A Practical Approach To Healthy Eating

I have been doing push-ups five days a week for over 25 years. My arms are pretty strong but it did not happen overnight. I did not do push-ups for a couple weeks or months and then stopped. I had to make push-ups a habit if I wanted to continuously get the results I have.

Exactly the same holds true with healthy eating. You will never be healthy, eating healthy foods occasionally. You have to make healthy eating a habit if you want to obtain nutritional health. People jump on the 揵and wagon?of healthy eating when they read books or view websites that talk about nutrition. While many of these books and websites tell you what you should eat in-order to be healthy, they fail to teach you how to make healthy eating a habit. Thus in a short period of time when temptations come, people fall right back into their old unhealthy eating habits.

What is a Habit? According to Webster's dictionary a habit is 揳 behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance.?
Can you see that if we simply apply this principle to healthy eating we will be on our way to vibrant health?

Bad Eating Habits:

Bad eating habits do not develop overnight. For most people these habits began forming when they were kids. Thus one reason why many adults have a hard time breaking their bad eating habits is because these habits have been a part of their lifestyle for many years.

Why Do We Eat Food?

There are two main reasons why we eat food. One is to supply fuel for our body. The other reason is for pleasure. Unfortunately some of the foods that gives us pleasure are unhealthy.

Most people make their food selections based on what they see, smell or taste. Look at these three sentences: That pie sure looks good! That pie sure smells good! That pie sure taste good!

Notice that all three statements involve food and pleasure. However the food that is producing the pleasure (in this situation the pie) may or may not be good for you from a nutritional standpoint. That is why we need to be wise in our food selections and not simply leave it up to our sense of sight, taste or smell.

Eating Healthy Can Be Enjoyable:

Some people think of eating healthy as being boring and tasteless. I think that one reason they feel this way is because most of the commercial ads we see promote foods high in calories, fat, or sugar and only a small percentage of food advertising is done for fruits, vegetables, grains and beans. Thus if there was more nutritional education, more and more people would find eating healthy to be pleasurable and tasty.

How Healthy Eating Habits Changed My Life:

In 1998 my wife finally talked me into going to the doctor to get a check-up. I was not feeling sick but she clearly said that it was a good idea to get a yearly physical examination. Thank God I listened to her.

I have been athletic all my life. I run 18 miles a week. So when I went to the doctor I was not expecting to hear the bad news he gave me. He told me I had borderline diabetes.

Diabetes can be very dangerous if not treated. It is one of the leading cause of death in the United States. It is a disease of the pancreas that causes the body to stop producing the insulin it needs to regulate blood sugar.

My doctor told me that I did not need to be put on medication, however he suggested I start reading some books on healthy eating. That was the beginning of my path to healthy eating habits that turned my health situation around. Today I can honestly say that I am in excellent health. I feel great, I sleep great, people tell me that I do not look my age, I maintain a healthy weight, I do not take any type of medication, my blood pressure is normal, my blood sugar is normal, my cholesterol is normal, my immune system is strong, and the list goes on.

It is great to be in good health and I thank God for it. However I do not believe that I am healthy because of chance. I strongly believe that one main reason that I am healthy is because I take personal responsibility for my health. Making healthy eating a habit is a great part of this responsibility. Our physical bodies have laws that are governed by proper nutrition. If we violate these laws by consistently eating unhealthy foods, we are going to get sick.

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Beginners Guide To Healthy Nutritional Eating

eating, healthy, start, life, understand, healthy eating, diet, plan, habits, foods, life style, healthy diet, eating habits, learn, style, nutrition,

Article Body:

If you抮e currently not eating a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start such a plan. However, healthy eating along with some exercise is very important for maintaining a good bodily function and goes a long way towards living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, then you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. Therefore, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet.

A great first step when you want to start eating your way to a healthy life style is to rid your home of all temptations that will distract you from following better eating habits. Ideally it would be a wise course to keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so as not be tempted to snack during the day. If you抮e worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, peppermints or barley sugar. Eating a few, (emphasis on few) of these won抰 ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave.

Another great step to healthy eating, when you抮e first starting the process, is to take a few moments to learn what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work within the body. To start eating healthily we must begin by thinking healthily. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work and why you need them, it becomes more reasonable for you to make healthier choices for your body. Knowledge really is power!

Preparation is a major key in commencing a new healthy diet. You must take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you probably more inclined to grab a rushed meal which will probably do more harm than good. So plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember not to forget your evening meal, a simple plan to have a meal ready before you get home would be perfect, but in our fast paced life style, sometimes this just can抰 be done. One way to solve this problem is to plan out your evening meals for the week, on your days off. Perhaps just before you do your weekly shopping. Another warning: when going to the shops, do not venture their hungry because if you're anything like me, one or two chocolate bars won抰 hurt! That becomes the first break in your healthy eating.

