to educate children about healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become national concerns. Michelle Obama gives us the advice when she says to begin in your own cupboard, by eliminating processed food, and try to cook a meal a little more often, trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables. This is excellent advice that everyone should follow.

If you are unsure if you can make these changes, then start small. Eat one organic apple everyday. Notice if any symptoms you are experiencing begin to fade. Buy organic lettuce and tomatoes and make a salad every evening. Keep adding additional organic vegetables to your salads. Choose meats and chicken that are not raised conventionally with use of hormones and antibiotics. Notice how much better your feel after eating a meal with no toxins that wreak havoc on your health. Little by little incorporate small changes in your diet until it becomes second nature. If it comes in a box, bag, can or package, don't eat it. Or if that is not always possible, then look on the label to see if it is 100% organic. Read the labels, and if you cannot pronounce the ingredients then put it back. Be conscious, be healthy and live a longer and fuller life with greater health, energy and vitality.

For more information about good health, proper nutrition, weight loss and exercise programs please visit my blogs at http://www.forallyourhealthneeds.blogspot.com

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Extra Protein for Weight Gain OR Weight Loss

By Jason Horsley

Almost anyone who exercises regularly knows the importance of protein intake in order to allow for muscle recovery and growth. Unfortunately however, the majority of the general public doesn't know that they also could use the extra protein in order to shed those unwanted pounds and extra body fat.

Protein for Weight Gain

When it comes to protein usage within the body, the muscles themselves, are usually dead last to benefit from the dietary protein. First in line are the intestines. Next up is the brain. Then your heart, liver, lungs and other internal organs. Last, but certainly not least, your muscle tissue gets whatever available protein is left over.

If you think that sounds bad, that's nothing compared to when you don't make enough protein available through your diet to begin with. When this happens, the body actually begins to feed of your existing muscle in order to provide for those important organs. This is known as catabolism and is exactly the scenario you want to work hard to eliminate.

You can probably quickly see how this would not be good for anyone looking to increase lean muscle mass, a goal EVERYONE should have by the way, but many will be confused as to how this plays a role for those trying to lose some weight, so let's take a second to explain.

Protein for Weight Loss

The most common problem associated with most "diets" floating around out there today....not enough calories! Simply put, limiting your caloric intake too much will cause the exact opposite reaction you desire if fat burning is your goal. Will severe calorie restriction cause weight loss on a scale? Almost always! Unfortunately, this is not, or should not be the goal.

When caloric intake is too low, the body's metabolism tends to stall, thus slowing your fat burning ability. Additionally, when calories are too limited, protein intake is also typically limited, and this leads to the same scenario described above, catabolism.

This fatal mistake often made when someone wants to shed weight is actually bad, times two. They slow their metabolism with a limited caloric intake and they tend to lose existing muscle, from a lack of protein, thus minimizing their fat burning even further.

Body composition actually worsens more often than not in these cases. Sure, some weight can be lost on the scale, but the body fat percentages typically increases. Not the result you should be seeking, no matter what your starting point.

Protein Needs

So how much protein do you actually need? As a general rule of thumb, if you're trying to burn body fat, eat twice as much protein as you do carbohydrates.

If you are trying to gain lean muscle mass, eat equal portions of proteins and carbohydrates. Keep it simple to start and adjust as your body does. Irrelevant of what any book says, there is no single formula that will work for everyone.

As you should now see, whether you're trying to gain muscle mass or shed unwanted body fat, maintaining a proper protein intake will do wonders for your goals.

If you are the looking for proven solutions for healthier, safer weight loss, natural energy or general wellness, we strongly recommend you take a close look at these products, as they have been fueling our elite athletes for the past 18+ years and are approved for use by the International Olympic Committee, the NCAA, the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WPS and even Nascar.

This company, in our opinion, truly does things differently and the comfort that provides us with cannot be understated. If you are looking for safe, effective nutritional solutions that have been tested, you need to do your homework and compare. The results speak for themselves!

