Nowadays people are increasingly going back to basics - in terms of food and health practices - because they would like to achieve quality health and fitness. With the fast-paced, technologically-driven world people are now living, who wouldn't like to veer away from certain medical conditions and sicknesses.
Experts say that because of the busy courses of people’s lives, many of them tend to forget some of the critical fragments in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which is diet and nutrition.
Describing The Thin Line
While the terms “diet” and “nutrition” have different definitions, they are greatly connected to one another. As defined, “diet” refers to the food and liquid intake of a person while “nutrition” refers to the science of dealing with food and nourishment. Occasionally, many people get confused with the meanings of the two because they automatically assume that less - through diet - won't affect their health's overall condition.
Experts say that more than the issues of food and liquid consumption and the science of food and nourishment, diet and nutrition can revolve around nutritional information on several dietary supplements and the benefits vitamins and minerals to a person’s body. By making yourself familiar with the latest diet and nutrition topics, trends and tips, can lead you to the renewal of your health and well-being commitment inside your home.
You must remember that it’s never too late to redirect your eating habits, but before you take that drastic change, learn what are the common diet and nutrition mistakes so you can avoid them. Here are some realizations that can help you manage:
1. Don’t make careless assumption that the food choices you have are better than they actually are. Many experts believe that people who are very particular about diet and nutrition have larger tendencies of thinking and believing that their food choices are healthier than they really are. It's always advisable to eat whole, fresh, and unprocessed foods whenever possible to stay healthy.
2. Don’t confuse yourself over carbohydrates. In some people that low carbohydrates diets are effective. But there are also those that say that there are excellent carbs that make people eat less. If you are confused, assess yourself first before cutting down on carbs totally. Consulting a licensed dietitian can help you determine how much carbohydrates does your body need, and in addition to can help you come up with a good diet pattern for you which can have long term effects.
3. Don’t think you’re eating too much when you’re actually not. Doctors say that one of the most common mistakes people make is that they overestimate and underestimate the amount of food their body needs. People are advised to monitor the portion sizes of your food to ensure that they are getting the key nutrients that their body needs.
4. Know when to eat and when not to eat. Experts believe that overeating and under eating may put an individual's health at risk because it disrupts blood sugar and insulin levels. Knowing when to eat and when not to can ensure that the person will get the nutrition the body needs. Always make sure that you eat something every three hours and don’t starve before eating the next meal.
5. Don’t ignore the importance of regular exercise. Regular exercise have wonderful benefits to people especially to those who want to achieve optimum health and fitness. To ensure that you stay healthy despite being on a diet, making exercise a regular part of your life can definitely contribute to your overall wellness.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Alli Weight Loss Pill - Do The Benefits Of Alli Outweigh It's Side Effects?
Alli is an FDA approved OTC weight reduction product available in the form of pills. Its main ingredient is chemical. It's not a dietary supplement, it's not a medicine, it is not a fat burner; it's a fat blocker or fat binder. It's a relatively new product and is one of the popular weight loss products on the market nowadays.- Since excess calories happen to be the main cause of weight gain and fat is the major contributor of the extra calories, blocking the fat from being digested definitely helps to reduce weight, and Alli aims to do that.
Alli works by blocking about 25% of the fats eaten by you from being acted upon by enzymes so that it's not digested. This undigested fat passes through your body in the natural way. As it prevents fat from being digested, its effectiveness in weight reduction is called as “instant” action.
Alli starter kits suggest that you should limit your meals to a reduced-calorie diet of 15 gms of fat each. If you are not able to restrict yourself to the 15-calorie limit per meal, manufacturer’s literature points out that you may have side effects which the makers of Alli call as “treatment effects”.
It's obvious that to avoid the “treatment effects” successfully you may have to drastically alter your diet and reconsider the way you have your meals now.
These limitations on your life style are bad enough, but if you happen to stray to the wrong side of the 15 gm-“barrier”, you may have very unpleasant results to face. Alli literature refers to these consequences as “treatment effects” but in layman’s simple language it means that you may suffer uncontrollable bowel movements, loose stools, very frequent visits to “loo”, “farting” with oily discharge, etc..
Alli claims of helping you to lose weight are not in dispute here, since it has been clinically tested and approved. What we wish to notice is that it's for the individual to determine how far he or she can reap the benefits of Alli without suffering from its side effects.
