How to Start Eating Healthy

To be able to eat healthy, you need to understand what the body needs to stay healthy and functional. Your body needs food for three main reasons. Firstly as fuel, to keep us warm and supply the energy we need to stay alive and to move about and work. Secondly, food supplies the necessary materials for growth and to repair worn tissues. Thirdly we need vitamins, minerals and other substances that are necessary for the chemical processes that take place inside our bodies.
The energy supplied by food is measured as kilojoules. Two-thirds of this energy is used to maintain our normal body temperature, the normal tone of our muscles and to keep our heart and other vital organs functional and healthy. Even when we stay in bed all day we will still need about two-thirds of our normal food intake to maintain our metabolic systems. Normal activities such as getting dressed, eating, walking, working and playing requires about 3350 kilojoules. A housewife uses about 9200 kilojoules to perform her basic household tasks.
The harder we work and the more we move about the more kilojoules we use up. Whatever kilojoules we use up in our daily activities, is supplied by food, but if we consume more kilojoules / food than the body needs you will gain mass. The aim of Eating Healthy is to get the balance right.
If you are NOT currently eating healthy, it can be difficult to start such a plan. IF you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, then it is important for you to follow these tips to start eating more healthy. Firstly, rid your home of all foods that do not fall into the healthy categories. Keep junk foods and beverages out of your house, so that you will not be tempted. Keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. In case you cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something on hand, like chocolate chips. Eating a few of these won't ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave.
Secondly, take a few moments to learn about what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work in the body. Most people understand what fruits, vegetables, and low-fat means and that dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why.

What Does Vitamins and Nutrients Mean?
Vitamins and Nutrients nourishes the body. They consist of micro- and macro-nutrients which is essential for good health and is consumed in small amounts. These are absorbed by the body unchanged and have catalytic functions. Vitamins are classified as fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) or water-soluble (B and C). The former and vit. B12 tend to be stored in the body. Many elements present in food are essential for health such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium. Others termed trace-elements are iron, zinc and iodine.
Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are macro-nutrients and when digested turns into glucose, fatty acids, peptides and amino acids. Macro-nutrients are interchangeable sources of energy. If sufficient non-protein calories are not available, the body cannot produce proteins for tissue maintenance. Tissue replacements and growth does not occur and considerable more dietary proteins is required for positive nitrogen balance. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are termed essential fatty acids (EFA) and must be included in your diet. The EFA and B6 is crucial in the functions of the metabolism.
Fiber mainly a complex mixture of indigestible carbohydrate material is a natural and much neglected component of the normal diet. Fiber components act in various ways for instance, prevention of constipation. Many intestinal diseases ie: colon cancer, Crohn's disease, obesity, varicose veins and hemorrhoids are associated with the lack of fiber in the diet. Fruit and vegetables rich in pectins reduce plasma cholesterol by enhancing hepatic cholesterol, to bile acids and reduces the forming of gallstones. Fiber is the most important part of any diet.


Five Basic Groups of Nutrients
The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work in the body, you will be more likely to make healthy choices.

No single food is essential to our diet. What is important is to eat a variety of foods, there are five basic groups:
Proteins for building up the body. Throughout life there is a continuous breakdown and loss of body tissues. If a person does not get enough protein to make up for this loss, some of the less vital protein tissues in the body, such as muscles are broken down to maintain vital organs like the heart and kidneys. Illnesses cause a considerable loss of protein like infections, burns, broken bones and the stress after surgery.
Carbohydrates provide energy. Carbohydrates is a collective term for sugars, starches and cellulose. Most sugars are eaten in the form of sweets, jams, biscuits, cakes and drinks. A small amount is from fruit. Starches are found in potatoes, rice, pastas, wheat and maize. When we eat starches it gets broken down to glucose which is absorbed into the blood stream as a form of sugar. Cellulose is not a source of energy but it is needed in the diet, because of it's major source of fibre or roughage. It stays undigested in the intestines to promote regular bowel movements.
Fats provide energy and flavour. Fat is contained in milk products like cheese, cream, butter and meat (visible around tjops or hidden in the fibres), fatty fish like pilchards, kabeljou and eggs. Fats have several roles in the diet directly because of its nutritional value and indirectly in improving foods and making them easier to chew and swallow. Vitamins like A,D,E and K are found in these fatty foods and following a low fat diet you need to supplement these shortfalls. Fats are very important because of the energy it provides, it is twice as much as carbohydrates or protein. Fatty foods remain longer in the stomach than low-fat foods, so they provide a greater feeling of fullness.