Initially many will find it very difficult to make those necessary changes to healthier eating. Along with the difficulty of change, you may not feel well for a short period of time. Usually this is normal as your body is adjusting to your new and improved life style and is cleansing itself from the unhealthy toxins built up from poor eating habits. However if this feeling continues or you are worried a visit to your doctor would be the correct thing to do.

Start with baby steps. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improving your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that half of the time with better quality foods. When you start by taking small steps you aren抰 cutting out all of the foods you love all at once. By taking your time to learn about your eating habits and slowly replacing them with better meals, by taking the time to learn and understand why you should be doing that and making the necessary changes in an orderly fashion, you will feel much better within yourself physically, mentally and emotionally and well on the road to becoming as healthy as you can be

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A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition

Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored in to the equation or you could be heading for problems. Correct nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a miriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however, entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

Carbohydrates. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however, is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

Proteins. Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

Fat. Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

Vitamins. These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease.

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot.

Minerals and trace elements. These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.

You should follow several guidelines to create a well balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colors as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

Excellent nutrition is the basis of a healthy diet.

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Eat healthy Foods - It Makes Sense!

We all know the importance of eating healthy foods for their vitamin and mineral content. However, in recent years, scientists have discovered that there are hundreds of substances in food that have healing and disease prevention properties.

So why, if there are foods that will heal many of our common ailments, have we not heard more about them? Maybe it's because, just as we've become a fast food society, we've also become a fast cure society. We're always looking for the easy way to cure and prevent diseases by just popping a pill.

Just look at the increasing number of ads on TV and in magazines for drugs. Often the side effects are worse than the disease they're meant to prevent or cure!

Wouldn't it be better to use natural remedies? Remedies with no side effects, to cure and prevent diseases? Of course it would! That's why I decided to write this article. Here's to a healthier life!.

Perhaps as a child you were told by your mom to eat all your carrots because they were good for your eyes? As you grew up, you may have cynically been told by others that this was just an "old wives tale". Guess what, recent studies have shown that Mom was right! Foods can prevent eye disease, heart disease, arthritis and much more.

Some Basic Science:

In recent years scientists have discovered that foods contain "phytochemicals", which is a fancy name for naturally occurring chemicals. This is not the same as nutrients, which we all know are the substances necessary for sustaining life.

Phytochemicals have properties that can aid in disease prevention and cures. Scientists have identified thousands of these chemicals in the foods we eat and a single serving of fruit or vegetables can contain as many as one hundred different phytochemicals.

The most commonly known phytochemicals are the antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from damage by toxic substances and free radicals (a by-product produced by our bodies which converts oxygen into energy). Free radicals can damage cells in our bodies which can lead to disease. Antioxidants protect the body from oxidation and reduce the risk of acquiring many common ailments.

The full article is a big one and covers:

Fruits and Vegetables
Healing Properties Of Fruits
Healing Properties Of Vegetables
Seeds, Nuts, Oils and Fish
Healing Properties Of Seeds, Nuts, Oils and Fish
Grains
Healing Properties Of Grains
Healing Properties Of Beans and Lentils
Healing Properties Of Herbs and Spices
Healing Teas
Other Healing Foods

Hit the link below to continue reading it.

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Beginners Guide To Healthy Nutritional Eating

eating, healthy, start, life, understand, healthy eating, diet, plan, habits, foods, life style, healthy diet, eating habits, learn, style, nutrition,

Article Body:

If you抮e currently not eating a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start such a plan. However, healthy eating along with some exercise is very important for maintaining a good bodily function and goes a long way towards living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, then you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. Therefore, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet.

A great first step when you want to start eating your way to a healthy life style is to rid your home of all temptations that will distract you from following better eating habits. Ideally it would be a wise course to keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so as not be tempted to snack during the day. If you抮e worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, peppermints or barley sugar. Eating a few, (emphasis on few) of these won抰 ruin your diet but also will give you that little sugary fix you rave.

Another great step to healthy eating, when you抮e first starting the process, is to take a few moments to learn what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work within the body. To start eating healthily we must begin by thinking healthily. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work and why you need them, it becomes more reasonable for you to make healthier choices for your body. Knowledge really is power!