Monday, December 1, 2008
What Are The Benefits of Liquid Vitamins?
Vitamins and minerals first enter our body through the food we eat, on the other hand, we can take vitamin supplements to increase the amount of pertinent vitamins and minerals. One of the most common methods of taking them is absorbing in its liquid form. Do the advantages of liquid vitamins far outweigh its disadvantages – if there are any? Read on and find out.
Better and Easier Absorption for Kids
While liquid vitamins may taste worse than vitamins in flavored, chewable tablet forms, however they're easier to absorb. There are numerous cases in which children have problems with choking, breathing and swallowing just because they are unable to absorb medication or vitamins in that form.
This is the same problem too for adults who have lost their ability to control their jaws or are unable to digest anything that isn't in liquid form.
Liquid Vitamins are More Effective
Because of its form, liquid vitamins can be assimilated immediately into the blood stream for a more systemic administration of the vitamin and its average absorption rate is around 90 to 98%. Besides it's three to five times more concentrated than vitamin pills and this leads to higher bio-activity and greater curative benefits.
The Link between Antioxidants and Liquid Vitamins
Have you ever wondered whether or not liquid vitamins contained oxidants as well? Vitamins C, E and A are examples of antioxidants and they are usually found in vitamin supplements but what about liquid vitamins?
The answer is YES. Liquid vitamins must in fact contain such antioxidants or they’ll prove to be inefficient compared to other vitamins. Remember that the most important of all antioxidants – Vitamins A, C and E – are not internally produced by the body so they must be a regular fixture in our diet. Antioxidants are our main defense against effects of damaging oxidation reactions. Antioxidants are our best weapons against suffering from any form of cancer. Without it, we are basically weaker and less healthy.
Liquid Vitamins versus Digestive Acids
One reason why people refuse to acknowledge the benefits of liquid vitamins is because of the supposed destruction by digestive acids of any vitamin or mineral that it doesn't recognize as part of the digestion process. As a matter of fact the opposite is true. Our digestive system actually is able to better absorb liquid vitamins and minerals rather than those made in pill or capsule form.
A vitamin pill or tablet has to be digested totally before it can benefit the human body. It must be broken down into absorbable nutrients or only up to thirty percent of it will be absorbed. Liquid vitamins however provide a better and easier solution for the digestive system.
It’s vital to remember that digestion doesn't mainly function to destroy vitamins and minerals but rather to transform them into substances it can use to improve the general constitution of the body.
Liquid Vitamins: Toxic or Not?
Another problem posed is the amount of colloidal minerals found in liquid vitamins. Are they harmful or not?
Truly, even plants and fruits contain a trace of such minerals in them. Apples, for instance, contain 3-5 mg of aluminum as it’s one of the most abundant elements that can be found in the surface of the Earth. But do you hear anyone telling you that apples are dangerous to your health? Contrarily, what we are more likely to hear is that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
So it must be with liquid vitamins as well. Containing a slight amount of colloidal mineral doesn’t mean it’s bad for our health directly. Colloidal minerals, are above all else, naturally occurring elements and can not therefore be avoided.
You Have a Choice
At the end of the day, however, it’s still up to you whether or not you wish to take vitamin supplements in liquid or solid form. What really matters is what you prefer and which will ultimately work better for you.
Better and Easier Absorption for Kids
While liquid vitamins may taste worse than vitamins in flavored, chewable tablet forms, however they're easier to absorb. There are numerous cases in which children have problems with choking, breathing and swallowing just because they are unable to absorb medication or vitamins in that form.
This is the same problem too for adults who have lost their ability to control their jaws or are unable to digest anything that isn't in liquid form.
Liquid Vitamins are More Effective
Because of its form, liquid vitamins can be assimilated immediately into the blood stream for a more systemic administration of the vitamin and its average absorption rate is around 90 to 98%. Besides it's three to five times more concentrated than vitamin pills and this leads to higher bio-activity and greater curative benefits.
The Link between Antioxidants and Liquid Vitamins
Have you ever wondered whether or not liquid vitamins contained oxidants as well? Vitamins C, E and A are examples of antioxidants and they are usually found in vitamin supplements but what about liquid vitamins?