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Magnesium

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the body. Almost 60% is found in bone and the rest stored intracellularly.
Magnesium has an effect on many cellular functions, including transport of calcium and potassium, DNA and protein synthesis, energy metabolism, and blood sugar maintenance. It is also important for normal neurological and muscular function, including key involvement in cardiac and smooth muscle contractions (Groff, Gropper et al., 1995).
Most Americans consume less than the estimated average requirement for magnesium. This comes as no mystery when examining the standard American diet - refining foods has removed magnesium from many foods that would have otherwise provided it while fortification practices have not included magnesium when adding back some of the lost nutrients.
For example, olive, corn and peanut oils are all devoid of magnesium, while their whole-food predecessors are rich sources of this mineral.
Similarly, white flour contains far less magnesium than whole-wheat flour (Seelig 2003).
Other significant food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables and legumes, which are low in the standard American diet. Additionally, people are consuming less “hard water” (water that contains magnesium and calcium), and more “soft water” or distilled bottled water, shorting them on another historical source of magnesium (Seelig 1980). 

The Magnesium Website (www.mgwater.com) highlights this concept with a quote from Groundwater Resources of British Columbia, Canada:

"According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1977) there have been more than 50 studies, in nine countries, that have indicated an inverse relationship between water hardness and mortality from cardiovascular disease. That is, people who drink water that is deficient in magnesium and calcium generally appear more susceptible to this disease. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has estimated that a nation-wide initiative to add calcium and magnesium to soft water might reduce the annual cardiovascular death rate by 150,000 in the United States." ( Dr. Harold D. Foster, " Groundwater and Human Health," Groundwater Resources of British Columbia, Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks and Environment Canada, pp 6.1-6.3 (reprint), 1994. 

Though only negligible amounts of magnesium are lost in sweat under normal conditions, there is still some evidence that prolonged exertion in hot and humid environments can decrease serum magnesium, which could prove to be clinically significant in individuals with marginal magnesium status.
Additionally, although magnesium levels may return to normal after some training sessions, over a prolonged period of regular exertion, magnesium levels may remain suboptimal. One theory is that elevated metabolic activity, such as that found in prolonged exertion, increases the requirement for magnesium. A plausible mechanism could be increased lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat, which has been shown directly relate to a decrease in plasma magnesium (Rayssiguier, Guezennec et al., 1990).
Dr. Whang, in his paper entitled “Electrolyte and Water Metabolism in Sports Activities,” makes the argument for the addition of magnesium to sports beverages to support healthy circulation, blood sugar control and potassium levels (Whang, 1998).
Furthermore, some researchers have even implicated magnesium loss (and not the traditionally assumed sodium loss) in the pathogenesis of “miner’s cramps” (a condition, also known as “heat cramps,” in which minors, after prolonged exposure to a hot environment, would experience painful cramps when attempting to rehydrate with plain water) (Rayssiguier, Guezennec et al., 1990; Berning and Steen 1998).
Even at the 2008 Superbowl, played at a moderate temperature of the mid-70’s indoors, numerous well-conditioned athletes had to leave the field of play due to muscle cramping.


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Slow Down Your Aging Process And Improve The Glow Of Your Skin With Dry Fruits

Dry Fruits have a number of health benefits to offer as they are packed with a number of nutrients and vitamins and thus, considered as the great source of food. One can easily consume them on a regular basis and they don't affect your health in bad manners until or unless you have any allergic reaction from having the same. Eating them is the healthy and tasty ways to boost up your energy level and slow down your aging process. Here are some of the dry fruits that help you in this, so, take a look at the list and be ready to reap their benefits.

