Why Eating Out Is So Bad For Your Health

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Eating out is a fun way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion. However, eating out should not be a part of your regular diet. If you are attempting to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is almost impossible to do so if you are eating out on a regular basis.

Appetizers and rolls are the first reason why eating out is bad for your health. When you cook at home, you usually do not prepare additional appetizers to eat before the main course because it is more work, but waiters at a restaurant push the appetizers, which can easily add an additional 500+ calories to your meal depending on what you order and how much you eat, just so that they can cushion their tip and make the restaurant more money. Restaurants also provide free rolls with butter. Eating two rolls can add another 300 calories to your meal.

A seemingly healthy salad is the next disastrous course when eating out. A salad by itself is healthy, but many restaurants will add croutons, bacon bits, cheese, and fatty dressings to the lettuce and a couple other vegetables. The result is enough fat to fulfill your fat content for the entire day. If you're going to indulge in a salad, avoid the croutons altogether and opt for apple cider or balsamic vinegar or oil and vinigrette.

Between the appetizer, rolls, salad, and first round of drinks most people have already consumed more than they ever would by cooking a meal at home. The problem is that all of these items are pushed by the waiter or their eating companions, making it even more difficult for someone struggling with their diet to say no.

The main course finally comes and you thought you ordered something healthy, fish, and steamed veggies, but what they don't mention on the menu is that vegetables are almost always soaked in butter and the fish is covered with a high calorie sauce to disguise the fact that it has been overcooked.

The problem with eating out is that everything is so readily available with no work on your part. If given the choice most people don't want to spend the time to prepare a five course meal at home, this is reserved for holidays like Thanksgiving, but when presented with the opportunity for that five course meal without having to do any of the work involved it makes it all too easy for people to say yes.

You finish your meal and the waiter comes over and makes a point of asking if you'd like dessert. Then the waiter will chatter on about all of the desserts available, you think that if you split the dessert with someone else at the table it will keep you from consuming too many calories. The problem is that you have already consumed too many calories before the dessert menu has even been presented. Also, even if you do split a desert you can easily be consuming another 500 calories.

When all is said and done, your one meal out most likely contains more calories than you should be consuming in an entire day. It is best not to test your will power when it comes to your diet. The next time someone suggests eating out, quickly think of a delicious meal that can be cooked at home for a fraction of the calories. This will give you control over how your food is prepared, not to mention that eating at home will also save you hundreds of dollars per month.

If time constraints is the main reason why you like to eat out instead of in, you can plan and cook meals on a Sunday afternoon that will last you the entire week. Simply cook and freeze. When you are ready to eat, take your home cooked meal out of the freezer and reheat either over the stove or in the microwave. In five minutes you can have a healthy and filling meal for your entire family. And if you would rather not spend your Sunday afternoon in the kitchen all day, there are plenty of 5, 10 and 15 minute meal cookbooks, that will offer you quick and easy dining solutions.

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Drinking cola causes bone mineral loss in women, researchers find

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According to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, older women who drink cola may experience a decrease in bone density -- a precursor to osteoporosis.

Researchers from Tufts University, led by director of epidemiology Katherine Tucker, examined dietary questionnaires and bone density measurements of more than 2,500 people whose average age was just younger than 60. Bone mineral density measurements were taken from the spine and three different sites on the hips.

The researchers found that in women, consumption of carbonated cola beverages was associated with lower bone mineral density at all three hip measurement sites. The results took into consideration the women's age, calcium and vitamin D intake, menopausal status and use of cigarettes or alcohol.

However, the researchers did not see the same association between colas and bone density in men, who reported drinking an average of six carbonated beverages per week -- five of which were colas. The study authors were unclear on why colas seemed to affect women more than men.

"The more cola that women drank, the lower their bone mineral density was," the authors wrote. The researchers did not find an association between non-cola carbonated drinks and bone loss, which they attribute to the fact that colas contain phosphoric acid, which is not found in non-cola drinks. Diets low in calcium and high in phosphorus can promote bone mineral loss, the researchers wrote.