The answer is YES. Liquid vitamins must in fact contain such antioxidants or they’ll prove to be inefficient compared to other vitamins. Remember that the most important of all antioxidants – Vitamins A, C and E – are not internally produced by the body so they must be a regular fixture in our diet. Antioxidants are our main defense against effects of damaging oxidation reactions. Antioxidants are our best weapons against suffering from any form of cancer. Without it, we are basically weaker and less healthy.
Liquid Vitamins versus Digestive Acids
One reason why people refuse to acknowledge the benefits of liquid vitamins is because of the supposed destruction by digestive acids of any vitamin or mineral that it doesn't recognize as part of the digestion process. As a matter of fact the opposite is true. Our digestive system actually is able to better absorb liquid vitamins and minerals rather than those made in pill or capsule form.
A vitamin pill or tablet has to be digested totally before it can benefit the human body. It must be broken down into absorbable nutrients or only up to thirty percent of it will be absorbed. Liquid vitamins however provide a better and easier solution for the digestive system.
It’s vital to remember that digestion doesn't mainly function to destroy vitamins and minerals but rather to transform them into substances it can use to improve the general constitution of the body.
Liquid Vitamins: Toxic or Not?
Another problem posed is the amount of colloidal minerals found in liquid vitamins. Are they harmful or not?
Truly, even plants and fruits contain a trace of such minerals in them. Apples, for instance, contain 3-5 mg of aluminum as it’s one of the most abundant elements that can be found in the surface of the Earth. But do you hear anyone telling you that apples are dangerous to your health? Contrarily, what we are more likely to hear is that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
So it must be with liquid vitamins as well. Containing a slight amount of colloidal mineral doesn’t mean it’s bad for our health directly. Colloidal minerals, are above all else, naturally occurring elements and can not therefore be avoided.
You Have a Choice
At the end of the day, however, it’s still up to you whether or not you wish to take vitamin supplements in liquid or solid form. What really matters is what you prefer and which will ultimately work better for you.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
What Are The Health Benefits of Fish Oil?
When oils and fats words are brought up, health-conscious persons tend to run for cover. What they fail to realize is that there are good fats and bad fats. Complete avoidance of oils and fats consumption would actually damage, rather than benefit their health.
Fish Oil Facts
Essential fatty acids should always be part of our every day diet, without them we take one step closer to our deaths. There are two families of essential fatty acids: omega-6 EFAs and omega-3 EFAS.
Although there are only very slight differences to distinguish the two groups of essential fatty acids from each other, studies showed that too much intake of omega-6 EFAs can lead to inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth. Yet, the good news is that the opposite is true for omega-3 EFAs. Omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils while omega-3 EFAs can be found in fish oils among other foods.
Omega-6 vs. Omega-3
Scientists and physicians are of the same opinion that the cause behind increasing cases of heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, premature aging and certain kinds of cancer is none other than an unbalanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs.
As noted before, omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils. This includes but isn't limited to corn oil and soy oil, both of which contains high amounts of linoleic acid. Omega-3 EFAs on the other hand can be found also in marine plankton and walnut and flaxseed oils. It's important to note that fatty fish and fish oils contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fatty acids that have been noticed to provide several benefits to the human body. Early in the beginnings of the 1970’s, a study on Greenland Eskimos have showed that among the major reasons why they rarely suffer from heart diseases is because of their high-fat diet (mainly composed of fish).
The two essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, likewise are helpful in preventing depression, atherosclerosis, heart attacks and various forms of cancer. Fish oil supplemented food have also proven to be useful in treating illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Raynaud’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
What Are The Other Benefits of Fish Oil?
Consumption of fish oil has proven to be significantly beneficial for more illnesses and situations.
Making the Heart Healthier
For the most important part of our body, having an unhealthy heart means getting a quite limited lifespan. Of course, it’s in our best concerns to keep our hearts happy and healthy and one way of doing that is by eating food that contain fish oil.
In Athens, Greece, for example, a study was made to show if there was a direct relationship between high fish diet and inflammation of blood vessels. The results revealed that those who ate more fish than the others had a lower level of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, factors that are commonly used to measure likelihood of blood vessel inflammation. These benefits remained even when the various risks associated with high fish diet were taken into account.