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Jason Horsley is the President, Elite Lifestyle Solutions and a fitness fanatic! With nearly 20 years in and around the industry, his combination of knowledge and passion are without equal. If you have any desire at all to better the way you look, feel or perform, take a moment to stop by www.TheAdvoCareLifestyle.com to learn more about how they are Building Champions and Changing Lives Daily or the 24 Day Challenge itself! The wealth of information alone will make it well worth your while and if you have any questions at all, drop Jason an email while you are there. Each one is answered by him personally!

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I Want to Lose Weight But I Love Food - Is There a Solution?

By Diyan Dimitrov

I want to lose weight but I love food. If you are trying to convince yourself that this is really a problem, then it will be indeed. But if you try to look at this problem from another point of view, then you will find that there is a solution and it can be simple enough. Simple, on the other hand does not necessary mean that it will be easy, but we have to admit that fruitful results do not come without giving enough effort.

If you accept the fact that we all are tempted by sweets or other "not so healthy", but delicious foods and still lots of people manage to lose, and control their weight, then it is obvious that there is a solution. On the other hand you probably have heard, how models or professional athletes are saying in their interviews how they eat what they like, but manage to stay in shape with lots of regular exercises.

Regarding the principles of proper nutrition, the best diet of all is a healthy, balanced and varied eating plan. One of the key factors for a good diet is the balance, which means that it has to supply the full-scale of the important for the body nutrients, vitamins and minerals. But from another perspective it has to supply us with a given calorie intake. To lose or maintain a current weight you have to learn what is the recommended calorie intake for this weight. In other words, no matter what kind of food you will eat throughout the day, if you manage to keep closely to a given daily amount of calories, you should not gain or lose weight. But then comes the healthy aspect of a proper nutrition, according to which you will need to make healthier food choices, but healthy foods often tend to be low in calories, so it appears to be possible for a chocolate bar, or some chips, to take place in your diet as long as it is considered with your overall daily calorie intake.

Why You Can Lose Weight without Giving Up from Your Favorite Foods

• Longing for your favorite fatty meal can increases the chance, that you can break the rules of your diet. Constantly restricting yourself from eating certain foods will lead only to negative emotions, instead of enjoying your meals.




• Improve your eating habits and you can enjoy your favorite meals without feeling guilty. If you begin to make smarter and healthier food choices, you will manage to supply your body with the life important vitamins and minerals, and the proper nutrients (healthy fats, proteins and complex carbohydrates). At the same time you will decrease your daily calorie intake, as natural and whole foods except for their high nutritional properties, are also lower in calories. In such way you can control your diet and adding your favorite treats from time to time, will not make any significant change to the overall daily amount of calories.




• You can enjoy eating your favorite foods, knowing that with more exercise you will stay in shape and burn more calories, which will allow you to have time for treats. You can define a happy hour, as a reward for achieving a given diet or fitness goal. Thus you will enjoy eating a delicious dessert, knowing that because you've worked so hard, this little "treat time" will not leave any mark on your body and shape.

So losing weight, while allowing yourself the foods you love is possible, just try not to overdo it. Furthermore you can experiment with recipes and spices to make your healthy meals more tasty, and gradually reach to the point where you will no longer need foods which are not allowed by your healthy diet.

Diyan Dimitrov specializes in health and fitness, diet and nutrition, urging and motivating people to start leading healthy lifestyle and lose weight naturally. It is not a matter of how much you know about dieting and exercising, but how much of your knowledge you implement into your life.

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Easy Ways to Cut Calories

By Jonathan Dunsky

We all know that weight loss depends on one main thing: calories. It is the balance of calories that determines whether you lose weight or gain it. If you eat more calories than you burn as energy, you will gain weight. If it's the other way around, you will lose it.

So, to lose weight, one of the best things that you can do is reduce the number of calories that you eat. Now, this is only true if you are eating too much. You need to make sure that you're still giving your body the nutrients it requires to function properly. If this is the case, then you can use the following tips to moderately reduce the amount of calories that you eat.

