How Obesity Increases Risk for Diabetes and its Effect on Blood Glucose Level

 

 

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are both serious health conditions. Millions of people have been diagnosed with diabetes and obesity can worsen insulin resistance. The early stages of type 2 diabetes feature the development of insulin resistance during which the body does not use insulin properly. The rise in need for insulin in an obese person overwhelms the pancreas that becomes unable to carry out sufficient insulin production.

 

Obesity and Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is significant aspect of type 2 diabetes and losing weight has proven to be an effective way of preventing, managing and curing the disease. Along with how obese an individual is, it is important to find out where the body has stored most of the fat treating diabetes. People that have stored excessive fat around their abdomen are more likely to be at risk of developing diabetes.

 

Losing weight is an essential objective for anyone who is overweight or obese and has type 2 diabetes. Weight loss helps to enhance insulin production and decrease the amount of medication required for treating diabetes. A healthy diet, physical activity as well as lifestyle adjustments can effectively treat diabetes.

 

Obesity Linked to Diabetes

Obesity accounts of a large percentage of the risk for developing diabetes with obese people being significantly more likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who have normal weight. There is a clear link between type 2 diabetes and obesity that can only be dealt with through healthy eating and exercise. An obese person can quickly develop the condition and doctors recommend timely intervention.

 

Gradual Weight Loss

Decreasing your weight even in small amounts over a given period will have the effect of improving the insulin action in your body, reducing the danger of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Visit onetouchdiabetes.co.in for more information.

 

Healthy Eating

Obese patients who have diabetes need to cut down on their consumption of complex carbohydrates that have a tendency to cause a rise in blood glucose. Since the body has developed insulin resistance, higher levels of insulin in the body can result in weight gain. Complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal and rice. Opt for whole grain versions of carbohydrates.

 

Lean protein such as fish and chicken is the best option for people who want to lose weight. The intake of dietary fiber needs to be higher to facilitate weight loss, weight control and prevent hunger pangs. A balanced diet is important and should contain protein, vegetables, fruits and limited fat. It is advisable to note down the food you eat and keep track of the progress you make to remain motivated.

 

Regular Exercise and Medication

Regular exercise helps you lose weight and maintain your weight loss. It prevents you from gaining the weight back, enhances sensitivity to insulin and reduces the threat of becoming diabetic. Exercising moderately at least five times each week will contribute to weight loss.

 

Different types of medication can treat type 2 diabetes and deal with resistance to insulin. Check out the recent kiwibox.com’s article on diabetes. Obesity prevention will help to prevent and treat diabetes.

 

Categories: Blood glucose, Diabetes, diabetes nbsp, diabetes obesity, Healthy Eating, insulin resistance, Lose weight, Losing Weight, obese person, obesity, treat diabetes, Weight Loss

Orthorexia: When healthy eating isn’t healthy anymore

 

While most of us have heard of common eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, another similar condition that has been around for decades is only just now beginning to gain recognition, and it can be as destructive as its more well-known counterparts. While it has yet to be included in the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by mental health practitioners to diagnose mental health issues), orthorexia was coined by physician Steven Bratman back in 1979.  And as the world we live in becomes one that is more and more obsessed with searching for the “right” type of diet, this type of condition becomes more commonly found amongst those who suffer.

 

How does orthorexia differ from anorexia and bulimia?

 

Unlike anorexia nervosa, where the sufferer wants to eat as little as possible, and bulimia nervosa, where the sufferer binges and purges their food in order to prevent gaining weight, with orthorexia those suffering become obsessed with what they believe to be (but what may not be) “healthy eating”.

 

According to Emmy Gilmour, Clinical Director at London-based eating disorder recovery clinic The Recover Clinic, “Orthorexia is when a way of eating shifts from being a choice and temporary measure to becoming part of who you are and how you live”.

 

In the past this condition has been confused with both anorexia nervosa and bulimia, seen as just a slightly different version of the two. But while all three are characterized by an obsession with food, it is the nuances of orthorexia that set it apart. Take for instance, a run of the mill vegan or gluten-free diet. The eater in question does need a certain amount of diligence and focus to be sure that the food they ingest is in keeping with their lifestyle diet of choice. But when it comes to orthorexia, that diligence and focus takes a dangerous turn and becomes a fixation on the purity and so-called properness of the food itself. This fixation allows them to assert authority and power in an area of their lives that they have complete control over, unlike, potentially, many other areas of life.

