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Why Healthy Food is Important

2010-08-09T05:10:18-07:00

Your body uses good healthy food to create the energy needed for you to move around, work and enjoy life. The fruits, vegetables, meats and fish that you eat on a regular basis all provide your body with what it needs through the nutrients they contain. Energy by definition is the ability to do work. Your body takes the foods you eat and breaks them down so that their stored energy can be used on a daily basis. The amount of energy that a food provides is measured in the number of calories that it contains. The more calories means the more energy available.

In addition to a certain amount of calories each day your body also requires a balanced variety of six different kinds of nutrients in order to function well. These provide the necessary energy and materials to help repair your body after an exercise session. You may have heard the term essential nutrients, but what are they? Basically these are the nutrients that your body cannot make for itself and need to come from eating good healthy food.

Water

We are made up of about 80% water. You can live a few days without eating, but you need water on a daily basis. Did you know that you continually lose water from your body when you breathe and sweat? Many people don’t realize that they lose water when they are sleeping at night. Here is a good health tip, drink one to two 8oz. glasses of water as soon as you wake up. You will start hydrating your body and give what it continually needs, water. Then spread out another six to eight glasses throughout the day to maintain a good water balance in your body.

Carbohydrates

Carbs as they are commonly called, along with fats are needed by your body to produce energy. One (1) gram of carbohydrates contain about four (4) calories. So if you are feeling tired, listless or irritable, it may be because you aren’t getting enough good healthy energy producing carbohydrates. Add some good vegetables and fruits to your daily diet plan and avoid the sugary drinks and candies. Yes they have carbohydrates in them, but in the form of sugars and they are not as good for your body as the fruits and vegetables are.

Fats

Fats are shunned by many people especially when they start dieting and are trying to lose weight. However, your body needs a certain amount of fats to function properly and maintain healthy skin, nails and hair. Also, one (1) gram of fat contains a whopping nine (9) calories. So don’t cut out all the fat in your diet, instead, switch from eating bad fat sources to good fat sources.

Proteins

Protein is a very important nutrient that many people do not get enough of. Protein can be used by the body as energy, one (1) gram of protein has four (4) calories. However, it serves a much more needed function by providing the necessary materials that your body needs to repair and heal itself, especially after a grueling workout. It is well known that if you are exercising regularly you need to take in good quality sources of protein to help recover from your workouts.

Here is something that most people don’t realize:

Your body uses fats to help properly breakdown proteins so they can be absorbed better. That is one of the reasons that low carb, high fat and protein diets are used by people trying to reduce their body fat. These type of diets work in the short term, but after a while those people become irritable and cranky because they cut out all carbohydrates. I know when I cut my carbs when I prepared for a bodybuilding contest, I would be moody and grumpy, but then on my cheat day my attitude improved.

Vitamins & Minerals

Your body needs an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals on a daily basis. These two nutrients work in your body to help in all its functions. Everyday functions such as moving around, thinking, healing sore muscles and injuries as well as helping to break down the carbs, fats and proteins you eat for energy all require vitamins and minerals. One of the best ways to make sure you get enough is to take a good multivitamin everyday.

So, in order to build and maintain a strong healthy energetic body, you need to eat good healthy food and drink water. Avoiding any one form of nutrients will through your body out of balance as well as affect your energy levels. Make sure you add enough water to your diet and balance out the amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins so you can live healthy, well and enjoy life.

Family Meals

2010-08-07T05:31:56-07:00

Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:

* more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grains
* less likely to snack on unhealthy foods
* less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol

In addition, family meals offer the chance to introduce kids to new foods and to act as a role model for healthy eating.

Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal — not surprising because they’re busy and want to be more independent. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents’ advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect. Also, consider trying these strategies:

* Allow your teen to invite a friend to dinner.
* Involve your teen in meal planning and preparation.
* Keep mealtime calm and congenial — no lectures or arguing.

