Lets Share About Healthy

Cranberries and Bladder Infections

2009-08-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Cranberries have been scientifically proven to be effective as a treatment for bladder and other urinary tract infections (UTI). They contain a high level of hippuric acid that inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, that prevents the bacteria from binding to the lining of the urinary tract, a preliminary step in infection. In order for the bacteria to infect, the bacteria has to first adhere to the mucosa. By blocking the binding, cranberry juice greatly reduces the possibility of infection and helps the body defend itself against infection.

Bladder infections are usually treated with antibiotics but as a natural healing alternative, cranberries are effective.

Cranberry juice is regarded as “bacteriostatic” because it limits bacterial growth, rather than “bactericidal” which refers to substances that kill bacteria.

In one study, individuals with active urinary tract infections were given 16 oz of cranberry juice every day. 75% of the individuals were benefited from the juice, however when the juice was no longer used, recurrence of bladder infection was shown on 60% of them.

To treat an existing bladder infection or to prevent one, drink approx. 16 oz of cranberry juice every day. Make sure it is real juice, and not a juice cocktail which are very sweet. Most cranberry juices on the market are one-third juice and the rest is water and sugar.
Some experts suggest that cranberry juice has to be very tart to work. If you can't find real cranberry juice, look for cranberry juice concentrate and mix it with water. For a sweeter taste, mix 2 tsp of the concentrate with a pint of fresh apple juice.

Don't like cranberries? Try their cousins blueberries, which are believed to have similar infection fighting properties.

Boost Your Immune System With Fruits and Vegetables

2009-08-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Having a heatlhy and nutritious diet is the most important thing we can do to prevent disease. A healthy and nutritious diet should include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains. These foods are great sources of antioxidants, which benefit our health by neutralizing harmful molecules known as free radicals. Heart disease, cancer, stroke and other diseases that are common with aging result from damage to cells from these free radicals.

In small amounts, free radicals help fight infection, but in large amounts, they may cause damage to tissue and DNA, a process known as oxidative stress. A way to prevent or minimize the oxidative stress in your body is by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables.

Our immune system needs to be well nourished to accomplish its mission: Defend our body against infection and other diseases.
So which fruits and vegetables do you need to include in your daily diet? Here are some fruits and vegetables that should be top on your shopping list.

Broccoli
Broccoli is considered as the number one anti-cancer food by the National Cancer Institute. It contains sulforaphane which stimulates the body's production of substances known as Phase II detoxification enzymes. The Phase II detoxification enzymes destroy carcinogens and free radicals before they attack healthy cells. Other sources of sulforaphane are kale, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, brussels sprouts and mustard or turnip greens.

Blueberries

Among all fruits and vegetables, blueberries have one of the highest content of antioxidants. They get their beautiful deep color from pigments called anthocyanin, which have some very powerful immune stimulating properties. These anthocyanins are antioxidants that protect capillaries from oxidative harm. Blueberries have been found to help with mental health and memory and with urinary tract infections.

Apples
Apples are rich in magnesium, iron, silicon and potassium. Raw apples are a valuable aid to digestion, cleansing of the intestines and are excellent for fevers and inflammations. If you are having trouble with constipation, try having an apple (or apple juice) on an empty stomach, as they have a diuretic and laxative effect on the lower intestine.

Garlic
Called the “poor man's antibiotic”, garlic is a powerful aid against infections. It is also a powerful blood cleanser, a digestive stimulant, a diuretic and a systemic cleanser. It is also a powerful cleanser of the mucous membranes, especially those of the lungs, sinuses, nose and the throat. Due to its blood cleansing properties, garlic is beneficial for conditions such as high blood pressure. Garlic also appear to help block cancer by preventing the formation of some carcinogens that damage DNA.

Lemons
Rich in organic citric acid, it quickly changes an acid condition into an alkaline one; they help maintain the proper acid-alkaline balance of the body and relieve many other irritating conditions. Lemons are excellent for colds, sore throat and upset stomach.

Tomatoes
Rich in vitamin C, fiber and potassium, tomatoes have a high content of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that protects the body against cancer. They also contain beta-carotene and flavonoids that inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Carrots
Carrots are great for cleansing the bile and dying substances impacted in the liver. When eaten raw, carrots supply many of the components and vitamins needed by our bodies. Carrots are one of the best sources of Vitamin A and are also high in potassium, calcium. magnesium, manganese, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus and protein.

Spinach
Raw spinach is just about one of the most nourishing vegetables for the digestive and eliminative system and for all muscles, cells, tissues and nerves. It stimulates the muscular contractions of the intestines and is rich in iron, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Cooking Tips for Better Health

2009-08-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Cooking is a personal experience and we can implement different methods for the same meal. For example, if we want to make mashed potatoes, we could boil the potatoes, or we could steam them, we could peel the skin, buy instant mixes, etc. It's all about choices that will affect the nutritional value of the food you put on your table. So here are a few cooking tips that you can easily implement in your kitchen.

Healthy cooking tips on how to cook

For a healthier lifestyle, you may want change what you cook as well as how you cook. Depending on the method you choose, you may be inactivating the nutrients out of your food. You could be preparing a meal with the right nutritious ingredients but after you are done cooking, you may end up with a dish that has no nutritional value.

When heat is applied, many vitamins and minerals are burnt away. The higher the temperature and the longer you cook it, the fewer nutrients you will have in your meal. It is important then not to overcook your meals, try to cook your meals in the shortest time possible and with the minimum amount of water possible. However, dry cooking methods such as roasting and baking are perhaps the worst method, as they require a longer cooking time. Microwaving, frying, boiling and sautéing are some of the methods that you need to consider before you cook. Steaming and stir-frying are better choices, as they will allow the natural nutrition to remain in your food.

It is also important to consider the oxidation that occurs in vegetables once they are cut, as oxidation will inactivate the vitamins. For this reason, try not to cut or chop your vegetables way ahead of time.

Cooking Utensils

Quality cookware and utensils that do not interact with food are also something to consider. Natural materials such as earthenware, ceramic, glass and metals such as stainless steel, cast-iron or enamel coated steel are recommended. Avoid aluminum, plastic, teflon and other synthetic materials.

Flavouring Foods

You may also want to think about the seasonings you add to your foods when cooking.

