Healthy Mind In Healthy Body

Few Ideas On Natural Antioxidants

Healthy living guy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:28:27 +0000

It’s no secret that antioxidants are incredibly beneficial to good health. It’s believed the antioxidants in food can help prevent cancer, reverse or slow aging, enhance your immune system, increase your energy and improve heart and other organ health. Given all we know about antioxidants and their beneficial properties, it’s amazing more people don’t get enough fruits and vegetables, the primary sources of antioxidants.

Experts recommend a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, but say getting 7-10 servings is best. There are several ways to getting more antioxidants into your diet.

* Breakfast – Breakfast doesn’t have to be a hurried toaster tart on the way out the door. Throw some strawberries, 100% juice and yogurt into a blender; pour your delicious mixture into a cup and head out the door. You’ve just added one to three servings of fruits to your daily intake. Or throw some berries onto your cold or hot cereal.

* Snacks – Here’s an easy way to get more antioxidants in your diet. How about a handful of raisins for a snack, or some fresh red grapes? Dip some strawberries in yogurt. You’ll feel decadent, but the berries provide the color you’re looking for. Need crunch? How about some baby carrots dipped in hummus? Consider a handful of pecans for crunch and a nice antioxidant boost.

* Lunch and dinner – It might sound trite, but adding a salad to each of your main daily meals can add loads to your overall health and well-being. They don’t have to be boring, and they don’t have to be just salad greens. If you’re going classic, add some red pepper slices to your green salad, some tomatoes to the Greek salad, or tart cranberries to your field greens. Whip up a broccoli salad for lunch, or be adventurous and mix up a rice salad with a mélange of fresh vegetables like string beans, tomatoes, peppers and red onions.

* Dessert – Berries, with or without whipped cream or chocolate are a wonderful way to end your day of healthy, antioxidant-rich eating.

* Beverages – Replace your soda with tea or coffee, both of which boast antioxidant compounds. Have a glass of wine with dinner, or for a real change of pace, pour a glass of chai tea.

* Think outside the box – We know we can get our antioxidant fix from berries, salads and the like, but researchers say powerful antioxidants can also be found in a variety of unexpected foods, like russet potatoes, artichokes, and small red beans. The beans, in fact, may have more antioxidant power than blueberries, experts say. So to your rice salad full of vegetables, add some beans for even more antioxidants.

* Cook lightly – You think you’re being good, preparing vegetables each night for your family’s dinner. But if you’re overcooking the vegetables, you’re cooking out a lot of the beneficial properties of the antioxidants. Steam (don’t boil) vegetables, and stop cooking them when they will have all of their bright color and most of their bite.

* Plant a garden – Experts believe that people who plant and harvest vegetables from their own yards are far more likely to eat more vegetables and fruits than people who buy their produce from the store. So plant a garden, watch it grow and eat the fruits (literally) of your labor.

* Take your healthy diet on vacation – Too many of us consider going on vacation an opportunity to take a vacation from everything, including healthy eating. Think of vacation as a way to be introduced to new foods. Order an interesting vegetable dish in a restaurant and then pay attention to how the chef prepared the dish.

* Learn to cook – If you’re cooking, you’re not opening bags and boxes. Cooking involves scrubbing and peeling vegetables, preparing whole foods and paying attention to how things are cooked. If you’re ordering out every night, you’re far less likely to be eating the whole foods and natural fruits and vegetables that provide the base for our antioxidant intake.

For more information visit my website, “Weight Loss Secrets Revealed”, where you can find detailed documentation on healthy lifestyle. Sign up for my newsletter and you will receive a lot of tips and gifts related on how to lose weight naturally.

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Top 10 Foods For Healthy Eating

Healthy living guy — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:56:23 +0000

Healthy eating and physical fitness go together, but there are no magic foods that cause you to be one hundred percent healthy by just eating the one food. No, you need a variety of foods from each of these food groups each day. It’s also important to watch the portion size so as not to overeat. Make your mealtimes pleasant and relaxed occasions and your healthy foods will work effectively with your healthy emotions to give you a healthy body.