What counts as a family meal? Any time you and your family eat together — whether it’s takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a child who’s at sports practice. It can also mean setting aside time on the weekends, such as Sunday brunch, when it may be more convenient to gather as a group.

Types of food

2010-08-09T05:00:12-07:00

In order to understand how we can enjoy greater health and wellbeing, we need to understand something about food. There are four essential groups of food. For health and wellbeing we require food from all the groups.

The purpose of this page is to stress that ALL four groups of food are essential to health and wellbeing. Even though we may be encouraged to eat less fat, this page stresses that the body requires at least some food from each of the groups every day.

Many foods contain more than one group of food, and milk contains all groups of food.

Food is often classified as:

1. Carbohydrate, including Fibre
2. Protein
3. Fat
4. Vitamins and Minerals

Carbohydrates are substances that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are used in the body to produce energy. They include sugars and starches. Carbohydrates are usually obtained from plant sources. They are broken down in the body to form glucose, and any that is not immediately required in stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. Plants use carbohydrates to build structures and store any excess as starch, whereas, animals use protein.to build structures and store any excess as fat.

Plants make carbohydrates from sunlight, water, chlorophyll, and carbon dioxide. We obtain them from plants, for example:

* cereals
* starchy roots
* legumes (pulses)
* vegetables and Fruits
* sugars, preserves and syrups

Carbohydrates are mainly used by the body to produce energy. Where there is a lack of energy, we might think of carbohydrates. The energy in the body is used for:

* External activities (behaviour), such as work, sport, leisure - that is any movement of the body.
* Internal activities including breathing, pumping blood, digestion and the activities of the immune system.

None-digestible carbohydrate (Fibre)

Fibre, or roughage, refers to the non-digestible carbohydrates in vegetables and to a lesser extent in fruit. Fibre may actually be ‘fibrous’, as in celery, or may be a powder, or, when mixed with water in the intestines, a jelly. Fibre provides:

* Bulk
* Lubrication, and
* Nutrition for friendly bacteria in the colon.

When fibre is combined with water, it swells up and provides bulk to the digestive system. This makes it easier for food to pass through the intestines. Food also passes through the digestive system faster, so that waste products are retained for less time in the body.

Some fibre has the effect of lubricating the contents of the intestines and, therefore, makes the food pass through easily and in a timely manner. The benefits here are the same as for bulk.

In addition, friendly bacteria in the colon feed on fibre and they are therefore nourished by it. By helping these friendly bacteria, we enable them to help us to digest food. Also, by giving them support, they are more able to exclude other, less friendly bacteria, from our colons.

Fibre is, therefore, necessary for a healthy and efficient digestive system.

Proteins

Proteins are composed, like carbohydrates, of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, but with nitrogen. They may also contain sulphur and phosphorus. They are complex molecules composed of amino acids.

Proteins are used by the body to:

* enable growth, development and repair.
* build structures such as muscles, tissues and organs, including the heart, lungs, digestive organs.
* enzymes, such as those required for digestion.
* hormones, such as those for the endocrine glands.

Proteins, therefore, are needed not only for obvious body structures, such as muscles, but also for the immune and digestive systems, etc.

Complete proteins are obtained from meat, fish and dairy products including eggs. Proteins can also be obtained from certain combinations of foods, for example, cereals and beans.

Fats and oils

Fats are substances that are not soluble in water. They are composed of fatty acids and glycerol. Fats are also called lipids.

Sources of fat include animal meat, fish, and vegetable oils. Fats are used by the body:

* In every cell structure.
* Especially to build nerves and brain. The brain is 40% fat.
* To insulate the body.
* To produce sex hormones and adrenal cortex hormone
* To produce cholesterol (essential for cell membranes and bile salts, for example).
* To absorb certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K).
* To store energy.

