Archive for May, 2011
Proper nutrition for healthy weight loss is one of the most important things for you to consider. Even if you have the best exercise program that has veer been devised it will fall short if nutritional considerations are not covered.
This will mean you will need to focus upon consuming the types of things that are good for your body and having them every day. We are all aware of the foods that are good for us but we can get caught up living in the moment and bad habits are easy to pick up if this is the case and it can lead to us gaining weight.
Make things a great deal easier by focusing on things that are obviously bad for you and ensuring that you phase these out as much as you possibly can. This means all the unnecessary snack foods which contain high amounts of saturated fat or sugar. These do nothing beneficial for your body and can cause problems with digestion and make your skin look far worse.
You will be far better off without them.
Once that has been done think about other foods that you can change your consumption of to make some calorie cuts. For example could you switch to a lower fat milk. Doing this can save you hundreds of calories a day, particularly if you have a breakfast cereal or drink coffee. Little changes can make a big difference.
Patterns of how you eat can be changed so that you witness results happening in your life. Lots of people are used to having by far their biggest meal in the evening and then they follow this up by doing no physical activity whatsoever which makes weight gain an obvious side effect. Break tradition and try a different approach to improve health.
Change the way that you eat and go for a breakfast that will begin the day well and aim to reduce the amount of calories that you consume as the day goes by. Eating small portions through the day can help boost a flagging metabolism and this assists weight loss programs.
Ensue that you have a balanced and healthy diet by incorporating lean sources of protein like turkey and chicken as they can be used in different ways to create interesting meals. Pair with fruits and vegetables of different sorts as they help you get the right nutrient and vitamin levels. Have carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and make sure enough water is consumed.
The first thing most people do when they start to feel back pain is…NOTHING. They sit down with the same back posture they always use, and hope it stops hurting. Others call the doctor and get some more pain pills.
What should you do when your back starts hurting? Well, answering your bodies call for help would be a good start. What is needed is a first aid treatment for back pain.
Something you can do at the first sign of pain that will reverse the problem and stop it in its’ tracks. What is needed is a simple extension exercise.
I would suggest a lying extension exercise, done as follows:
Lie down on the floor, on your stomach, in a push up position. Exhale fully and then push up your shoulders with your arms while leaving your hips on the ground.
Once you have pushed yourself up as high as you can (which may not be very high if your are in acute pain), relax your hips and legs.
Hold the position for about 5 to 10 seconds and then return slowly to the floor.
You should repeat the extension three times. You should notice that you are able to push up a little bit farther each time.
If your pain is dealt with early on, it will not last nearly as long and will not be nearly as bad. You should do this first aid treatment any time your back feels tight or strained, even if you don’t have pain yet. You can probably avoid the pain symptoms all together.
You can also use this first aid treatment to reduce chronic pain if you do it regularly. Alone it will most likely not stop all of your pain, but you should notice significant improvements over a few days. Just be careful not to do too much.
Every parent wants the best for her/her children. Giving your child a fit start in life will go an extended way to boost them. One of many most suitable choices for giving a healthy start to the children is by offering quality food at all times.
The prime healthy beginning for any baby is the mother’s breast milk with all necessary nutrition. Afterward solid food may be introduced into a child’s diet. Therefore, it is essential that you include simply healthy recipes in the child initial diet ever chart.
One of your best option of healthy recipes while introducing the kid to normal diet is pastry foods. Foodstuff have to be mashed to produce a pasty formula that may be fed to the kid. Fruits supposed to be the best for these reasons. papaya, mashed pear, and buttermilk squash are easy of the belly are consequently the best when primary used because of this purpose.
After a while on feeding the child on fruits, you can move onto cereals and vegetables.
By now the child stomach would have been trained sufficient for it to handle this kind of foodstuff. They really are a lot of simple home-produced child recipes that can be prepared for the kid at this point.
With no adding sugar and salt, you may make bananas as porridges which are extremely uncomplicated and thin and give to eat it to your kid. It is essential you adhere toward this as your kids remains to be learning to gobble.
Subsequent to a while, you may also make some mashes by using healthy organic chicken for the kids. Organic Chicken is considered to work as really healthy as they maintain the nutrients in the chicken broth. The baby is however not required to eat a little of the chicken.
Though, you will find still a few type of foods that are firmly prohibited for the kid at this point of time.