* Berries – You may like all types of berries or just one or two favorites, but you can never go wrong by adding a few fresh berries as a quick energy snack or frozen berries made into a luscious smoothie in place of calorie laden desserts. Berries are high in vitamin C across the board, but some are high in other nutrients as well. Choose ripe blueberries for vitamin C and heaps of anti-oxidants for the health of your circulatory system.

* Citrus – The fruits of the citrus family are widely recognized as a valuable source of vitamin C. Choose fully ripe citrus fruits for the best nutritional value and choose citrus as near to the tree as possible. Tree ripened fruits picked at the peak of perfection and consumed with hours of picking give you the top nutritional rating.

* Vegetables – The variety of vegetables is amazing. Your vegetable group provides many of the minerals required in a good diet. For example, potassium is necessary for healthy nutrition. Many people claim the benefits of potassium found in a single banana. But did you know, you can also get adequate potassium in your diet by eating a stalk of broccoli? Try a salad of fresh young spinach topped with pine nuts, feta cheese and a light vinaigrette dressing to create the perfect light luncheon meal.

* Whole Grains – Like many other of the best foods, choosing only one type of whole grain for your meals doesn’t provide all the variety you need to be nutritionally sound. Often, mixing two or more whole grains together will give you complete proteins. For example, brown rice and wheat kernels with a spicy seasoning are a popular dish in many countries.

* Salmon – Salmon is lean fish and nutritionally one of the best fish choices. It is rich in Omega-3 oils that are noted as helping improve the functioning of the brain. Salmon baked whole with just lemon or lime as a seasoning makes a fantastic main dish or a hearty luncheon featured menu item.

* Legumes – A legume is the name for a variety of fruits with a single dry seed. Legumes are sometimes called pods. Examples of edible legumes are soybeans, peas, dried beans and peanuts, among others. Legumes are rich in iron and high in fiber, making them excellent nutritional choices.

* Nuts and seeds – Nature has packed a lot of goodness into small packages. Most everyone has heard of walnuts and pecans which are very good nutritional products, but nt everyone knows that flax seeds are brain food containing critical non-meat sources of the Omega-3 oil.

* Lean proteins – The keyword here is lean. Americans eat far too much protein compared to the rest of the world. Cut down of portion sizes, three ounces will provide all the needed protein needed for your day. Also, trim all visible fat from your protein source. Alternatively, use non meat substitutes such as the complete proteins found in vegetable dishes like beans and brown rice.

* Tea – Depending on the type of tea you prefer, you can get an energy boost from a cup of green tea, or the calming effect of chamomile tea. Get going with mint teas or start your day with Earl Grey Breakfast Tea. Herbal teas are soothing, tasty and good for you. Non herbal teas will help you to stay alert when you need help to function.

* Olive oil – Olive oil is probably the healthiest substance you can use to keep fat in your diet. You can use it on your salad, mix it with a little vinegar to create your own, or fry other foods in the hot oil. Just make sure that the temperature is not too hot so that the oil is broken down.

Few Ideas On Healthy Eating

Healthy living guy — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:27:08 +0000

Before jumping into a diet, you must determine your ideal weight. This will be your guide on your weight loss journey. “Fast” weight loss doesn’t imply that you drop 50 pounds overnight. A few pounds can take months to shed and for obese individuals, it can take years to lose the desired amount of weight. How fast you lose weight will depend on how focused you are on your diet. Here are some simple steps to help you lose weight:

* Before dieting, you must know how many calories you normally need in a day. If you are sedentary, multiply your weight (in pounds) by fifteen. If you are moderately active, multiply your weight by seventeen. If you are active, multiply your weight by twenty. This will give you the average calorie intake you need per day.

* Remember to eat your fruits and veggies! You need at least five servings of them per day. Doing this will put you on the right track to a healthy body, because fruits and vegetables have beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They also fill up your stomach fast so that you don’t overeat and take into many calories.

* Monitor the quantity of food you eat. Avoid high-calorie foods and eat in small portions. A helpful tip is to chew your food slowly because this makes digestion easy and you will also be less likely to overeat.

