Daily Health Care Tips

Archive for January, 2010

My mom is a great cook. She taught me everything she knew so I thought I would be a good cook to. But I experienced a rude awakening when I went to college. I discovered as a freshman that cooking takes time and can be boring and if it doesn’t taste good it can feel like a time waster.

So when in the grocery store I stumbled upon box dinners. Why hadn’t my mom told me about these before?! All I had to do was add water, meat, eggs or cheese and I would have something that perhaps wasn’t as good as her home cooking but was far superior to my culinary attempts.

After six months of eating out at restaurants and eating box dinners you can imagine what I looked like – penniless and 15 lbs heavier than when I begun. After failed attempts to diet I decided to eat healthier and go back to cooking my own food.

What I didn’t realize before was that there was wisdom in my mom’s techniques. She could control what was in her food and knew everything she was eating. There were few unnecessary calories in the bulk of her meals so she could always enjoy a piece of cake or pie (which she also made). Read the rest of this entry »

There are many of us who are trying to be healthier in every way.  It can be quite difficult in a down economy, considering that the healthiest foods seem to be the highest priced.  Here are a few tips at eating a little healthier:  Avoiding ingredients like hydrogenated oils, saturated fats, and high fructose corn syrup.

Hydrogenated oils are a thick, sticky, ingredient, that is very aptly named.  That is, hydrogenated oils are oils (usually vegetable oil) that have been mixed with hydrogen, creating a pasty solid.  A good example of hydrogenated oils is vegetable shortening.  Shortening is, very basically, pure hydrogenated oil.  Imagine eating shorting with a spoon, straight out of the container.

As hydrogenated oil goes down your throat, and through your digestive system, your body cannot digest this pasty mess; it doesn’t know what to do with it, and it ends up in your bloodstream, collecting to the walls of your blood vessels and arteries.  This is what causes an artery clog, and later, a heart attack.

Hydrogenated oils are most commonly found in foods like crackers, peanut butter, and any type of processed foods that are designed to last longer (hydrogenated oils are a type of preservative).

Saturated fats have generally the same effect on the body as hydrogenated oils.  Consumption of saturated fats can lead to heart disease.  It is theorized that saturated fat intake also increases chances of breast tumors.  These fats are highest in dairy products and fatty meats (red meats).

High fructose corn syrup is another ingredient found in processed foods.  It is basically a sweetener used in place of sugar.  It costs less than sugar, and is therefore found in a large amount of foods.

High fructose corn syrup is most common in liquid foods, such as drinks and juices, toppings and condiments, and can also be found in other foods.  It hardens your arteries, decreasing efficiency and blood flow.

In closing, remember to avoid the ingredients high fructose corn syrup, saturated fats, and hydrogenated oils.  It has been said that these three are the worst things you can put into your body, as they all eventually cause heart trouble.  On top of that, everyone knows to exercise, and how important that is to have a strong, healthy heart!  Just keep these simple tips in mind and you will have a much healthier body.

It seems like every week another “nutritionist” or “doctor” has another new diet that will help you zap the pounds quickly. And while everyone knows someone who succeeded at the diet, most of us try the new fad and never really lose the weight. The reason behind this is that fad diets don’t work. Some people (rarely) might have the right natural chemistry and body type to excel at one or another; but the vast majority of us won’t find success with the latest diet fad. So why are diets like Atkins, “Flat Tummy” and South Beach so popular if they don’t work? Because they accidentally work; they happen to incorporate some elements of smart dieting. The trick is that you don’t have to follow one of those diets in order to adjust your lifestyle to those elements as well. Fad diets only work because they happen to emphasize three secrets of actual smart diets: protein, drinking water, and proper nutrition. The trick to really losing weight is to diet smarter, and to diet smarter you need to drink water, ingest protein, and have good nutrition.

Drinking lots of water is the focus of the “Flat Tummy” diet; but you don’t need to mix lemon juice into your water to get the health benefits. The secret is just to drink plenty of water. One reason for this is that humans are often drinking SOMETHING; and empty calories in the form of sodas or sports drinks are just packing on the pounds for no reason. Drinking water whenever you feel thirsty is the best way to deal with your thirst, and avoid those empty calories. Another reason that water is important to smarter dieting is that water acts as an appetite suppressant. Often when you feel that twinge of hunger, your body is telling you that it needs hydration or has an empty stomach – not that it needs nutrition. Drinking a glass of water will suppress that twinge of hunger without doing any harm to your body. Finally, water is important for flushing the waste out of your cells. It helps flush excess things like sodium that you don’t need, but also helps keep a clean body; and a clean body is a healthier and trimmer body.