Meals like cauliflower, broccoli, garlic and onions are known to produce wind by filling the kid with gas. Thus, just be sure you keep your child away from them.
Basically, one of the best things you could do for your kids at this stage to keep the kids healthy is to feed them home prepared healthy foods. By doing this, you’ll always be alert of the truth that what exactly goes in their little sensitive bodies.
For additional information on healthy recipes please go to Healthy Cuisines You may also take a peek at some fantastic video recipes by visiting Low Carb Recipes
In as much as the animal foodstuffs which include meat, fish, eggs, milk and its preparations could be easy reservoirs for microorganisms which could cause infection, they could serve as very good food supplements not just for consumption but as well prophylaxis and treatment therapy to some medical ailments. Since, infection could be avoided by proper processing of the animal food; we then have a good choice in consuming the animal foods for good living. This piece of information will place more emphasis on Fish, Meat and Egg as we get to see their medical importance.MeatIt consists of muscle fibers held together by connective tissues. The fibers of Meat contain muscle plasma of muscle juice. It contains 1-2% salts which are chiefly chlorides and phosphates of potash. The proteins of meat which are present to the tune of about 17-20% are myosin, muscle- albumin and hemoglobin. Fat (10-20%) is often embedded in the connective tissues of meat.Bronchial lymphatic glands should be examined for evidence of tuberculosis. If the animal has suffered from jaundice, the flesh will have a yellow tinge. The flesh of animals killed by accident, lightening or those who happen to be suffering from diseases like anthrax, rabies, glanders, general Tuberculosis and so on, should be condemned. The diseased meat should be condemned and prevented from sending into the Market. The chief diseases of animals are: Tuberculosis. It is practically common in Cattle and Pigs in the European Countries. It is rare in Sheep, goats and other Cattle in India. It is always present in lymphatic glands of the diseased animals. Muscles practically never get affected and it is extremely doubtful if eating meat, so affected, spreads tuberculosis. In tubercular animals when disease is generalized, the whole Carcass should be condemned as unfit for Human, consumption since that meat happens to be poor in quality and unwholesome even though it may not convey tuberculosis to consumers. Cysticercus. This is the embryos of tapeworms living in the muscles of animals, especially oxen and pigs, where they produce little grayish bladders or vesicles called cysts. In these tiny cysts are contained the hearts of tapeworms and when anybody happens to eat such a meat these cysts break into his stomach and let loose the heads which pass through the Intestines, get fixed to the intestinal wall and ultimately grow into grown tapeworms which may be several meters long. If meat is properly cooked, the tiny embryos are killed due to heat and in that case, they may not do much harm. All such infected meats should be condemned. Trichinella Spiralis. It reaches man on account of eating insufficiently cooked flesh of a pig having worms in encysted form. In pork and ram, those may be seen as white spots, large enough to be visible to the naked eye. The Adult worm lives in crypts in mucosa of small intestines. It gives rise to embryos which enter circulation and are carried into the musculature of host, where they encyst. The muscles most often affected are those of the diaphragm, larynx, tongue and abdomen. Encysted larvae remain alive for years. When these cysts are found in the slaughtered animals, the whole carcass should be condemned. Serious illness may result from Trichinosis, whole symptoms are pain, nausea, rapid pulse, fever, irregularity of bowels and death occurring due to peritonitis. Actinomycosis or Ray fungus. In this case, infectious agent is actinomyces Isrealii or A bovis. It is now recognized as parasite, which occurs in the meat of oxen. It may affect other cattle especially calves, pigs, horses and sheep. It occurs particularly in wet weather. The tongue, jaws and lungs are commonly affected. The post- mortem appearances closely resemble tuberculosis. In this case only the affected parts are condemned. Distomum Hepaticum of Liver Flukes. They resemble flat fish, each of them being 2-4cm long and 1cm wide. They are brownish in color and are found covered with little bristles. They are very common in sheep in India. The parasites are found in the liver, bile ducts and give rise to a disease called the rot. As cooking always kills the flukes, only a few cases of disease from this parasite are known to occur in man.FishIt is easily digested. It has a high nutritive value, though not so stimulating as meat, but generally it is less rich in fats and contains more calcium than ordinary meat. It has all the vitamins except vitamin C. Fish liver is a rich source of Vitamin A and D. Sea fish is a rich source of Iodine. There are two kinds of fish; Lean fish. It consists of small fibers and contains fat below 2%. It is easily digested. Another is the Fat fish, which consists of medium or large fibers with fat content of 2.5% or more. It is somewhat difficult to digest.Medical usage of FishSome fish extracts have been discovered to be very useful in either prophylaxis or treatment of some medical conditions.1. Cod Oil Is one of the extracts of Fish which contains high levels of Vitamin D and used for the treatment of Osteoarthritis.