Fish to Reduce Weight
In Perth, Australia, a study had revealed that fish consumption can be used against obesity and hypertension. Researchers of the UWA (University of Western Australia) have discovered that a weight-loss diet which includes a steady amount of fish intake can be quite effective in reducing blood pressure and improving glucose tolerance.
Fish Oil to Combat Asthma
People suffering from respiratory problems like asthma tend to be perceived as unfit and unhealthy. They should be pleased today to learn that certain studies have revealed the benefits of fish oil for asthma-burdened-individuals. Statistics show that approximately 20 to 25% of children today suffer one form or another of asthma at a certain point in their lives. And certain evidence reveals a regular diet of food with high linoleic acid content as the reason behind it.
Researchers of UW (University of Wyoming) conducted a study by subjecting a number of children to a high-fish diet while others continued with their regular diet. Results revealed that the participants who ate more fish were less prone to asthma attacks and also were able to breathe more easily.
Always keep in mind that nothing is good when consumed excessively but complete avoidance of a particular food type is equally harmful as well.
Fish Oil Facts
Essential fatty acids should always be part of our every day diet, without them we take one step closer to our deaths. There are two families of essential fatty acids: omega-6 EFAs and omega-3 EFAS.
Although there are only very slight differences to distinguish the two groups of essential fatty acids from each other, studies showed that too much intake of omega-6 EFAs can lead to inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth. Yet, the good news is that the opposite is true for omega-3 EFAs. Omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils while omega-3 EFAs can be found in fish oils among other foods.
Omega-6 vs. Omega-3
Scientists and physicians are of the same opinion that the cause behind increasing cases of heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, premature aging and certain kinds of cancer is none other than an unbalanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs.
As noted before, omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils. This includes but isn't limited to corn oil and soy oil, both of which contains high amounts of linoleic acid. Omega-3 EFAs on the other hand can be found also in marine plankton and walnut and flaxseed oils. It's important to note that fatty fish and fish oils contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fatty acids that have been noticed to provide several benefits to the human body. Early in the beginnings of the 1970’s, a study on Greenland Eskimos have showed that among the major reasons why they rarely suffer from heart diseases is because of their high-fat diet (mainly composed of fish).
The two essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, likewise are helpful in preventing depression, atherosclerosis, heart attacks and various forms of cancer. Fish oil supplemented food have also proven to be useful in treating illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Raynaud’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
What Are The Other Benefits of Fish Oil?
Consumption of fish oil has proven to be significantly beneficial for more illnesses and situations.
Making the Heart Healthier
For the most important part of our body, having an unhealthy heart means getting a quite limited lifespan. Of course, it’s in our best concerns to keep our hearts happy and healthy and one way of doing that is by eating food that contain fish oil.
In Athens, Greece, for example, a study was made to show if there was a direct relationship between high fish diet and inflammation of blood vessels. The results revealed that those who ate more fish than the others had a lower level of C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, factors that are commonly used to measure likelihood of blood vessel inflammation. These benefits remained even when the various risks associated with high fish diet were taken into account.
Fish to Reduce Weight
In Perth, Australia, a study had revealed that fish consumption can be used against obesity and hypertension. Researchers of the UWA (University of Western Australia) have discovered that a weight-loss diet which includes a steady amount of fish intake can be quite effective in reducing blood pressure and improving glucose tolerance.
Fish Oil to Combat Asthma
People suffering from respiratory problems like asthma tend to be perceived as unfit and unhealthy. They should be pleased today to learn that certain studies have revealed the benefits of fish oil for asthma-burdened-individuals. Statistics show that approximately 20 to 25% of children today suffer one form or another of asthma at a certain point in their lives. And certain evidence reveals a regular diet of food with high linoleic acid content as the reason behind it.
Researchers of UW (University of Wyoming) conducted a study by subjecting a number of children to a high-fish diet while others continued with their regular diet. Results revealed that the participants who ate more fish were less prone to asthma attacks and also were able to breathe more easily.
Always keep in mind that nothing is good when consumed excessively but complete avoidance of a particular food type is equally harmful as well.