4 Ways to Cut Calories

1. Eat from smaller plates - Over the past few decades the average size of plates has increased. So has the amount of calories that many of us consume each day. Are the two connected? I believe so. I think that people tend to fill up their plates and they tend to eat everything that's on them. This is why I recommend using small plates. When you do you will find that you are eating less calories. You will still fill your plate but it will be a smaller amount of food.

2. Watch what you drink - One of the sources of many calories in your diet may come from your drinks. Many people don't even consider just how many calories their beverages may contain but it may be thousands. One way to cut calories is to stick to low calorie, simple drinks. Water is best. Plain coffee and tea are also good.

3. Eat more often - This may be a personal thing but I find that when I eat small meals and snacks frequently through the day I get less hungry. As a result, all my meals are very small, I never get that uncomfortable stuffed feeling and I end up eating less on a daily basis.

4. Avoid sauces - Why are potatoes considered fattening? It's not because they are, it's because they're offered covered in cream. The same is true for many other foods. They, by themselves, are not high in calories. Their sauces are. So, you want to keep your food plain and avoid heavy sauces.

I hope that you found these 4 tips useful and that they will help you lose or maintain your weight.

For more tips on calorie reduction visit Tips To Eat Less Calories.

For a new nutrition plan that helps you to lose weight visit Customized Fat Loss.
Jonathan Dunsky lost over 30 pounds years ago and has kept them off since.

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The Simple Truth Behind Carbohydrates

By Karen Smythe

A carb is not just a carb, the distinction needs to be made between so-called good carbs and bad carbs and how they have an effect on our inner workings. Processed or refined carbs are foods that have been in some way altered by man or machine and in the process lose much of their dietary value, nutrients and natural fiber. These foods are what is known as "empty calories" and are not easily processed by our bodies, these simple carbohydrates are converted into energy very rapidly and leave you feeling flat, lethargic and hungry and as a result these empty calories can have a significant effect on the accumulation of extra body-fat. These foods can also produce an imbalance within our natural hormone levels and insulin production. Bad carb foods include, products containing white flour such as white bread, muffins, bagels as well as white rice, sugar, cakes, biscuits, soft drinks, alcohol and so on.

Good or complex carbohydrates on the other hand differ in the fact that they remain as close to their natural state as possible therefore retaining a high nutritional value and are easily processed by the body but break down a lot slower and give a prolonged release of energy throughout the day. Complex carbohydrates include whole-grains (such as wholegrain bread and cereal) fruit and vegetables, nuts, legumes and beans.

What we are ultimately trying to achieve by consuming good carbs is to give the body a slow acting food source that continues working for hours giving sustained energy while keeping blood sugar levels low and delivering vital nutrients. The flip-side of this is when we eat bad processed carbohydrates our blood sugar levels shoot through the roof because of increased glucose production and in turn cause a raft of problems including decreased energy, dehydration, headaches, blurry vision and general fatigue. Bad carbs have the effect of giving a short term boost but offer only "empty calories" and therefore energy levels drop very rapidly leaving you feeling even hungrier and susceptible to more over-eating.

Of course common sense has a huge part to play when talking about the types of foods we eat, and I personally disagree with cutting out specific food groups altogether and feel the real key to healthy eating is finding a harmonious balance.

Maybe the term "bad" carbs should be changed to "unhelpful" carbs so while that slice of birthday cake or bottle of full strength beer isn't really helping much (when talking about weight loss) it's probably not going to kill you. I also firmly believe red meat, dairy, seafood and eggs should also have a place within ones diet to retain a nutritional balance but set within definite boundaries e.g. lean/no-fat cuts of meat and low/no fat dairy and of course eaten in moderation using sensible portion control. It's only when these types of unhelpful foods are consumed in excess, consistently, without following some sort of exercise routine that health and weight issues arise.