* Don’t skip meals. When you want to lose weight it may be tempting to starve yourself, but eating small amounts of food frequently can help you maintain a healthy, balanced calorie intake throughout the day. Also, your blood sugar level will be adversely affected if you don’t eat often. You can even divide the standard allotment of three meals into five or six smaller meals.

* Fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal. Packaged and processed foods have high sodium and fat content. You are more likely to lose weight if you eat naturally fresh foods.

* Don’t limit your food intake too much. Go ahead and indulge yourself, eat your favorite treat. It’s okay to have that slice of birthday cake at the occasional party. Just make sure to eat in moderation and use those special desserts as rewards, instead of enemies, to your weight loss experience.

* Don’t always believe everything you read on a food label. “Fat free” does not necessarily mean low calories. The same wisdom goes for foods that boast “low sugar” or “low carbs.” Glance over the nutrition label, there you’ll find the calorie count.

* Try to limit the number of juices and sugary beverages you drink. Instead, drink eight glasses water a day, this flushes out your body’s toxins and waste.

* If possible, keep a food journal. This will help you keep track of your calorie intake and will be a daily reminder of the types of foods you need.

* Don’t forget to exercise! Thirty to sixty minutes of physical activity a day will ensure your health and help you lose weight (and not to mention, firm up those muscles). Weight-bearing exercises are especially great ways to burn those pesky calories.

Few Small Steps To A Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy living guy — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 20:02:06 +0000

Many of us make health-related resolutions, such as to lose weight, stop smoking or join the neighborhood health club. While it is common to set high goals, experts say that setting smaller goals could do more for our health. Small steps are achievable and are easier to fit into your daily routine. They are less overwhelming than a big, sudden change. Here you have few small steps you can try:

* Stop gaining weight – Even if you gain just a pound or two every year, the extra weight adds up quickly.

* Take more small steps – Use a pedometer to count your daily steps; then add 2,000, the equivalent of one extra mile. Keep adding steps, 1,000 to 2,000 each month or so, until you take 10,000 steps on most days.

* Eat breakfast – Breakfast eaters tend to weigh less and have better diets overall. For a filling and nutrition-packed breakfast, top Whole Grain Total® with fresh fruit slices and low-fat or fat-free milk.

* Switch three grain servings each day to whole grain – If you’re like the average American, you eat less than one whole grain serving a day.

* Have at least one green salad every day – Eating a salad (with low-fat or fat-free dressing) is filling and may help you eat less during the meal. It also counts toward your five daily cups of vegetables and fruits.

* Trim the fat – Fat has a lot of calories, and calories count. Purchase lean meats, eat poultry without the skin, switch to lower-fat cheeses, use a nonstick pan with only a dab of oil or butter.

* Consider calcium by including two or three daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt – Dairy calcium is good for bones and may also help you lose weight.

* Downsize – The smaller the bag, bottle or bowl, the less you will eat.

* Lose just 5 to 10 percent of your current weight – The health benefits are huge-lower blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides.

* Keep track of your eating – Write down what you eat over the next couple of days and look for problem spots. Often, just writing things down can help you eat less.

Few Real Life Tips On Losing Weight Naturally

Healthy living guy — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:13:42 +0000

Are you tired of diet tips handed out by someone with apparently unlimited income and time? For some of us, it may just not be practical to spend half of our Sunday preparing carefully portioned meals for the rest of the week, or financially feasible to buy all our meals prepackaged in just the right portions. And there are those of us who cringe at the thought of weighing food to achieve ‘optimal portion sizes’. Here are few real life diet tips for the rest of us.

* Eating out? Restaurant portions tend to be enormous, and if it’s on the plate, we tend to eat it. If it’s possible, order from the kid’s menu, where portions are more reasonably sized.

* Keep healthy snacks around and easily accessible – A bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, a container of celery or carrot sticks in the refrigerator, or a couple of pop-open cans of fruit salad in your desk at work will help you grab for something healthy when those first hunger pains begin. In other words, you’ll be more likely to grab something low-calorie and good for you if it’s easy to eat.