Fats have got themselves a bad name in recent times, yet they are an essential food. That is, the body requires its intake of fat every day for health and, especially, well being. Like the other groups of food, when the body does not get the fat it needs, then illness results.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins are substances that are required in the diet for health and wellbeing. They are often grouped as fat-soluble or water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamins C and B.

Minerals are non-organic substances that are required in the diet. While only small amounts of minerals are required in our diet, they are critical in building bones and teeth, regulating heartbeat and transporting oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.

Vitamins and minerals occur in a variety of foods. That is, by eating a variety of foods, you can get the necessary vitamins and minerals you need for health.

What Are The Best Fat-Burning Foods For Burning Body Fat?

2010-08-09T05:02:40-07:00

That depends on your definition of a “fat burning food.” When you say “fat burning food” or “foods that burn fat,” many people instantly think of exotic herbs, hot spices or foods like cayenne, chili pepper, mustard, cider vinegar, guarana, green tea, etc., which allegedly increase your metabolic rate.

It sounds like a diet gimmick, so you’re justified in being skeptical, but believe it or not, some of these purported fat burning foods actually have some science behind the claims.

For example, there is a slight thermogenic effect from capsaicin in hot pepper.

Well-controlled research has also proven that a compound in green tea called epigallo-catechin gallate (EGCG) gives a small but significant increase in 24 hour metabolic rate. It would take 3-4 strong cups of green tea to get the necessary amount, 270-300 mg of EGCG, or it can also be obtained from green tea extract supplements.

However, there is a catch. The fat burning (thermogenic) effect of these foods is real, but very small. A study published in the European Journal of clinical Nutrition found that a dose of hot pepper (in an amount that could be tolerated), only increased metabolism by 21 calories. Green tea extract fared a little better, but not much. Research from Switzerland found an average 24 hour increase in metabolism of 79 calories.

That’s not much. In fact, it’s controversial whether this short term (24 hour) increase in metabolism will have any impact on actual fat loss over time.

If you like Green tea, it’s extremely healthy, and I do recommend it as a beverage. And, if you like hot peppers and hot spicy foods (I do), by all means enjoy them - they can be quite nutritious - and they may give a tiny boost to your metabolism. Just don’t expect any fat loss miracles.

What WILL help you burn fat is a diet consisting of nutrient-dense, natural foods and putting together your meals to maximize satiety, while also choosing some of the foods that have a lower caloric density and a higher thermic effect of digestion. Let me explain…

Dietary Thermogenesis and the Thermic Effect Of Food

In reality, ALL foods are “thermogenic” because the body must use energy to digest them. This is known as the “thermic effect of food” (TEF) or “specific dynamic action of food.”

However, not all foods have the same thermic effect. Dietary fat has the lowest thermic effect. The most thermogenic food (my “favorite") is lean protein from solid foods, especially the following:

* chicken breast
* turkey breast
* game meats (venison, elk, etc)
* bison, buffalo
* very lean red meat such as top round and lean sirloin (grass fed is especially nutritious)
* almost all types of fish
* shellfish and other seafood
* egg whites (whole eggs in moderation)

Research has proven that the thermic effect of protein is the highest of all the macronutrients, requiring about 30% of the calories it contains, just for digestion and processing. An added bonus is that lean protein foods suppress your appetite!

This is one of the reasons that a fat loss diet calls for a lean protein food at every meal. It’s also no coincidence that bodybuilders are the leanest muscular athletes on earth. My entire fat loss program is based on these fat burning and muscle-friendly diet methods.

When you combine thermogenic lean protein foods with the right amounts and types of essential fats, add in plenty of green vegetables and just the right amount of natural starchy carbs and 100% whole grains, your body will literally turn into a turbo-charged fat burning machine - without drugs, supplements or weird diet gimmicks.

Best Foods for Kids

2010-08-09T04:58:47-07:00

Although you don’t want to get in the habit of forcing your kids to eat foods they don’t like or make them “clean” their plates, there are lots of healthy foods kids like. Parents often overlook these healthy foods and go straight to what they think are more “kid-friendly foods,” such as hot dogs, pizza, french fries, chicken nuggets, juice and soda.

