Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category
10 Steps To A Healthier Heart
Your heart is constantly working, so why not give your heart a “break” by focusing on a lifestyle that will promote a healthy heart!?
10 Steps To A Healthier Heart
1. Keep your Cholesterol low, aiming for less than 200 milligrams/deciliter and keep your Blood Pressure below 120/80. Garlic has been shown to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
2. If you smoke, it’s time to quit the habit. Three years after a person quits smoking, their chance of having a heart attack is the same as someone who has never smoked before.
3. Eat more heart healthy fats such as wild salmon, nuts, avocados, olive oil, and flax seeds. Studies show that consuming two or more servings of fish per week is associated with reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease by 30 percent.
4. Reduce the stress in your life. Take a break. Get a massage. Go on vacation. Meditate! Do whatever you need to do to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Stress has a negative affect on your heart and overall health.
5. Exercise! Physical activity is a huge factor when it comes to having a healthy heart. Aim for either 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of vigorous physical activity or 2 1/2 hours each week of moderate intensity exercise.
6. Get to – or maintain – a healthy weight. Those with a healthy BMI were shown to have less risk of heart disease.
7. Avoid fried, fatty, and sugary foods. Yep, they may taste good, but they aren’t doing your heart (or the rest of your body) any favors since these foods have been linked to heart disease, clogged arteries, cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and the list goes on. In the long run, it’s just best to stay away.
8. Keep your glucose levels down. You should aim to have your fasting blood glucose levels to be less than 100 milligrams/deciliter.
9. Eat more fiber rich foods, such as whole grains, beans, lentils, apples, tomatoes, carrots, pears, and squash (ok, just about all fruits and vegetables).
10. Limit the amount of sodium you consume each day! You should try to have less than 1,500 milligrams a day.
Get Started Today
Choose which step to work on for a healthier heart. You don’t have to try and tackle all of these steps today. Work on steps that are easier for you, and work on them one at a time. You’ll soon realize how good it feels to take care of the little muscle that works so hard to keep you going.
A healthy heart, a healthy you!
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Tags: February, Fitness, Heart Health, Heart Health Month, Nutrition, overall health
Benefits and Sources of Vitamin A
There are two main sources that you can obtain vitamin A naturally.
1) Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that comes from animal foods such as calf liver.
2) Vitamin A comes from Carotenoids (alpha-, beta-, and gamma- carotene) which our bodies convert into Vitamin A and comes from many fruits and vegetables.
Check out the many health benefits of Vitamin A and find out how to get more of it in your healthy lifestyle!
Health Benefits of Vitamin A
• Vitamin A has been shown to help fight against age-related ocular diseases such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Vitamin A helps to improve night vision by allowing the eyes to more effectively distinguish between light and dark.
• Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant and can help protect us against skin diseases and some cancers.
• Vitamin A plays an important role with the white blood cells in the body which fights infections and boosts in the immune system.
• Vitamin A prevents urinary stones from forming by producing calcium phosphate in the body.
•Vitamin A is known to be an essential to the reproductive process in both women and men.
• Vitamin A helps keep bones and teeth healthy and strong.
Natural Sources of Vitamin A
• Sweet Potato – 438% DV
• Spinach – 377% DV
• Carrots – 407.6% DV
• Calf Liver – 1,600% DV
• Kale – 354% DV
• Swiss Chard – 214% DV
• Collard Greens – 308% DV
• Winter Squash – 214% DV
Justification to Obtain Vitamins and Minerals Naturally
From what I have studied, it’s best if you can get your vitamins and minerals through natural sources rather than supplements.
Here’s why: Vitamin A works in conjunction with Vitamin D when obtained in the proper amount. You can obtain the proper amounts if you eat a variety of vegetables (Vitamin A) and get the proper amount of daily sun exposure (Vitamin D).
If you have too much Vitamin A (supplments) it can detract from the benefits associated with the Vitamin D and can even be potentially toxic. If you don’t have enough Vitamin A, the Vitamin D cannot function properly within the body.