2. Fish Oil contains Vitamin A and hence used for the treatment of night blindness (eyes), skin and used for normal growth of a child.
3. Fish oil also contains omega-3 fatty acids which helps in cases of high blood pressure and strong scientific evidence from Human trials show that Omega-3 fatty acid significantly reduce blood triglyceride levels and inflammation.
4. Epidemiology studies show the association of Fish oil with reduced death rates of heart diseases, improved blood vessel functioning and decreased resting heart rate.
5. Research has indicated the great importance of Fish Oil supplementation from the twenty second week of pregnancy until delivery improves the living condition of fetus and the mother.
6. The Fish Oil also helps in Organ transplants. Immunity of Host body of transplanted Organ less readily rejects the transplanted organ when it is taken regularly.
7. It is highly recommended for rheumatoid arthritis.EggEggs contain cholesterol. And high cholesterol levels in our blood increases our risks of heart disease. However, the cholesterol we get from our food and this includes eggs, have less effect on the amount of cholesterol in our blood than the amount of saturated fat we eat. So, if you are eating a balanced diet, you only need to cut down on eggs if you have been told to do so by your dietitian or doctor. But if you are told to watch your cholesterol level alone, your priority should be cutting down on saturated fats.An egg weighs approximately 56.7g. It consists of 10% Outer covering or shell, 60% white and 30% yolk. It is a food containing all the approximate principles of food, except Carbohydrates. It is necessary for the growth and development of the body. It is a protective food containing first class proteins with all the essential amino acids and had the highest nutritive value among dietary proteins. In view of the presence of sulfur in the white of egg, they are considered as acid forming foods and resemble meat in this respect.The shell consists of carbonate of lime, the white is made up wholly of proteins, the chief being egg, albumin and the yolk contains less proteins and a large amount of fat. Besides, it contains lecithin, vitamin and the organic compounds of phosphorus, lime, and Iron. It is rich in calcium salts, and vitamins. Yolk of egg is a valuable food for anemic patients, since it contains Iron which is very easily digested in the body. And since the fat present in the yolk of eggs is in emulsified form, just like Milk, it is easily digested and is almost completely absorbed in the Intestines; only 3% residue is left.Freshness of eggs can be tested by; Holding in the hand in front of a candle in the dark. Fresh ones being more transparent in the center and stale ones are transparent at their extremities. This process of testing the eggs is known as candling.
By putting them in 10% salt solution; fresh eggs will sink, whereas stale ones will float.There is no recommended limit on how many eggs people should eat. Eggs are a good choice as part of a healthy balanced diet. But remember that it is a good idea to eat as varied a diet as possible. This means we should be trying to eat a variety of foods each week to get the wide range of nutrients we need. Eggs are a good source of; protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, vitamin B2 and Iodine.Eggs can make a really healthy meal. Why not try one of these for your breakfast, lunch or evening meal. Spanish omelets with chinks of cooked potatoes (you could use leftover potatoes from last night’s dinner) and onions served with steamed vegetable or a salad. All sorts of vegetable will work in the omelets- sweet potatoes, peppers, spring onions and mushrooms are all good choices. Poached egg and baked beans (choose reduced salt and sugar versions. If you can) served on thick sliced toast makes a great bunch- you could serve it with grilled tomatoes or mushrooms. Scrambled eggs on thick slices of brown toast, add some spring onions or mushrooms and serve with grilled tomatoes. Boiled eggs chopped into a summer salad. If you include salad leaves, new potatoes, green beans, red onion, olives, boiled egg and some tuna. But remember that quiches and flans often contain cream and cheese, and sometimes bacon too. All of which add to the saturated fat and salt content. If you are making your own quiche or flan, go easy on the cream and cheese. If you use a strong flavored cheese you will only need to use a small amount. And some vegetables such as broccoli, peppers and tomatoes. Fried eggs are higher in fat than boiled, poached occasionally. If you do want a fried egg, use oil that is high in unsaturated fat such as sunflower oil. It’s a good idea to drain off as much of the Oil as you can and it will also help to put the egg on some kitchen paper before putting it on your plate.Some research have been done on the Quail egg and there are very positive developments about this egg. Here are lists of the medical importance of the Quail egg; Continuous maintenance of the healthy body and supporting the efforts for athletes.