Preparation is a major key in commencing a new healthy diet. You must take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you probably more inclined to grab a rushed meal which will probably do more harm than good. So plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember not to forget your evening meal, a simple plan to have a meal ready before you get home would be perfect, but in our fast paced life style, sometimes this just can抰 be done. One way to solve this problem is to plan out your evening meals for the week, on your days off. Perhaps just before you do your weekly shopping. Another warning: when going to the shops, do not venture their hungry because if you're anything like me, one or two chocolate bars won抰 hurt! That becomes the first break in your healthy eating.

Initially many will find it very difficult to make those necessary changes to healthier eating. Along with the difficulty of change, you may not feel well for a short period of time. Usually this is normal as your body is adjusting to your new and improved life style and is cleansing itself from the unhealthy toxins built up from poor eating habits. However if this feeling continues or you are worried a visit to your doctor would be the correct thing to do.

Start with baby steps. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improving your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that half of the time with better quality foods. When you start by taking small steps you aren抰 cutting out all of the foods you love all at once. By taking your time to learn about your eating habits and slowly replacing them with better meals, by taking the time to learn and understand why you should be doing that and making the necessary changes in an orderly fashion, you will feel much better within yourself physically, mentally and emotionally and well on the road to becoming as healthy as you can be

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Artichokes Are A Strange But Healthy Food

Artichokes have been around for a long time. Originally found around the Mediterranean Sea, they were used by the ancient Romans to treat poor digestion.

Somewhere along the line, the Romans realized artichokes also made great appetizers, and they have been a traditional Italian food ever since.

The Latin name for this greenish-purple vegetable is Cynara scolymus. Sometimes called French or Globe artichoke, it's the flower of the plant that is sold in grocery stores. But don't confuse it with the Jerusalem artichoke, which is really a tuber that grows in North America.

One medium artichoke supplies 20 percent of the vitamin C you need for the day. With only 60 calories, it's also a good source of potassium and magnesium, both important for a healthy heart. And like most fruits and vegetables, it's packed with disease-fighting antioxidants that nutritionists rave about.

3 ways artichokes keep you healthy

Steps up digestion.

As it turns out, the ancient Romans were onto something when it comes to artichokes and digestion. An ingredient in artichoke leaves helps your liver form bile - something necessary for good digestion. If your liver doesn't produce enough bile, your food doesn't get broken down properly, and you end up with stomach pains and indigestion.

If you feel sick to your stomach, overly full, and have abdominal pain after eating a normal-sized meal, you may suffer from dyspepsia - a fancy name for poor digestion.

Several scientific studies showed dramatic improvements in people with dyspepsia after being treated with artichoke extracts. You can also get help for your indigestion the way the ancient Romans did - by eating a delicious artichoke with your dinner.

Chokes out heart disease.

Bile from your liver does more than help you digest food. It also helps break down cholesterol from the fat you eat. But a liver that doesn't produce enough bile lets too much cholesterol get by - kind of like the I Love Lucy episode where the chocolate assembly line starts moving too fast for her to keep up. People with liver problems can have high cholesterol even if they eat a low-fat diet.

That's where artichokes come in. Because they can help you make more bile, you might be able to lower your cholesterol by eating them. A study in Germany showed that taking artichoke extract for six weeks caused LDL cholesterol, the bad kind, to fall by more than 22 percent. As a bonus, artichokes might also be able to block some new cholesterol from forming in your liver.

Lowers blood sugar.

Your liver is busier than you might think. In addition to breaking down fatty foods, it also stores extra glucose (sugar) in the form of glycogen and turns it back into glucose whenever it gets a phone call from your blood saying that supplies are too low. This is a great system in a perfectly working body. But some people have faulty phone lines, and their livers work day and night cranking out glucose their blood doesn't need. This overproduction of glucose can lead to diabetes and other health problems.

In animal studies, researchers found that substances in artichokes kept livers from making too much glucose. More studies need to be done, but scientists think artichokes might someday be useful to people with noninsulin-dependent diabetes. In the future, people might use plants, like artichokes, to keep their blood sugar production in check.

Pantry pointers

Choose artichokes with even, green color. Don't buy any that look wilted, dried out, or moldy. Heavy, small heads are best.

Small artichokes are good for appetizers, and larger ones can be used for stuffing with a variety of fillings and served as an entree.

Be sure to trim about an inch off the top with a sharp knife. And then trim about one-quarter inch from the tips of the leaves since this part is inedible and rough on your hands.

Artichokes can be steamed in a steamer basket or boiled in water. They should be tender and ready to eat in about 30 minutes. If you're in a hurry, you can microwave them more quickly. First, rinse them with water to add some moisture. Then wrap each one in microwaveable plastic wrap. For four artichokes, microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meaty part at the base of the artichoke is tender.