Friday, November 14, 2008
3 Bad Diet Mistakes That You Should Avoid
Although there's so much info available about weight loss, the same diet mistakes are being made over and over daily. We are not talking about little slipups where you ate a slice of pie that wasn't on the plan, but big mistakes that results not to loosing the weight that you would like to lose. Understanding these mistakes can help you develop the attitude that will lead to lasting weight loss for you.
1. The All Or Nothing Attitude
All or nothing dieters will often choose a complicated diet that's almost impossible for them to maintain. They will search the kitchen for anything that doesn't fit the plan and throw it in the garbage before beginning. They plan to be the perfect dieters, and so they will be, for one day, three days, seven days or even a few weeks. Then, inevitably, something happens that means they can't keep to the diet one time. Instantly the whole thing is ruined in their eyes and the diet is over, going to the store and buying all the things that moved into the garbage last week and going along to gain back all the weight that they lost, as fast as possible.
You need to ask yourself some hard questions, if you're this kind of dieter. Do you really want to lose weight for good, or just drop off a few pounds so that you can enjoy putting them back on again? The way ahead is to make small changes to what you eat so that you have a slow but steady weight loss.
2. The Attitude of Sacrifice
Considering your diet as a period of sacrifice is another common mistake. You don't allow yourself the foods that you enjoy most while you're on your way to your target weight. You may have a neat diet plan and be really successful in losing weight, but what happens when you achieve your goal? Shortly after you start, you are likely to go out of control because you haven't learned to eat 'bad foods' in moderation. It's better to include a bit of everything in your diet and enjoying it in little quantities.
3. Goal Failure
Arranging achievable goals is critical in any weight loss plan. Goals should be clear, and naturalistic. Although you probably do have an ideal weight in your mind, unless you are only very slightly overweight it's probably far from being useful. A more valuable goal would be to lose (2) pounds per week for the first five weeks and then one pound per week after that. Some weeks you will lose more and some less, some weeks you may even gain, but if you track your progress on a graph you'll see that ups and downs are natural and don't stop you shaping up steadily towards your major goal.
If you have been making these mistakes, don't worry. The most significant point in dieting as in so many other things is to move on. Learn from your failures as well as your success and don't use a mistake as an excuse for giving up. Making a commitment to become a healthier person is the only way to achieve your goal permanently. You have every chance of keeping off these bad diet mistakes by learning how to enjoy food in moderation.
1. The All Or Nothing Attitude
All or nothing dieters will often choose a complicated diet that's almost impossible for them to maintain. They will search the kitchen for anything that doesn't fit the plan and throw it in the garbage before beginning. They plan to be the perfect dieters, and so they will be, for one day, three days, seven days or even a few weeks. Then, inevitably, something happens that means they can't keep to the diet one time. Instantly the whole thing is ruined in their eyes and the diet is over, going to the store and buying all the things that moved into the garbage last week and going along to gain back all the weight that they lost, as fast as possible.
You need to ask yourself some hard questions, if you're this kind of dieter. Do you really want to lose weight for good, or just drop off a few pounds so that you can enjoy putting them back on again? The way ahead is to make small changes to what you eat so that you have a slow but steady weight loss.
2. The Attitude of Sacrifice
Considering your diet as a period of sacrifice is another common mistake. You don't allow yourself the foods that you enjoy most while you're on your way to your target weight. You may have a neat diet plan and be really successful in losing weight, but what happens when you achieve your goal? Shortly after you start, you are likely to go out of control because you haven't learned to eat 'bad foods' in moderation. It's better to include a bit of everything in your diet and enjoying it in little quantities.
3. Goal Failure
Arranging achievable goals is critical in any weight loss plan. Goals should be clear, and naturalistic. Although you probably do have an ideal weight in your mind, unless you are only very slightly overweight it's probably far from being useful. A more valuable goal would be to lose (2) pounds per week for the first five weeks and then one pound per week after that. Some weeks you will lose more and some less, some weeks you may even gain, but if you track your progress on a graph you'll see that ups and downs are natural and don't stop you shaping up steadily towards your major goal.
If you have been making these mistakes, don't worry. The most significant point in dieting as in so many other things is to move on. Learn from your failures as well as your success and don't use a mistake as an excuse for giving up. Making a commitment to become a healthier person is the only way to achieve your goal permanently. You have every chance of keeping off these bad diet mistakes by learning how to enjoy food in moderation.
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