 

The line between being mindful of what you eat and being obsessed with it, to one’s own detriment, is a very thin one indeed, and one that can make recognition of orthorexia difficult. Like with other obsessive conditions, those who suffer from orthorexia often isolate themselves in order to make space for the planning and preparing of meals. They may avoid eating out or eating with others, avoiding the temptation by bringing their own food everywhere they go. Orthorexic eating has even been described as being “like a religion” where “it becomes a position and not a preference”. So while there is nothing wrong with trying to eat “clean”, the extreme side of the single-mindedness involved with healthy eating can potentially come full circle to a very dangerous place.

 

What is the treatment for orthorexia?

It is important to get treatment for orthorexia as one would for any other type of obsessive condition and/or eating disorder. Specialist centers can help those who can no longer help themselves but are ready to make a change.

 

 

Categories: anorexia nervosa, eating, eating disorder, Food, Healthy, Healthy Eating, Mental Health, nbsp, orthorexia

Clever Stuff - Gadgets to Make You Healthier

 

Many of us resolve to eat a healthier diet and start with good intentions but then everyday life gets in the way and we slide back into our old habits of eating what’s most convenient. Thankfully there is now a wide range of kitchen gadgets available that make healthy eating easier and more fun. Here are some of our favourites:

 

Juicer
If you find it difficult to meet your recommended five portions of fruit and veg each day, invest in a juicer. They are great for making highly-nutritious fruit or vegetable juice drinks. Some models allow you to just throw fruit in whole so there’s no chopping or peeling, making them a quick and convenient way to enjoy a wide range of healthy juices.

 

Grilling Machine
Can’t live without sausages sandwiches or a weekly fry-up? Well you can make these treats healthier by using a grilling machine. Grilling uses less fat than frying and these gadgets are designed to let the fat contained in the food drip away during cooking – channelling it into a separate drip tray so that it doesn’t end up on your plate.

 

 

Nutrient Scales
If you’re counting calories or keeping an eye on the fat content of your food it can sometimes be difficult to calculate the values contained in everything you eat. Ready meals and processed food will usually have guidance on the packaging but if you’re trying to be healthier by making your own food from scratch, it can be harder to calculate the nutritional value of the meals you are making. Nutrient scales take away the guesswork. Simply weigh your ingredients, key in some basic information and the scales will give you information such as calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sugar content.

 

 

Bread maker
When it comes to healthy eating and dieting, many people decide to cut down on bread. However, others feel that bread is a staple part of a healthy diet – providing essential carbohydrates and fibre. If you don’t want to give up bread, you can still make it healthier by making your own with a bread maker. Not only will it taste better than shop-bought loaves but you’ll know exactly what ingredients have gone into it and be able to avoid artificial additives.

 

Steamer
One way to make mealtimes healthier is to look at the methods you use for cooking your favourite foods. For example, if you steam food rather than frying, you could dramatically cut the amount of fat in your meal. An electric steamer makes it really easy and results in foods with great texture and flavour – as well as more nutrients and less fat.

 

 

Food Processor
Many of us reach for convenience foods and takeaways because we simply don’t have the time to cook meals from scratch. But you can make the preparation process much quicker and easier by investing in a good food processor. This will take the hard work out of chopping, mixing and blending and make creating your own healthy meals a doddle.

 

For more advice on healthy eating, visit: www.secretsofhealthyeating.com

 

Categories: bread maker, Food, food processor, grilling machine, Healthy Eating, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, nutrient scales, wide range

Get Steaming

 

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

When it comes to healthy eating, quite often the way in which we cook our food is just as important as the types of food we choose. Methods such as frying can be high in fat whilst grilling or boiling are much healthier. One healthy way of cooking food that has become popular in recent years is steaming.

 

Steaming is a great way to cook many different types of food as it doesn’t require added fat or oils within the cooking process. And when compared to boiling, more nutrients remain in steamed foods. For example, research has found that boiling vegetables can reduce the vitamin C content by 25% whilst steaming reduces it by just 15%.

 

A steamer works by using boiling water to create steam which is then trapped within a vessel along with the food to be cooked. The food doesn’t come into contact with the water but instead is gently cooked within the steam. The result is moist food that is generally low in fat and high in nutrients. Steaming is ideal for lots of different food types from vegetables to meat and fish. Many people find that steamed foods have a better texture and flavour than foods cooked using other methods – possibly because of the gentle way in which the food is cooked.

 

Today’s steamers come in all shapes and sizes. You can choose from large electric steamers capable of cooking several different ingredients at once to traditional inexpensive bamboo steamers which you can use over a pan of boiling water.