If you practise common sense and balance within your diet there's no reason why you can't enjoy a complete range of food types whilst still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

easy diets that work

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Top Superfoods For Each Age and Stage in Life

By Kirsten Whittaker

We all know that to get and stay healthy, the one of the best places to start is with what you're putting into your body, and on your plate, at each meal. Nutrient rich foods are natural sources of the things your body needs to stay healthy and disease free. Best of all, you can start enjoying these top superfoods at any age!

For 20-somethings...

Be sure you're doing all you can to build your bone mass, as this is the last chance you'll get to do so. According to government numbers, over 50% of women in their 20s don't get the recommended amount of calcium (1,000mg) they need each day. Most of us get about half that amount. Later on, eating right and exercising can help to keep the bone mass you've built in these years.

Great sources of bone building calcium include a cup of plain, nonfat yogurt, one cup of fortified soy milk or orange juice, one cup of fat free milk or one ounce of cheddar cheese.

Folate is another important nutrient at this age, and if you're planning to become pregnant, you should be aware of how much you're getting. As many as 70% of neural tube defects (including spina bifida) are preventable if women got enough of this important vitamin at the right time. Even if you're just "trying" go for 400 mcg daily and up this to 600 mcg once you become pregnant.

You'll want to get your folate in supplement form for best absorption, and try natural sources like cereal with 100% the daily value (400 mcg) of folic acid, 4 spears of asparagus, a cup of raw spinach, one ounce of peanuts, or a slice of whole wheat bread.

For 30-somethings...

Iron is a fantastic fatigue fighter, and this is key during the time of your life when you're juggling family, work and relationships. Many women in this age group aren't eating much meat and don't get the 18mg of iron recommended by experts. Animal protein is the best sort of iron for your body, however, plant foods can give you more if you pair them with foods that are loaded with vitamin C, like strawberries or red peppers.

Your best sources of iron are cup fortified cereal (18 mc of iron), a half cup white beans, a half cup cooked spinach, 3 ounces of beef or chicken.

The 30s are also a great time to help out your heart by adding omega-3 fats, as eating them regularly can cut your risk of heart disease by reducing those triglycerides. You'll want to eat a minimum of two portions of fish (choose low mercury varieties) each week. Seafood sources of omega-3s are best for brain health.

Best bets for these heart-healthy omega-3 fats are three ounces of salmon, flounder, halibut, shrimp, or canned light tuna.

For 40-somethings...

Fiber is your friend in the 40s, as it will help you feel fuller and eat less. At this age your metabolism is slowing, and your muscle mass getting smaller, so the calories you need a day reduce by about 100. Fiber also keeps constipation (more common as you get older) at bay while also bringing down cholesterol numbers. We need 25 grams daily, but most women get far less than this.

Get enough with a half cup 100% bran cereal, half a cup black beans, a pear, a half cup raspberries, an ounce of almonds or a half cup of whole wheat pasta.

Potassium is another good nutrient at this age. This is the time of life when blood pressure can start creeping up, but if you do something now you could avoid medication altogether. Getting enough potassium doesn't just lower that elevated blood pressure; it also works well against the blood pressure raising effects of sodium. It might even lessen bone loss. Hit the 4,700 mg a day mark to get the benefits to your body.

Get enough by enjoying a medium sweet potato or potato, a medium banana, three ounces of pork tenderloin, a cup of fat free milk or a half-cup of cooked lentils.

There's now good science to back up eating antioxidant rich foods might spare you from cognitive decline (including dementia and Alzheimer's). You'll want to get the most antioxidant content you can, so try for 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Best bets for antioxidants are a cup of berries, a half cup dried plums, a Granny Smith apple, a cup of red grapes - veggies include a medium russet potato, a cup of artichoke hearts, a half cup broccoli or a half cup of raw red cabbage.

For 50-somethings...

Now's the time that vitamin D can really help, every cell in your body needs this nutrient to work, which might explain why its been tied to so many health benefits - everything from lowering risk for cancer to protecting against depression. You want to try for the minimum 400IU, but at this age people make about 30% less from simple exposure to the sun so what you get from diet becomes even more important.