Enhancement of the immune system stimulates normal growth and regulates weight disturbance.
Neural cell protection, improves memory and intelligence coefficient.
Regulates gastric acidity and digestion in Lungs.
Enhances heart functioning, recovery after stress, exhaustion after surgical interventions, radiotherapy, and in cases of burns.In view of the following aforementioned uses, the Quail Egg is very good for the following clinical ailments; Sexual impotence, bronchi asthma, Tuberculosis, high level of cholesterol in blood, allergies, eczema, spasmophilia, migraines, neural asthenia, treatment of Kidney, treatment of Liver and Ophthalmologic.Usage in rational nourishment (Meat)1. Meat is source of protein of full value. Biological value and assimilation of meat depends on the kind, age and feeding of farm animals and poultry fowls and also on the content of fat and connective tissues. The less connective tissue, the better the assimilation of Meat (80-90%).
2. Source of Vitamin- thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), Pantothenic acid and choline.
3. Source of main elements- Iron, copper, zinc, consuming of 200g of meat covers 20-25% of Iron daily, 40-45% of Zinc and 35-40% of copper.
4. Sausages and sausage products have less biological value than natural meat owing to structural destruction of protein, great content of full Lipid acid and destruction of Vitamins.Usage in treatment and prophylactic nourishment1. Owing to great content in meat of Nitrogen containing (amino acids, purine) and other contents (glycogen, glucose and lactic acid). Meat serve as a substance of strong bouillon used for intensity of appetite and stimulation of gastric secretion in patients with acute infectious diseases (pneumonia, influenza), chronic diseases (tuberculosis, alimentary cachexia) and in patients with period of recovering. Particularly useful in strong chicken bouillon.
2. Natural Meat products, especially fried or stewed, are not used in feeding of patients with Ulcer disease of stomach, gastritis with increased secretion, hepatitis, cirrhosis and Inflammation of the pancreas.
3. For prophylaxis of arteriosclerosis. Hyper-tonic crisis in Liver diseases, diseases of Pancreas, and accumulation of fatty tissues; we must recommend to use meat products which contain small number of Cholesterol and full Lipid acids (real rabbit meat, meat of chicken without skin).
4. In Podagra, we must make smaller protein value in ration, exclude from ration sources of purine (sub products) and eat meat with low content of purine.
5. In hypo-chromic anemia, we must include into ration dishes which contain meat and blood.
6. Connective tissues of meat are stimulants of motility of intestinal tract and promote secretion of exogenous chemical substances (collagen).As much as we enjoy eating the animal foodstuffs, it is also important to know that you need not be a Medical practitioner or nutritionist to know their medical benefits. Do not let familiarity carry you away, what you see and squander in front of your dinning table could serve more and better purposes.
I thought that I would write about pregnancy nutrition – being that I am currently pregnant with my third child. Before I start explaining what I should be eating and why – I would like to ask the question: Does anyone else find it hard to eat nutritionally excellent while being pregnant?
My first trimester was the hardest. I have great pregnancies over all- the one small side-effect I feel (only in the 1st trimester) is feeling tired most of the day. Combine that with feeling hungrier than usual- makes for some not so good eating days. I have definitely changed my ways and have really tried to focus on eating right…but at times I still feel like I am falling short. I have stayed away from highly processed foods, dairy and I eat animal protein sparingly (all disease causing foods) but am I getting enough of the good stuff?
What is the good stuff?
As you can guess- the best diet for a pregnant woman is a WHOLE FOODS PLANT BASED DIET consisting of Vegetables, Fruits, Beans, Nuts and Seeds. This is the same nutrient dense diet that is recommended for everyone. BUT…there are a few additional foods that are essential when pregnant or nursing.
DHA and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Nutrition for the brain. These nutrients are essential for optimal brain development for the unborn child as well as a nursing infant. Since the brain is mostly made of fat- it makes sense that we need to consume the right fat to help a healthy brain develop.
Flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts are great examples of great brain food that can maximize human potential. Berries and vegetables are also rich in brain-favorable nutrients.