Almonds: One of the most popular dry fruits out in the market is almonds. Eating a handful of almonds has a very good impact for radiant skin. These are considered as the king of the dry fruits that are very much helpful in improving the hemoglobin in the blood that promotes blood circulation and ensures glowing skin.
Raisins: Another dry fruit everyone must have is raisins as they are popular and highly known to slow down your aging process. Apart from their beauty benefits, raisins also aid to combat the tooth decay. All the nutrients and vitamins present in them take care of your eye vision and keep the cavities at bay.
Walnuts: Another important dry fruit in the list is walnuts. They are packed with omega -3 fatty acids, which is majorly known for improving the skin texture and resist dryness. Having them regularly not only ensures the glowing skin but also improves your mental power as they are good for your brain and sharpen your memory.
Cashew: Everyone loves the sweet and salty taste of the cashews. And having this power food is good for skin care. It is proven to slow down the aging process because they are the great source of Vitamin E.
Pistachios: Pistachios are a true powerhouse of the nutrients that play a major role in stopping the premature aging. They are rich in Vitamin E, which has the ability to keep your skin nourished and keep them protected from the harmful UV rays.
Next, to fruits, dry fruits are the super food that contains a number of Nutrients, Antioxidants, Vitamins, and Minerals, which plays a vital role in taking care of your Health, Skin, and Hair. What are you waiting for? Go into the kitchen to get any of the dry fruits in the limited quantity and have them to reap their benefits for your glowing skin.






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What Is Stamina?

For most people stamina is simply endurance. However, it is much more than this. It is definitely worth asking, "What is stamina?" This will help you understand the works of the body and what you need to do in order to be able to work out harder and for longer without getting tired.

Indeed, the simplest answer to the question, "What is stamina", is simply physical endurance. The question is what the process behind this endurance is. In order to get the answer, it is worth learning how the body works.

Both the nutrients and oxygen you take with food and when breathing respectively participate in a complex process called metabolism. This process involves a number of systems in the body including the respiratory, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular system. This process is complex, but the end result is simple. The nutrients become fuel for the cells and for the muscles in general. The oxygen is responsible for delivering this fuel to the cells and muscles.

The problem comes when the energy conversion and energy distribution processes do not work as fast as you would want them to. It is perfectly natural for the body to get set amounts of energy and to use them up at a certain pace. After the energy sources are exhausted and their distribution is ineffective, you get tired and lethargic.

The idea behind building stamina is to improve the performance of the different systems in the body responsible for energy conversion and production. The improved metabolic and other body functions will bring you greater endurance. They will allow more of the nutrients and oxygen you intake to be used more effectively.

Basically, by improving these processes in the body, you will be able to fuel your muscles more effectively and for a longer period of time. In turn, you will be able to exercise effectively and for a longer period of time. This gives an answer to the question, "What is stamina?"

It is worth looking at how stamina is achieved as well. The aerobic (with oxygen) metabolic process can be made more effective with the use of aerobic exercises. They allow you to work out all the muscle groups in the body as well as the cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems in the body. The goal is to extend the amount of exercise your body does gradually, so that a higher metabolic level can be reached and kept.

This seems simple, but it is actually not. Those who ask, "What is stamina training like", should known that it is considerably difficult to come up with a program that will allow you to build endurance while not causing any injuries and other health problems. Indeed, you need to have a program based on measurable goals and a precise step by step plan on how to build endurance. It is worth pointing out that building endurance involves not only extensive aerobic training, but also strength training, core strength training, stretching and muscle building exercises.

What is stamina? Now you know the answer to this question. Use the knowledge you have now to build and improve your endurance.

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Sweet Potatoes Vs. White Potatoes

People tell me that they know that sweet potatoes are healthier than white potatoes as if it's an accepted fact. Whenever I'm not aware of something that's apparently an established fact, I feel the need to either get caught up on this obvious information or else to find out why this commonly held belief is actually not true.

In order to do this, I decided to do some research.

I needed to find out which potato was actually healthier.

