Sponsored Links

Featured Links

Other Topics
Sponsored Links



Quote of the Day

"The accursed power which stands on Privilege (And goes with Women, and Champagne, and Bridge) Broke - and Democracy resumed her reign: (Which goes with Bridge, and Women and Champagne)."

Hilaire Belloc



 


Google

 
Featured Nutrition Articles

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain
Copyright 2005 Internet PublicationsWhen people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called the Grand Unified Theory, or even "Theory of Everything," they probably think of it in terms of physics, where a Unified Theory, or single theory capable of ...

Nutrition for Physical Activity
Q: I am physically active, but do not always eat a well balanced diet. How can I improve my overall nutrition to complement my active lifestyle? Samara Felesky-Hunt, a registered dietitian in Calgary, provides advice: A: Good nutrition plays an important ...

The benefits of healthy nutrition
Question: What are some of the benefits of healthy nutrition? What makes a healthy diet worth it? Answer: The effects of having a healthy nutritional diet are innumerable. The human body needs various nutrients and minerals to keep it functioning in ...





A Healthy Guide to Good Nutrition
 
Whether you are at your ideal weight or striving to reach your weight goal is it simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in? The answer, I suggest, is no! Overall body health improvement as well as weight gain or loss must be factored in to the equation or you could be heading for problems. Correct nutrition can help to reduce the risk of a miriad of health-related problems, the most frightening of which are surely heart disease and cancer. Proper nutrition, however, entails eating many different foods, monitoring your consumption of some food and beverage items, and counting calories. Good diets offer balanced nutrition that reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps with weight control.

To function properly, your body must have the correct combination of nutrients:

Carbohydrates. They are the primary source of ammunition in your diet. The body uses carbohydrates to build glucose which can be used immediately or stored in your body for later. Too much glucose, however, is stored as fat. There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Sugars are simple carbohydrates. Starches and fibers are complex carbohydrates.

Proteins. Proteins help your body build and maintain muscles and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Like carbohydrates, excess protein is stored as fat.

Animal and vegetable are the two major types of proteins. Too much animal protein can cause high cholesterol, as it is high in saturated fat.

Fat. Strange as it may seem; fat is another nutrient your body requires. It comes in both saturated and unsaturated forms. Saturated fat puts you at risk of health problems. Unsaturated fat is healthy, but if it goes through any type of refinement process, it can become saturated fat.

Vitamins. These are also required nutrients. Different vitamins perform different tasks within the body. They can work with the metabolism to help with energy levels for any task you can think of that you need your body to perform. It has also been noted that certain vitamins can prevent disease.

For example, vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, can assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by keeping build up from occurring on artery walls. Vitamin B-1 is needed for digestion and proper nervous system function. Vitamin B-2 is needed for normal cell growth. Vitamin B-3 helps to detoxify your body. Folic acid assists with production of red blood cells. Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium. Vitamin K helps your blood clot.

Minerals and trace elements. These are another nutrient your body requires. Both are used in many different body processes. Minerals like chlorine help make your digestive juices. Phosphorus helps build strong bones. Both can be found in the foods we consume, but with a trace element, your body just needs a tiny amount. Salt is one final nutrient your body requires. You should not consume more than 2400 milligrams per day, though, as it might raise your blood pressure.

You should follow several guidelines to create a well balanced, nutritional diet. First, try to consume two and one half cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit each day. When making your selections for each day, be sure to choose a good variety. A good rough guide is to eat as many different colors as possible, this will help you to select from all five vegetable subgroups at least four times per week.

You should eat at least three ounces of whole grain products each day. At least half of your grain intake should be whole grain based. Milk should also be part of a healthy diet. Consume at least forty-eight ounces of low fat milk or milk products on a daily basis. Your total fat intake should only be between ten and thirty percent of your calories. Most of the fats you consume should be in the form of unsaturated fats, as saturated fats can do much to damage your health. Meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products should all be lean, low-fat, or fat-free. Less than ten percent of your calories should come from saturated fats, and you should always try to avoid trans-fatty acid.

Fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be a regular part of your diet as should potassium rich foods. Alcoholic beverages should only be consumed in moderation.

Excellent nutrition is the basis of a healthy diet.

About the author:

Edwina Hanson is a vegetarian. You can get her free 127 page cookbook entitled "Delectable Vegetable Dishes", which contains over 300 nutritional and tasty recipes, by going to http://www.vegetarian-and-vegan.com.

Nutrition News



ABC News

Walmart 'Great for You' Healthy Labels: Nutrition Experts Say 'Devil in the ...
ABC News
As Walmart announced plans today to label certain foods with a new green "Great for You" label, some diet and nutrition experts told ABC News they applauded the move, while others questioned whether a company that sells food could set objective ...
Walmart to Label Healthy FoodsNew York Times
Walmart unveils "Great For You" front-of-pack iconPackaging Digest
Walmart joins stores labeling healthier food selectionsBoston Herald
MarketWatch (press release) -Medical News Today
all 401 news articles »

Vita Coco settles lawsuit on nutrition contents
CBS News
All Market agreed to an independent testing program to reduce potential variations in the nutritional content of its water. The company will provide up to $2 million in refunds and vouchers to customers who bought its drinks directly from its website ...

and more »

New nutrition standards to be served up in the fall
U-T San Diego
The US Department of Agriculture last month unveiled new nutrition standards for the 66-year-old National School Lunch Program, the first major revisions the agency has made to the federal program in more than 15 years. In an effort to combat childhood ...
Changes to National School Lunch ProgramPatch.com

all 3 news articles »

Blairstown Township senior nutritional site closure prompts strong reactions ...
Lehighvalleylive.com
By Phillip Molnar | The Express-Times Ken Maze was wasting away until he found Warren County's senior nutrition center in Phillipsburg. After his wife died in January 2010, the 6-foot-4-inch Phillipsburg man dropped nearly 50 pounds in a year and a ...


Avoid the afternoon stress-eating binge
CNN
Manuel Villacorta, a Bay Area-based registered dietitian and specialist in sports nutrition, says, "We used to have to run for our lives, literally, but we're not doing that anymore. Now most of us are sitting for our lives and livelihoods.

and more »