* Substitute frozen vegetables for canned – Canned veggies tend to be high in sodium, which you don’t need, and low in real nutrition, which you do. Buy economy size bags with zip closures to make it easy to pour out a single serving for a meal.

* Buy a vegetable steamer – Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook vegetables. The food retains nearly all of its natural nutrients instead of leaching it out into the cooking water. Even better, it makes your veggies taste great, which means you’ll be more likely to eat them instead of filling up on fatty foods that pack on weight.

* Never eat standing up – One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to ‘eat without thinking’. Treat eating with the respect that it deserves. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You’ll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention.

* Spread your meals out – When you eat three meals a day, your body tends to store whatever it doesn’t need right that moment. By adopting a ‘grazing’ habit, you’ll keep your metabolism working throughout the day. Have a small breakfast, a piece of fruit with crackers or toast at mid-morning, a light lunch and an ‘after school snack’ mid-afternoon. Just remember that you’re breaking up the same amount of food into smaller meals, not adding more food into your daily diet.

* Grab a fruit juice or flavored water instead of soda – Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of 100% fruit juice, or water flavored with a spritz of fruit.

* Drink water – Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right. When you’re dieting, you should drink even more. It’s not just that full feeling, water helps your body digest foods properly and cleans out your system.

* Can’t afford a gym membership? – Make a pact with friends to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active.

* Skip the potato chips – Fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips contribute fat and calories and not much else. Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit.

Review On Weight Loss Pills Ingredients

Healthy living guy — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:45:23 +0000

Looking for help with losing weight? Help that goes beyond the usual lifestyle changes, portion control advice and exercise routines? Weight-loss supplements touting names like “fat burner” and “thermo max” can be enticing. But do they work? And even more important, in the wake of the Food and Drug Administration’s recent ban on ephedra, are they safe?

In this article, Environmental Nutrition provides a snapshot of 10 of the most popular ingredients currently in supplements for weight loss.

* Chitosan – Made from the shells of lobsters, shrimp and other shellfish, chitosan is an indigestible fiber. It is supposed to help weight loss by binding with the fat you eat, blocking its absorption. However, studies do not support this claim. Side effects include constipation and gas. People with shellfish allergies should beware.

* Chromium – Most often present as chromium picolinate, it has been promoted to boost lean mass and decrease body fat. Though study findings have been inconclusive, an analysis of several studies recently concluded that supplementing with 200 to 400 micrograms of chromium picolinate could result in about a 2.5-pound weight loss per week in some people. Other studies have found a loss of body fat and an increase in muscle tissue, with no change in weight. Still others have found no effect at all. Though some laboratory studies have raised safety issues, a large number of human studies suggest it is safe.

* Citrus Aurantium (Bitter Orange) – This herbal extract is a natural source of synephrine (a compound similar to ephedrine) and the supplement industry’s current answer to the ephedra ban. But there are no published studies to show it is an effective supplement for weight loss. And like ephedra, its side effects include an increase in blood pressure. Environmental Nutrition recommends avoiding it.

* Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – Both animal and human research hints at a possible role for CLA in reducing body fat and increasing lean body mass, but it’s not quite ready for prime time. None of the human studies have been long-term. CLA is currently being studied in combination with chromium picolinate. CLA is found naturally in dairy foods and beef and is generally considered safe.

* Garcinia Cambogia – The extract from Garcinia Cambogia fruit rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which supposedly curbs food intake, weight gain and storage of excess calories as fat. However, studies have failed to prove G. Cambogia is an effective weight-loss aid. The most common side effects are upper respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms.

*Guarana – Caffeine is the effective ingredient in guarana plant seeds. Guarana may have a mild appetite suppressant effect over the short term. It was often used in combination with ephedra until ephedra was banned. The potential side effects are those of caffeine overdose, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety or panic.

* Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) – HMB is a natural byproduct of the breakdown of the amino acid leucine. HMB supplements are used by body builders in hopes of increasing muscle mass. A few small studies have suggested that HMB increases lean mass and decreases body fat when combined with weight training. However, studies with overweight and obese people are needed.