Protein is the key behind Atkins and South Beach Diets; and the reason is that having a diet high in lean protein helps promote and create lean muscle mass. This is great for two simple reasons. First, a pound of lean muscle mass burns 2-3 times more calories – at rest – than a similar weight in fat. What that means is that a body with 40 pounds of lean muscle will burn 2-3 times more daily calories b simply being there than a body with 40 pounds of fat. The second reason having lean muscle mass is important is that a pound of muscle takes up less volume than a pound of fat. So a body that weighs 115 pounds with lots lean muscle takes up less space than a body of 115 pounds with no lean muscle.

A great way to promote lean muscle mass is through supplementing a diet with a whey protein shake. If you rely on your food alone (meat and fish); you are going to ingest a lot of fat with your protein – which gives you part of the problem while trying to give you the solution. This is the benchmark of Atkins, and the main reason it doesn’t work for so many people. Whey protein shakes provide all the protein your body needs to promote lean muscle mass, without the fat in a juicy steak.

Finally, the biggest problem for fad diets is that they don’t encourage balanced diets of a large variety of food. They are often repetitive, and if people aren’t cautious, they will quickly fail to get the nutrition they need. The best way to combat that is with a simple daily multivitamin. Adding a multivitamin to your diet gives you the proper nutrition you need while allowing you to eat the low-calorie foods you prefer. It’s easily the best safety net for smart dieting.

In the age of today, obesity struck many kids and teenagers alike. Due to the fact that there is no constant activity done by kids and teenagers, with this present situation, one should ask Why is physical fitness important for teens.

In general, fitness is defined as the peak functioning or performance of muscles, lungs, and the heart of a person. With the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Sport Medicine and School Health, physical fitness is determined through the persons flexibility, muscle strength, cardio respiratory endurance, and body composition or the degree of fatness. In order to achieve physical fitness then, we need to develop these four fitness components. Since fitness is not focused on merely muscle strength or endurance, the best exercise to do then is an Aerobic exercise since it addresses all the major components.

In fact, due the fact that most teens are overweight because of bad diets and little to no exercise. If they fix there diet and do any sort of aerobic exercise they will begin to rapidly to lose weight. The key for teen weight loss therefore is self motivation.

The treatment of gynecomastia begins with the proper diet. If you tend to eat a lot of junk, it is a good idea to cut back and what better motivation to get healthy than the prospect of finally getting rid of your man boobs. Try to eat healthier food, such as fruits and vegetables. Avoid dishes that are rich in fat and calories since they promote deposition of fat in various areas of your body, including your breasts.

Most teens might not have the money to join a fitness club but what you can do is take part in activities that happen in school. This will give you at least enough opportunity to exercise each part of the body. Sports come in various choices when it comes to activities; i.e., soccer, softball, tennis, athletics and more.

Teens are in a period of their life where they are experiencing constant natural changes in their bodies. You can’t just tell a teen to eat less and expect them to lose weight healthily. They need a well balanced diet which makes it very difficult for them to lose any weight with most dieting plans.

Eat Slowly And Calmly

Everyone loves to eat but eating fast is not the proper way of eating the Digestive system will not tell your brain that you have eaten enough. Eating slowly helps your body digestion of food.

Healthy foods can also be prepared ahead of time and frozen for later use. You can prepare your own frozen foods, but make sure that you don’t load with artificial additives and preservatives. And involving your children in the preparation of healthy foods can create a time when each other can share about their day. Eating healthy foods do not have to cost you time or money, and they are so much better for you.

Exercise also benefits you mentally. When you’re fit, it affects the way you feel. You have a lot more energy, and you sleep better at night. You can concentrate better so your memory improves and because of that you feel more confident in school. Fitness gives you a real sense of accomplishment and being in control. After all, nobody can get fit for you.

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Have you attempted a variety of diets and been unsuccessful? Maybe even tried a little exercise just to discover that you lose a little weight, but it comes immediately back on again? Well don’t be concerned. There’s a reason why this happens and in this article I’ll clarify why it occurs and how to overcome it. Stress is not simply a mental response, but a bodily condition. When put under stress, your body will generate adrenaline, but it also produces a hormone named Cortisol. This hormone is responsible for channeling energy in the form of sugar into the body to power the adrenalin rush. Stress is therefore a perfectly natural condition that exists to keep us aware of events going on around us. Unfortunately there is a detrimental side effect if you are not making use of this energy source. Stress in todays world frequently takes the shape of financial concerns, issues in the workplace, personal problems and much more. The additional blood sugar that is released has nowhere else to settle apart from around your stomach and it subsequently turns to fat. As a result of this, many folks are keeping or gaining weight without even knowing it.

