Essential Nutrition

What To Eat For Breakfast?

2011-06-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, however grabbing a doughnut and coffee is worse than skipping breakfast altogether. Many breakfast foods are high in sugar, carb-filled, or too fatty. These foods such as doughnuts, pastries, cereals, pancakes and coffee can give you an instant boost in energy, but once the body breaks down the food and the energy is quickly used up you feel hungry again. Once the energy is used up from these foods you will become sluggish and groggy. This normally occurs long before lunchtime causing one to seek out quick and easy alternatives that are usually not healthy. If you can’t find a snack you are apt to over indulge at lunchtime. Read more...

Foods to Reduce Inflammation

2011-06-11T16:52:00.000-07:00

Pain, stiffness, and swelling are just a few signs of inflammation. Inflammation can be caused by many things an injury, fall, allergies or even acne. Inflammation can also occur due to the presence of a disease such as hay fever, atherosclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s, acid reflux, Parkinson’s, stroke, asthma, cancer and infections. When inflammation occurs there are many ways to combat it, medication, rest, exercise and in extreme cases surgery. However, for many who seek natural or holistic medicine looking into an anti inflammatory diet may be just as effective as the alternative treatments. Here is a list of foods that should be included in ones diet to reduce the symptoms of inflammation. Read more...

Foods to Reduce & Eliminate Stress

2011-06-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

Stress is all around us, at work, at home and on our minds. Stress affects everyone differently, however stress weakens the bodies immune system and depletes the body of essential nutrients. For some stress causes uncontrollable eating. Others go without eating altogether. Neither option is good for the body especially under stressful circumstances. Knowing the best stress reducing foods can help to relax the body and combat stress. Read more...

Breakfast- The Most Important Meal of The Day

2011-06-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

You have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But if this is true then why do most people skip breakfast? There are many reasons why people choose to skip breakfast, some think by skipping breakfast it will help to lose weight, others just feel they don’t have time for breakfast. However, these are part of an incorrect thinking because breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day. By eating a healthy, nutritious breakfast you can maintain a healthy weight while refueling your mind and body for the rest of your day. Read more...

The Best Diet Tips

2011-06-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

Whether you have dieted in the past, you are on a diet now or you are going to start a diet there are dieting tips that should be followed to get the best results you can from your diet. Every diet is not for everyone so following these diet tips may be the key to successfully completing your diet with the outcome that you wanted. By keeping these diet tips close to your vest you can avoid the common diet mistakes that most dieters normally make. Read more...

Avoid The Most Common Diet Mistakes That Dieters Make

2011-06-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of people start and stop diets every year for many reasons. People choose to start diets because they want to lose weight. However, people don’t anticipate how hard it will be. Losing weight takes dedication and motivation. However if you aren’t prepared for the challenge then you may ultimately quit before you reach your goal. Before deciding if a diet is right for you its best to learn about the diet and nutritional factors. By being knowledgeable you can avoid making common diet mistakes just like these. Here are your top 10 diet mistakes that you should avoid when starting a diet. Read more...

Is Your Diet Right For You

2011-06-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

The word diet is presumed to mean a specific food constriction to lose weight. However the real meaning of diet in nutritional terms means the sum of food consumed. The meaning of the word diet has been warped over the years giving a misconception. People have been dieting, in the sense of constricting to certain food guidelines, to lose weight for decades. However, specific diets started popping up and have become the new trend in weight loss. Over the last decade we have seen the rise of the Atkins diet, South beach diet, cabbage soup diet, cookie diet, and grapefruit diet and macrobiotic diet as well as companies such as Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and LA weight loss promoting their diet programs. Although it is possible to lose weight with any of these diets (by restricting calories) in actuality all of these diets are bunk. Read more...

2011-06-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

Inflammation is the body’s protective response to irritation, injury, or infection. However, chronic inflammation can be aggravated by excess weight and the food that we eat. Fat tissue secretes chemicals and hormones, which cause and increase inflammation. Foods that increase blood sugar also increase inflammation. This includes processed sugar, high glycemic starches, refined white flours and saturated fats. Therefore when looking to decrease inflammation an anti-inflammatory diet is essential. Avoid junk food, high fats, fast food, and sugars. A diet high in vegetables, low in carbohydrates and saturated/trans fats promotes anti-inflammatory properties. Here is a list of anti-inflammatory foods to add to your diet. Read more...

Best Antioxidant Rich Foods

2011-05-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

For years research has been uncovering the many benefits of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to combat heart disease, cancer, reduce blood pressure and slow the effects of aging. These small molecules fight harmful free radicals within the body that can damage and kill cells, which cause disease. Although antioxidants can be synthesized within the body, in most cases they must be consumed through your diet. By consuming a combination of whole foods and disease fighting antioxidants you can stave off disease and maintain a healthy optimal functioning body. Read more...