Consider adding unrefined sea salt to your meals instead of the commonly available commercial table salt which is a highly refined product containing 99.5% sodium chloride with almost no trace minerals left. Unrefined sea salt taste wonderful and depending on the method of processing, it contains 0.5 to 3% trace minerals in addition to sodium chloride and small quantities of other elements found naturally in the ocean. You also need to remember that too much salt can cause hypertension, excessive fluid retention and other complications. You could also add a lot of spices and herbs instead if you need to add more taste to your meals. Try adding fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add a little extra taste.

More Things to Consider

Choose quality vegetable oils. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fat, refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings.

Try using less white flour and introduce more fiber by adding bran and soy flour and wheat germ to your bread recipes.

Balance your diet with fresh fruits and vegetables versus frozen or canned. Have a salad every day. Make your own salad dressing. Here is the one I make for my daily salads. In the food processor chop garlic, ginger, onion, jalapeno pepper and parsley. Add fresh squeezed lime (from 4 or 5 limes) or lemon juice, extra virgin oil, and unrefined sea salt, that's it, and it is delicious. You could also add honey for a little extra flavor.

As far as the amount for each ingredient, I would say, 5 cloves of garlic, a 1/2" pc of ginger, 1/2 onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, a handful of parsley and 4-5 limes. Add oil and salt to taste. Yields about a pint.

And last but not least, cook with joy and a light heart and avoid meals prepared by people who are sick, angry or they have an unhappy attitude.

Nutrition for a healthy teenager

2009-08-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

It could be a challenge to keep your teens healthy but it is very important. They are completing a cycle of growth and change and their bodies are going through rapid changes.

For this reason, every effort should be made to educate your teenager about the impact and importance that a good nutrition habit will have in their lives. Provide them with the right resources so they can be guided in wanting the proper types of food everyday with the proper amount of nutrients and healthysupplements.

When considering your teens health, it is important to think about how strong they are influenced by their friends. Many teens worry about how they look. And because their bodies are changing quickly, they may feel awkward or uncomfortable and may not feel very confident in their appearance. It is important to monitor these behaviors as things such as anorexia and bulimia are growing problems among teens in relation to changing bodies and self-esteem. Making sure that they are eating the proper food everyday is one way to ensure this.

By guiding your teen in nutritional value, you will be providing them the knowledge that they need in order to have a more nutritious lifestyle later on in their life.

Teenage nutrition should consist of essential nutrients and vitamins everyday. This includes making sure that they are eating from the five food groups. It also means ensuring that they are receiving any extra nutrients that are not in their daily diets. Because of the age of teens, they will partly be in charge of their eating habits, meaning that they will want to eat out more as well as get food from vending machines and school. If you are giving your teen these choices, make sure you educate them on what nutrients they need every day. This will give them more options in deciding what they want to eat.

From here, it is important to make sure that your teen is getting the required amounts of physical activity. This may mean allowing them to go to a gym or health club. It may also mean encouraging them to join a team sport or physical education activity at school. While they may decide that these are not the best options for them, make sure that it is encouraged and something that you would like to see them do.

The one thing that you can monitor with your teen is whether they are eating breakfast, and possibly dinner. Giving them nutritious options during the times where they are at home will encourage them to eat healthier. You can also make sure that what you have provided at home allows for more nutritious habits. Supplying food as well as an example towards your teen of healthy eating will allow for them to make the right decisions. There are always ways to improve the way we cook and prepare our meals to get the maximum benefit from the foods we eat.

The essential principles of good health can be simplified into a simple sentence. Eat properly, exercise, be happy and keep a life of balance and moderation.

Eating Out - A good choice?

2009-08-01T17:33:00.000-07:00

Several debates have been discussed whether it is healthy to eat out. Many restaurants are being questioned over the variety of foods that they offer as well as the methods they use to cook their meals. If you want to go out for part of your daily intake of food, it is important to be aware of the following guidelines.

The main problem with eating out is that restaurants usually have meals that have high amounts of saturated fat or fry many of their meals. This type of fat is not able to move through your system, but is only stored as extra energy. High sodium is another major problem that is found in many restaurants. Before you go to any restaurant, you should make sure that they have alternate options to things like extra fat in their foods.

Because of the rise in health awareness, certain restaurants are providing options for those who are health conscious. There are meals that can be made with a special order that will have lower saturated fat when cooked. Before you go to any restaurant, you can call and ask if they will offer this service to you. There are also restaurants that are providing low-carbohydrate and low fat dishes. They will have a separate menu for these things that are offered.

You also have the option of looking at the different varieties on the menu separately than you would with regular foods. For example, there are dishes that will be steamed, grilled, poached, broiled or roasted. These usually won’t have as high of an intake of fat as other types of food. Usually, those in the restaurant will know how they are cooked and can provide you with options. If part of the dish is cooked this way, and others aren’t, you can always ask for a substitute with your meal.

The other thing to watch out for when eating out is high-sodium foods. These provide extra ingredients to your body that it doesn’t need. If foods are soaked in a tomato base or certain type of sauce, are pickled or smoked, they are also likely to have a large amount of sodium in them. By making sure that your food is cooked right in this way, it will also help with your decisions when eating out.

If you are unsure of the best options for a nutritious meal out, you can do a variety of research in order to find what will be best for you. You can do this by either calling the restaurant ahead of time, or finding standards for the restaurant. If it doesn’t meet with the ingredients that you need, you should try to eat somewhere else instead.

If you want to eat out, it is easy to do while following some guidelines to stay healthy at the same time. There are several restaurants that are health conscious and will provide you with options. This will allow you to keep a nutritious lifestyle and diet while enjoying an evening out for dinner at the same time. Knowing how to eat out and knowing what to look for will help you in deciding how to approach restaurant food. If you have a teenager that eats out frequently, it is important that you guide them on how they can make healthy choices and the impact that a healthy diet has on their lives.

Here are a few more tips to help you make a good choice:

Watch out for salads. Many salads have many unhealthy and even fattening extras. When possible ask for salad dressing on the side.

Find restaurants that use olive oil rather than butter or lard in their cooking.

Called the restaurant and ask what they use to fry their food in.

You don't want the same person who is preparing your food, especially if they are making you a sandwich to use the cash register.

Don't order something that it is not their specialty. For example, don't order a steak at a sea food restaurant.

Ask the waiter what's good and fresh.

Look out for buffets. It may be convenient and easy for a buffet to use their leftovers the next day.