Best bets for vitamin D include 3 ounces of canned light tuna, a cup of D-fortified milk/juice or one egg. Most multivitamins give you 400IUs a day, though you might want to supplement with 1,000 IUs of vitamin D a day.

Another great nutrient, B12, will help you stay sharp, but most people over 50 don't produce sufficient stomach acid to digest the vitamin from the foods we eat. That's troubling since this vitamin is vital for producing red blood cells and is used in brain function. Deficient B12 levels can bring on increased levels of homocysteine, linked to heart disease. Your doctor can test your B12 levels if you're worried.

This is an age where you'll do better to take the B12 in supplement form, as you'll absorb it better and more easily. A multivitamin or a bowl or fortified cereal (100% DV of B12) will give you what you need. 2.5mcg daily is what you'll be shooting for. Some great sources of B12 include a cup of that fortified cereal, three ounces of beef, a cup of yogurt or a cup of milk.

As you can see, getting top superfoods into your diet that benefit your overall health and wellbeing is pretty easy. Make a start today.

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A Periodization Primer for Cyclists

By Tyrone Holmes

Periodization is the process of dividing an annual training plan into specific time blocks, where each block has a particular goal and provides your body with different types of stress. Some periods of training are harder and some are easier to allow for recovery. Periodization also develops different energy systems during various phases of training (e.g., aerobic, anaerobic, creatine phosphate). Most importantly, periodization is the best way to promote the training effect, which consists of changes in your cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems that result in greater speed and endurance on the bike. There are 3 basic principles of periodization:

1. The primary goal of periodization is to prepare your body for peak performance at a designated time of year. Want to ride a fast century? Finish in the top 10 at a local road race? Perhaps your goal is to set a personal best in your state time trial championships. A periodized training program is the most effective way to achieve your goals because it allows you to gradually enhance your cycling performance so that you peak for your most important events. For example, if your key event is in late June, you can develop a training plan that allows you to peak at the beginning of summer. If you have several key events during the season, you can design a plan that allows for multiple peaks over a period of several months.

2. Training should progress from the general to the specific through a series of stages. Each stage has a specific purpose. For example, training programs for competitive cyclists are typically divided into four stages: endurance, intensity, competition and recovery. The endurance period is the most general of these stages. It typically lasts 12 to 16 weeks and enhances your aerobic and muscular endurance. The endurance phase often includes off-the-bike activities such as weight training and long, low-to-moderate intensity rides. The intensity phase, which also lasts from 12 to 16 weeks, incorporates workouts that simulate race conditions. The primary goal of this phase is to develop your lactate threshold and aerobic capacity (i.e., VO2 max), so you spend more time performing high-intensity workouts such as intervals. The competition phase involves racing, the most specific element of training. High intensity workouts continue, often in the form of race participation. Effective management of the peaking process is critical to ensure you enter key races in top form. Once the competitive season has ended, you enter the recovery phase where training activities once again become more general (e.g., cross-training workouts such as running or swimming that aid recovery).

3. The key to successful periodization is to develop specific aspects of fitness during a given phase, while maintaining others developed in earlier phases. For example, the main goal during the endurance phase is to increase aerobic endurance. Therefore, you perform many long, steady rides at a low-to-moderate intensity. The intensity phase consists of higher intensity rides, but it does no good to do short, hard workouts if your aerobic endurance suffers. Therefore, a well-designed training plan will build upon and enhance your development from earlier stages. While much of the intensity stage focuses on speed development and the ability to ride at a relatively high intensity, it also includes some long, steady rides at lower intensities to maintain the aerobic fitness developed in the endurance stage. Conversely, the training performed in later stages is possible because of the foundation created in earlier stages. Without the aerobic training of the endurance stage, the high-intensity training of the intensity and competition stages would be ineffective. This pyramid approach is what allows you to gradually build to a peak at the most desirable time of the year.