Percentage Daily Value Sources provided by whfoods.org
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Tags: vitamin A
Health Benefits of Nuts
Nuts are a huge hit when it comes to snacking! We’ve been told that they are healthy for us, we know that the contain protein, but what else is in there? There’s a whole lot more to nuts than most people realize!
Here’s a list of some common nuts and their nutritional benefits:
Almonds
• Help aids weight loss
• Rich in heart healthy fat which helps lowers cholesterol.
• In every ounce, almonds contain 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber, and 80 micro grams of calcium, and phosphorus and vitamin E.
• Almonds have almost no carbohydrates, which makes them a great snake for diabetics.
Brazil Nuts
• Contain large amounts of selenium, which research has shown has a protective effect fights against many different kinds of cancers, helps with thyroid function, and may even help with men’s fertility.
Cashews
• Contains high amounts of heart healthy (monounsaturated) fat, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Very mineral rich, including potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and copper.
• Compared to other nuts, cashews are slightly less amount of calories, while containing a slightly higher amount of carbohydrates.
Hazelnuts
• Rich in beta-sitosterol which lowers cholesterol and lessens the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (something men over 40 commonly experience: going to the bathroom multiple times throughout the night).
• Contain vitamin E, phosphorus, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids.
Macadamia Nuts
• Boasts the highest amount of monounsaturated fat (about 80% – more than olive oil!) than the other nuts. Monounsaturated fat is great for your heart health and has been associated with lower levels of heart disease and cancer.
• Contains calcium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, magnesium, and fiber.
• Very high in calories, so eat in moderation.
Pecans
• Loaded with monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, potassium, phytosterols, and beta-sitosterol.
• May help lower the risk for type 2 Diabetes.
Pistachios
• Improves lipid profiles, decreases coronary risk, decreases oxidative stress and improves both HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.
• Unsalted pistachio nuts have a favorable potassium-to-sodium ratio which is very helpful with normalizing blood pressure and maintaining a healthy water balance in the body.
• Contain magnesium, phosphorus, phytosterols as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Walnuts
• Contains the highest amount of omega-3 fat, compared to other nuts. Omega-3′s are a remarkable brain food, which supports brain function, improves mood, and helps lower triglycerides and reduce plaque.
• Rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.
It’s no surprise that studies show that those who eat nuts consistently have significantly lower risks of having a heart attack or heart disease.
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Tags: Health, health benefits, Nutrition, Nuts
How To Buy Healthy Canned Foods
Fresh foods are the best choice, but what if you want to buy canned foods? There’s some important concepts to consider when buying canned foods if you are looking for optimum nutrition.
Fruits and
• Buy canned fruit that is in 100% Juice (or water) rather than heavy syrup or light syrup, which is just canned fruit soaked in corn syrup, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Buying canned fruit that is in 100% juice allows you to enjoy the fruit without all of the unnecessary sweeteners and extra calories.
Vegetables
• Buy canned vegetables that don’t have any salt added to it. The salt that is usually added to canned goods is common iodized salt, which isn’t good for you, unlike the natural salt that is full of healthy minerals and nutrients.
Meats
• Buy canned meats, like tuna, that contain water or a natural broth, rather than oil. Most meats that are in oil are usually in unhealthy oils that you should consider passing up on.
Soups, Chili’s, Quick Meals
• Most canned meals are unhealthy, even the ones proclaiming better health or a lack of sodium. If you want to enjoy a healthy canned soup, for example, try an organic soup from Amy’s Kitchen since it is low in calories, sodium, and no MSG or other additives that can be harmful to your health.
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Five Years Without Soda!
In December 2006, I made one of the best decisions to positively influence my health. I stopped drinking soda completely. It was a rocky road in the beginning, but every step of that journey was well worth the effort.
My Name Is Twinkie, And I’m A Soda Addict
It all started at an early age. When I was growing up, I only had soda “every once in a while”, such as special occasions like birthdays or holidays. Not all that bad, really, but as I got older, in middle school and high school, I started to drink soda on the weekends. I didn’t stop there.