Foods To Relieve Constipation

2011-04-26T17:43:00.000-07:00

If you have ever experienced constipation, which most people have at some point in their life, you know that it can be painful, embarrassing and uncomfortable. What most people don’t realize is that an unhealthy diet that lacks water and fiber can cause the slow, sluggish elimination that causes constipation. Therefore a healthy balanced diet can actually relieve and prevent constipation from occurring. Read more...

Spices to Cleanse & Detoxify the Body

2011-02-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

Spices were originally developed in the Middle East and herbs later on in East Asia. Early uses of spices and herbs included magic, medicine, religion, tradition, and preservation. Spices were originally used by the upper class and nobles, however, it wasn’t long before spices became part of the barter system and used as currency. This is how spices moved around from country to country and eventually made it to Europe and the America’s. Read more...

Foods to Detox the Body

2011-01-27T10:27:00.000-08:00

As toxicity has become a growing concern within our society the need for detox has grown greater. With newer, stronger chemicals in the air, water, drugs, medications and foods the risk for exposure is much greater than it was in the past. Other factors such as lifestyle also lead to the risk of exposure to pollutants, irritants and toxins. Food plays a major role in the body’s ability to eliminate toxins and chemicals. The body requires essential nutrients through food, supplements or vitamins to maintain metabolic balance. However, a poor diet that consists of foods with additives, flavor enhancers, food coloring, artificial preservatives, and refined and processed foods can compromise the body’s ability to eliminate unnecessary chemicals. Fresh and organically grown foods help to cleanse and detoxify the body. Food that is rich in fiber, high in water content and full of vitamins and minerals all help to eliminate impurities. Detoxifying foods stimulate excretion of toxic chemicals and replace them with nutrients that the body needs to restore health. When you have digestive problems, constipation, a distended stomach or sluggish elimination, look at your diet and replace fast food, soda and empty calorie snacks with these detoxifying foods. Read more...

Fill Your Diet With Fat Burning Foods

2011-01-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

Dieting and weight loss go hand in hand. Everyone wants to lose weight, however conventional diet and weight loss can be difficult and time consuming. Most people become bored or lose the motivation to stick with their weight loss plans. However, there are ways to augment your weight loss. The object of weight loss is to burn the excess fat off your body. To speed up your weight loss goals you need to target the fat, by including fat burning foods within your diet. Foods that burn fat have a thermogenic effect on the body causing an increased metabolic rate. All foods have a thermic effect on the body because it requires energy to digest it however, not all foods have the same thermic effect. Consume foods with higher thermic effects to boost your metabolism and burn more calories and fat throughout your day. Here you can find a list of fat burning foods to include in your diet. Read more...

Nutritional Supplementation Can Improve Your Mood & Relieve Your Stress

2011-01-06T13:06:00.000-08:00

Nutritional supplementation or dietary supplements are intended to supplement the diet to provide nutrients to the body. Examples include vitamins, minerals, herbs, fiber, fatty acids and amino acids. The use of medicinal supplementation dates back to the origins of civilization when herbs and animal glands were used. In the US, dietary supplementation has a shorter history dating back to the American Indians and the early European settlers. For a while, Americans preferred synthetic drugs to natural remedies because of the fast and easy way it appeared you could resolve your problems. However, now more than ever patients are turning to dietary and nutritional supplementation. Read more...

How Vitamins Can Relieve Stress

2011-01-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

Stress has several long-term affects on the body. The nutrients provided by the food we eat and produced within our bodies are used up more rapidly in times of stress. Therefore our bodies require additional supplementation otherwise the bodies resources will be depleted and normal function will suffer or cease. The adrenal glands are chiefly responsible for the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, GH, epinephrine and norepinephrine. During times of stress, these hormones are released into the system and can stay at a raised level for up to 72 hours after the stress has been relieved. Increased levels of stress hormones have several reactions in the body including mobilizing energy from storage in muscles, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate and shutting down metabolic processes such as digestion, reproduction, growth and immunity. By supporting the adrenal glands with proper nutrients during stressful times, the body can adapt and management stress until it can be resolved. Read more...

What Are Antioxidants & Why They Are So Important

2010-12-17T21:17:00.000-08:00

Antioxidants are all the rage now a days. With the increased amount of knowledge, information and data available about antioxidants, the public is becoming more aware of why we need to include antioxidants in our diets. Our bodies are made up of thousands of unique combinations of substances and chemicals most of which have been identified through medical science. However, understanding what these chemicals do in our bodies is a different story completely. The term antioxidant was originally used for a chemical that prevented the consumption of oxygen. Now it is more commonly known as a chemical that reduces the rate of oxidation reactions. Read more...