Dr. Tyrone Holmes is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise and a Level 2 (Expert) cycling coach through USA Cycling. He provides Cycle-Max coaching for cyclists and multisport athletes who want to improve their performance on the bike. Visit http://www.holmesfitness.com to review books, articles, newsletters and blog posts that will help you enhance your athletic performance.

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You Need Lots Of Bacteria To Be Healthy

You Need Lots Of Bacteria To Be Healthy

By Dr Daniel Klein

Most people believe that bacteria are "bad" for you and that if you can wipe them all out, you will be healthy. Nothing could be further from the truth! Most things aren't good or bad of and by themselves, it is usually a degree of amount(s) that determines that. As with most things in life, if something is going to work well for us, it is about finding and maintaining a proper balance of that particular thing or activity. This is especially true with health and there is no better example than the balance of "good" bacteria to "bad" bacteria that is needed to be healthy.

While this is true for your whole body it is particularly important when it comes to your digestive tract. In fact the number of bacteria in your gut is 10 times greater than all the rest of the cells in your body. It is estimated that up to as much as 80% of your immune system is located in your gut. Besides your immune system, maintaining the right balance of these little bugs is essential to proper digestion, nutrient absorption, producing vitamins, extracting minerals, eliminating toxins, preventing infection and suppressing appetite. That is right, studies show that people who are on multiple courses of antibiotics are fatter than people that aren't. Turns out that the hunger hormone ghrelin is suppressed by the common bacteria H. Pylori which is easily killed off by antibiotics.

The trick here of course is how do you maintain the correct balance? The right balance is considered to be 85% good to 15% bad. Antibiotics is most likely the primary source of the ratio becoming unbalanced, as good bacteria are more easily killed and bad bacteria are more opportunistic at regenerating. As a side note it was recently discovered that the appendix is not useless as previously claimed (as if nature would create something that is useless) but instead acts as a factory and storage "safe house" for good bacteria. When the good bacteria become depleted, it acts as a rebooter. So the motto is try to keep your appendix if you can.

Keep your courses of antibiotics to a minimum. Save them for bacterial infections and not for the flu or other viral conditions that aren't resolved by antibiotics. There are a lot of reasons to eat organic, range fed meat and poultry, but one of them is because the standards are pumped full of antibiotics to fatten them up for market (remember ghrelin suppression?). When you find it is appropriate to be on a course of antibiotics, take a probiotic supplement and eat soured foods such as kefir, yogurt, buttermilk, and pickled foods such as sauerkraut, natto (only safe form of soy) pickles to help replenish the good bacteria. I take a probiotic and eat these foods regularly because our food is so sterilized, it is impossible to get the beneficial bacteria that would normally be there.

Bad bacteria's favorite foods are sugars and starches, so stay away from grains, sugars (especially fructose) and processed foods as they are usually packed with both of these items. And as I have said many times before, these foods are not good for you anyhow. So now you have another reason to stay away form them.

Yours In Health,

Dr. Daniel B. Klein, D.C.
http://www.uncommonhealthsecrets.com

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The Price Tag of Organic Food

By Denchi Minh

The added costs of Organic Food is considered the biggest reason why consumers think twice before making the change despite the fact that the numerous benefits of eating organic have already been proven by countless studies. Many consumers even believe that they should be priced lower because there aren't even any synthetic substances or industrial supplements that are being used or added to them. Organic farms use natural methods on their crops and livestock. They do not make use of pesticides, artificial fertilizers, herbicides, growth hormones, periodic antibiotics, or genetic modification. This article aims to enlighten consumers about the reasons why real food is 20%-100% more expensive than traditional food.

Organic Food is costlier when compared to other types of food because its supply is very limited. This is because despite the steady boom in the industry, many farmers still prefer not to switch to organic farming. The main reason for this is the fact that organic livestock and crops take significantly longer time to harvest. The longer it takes for harvest to come, the more operating costs are incurred and the higher the risks of loss due to damage or diseases become. Conventional food is harvested within a shorten span of time because of the use of genetic modification to alter the DNA of the plants and animals. They are also bombarded with growth hormones to speed up their development.