 

For more advice on healthy eating, visit: www.secretsofhealthyeating.com

 

 

Categories: boiling, boiling water, cooked, cooking, Food, Healthy Eating, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, steamed foods, steaming, steaming nbsp

5 Remedies to Prevent Gum Disease

 

Gum disease is a bacterial infection in the tissues and bones around the teeth. Healthy gums should not bleed easily with brushing. They should appear pink and fit tightly around teeth. Gums that are swollen, tender, red, bleed easily, or are receding from teeth are likely infected with gum disease. It is a serious problem that can affect oral health, lead to tooth loss, and cause infection and ailments in other areas of the body as well if left untreated. There are some steps you can take to help prevent gum disease.

 

1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

According to Smith Family Dental, gum disease starts in areas where bacteria is allowed to grow and thrive. The better oral hygiene you practice, the less likely you are to suffer from gum disease. You should brush your teeth twice a day and floss and use a fluoride mouth rinse at least once a day. These basic practices are extremely important.

 

2. Visit the Dentist

Your mouth produces plaque, which is a clear sticky bacteria filled substance. Brushing at home can help eliminate plaque from your mouth. Plaque turns into tartar, which is a hard substance that cannot be removed with at home brushing. Visiting a dentist every 6 months for a routine cleaning is essential to tartar removal and a key component to good oral health.

 

3. Watch what you Eat

Watching what you eat is not as simple as just avoiding sticky sugar filled candy, although this is important. It is important to make conscious and intentional decisions about what you eat and try to choose foods that actually improve oral health. Crunchy fruits and vegetables high in water content help trigger the flow of saliva, which naturally washes small food particles away from teeth. Include healthy sources of calcium such as cheese and unsweetened yogurt to encourage strong tooth development. Avoid sugary drinks and stick with water as your primary drink. Eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is good for your dental health, as well as your overall well-being.

 

4. Avoid Frequent Snacking

nearly as important as what you eat is when you eat. Frequent snacking bombards your teeth with sugars, which feed bacteria. Allowing time between meals and snacks gives saliva time to wash food away from teeth. Always follow a snack with a drink of water and brush teeth after snacking when possible.

 

5. Know your Risk Factors

Certain factors put you at greater risk for developing gum disease. As you age, the likelihood of gum disease developing increases. Hormonal changes in women can also increase your risk. Smoking or use of chewing tobacco both are huge contributing factors to gum disease. Know your risk factors and do what you can to minimize or eliminate them.

 

Taking good care of your mouth translates into better overall health. Early gum disease often does not cause pain, so it is important to know the indicators and work with your dentist to ensure the best oral health possible.

 

Categories: bleed easily, dental care, Disease, disease nbsp, eat healthy, frequent snacking, Gum Disease, Healthy Eating, oral health, oral hygiene, prevent gum, risk factors

Diet Proof Your Fridge

 

Written by Jenny Catton

 

When you’re trying to eat healthily, the key to success often lies in preparation and organisation. After all, if you come home from work to find nothing in the fridge to make a healthy meal, that’s when you’re most likely to phone for a fattening takeaway. And if when you open your fridge, all you see is calorific treats, then temptation is hard to resist.

One way to ensure you stick to your healthy resolutions is to organise your fridge cleverly. It’s not just what you put in your fridge but how you organise it that can make all the difference. Here’s how…

 

 

Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Keep your healthiest snacks at eye level in the fridge so that they are the first thing you see when you open the fridge door. Keep treats at the back or in boxes so that you’re less likely to grab them without thinking.

 

 

Healthy Leftovers
If you’ve made a healthy dish for an evening meal and have some leftovers, package them into single serve boxes so that you can easily take them out for quick and healthy lunches.

 

 

Be Prepared

When you’re feeling peckish, it’s often easier to grab a biscuit or packet of crisps than it is to prepare a healthy snack. Make things easier by pre-cutting fruit and veg into sticks or bite sized pieces so that you can quickly make a fruit salad or raw veg snack when you’re hungry.

 

 

Be Inspired

Don’t let the outside of your fridge go to waste – it’s a great place to stick reminders to help with your healthy eating goals. You could stick a calendar of seasonal vegetables on the outside, or a weekly meal plan to give you inspiration when you’re wondering what to cook. Alternatively, keep a list of healthy snack ideas so you’re reminded of different options when you start reaching for the chocolate.

 

 

Organise, Organise, Organise
Often we have a fridge full of food but when we open the door we still struggle to know what to cook. One way to make things easier is to keep your fridge neat and tidy. Have separate compartments or Tupperware boxes for different types of food – for example, keep all your cold meats together in one box and all your cheeses in another. You can then easily see what is available and plan healthy meals around the ingredients you already have.