You can serve these veggies hot or cold. Some people serve a dipping sauce with artichokes. It would be a shame to ruin a lowfat food with a rich sauce, so try a low-calorie, yogurt-based dip.

If you've never eaten an artichoke, you might be a little confused about what part is edible. The outer leaves are hard and a little bitter, but at the bottom of the leaf, where they pull away from the stem, there is a soft, velvety hunk of "meat" that you can eat by gently pulling the leaf through your teeth. After you've nibbled all the leaves this way, you're left with the best part of the artichoke - the heart. This is a soft, nutty-flavored center that can be eaten whole. Just scrape off the soft fuzz with a spoon before you dig in.

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Eating A Healthy Dinner: A Simple Matter Of Planning

Dinner is probably the healthiest meal for most of us. We often overlook breakfast and eat lunch on the run, but for dinner, most of us take more time in preparing and planning how to eat a balanced, healthy dinner.

But there抯 also a lot of pressure on dinner. It抯 the last meal of the day and if you are lacking important nutrients in your diet that day, you have an opportunity to make up those nutrients in your evening meal. But you don抰 want your meal too heavy or you might not sleep well. Conversely, eating too little will not only likely leave you lacking in nutrients, but could also leave you ravenous for breakfast 12 hours later.

So how do you make sure dinner is a balanced, nutrient-packed meal? Plan, and plan some more. Although we are more likely to spent time preparing dinner versus other daily meals, it抯 also a meal that can easily get derailed. You plan to grill chicken breasts and vegetables, but then belatedly remember your son has a baseball game or it抯 open house at school. So it抯 chicken nuggets all around.

Planning keeps you in synch with your schedule. If you plan a week抯 worth of meals, you can think about the various obstacles you might find that week in actually bringing your plans to fruition. You can plan a quick pasta salad on open house night, and healthy, veggie-packed sandwiches on baseball night. This keeps you out of the fast food lane.

What are some other tips for planning healthy dinners?

*Don抰 cook separate meals for picky children. If you know that your salmon and saut閑d spinach will also result in you making mini hot dogs and fries for the kids, you might rethink it, not having the time or energy to make two completely separate meals. Then you suffer, and they do as well. It抯 important to expose your children to a variety of foods, so make the salmon and spinach. Be sure to offer applesauce, whole wheat bread and some fruit. Then everyone gets a healthy meal and your children just might surprise you by actually eating some of the 揳dult?meal.

*On weeknights, stay away from involved meals. Think of things that can be prepared in less than 45 minutes, though it抯 ideal to keep your meal prep to 30 minutes whenever possible.

*Do as much prep as you can ahead of time. If you抮e planning grilled chicken and vegetables for dinner, say, then you can clean and slice your vegetables in the morning before you head out for the day. Marinate the chicken. In the evening, all that抯 left is tossing a quick bag salad and grilling your meat and vegetables. This saves on clean-up time as well.

*If you must eat out, apply the golden rules for restaurant eating: Stay away from white or heavy sauces, order oil and vinegar to dress your salad, and eat only half the entr閑, pack the rest and enjoy it for lunch the next day.

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10 Tips to a Healthy Football Season

From the word go, the Football season seems provide a plethora of reasons to eat badly. It starts near Labor Day, and goes right on past to New Years. Typically during this time of year our eating habits include foods and drinks that are so delicious, yet carry negative effects.
So I thought how could someone have a fun football (holiday for the Ms.) season, and still fit in their clothes that they wore during pre-season. Below are 10 that could possibly help you reach that goal they may seem like no brainers, but if you take heed you will survive another year without moving to the next waist size. Enjoy the season.

