A Healthy Relationship With Food

June 26th, 2008 | Posted in Nutrition

Do you label foods as “good” or “bad”? Are there foods you try to avoid or feel guilty about eating? If so, you may have an unhealthy relationship with food.


How you think about food can be just as important as what you eat. Food is something to be savoured and enjoyed. Unfortunately, diet books and the media often imply that some foods are “bad” or that eating certain foods may cause health problems. In actual fact, it is your overall pattern of eating that affects your nutritional status and risk of certain diseases. The goal is to make nutritious choices most of the time, but it does not mean you need to eat “perfectly” at every meal.

To develop a healthy relationship with food, try some of these tips: ” Eat when you are hungry - this sounds simple but how many times have you eaten just because the food was there or because you were bored, stressed out or unhappy? Ask yourself if you are truly hungry before anything goes into your mouth.

•Stop eating when you are full. The goal is to feel content and satisfied after eating. If you feel sick or uncomfortable, you have eaten too much.

•Choose foods that make you feel satisfied, both in terms of taste and fullness. If you are craving a particular food and nothing else will do, then sit down, eat it and enjoy it. Depriving yourself of certain foods often leads to overeating later on. As well, experiment by eating more high fibre foods or adding a little protein or healthy fat at each meal - this can help you feel satisfied for longer.

•Make your food taste good. If you need to add a little sugar, fat, salt or some herbs or spices to make a food such as vegetables taste better, then do it. Who knows, maybe you will end up eating carrots because you enjoy them and not just because they are “good for you!”

•Pay attention to what you eat. Focusing on the process of eating helps you tune into your body and makes it easier to stop when you feel satisfied. Sit down and savour each mouthful instead of distracting yourself by driving or watching television while you eat.

•Make family meal times a priority. Eating as a family can boost the enjoyment of meal times and actually help everyone eat more nutritiously. People generally prepare and choose healthier foods when eating as a family.

For more information on developing a healthy relationship with food, look for resources written by Ellyn Satter, Linda Omichinski and Frances Berg. You can also contact your local Public Health Nutritionist or Community Dietitian for support.

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How To Get Abs - The Healthy And Natural Way

June 22nd, 2008 | Posted in Diet, Nutrition

Developing abs is not very difficult. It’s actually a simple science really. All you need to do to get sixpack abs is eat right, and exercise appropriately. This article will show you how to get abs. Once you understand the key concepts of eating correctly and exercising appropriately, you will finally know how to turn your diet and exercise program to the right direction, and develop your own rock, hard, sexy abs.

People everywhere want to know how to get abs, and I’m guessing you do to since you’re reading this. The first key for visible abdominal development, is your nutrition. So many times we think were eating healthy when we really aren’t. There are three chemicals found in almost every food product available today that are sabotaging your diet. The three chemicals I’m talking about are high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and any type of processed food. These chemicals are extremely unhealthy and directly related to heart disease, cancers, diabetes and many other degenerative diseases. You might be eating a fat-free low-calorie food item right now, but if it has any of these three things in it, it’s extremely unhealthy for you. I recommend people eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Instead of choosing your regular highly processed peanut butter, go with natural peanut butter instead. If it’s not sweet enough for you, add a pinch of splenda. By choosing food products as close to their natural state, you will get more nutrients and most of the garbage out of your diet. Everyone wants to know how to get abs, and this is one of the main keys.

Maybe you’re here to learn how to get abs through exercise. Well here’s one shocking fact for you. Doing crunches and sit-ups will never develop your abs. I know you have probably believed this for most of your life but it is a simple untruth. If you want to develop abs, you need to focus on bringing down the body fat percentage of your body so that your abdominal muscles are visible. Sit-ups and crunches will not create the metabolic response or increase the fat burning hormones found inside your body. If you want to get down to the low body fat percentage so that your abs will be visible you need to start doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts. These workouts will target your entire body, and help you build muscle. Remember muscle burns 30 to 50 calories per pound by doing nothing except being muscle, so the more you have the leaner and more cut you look.

Next time you see something or someone telling you how to get abs, make sure it has both nutrition, and a good exercise plan involved. Ab belts and gimmicky machines will never get you abs. Ab development requires hard work, and most people who are talking about how to get abs will never tell you that. Just remember you can accomplish this if you set your mind to it. Next time you’re at the grocery store just remember my little saying, eat lean and eat green, and you should be just fine.

If you’re interested in taking your fat-loss efforts to an entirely new level, go to the following site and grab a FREE fat loss report which details 27 unique methods for boosting your metabolism and losing belly fat - http://www.TruthAboutAbsBlog.com


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Discover Three Healthy Foods

June 14th, 2008 | Posted in Nutrition

Many of us are aware of the health benefits that certain foods, such as spinach and sweet potatoes, provide our bodies with. However, researchers are constantly studying different food products in order to find foods with the most health and nutritional value. A few surprisingly healthy foods include tea, dark chocolate, and fatty fish.