* Plantago Psyllium – Psyllium is a water-soluble fiber from Plantago ovato seeds. Taken before a meal, it may make you feel full, causing you to eat less. While it is proved to aid constipation (that’s how Metamucil works), it has not been proved as an effective weight-loss aid.

* Pyruvate – Pyruvate formulas boast that they stimulate metabolism and reduce body fat. Pyruvate is found naturally in food and in the body as a result of the breakdown of carbohydrates and protein. Some studies have shown a weight-loss benefit with pyruvate supplements. But the people in the studies also exercised and cut back on calories. Moreover, the dosage used in the studies was high, requiring a handful of tablets each day. Experts say the case for pyruvate to aid weight loss is weak.

* Yerba mate – Brewed into a tea, bitter Yerba mate is high in caffeine. Used in combination with other caffeine-containing herbs, like guarana and damiana, it was found in one study to delay stomach emptying time and aid weight loss. The study was short (45 days), so conclusions on keeping the weight off cannot be made.

The Bottom Line: Though all are relatively expensive and none are proved, of these top popular weight-loss contenders, chromium picolinate and CLA are probably the most studied. If you’ve already made up your mind to go the supplement route, don’t expect miracles and check with your doctor first. My personal advice, stick to the traditional weight loss, a healthy eating system and exercise.

Few Easy Ideas On Cholesterol Control

Healthy living guy — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:55:29 +0000

Do you have high cholesterol and need to lower it? That is no surprise considering how many people have high cholesterol these days. To help lower your cholesterol, here are 10 tips you can get started with today. As with anything health related, diet and exercise are the two crucial components. What you eat is critical to lowering your cholesterol levels, so that is what is included here. One thing you should know is the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol. Simply think of HDL as “healthy” and LDL as “lousy.” HDL can actually help carry cholesterol out of your blood vessels while LDL allows it to deposit inside your artery walls.

The good news is that you can change your cholesterol for the better. Here is how to do just that:

* Have a nice sandwich on whole wheat bread or a pita with some lean turkey and lots of fresh veggies. Skip the hot dogs, bologna, and salami, and hold the Mayo. All of those are highly processed and filled with fat and cholesterol.

* Fish, like salmon, is good. Look for wild red salmon varieties, which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids (good fat.) Also, flax seed is a good source of Omega-3s.

* Avoid Trans fats! Not only do they raise the lousy LDL cholesterol, they can also lower your HDL levels! Stay away from foods like margarine, shortening, and processed foods containing partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

* Go ahead, go nuts! Look for walnuts mainly but also try almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, and pecans. Nuts are high in fat, but it’s the good kind. (Also, use natural peanut butter instead of the normal kind which contains unhealthy Trans fats).

* Limit desserts and try to eat only the healthier ones like angel food cake, graham crackers, Jell-O, and fat-free frozen yogurt.

* Eat foods that are high in fiber. Examples include whole wheat bread, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and some cereals. (Look for the boxes that say “may help lower cholesterol”).

* Use the grill. If you’re going to have steak or burgers, grill them at home and use lean meat. This practice avoids the grease, is fun, and the meat tastes great.

* Find a new salad dressing. Most of them are full of Trans fats and cholesterol. Olive oil is good, and maybe add vinegar or lemon juice. Also, skip the bacon bits, croutons, and egg yolks.

* Go overboard on fruits and vegetables. They contain no cholesterol and they have lots of nutrients like antioxidants. Here are some examples: green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges, mangos, papaya, pineapple, tomato, garlic, onions, spinach, water chestnuts, bananas, apricots, blueberries, and kiwi.

* Avoid fast food like french fries and anything else from the deep fryer. Those foods will raise your cholesterol like crazy, so stay away from the burger joints if you can.

Bonus tip: Use spices like pepper and oregano to add flavor to your dishes. They are a healthy alternative to other toppings like Mayo. That was easy, wasn’t it? Just make some of these changes and get plenty of exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, or playing basketball. You will have lower cholesterol in no time!