Your kids would be much better off learning to avoid those types of high-calorie, high-fat foods with foods that are high in fiber, low in fat and have calcium, iron and other vitamins and minerals, including these healthful foods that most kids love:
Milk
“Milk is a great way to get calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein in your child’s diet."Photo by Digital Vision/Getty Images

It often seems like toddlers and preschoolers just can’t get enough milk, but as they get older, many kids start to drink less and less milk. This probably isn’t because they develop a distaste for milk, but rather because so many other drinks, including soda, fruit drinks and too much fruit juice, become available at home.

Milk is a good source of calcium, vitamin D and protein for kids and should be a part of every child’s diet — unless they have a milk allergy. In fact, depending on their age, most kids should drink between 2 to 4 glasses of milk (low-fat milk if they are at least 2 years old) each day, especially if they aren’t eating or drinking any other high-calcium foods.

Why and How People Eat

2010-08-07T05:29:17-07:00

All humans eat to survive. They also eat to express appreciation, for a sense of belonging, as part of family customs, and for self-realization. For example, someone who is not hungry may eat a piece of cake that has been baked in his or her honor.

People eat according to learned behaviors regarding etiquette, meal and snack patterns, acceptable foods, food combinations, and portion sizes. Etiquette refers to acceptable behaviors. For example, for some groups it is acceptable to lick one’s fingers while eating, while for other groups this is rude behavior. Etiquette and eating rituals also vary depending on whether the meal is formal, informal, or special (such as a meal on a birthday or religious holiday).

A meal is usually defined as the consumption of two or more foods in a structured setting at a set time. Snacks consist of a small amount of food or beverage eaten between meals. A common eating pattern is three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) per day, with snacks between meals. The components of a meal vary across cultures, but generally include grains, such as rice or noodles; meat or a meat substitute, such as fish, beans, or tofu ; and accompaniments, such as vegetables. Various food guides provide suggestions on foods to eat, portion sizes, and daily intake. However, personal preferences, habits, family customs, and social setting largely determine what a person consumes.

What and how people eat is determined by a variety of factors, including economic circumstances, cultural norms, and religious restrictions. Here, an Iranian family sits on the floor and eats from a cloth laden with regional delicacies.
[Photograph by Earl and Nazima Kowall. Corbis. Reproduced by permission.]
What People Eat

In each culture there are both acceptable and unacceptable foods, though this is not determined by whether or not something is edible. For example, alligators exist in many parts of the world, but they are unacceptable as food by many persons. Likewise, horses, turtles, and dogs are eaten (and even considered a delicacy) in some cultures, though they are unacceptable food sources in other cultures. There are also rules concerning with whom it is appropriate to eat. For example, doctors in a health facility may eat in areas separate from patients or clients.
Obtaining, Storing, Using, and Discarding Food

Humans acquire, store, and discard food using a variety of methods. People may grow, fish, or hunt some of their food, or they may purchase most of it from supermarkets or specialty stores. If there is limited access to energy sources, people may store small amounts of foods and get most of what they eat on a day-to-day basis. In homes with abundant space and energy, however, people purchase food in bulk and store it in freezers, refrigerators, and pantries. In either case there must also be proper disposal facilities to avoid environmental and health problems.
Exposure to Foods

There are innumerable flavors and food combinations. A liking for some flavors or food combinations is easily acceptable, but others must develop or be learned. Sweetness is a universally acceptable flavor, but a taste for salty, savory, spicy, tart, bitter, and hot flavors must be learned. The more a person is exposed to a food—and encouraged to eat it—the greater the chances that the food will be accepted. As the exposure to a food increases, the person becomes more familiar and less fearful of the food, and acceptance may develop. Some persons only eat specific foods and flavor combinations, while others like trying different foods and flavors.
Influences on Food Choices

There are many factors that determine what foods a person eats. In addition to personal preferences, there are cultural, social, religious, economic, environmental, and even political factors.
Individual Preferences.