Tea is one of the most beneficial beverages available today. Many people know that tea is rich in antioxidants and is beneficial for the heart. However, there are currently other studies under investigation which speculate that tea may be beneficial in reducing chances of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. So, the first question you may have is what kind of tea is the best and how much should I be drinking? Any tea that comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis is healthy for your body. It can black, green or white tea. What you want to do is boil some water and make a strong cup of tea. Iced tea as well as bottled tea is not truly as rich and healthy as hot brewed tea. Iced tea is usually diluted and bottled tea loses its potency over time. So the best thing to do is to brew your own cup of strong tea.

Another surprisingly healthy food is dark chocolate. It has been said that the antioxidants found in dark chocolate may aid in reducing high blood pressure. The chocolate has to be at least seventy percent cocoa in order to qualify as a part of a healthy diet. However, it is also important to remember that dark chocolate is a dessert and it contains plenty of saturated fat and sugar, so it is important to limit yourself to just a small portion daily.

The last addition to the healthy food list is fatty fish. Trout, herring, tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega- 3 fatty acids are known to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots and reduce the chances of a heart attack. However, it is important not to eat these foods fried. Be sure that you grill or broil your fish in order to gain its most beneficial nutrients.

These foods are not only healthy but also delicious, so why not give them a try and feel better about your diet.

Lauren S. Johnson writes health articles about fitness and nutrition.
Some of her favorite passions include studying the medicinal benefits of herbal remedies, diet pills, and hoodia gordonii.

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Can Fresh Juice Prevent Varicose Veins?

June 14th, 2008 | Posted in Nutrition


What’s Varicose Veins

Swollen, elongated veins usually visible on your limbs are called varicose veins. These veins may cause aches, fatigue, or a burning sensation in the affected limbs. Generally more women than men are afflicted by this condition. Varicose veins are often unsightly and they can be more visible when an impacted person is standing because of increased blood pressure in the affected limbs. One of the first signs of varicose veins is when swelling occurs along a course of veins. If the impacted vein is in the leg, muscular cramps may occur with a feeling of general tiredness of the legs. In some cases, the normal flow of blood towards your heart may be reversed when you are in an upright position. This could lead to blood collecting in the lower part of your legs with the skin becoming purplish, and this may lead to other complications such as ulcers on the leg.

Juice in Diet Treats Varicose Veins

Regular fruit juice intake helps you to maintain proper weight. And along with a balanced diet of raw food and vegetables will give you nutrients that may help prevent varicose veins. Vitamin C and protein are components of collagen, part of the tissue in the veins and valves. If your collagen is in good shape, the tissues are likely to be more resistant a varicose condition. Organic raw vegetable juice like carrot juice in combination with spinach juice, have proven to be beneficial in treating varicose ailments. The juice formula proportions considered helpful is a mix of 1 ¼ cup of carrot juice and 1 cup of spinach juice. Also dark-colored berries like cherries, blueberries and blackberries have anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins: these are the pigments that tone & strengthen the walls of your veins. And pineapples are rich in bromelain enzyme that helps prevent blood clots. Clots are an uncommon but serious complication of many varicose veins patients.

Regular juicing provides required nutrients in much higher concentrations than people can get by just eating fruit. For better benefits have eight ounces of fresh berry or pineapple juice, alone or diluted with another fruit juice. Having one or two glasses daily of fresh fruit or vegetable juice a day (especially any combination of apple, beet, carrot, celery, citrus, parsley, or pineapple) and dietary supplements may be helpful in preventing and treating varicose veins.

Champion Juicer - Your Health Buddy

Fresh juice provides a healthy option, and the best juice is fresh homemade juice! In fact juice from a masticating juicer is a great choice. This juice provides maximum nutrients and is tastier too! For your best nutrition don’t get lazy and have packaged or chemically enhanced fast food. Other juicers, such as centrifugal juicers may make less effective juice since they can discard some fiber and micronutrients.

The Champion juicer, built since 1955, is one of the best masticating juicers available. This popular masticating juicer is powerful and famous for its durability, reliability and real integrity. Manufactured by Plastaket Manufacturing Co. in California, this juicer is backed-up with a 10 year limited warranty.

You can use lots of different juice recipes with a Champion Juicer to make your juice blend. Or just make up your own juice recipe. Champion juicers chew the fibers and break up the cells of vegetables and fruits. What you get is a great health drink that gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. Your health benefits from this sweet dark, rich colored juice with a full-bodied flavor. To obtain more information about Champion Juicers go to www.AChampionJuicer.com.


Article by : Wilson_Sager

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