"Further controlled studies should be conducted to determine whether habitual cola drinkers may be adversely affecting their bone health by regularly consuming doses of phosphoric acid that do not contain calcium or another neutralizing ingredient," the researchers wrote, adding that "women concerned about osteoporosis may want to steer away from frequent consumption of cola until further studies are conducted."

Natural health advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Five Soft Drink Monsters," says carbonated sodas -- especially colas -- are highly acidic. "In order to buffer that acidity, the body strips minerals like calcium from the skeletal system, thereby reducing the mineral density of bones," Adams said. "This is how soda consumption directly promotes osteoporosis."

by: Jessica Fraser Natural
http://www.newstarget.com/020668.html

 

Drinking cola raises osteoporosis risk in women, regardless of calcium intake

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Women of all ages who regularly drink cola run a much higher risk of developing the brittle bones disease osteoporosis than women who don't drink cola, according to a new study by Tufts University researchers.

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, examined 2,500 men and women and found that regardless of age and calcium intake, the women who regularly drank cola experienced loss of bone mineral density. The bone loss was not observed in men or in women who drank non-cola carbonated beverages.

The researchers gave the study participants a questionnaire on their diets, and measured bone density at the spine and in three different locations on the hips. Women who drank four or more colas per week had lower bone mineral density at the three hip locations, but did not experience bone mineral density loss at the spine.

The study disposed of the idea that women who drink cola regularly can offset bone mineral density loss by drinking milk or taking calcium supplements. The researchers found that milk consumption was the same among women who drank cola regularly and those who did not. Only those who drank massive amounts of cola experienced some benefit from milk consumption.

The researchers are uncertain what ingredient in cola affects women's bone health, but they hypothesize that phosphoric acid may turn the blood too acidic, which causes the body to take calcium from the bones to balance out the acidity.

Consumer advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Five Soft Drink Monsters," says drinking diet or regular soda -- not just cola -- directly promotes loss of bone mineral density.

"This is due to both the high phosphoric acid content and the liquid sugar known as high-fructose corn syrup," Adams said. "Both ingredients actually strip bone minerals right out of the body, especially in women."

by: Jessica Fraser
http://www.newstarget.com/020686.html

 

The Green Tea Diet Can Provide Vital Health Benefits

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It appears that a green tea diet has some of the same properties that golden elixirs, fountains of youth and magic potions all have. If there is a risk for Alzheimer's in your family, then a green tea diet may delay the onset of this disease.

This has been the conclusion of a recent study that was done in Britain. It discovered that a green tea diet will inhibit the 3 chemical culprits that are associated with breaking down chemical messengers and forming plaques and protein deposits in your brain.

Who Could Benefit From a Green Tea Diet

During the flu season you should incorporate a green tea diet into your daily routine because it will help you to fight off the flu. This is because the substance in green tea that is known as L-theanine is able to increase your virus-battling cells by 10 times. This will also work if you gargle with green tea.

Another great benefit of the green tea diet is that it will increase your metabolism and oxidize any fat that you may have, without raising your heart rate. This has been proven in a recent scientific paper by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The reason why your heart rate is so important here is because an increased heart rate can lead to adverse cardiac effects.

However, there are only 2 ways in which you can actually get rid of fat: by dieting or by exercising. If you are unable to diet, then the green tea diet may be just what you have been looking for as it will allow you to expend energy without a lot of exercise. Combine that with the fact that it is all natural and you have got yourself a winner.

The Concluding Facts About a Green Tea Diet

If you love the idea of a green tea diet but simply cannot stand the taste of tea then you should know that there are green tea pills that you can take as a dietary supplement. These usually come in 500 mg. capsules that you should take 2 or 3 times a day. There is no bitter aftertaste with these capsules either.