Economics also has a part to play when it comes to why Organic Food is expensive. Whenever the demand is greater than the supply, there is the economic condition called scarcity. In this scenario, the suppliers tend to increase the price of their goods to lower the quantity of the product a consumer will buy. This is because whenever the demand is high but the supply is low; there will always be consumers that are willing to buy the product even if the price is increased significantly.

The various stages that need to be conducted in order to bring Organic Food to the end users also contribute to its cost. The total cost of production for real food is more expensive because of the length of the production stage. The processing and harvesting stages also entail costs that add up to the price tag of the goods. Freight costs also contribute much to the extra cost because since real food is not preserved using irradiation or artificial preservatives, it should arrive at the market sooner. And faster transport equals more costs to the supplier.

Know why organic food is better than traditional food. Get the answers at Organic Food Zen, plus get free organic food recipes and sample menus.

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5 Reasons Why Soda Is Bad for Your Health

By Danny Mitchell Ashton

Soda quenches your thirst and it gives you that cool feeling once you gulp down a few mouthfuls. Because they taste really nice, people consume more than they should. Have you heard that soda drinks can contribute to health problems to your body? You should have, as many medical experts have proved its harmful effects for so many years now.

You may feel distraught, but here are the facts to prove that soda is bad for your health

1. Sodacauses tooth decay.

Soda drinks can cause dental cavities. There is a higher risk if they are consumed regularly. Almost all soft drinks are highly concentrated with simple carbohydrates, sucrose, glucose and fructose. The presence of oral bacteria in your mouth ferments carbohydrates which are converted into acid.If it remains in contact with your teeth's surfaces, these acids cause the enamel to soften due to loss of minerals. As a result, tooth decay takes place. Children are at high risk of getting a lot of tooth decay.

2. Soda increases the risk of developing lifestyle diseases.

The use of sugar-sweetened beverages is related with lifestyle disorders, such as obesity, heart diseases and diabetes. Soda drinks could be one of the major factors in weight gain. One can of coke is loaded with 150 calories. The chief sweetener in soda is high fructose corn syrup, which is 42% percent glucose and 55% fructose.

Fructose is mainly processed in the liver, and is not regulated by insulin. When too much fructose enters the liver, it cannot be processed soon enough to be used as sugar for the body. Instead, it is converted into fats which are carried to the bloodstream in the form of triglycerides. If there are high concentrations of triglycerides, there is a very high risk of having a stroke.

3. Soda intensifies pre-existing illnesses.

Diabetes most often results from a very unhealthy diet, particularly one with too much soda intake. Glycemic index is a measurement used to check the effects of foods on blood glucose levels. Soda drinks have a 65 glycemic index which is remarkably high. When it is consumed, it rapidly increases blood sugar levels. Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, controls the supply of glucose in the blood. Continuous ingestion of sugar can weaken the pancreas and may fail to produce insulin, causing adverse effects to the body resulting in type 2 diabetes.

4. Soda induces anxiety and sleep disturbance.

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and produces certain side effects if higher doses are consumed. A can of soda drink actually contains 40 mg of caffeine, and if taken in excess amounts, it will affect the body's natural physiologic mechanisms leading to anxiety, sleep disturbance, irritability and insomnia.

5. Soda has a low nutritional value.

Soda drinks do not provide the essential nutrients that the body needs. They contain ingredients that are mostly made of artificial sweeteners that cause obesity, diabetes and hormonal imbalances.

Soda indeed quenches your thirst, and it does a great deal of satisfying your sugar cravings. However, frequent soda intake has a price, and your health will pay for it. Water is still the best fluid to take; even without a distinct taste, it does a perfectly good job of replenishing your body with fluids and electrolytes that not even a sip of your favorite soda can give.

Danny loves writing about High cholesterol foods at his blog. If you are worried about your cholesterol then you should also check out this article deadly cholesterol foods to see if there are foods you should be giving up.

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