It seemed the easiest way to compare the two types of potatoes was to make a chart to compare them side by side; so here's a handy chart I made to compare the two:

Nutrients... White Potatoes... Sweet Potatoes

Calories... 94... 90

Protein... 2.1g... 2.01g

Carbs... 21.08g... 20.71g

Fiber... 2.1g... 3.3g

Iron... 0.64mg... 0.69mg

Potassium... 544mg... 475mg

Vitamin C... 12.6mg... 19.6mg

Vitamin A... 10 IU... 19,218 IU

Oh, by the way, this is comparing a 100 gram serving of white baked potato with its skin on, to a 100 gram serving of baked sweet potato with its skin on. This information is from the USDA website (Basic Report, Potatoes, white), (Basic Report, Sweet).

You have to be really careful if you're trying to compare these two types of potatoes by the size of the actual whole potato because a medium sized sweet potato weighs 114 grams and a medium sized white potato weights 173 grams. Instead of using size to compare, it's better to use weight.

Breaking it down:

Let's start with the two numbers people want to know first: calories and carbs. As you can see, the calories are almost identical. There are about 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat so a difference of 4 calories isn't going to matter much either way. How about carbs? One gram of carbohydrates equals about 4 calories, so again, either potato will give you about the same amount.

Now here are the two biggest differences. The first is potassium. If you think of potassium, you probably think of bananas. Well, get this: 100 grams of banana has 358 mg of potassium. Sweet potatoes top bananas with 475 mg of potassium and white potatoes go a step higher with 544 mg! However, most people get enough potassium just from eating a variety of healthy foods so you'll probably get enough of this vital mineral without having to rely on eating potatoes all the time.

And now for the biggie! Vitamin A! What an incredible difference between white potato's 10 IU of vitamin A and sweet potato's 19,218 IU of vitamin A! What does vitamin A do, exactly? It supports your growth and development, helps your immune system, and aids your eye health/night vision. You know how you're supposed to eat carrots for night vision? Well, 100 grams of boiled carrots has 17,033 IU of vitamin A, so it actually has less than sweet potatoes. But before you put them on your list of foods to eat every day, here's something you should know. Most people already get enough vitamin A just from eating a variety of healthy foods. So, with both potassium and vitamin A, if you eat healthy foods, you should be getting all the nutrients you need without having to resort to eating huge amounts of either type of potato. (Vitamin A and Bone Health, 2012).

The Bottom Line:

The calorie, carb, and protein amounts are almost the same in both potatoes. While white potatoes have more potassium and sweet potatoes have more vitamin A, you can get sufficient amounts of these nutrients from eating other healthy foods too. So, don't worry about which one to choose. Both of these potatoes are healthy! Enjoy them both.

References:

NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases. (2012, January). Vitamin A and Bone Health. Retrieved from http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/vitamin_a.asp

USDA. Basic Report: 11357, Potatoes, white, flesh and skin, baked. Retrieved from http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3132?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=25&sort=&qlookup=potatoes

USDA. Basic Report: 11508, Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, without salt. Retrieved from ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/3255?fg=&man=&lfacet=&format=&count=&max=25&offset=75&sort=&qlookup=potatoes



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Benefits of Taking Energy Supplements

Do you go to the gym on a regular basis? Do you have an office job? No matter what type of work you do, you need energy to keep yourself going. Although diet and exercise carry a lot of weight, taking energy supplements is a great way of getting an energy boost in a natural manner. Let's go through some amazing benefits of supplements.

Benefits of energy supplements

First of all, it should be kept in mind that energy supplements have a great impact on your energy levels. For instance, they can help you boost your lifestyle. Given below are some of the major benefits that you can enjoy if you take these supplements on a regular basis.

They are healthier

Compared to the classic energy boosters, energy supplements are lot healthier. Most people opt for coffee to get the required energy boost. While coffee may help you improve your focus, the results don't last longer and you may feel uncomfortable. At times, you may even experience unpleasant crashes.

Apart from these, these drinks are rich in sugar and lots of other additives that you may not want in your diet. On the other hand, energy supplements are a great source of sustained energy that is good for your overall health.