Few Unhealthy Diet Rules

Healthy living guy — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:25:54 +0000

There are actually diet rules out there that are meant to be broken? Yes, recently many dated diet guidelines and myths are up for speculation. You’ve probably heard all these silly rules before, but experts weigh-in on the worthiness of these supposed truisms, most of which won’t help you lose weight or make dieting any easier. You should check very well all the requirements of any kind of diet. Here you have few unhealthy diet rules you can ignore:

* Eating at night will pile on the pounds. The total calories you consume over a 24-hour period or over a week is what causes you to gain weight, and when you eat these calories doesn’t matter.

* It’s best to eat at the same times every day. Eat when you’re hungry, not when the clock says it’s time to eat.

* Dieting with a buddy always makes weight loss easier. Common goals may pay off but weight loss is a personal journey.

* Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you’ll eat less. Fat does take longer to digest, but it will not help you control your appetite. Foods likely to fight off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats.

* When you blow your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track. Nothing could be farther from the truth, always try to get right back on track with your next meal.

* Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude. Turning down food that you know will blow your diet is socially acceptable.

* Skipping a meal every now and then will help you lose weight. Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat. This can also help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism.

* Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening. Whole-wheat bread/pasta is a great source of nutrients, and it won’t make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

* All calories are equal. This is somewhat true, however; you’ll get more nutrients from a 100-calorie apple than from a 100-calorie portion of white bread. Choose healthier items if you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger.

* If you don’t clean your plate, you’re wasting food. If you just don’t feel right leaving the table until you’ve cleaned your plate, underestimate your hunger and put less food on your plate to begin with, or you may overeat.

Don’t believe everything you hear! Much of it is just superstition. Now you can tell your friends the real truth. In the end, nutrition experts say, many of the food and dieting rules we hold dear are meant to be broken, without guilt!

Top Healthy Foods For Your Children

Healthy living guy — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:34:34 +0000

Have you ever wondered what foods should you feed your kid to control their health and weight? This is not an easy task, considering that nowadays pizza, fast food and McDonalds are the trend of the new generations. However, it is your duty to guide them, to show them what means healthy eating and to take care that they are following indeed the concepts of a healthy lifestyle. Here is a list of the top seven healthiest foods to feed your kid and why it’s so healthy:

* Oatmeal – A fabulous breakfast food, full of B vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium. Old-fashioned oatmeal offers plenty of carbohydrate for quick energy and high fiber. Add berries and honey to make it a delicious perfect food for those fast-paced school day mornings!

* Yogurt – Kick your child’s dairy consumption up a notch and include yogurt on the menu. A great source of calcium, yogurt is easier to digest than regular milk, and the cultures (check the label to make sure they’re in there!) are very beneficial to good colon health. Watch it on the sugar content though. A great idea is to buy plain yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit!

* Broccoli – It is one of the best vegetables for anyone, especially growing kids. It has loads of calcium, potassium, beta-carotene and a wide variety of the B vitamins. If your child is not a fan of plain vegetables include broccoli in a casserole or put a little shredded cheese on top to add flavor.

* Protein – One size does not fit all when it comes to protein. The fact is that growing kids need protein to keep growing. How you’re going to give it to them can vary widely, according to your preferences. Good choices include legumes, beans (combined with a grain to make a complete protein), soy products like tofu, eggs or lean meat, fish or poultry.

* Whole Grains – The best nutrition is found in whole grains. Brown rice and whole wheat bread are a quantum leap over their white counterparts and offer necessary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Choose grain products with the words “whole”, “unbleached” and “intact” or “ground”.

* Nut Butters – Peanut butter and other nut butters are great fast and easy foods for kids. Kids need fat (it’s a good fat if it doesn’t have hydrogenated oils mixed in it) and they need the protein. Try spreading almond or sunflower seed butter on crackers, toast or celery sticks for a quick and nutritious snack.

* Fresh Fruit – My personal choice would be cantaloupe in the melon department. Vitamin C, beta-carotene, bits and pieces of B vitamins and trace minerals and calcium fill every juicy bite. Any in season fresh fruit is sure to be packed with healthy goodness!