1. First things first, don抰 even think about dieting during the holiday season. That is, don抰 start a new diet. Your biggest goal during our most favorite season is to maintain your weight. This way you can partake in your favorite beverage and snacks without any guilt.
2. Another good way to avoid packin?on the pudge is to stay seated, and far away from the food table.
3. Something simple and delicious. I would recommend bringing a light dip with either multigrain or wheat bread, so you have something that is somewhat healthy to munch on. There is a company (I think it has the title of chef in its name) that sells dips and breads that anyone can make, and are a healthy alternative to normal snacks. Just ask your wife, girlfriend, or any woman where you can find a beer bread mix.
4. The beverages tend to favorites for many during this time of year, so be wise in your selection. If you must have a mixed drink, try something like a clear liquor and diet soda, a light or ultra light beer, or a nice glass of wine. I know wine doesn抰 scream manly, but it is an alternative. Remember this shouldn抰 be painful, just well thought-out.
5. Good or bad, football games tend to be lengthy, use this to your advantage, and take part in the eating and drinking at a slow pace. The slower your intake, the better chance you will fit in those size 38抯 come spring time.
6. Chase the kids, or take a walk, whatever it is, make sure you keep up on some type of activity other than couch coaching, and channel surfing. Winter time is hard enough for many people with the cold and darkness, so some activity will help you gain or maintain physical and mental acuity.
7. Eat at home before you head to the football stadium, or over a buddies house. This should help prevent a complete submersion in to the food and drinks. Believe me when I tell you, you will feel much better knowing you don抰 have to drive home with your pants unbuttoned, either because of pressure or an untimely stomach pain.
8. Eat some chicken wings, not the entire chicken. I think that抯 clear, and best of all it applies to all food! And anyway, who wants to get stains all over their new Dallas Terrell Owens jersey.
9. If you have the chance to host a football game, stack the odds on your side by putting veggies, and light snacks out rather than the pizza and wings. I mean really, do we as men pay any attention to what we eat while we are watching a game. So long as the drinks are cold, and our food crunches, we are in heaven.
10. This rule applies all year long. Stay far and away from fast food joints. It may seem like a good idea while you抮e on your way to the game, but we all know it抯 not filling, and it抯 to exit.

Nanook
www.imaman.com

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A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition

Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored in to the equation or you could be heading for problems. Correct nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a miriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however, entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

Carbohydrates. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however, is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

Proteins. Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

Fat. Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

Vitamins. These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease.

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot.

Minerals and trace elements. These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.

You should follow several guidelines to create a well balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colors as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

Excellent nutrition is the basis of a healthy diet.

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Energy Drink With A Healthy Heritage

Studies have shown that specific compounds in green tea are potent weapons against life-threatening disease, including cancer, stroke and heart disease. The power of green tea is shown in many recent scientific articles that describe benefits on body functions such as immunity, cardiovascular function, brain function-even weight control. In addition, certain components of green tea may help improve blood cholesterol levels.

Now, taking the benefit of green tea one step further, a new product from AriZona Beverages called Green Tea Energy Drink combines an ancient beverage with a modern energy formula-a complete, balanced blend of vitamins, minerals and herbs-for a healthy boost.

One of the key components of this new drink is B vitamins, which are necessary for cell growth, health and metabolism. They play a critical role in maintaining a healthy central nervous system and can dramatically affect mental functions by helping to maintain a positive mental attitude and enhancing learning abilities, including cognition, long- and short-term memory, stimulus response and mental energy.

In addition to 100 percent of the recommended daily values of vitamins B6, B12 and C, AriZona Green Tea Energy Drink contains such performance ingredients as:

• Guarana-A naturally occurring caffeine source that has traditionally been used as an energy tonic and to increase mental acuity and long-term memory, increase physical endurance, combat premature aging and increase libido.

• Taurine-One of the most abundant amino acids in the body, taurine regulates heartbeat, maintains cell membrane stability and helps prevent brain cell overactivity.

• Panax ginseng-A classic root that contains compounds known as adaptogens. Adaptogens are believed to be helpful for people dealing with physical and/or emotional stress.

AriZona Green Tea Energy Drink is a lightly carbonated, thirst-quenching creation that offers a unique combination of science, performance and refreshment in a great-tasting quaff. It's available in both regular and diet-both packing the same terrific flavor and nutritional punch.

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Eating Healthy For Students

For students, eating at college is an entire new

ball game, with late night pizza delivery and food

from buggies. Even though some of these quick and

simple options taste great, they are probably

not healthy for a student's body.

The food choices students make can affect whether

or not they are able to remain awake during class

and whether or not they will come down with

mononucleosis when it hits campus. The problem

is not only about eating junk food, it's more

about not getting the proper proteins, carbs,

vitamins, and minerals that people need.

When it comes to defending against illnesses,

vitamins and minerals are very important. Just

because they are important, isn't a reason for

students to run out and stock up on vitamins and

supplements. It's best for students to get their

nutrition from food.

You can find vitamin C in citric fruits, Vitamin

A in milk and diary products, and vitamin E in

nuts, whole wheat products, and even green leafy

vegetables. This is the ideal way to get

nutrition, as your body relies on these vitamins

for many reasons.

When you eat on campus, skip on the soda's and

go right to the juice machines. Explore the

different entrees available and go to the salad

bar where there are fresh vegetables. You can

also try putting some broccoli and cauliflower

in the microwave for steamed vegetables. There

are always healthy cereals and plenty of fresh

fruit available in dining halls as well.