Nutrients alternatives

These products can provide your body with essential nutrients that you can't get in your diet. According to experts, most of these supplements are loaded with nutrients and vitamins that can be found in natural foods as well. The good news is that these nutrients are part of most supplements that are sold in the market nowadays.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you may benefit greatly from the extra nutrients since you can only eat specific foods. Most people who don't eat dairy products or meat may not get enough vitamins like Vitamin B12. In order to meet this deficiency, they can opt for some good energy supplements.

Anxiety and stress

These products can help you deal with stress and anxiety. In today's world, stress and anxiety have become one of the most common psychological problems. If you are suffering from stress, we suggest that you try out some energy supplements. A special compound called pantothenic acid is found in the products that can help you reduce your stress, fatigue and tiredness.

Overall health

If you are looking for something to improve your general health, you should give a go to energy supplements. These products contain different types of compounds that can help you boost your overall health in an efficient manner. For instance, Folic acid may help you prevent negatives modifications in your DNA. As a result, your chances of getting cancer are reduced significantly. In the same way, niacin may help you improve our heart health in addition to reduce your cholesterol levels. Moreover, thiamine makes your heart, nervous system and muscles a lot stronger.

So, if you are looking for a product to boost your health, we suggest that you try out some good energy supplements.

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Five Good Reasons to Eat an Avocado Each Day

Avocado

Forget the fat in avocados because they are a super-healthy method to add valuable nutrients and fibers (yes, and healthy fat!) in your perfect diet plan. Many people, within their attempts to become health-conscious, avoid avocados due to its high fat concentration (138 calories and 14.1g fat in a medium-sized avocado). Yet avocados are one of the greatest foods you can eat, filled with nutrients and substances that improve the health of your heart. Listed below are five great reasons to eat them frequently.

1. Avocados are filled with carotenoids

Avocados best source of lutein, also carotenoid works as an antioxidant preventing eye illness. They also develop alpha-carotene as well as beta-carotene, as well as vitamin E.

However avocados aren't just a rich source of carotenoids, they also help you get more of beneficial nutrients from other meals. Carotenoids tend to be lipophilic (soluble within fat, but not in water), therefore eating carotenoid-packed foods like vegetables and fruits together with monounsaturated-fat-rich avocados, helps your body soak up the carotenoids. An easy way to get this done would be to add chopped avocado pieces to a mixed salad.

2. Avocados give you a sense of well-being

A small avocado consists of 3.4 grams of fiber, including soluble and insoluble fibers; both of these variations are needed by the body to keep the digestive tract running smoothly. In addition, soluble fibers slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in your body, helping you feel full for a longer time.

Avocados also contain oleic acids, which make you feel full. Healthier unsaturated fats that contain oleic acid have been shown to create a greater feeling of satiety compared to less-healthy saturated fats in fully processed foods.

3. The nutrients inside an avocado can protect your baby and your heart

One cup of avocado provides almost a quarter of your recommended daily intake of folate, the vitamin which reduces the risk of birth defects. If you're pregnant or going to be then avocados will help protect your unborn child.

A higher folate consumption is also associated with reduced risks of heart attacks and heart problems. Does your family have a history associated with heart issues, or has been showing any symptoms for heart disease? Avocados can help you maintain your heart healthy.

4. Avocados can help reduce your cholesterol

The actual oleic acid in an avocado will help decrease cholesterol levels. In one research, individuals consuming an avocado-rich diet plan had a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels, together with a decrease in BAD cholesterol. Their own amounts of HDL cholesterol (the healthy type) increased through 11%.

Heart problems are among the main risk factors for heart disease. The actual cholesterol-lowering properties of avocado, along with its folate content, help to keep your heart healthy.

5. The avocado has an excellent flavor

The final reason is simple because avocados are really a healthy method to boost the taste as well as size of the meals. Put a sliced avocado in a salad or soup; serve the guacamole as an appetizer or even condiment.