So, regardless of how you take green tea, the benefits of a green tea diet simply cannot be ignored. Of course, it is possible to ignore these facts but why would you want to?

by Ann Marier
http://getmyarticles.com/articles/Food/
The_Green_Tea_Diet_Can_Provide_Vital_Health_Benefits_108049.html

 

4 Crucial Things You Can Do To Increase Semen Production

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If you are like most men, you probably long to ejaculate large amounts of semen during orgasms. There are several reasons for this, the most important thing is that you can enjoy prolonged sexual pleasure as a larger semen load can help you last longer. Other reasons include a perceived "sexual power" and pleasing their partners.

You don't have to ejaculate like a professional but an increase in semen production, any increase, cannot be a bad thing surely. This article will take a look at what semen really is and the 4 things you can do to increase the amount of semen you produce during orgasm.

Basically, semen is made up of 90% seminal fluids including fructose (sugar) and proteins; sperm accounts for only about 1% of its total volume and the rest is made up of trace minerals and nutrients. Semen is thick and creamy and is supposed to be an anti-aging "food" for older women in the east but I digress here.

How can you increase your semen production? Note that some factors affecting semen prodcution can't be changed. Age and genetics affect your semen production levels and there is nothing you can do about them. Some guys just ejaculate bigger loads of semen because they are born that way or they are young. But still, there are certain things an older and less genetically endowed guy can do to level the playing field.

So here are 4 things you can do to increase your semen volume :-

1) As semen is made up of mostly seminal fluid, an obvious thing to do is to drink lots of fluid. When your body is well hydrated, it will be able to work more efficiently and this in turn will help in semen production. Drink lots of fluid everyday.

2) Live a healthy lifestyle free of toxics and fats. Doing regular exercises and keeping fit encourages better blood circulation which will help in increasing semen volume. Smoking is a no-no while excessive drinking is also bad. Stick to a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrition for better semen production

3)Avoid wearing tight clothings especially in the crotch area. The build up of bodily heat can adversely affect semen production and sperm count. This is because the male sexual system needs a certain temperature in order to function and produce good volumes of semen.

4) Supplement your diet with health supplements like zinc oxide, Horny Goat Weed, L-Arginine, L-Lysine etc. These supplements are known to be able to boost quantity of your semen volume during ejaculation. If you find it too tedious to buy all the supplements separately, you can go for those specially blended supplements that contain all of these ingredients. Refer to my resource box for a review of a top grade semen and sperm supplement.

So, there you have it, the 4 things you can do to pump up your semen production. The last point about taking semen enhancing and boosting supplements is one of the more popular ways men opt for. It may be due to laziness or a search for a convenient solution. Whatever, it is, supplementing your diet with semen inducing pills cannot be a bad thing.

If you need help deciding on what supplements to go for, be sure to check out my author bio box below for a top grade semen producing pill called Volume Pill.

by Gary T
http://getmyarticles.com/articles/Sexuality
/4_Crucial_Things_You_Can_Do_To_Increase_Semen_Production_109963.html.




 

Vegetarian Diet Weight Loss

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Do you have a weight problem? Are you dealing with obesity and the gamut of issues related with being overweight like a greater risk of colon problems and heart disease? Sadly, the latest statistics show that in America, 60% people are either overweight or obese.

All over the world, cardiovascular surgeons and dieticians have been recommending a high fiber diet for successful weight loss. Research has shown the key role played by a balanced diet in prevention of chronic illnesses and longevity. A balanced diet should be low in animal products and fat, and high in vegetables, fruits and any other high fiber foods.

A balanced diet, by its very definition tends towards 'vegetarianism.' Such a diet can help regulate digestion, maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. However vegetarianism is not a short-term diet - it's a lifestyle choice. Research shows a statistical correlation between long term vegetarianism and more physical activity and less smoking and drinking related toxicity. Vegetarians also show lower death rates from chronic disease.