I remember getting my first job working at a bank and I had access to cheap (sometimes free!) soda thanks to the gas station within walking distance. I started drinking soda every single day, and drank more soda than water. Some days, I don’t think I even drank any water at all! Whenever I was thirsty, I didn’t drink water, I would just drank my soda. I remember waking up in the morning and having a soda. It was a bad path that I was going on and I was spiraling down quickly.
Side Note: In addition to drinking soda, I also ate junk food and I definitely wasn’t working out. Not a good combo, I know…
All of the junk food I was putting into my body eventually caught up with me, and my skinny 5’9″ frame started to faulter and was skinny no more. After about a year into my new bad habits, this nice older gentlemen asked me nicely if I were expecting. Ouch. Double Ouch. I didn’t think I gained that much weight. Apparently, I did. This was the moment when I finally realized that I had a problem. I was addicted to soda, and it needed to stop.
A Brighter Future
I desperately wanted to change my soda drinking habits, so I tried to just cut back. For years I tried to drink soda only “every once in awhile”, but I was always dealing with the intense cravings to have a soda more often than not. I know that soda addiction probably shouldn’t be compared to an alcohol addiction, but you can’t just expect an alcoholic to just drink on the weekend or just have one drink. It just doesn’t work like that. I understood that more than anyone when it came to my soda.
In early 2006 when I was engaged to my husband, I ended up quitting cold turkey. I made that decision because I didn’t want to continue this awful habit and I knew I didn’t want my future kids to be asking for soda and have this awful habit just like me. It was honestly embarrassing how much soda I would drink.
I ended up not drinking any soda for about four months or so. This was a huge feat! In December 2006, I was at a family get together and decided to have a sip of soda for the first time in about four months. It was disgusting! I had my husband try a sip of the same drink and I asked him if it was flat or if something was wrong with it. Nope, there was nothing wrong with the soda. I just didn’t like the taste any more. It tasted like watered down corn syrup, which was something I couldn’t crave. Thank goodness!
I finally decided that I just didn’t want soda anymore and I haven’t had a single sip of soda since December 2006, and I don’t plan on ever drinking it again! Why would I? Soda isn’t healthy and has zero nutritional value.
I swapped my soda for water and began my journey to a much healthier me. It’s amazing how much better I feel since I have stopped drinking soda (and energy drinks, by the way!).
I didn’t realize how unhealthy I was until I became healthy.
Never Too Late To Stop
I am sure that a lot of you can relate to me with my (soda) drinking story. Soda can be quite addicting, since it’s loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners that keep you hooked for as long as you are willing to be.
If you are willing to make the choice to stop drinking soda, you can overcome the addiction. Look at the nutrition label of the soda. You are putting toxins into your body every time you drink soda, which will eventually have negative effects on your body, if it hasn’t already.
In addition to knowing how bad soda was for me, I had a personal look at what soda can cause. Soda is known to cause serious health issues to the kidneys, and this was a huge wake up call when I made that connection. I had a grand parent die of kidney failure. It might not have been from drinking soda, but I decided I wanted to change my own fate for the better. You can too.
It’s never too late to stop drinking soda, and I encourage you to cut back and eventually stop drinking soda completely. Trust me, your body will thank you for it.
How To Stop Drinking Soda in Ten Weeks or Less
Whenever you are thirsty or craving soda, drink water! If you need to add some flavor, just squeeze a slice of lemon or lime into your water for a refreshing beverage.
For me, I had to stop drinking soda cold turkey. If that doesn’t work for you, start cutting your soda habits in half each week until you no longer need or want to drink it.
For example, if you drink four sodas a day…
Week 1: Drink two sodas a day
Week 2: Drink one soda a day
Week 3: Drink one soda every other day
Week 4: Drink one soda twice a week
Week 5 and 6: Drink one soda just once a week
Week 7, 8, 9, and 10: Drink one soda every other week
Week 11: Congratulations! You are no longer drinking soda!
By week 11, you shouldn’t feel the intense cravings to continue drinking soda anymore, and I suggest never starting the habit again!
If you still drink soda, what is going to motivate you to quit the habit? If you have already stopped drinking soda, what inspired you to make the change?
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Tags: addiction, motivation, soda, Twinkie