Of course there are other considerations, but stress is one that very few people speak about. Stress nonetheless needs to be dealt with and fought against, just as an unhealthy diet needs to be. This might be the one obstacle preventing you from shedding the weight you so keenly want to. Stress compounded with worry is in fact doubly bad. Not only do the pair generate the surplus blood sugars that turn to fat, but they also cause you to resort to comfort eating. You may reach out for chocolate or fast food for that immediate hit that is the nutritional equivalent of a caring hug from a loved one. Eating these foods that are not good for you when you are anxious does not mean that you are weak willed. You are simply pursuing your biological programming. Laboratory Tests on animals have revealed that, during stress, organisms naturally partake in pleasure seeking activities. In particular high calorie foodstuffs. Other tests have revealed that people who just manage to get four hours sleep a night have on average a thirty seven percent higher trace level of Cortisol in comparison to those who are able to get full eight hours rest. (cortisol is the hormone that increases blood sugar levels).

And what is one of the major reasons for lack of sleep? Stress! On top of that, it is vital you get a decent nights rest when attempting to shed the pounds, since a deep sleep will lead to greater secretions of a naturally occurring hormone named the Human Growth Hormone. This safeguards your muscle mass and it is muscle that helps you to retain a steady burning metabolism. We’re not talking weightlifter type muscle here either, only the natural kind we all need. Of course if you are already anxious, the odds are that you are not getting sufficient sleep already and so are trapped in a vicious circle that is negatively affecting your weight loss. Going to your doctors to enquire about prescriptive sleeping medication is an option, but this needs to be used together with a healthy lifestyle and not in place of one. Luckily, despite stress being the silent diet killer, there are a few straightforward methods to eliminate it. Firstly with a little amount of exercise, you can help yourself achieve an easier nights rest which kills two birds with one stone. Just a quick walk each day will be sufficient for your body to fall asleep in a relaxed manner by the end of the day. A decent breakfast is also allied with lower stress levels. Avoiding breakfast is only asking for trouble and will in fact have an adverse effect on your weight loss. You need to eat breakfast to boost your energy levels.

This will also handle your Cortisol levels. Cereal is particularly good at this. Fish is an alternative food that you might consider adding to your diet to lower stress and therefore help with your weight loss. Oily fish are particularly well known for their high Omega 3 content. In fact a single tin of sardines actually contains a complete weeks worth of Omega 3, which is good news for your dietary planning. Finally teach yourself to accept stress and make use of it. In other words make stress work for you. We all need a little stress to keep us on our toes and in this day and age it is all around. The trick is to put events into perspective and ask yourself “Are things genuinely that bad?”. Often we allow day to day events to stress us out unnecessarily. Don’t forget, overcoming stress with a healthy diet plan might just be the astonishing weight loss plan you’ve been looking for all along.

There are many diets and fads out there these days, ranging from the atkin’s diet to ph miracle diet. Not to say either of these are wrong, it’s simply difficult to know which one is the healthiest choice or which one will give the most benefits.

Regardless of what new technology and research continue to introduce to society in this modern era, among all the diets that fade in and out, there will always be the old, traditional theories will stand the test of time.

So if you are among those that are skeptical of temporary diets and fads, stick to the following 4 health tips and you’ll lose weight, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Before we begin to explore these points you need to change your perspective. Diets don’t work. Why? Because they are TEMPORARY. If you want to change your life and make it last, you have to pick a LIFESTYLE. The following four principles are things that you should and can easily do for the rest of your life.

Principle #1: Water Boy

Your body needs to stay hydrated! Water makes up 60-75% of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. Staying hydrated can reduce risks of kidney stones, keep joints lubricated, and prevent and reduce the instensity of colds and flu and reduce constipation. Drink a large glass of water before and after EVERY meal. This will give you the daily water you need as well as curb your hunger to help with portion control.

Principle #2: Punching Portions

Our body needs a lot less food than we think it does. America has been plagued with an addiction to huge portions and sometimes that’s still not enough so they super size their meals. Take your fist and use it as your portion control guide for food groups such as meat, grains, fruits and veggies and try to share desserts with a friend. Often times the reason why we take second servings is because our body hasn’t registered that we have eaten. If you eat slowly, and partake of your food with all five senses, I guarantee you will feel satisfied after eating one serving of your food.

Principle #3: Eat great, but NOT late

Your biggest, most dense meal of the day should be at lunch time. This is the time of day when you are up and about, burning the most calories. If you eat a lot at night, your body has no time to burn it off and its left to sit and turn to fat. Pick a time close to when you finish dinner,like 7 or 8 p.m. and don’t eat any later. This will allow your body to digest completely and cleanse itself of all its toxins.

Principle #4: Love Exercise

Get in the habit of being active! Whether its waking up at the crack of dawn and going for a brisk walk, going to the gym, or playing soccer with your kids- stay active! If you can make physical activity or exercise apart of your daily routine, there is no doubt that you will look and feel better for your whole life.