 

 

Stay Fresh
Have you ever noticed how unhealthy food seems to stay fresh for longer than the healthy stuff? Quite often that’s because the unhealthy options are packed full of artificial preservatives to make them last longer. It can be disheartening to plan a healthy meal only to find that your salad or vegetable ingredients are past their best. The solution is to make sure fresh ingredients are stored correctly – for some things this may mean removing plastic packaging to stop the ingredients from sweating, whilst other things may last longer if stored in Clingfilm or in a plastic box. A salad crisper is often the best place to store fresh salad ingredients and some fruits will last for longer if kept in the fridge once ripe.

 

For more information about healthy eating, visit: www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-eating

Categories: fridge, Healthy, Healthy Eating, healthy meal, healthy snack, ingredients, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, organise, organise organise, stay fresh

The Best Healthy Eating Strategies for Seniors

 

 

People around the world are living longer than ever. However, this does not necessarily mean that they are living healthier lives. In order to keep your lifestyle as long as you keep your life, proper dietary strategies are very important. Below are some of the best healthy eating strategies for seniors.

 

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

The basis of any healthy eating strategy for an aging person is always going to be the foods that nature provides. It is very important that raw fruits and vegetables are a very big part of the diet. They help in every way from providing dietary fiber, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and natural water. The body receives nutrients from raw, natural foods much more readily.

Although mixing raw fruits and vegetables up into a shake and drinking is not a bad thing to do, the active chewing is a very healthy process in itself. It will help to keep the teeth healthy, which will provide many benefits from a better smile to balance for the spine.

 

Supplementation in Nutrient-Deficient Areas

This is where each person’s diet will deviate from a standard. Because of genetics and previous lifestyle, the types of nutrients that are deficient in each person’s body are completely different. This is where the diagnosis of a trusted and reputable doctor will go a long way in helping to create a diet for a person that will actually upgrade a lifestyle.

For the most part, some of the most important supplements include vitamin D, vitamin B12, dietary fiber, iron, zinc and water. The most important nutrient is definitely water. Without water, none of the other nutrients will really have the positive effect that they are supposed to within the body. A nutrition specialist working with Sunshine Retirement senior housing says that it’s very important for seniors to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, energetic and balanced.

 

Daily Multivitamin

Even as life slows down for seniors, it can be difficult to get the appropriate amount of all nutrients in the body every day. People are simply moving too fast. A daily multivitamin will help to balance out the nutrient intake for all seniors, providing an overall balance that will help to keep the health of the person at a minimum. This will help seniors to avoid some of the more serious health problems such as various types of cancer, heart attacks and diseases that come from obesity and nutritional deficiency.

 

Categories: best, Healthy Eating, seniors

Healthy Eating: What You Need To Know About A Gluten Free Diet

 

A gluten free diet is a very healthy choice for individuals dealing with celiac disease. Celiac disease reduces the ability to digest gluten, therefore, cutting the gluten from your diet is very important in easing the symptoms. A lot of the problem that overweight people have is the kind of food they consume. Foods containing gluten are almost always a part of those foods.

 

The Purpose of a Gluten Free Diet

The purpose of a gluten free diet is to treat the symptoms of celiac disease. In a person that has celiac disease, gluten will cause inflammation in the small intestine. A gluten free diet is used to prevent said inflammation. There are also people who may show symptoms of celiac disease, who do not really have the disease at all. A gluten free diet will also help those people prevent the symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

 

Exercising

To get the most out of a gluten free diet, or any diet for that matter, one must exercise regularly. One benefit of a gluten free diet is that it helps the body’s metabolism speed up. Proper digestion allows the body’s metabolism to perform the way it is meant to, because when food goes through digestion, it is converted into energy. When a person is suffering from celiac, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, they are unable to digest gluten, and it also slows their metabolism drastically. A higher metabolism results in more calories burned.

 

Weight Loss

Eating a gluten free diet has more than one reward, as it can play a vital roll in weight loss. Many people think it is hard to find gluten free foods, but there are many of them. Several gluten free foods are organic. Organic foods are naturally, and usually locally, grown. While organic foods are not always gluten free, there are many gluten free foods that are organic. Eating gluten free organic foods are the easiest way to avoid other harmful things, like preservatives and other chemicals. One must stay focused on consuming gluten free organic foods to have the best chance at a great health. Some gluten free foods can actually make you gain weight, due to the chemicals used to preserve the product, so staying focused on organic foods is the healthier choice.

 

Risks

When on a gluten free diet, one must pay very close attention to the way their body is responding. Some people who go on a gluten free diet suffer from iron deficiency. Some people may also suffer from a deficiency in calcium, fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and/or folate. It is recommended that a person suffering from one, or any, of these deficiencies take multivitamins daily, to give the body the proper nutrients.