Always remember that eating healthy isn't just

about avoiding greasy foods. Eating healthy

involves getting a balanced diet and getting the

right nutrients and vitamins to keep your body

in peak performance - or at least awake during

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Eating Healthy For Vegetarians

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style

of eating. The rules still apply with healthy eating,

although you should add variety, balance, and moderation.

A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat,

whether it be hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, or even fish.

Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of

food they are or aren't willing to eat. For example,

Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they

will eat eggs and most dairy products. A Vegan on the

other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of

animal origin.

Because they don't eat meet, vegetarians will often

wonder how they'll get enough protein. Although you may

not realize it, the average American actually consumes

more protein than he actually needs. For the lacto-ovo

vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of

protein. Vegans on the other hand, get their protein

from nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose

from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split

peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more. Some of them

you are already familiar, such as kidney beans in

chili, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and

rice, and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good

as they are, others are available with different flavors

to help enhance their taste. Nuts are hihg in protein,

although they deliver a lot more fat than beans, which

means you should enjoy them in moderation. By having

one cup of cooked beans, you'll get the same amount of

protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types

of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D.

In the average North American diet, the primary source

for B12 is animals. To have an adequate intake of B12,

vegans should reguarly consume vitamin B12 supplements or

foods, which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products

or milk.

For calcium, vegans can rely on orange juice or soy

milk, as they are fortified with calcium. Beans and

leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as

well.

Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food

groups, controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is

something you should always do. This is very important

for eating healthy, as well as staying healthy. If you

control what you eat, you'll have many years of healthy

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Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Starting off your with a healthy well

balanced diet is the best thing you do for yourself

and your baby. This way, you'll only need to make

a few adjustments during your pregnancy.

Your first trimester

If you find it tough to maintain a balanced diet

during your first trimester, you can rest assured

that your not alone. Due to queasiness, some

women will eat all of the time and gain a lot of

weight in the process. Other women have trouble

getting food down and subsequently lose weight.

Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your

most important factors during first trimester.

Calories

When you are pregnant, you need to consume around

300 calories more than usual every day. The best

way to go about doing this is listening to your

body when you are hungry. You should try to eat

as many foods as possible from the bottom of the

food pyramid.

If you gain weight too slow, try eating small

meals and slightly increase the fat in your diet.

You should always eat when you are hungry, as you

are now eating for 2 instead of one.

Calcium

By the second trimester, you'll need around 1,500

milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and

your baby', which is more than a quart of milk.

Calcium is something that's missing from many

diets. Along with milk, other great sources for

calcium include dairy products, calcium fortified

juices, and even calcium tablets.

Fiber

Fiber can help to prevent constipation, which is

a common pregnancy problem. You can find fiber in

whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables. Fiber

supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are

safe to take during pregnancy.

Protein

Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your

protein intake is not normally a problem for women

who eat a healthy diet.

Iron

A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with

a bit of iron deficiency. Good sources of iron

include dark leafy green vegetables and meats. Iron

supplements should be avoided, as they can cause

internal symptoms such as cramping, constipation,

or diarrhea.

Vitamins

Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you

need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal

vitamins with your doctor. Folate is one of the most

important, and if you are getting enough of it, you

may be able to avoid vitamins all together - just ask

your doctor to make sure.

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Eating Healthy On Vacation

It can be very tempting to abandon your good sense

of healthy eating on vacation. Although you may

strive for healthy eating, it's easy to drift off

and grab an ice cream cone here and there. There

are however, ways to watch what you eat on

vacation.

It's easier than ever these days to request a low

fat or vegetarian meal on airplane flights. If

you choose to instead drive to your destination,

the quest to find healthy food can get a bit more

complicated.

Rather than simply relying on greasy foods for

nutrition, pack some nutritious foods in a cooler

full of ice packs. Fruits and vegetables, crackers,

yogurt, and sandwiches are all great to have with

you on the road.

Once you arrive at your hotel, you should do

yourself a favor and turn the minibar key down - as

this helps to avoid the temptation. If your hotel

offers a continental breakfast, stick to fruits,

cereals, and proteins. If your hotel has a stove

or microwave, consider bringing your own healthy

food with you.

If you simply must eat out, do so only when you

are hungry. Restaurants will usually serve large

portions, so be careful. If you do go a bit over

on a meal, simply cut back on the next.

If you find it hard to fit in three square meals

a day, try to fit in six smaller meals or snacks,

as your body needs fuel every four hours or so.