I try to eat walnuts and flax seeds (ground using my coffee grinder) every day, in addition to a Vegan DHA supplement (purchased from http://www.drfuhrman.com).
PROTEIN
Pregnant women need more daily protein in their diet for growth of muscles, bone, blood vessels and nerves in both mom and baby. The great thing about eating a Whole Food Plant Based Diet is that I get plenty of protein when I eat my cooked beans (1 cup cooked beans = 15 grams protein) and my nuts and seeds (15 grams = 1 cup walnuts or ½ cup sunflower seeds), and my dark leafy greens (11 grams per 100 calories).
I try to focus on eating 2 ounces of nuts and seeds daily, have beans in at least one of my meals and always try to eat dark leafy greens- whether in my green drink, in a salad, or mixed in with my meals.
CALCIUM
This nutrient is needed to make baby’s teeth and bones. Again- very easy to consume enough calcium when eating a nutrient dense diet. I get my calcium the same way cows get their calcium…green vegetables. Beans, sesame seeds and even oranges contain lots of usable calcium, without the problems associated with dairy.
I try to focus on eating my GREENS daily and I also take an herbal calcium supplement a couple times of week.
VITAMINS and IRON
Again- all the needed vitamins are found in whole foods. Vitamin A= oranges and leafy greens. Vitamin B = avocados, almonds and leafy greens. Vitamin C = potatoes, citrus fruits and broccoli. Vitamin D = sunshine. Iron = apricots, dark leafy vegetables and raisins.
I try to consume as many vegetables as I can. I also take a multi-vitamin with all these essential vitamins.
In summary…three words: DARK LEAFY VEGETABLES! These are the most nutrient dense foods on the planet (Kale, Collard Greens, Chards, Spinach, Bok Choy, Mustard Greens, etc.) I really want to focus on eating these DAILY!
Eating an optimal diet for pregnancy is very doable when eating a Whole Food Plant Based Diet. This blog has definitely been good to remind myself what foods are needed. Have I eaten perfectly…No. But I am trying
My mother gave me great advice that I try to focus on in my daily life: To live in the present- try not to dwell on the past or even look too much to the future.
To focus on eating well today… (not being concerned about yesterday or how well I will eat tomorrow) but how good I can take care of myself right now. That’s the key when striving to accomplish goals- it really seems to work for me.
LIFE IS GOOD!
If you are struggling with back pain you may be pleased to learn you can use natural remedies and vitamins to help you to overcome it. Herbs have been used for many thousands of years for there medicinal value and if you find the right combination of herbs you will be surprised at how fast you will find relief from your back pain. Here are some popular treatments for back pain
Vitamin B12 – The first thing you need to do if you are suffering from any type of lower back pain is to supplement your vitamins. A vitamin deficiency can cause back pain especially if it is a B12 deficiency. If you have a B12 deficiency you can also suffer from a number of problems. These include panic attacks, depression, memory impairment and irritability. For this reason it is a good idea to supplement with vitamin B12, even if you are not suffering with a back pain problem. If you take this vitamin it will help with your overall natural good health.
Capsaicin Cream – Extracted from chilli peppers this cream includes the ingredient that gives the chilli peppers their distinctive burn. The cream has the same affect on your back as it has in your mouth if it is applied directly to your back. Some studies show that the use of this cream is helping people with persistent back pains. This product is available at most drug stores. We recommend when applying it you use gloves and do not get it anywhere near your eyes.
Chamomile – One of the big causes of back pain is inflammation of tissue in that area. Anti-inflammatory herbal medication is a good choice for people with back problems. Chamomile will help to relax the muscles naturally. You could also try Saw Palmetto or bromelain these are two good choices for natural anti-inflammatory relief.
Willow Bark – Willow tree bark has pain relieving properties similar to aspirin. If you rub the bark or a product containing willow bark directly on the painful area, you should get some relieve from the inflammation and the pain you are suffering.
If you are suffering severe pain there are a various herbs that can help you overcome the pain. Wild Lettuce has been used to help people overcome pain for many thousands of years and it also has the extra benefit of helping you sleep better. Feverfew, Devils Claw and Burdock are all herbs that can help with your pain relief.
There are various herbal remedies that can help with back pain. You will need to experiment to find the right combination of herbs to help you. It could also take some time for the herbs to have an effect on your condition. An all natural regime will get to the root of the problem and cure it from within. Try it out yourself to see if it works for you and eases your pain.