Eating Nutritious Foods and Your Energy

2009-07-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

For the maintenance or restoration of health and energy it is essential to have a nutritious eating. You can easily gain energy and be able to function at higher levels in your every day activities if you know what to eat and how much. Knowing what types of energy are available in your meals can help you determine what you need to eat.

The energy nutrients that we find in our foods are chemical substances. There are a different categories, such as:

carbohydrates - starch, sugar, glycogen. Should be the nutrients that are your main source of energy each day. All fruits, vegetables, breads, and cereals are good sources of carbohydrates. Milk and other dairy foods also give you carbohydrates.

proteins - large molecules containing nitrogen and made out of amino acids units. But your body also uses proteins mainly to repair body cells and build new cells for growth. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and milk and other dairy foods all have a lot of proteins.

inorganic elements or salts - compounds that contain iron, calcium and phosphorus

lipids - known as fats are the nutrients that give you the greatest amount of energy. When you eat meat, eggs, and cheese you get energy from the fats in these foods.

vitamins - group of organic compounds needed in very tiny amounts by the body

There are several different ways in which energy is distributed throughout your body. By keeping a balance between these kinds of energy, you will be able to feel better and eat right. The first type of energy distribution is through calories. Calories are units of energy that are located in every type of ingredient. Protein, carbohydrates and fat all contain these calories in them. Knowing how much of this energy to take in is the first step in determining nutritious eating.

From here, you can find how much energy is available in other types of nutrients and food substances. Protein and carbohydrates as well as fats carry the highest amounts of energy in them. However, if you have excess of any of these energy sources, the energy will be stored and will cause weight gain instead of balance. These three major sources of energy all carry different factors in relation to them which should be looked into, especially in relation to what they will provide for sources of energy.

Energy can also be maintained through the vitamins and minerals that are a part of your food sources. For example, vitamin B, in all of its forms, provides for energy to move into the metabolism, which speeds up processing of other nutrients and foods. By knowing the vitamins that contain the right amounts of energy, you will be able to keep a balance in your eating habits.

The two major problems that we can have when trying to find energy through food is not having enough of any of the above mentioned sources or having too much of one of these sources. With each of these problems, it will cause the extra energy to move into an area in the body where it can be stored. This will eventually turn into extra weight and cause imbalances and health problems in your body.

Here is a tip to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Create a menu that provides the right amounts of energy to your body. Knowing what your personal needs are in relation to this is the first step in maintaining better health. After this, you can find ways to balance your diet as well as find sources of energy through food by finding what nutrients and ingredients are in all of the foods.

Living a balanced lifestyle through healthy and nutritious eating is a major step in being able to live a healthy and energetic life. Knowing what your needs are, as well as being able to define different sources that provide different types of functioning can help you in your personal needs to begin or continue to eat nutritiously. Even if your lifestyle requires eating out most days of the week, you can still achieve a healthy lifestyle.
It is important to remember that the lack of any essential nutrient over an extended period of time can deplete what the body stores. Normally, the body stores enough vitamins for brief periods of dietary deprivation. For all vitamins, an adult can depend upon normal stores to maintain him/her for several weeks and a child for a few weeks.

Nutrition as we age

2009-07-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

As we age, our nutrition begins to change. In other words the utilization of food is oftentimes changed. A deficient nutrition could happen from an insufficient intake due to a lack of sufficient appetite resulting in a small food intake. Also, the lack of good healthy teeth or proper dentures may affect the type of food that are being selected, leading to a habit of avoiding foods that require chewing, such as meats and vegetables, thus a deficiency in proteins, vitamins and minerals.

The amount of hydrochloric acid in our stomach, which helps in the digestion of protein, and the enzymes of the pancreas are frequently decreased as we age. Therefore, the food that is ingested is not properly digested to make the absorption possible.
Our body reacts to age by re-balancing different areas in our body. Being aware of what our body needs are in order to perform the right maintenance is important. By doing this, you can continuously look and feel younger, despite your age.

Premature aging is preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle. The degenerative diseases typical of people of advanced age can often be treated, but are much more easily prevented by living a healthy lifestyle.

The first thing that needs to be consistent is maintaining the right dietary needs. As your body ages, it is in more of a need for balanced and healthy meals. If it doesn’t have the right nutrients moving through the body, it can cause more severe problems at a faster rate. As you age, your body stops growing and instead needs to keep a consistent level of nutrients. Make sure that your body is getting the right supply of vitamins and supplements for maintenance work.

Some of the major supplements that older and aging people need are calcium, fiber, iron, vitamin C, protein, vitamin A and folacin. These specific vitamins help with adding strength and extra energies that your body needs in order to continue moving things consistently through its body. Knowing which supplements you will need to re-balance your body can help with you feeling healthier and having more energy.

Physical activity also needs to remain as one of the important parts of aging. It is easy for your body to lose bone density, muscle mass and have pains that are more consistent throughout different places in your body. By staying active and exercising on a consistent basis, it will help your body to not lose the muscle, tissue and bone that it needs in order to stay healthy with energy. There are several places where one can go in order to find how to stay at the best health while aging. Each of these places can offer specific exercises in order to help relieve pain and keep the bone density and muscle mass at a consistent level.

A good diet becomes even more important as our immune system tends to weaken naturally as we age. The immnune system defends the body against bacteria, viruses, infections and other invaders. Fruits and vegetables are among the best sources of nutrients needed for a strong immnune system. If you eat right, your immunity stays strong regardless of your age.

Another thing to keep in mind is that senses will begin to change. Smell and taste begin to weaken. There are several specialists that can help you to feel comfortable and give you the right tools if this starts to happen. You can always change food flavors that you eat in order to help with smell and taste. It is important to make sure that the change in your senses doesn’t get in the way of your normal and comfortable living.

Vitamins or Minerals You Should You Be Taking

2009-07-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Vitamins and minerals are essential for functioning on a daily basis with both internal and external health. However, vitamins should provide a balance to your health, not problems with functioning. Having too much as well as too little vitamins in your system may cause several problems. Because of this, it is important to know which vitamins you should be taking, as well as how much of each. In other words, it needs to be balanced.

The need for vitamins and the amount you need will depend on many factors. Individual needs and builds are different from person to person. Knowing what your individual make-up is, genetically as well as in relation to things such as metabolism is the first step in determining what you need. You can either see a physician or health provider in order to determine what your needs are.