There are various types of vegetarians:

* Vegans or strict vegetarians - They do not eat or use any animal products. Fur and leather is avoided along with edible products of animal origin like honey. Their staple diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, seeds and plant based fats.

* Raw vegans - They are vegans whose diet consists of largely raw vegan foods. This includes foods like sprouted grains, fermented foods, and untreated plant fats. In recent years, this diet has become popular because it is provides a simple and tasty way to weight loss. Raw vegan foods also have high fiber content so people don't feel hungry on this diet.

* Lacto-ovo vegetarians - They include dairy products (lacto) and eggs (ovo) in their diet along with fruits and vegetables. This diet provides a great way to transition from a non-vegetarian diet to a vegetarian diet because its not as strict as vegans.

* Pesco- and Pollo-Vegetarians - Pesco-vegetarians include fish in their diet whereas pollo-vegetarians include chicken. Thus, these cannot be strictly included in vegetarianism. However, they are strong advocates of healthy and organic food choices for detoxification and health reasons.

A vegetarian diet, regardless of its form, gives a weight loss benefit mainly due to its calorie density. This means that a fiber rich diet fills you up quicker, and helps curb your appetite. That is a natural way to eat less and shed excess weight.

However, even vegetarians need to watch their overall calorie intake to remain healthy. A vegetarian brownie or lasagna can add to the waistline as easily as burgers and fries. If you go vegetarian, you must have a variety of plant based foods and high fiber whole grains and avoid fatty foods to maximize benefits.

If you are concerned with good health and a long life, you must consider vegetarianism or at least increase your intake or raw foods and fiber. Along with weight loss benefits, a vegetarian diet can increase our energy levels and reduce risk of chronic diseases. Isn't that worth considering?

by Brandon H. Masters
http://getmyarticles.com/articles/Advice/Vegetarian_Diet_Weight_Loss_110118.html

 

Combating Obesity By: Daniels Charles

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New ambulances for fat patients will run on roads from February next year in the Australian state of Victoria. The $3 million funding package will transport patients weighing up to 350 kg and include specialist equipment such as heavy-duty wheelchairs, stretchers and lifters.

The new funding comes as Victoria's obesity crisis worsens with rising numbers of "morbidly obese" people admitted to hospital.

The epidemic is taking its toll on paramedics, who face occupational health and safety risks in lifting obese patients.

State Government statistics show almost half of all Victorian adults are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity is particularly worrying doctors with children as young as four battling weight problems.

Hospitals are spending thousands of dollars on the installation of bariatric equipment. Last year the Royal Melbourne Hospital opened a purpose-built room with extra-wide doorways and bathroom, reinforced toilet, arm rails and beds to hold patients from 350 kg to 500 kg.

In US an estimated 64 percent of adults are either overweight or obese.

As per National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U.S. obesity-attributable medical expenditures have crossed $75 billion. The number of obese children in Britain between 11 and 15 has almost doubled over the past 10 years. A study at Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre puts over half going for executive health check ups in Delhi are overweight, having high blood pressure and high blood fats.

Global scenario is alarming given that obesity promotes many chronic diseases, including type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer, and gallbladder disease. Latest research says breast cancer and obesity are closely linked. While long term measures like a healthy life style, nutritious diet and regular physical activity are necessary, short term medications to put obesity under control are needed.

Among various medications Xenical and Reductil are popular.

Xenical is a prescription medicine that blocks the action of the fat-digesting lipase enzymes in the intestine. This stops around 30 percent of the fat one takes from being absorbed. It just passes through our digestive system and we lose weight as a result.

In clinical trials, almost twice as many patients who received Xenical, achieved an average weight loss of 10 percent or more of their body weight in one year, compared to those on diet alone.

Reductil is a satiety enhancer. Its active ingredient is sibutramine hydrochloride. Reductil blocks the nerve cells that release and reabsorb serotonin. This enhances feelings of fullness so that we eat less and consequently lose weight. Both Xenical and Reductil should be used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet. Taking more exercise is also advisable.