Every individual has unique likes and dislikes concerning foods. These preferences develop over time, and are influenced by personal experiences such as encouragement to eat, exposure to a food, family customs and rituals, advertising, and personal values. For example, one person may not like frankfurters, despite the fact that they are a family favorite.

The Truth About Food and Your Weight

2011-03-09T21:55:07-07:00

Any way you cut it, the average American is overweight. There are many factors that have led us to this point, but our nutrition is certainly one of the big ones. That being said, there is some serious incorrect hype regarding food.

Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry. Companies make piles of money selling diets programs. This creates confusion for the average person as each diet touts one type of food while bashing another. Let’s debunk some of the myths.

Whatever you do, definitely don’t eat that. Wait, says another weight loss guru, do eat it. A body builder can tell you the stark truth. The issue is calories, not what you eat. Eat fewer calories than you expend and you will lose weight.

That being said, the type of food you eat is important. Why? Certain foods have low caloric counts and you have to eat a huge amount to gain weight. Carrots, grapefruit, celery and lettuce are all examples of such food.

Eat your last meal before five in the afternoon and you will lose weight. That’s the old folks tale. It isn’t accurate. The issue is what you eat, not when and the total amount of calories you take in during a 24 hour period.

Weight Loss - What Is The Best Way To Lose Weight?

2010-08-09T05:05:06-07:00

The best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. Experts suggest aiming for a weight loss goal of about a pound a week.

1. Set Realistic Goals The first step to weight loss is setting a realistic goal. By using a BMI chart and consulting with your health care provider, you can determine what a healthy weight is for you. To reach your goal safely, plan to lose weight gradually. A weight loss of one-half to two pounds a week is usually safe.

2. Change Your Lifestyle To be successful at losing weight, you need to change your lifestyle and not just go on a diet. This requires cutting back on the number of calories you eat by eating smaller amounts of foods and choosing foods lower in calories. It also means being more physically active.

3. Change Your Eating Habits Consider limiting portion sizes, especially of foods high in calories, such as cookies, cakes and other sweets; fried foods, like fried chicken and french fries; and fats, oils, and spreads. Keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol as low as possible. Choose foods naturally high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes (such as beans and lentils), and whole grains. The high fiber content of many of these foods may help you to feel full with fewer calories.

4. Increase Your Physical Activity Most health experts recommend a combination of a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight loss. Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial. And some studies show that short sessions of exercise several times a day are just as effective at burning calories and improving health as one long session. To lose weight and to maintain a healthy weight after weight loss, many people need to do more than 30 minutes of moderate to intensive physical activity daily. Walking is an excellent form of physical activity that almost everyone can do.

5. Summary Successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. If you set sensible goals for yourself, chances are you’ll be more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off. A lifestyle based on healthy eating and regular physical activity is the best way to lose weight permanently.

Healthy Work Environments

2011-03-13T00:54:33-07:00

The competing demands of work, family and/or personal responsibilities often mean less time or energy for health prevention behaviours like physical activity. These pressures often lead to other physical and emotional health issues such as unhealthy eating, tobacco use and substance use. A healthy work environment can enhance the health and well-being of employees and benefit the community as a whole.

Realistic Approach to Weight Loss

2011-03-13T00:59:04-07:00

Many people who are overweight or obese have decided not to diet per se, but to concentrate on engaging in regular physical activity and maintaining healthy eating habits in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing lowered fat consumption, and an increase in vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Others who try to diet report needing help to achieve their weight management goals.

Fad diets that ignore the principles of the Dietary Guidelines may result in short term weight loss, but may do so at the risk of your health. How you go about managing your weight has a lot to do with your long-term success. Unless your health is seriously at risk due to complications from being overweight or obese, gradual weight loss should be your rule — and your goal.