So like I said, if you are skeptical of all the hype on different diets, stick to the basics! I promise they work.

If your goal is to attain a healthy body weight, then it is vital to monitor your calorie intake. You may find some useful guidelines in this article relating to balanced diet and healthy eating. A high calorie intake with little exercise will lead to weight gain.

What is a balanced diet?

You will be able to achieve a balanced diet through a regimented intake of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, mineral salts, and fibre. For a healthy body weight, you have to take correct proportions and increase regular physical activity.

• Carbohydrates are considered as the main source of energy
• Proteins, allow you to build muscle for growth and repair
• Fats are important as some of these contain fat soluble vitamins
• With mineral salts, your teeth, bones, and muscles are strengthened
• Fibre is important as it corrects the functioning of your intestines

How a balanced diet helps to maintain body mass index (BMI)?

Maintaining a balanced diet will help you attain weight loss. Eating healthily and exercising regularly will enable you achieve a good body shape. This can help you keep a check on your obesity levels, which can be measured with the help of body mass index (BMI). Most doctors will take BMI into account when examining a patient. It is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in metres squared of a patient. If the BMI of a patient is:

• Less than 18.5, it is considered as underweight
• Between 18.5-25, it is considered to be a good body weight
• Between 25-30, it is considered to be overweight
• Between 30-40, it is considered to be obese
• Above 40, it is considered to be very obese

Balanced diet and regular exercise

Overeating will have detrimental effects upon your health and lead to weight problems. To combat this, you must eat a variety of foods. Nowadays; people make unhealthy lifestyle choices, increasing their intake of junk food. However, consuming more fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables will undoubtedly have a positive effect. Try to cut down on portion size and keep it moderate especially when consuming high calorie food. Ordinarily, the trend in restaurants is to serve large portions, however you should try to avoid supersized portions of food. While selecting your diet, try to limit the intake of food containing high levels of sugar, salt, or refined-grain products. Once you have begun your healthy diet, try to combine it with regular physical activity for more effective results. A fundamental dieting tip concerning healthy eating is to monitor your diet.

• Try to eat slowly so that you get the time to chew food properly. When we rush meals we lose the ability to taste it.
• You should be relaxed while eating food. If you stressed, it can affect the digestion process
• You should avoid overeating once you are full
• Never skip breakfast
• You should eat healthy and small meals throughout the day

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It is always better to prevent than to cure, especially where chronic diseases are concerned. The sad truth is, there is no cure for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. These non-communicable diseases are closely related to lifestyle and have major public health implications. I know because for the longest time, my family and I have been neglecting our health so much so our weight ballooned up.

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It was when my late father was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes that we were jolted to the reality. And we realize that the risk factors for these chronic diseases are mostly related to diet. Therefore, to prevent these diseases from occurring, we have to watch what we eat. Obesity is strongly related to chronic diseases and the possibility of early death. Overweight and obese individuals usually have high levels of triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol (also known as bad cholesterol), while having low HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol). This increases the likelihood of clogged arteries which can result in heart attack and stroke. Obese individuals are three times more likely to have high blood pressure. It has also been found that 50% of Type 2 diabetics are obese.

According to Rekha Naidu, a consultant dietician and member of the Malaysian Dieticians Association, one of the main reasons for obesity is excessive intake of fat. Even if a diet high in fat does not lead to obesity, it can increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer. A high-protein diet, especially one rich with animal protein, can lead to high LDL-cholesterol levels and increase the risk of chronic diseases. Too much protein can also induce the loss of calcium through the urine. The lack of calcium can thus lead to osteoporosis. A very-high-protein diet is especially risky for those with diabetes, because it can speed the progression of diabetic renal disease. Those on low-carbohydrate diets are at higher risk of chronic diseases. This is because the fibre in complex carbohydrate foods can prevent heart disease and certain forms of cancer.

Mineral deficiency is another risk factor. Calcium is crucial in maintaining bone strength. Therefore, calcium deficiency throughout childhood and adulthood will result in osteoporosis at a later age. Foods rich in calcium can also prevent high blood pressure and certain forms of cancer, and also lower LDL cholesterol levels.

We also have to watch out for carcinogenic foods. These are foods that contain cancer-causing agents. Examples of these include mouldy food (especially mouldy peanuts), charred meat, cured and smoked foods, and some spoiled foods. Over-consumption of alcohol can also increase the risk of cancer of the mouth and pharynx, larynx, oesophagus and particularly the liver.

In short, it is pertinent for us, especially those who want to lose weight to adopt a balanced diet program. Not only will it chase away diseases, you’ll feel better and rejuvenated most of the time.