 

Eliminating, or even reducing, the gluten in your diet will lead to a much healthier life. When dealing with celiac disease, there is no other option, not eliminating gluten completely can lead to serious complications. People not dealing with the symptoms of celiac can also benefit greatly from eating healthier, by cutting down on gluten consumption and eating more organic foods.

 

Informational credit to myorganicfoods.net.

Categories: gluten-free diet, Healthy Eating, Weight Loss

5 Things You Can Do to Live Longer

As humans, we are mere mortals that will someday leave behind the life we once knew. But until that day comes, we want to be able to experience life and the world for all it has to offer. And the more time that we have to do so, the better.

 

Unfortunately there isn’t a magic potion that will make us live forever, but there are a few habits that will add years onto your life, making it possible to experience everything you would like.

 

So, if you would like to live a longer life, check out these 5 things that you can do to accomplish just that.

 

1. Get Moving

It’s no secret that a healthy lifestyle inclusive of moderate exercise is important. But do you know just how important it really is?

 

Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, which is detrimental to living longer since cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the world, according to the World Health Organization.

 

So, get moving! Aim for at least 20 minutes of your favorite activity everyday if you can. Even going for a brisk walk after dinner is a great way to add exercise into your lifestyle if you are especially crunched for time. You can even grab a friend to workout with to hold each other accountable.

 

Whatever it is, just have fun doing it and it will be much easier to be consistent.

 

2. Eat Well

Another important thing you can do to live longer is eat healthy and nourishing foods. A well-balanced diet consisting of protein, vegetables, fruits, and good carbohydrates can help to keep your body functioning optimally at all times.

 

Aim for healthy foods that are either unprocessed or minimally processed such as leafy greens, fruits, nuts, and other things that are full of antioxidants which tackle the free radicals in your body.

 

And don’t forget to drink well, too! Cut sugary beverages out of your diet and go for purer alternatives like white tea or green smoothies.

 

3. Kick Your Addictions to the Curb

For some, the deteriorating lifestyle of drugs and alcohol is all too real. If you want to live a longer and healthier life, you must escape your addictions, no matter how scary or difficult it may be to do so.

 

An estimated 2,002,016 potential years of life are lost every year due to substance abuse. By keeping serious drug and alcohol habits present in your life, you put yourself at risk for health related problems or even death directly caused by these substances.

 

4. Boost Your Sex Life

Sex is a natural part of life that is encouraged, when carried out in a healthy manner, if you want to live longer. Engaging in healthy doses of sexual activity has actually been shown to lower stress, improve sleep patterns, boost immunity, and also decrease your risk for heart disease.

 

Just be sure that you are protecting yourself from sexually transmitted diseases, which can potentially take years off of your life due to their sometimes destructive nature. Use the motto, “Safe sex is smart sex,” and you’ll be living a healthier and longer life in no time.

 

5. Adopt a Furry Friend

Many people grow up with pets, and they provide friendship and a bond that lasts a lifetime. But owning pets is also a good way to add years onto your life according to researchers. Having a furry friend, especially a dog, tends to reduce stress and depression, and also helps to increase exercise, all of which are great for your health.

 

There are hundreds of animals in shelters across the world, and by adopting even just one, you will not only change their life for the better but your own, as well.

 

It Comes Down to Health

You can easily incorporate all 5 of these into your life to live longer, but it is important to note that the key to longevity is good health. All of these habits lead to a better and healthier lifestyle, whose benefits include lower blood pressure and reduced stress, which will in turn add years to your life.

 

So, keep your body and mind healthy, and you will surely live a longer life full of wonderful and exciting memories.

 

Adrienne Erin is a freelance writer interested in living a healthier life. You can follow her on Twitter at @foodierx and read more of her work on Foodie Fitness.

Categories: Food, Healthy Eating, live longer

Getting Ready for Surgery: How to Take Care of Your Body

Although the aim of surgery is to improve your wellness, it can be a health concern all of it’s own. Patient safety is always the top priority for surgeons or physician anesthesiologists involved in medical care, but to ensure your procedure goes as well as it can, you also need to take steps to care for your wellbeing. Important actions such as exercising and eating right in the weeks and months before surgery can help make the procedure as safe as possible, decrease your chances of complications and help you get back on your feet faster.

 

Dr. Jane C.K. Fitch, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), notes, ‘Surgery is usually the solution to a problem, whether to replace a painful knee or repair a hernia, but there are always risks. Physician anesthesiologists, surgeons and other medical specialists work with patients before, during and after surgery to help ensure a successful outcome. Patients can take control of their own health by having critical conversations with their physicians and getting healthy before surgery.’ So how can you get yourself in shape for surgery? Here are some top tips from the ASA:

 

1. Eat healthy: According to the ASA, ‘Adjusting your diet to include healthier choices in the weeks leading up to your surgery can help you become stronger and recover quicker. If you have a loss of appetite or recently lost weight without trying, be sure to tell your doctor, who might suggest you see a registered dietician. The dietician may prescribe a nutritional supplement to boost your immune system, help prevent infections and shorten your stay in the hospital.’

