Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’
These days, you can’t be too concerned about your health. With possible toxins and lower nutritional values found in the foods we eat and the things we drink, many people have taken to buying supplements to help aid their health. Here’s a list of natural health supplements that can lead you to a more sound and healthy way of life:
Saint John’s Wort: Used for over 2,000 years, this supplement is a simple plant that can greatly aid depression. One of the most widely used natural health supplements, in a double-blind clinical study, Saint John’s Wort was proven to be equally as effective as pharmaceutical antidepressants, while giving less side-effects then their drug company counterpart.
Bee pollen: People take bee pollen in supplement form to help increase energy and vitality. In addition to offering several required vitamins and minerals, bee pollen acts as an enhancer to the immune system, as well as being a useful tool in cleansing the body of harmful toxins.
Athletes have been known to take bee pollen regularly to help enhance their endurance, stamina, recovery time from exercise, and more. It may also prove to be helpful in alleviating the pesky symptoms of hay fever. With all these possible uses of bee pollen, it’s amazing to find out that it can also be used to aid in weight loss. A substance in the pollen known as lecithin helps to stimulate your metabolism and flush fat from your system. This is another one of the most widely used natural health supplements.
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Failed diets and out of control obesity may lead you to believe that losing weight is difficult but it is quite easy, at least on paper. The only thing you need to do is keep the calories that you burn greater than the calories that you eat. So why is this article so long?
Your first step is to figure out how many calories you are burning each day. There are a few formulas that have come out over the years that estimate how many calories you burn per day based on your sex, age, weight, height and physical activity. When using these formulas, keep in mind that the number you get gives you an estimate not a number that never changes day to day. It will fluctuate.
Safe weight loss is considered 1-2 pounds per week. While it is possible to lose more, it is extremely unhealthy to do so. So how many calories do you actually have to cut out of your diet? One pound of body fat equals about 3500 calories. If you want to lose one pound in a week, you need to cut 3500 calories out of your diet per week. While this might sound like a lot, per day it comes out to a 500 calorie deficit. Read the rest of this entry »
With the amount of information that exists about good nutrition, you would think it was a big mystery. The truth of the matter is, there is no mystery involved in getting the proper nutrients that your body needs. Why should you care about getting the proper nutrients? Many people are under the misconception that eating healthy is for the young because they are growing. Tissue and cells are constantly being renewed in both children and adults. The failure for these elements to repair themselves can result in diseases of lifelong misery or worse, death. To lower your risk of developing a disease, you simply need to follow three simple steps of good nutrition.
Proper Hydration
Plain and simple, your body needs water. Being properly hydrated will benefit you from head to toe. Water keeps your cells hydrated and flowing throughout your body. It doesn’t take long to witness the benefits of drinking sufficient water. Just a week of being hydrated and your skin will have a new glow. If you need to lose weight, water can help you achieve your goal. In many instances, people misinterpret thirst for hunger. Unless it’s been a few hours since you have eaten, have a glass of water the next time you have hunger panes.
There are numerous guidelines for how much water to drink. Consuming eight glasses of water each day is the most popular guideline. People have different needs. A better indication of how hydrated you are is your urine. When you are properly hydrated your urine is almost clear. There is the possibility of water intoxication so you don’t want your urine to be completely colorless.
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Eating properly can help keep you healthy and fit. As long as you eat nutritionally your overall life will be more rewarding. Learning to eat nutritionally will keep you fit and usually you will be able to keep the proper weight for your size.
There are six food groups that you should add to your diet. These six food groups form the food pyramid as some people refer to it.
The base of the pyramid is the Bread, Grain, Cereal and Pasta food group. These foods provide complex carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy. You should have 6 to 11 servings of these foods in a day. Examples for one serving include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of rice, or pasta, and 1 flat tortilla.
The next food groups going up the pyramid include the Fruits group and Vegetables group. In both groups, these foods will provide you with important nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, folate or potassium. They are also low in fat and sodium and high in fiber. You should have 3 to 5 servings of vegetables or fruits each day. Examples of one serving of fruit include one medium size apple, orange or banana, ½ cup of canned fruit, and ¾ cup of fruit juice or about 4 ounces. Only count 100 percent real fruit juice. Examples of one serving of vegetables include 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables, ½ cup of other vegetables either cooked or raw, and about 4 ounces of vegetable juice. Read the rest of this entry »