From here, you can determine what each vitamin will do for your health. This will vary according to age, gender and what your specific needs are. For example, a youth or young adult will need more calcium in their system, as their bone density is growing at this time. Women that are pregnant will need to take more folic acid in order to provide for their child. As you become older, changes will differ as well as needs. Depending on where you are in life and what your specific needs are will make a difference in the amount that you are taking. You can determine how much you need by researching online or look at the daily recommendations list available from health departments.

From here, you can see what each vitamin will provide. This can then be measured in relation to what your eating habits are. It will be necessary to look at the various factors in relation to vitamins to help you in deciding what is best to take. There are several that will simply take a multi-vitamin in relation to the food intake that they have. However, because of individual builds and needs, different vitamins are used to help with balance.

The most important thing to consider when looking into vitamins is what your needs are. When doing this, you can do research online for what recommendations are. You can also look into standards of what you should be taking. These are available from research as well as standards from the US food administration. There are several research reports as well as ideals for what vitamins you should be taking and which ones you shouldn’t.

Knowing your needs as well as understanding how your diet should work will help you in determining which vitamins to take. This is an important step in determining your health and nutrition. Vitamins and minerals are essential in providing your body with certain ways of functioning. Without them in place, health problems can occur as the body needs this support going to it constantly. If you are interested in remaining healthy, then taking an interest in understanding what vitamins to take will determine proper functioning.

Making the right choices for a Healthy Diet

2009-07-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

Without a doubt, the ideal diet is different from person to person. However, on average, a healthy diet is one that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts and fish and has low levels of food components which are harmful to your health such as other animal products, concentrated sweets, saturated fats, cholesterol, salt and additives, stimulants and alcohol.

The whole natural and unprocessed foods, such as plant foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, seeds and nuts contain not only valuable nutrients but also dietary fibre which has some remarkable healthy properties.

A healthy diet should also include a suitable amount of protein.

A healthy diet should also include at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day

Reading food label

Reading food labels seem to be the most effective way of determining the proper type of food to be bought in the supermarket. They let you make sensible food selections. With food labels, you can clearly understand the amount and types of nutrients that are provided in the item.

Usually, they contain the information on saturated fat, sodium, total fat, fiber, and cholesterol amount “per serving.” Through the “Nutrition Facts” section in a particular item, you can determine the amount of serving sizes provided in that product as well as the nutritional value.

A typical consumer would definitely ask what those numbers mean to understand how it will affect his or her diet. However, understanding and reading these food labels can be very confusing.

To further have a clear and more comprehensive understanding of the items stated in the food label, here is a list of things that you need to know:

1. Serving size

This is the primary item you will see in a food label.

The amount of servings stated in the food label refers to the quantity of food people usually consume. However, this does not necessarily mean that it reflects your very own amount of food intake, as most people are surprised to find that their idea of a single serving is actually two or three.

Moreover, serving size determines the amount of nutrients that enters the body. This means that if you will follow strictly what the serving size is, you will obtain the same amount of nutrients according to the serving size that was given in the label.

For instance, if the serving size says one serving size is equal to 57 grams, that would mean you have to measure 57 grams and eat that and you have just eaten one serving. So to speak, the amount of nutrients stated in the food label is the same amount that has entered your body considering the fact that you have just eaten 57 grams.

However, if you have eaten everything, and the food label says that each pack is equivalent to 4 servings, you have to calculate the amount of nutrients that have entered your body. This means that if the food label says 300 calories per serving that means you have to multiply it to four to get the total amount of calories you have taken.

2. Nutrients

This refers to the list of available nutrients in a particular item. It is also where the nutritional claims of the product based on the recommended daily dietary allowance are stated. Usually, the nutritional amounts are based on both the 2,500-calorie diets and the 2,000 recommended dietary allowances.

In order to understand the numeric value of each item, you should know that the “% daily value” that the food label indicates is actually based on how a particular food corresponds to the recommended daily dietary allowance for a 2,000 calorie.

If in the event that you have purchased an item that has a dietary allowance different from the 2,000-calorie diet, you just have to divide the stipulated amount by 2,000 and you will be able to identify the “%daily value” for the nutrients.

3. Ingredients

This relates to the list of the ingredients that were used to manufacture the product. The listing is usually arranged from the main ingredients that have the greater amount by weight up to the smallest quantity. This simply means that the actual quantity of the food includes the biggest quantity of the main ingredient or the first item and the minimum amount of the very last ingredient.

4. Label claim

This refers to the kinds of nutritional claims of a particular food item. For instance, if an item says it is sodium-free, it has less than 5 milligrams per serving or a low fat item actually contains 3 grams of fat or less.

Indeed, reading food labels can be very tedious and confusing. Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it would be easier for you to watch your diet because you can already control the amount of food that you take.

Eating habits

The first step in determining whether you are eating right or not is to see what your eating habits currently are. You can monitor your eating habits for a week to see what is contained in these ingredients. You can then research online to see what the recommendations are in relation to this. You can also see what the nutrients and vitamins are in relation to this. By seeing what nutrients and ingredients are in everything you eat, you can see what the amount is that you should be eating.

The next step that should be taken is to find out what your individual needs are. For example, if you are overweight, you can find what changes need to be made in order to find a balance with your nutrition and health. If you are younger, pregnant, older, etc. there will also be differences. Balance in health and nutrition is also related to genetics and what your DNA needs with nutrients in relation to this. However, there are generalities that can be made to determine whether you are eating right.

From here, you can see what changes need to be made in order to find the correct balance in food. If you need supplements or vitamins in order to gain back balance, this will be an easy way to start. You can also find recommendations from a health care provider in order to find out what you can do in order to make sure that your eating habits are inline and balanced with what your body needs. By investigating into what you need and making the necessary changes, you will begin to feel better and your energy levels will increase.

Determining whether you are eating right or not is an individual measure that needs to be taken. There are several areas you can look into in order to determine this. Things such as the food pyramid and doctor’s advice for changes in lifestyle are available to you in order to eat right. These will all help you in finding what you need to eat right.

Eating right is an easy way to have more energy and a balance in your body. By helping yourself and investigating your individual needs, you can balance out your eating habits. With all of the choices that are available today, eating right is an important factor in maintaining health and allowing your body to have the right level of nutrients and minerals in proper functioning. Eating right can change your entire way of living and help with your needs in health.

Conventional medicine agrees that a healthy diet offers a remarkable protection against nearly all the important illnesses of later life. The incidence of most major forms of cancer along with heart disease and strokes can be dramatically reduced through a dietary change.