 

2. Stop smoking: The ASA explains, ‘Among the many reasons to kick the habit is that smoking and anaesthesia – which you’ll need during surgery – don’t mix. If you smoke, your heart and lungs are compromised and don’t function at full capacity. You are also far more likely to suffer breathing and lung-related complications during surgery and are more likely to need a ventilator after surgery. By quitting smoking before surgery, you’ll not only decrease the likelihood of these risks, but you’re also less likely to have a wound infection, heart attack or other complication.’

 

3. Better Your Breathing: ‘Taking deep breaths on a spirometer – a simple device that helps you exercise your lungs and improve their function – is a routine activity after most surgeries,’ the ASA asserts. ‘Doing these exercises before surgery can help strengthen your lungs so you’re less likely to develop pneumonia.’

 

4. Control your blood sugar: The ASA warns, ‘People with diabetes whose blood sugar (glucose) is not controlled, are more likely to suffer potentially fatal complications following surgery. If you have diabetes, make sure your blood sugar is controlled. If you don’t, your immune system may be weaker, making you more vulnerable to pneumonia and other infections. Controlling your blood sugar will help you heal faster and you’ll likely spend less time recovering in the hospital.’

 

5. Get Active: ‘If you exercise, keep it up, and if you don’t, try to responsibly increase your activity level in the weeks before surgery,’ suggests the ASA. ‘The sooner you begin to move around after surgery, the less likely you are to develop blood clots and pneumonia. Consider getting into an exercise programme – it can reduce complications and shorten hospital stays.’

 

6. Drink Less Alcohol: The ASA cautions, ‘People who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are more likely to suffer complications after surgery than light drinkers and those who drink heavily are more than twice as likely to suffer complications that can result in death. Heavy drinkers are also much more likely to get an infection after surgery, have difficulty breathing, and be admitted to the intensive care unit than non-drinkers.’

Categories: Blood, Blood Sugar, complications, Healthy Eating, hospital nbsp, nbsp, physician anesthesiologists, Stop Smoking, suffer, suffer complications, surgery

Is Your Childcare Facility Meeting Nutritional Guidelines?

Your child’s nutritional wellness is very important, but how do you know if their day-care facility believes the same thing? While you might assume institutions would follow recommended guidelines, you can’t be there every minute of every day to check the daycare is taking care of your child’s wellbeing (if you were able, you wouldn’t need daycare in the first place!) Luckily, a new study, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, has actually looked at whether recommendations on childhood feeding practices were being followed by US daycare institutions.

 

The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Illinois and was funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Illinois Trans-Disciplinary Obesity Prevention Program, the Illinois Council for Food and Agricultural Research, the University of Illinois and the US Department of Agriculture. The researchers undertook a cross-sectional survey of how 118 childcare facilities in the US fed children in their care. A mix of different organisations ran these facilities, including Head Start (a US government programme for children and their families on a low income), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a US federal initiative which provides subsidised food services for children in daycare and other non-government daycare programmes (called non-CACFP).

 

The recommendations for healthy feeding practices were developed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2011, and the researchers looked at whether childcare providers in these programmes met these recommendations. More than 12 million preschool children attend childcare in the US, and up to three-quarters of their daily energy intake is consumed while there. This makes your child’s daycare facility the perfect place to promote healthy eating behaviours and prevent obesity – if they meet the right guidelines.

 

As part of the guidance, childcare providers should:

• sit with the children during meals


• eat meals together with the children


• serve meals “family-style” (rather than delivered pre-plated or in bulk)


• help children recognise internal hunger and fullness signals with verbal cues


• not use controlling practices such as restrictions on food or pressure to eat


• provide a model of healthy eating


• teach children about nutrition


• encourage balance and variety of foods


• train staff in nutrition


• educate children and parents about nutrition

 

The results of the study revealed that Head Start providers sat more frequently with children during meals, ate the same foods as children and served meals family-style more often, compared with CACFP and non-CACFP providers. Head Start also won out in terms of providing parents and children with more nutrition-education opportunities, encouraging more balance and variety of foods and offering healthier foods. This means that Head Start providers had greater compliance with the Academy’s benchmarks compared with CACFP and non-CACFP providers.