Xenical and Reductil are available online and are cheap.

 

Vitamin B - The REAL Benefits By: Luke Burgis

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One of my favorite nods to the benefits of Vitamin B came from Christian Troy of the FX drama Nip/Tuck - when his business partner's teenage son confides in him about his desire to have a threesome with a couple of his high school classmates, Christian, the sex-crazed plastic surgeon, gives him some key advice:

"Sure, I don't have a problem with it. But you'd better take your B-vitamins because it's some tiring stuff."

This is coming from a guy with experience. He's also a doctor, which means he probably knows nothing about B-vitamins or nutrition. As a fictional character, he has no idea what a hangover feels like nor the Ciceric friend that a bottle of B vitamins can make when it's waiting for you on your pillow next to a bottle of warm Gatorade upon returning after a long night of debauchery. No, Christian's knowledge of B-vitamins extends no further than the wacky minds of his writers, and I'm guessing his writers have only had threesomes with a sand wedge in their hands.

Vitamin B is actually a complex of multiple water-soluble vitamins (the only other water soluble vitamin is Vitamin C) that happen to co-exist in the same foods. They've been shown to bolster metabolism, maintain healthy skin and muscle tone, enhance immune and nervous system functions, promote cell growth and division and, of course, may assist in any kind of ‘tiring activity' – use your imagination. Together, they're a powerful force.

Foods that contain a substantial amount of B Vitamins include potatoes, bananas, lentils, chili peppers, turkey and tuna. Brewer's yeast is one of the best sources of B vitamins.

The first question most people ask us at Fit Fuel is whether or not to take B vitamins individually or as complex (all B vitamins). Others ask if they can get everything they need through a regular multi-vitamin (which is likely to include the B vitamins). My recommendation would be to simply take a good multi-vitamin (I recommend Jay Robb multi's, which are in gelcap form - a good thing - and contain a generous dosage of B's) so that you have a balanced intake to fuel all of your body's complex functions. B vitamins are chemically distinct vitamins that all play very specific roles within your body.

When you first start taking a B complex, should you choose to target this vitamin group, you'll notice that your urine is bright yellow. This is natural - it's your body's way of disposing of excess vitamins. If you're general healthy, this is inevitable. Very few people need to take extra high dosages of any Vitamin B unless they have a specific ailment. There are many people who hear that Vitamin B12 may help prevent memory loss starts so they start nailing half a bottle a day. It would probably be more effective to order one of the memory aid tools off the QVC infomercial channel, though the excess vitamins are unlikely to do you any harm unless you continue to take them for an extended period of time because you don't look down while you're going or you attribute your colorful stream to a copious amount of way-too-strong lemonade.

And gents – don't bother asking your doctor about a custom B6/B12 doping to help with your performance on dual battlefronts unless his name is Christian Troy.

 

Are Sport Drinks Healthy? By: Carolyn Jones

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Sport drinks such as "Gatorade" have become as American as apple pie, having been around since the mid-sixties, and originally developed by a team of doctors in Florida to solve the issue of dehydration.Since that time, other brands have surfaced and the fabled"Gatorade" has become storied history, but are they healthy?

 Summer is almost here and with the advent of the traditional kick-off to the season,Memorial Day week-end almost here, I thought it may be a good time to talk about the importance of re hydration. Americans spend a lot of time outdoors participating in various activities. From the little leaguer to the major pro-athlete, and all construction workers in between, summer brings a heightened awareness of the need to replenish fluids and salts, lost during physical exertion.

The most high profile of the sport drinks, Gatorade brand, is consumed at every major league sporting event and has become a staple for sports enthusiasts everywhere. The main functions of the sport drink according to a study conducted at Vanderbilt University are to encourage the following: 1. rapid fluid absorption 2.rapid re hydration 3.transmission of energy to working muscles 4.drinking more fluids

This is achieved, by using a mixture of water, sugar(carbohydrates) salt(electrolytes) and a variety of flavorings. This precisely measured mixture is designed to help us avoid problems related to extreme physical exertion from working and playing hard like, the loss of fluids and salts, overheating, and depleting energy.