The Advantages of Taking a Multivitamin As You Get Older

2010-12-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

Do you take a multivitamin? Why should you take a multivitamin? Are all multivitamins the same? These are all questions that you should ask before beginning taking a multivitamin. Multivitamins are becoming a more widely taken vitamin and mineral supplement that people use to supplement their diet. It was not until recently that more doctors have been recommending to take a multivitamin in your diet. Although, multivitamins should not replace whole foods but be part of a healthy diet. Multivitamins can bridge the gap between the foods that we eat and the nutrients that our bodies are lacking. Read more...

Green Tea - Healthy Or Unhealthy?

2010-12-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

For several years green tea has been toted as the most beneficial beverage besides water, however its benefits are still unproven and the FDA denies any evidence supporting green tea health benefits. On the other hand, doctors, nutritionists and other health care professionals are all vocalizing their recommendations of green tea. For the past several years additional research studies have been done to prove the benefits of green tea however, there is skepticism of the results because of the studies being done in Japan and China where the people have been drinking green tea for thousands of years. Although, the most recent studies show promising effects on heart disease, cancer, lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes, stroke and dementia. Read more...

Why is Water so Important?

2010-11-24T19:58:00.000-08:00

Water is tasteless, odorless, and colorless to the senses but the most important nutrient for the human body. It may be transparent but it is vital to the existence of human beings. Water makes up about 70% of our body’s mass but can vary depending upon the size of an individual. Water is involved in every bodily function whether it is used as a solvent, made as a byproduct, or essential to the metabolic process. Water is constantly being expelled from the body through urination, respiration, sweating and digestion therefore it is essential to replenish the water in our body daily. It is recommended to ingest 2 liters of water per day through food, beverages and metabolism to avoid dehydration. However the old adage of drinking 8 glasses of water per day has no scientific basis. The amount of water that any one person needs to intake is dependant upon their levels of activity, temperature, humidity and digestion. Therefore anywhere from 1-7 liters of water maybe needed to be replenished upon a daily basis. Read more...

What are the Health Benefits of the Pomegranate Fruit?

2010-11-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

If you have never eaten a pomegranate, you don’t know what you’re missing! Pomegranates are not just a fruit; pomegranates are a super food filled with healthy vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. With more and more research being done on the health benefits of pomegranates we are learning more about how this powerful fruit can keep our bodies healthy. Read more...

Whey Protein- When to Take Protein Supplements

2010-10-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Proteins are an essential part of the human diet because they are vital for the body’s metabolism as well as the cellular processes. For years nutritionists, fitness experts and diet creators have been toting the benefits of protein within our diet. Unfortunately most people don’t get enough protein in their diet which can cause limitations on how the body functions and its ability to produce energy. This lack of protein is due to the increase in consumption of carbohydrates, which are essential to health as well but in abundance can lead to obesity and in the long run diseases. Although protein is normally consumed through the ingestion of meat, poultry, fish, legumes, eggs and milk products in recent years a new supplement advertising Whey protein has caught the interest of bodybuilders, nutritionists and people who want to lose weight. Read more...

What is Cholesterol

2010-10-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

When you think of cholesterol, the immediate connotation is bad. Cholesterol is thought of as a clogger of arteries and a predictor of heart disease, stroke or heart attack. In actuality, cholesterol can be good and bad and is essential for proper body functioning. Here you will learn about what cholesterol is, what cholesterol does for the body and how important it is to maintain cholesterol levels. Read more...

The Prevalence of Vitamin B Deficiency in Today's Society

2010-10-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

When you think of the B vitamins most people think of vitamin B6 or B12 or b complex which makes up the whole group. Vitamin B12 is the most widely known of the vitamin B group however B6 and b complex are starting to become well known due to the huge influx of people with vitamin B deficiencies. On average 1 out of 31 adults above the age of 51 have low vitamin B12. Even though vitamin B12 deficiencies are largely seen in the elderly populations, a study in 2002 found that 40% of healthy men and women had low levels of B vitamins. There are likely a large number of people who go undetected with vitamin B deficiencies. Read more...

Reduce Bad Cholesterol

2010-10-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

High cholesterol is a major concern in today’s society. With many people relying on fast food, fried foods and baked foods the risk for obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, heart attack and stroke are more prominent. So what can people do avoid the risks and how can you bring down your high levels of cholesterol so you are no longer at risk? Read more...

Nutritional Supplementation- Do You Need Them?

2010-10-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Nutritional deficiencies are a dime a dozen these days. More and more people are finding out that they are deficient in one or maybe a few of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. The reason: our diet. The food we eat today is not the same as it was 100 years ago. Today we go to a fast food chain and grab a cheeseburger, French fries and a coke whereas in olden times the farmer would have to butcher the cow to get the meat for the wife to cook, the wife would pick the vegetables from her garden and she would prepare a home cooked meal from the heat of her hearth. The nutritional value of food today is so inadequate that it causes symptoms of obesity, fatigue, and weakness and leaves us at risk for several chronic, and systematic diseases. Read more...