 

But does the research stack up? According to the NHS website, ‘Overall, the research found that most childcare programmes were following the recommendations. But it should be noted that the researchers used questionnaires that the childcare organisations filled in themselves (which could be open to bias). The study also did not look at any outcomes for the children. The question of whether regular mealtimes do produce “slimmer children” remains unanswered – at least by this research. A 2011 review of studies involving around 100,000 children suggested an association between regular family mealtimes and a reduction in the risk of a child being overweight. Credible as this evidence seems, it is likely that more research is needed before the style and culture of mealtimes can be conclusively linked with children’s weight.’

Categories: cacfp providers, childcare, childcare providers, Children, daycare, family style, feeding practices, Healthy Eating, meals family, nutrition, nutritional guidelines, Research

Learn From the Best Personal Trainers without The Price Tag

Getting a fitness instructor can help take your gym efforts to the next level, but that’s not always a viable option, financially speaking. So how do you take care of your wellbeing without the price tag? Take their advice! We’ve spoken to some of the nation’s finest personal trainers who gave us their insightful tips and strategies for building strength, losing fat, enhancing endurance and maintaining healthy eating habits.

 

1. Nutritional Basics: According to wellness writer James Demedeiros, ‘Ask almost any personal trainer and they’ll tell you that regardless of your training goals, healthy eating is the backbone. Food is what fuels your body to reach your goals and without proper nutrition through quality foods, you’re likely to stall. As a result, if possible, eat organic foods and, above all else, maintain a balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, complete proteins, and fats including such things as fish oils and flaxseeds.’

 

2. Prepare Ahead: Micah LaCerte, a personal trainer and fitness competition world champion, explains that it’s best to prepare for your ‘upcoming day by prepping all your food in advance’ as this will ensure you do ‘not eat bad foods or skip meals.’

 

3. Eat More: ‘Half the people I deal with aren’t losing weight because they don’t eat enough,’ warns personal trainer Mike Duffy. He advises them ‘to eat five times a day, about every three hours to stimulate their metabolism.’ As your activity levels decrease throughout the day, Duffy recommends that you ‘eat less as the day goes on.’

 

4. Portion Control: Jay Cardiello, a personal trainer to countless celebrities and professional athletes, instructs, ‘Make sure chicken breasts, (and) meats, are no larger than your palm’ and ‘spaghettis, (and) pastas, are no larger than your fists.’ He also recommends using ‘smaller bowls, plates, and cups’ because studies show people ‘serve themselves 20 to 40% more food when they’re using larger plates.’

 

5. Eat with Purpose: ‘Everything you eat should serve some sort of nutritional purpose in your body, fuel your workouts, and (be) geared towards optimising your body,’ says Dan Trink who possesses 11 training certificates in spite of once being overweight.

 

6. Muscle-Building Basics: ‘First, increase your caloric and complete protein intake,’ Demedeiros details. ‘Then, when you enter the gym, focus on your form. Perform compound movements and train with weights on average around four times a week. Never underestimate the importance of rest. Remember, muscle tissue grows outside of the gym when you’re giving your body time to relax and recover following your workouts.’

 

7. Range of Motion: Personal trainer Lee Boyce, an ex-athlete with a background in Kinesiology and Health Sciences, suggests, ‘Aim for the largest ROM you can achieve in your exercises.  Your muscles will do more work per rep, and it will result in your breaking down more tissue by the end of the workout.’

 

8. Up and Down: Duffy tells clients to ‘use a weight that will have them failing on the set between the 30 and 40 second mark because research has shown that it’s the time under tension that causes muscle to grow if you are trying to build more muscle. [If] you’re failing at 20 seconds, you know that weight was too heavy.’

 

9. Prepare Yourself: Demedeiros warns, ‘When it comes to training for endurance, you’ll need to be hydrated and be sure you’re eating properly because, by its very nature, this form of training is very demanding on your body. You should be doing a good mix of cardio and weight training. And, to increase your aerobic capacity, you should incorporate intense interval training. You’ll likely be sweating buckets and burning calories galore, so be prepared.’

Categories: body, Healthy Eating, muscle mass, nbsp, nutrition, personal, Personal Trainer, personal trainers, price tag, trainer, training

Six Tips for Sticking to Your Diet While Eating Out

When you’re on a diet, eating out can be a daunting task. But there’s no reason you have to avoid restaurants completely when you’re trying to cut calories. With a little planning, it’s possible to eat healthy at a restaurant. Here are five tips to help you stay on your diet while enjoying a meal out with family and friends.

 

Choose Healthy Cooking Options

Fried foods are generally known to contain high fat content and should be avoided, but also look out for foods that are listed as braised, crispy, and breaded, as these may also be greasy and calorie-loaded. Dishes that include cheese and sauce may include hidden calories, so ask if they can be left out of your meal. Healthy cooking methods include grilling, broiling, baking, and steaming.