The following is from a Gatorade brand label:

serving size: 8fl oz; calories 50; total fat 0g; sodium 110mg; potassium 20mg; total carb 14g; sugars 14g; protein 0g;

The ingredient labels vary according to flavor, but the main ingredients are sodium, sucrose, glucose fructose and water. For long distance running,biking and other activities that require an extended period of physical endurance, the sport drinks were shown to provided a better benefit than plain water, due to being fortified,plus having great taste and potability.In addition, these popular drinks were not shown to cause any gastro-intestinal problems.

Make sure to have plenty of fluids for your next outing, including fresh water and your favorite sport drink. If you're on a budget like most, you may want to try the following mixture. You will need to measure your ingredients precisely.*Do not use a salt substitute without first consulting your physician. Do not serve to children under the age of twelve.You will need:

1 quart water

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon table salt or *salt substitute

3-4 tablespoons sugar

 

What Are B Complex Vitamins

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There are eight vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex:

1. Thiamine or Vitamin B1

2. Riboflavin or Vitamin B2

3. Niacin or Vitamin B3

4. Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6

5. Cobalamine or Vitamin B12

6. Choline

7. Inositol

8. Para-amino benzoic

Much discussion has surrounded the B complex vitamins benefit to the human body. The eight vitamins that make up the B complex each have a specific function to perform in the human body. In the B complex vitamin all eight individual vitamins help maintain a healthy human body.

Since the B complex vitamin is water soluble they must be taken daily. The reason for this is because water soluble vitamins are difficult to restore in the body.

The age of an individual will determine how much vitamin B complex they will take. There are several good benefits you can receive by taking vitamin B complex. Nervousness and pressure can be lessened if you take vitamin B complex. If you suffer from tiredness this can be reduced by taking vitamin B complex. In addition, a regular intake of vitamin B complex can help individuals recover sooner from sickness.

In addition, your bodies appearance can benefit from a regular intake of vitamin B complex. You will grow healthier hair with B complex vitamins. There are also skin creams that will help your skin condition which contain vitamin B complex. Vitamin B complex can also be used to help treat dermatitis.

Author Information:

 Bette Daoust is the writer of - B Complex Vitamins , She writes articles for - vitamins diary and general nutrition info - vitamins,minerals.

 

Vegetable Nutrition For a Healthy Life by: Shelley Green

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Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. "Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss."5 A Day" is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy.

In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be. Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet: · White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans. · Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas. · Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples. If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won't significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected. The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great!

 

What IS a Healthy Diet by: Chris Chenoweth

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There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet.

 If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family’s diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health.

 Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly.

 EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET

Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet.

*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes.

 *FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.)

*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

 *LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet.

*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.

*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.

There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health.

 *SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you.

*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers.

 *FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy.

 1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados)

 2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds)

 These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats.

3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake.

Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing.

Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.

Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.

 

Limiting diet is not the remedy for Food allergies

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The threat of allergy is at its peak, with a new genre of allergy rising with every passing day. Allergies are essentially a situation in which your immune system responds too strongly to a stimulus. While this may sound good, it is a toxic and potentially deadly situation for your body. The pace at which allergy is replicating simply indicate the looming catastrophe ahead for human kind. Food allergy is one such evil manifestation which can challenge the intake of food or proper diet, putting human life at stake.


The threat of allergy is at its peak, with a new genre of allergy rising with every passing day. Allergies are essentially a situation in which your immune system responds too strongly to a stimulus. While this may sound good, it is a toxic and potentially deadly situation for your body. The pace at which allergy is replicating simply indicate the looming catastrophe ahead for human kind. Food allergy is one such evil manifestation which can challenge the intake of food or proper diet, putting human life at stake.