Top Diseases Caused By Obesity

Healthy living guy — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:06:02 +0000

Losing weight is no longer an issue you can afford to procrastinate, and probably a good health scare is in order. Obesity is the second leading cause of death after smoking. It is associated with an increased mortality rate of all ages including children. Losing weight though commercialized is still to your benefit if you carry more weight than you should.

Obesity and overweight are term often used interchangeably. However, technically they refer to two different states. Being overweight technically means excess body mass. This includes all the body tissues. Obesity on the other hand refers explicitly to excess body fat e.g. a professional heavy weight body builder is overweight because of excess muscles but is not obese. Obesity is what should concern you. Here are few reason for losing weight:

* Diabetes – It is well known that 80 -90% of type-two-diabetes patients are overweight. Diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the world, as well as the leading cause of adult blindness in the world. One of the direct causes of obesity is eating wrong foods. Some of these wrong foods include high glycemic foods, that quickly increase the level of blood glucose in your body after been eaten. Type-Two-diabetes occurs because the body cannot produce enough insulin to remove the excess blood glucose and store it as body fat. This will occur after straining insulin production for some time. And that’s how you end up being fat and diabetic.

* Stroke – Obesity is associated with arteriosclerosis, the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries through out your body. This makes them narrow slowing blood flow and among other things increases risk of the blood clotting. Arteries at risk include those supplying blood to the brain. If clotting occurs due to narrowed artery, it blocks blood supply to an area of the brain resulting to stroke. Losing weight reduces this risk.

* Cancer – The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates between 25% – 33% of cancer world wide are overweight and physical inactivity related. Body fat evidently promotes higher levels of insulin production and excess estrogens, a hormone. Both insulin and estrogens accelerate cell division. As research has indicated, the faster cells duplicate the more they increase chances of a cancerous cell developing. The situation is further complicated as the rapid cell division caused by the excess hormones lead also to rapid cell reproduction of the one cancerous cell, hence cancer starts to develop actively. Types of cancers you will be at high risk to get include: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, renal cell cancer, etc.

* Respiratory problems – Obesity causes lungs to “become smaller” in size and chest wall become heavier to lift in the process of breathing in. The most common respiratory problem is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where by an individual stops breathing for some time while asleep. A soft tissue in the throat collapses around the air way probably due to weight, blocking it. Losing weight would be the only permanent safe and healthy solution to sleep apnea.

* Urinary Incontinence – This is involuntary release of urine. Being overweight can contribute to urinary incontinence. A heavy abdomen due to body fat deposit may cause valve of urinary bladder to be weakened. The weight also exerts pressure on the urinary bladder, trying to push urine out. This results to leakage of urine when coughing, sneezing or laughing. This is because of a slight relaxation of the bladder valve that normally will not result to leakage. It can even result to bed wetting at night. This particular problem can be a very effective motivator to lose weight.

* Varicose veins – Also known as Venous Stratis Disease. The leg and thigh muscles assist the heart in blood circulation just like most large muscles in the body. They are involved in pumping blood against gravity back to the heart with the help of valves that close to avoid a backward flow. Pressure as a result of a large abdomen may increase the work load on the valves eventually causing damage. Damaged valves then allow for blood to back up, due to gravity, causing high pressure in these veins leading to swelling, thickening of skin and skin ulcers.

* High Blood Pressure – The BMI (Body Mass Index) and age together are the strongest indicator of risk of hypertension or high blood pressure. At least a third of hypertension is related to obesity.

Other diseases which may occur as a result of being overweight include gout, coronary heart disease, lower back pains, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gall stones, pregnancy disorders, impaired immune response, liver disease, pancreatitis, bad body smell, depression, etc.

Research shows that even modest weight loss of even 10 pound for the overweight significantly reduces the risk of developing these diseases. Weight loss is in fact a challenge taken by many every year. Unfortunately many fail in this healthy endeavor. And all because of one thing; they lack proper information on effective weight loss. Effective weight loss is permanent, and a permanent weight loss depends fundamentally on you.