When you eat out, avoid appetizers. Whatever you

do, do not miss any meals.

When it's possible, you should avoid eating large

meals at night. When your body gets ready for

sleep and slows down, it also burns calories at a

much slower pace. Never eat bread before bed, and

make sure to avoid the butter. Choose fish or

poultry for your meal instead, and include

vegetables as a side dish.

Even though it may sound hard, eating healthy on

vacation isn't really that difficult. All you have

to do is use a little will power, and pass up

foods that you know aren't good for you. This

way, you'll enjoy healthy eating and a healthy

lifestyle wherever you go.

The next time you go on a vacation, always remember

that eating healthy is a way of life. You can

afford to get something you crave, although you

shouldn't make a habit of it. One ice cream

cone or a pizza isn't going to matter - as long as

you know when to stop.

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Healthy Fat Intake

This information is aimed at helping you to

reduce your fat intake. The average individual

eats too much fat, a factor that's linked to

a variety of health problems, including cancer.

Diets that are high in fat are associated with

breast and colon cancer, with some studies

linking high fat to prostate cancer as well.

A majority of people can bring their fat intakes

down to a healthy range by making a few adjustments

in the way they shop, cook, and prepare the foods

they eat.

Now days, it's getting easier and easier to control

the amount of fat you consume. The fat content of

foods are now available through the nutrition label

and through brochures distributed by food companies

and even fast food restaurants.

You can use this information on nutrition to choose

lower fat foods by comparing products and food

brands. Once you have a rough idea of what a healthy

intake of fat is, you'll know what you can and what

you can't have.

From day to day, the amount of fat you eat will

vary. Some meals and some days will be higher in

fat than others. Even high fat meals can be kept

in line with healthy eating as long as you balance

those days accordingly. The average fat intake over

the course of weeks and months is important, not the

fat intake of every meal and food you consume.

Younger adults and high active adults who have

higher calorie needs can probably eat a little more

fat. Older adults and those that aren't very active

should aim for a lower fat intake. This way, you

can control your fat intake and avoid the many

problems that fat is associated with.

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Eating For A Healthy Heart

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all

experience at some point in time. It's impossible

to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may

try hard to do it. Eating healthy for your heart

is something everyone should try to do, especially

when it comes to restoring health and reducing

heart attacks.

Your heart and food

We know these things for sure - a diet high in

saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol,

which is a risk factor for heart disease. People

that are obese are more prone to heart disease. A

diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure,

leading to inflammation and even heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health,

put the tips below to good use.

Eat plenty of fish

Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources

of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great

to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol

down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oils

Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease.

It's found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil. You

should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are

down and you are at a healthy weight. Even those

that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for

their main sources of protein.

Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils will help

you to protect your heart. Olive oil is an ideal

choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping

sauce.

Plenty of fiber

Fiber can help you control your cholesterol. You

can find fiber in whole grain products to help

control sugar absorption as well, which will help

you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates

Eating for your heart involves staying away from

sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and

pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn't good for

your heart disease at all. Healthy carbohydrates

involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown

rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make

fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods

Stir frying and sauteing with olive oil or canola

oil are both great methods, as you shouldn't dip

your food in batter and fry it anymore. If you

cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the

oven in foil.

Instead of frying your fish you should always bake

it. Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the

most nutrients. You should use cream sauces or lots

of butter anymore either. When you eat vegetables,

try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your

favorite seasonings.

As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in

mind that it takes time for them to become habits.

Eating healthy is always great for your body and your

lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and

the prevention of heart disease.

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Eating Healthy On The Run

Whether your traveling on the go or around the

home, you don't need to give up healthy eating

simply because you are on the run. The fact is,

healthy eating is even more important when your

trying to keep up with a busy schedule.

Having a good diet will help your body to handle

stress better. As you hustle about, a healthy meal

is probably the last thing you think about. The

following tips can help you eat when your on the go.

Restaurants

With tempting menus, large portions, and a festive

atmosphere, it's easy to skip healthy eating. It's

okay to splurge every now and then, although you'll

pack on a lot of weight if you make it a habit.

When you eat out at restaurants, always be smart

about it.

Airports

An airport can be a very stressful place, although

you shouldn't scrap your diet because of it. Eat

because you are hungry, not because of stress,

boredom, or to kill time.

In your car

Keep some healthy snacks in your car at all times,

so that when you get hungry - you have them.

At home

Evenings and mornings are busy times in most homes.

Making the time to eat can be hard, although you

shouldn't run out the door without eating breakfast

first. Cereal with milk, a banana, muffin, or even

a bagel is a great way to start the day.