Common Food Allergies
The most common foods causing allergic reactions in adults include: shellfish such as shrimp, crayfish, lobster, and crab; peanuts, a legume that is one of the chief foods to cause severe anaphylaxis, a sudden drop in blood pressure that can be fatal if not treated quickly; tree nuts such as walnuts; fish; and eggs. Beside this, there are many food allergens causing allergies among children like eggs, milk and peanuts. But usually it is observed that children are ore likely to outgrow allergies to milk or soy than allergies to peanuts, fish or shrimp. The food that adults or children react to are those foods they eat often. For example in Japan, allergy to rice is more frequent than in Scandinavia, where codfish allergy is quite common.

Limiting the diet or food intake as you are wary about food allergy is not the solution for the problem. Many people suffering from food allergy unnecessarily avoid the proper intake of food making them their own victim of health. A study reveals that nearly 28 percent of parents thought their children to have at least one food allergy during their initial 2-3 days years of life. But it is rather a fear than a fact, as in reality only 8 percent children had food allergy.

Differential Diagnoses
People often mistaken food intolerance for food allergy. Food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly recognizes a food as harmful, and reacts against it. Allergic reactions can occur in the skin, respiratory system or gastrointestinal tract, causing swelling, hives, sneezing, nausea, abdominal pain, wheezing, shortness of breath or a drop in blood pressure. People can and do die from severe allergic reactions to food. Food intolerance occurs when the body has difficulty digesting food. It does not involve the immune system, generally causes milder reactions only in the gastrointestinal tract, and requires larger amounts of food to provoke a reaction. While both food intolerance and food allergy cause discomfort, food intolerance is not considered dangerous, and can sometimes be prevented with dietary supplements. So a differential diagnosis is needed for distinguishing food allergy from food intolerance or other illnesses.

Diagnosis of Food Allergy
We cannot deny the fact that food allergies can be serious and life-threatening, unless the food causing the allergic reaction is discontinued. But no need to make all those wild guesses and create panic about food intake resulting in inadequate nutrition. Self-diagnosis of food allergy can be a bit difficult, unless you keep a detailed food diary for 2-3 days before visiting a physician. It should include all details like what did you eat, when did you eat and how long after you ate it that you had a reaction and what were the symptoms and how long did they persist with or without any medication. Food diary is an easy and convenient way for patients to keep record of their food intake and its reactions so that the exact history can be passed on to the physician. This will help your physician to analyze your medical history and diagnose the problem as to what exactly is the cause for your food allergy helping you to eliminate that specific food from your diet.

Allergy Test
The fastest way to test allergies is the prick skin test; where a drop of extract from the suspected food is placed on the skin, and a tiny needle is used to prick the skin at the place of the drop. A patient who develops a reaction at the injection site may have an allergy. However, this test does not confirm the allergies and may even be falsely positive. So, the physician may carry out a blood test. The most common blood test, a radioallergosorbent test (RAST), measures the IgE antibodies to a specific food in your blood to get to know the allergen.

Treatment
The best treatment is to never eat the foods you are allergic to. Learn to read food labels and spot other names for problem foods. For example, milk may be listed as "caseinate," wheat as "gluten," and peanuts as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein." If you do eat a food you are allergic to, medicines can help. You may be able to stop a mild reaction by taking over-the-counter antihistamines. You may need prescription medicines if over-the-counter drugs do not help or if they cause side effects, such as making you feel sleepy.

If you have severe food allergies, your doctor will prescribe an allergy kit that contains epinephrine and antihistamines. An epinephrine shot can slow down or stop an allergic reaction. Your doctor can teach you how to give yourself the shot.

So a proper food and diet mechanism can be followed with proper diagnosis and treatment of food allergy, abstaining the food you are allergic to. So no need now to cut or control your diet as you need to eliminate only the allergic food from your staples.

