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Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

Making a commitment to have healthier eating habits is a tough one. Knowing how to implement that commitment may be even harder. Where do you start? What foods should you eat, and which ones should you stay away from? These are all questions you should answer before going out to the grocery store.

We need nutrients to survive. We need vitamins, minerals and calories everyday. There are two types of nutrients. Micronutrients are our vitamins and minerals and macronutrients are where our calories come from. The three types of macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates and proteins.

Many people think that all fats are bad and recently started thinking all carbohydrates are bad too. That leaves us with just protein. If this were the case, our diets wouldn’t be very enjoyable. Fortunately not all fats are bad and the same goes for carbohydrates.

With all the negative publicity recently, you might be afraid to eat any carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are our main fuel source. Our brain can’t use anything else to power itself with and our muscles will work the best on it. Don’t deprive yourself of it. Carbohydrates that you should stay away from are simple sugars that are found in candy, sodas and many snacks. Good carbohydrates such as whole wheats and fruits will keep you energized throughout the day and avoid sugar highs and lows.

Fats are also very important. Without fat, our body wouldn’t be able to utilize some of the vitamins we consume. Fat is found in our cell walls and make up a big part of hormones. Fats you should avoid are saturated fats that come in meat, milk and dairy products. Every one should consume good (unsaturated fats) that come from plant sources such as nuts and olives.

Understanding your body requirements is an invaluable tool for developing fitness. your daily body requirements include vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Vitamins and minerals are the elements that are necessary for chemical reactions that unlock energy or enable growth. Although your body can store some vitamins, a regular daily intake is important because some of the most vital vitamins, B and C, are water-soluble, so are quickly flushed out of the system.

It’s important to ensure your daily food intake includes all the nutrients your body needs.

Water
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day to prevent dehydration. In hotter climates, drink more.

Fruit and vegetables
One third of the food you eat every day should be fruit and vegetables – aim for a minimum of five a day, and eat a variety.

Salt
Too much salt raises your blood pressure, so cut down as much as possible.

Fat
Some fat is vital to the body, but eating too much causes weight gain, so choose low-fat alternatives where possible.

The average woman needs around 2000 calories per day to fulfill her body requirements. This calorie requirement rises to 2500 for average men. However, these figures are based on averages and may be completely different for many individuals. If the same person becomes less active then calorie requirements will be lower. For this reason calorie requirements are highly individual and different for the different type of body characteristics such as height, gender, age and activity levels.

Energy is used up in physical work as well as in exercising for pleasure. People who do physically demanding work need to make sure they get enough food to meet their energy needs. It’s also important that they find time to rest and relax at the end of the day to let their bodies recover.

Children, and adults with less demanding physical work, have lower calorie requirements than People who do physically demanding work. They should exercise or play a sport to stay fit and maintain a proper weight. Brisk walking, swimming, jogging, cycling or playing ball games are all ideal.

Lack of exercise in the elderly can reinforce age related limitations and handicaps that further reduce physical activity. The elderly should therefore try to take diet according to their calorie requirements, and keep up a comfortable level of physical activity. Gentle exercise such as walking or swimming is ideal. Irregular, strenuous exercise should be avoided.

Those who have been inactive for long periods, especially if this is as a result of illness, should have a health check before starting to exercise or resuming heavy physical work. Activity levels should be built up gradually, taking care not to do too much too soon and fulfilling calorie requirements according to activity levels.

Moderation is the golden rule. Eating in moderation combined with moderate exercise is the best approach for everyone.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet that best meet their body requirements, helps people stay fit and healthy.

Calcium has been recommended and widely accepted as an essential mineral for bone and skeletal health and numerous body functions-regulating heartbeat, conducting nerve impulses, stimulating hormonal secretions and clotting the blood. Now, some conflicting and potentially misleading research is threatening to negate the efficacy of this vital mineral.

One factor that the study, published by the Women’s Health Initiative, got right was that the government’s recommended daily dosage is necessary to receive the benefits associated with calcium consumption and supplementation. Yet more than half of the study participants did not adhere to the recommended calcium supplementation, making improvements in bone density a nearly impossible result. Meanwhile, those that did comply experienced a whopping 29 percent lower risk of hip fractures.

Americans, both young and old, are failing to meet calcium intake requirements and the incidence of osteoporosis is climbing. During adolescent and teenage years, when 45 percent of bone mass is formed, meeting calcium requirements is essential. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, however, only 10 percent of teenage girls and 30 percent of teenage boys are meeting adequate calcium intake, which places them at serious risk for stunted growth, bone disease and, eventually, osteoporosis.

Calcium is available through dairy products and green, leafy vegetables-yet incorporating adequate amounts into a modern, hectic lifestyle, regardless of age, is often unrealistic. Calcium-fortified foods and supplements, however, can fill the gap.

“It’s very important that people do take a supplement if they’re not getting enough calcium in their diet,” says Nicholina Galinsky, R.N. “Unfortunately, most of us are not aware that we have osteoporosis until we break a bone.”

Adora™, a new calcium supplement, is made with milk and dark chocolate. Each chocolate disk contains 500 mg of elemental calcium, along with 100 international units of vitamin D and 40 micrograms of vitamin K, which aids absorption. In addition, the supplements taste like gourmet chocolate, which makes sense since the manufacturer, Thompson Brands, is a candy maker, not a pharmaceutical company.

If you are looking to purchase nutritional supplements, look no further than the World Wide Web. There are millions of businesses based both in the “real” and virtual worlds that hock any type of natural extract or supplement imaginable. These nutritional supplements can be anything from naturally building muscle and tone to ensuring your body has the proper nutrients at all times. Online sellers of nutritional supplements are just as reliable as the traditional brick and mortar stores, and are often controlled by the same company.

Instead of searching all over town for those hard to find nutritional supplements, look no further than your computer. The World Wide Web has essentially shrunk the earth, allowing you to purchase anything and everything from any corner of the globe and have it delivered directly to your door. Many small towns do not have a health food store or nutritional supplements shop, so instead of driving near and far to purchase the items you seek, you can save time and money on gas and hop on the internet for all your shopping needs.

Quite often, these online sellers of nutritional supplements are a great deal less expensive than traditional brick and mortar stores. This difference in price is usually because of the rock bottom overhead it takes to run a virtual business. Instead of renting a storefront for your nutritional supplements store, paying employees to stock and man the register, purchase a variety of business related items, and paying utilities on the store, you can quickly and easily run a significant business out of your own home. This savings is directly passed down to the buyer, who reaps the rewards of convenient shopping at great prices.

If you are looking at a place to purchase nutritional supplement online, ask your friends, family members, or coworkers for a reference. Most individuals have done some sort of shopping on the World Wide Web and can point you in a general direction. Also, speak with your primary healthcare provider about an appropriate store in cyberspace to purchase your nutritional supplements. This is critical since your doctor should know of anything you are taking, whether all natural over the counter supplements or prescription medications. Once you have found a reputable dealer of nutritional supplements online, establish a relationship with the company and be sure to tell your friends. Word of mouth advertising is an excellent way to spread the word about a specific business.

Whenever you purchase anything online, especially nutritional supplements, only work with legitimate sellers. Remember the old adage, if it is too good to be true, then it probably is, and carefully look up the background information of any store before you buy your nutritional supplements. Also, once your products arrive, ensure they are still properly sealed and the containers are in perfect condition when they arrive. This inspection is important so that you can be sure none of the products were tampered with before they arrived on your doorstep. Once your nutritional supplements arrive, you can begin taking them and be on your way to proper health in no time.