Breakfast - Can I Skip It?

2009-07-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

Your morning meal is the most important meal of the day. However, trying to fit breakfast in our busy lifestyles it could mean for many of us to skip it all together. I know, I did it too. Our breakfast is important to sustain us and to begin the day full of energy. If you skip a couple of morning meals on a regular basis, here are a few reasons why you should reconsider breakfast as an important part of your day.

The major reason why breakfast is important is because it allows your body to wake up to the day. It has gone without food for at least at eight hours while you have been asleep. Because of this, most of the nutrients have moved out of your system. In order to have the energy and right amount of nutrients to begin your day, breakfast can help with giving the extra boost that you need.

Another reason why breakfast is important is because it helps to build your energy. When you allow food to move into your system, it gives your system the ability to produce more energy that can be used by the system. Without the foods in place, it will cause your body to feel sluggish at the beginning of the day and have to use stored energies that shouldn’t necessarily be used.

In order to make sure that you are getting the right amount of energy and nutrients to begin your day, you should balance out the foods that you are eating in the morning.

A healthy diet that consists of fruits and vegetables, as well as grains, can add an extra boost of nutritious value and energy to the beginning of your day. Dairy products and proteins can also help to increase your energy levels. This doesn’t mean that you have to have an extra large meal in the morning, but means that you can find foods that will settle with your stomach and provide a beginning of nutrition for the day.

If you are having problems fitting breakfast into your schedule, then you could plan things out the night before. By preparing your breakfast the night before you could simply grab your breakfast the next morning and either run out the door, without having to think about what to have when you are still half asleep.

In relation to other meals, breakfast is the foundational meal of the day. This means that it should contain the most nutrients as well as high energy levels in the food. After this, your lunch and your dinner can be lighter, as you will not need as many nutrients to process.

By starting your day right with a healthy breakfast, you will get the right levels of nutrition and the right amount of energy and vitamins to start your day. A healthy breakfast is an easy step to a healthy day.

When I am busy and don't have a lot of time to prepare and eat breakfast, I use my blender. I put a banana, apple, blueberries yoghurt and milk. In a few seconds I have a delicious shake that it takes only a few minutes to drink and clean up.

8 Useful Health Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

2009-07-01T09:49:00.001-07:00

Here are some simple tips to help you keep a healthy lifestyle. They will help you boost your energy and feel balanced and healthier. It is important to know what you can do to improve your health.

1. Watch what you eat. Your daily meals should consist of a healthy diet with a good balance of nutritious foods. Knowing what your body needs, and not going overboard, or eating too little can help in determining a more balanced lifestyle. There are several resources to turn to in order to find what your body needs. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it is important to incorporate a healthy menu to your breakfast everyday!

2. Fight addictions. This is in relation to eating or not eating foods, as well as over consumption of different things. This can imbalance your body easily and cause problems.

3. Exercise. This should be done at least four or five times a week. This helps your body to build muscle in several different areas, helps you to lose weight and can prevent illnesses and disease. A good walk is relaxing and rejuvenating.

4. Sleep. If you are sleep deprived, it causes your body to begin to shut down. Make sure that you feel rested and are getting the right amount of sleep. This will allow your body to work at a consistent and full speed every day. It is believed that the body goes thru a healing process during your sleep. So, it is extremely important for your health to always get

5. Take vitamins and supplements as needed. Paying attention to where your body doesn’t feel balanced is important as well. Once you have determined this, you can balance it out through vitamins and supplements.

6. Stay motivated. Often times, it is easy to work on improving our health for two weeks, then to stop once we don’t immediately see results. The major part of improving your health is remaining consistent and motivated in doing activities. Do what you have to do to make sure your health is an everyday concern.

7. Never stop learning. There are several different approaches to what improving health means. This doesn’t stop with diets, but also moves into holistic approaches that can be a part of your diet. Research and keeping up with studies about what works and what doesn’t, can help you in improving and maintaining your health.

8. Consult. There are several health care providers and nutritionists that can help you. If you are uncertain about the steps that you need to take, get in touch with the right person to see what you need to do.

Always be aware that if you work towards a healthier lifestyle you will start to feel the changes at a physical and emotional level. You will have a more fulfilled and balanced lifestyle. By knowing what you need to do and taking action, you can be assured that you will be able to have a more energetic lifestyle.

Dressing up for the winter

2009-07-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Wearing a few layers of different materials if the best way to keep you warm. Each layer should have its own purpose.

-The bottom layer or underwear should keep you dry. Make sure to pay attention to the material of your undies, as cotton will absorb your sweat but it will hold it. You will need a fabric that will allow your sweat to pass through, such as synthetics or silk. Thermal underwear are an excellent choice.

The middle layer should be there to put some insulation to trap your body's heat. Best choices are wool and down, as both materials breathe and will allow any moisture to evaporate while at the same time are excellent to hold the heat.

The outer layer should function as a shell to protect you from the cold wind, rain or snow. Best choices are synthetic fabrics such as polyester, the key here is that it should be waterproof and breathable.

Hats. Covering your head is key. We lose a lot heat through our head.

Feet and hands. The layering concept described above, works excellent for both feet and hands. Mittens are warmer than gloves. You could wear a thin pair of gloves and some toasty mittens, or find some mittens that already come in layers.
Wear two pairs of socks, the inner pair to keep you dry and the outer pair to keep you warm. For the inner pair you could wear socks made out of polypropylene or silk and for the outer pair you could wear wool socks.

Healthy eating for kids

2009-06-18T23:19:00.000-07:00

Healthy eating means eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from all of the food groups. These foods contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eating a wide variety of foods from all food groups will help you grow.

Some foods contain too much sugar or fat and not many vitamins or minerals. These are foods we should only eat sometimes.

The foods you eat have been divided into three groups according to how nutritious they are. These make up what is often called the ‘food pyramid’. You can use these groups to help you decide which foods to eat more of and which to eat less often.

Group 1: Eat these foods most of the time
You should try to eat lots of:

* Fruits and vegetables
* Breads
* Cereals such as rice and pasta
* Beans and lentils.

You can see that these are all foods that come from plants. These foods all contain vitamins, minerals and fibre. Try to eat a wide variety of these foods. Try not to choose just one of these foods (such as fruit) to eat all the time. Eating plenty of all foods from this group will help you stay healthy.