Author Information:

 Jane Perez,
 Trustpharma Team.

 

What Are Phytonutrients? by: Mary Desaulniers

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Folk wisdom has always singled out fruits and vegetables as being indispensable for health, but it has only been within the last thirty years that we know why. Science and technology have isolated compounds in plants and vegetables that have literally been our life-savers. These are phytonutrients which all fruits and vegetables produce because their means of survival in the environment is through the release of disease-fighting phytochemicals. Phytochemicals stimulate the production of protective self-repairing cells in plants.

They also produce the same kinds of responses in humans. For example, they release protective enzymes that inhibit cancer-producing substances, thus reducing our susceptibility to disease. It makes sense for us to harness the powers of plants in our diets. Four sources of phytonutrients that cannot be ignored if we want to remain healthy and cancer free are berries, cruciferous and dark, leafy vegetables, soy and red wine. Berries, such as blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries offer the highest sources of phytonutrients. They all produce a natural substance called ellagic acid which has been shown to be a good defense against carcinogens because they suppress tumor development. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant content. High in flavonoids, they also provide powerful protection against prostate cancer.

Two and a half cups of fresh strawberries a day can supply enough vitamin C to help restore sperm production in men. Cranberries have been known to prevent cystisis, a painful and often recurring urinary tract infection in women. A study involving 72 postmenopausal women found that 10 ounces of cranberry juice every day reduced the likelihood of bladder infection by 58%. Cranberries have also been shown to reduce stomach ulcers and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) and dark leafy vegetables (like swiss chard, spinach) also have high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients. In a study conducted by New York's Strang-Cornell Cancer Research Laboratory, women who consumed a diet high in cruciferous vegetables experienced a dramatic drop in estrogen levels, which means that these vegetable are definitely powerful tools for fighting against breast cancer. The assumption is that the phytochemicals in these vegetables deactivate potent estrogens, thus preventing estrogen-sensitive cells, particularly in the breast , from developing tumors. Sulforaphane, another phytochemical in cruciferous vegetables, triggers a self-defense system in the body that acts to detoxify carcinogens. Spinach contains four times more beta carotene than broccoli and is a good source of vitamins C and E. It also has high levels of photosynthetic proteins which convert sunlight into energy.

Researchers at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology are harnessing the power of spinach in a new direction--creating highly cost-effective solar panels. Soy is another phytonutrient rich food. Soy products contain genestein, which has been shown to have strong anti-cancer properties. It contains as well phytoestrogen, which has been shown to reduce the risk and spread of prostate cancer. Researchers suggest that the phytonutrient isoflavones, like phytoestrogen, may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Another isoflavone compound in soy called daidzein has also been found to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in women. A study conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles has uncovered evidence that this estrogen-like compound is the main reason for soy's healthy effects. Women with low estrogen levels seemed to have benefited most from daidzein, which reduced LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, leading researchers to recommend that women include soy food products as part of their cardiovascular risk reduction strategies. And last but not least is the phytonutrient, resveratrol, found in red wine, that literally makes wine drinking a cancer-fighting measure.

Resveratrol is present in the leaves, twigs and bark of the grape vines. And red wine, which is fermented from grape skins, seeds and twigs tends to have large quantities of these cancer-fighting substances. Resveratrol has also been demonstrated to be a potent antioxidant (more potent than vitamin C alone) which can act synergistically with vitamin C, thus enhancing the effects of each. It also prevents the formation of blood clots and promotes the formation of new dendrites in the brain. Let us put all these phytonutrients to good use. Why not sit down to a hearty soy burger, broccoli spears and cauliflower salad, warm berry compote and a glass of red wine? Yummy! Life cannot be better!

 

ups..... is this a virtual life?

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welcome...
this the first time I post my message to my new blog. I hope this will be useful for everyone who visit my blog...
nice world and enjoy it

syafiq

 

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