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Why Your Body Needs Vitamins and Minerals

Our bodies are always calling out for the right vitamins and minerals. Our cells aren't just craving for nutrients every now and then, but it's a constant fight to have the right vitamins every second of our lives. If feeling under the weather, a cause for this can often be contributed to the lack of essential vitamins in our body.

Vitamins are organic or natural compounds that can be traced back to a lot of fresh foods and plants; getting a sufficient in-take of these vitamins is critical for our well-being. By and large, our bodies aren't designed to produce these types of nutrients (expect for Vitamin D3). So, in order to get the right in-take of vitamins it is either necessary to follow a healthy dietary plan or if unable to get the sufficient nutrients from that, it is possible to take a daily regimen of vitamin supplements.

The daily in-take of vitamins often depends on a person's age, lifestyle, sex, stress level, speed of metabolism, and several other factors. Generally, this means that each of us needs to take the right supplements based on our own individual requirements.

The vitamins are essential for a wide-range of functions, such as their ability transform food into a source of energy and to speed up certain biological functions. Essential nutrients also help form parts of the body's bones, skin, and blood, while also being able to eliminate particular toxins (coming from our polluted atmosphere) that get in our system.

If wishing to get the ideal quantity of vitamins the natural way by having a well-balanced and healthy diet, than your basic food supply should consist of such items as milk (or similar dairy products), meat, legumes, poultry, whole-grain cereals, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Vitamins can also be split into two distinct groups, firstly the water-soluble (or hygrophilous), which are the B and C compounds. These vitamins aren't stored in the body, with the excess being eliminated via the body's natural waste system. Because these aren't kept in the system for very long, it is necessary to ensure these vitamins are taken everyday, either via a healthy diet or supplements. Secondly, the fat soluble (or lipophilous), which are the A, D, E and K compounds, These vitamins are often stored up in the system for a period of time, so its important to avoid an excessive in-take of these types of vitamins if taking supplements.

Although, most people can get the ideal level of nutrients from their everyday diet, in certain groups a need to increase the level of vitamins and minerals in their system is heightened. Some of the people often requiring a vitamin boost include pregnant of nursing women, the mature or older person aged 60 plus, where the natural absorption process is starting to slow, in people involved in highly demanding jobs, such as top-level management, where there is an increased stress level, and just for health related matters, such as those concerning illness, after operations, various crises, or throughout a convalescence period.

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This Is 200 Calories

Do You Need to Be Taking Vitamins?

When it comes to staying healthy, Americans, and people all around the world, try extreme measures. From starving themselves to damaging their bodies with hours each day of exercise. However, there are some healthier ways to stay healthy and to maintain the balance of your system and that is by taking vitamins. Vitamins allow you to keep your insides healthy and they are a safe and effective way of giving your body what it needs.

Everyone needs to have specific levels of nutrients in their bodies. However, not every body naturally produces the nutrients that a body needs. This can happen to people of any age; however, as you get older your body produces less nutrients on its own. That is when you can turn to vitamins to get the nutrients that your body needs. You can find any type of vitamin that you are looking for at your local discount store, health store or online. If you are having trouble finding a specific type of vitamin, then the Internet is going to be a good choice for you.

If you are wondering what nutrients that you are deficient in, then a trip to your doctor will be in order. Your doctor can run blood tests to determine what Vitamins that you might need in order to be healthy. In some cases a urine analysis will be all he or she needs to find what you should be taking, but for a thorough workup, a blood test will be needed.
Your own body might also be telling you that you need to take some Vitamins. For example if you need more iron, you may be feeling tired all of the time. If you need more calcium, then you may find that you get a lot of muscle cramps. If you need more Vitamin A, you may find that your skin gets so dry that it cracks and bleeds and that when you get a wound it takes longer to clot and heal. Because these can also be signs of diabetes, if you experience these symptoms you should visit your doctor.

Choosing the right Vitamins is not rocket science. A simple one a day vitamin might be the answer to your vitamin needs. However, if you are younger and you experience symptoms that you believe are caused by a vitamin deficiency, then take a quick trip to your doctor for confirmation and start taking the vitamins that you need.

by John Black
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