Plant foods contain thousands of nutrients (small parts), which can help to prevent serious diseases. This is why it is important to eat a variety of different types of plant foods.

Group 2: Eat these foods moderately
These foods are important for health, so you should eat them in medium amounts:

* Dairy products such as milk, cheeses and yoghurts (sometimes low fat ones should be chosen)
* Lean meat
* Chicken (without skin)
* Fish
* Nuts.

These foods are all good sources of protein. Protein helps build strong muscles and can repair our body when we hurt or injure ourselves. Some of these foods also contain some important minerals, such as the calcium found in dairy foods (for strong bones) and the iron found in lean meats (to give us energy).

Group 3: Eat these foods sometimes
These foods don’t give us very many nutrients and are really just ‘extras’. They may contain lots of sugar or fat (or both) but often don’t have many vitamins, minerals or fibre. It’s OK to have these ‘sometimes foods’ if you are healthy, active and not overweight. Most of the time they are better left for special occasions like birthday parties.

An example of one serve of these foods includes:

* Sweet biscuits (2 small)
* Chocolate coated bars (1 bar)
* Potato chips (30g)
* Icecream (2 scoops)
* Lollies/chocolate (30g)
* Cake or muffin (1 medium piece).

The food pyramid
The three groups of foods you eat from are often shown as a food pyramid:

* The bottom of the pyramid is the biggest part of the pyramid. It contains the foods you should eat most of the time.
* The middle of the pyramid contains foods you should eat moderately (a medium amount). They are important for health but we don’t need too much of them.
* The top of the pyramid is the smallest part of the pyramid. It contains foods you should only eat sometimes.

Where to get help

* Your parents
* Your teacher

Things to remember

* Healthy foods we should eat most of the time contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
* Sometimes foods can contain lots of fat or sugar but not many vitamins and minerals.
* Try to eat a wide variety of nutritious foods from all food groups.
* Lollies, cakes and chips are OK to eat, but only every now and then (for example, at parties).

time to teach your kids about healthy eating

2009-06-18T23:11:00.000-07:00

It’s back-to-school time again, and many families are preparing their children with supplies, new school clothes and, in some cases, tutoring to ensure a successful new academic year.

But one of the most important tools to provide our kids is how to eat right. After all, the figures show that obesity levels in school-age children are the highest ever and that healthy eating habits can contribute to higher rates of success in school-age kids.

The “obesity epidemic” has influenced both the food industry and consumers to make changes in hopes to encourage a healthier lifestyle. Bills are being introduced to remove vending machines from schools and to improve the nutritional balance of school lunch programs.

How to Make Healthy Eating More Fun

2009-06-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

What does a healthy lifestyle look like? For some people, it looks like a lifestyle without any kind of fun. You have to slog through boring workouts, avoid going out to restaurants and eat twigs and berries. What kind of fun is that? At first, it may look like you have to give up everything to lose weight, but what you gain from those changes is much more meaningful and satisfying. Not only will your body change, but your mind will change as well.

Can You Enjoy Healthy Foods?

Here's what will happen if you keep maintaining that healthy diet:

* Your priorities change. The way your body feels after a healthy meal will become more important to you than the instant pleasure of having something loaded with fat or sugar.
* You'll enjoy healthy food. Take it from the Junk Food Queen I used to be, you can live without chips and Cokes and you'll gladly give those things up once you experience how your body feels after healthier meals.
* You'll still enjoy your favorite foods. The only difference is the frequency. Now, instead of having it several times a week, you might indulge once or twice a month.
* You'll get rid of the guilt. By not indulging every time you want a treat, you'll savor it even more.
* You'll see food in a different light. Food becomes fuel rather than something that controls your life. If you exercise, you'll learn very quickly how food affects your workouts. Eating a heavy, fatty meal makes you tired and your workouts suffer. Soon, you'll want better workouts which will motivate you to eat better.
* You'll become more adventurous. Eating healthy often opens the door to more options than you usually give yourself. You'll try new vegetables and grains and experiment with herbs and flavors you've never tried.
* Your friends and family will benefit. Even if you're the only one eating healthy, those habits rub off on others. Being a good role model for your kids or co-workers is one way to teach them how to live healthy.
* You'll have tools to deal with temptation. Healthy eaters are much better at avoiding the usual pitfalls like party foods or overloaded buffets. They make an effort to eat regular meals so they're not starving, fill up on healthy foods first to eat less of the bad stuff, and choose a few quality treats to enjoy instead of everything in front of them.

These changes come over time, sometimes weeks, months or years of slowly working on your habits and choices. Allowing yourself this time is crucial for permanently changing how you look at food and healthy eating.

Healthy Eating Important To Avoid Flu

2009-06-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

Healthy eating can not only help prevent illness such as colds and flu, but also improve your energy level and improve your mental health according to Ara DerMarderosian, PhD, Professor of Pharmacognosy for University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and an expert in nutraceuticals and natural foods.

In a press release Dr. DerMarderosian advises the following healthy eating basics:

* Don't play "food police": Be aware of what you eat. Weight loss studies have shown that patients who keep food diaries lose twice as much weight as those who don't keep food diaries. Thus monitoring your intake makes all more likely to eat better. Be careful, however, not to monitor yourself so closely that it interferes with other important aspects of your life like relationships.

* Pay attention to your hunger: Only eat when you are hungry instead of on a schedule or out of habit. Overindulging in food may decrease your satisfaction from eating, which is how you know when to stop.

* Eat slowly: Not only do people who eat more slowly eat less, but your body has more time to to break down food and possibly prevent feeling bloated or getting indigestion.

* Avoid stress eating: Stress is a common cause of overeating and other digestive problems.

* Moderation: You can enjoy your favorite foods like sweets as long as you do so in moderation.

* Stay hydrated: Hydartion improves your immune system and hydrates your membranes that are an important component of your immune system.