Anytime you are on the go, always make sure that you

make the right food decisions. You can take healthy

food with you if you need to, so that you have it

when you need it. Eating healthy on the go is easy

to do, once you know how. Never sacrifice healthy

food for junk, as your body will regret it later.

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Fight Stress With Healthy Eating

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend

to make poor food choices that will actually

increase stress and cause other problems. To get

the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress,

follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast

Even though you may think you aren't hungry,

you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast

makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and

sugar levels during the day, so you should always

eat something.

Carry a snack

Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car,

office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood

sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and

the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy

bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munchies

If you like to munch when you're stressed out,

you can replace chips or other non healthy foods

with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even

sunflower seeds.

Bring your lunch

Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food

for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually

eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack

a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few

times a week, you'll see a much better improvement

over eating out.

Stock your home

As important as it is to get the bad food out of

your house, it's even more important to get the good

food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu

of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the

week, list the ingedients you need, then go shop

for it. This way, you'll know what you want when

you need it and you won't have to stress over what

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Healthy Food Choices

Eating healthy is something we all would like to do,

although it can be hard. In order to eat healthy, you

must first make the right food choices. Eating healthy

is all about what you eat, which makes the choices very

crucial to your results.

Grains

You should consume 6 ounces of grains per day. To do this,

you can eat 3 ounces of whole grain cereals, breads, rice,

crackers, or pasta. You can get an ounce of grains in

a single slice of bread, or 1 cut of cereal.

Vegetables

These should be varied, as you should eat 2 1/2 cups of

them each day. You should start eating more of the dark

vegetables, such as broccili and spinach. Carrots and

sweet potatoes are good as well. You should also eat

more dry beans such as peas, pinto beans, and even kidney

beans.

Fruits

Fruits are very important. You should try to eat 2 cups

of them each day. Focus on eating a variety, such as

fresh, frozen, canned, or even dried fruit. You can

drink fruit juices as well, although you should use

moderation when doing so.

Milk

Milk is your calcium rich friend. For adults, 3 cups

is the ideal goal. For kids 2 - 8, 2 cups is where you

want to be. When choosing milk products or yogurt, you

should go for fat-free or low-fat. Those of you who

don't like milk or can't have it, should go for lactose

free products or other sources of calcium such as fortified

foods and beverages.

Meat and beans

Eating 5 ounces a day is the ideal goal, as you should go

lean with your protein. When eating meat, always bake it,

grill it, or broil it, as this will prevent grease from

adding to the equation. You should vary your protein

as well, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

When cooking your food, you should also limit solid fats

such as butter, margarine, shortening, and lard. These

foods may add flavor to your dishes, although they can

also help raise your cholesterol as well. Therefore, you

should try to add these foods and any foods that happen

to contain them.

To help keep your saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium low,

you can check the nutrition facts label. This label can

be found on the food package and will tell you all the

information you need to know about the food item.

By picking your foods wisely and watching what you eat,

you'll help control your lifestyle. Exercise is great as

well, as it goes along perfect with a healthy eating

lifestyle. No matter what your age may be, eating healthy

will help you keep your active lifestyle for years and

years - even help you and your health in the long run

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Making Healthy Food Choices

Vegetables, fruits, and grains are normally low in

fat and have no cholesterol. Most are great sources

of dietary fiber, complex carbs, and vitamins.

The American Heart Association recommends that you

eat foods that are high in complex carbs and fiber.

Below are some tips for making healthy food choices:

- Coconut is high in saturated fat, while olives

are high in monounsaturated fats and calories. You

should use these items sparingly to avoid getting

too many calories from fat.

- When vegetable grains are cooked, saturated fat

or cholesterol is often added. For example, egg

yolks may be added to bread or even pasta.

- Processed, canned, or preserved vegetables may

also contain added sodium. With some people, too

much sodium (salt) may lead to high blood pressure.

There are some food companies that are actually

canning vegetables with less salt. You can look

for these in the market area or choose fresh and

even frozen vegetables.

- Nuts and seeds tend to be high in calories and

fat, although a majority of the fat is polyunsaturated

or monounsaturated. There are some varieties,

macadamie nuts for example, that are also high in

saturated fat.

Foods that are high in soluble fiber are a great

choice as well. Examples include oat bran,

oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, and

even apple pulp.

Whenever you are looking for healthy food choices,

always make sure you read the nutrition label

or information about the food. You can then

determine what the food contains and how healthy

it truly is for your body. By taking your time

and making your healthy food choices wisely,

you'll have a lifetime to enjoy the foods that

will take care of you.

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