Category: Health / Nutrition    (submitted 2011-01-01)

Avoid pre-packaged and prepared foods whenever possible if you are looking for the healthiest nutrition. In almost every case pretreated foods and pre-cooked meals normally contain added ingredients like sodium nitrate for preservation that are extremely bad for you. In 2007, the University of Hawaii did a study revealing that people who consume food preserved with sodium nitrate have a 67% probability of developing pancreatic cancer. It is far better to prepare your own food from fresh ingredients than to rely on food prepared in a factory.

A great nutrition tip is to make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. The USDA recommended daily allowance for fruits and veggies is 9 to 13 servings per day. That may sound like a lot, but it isn't really that hard to fit them in. Have a glass of real orange juice with your breakfast or put fresh marinara tomato sauce on your spaghetti.

Onions are valued by cooks for their flavor they add to recipes. But there is another reason to maximize the use of onions. Nutritionally, they provide carotenoids (any of various red to yellow pigments (carotene) found in plant foods), B and C vitamins, and trace minerals. All of these enhance our health by providing our bodies the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly.

It has been proven that red meat is not as good for your overall health as most would have you believe. If you do consume red meat, you need to restrict your intake of animal meats to once per week or much less. The fact is, I would personally and professionally suggest that you simply bypass it at the supermarket and totally eliminate it out of your diet regime. An awesome tasting treat because fat slide over the tongue easier, nevertheless, animal meats just is not as healthy as other kinds of healthier proteins. Consider swapping most of your protein dietary consumption with fish or other seafood items, legumes, and whole grains as being the primary ingredients. Animal meat may have its own spot in nutrition, but nutritionally you can apply significantly better dietary choices if you're seriously interested in your state of health.

To obtain a more healthy body, think about consuming fresh vegetables and fruits that are uncooked. It is actually a lot better for the body to digest foods in their original form. Food preparation can leech nutritional value that your body needs, so uncooked vegetables and fruit eaten raw are more wholesome. Consume uncooked foods in modest amounts for improved digestive function and well being.

Sometimes, it is hard to stay on track with a healthy diet while traveling. There are times that you may have to stop at a fast food restaurant like McDonalds, Wendy's, Burger King and others. If you do, there are a few things you can do to cut calories. First and foremost stay clear of the transfats like burgers; if you do order red meat from the menu, get it grilled with no cheese or condiments. Also, if available, choose the salad bar in lieu of red meat items.

It's a taboo topic which everybody generally seems to prefer to avoid, but bowel movements certainly are a prerequisite if you're planning to sustain a nutritious healthy lifestyle. Dietary fiber helps to keep your bowels operating efficiently and will continue to keep you feeling normal as well as functioning in a high capacity.

It is not a major issue to consume your daily requirements of dietary fiber if you simply learn to read through food product labels. Virtually all fresh fruits and vegetables are a natural healthy source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is also identified in food items such as whole grains, nuts and oat products.

If you're shopping for commercially prepared food items, an excellent health shopping practice is to observe the fiber content listed on the food ingredients label and only pick out food items which contain a minimum of 2 grams of fiber per serving. My own practice and professional recommendation is always to place those items back on the shelf should the fiber content be less than 2 grams per serving.

Just for starters, dietary fiber aids in cholesterol-reducing, lessening your opportunity of contracting cardiovascular disease, it lowers your probability of acquiring colorectal types of cancer, and reduces your risk of developing various kinds of diabetic issues.

Calculate the amount of nutrients you take in with your daily food and add the missing portion using high quality supplements. It is possible to build a diet that includes all the necessary nutrients and vitamins, but it is very hard to do so on a daily basis. Add supplements to your meals to provide your body with all the necessary building blocks it needs. A valuable resource to utilize in tracking your food consumption on a daily basis is the Food Tracker located at MyPyrarmidTracker.gov that is maintained by the United States Department of Agriculture.

It is tempting to blame the culture we live in for the fact that so many of us have poor nutrition habits and are either overweight or obese. Yet the fact remains that we, as individuals, are ultimately in control of what goes into our mouths. In order to be in control, we must first be more aware of the societal forces at work that make it so easy for us to overeat. When eating in a fast food establishment stay clear of the "Biggie" or "Supersize", et cetera. According to a United Nations spokes person, nearly three million adults die prematurely each year due to patronizing these establishments.

Organic olive oil is an excellent choice in food preparation. Found in most kitchen pantries, olive oil could be a beneficial supplement for your healthy skin care regimen by combating dry skin. Olive oil is delicate and good at securing in moisture content in your facial area and palms. Additionally, it supplies a serving of anti-oxidants to help in overcoming the aging process. A thin coating two times a day is all that's necessary.

Obesity

Start your children off right. Early nutrition education builds healthy eating habits. Giving in to your children's demand for high sugar, high fat and fried comfort foods will only set them on a path for obesity and malnutrition later on. Insist that they eat fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy low fat proteins and whole grains.

Make sure you're not forcing your child to eat everything that's on their plate. If you force them to keep eating after they're full, you'll encourage them to overeat. This can lead to problems like diabetes in the future which is linked to the obesity pandemic we currently fighting now. Respect your child's wishes when they say they've had enough.

Calcium can be a effective substance which should be part of nutrition. Calcium is associated with the development of teeth and bone tissue composition. It assists in our blood coagulation (blood thinning), neurological functionality, muscles contraction, and vein and artery contraction. Calcium aids in preventing numerous disorders like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, intestinal tract cancers, high cholesterol levels, and excessive weight; and problems such as obesity, morbid obesity, and premature death.

Cost

For anyone who is looking to try to eat as inexpensively as they possibly can, but nevertheless desire to be nutritious then look at buying fortified breakfast cereals or oatmeal. Cereals have minerals and vitamins which are included within its content, so it's in essence it’s like having a large multivitamin pill. A single package can present you with four to five or more meals which suggest the cost to your food budget for each serving is under a dollar.

While I do not normally advocate the above cereal diet regime on a routine basis, it is definitely much better than the fast food establishment around the corner where you reside. Here again, just read the ingredient labels. If the cereal contains high fructose or the fiber the content is less than 2 grams per serving, put it back on the shelf. I do personally consume oatmeal on a daily basis because in my opinion it is the world’s most perfect food.

Remember this simple formula for the ingredients listed on a product you intend to purchase. The ingredients listed on a product are listed in order of content. For example, if the first ingredient is listed as sugar, then the product contains more sugar than any of the other ingredients that follow.

Hunting your own small game, if it is an option, often has additional benefits besides the lean meat one can obtain free of cost to supplement their nutrition. Often obtaining the meat can be a workout in itself. Hunting can be a recreational activity one can do to relax and also improve their nutrition and fitness.

Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season is a great way to save money and also get your vitamins. Foods that are in season will taste better and you will probably enjoy them much more. Buying foods that are in season will cost you less because there are so many of them that are available and need to be sold. A good place to look for these fresh fruits is search out your local Farmers Market; there is normally at least one that meets weekly in all communities.

Now that you have taken the time to read through this article you should have gained some valuable insights on beneficial nutritional tips and what they can do in your everyday life to improve upon your overall nutritional and health status. Each person is different and each has their own nutritional and fitness needs; this is for you and your primary care healthcare professional to determine what is healthy to establish for you and your loved ones.

Lastly remember this: A great life starts with great nutrition.

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