Tips for Healthy Eating

2009-06-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some recommendations for healthy eating:

* Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, including fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples are green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, blueberries, red watermelon, and white onions. Have them with meals or for a snack. Leave skins on your fruits and vegetables, if possible. For example, eat the skin when you have a baked potato, and snack on unpeeled apples, pears, and peaches. Don’t forget to rinse fruits and vegetables before eating.
* Eat a diet rich in foods that contain fiber such as dry beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods. Breakfast is a good time to enjoy foods with fiber. For example, try unsweetened, whole wheat or bran cereals, and add fruit such as berries and bananas.
* Season your foods with lemon juice, herbs, or spices, instead of butter and salt.
* Look for foods that are low in cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat (mostly in foods that come from animals) and trans fats (found in many cakes, cookies, crackers, icings, margarines, and microwave popcorn). Saturated fats and trans fats can increase blood cholesterol levels.
* Choose and prepare foods with little salt.
* Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry. Trim away extra fat and remove the skin from chicken and turkey before cooking. Broil, roast, bake, steam, microwave, or boil foods instead of frying.
* Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight are important for your overall health and well-being. The secret is to balance your “energy in” and “energy out” over the long run. “Energy in” is the calories from foods and beverages you have each day, and “energy out” is the calories you burn for basic body functions and during physical activity. Your weight will stay the same when the calories you eat and drink equal the calories you burn. On the other hand, you will gain weight when the calories you eat and drink are greater than those you burn. Physical activity can help you reach and keep a healthier weight.
* Watch your portion size. Controlling portion size helps limit calorie intake, especially when eating foods that are high in calories.

Drinking Enough Fluids

Photo of a man drinking waterIt’s important to drink enough liquids to keep your body working properly. This is particularly true for older adults because they often don’t feel thirsty even if their bodies need fluids. Drinking enough fluids every day is essential for those who exercise regularly, eat large amounts of protein, use laxatives, or live in areas with high temperatures. Check with your doctor, however, if you’ve been told to limit how much you drink.

Drink plenty of liquids such as water and other drinks without added sugar. Fat-free or low-fat milk, 100% juice, coffee, and tea also are good sources of fluids, as are foods with high moisture content such as fruits, vegetables, and low-sodium broth-based soups. Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation, which means up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.
Eating Out

Photo of people eating at a restaurantEating out is enjoyable, but restaurants often serve large meals, which can be high in calories, fat, and salt. Here are a few tips to help make your meal both delicious and nutritious:

* Order foods such as salads with lean meats, low-fat or fat-free cheeses, and other toppings. Choose low-fat or fat-free salad dressing, and ask for the dressing on the side to control how much you use.
* Choose foods that are baked, broiled, braised, grilled, steamed, sautéed, or boiled instead of fried. With these cooking methods, little or no fat is added to the food.
* Hold the “special sauces.” Ask the kitchen not to top your dish with butter or whipped cream.
* Choose foods with a tomato-based or red sauce instead of a cream-based or white sauce. Cream-based and white sauces usually are made with butter, milk, and cream, and are high in calories and saturated fat. Tomato-based sauces usually contain more vitamins, less fat, and fewer calories.
* Use portion control: Skip the “super sizes,” ask for “small,” or share a portion.
* Ask for food to be prepared without added salt, and don’t add salt at the table.
* Drink water, fat-free or low-fat milk, or other drinks without added sugars.
* Instead of french fries, try a small baked potato, side salad with low-fat or fat-free dressing, or fruit.
* Order an item from the menu instead of heading for the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.

What Are Dietary Supplements?

2009-05-01T14:43:00.001-07:00

Dietary supplements are substances you might use to add nutrients to your diet or to lower your risk of health problems such as osteoporosis or arthritis. Dietary supplements come in the form of pills, capsules, powders, gel tabs, extracts, or liquids. They might contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs or other plants, or enzymes. Sometimes, the ingredients in dietary supplements are added to foods, including drinks. You do not need a prescription to buy most dietary supplements.

Some ads for dietary supplements seem to promise that they will make you feel better, keep you from getting sick, or even help you live longer. Sometimes, there is little, if any, good scientific research to support these claims.
Are Dietary Supplements Safe?

Photo of carrots and carrot juiceAlthough certain dietary supplements may help some people, sometimes supplements can be harmful. For example:

* Taking a combination of supplements, using supplements together with prescription or over-the-counter medications, or using them in place of medicines prescribed by your doctor could lead to harmful, even life-threatening side effects. Be alert to any warnings about these products.
* Some supplements can have unwanted or harmful effects before, during, or after surgery. For example, vitamin E and the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba can each thin the blood and increase the potential for bleeding. It’s important to let your doctor know about the vitamins, minerals, herbals, and any other supplements you are taking, especially before surgery.

Do I Need a Supplement?

Eating healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need. For example, fruits and vegetables provide a variety of important nutrients, including fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C.

People who eat the recommended amount of a nutrient in food and who do not have problems absorbing that nutrient will not gain any additional health benefit by taking the nutrient as a supplement. For example, people who eat enough fruits and vegetables don’t need extra vitamin C.

Certain dietary supplements, however, can help some older adults with specific nutrient needs that cannot be met by their daily diet. For example, some older adults may not get enough calcium, vitamin D, or vitamin B12. Supplements containing these nutrients help them stay healthy.

The best way to find out if you need to take a supplement is to talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian. Together, you can review your diet, prescription medicines, and health needs, and decide whether a supplement is right for you.

Britain's new healthy eating guru - Homer Simpson

2009-05-01T14:42:00.001-07:00

The Department of Health is spending 640,000 pounds to sponsor episodes of the long-running U.S. cartoon series broadcast on Channel 4, as part of its Change4Life campaign.

Before the start of the sponsored shows, cartoon characters pretending to be the members of the dysfunctional animated family are shown sitting on a sofa tucking into ice cream and chips which then morph into more healthy alternatives.

The government hopes that viewers will realise they should follow that behaviour, and not the beer-swilling, doughnut-guzzling diet of Homer Simpson and his family.

Public Health minister Gillian Merron said the aim was to produce new and innovative ways to reach the target audience..

"The Simpsons are a much-loved, close-knit family facing some of the everyday challenges that modern day families go through," she said in a statement.

"Whilst they certainly make some questionable choices about how they go about things, they provide a popular and engaging way to get the message to real-life families about simple ways of improving their diet and activity for a healthier lifestyle."

(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison)

Natural Healthy Eating Tips

2009-04-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Staying in control of what we eat can be challenging in our world, where tempting foods seem to loom at every turn. "In the past, we’d teach people how to handle predictable food situations, like what to do in a restaurant and how to navigate the supermarket," says Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-author of Runaway Eating: The 8-Point Plan to Conquer Adult Food and Weight Obsessions (Rodale, 2005). "But what do you do when you bump into a candy display by the checkout counter at the shoe store? We need a bigger set of skills." Here, Bulik and others offer advice for beating the tendency to binge and improving your relationship with food.

Keep a food diary.

Recording everything—the ice cream binge as well as the carrots and celery—"makes everything you eat part of the plan," says Elena Ramirez, Ph.D., co-founder of the Vermont Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in South Burlington, Vermont. "It’s no longer a sneaky bad thing." Keeping track of your calories can help you lose weight, too, as it helps tip you off to behaviors that lead to weight gain. A daily food diary, in fact, is an integral part of The EatingWell Diet (Countryman, 2007).

Plan for the occasional piece of cheesecake.

Studies suggest that feeling deprived—even if you are consuming plenty of calories—can actually trigger overeating. Making any food off-limits "just increases its allure," confirms Ramirez. If pizza is your downfall, it might be too tempting to keep in your house—but you can learn to enjoy it in a "safe" environment, she notes. "Make a trip to a pizza place, order a slice and enjoy it out in the open. The more you practice this, the more it becomes ingrained behavior." She adds, "You can’t avoid a trigger food your whole life, but you can learn how to eat the foods you binge on in moderation."

Give up grazing.

While eating regularly helps prevent feeling deprived and hungry, "[grazing] can easily supply a binge’s worth of calories, a little at a time," says Ramirez. Plan four "eating episodes" each day spaced at regular intervals to avoid going long stretches without eating (which can also trigger binging). Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a 250-calorie midafternoon snack. At each, include a little protein for additional staying power.

Eat with intention.

Have all your meals in a designated place without distractions (i.e., not in front of the TV). That way your eating episode has a beginning and an end. Eat slowly, stopping to put your fork down between bites, feeling yourself becoming fuller. Making an effort to be mindful no matter what you’re eating can help break the tendency to binge, experts say.

Expect the unexpected.

Tempting foods are more likely to trigger overeating when we come across them unexpectedly. Since surprise food confrontations are a given these days, it’s helpful to "be armed with a script when you’re confronted by tasty food," says Bulik. "If you’re handed a sample of cookies at the supermarket, the line might be, ‘No, thanks. I’ve just eaten.’"

Find healthy outlets for emotions.

Turning to food to "numb out" emotions like anxiety works temporarily, but after the food is gone the stressful stimulus still remains—along with a hefty dose of guilt. Find ways to experience negative emotions with a response other than eating. Try deep breathing or meditation, calling a friend or going for a brisk walk. "The more you practice these alternative behaviors, the more automatic they become," notes Ramirez. Eventually, reaching for a bag of chips can stop being the default reaction to stress.

Hide tempting foods.

When office workers were given candies in clear dishes to place on their desktops, they helped themselves to candy 71 percent more often than a similar group that was given the same candy in opaque dishes so that the candy wasn’t visible, according to research by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab in Ithaca, New York, and an EatingWell advisory board member. "We’re all on the ‘see-food’ diet," he says, "so don’t let yourself see what you don’t want to eat." If you’re going to keep snacks at home, stash them inside a cupboard; keep the apples out on the counter.

Make overeating a hassle.

The more stops you introduce in getting a food—such as needing to open a package or having to thaw something frozen—the more opportunities you have to ask, "Am I really hungry?" explains Wansink. Repackage cookies in single-portion bags (or pay more for individually portioned snacks); wrap leftover slices of lasagna individually in foil and freeze. No choice but to serve yourself from a large (shared) portion? Dish your portion onto a small plate. Studies by Wansink and others have shown that when served food in bigger containers, people eat more.

What Healthy Eating Looks Like

2009-04-16T21:11:00.001-07:00

The "Divide Your Plate" strategy:

1. Picture a dinner plate and divide it in half.

2. Fill one half with vegetables and divide the other half into two quarters.

3. Fill one quarter with lean protein, such as fish, skinless poultry, lean beef, beans or tofu.

4. Fill the other quarter with a grain-based or starchy side dish, preferably a whole grain like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or a slice of whole-grain bread.

If you focus on making most of your meals look this way, you’ll automatically be following healthy eating guidelines and choosing appropriate portions—without having to pull out a calorie counter or a measuring cup every time.

Watch a video, Divide your Plate, from Eating Well.

Remember these 6 tips for eating well:

* Select a variety of foods in sensible portions.
* Consider no food either a magic bullet or a forbidden fruit.
* Choose whole foods over processed ones as often as possible.
* Embrace vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains.
* Include low-fat dairy products, fish and shellfish, lean meats and poultry.
* Use herbs, spices and small amounts of olive oil and the other "healthy fats" to make food tastier, healthier and more satisfying.

Healthy Eating in Bali

2009-04-16T21:10:00.001-07:00

Bali is experiencing a new revolution in organic growing! Local farmers are increasingly aware of the impact & costs of using harmful chemicals and are choosing to return to traditional farming techniques. A wider choice of healthy organic foods is flowing into Indonesia's markets, inspiring new restaurants and health food shops in Bali and Jakarta.

The reasons for going organic are many, including health, compassion, preserving natural resources, and making better use of water and farm lands.
Serious vegetarians won't go hungry in Indonesia. Read up on Jakarta-based Indonesian Vegan Society (www.i-v-s.org). To help the preservation of Indonesia's environment, see Bali's list of non-profit organizations. And, for fun, read this interesting and comical article about Bali's Cuisine Unseen by Bali based writer, Ibu Cat.

Finding the time for breakfast

2009-04-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

Research shows that kids who eat breakfast fare better in school, and have a healthier diet, says Sheah Rarback, M.S., R.D., a pediatric dietician at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Eating breakfast promotes proper growth and maximizes school performance, too. That's because it's usually easier for breakfast-eaters to meet their daily nutritional needs.

Breakfast is often a victim of the a.m. time crunch. "Face it, breakfast is the one thing you can skip when you're in a hurry," laments Rarback. Simplify your morning routine with these eight tips from Rarback, and the American Dietetic Association:

1. Finish homework and pack school bags at night.

2. Decide what your children will wear to school before going to bed. Locate lost shoes for the next day.

3. Get up 15 minutes earlier.

4. Give up morning television and computer games.

5. Have healthy foods on hand. Shop for breakfast foods with your kids, taking into account personal preferences.

6. Set out cereal the night before. For a younger child, fill a zip-lock bag with her portion; she adds milk in the morning.

7. Allow older children to use the microwave oven. Most breakfast foods can be prepared in five minutes, or less.

8. Let kids eat in the car, or while walking to school