 

Consider Restaurant Choices

Before you head out for a meal, do some research about where you can find the healthiest options. Most restaurants offer diet-friendly menu choices, such as salads and soups, in addition to their traditional fare. Don’t be afraid to call a restaurant in advance and ask about what’s available. Many restaurants, such as Rib City American Fork which sells ribs in the Salt Lake City area, also show their menu options online.

 

Order Your Drink Wisely

Drink menus often contain sugary sodas, iced teas, and alcoholic beverages that are filled with empty calories. When you’re on a diet, ordering a cold glass of water is the wisest choice you can make. Drinking water before you begin eating can also help fill your stomach, which will make you eat less. Other low-calorie drink choices include ginger ale and club soda.

 

Be Careful With Portions

Restaurants tend to serve super-size portions, so try dividing your food in half before you begin eating. You can even ask the waiter for a takeout container when your meal arrives, so that tempting food is out of your sight. Smaller portions may also be available on the kid’s menu. And go slowly to avoid overeating. Sip water and eat in small bites, taking the time to truly savor your food.

 

Ask About Food Preparation

Don’t hesitate to ask about specializing your order. You can request that menu items be prepared without salt or butter. If you’re uncertain of how a menu item is cooked, ask. Oftentimes the wait staff will be happy to explain cooking techniques and options to you. Also inquire about substituting unhealthy sides, like fries, for a healthier option, such as a salad or baked potato.

 

Stop Eating

When eating out with friends it is easy to just keep eating as the night goes on. Just because the food is in front of you doesn’t mean you should keep eating. Stop eating and think about whether or not you are full. If you are push the food away and stop eating. This includes sipping on any drinks or snacking on any appetizers that may be shared among your dinner company.

Categories: Eating Out, eating tips, Healthy Eating

Why Home Cooking Beats Restaurant Dining

Dining out is, without a doubt, one of life’s great perks, but doing so regularly can lead to not just expense but also bad health. If you’re trying to maintain a toned physique, spending every day at your favourite restaurant isn’t the best way to achieve it. The good news though is that you can recreate some of your favourite dining experiences at home, for a fraction of the cost and calories, and still enjoy the restaurant feel. Restaurants really aren’t your friends when it comes to a healthy diet. You can make things better by opting to have your dressing on the side or your chicken grilled rather than fried, but the real importance lies in the nutritional value in what you’re eating. There’s no substitution for a home cooked meal, where you can really make healthier choices across the board. And once you get into the habit of cooking at home you’ll want to do it more and more! The kitchen is a place where you can really get into a creative mind-set – the world is your oyster with regards to home cooking, so get to work creating some delicious and healthy meals for you and your family. The first step towards creating a good environment for cooking is to ensure that everything is clean and organised. With a little bit of planning and strategy, you can capture the quality and the aesthetics of a really great restaurant kitchen – all conducive to a healthy cooking environment! You also need to ensure that your kitchen is immaculate in terms of cleanliness so as to keep the kitchen a place you want to cook regularly. This means keeping work surfaces clean and uncluttered, keeping the fridge clean on a daily basis and checking the dates on food so as to avoid wasting too many ingredients.

 

You should have one designated shelf in the fridge for uncooked meats, a drawer for vegetables and a shelf for dairy produce, so that everything remains uncontaminated. After you’ve cooked a meal, you should wipe down the stove top, the worktops and anywhere else you’ve handled the ingredients to remove the risk of bacteria forming. Also, you need to maintain your motivation to eat healthily. Create lists for your week for each day of meals so you know what you’re making when, and create a collage of phrases and photos to maintain your motivation to achieve a healthy body – believe it or not, it does actually work! Organise your kitchen so that you keep all of your unprocessed foods together and away from any processed foods that the rest of your family may be buying. This will limit your temptation to snack on things you shouldn’t be. Keep a large bowl filled with fresh fruits next to the blender so you’ll be motivated to make your morning smoothies and juices. Put your grains and measurable foods in clear jars so that you can see them clearly and will be encouraged to use them in your dishes. You should also keep an accurate inventory of the food you have so you can plan your weekly shop properly. These tips will help you to create a really inviting place to cook and eat, so that you can avoid dashing out for takeaways and last-minute meals at restaurants instead of cooking a family meal. So start cooking today and see your wellbeing improve by the second!

Categories: cooking, Food, Healthy, Healthy Eating, Home, home-cooking, kitchen, restaurant

How Even Casual Smoking will Affect your Workout

People go to the gym for different reasons. Some want to tone up, others want to get seriously bulky and there are those who want to improve their stamina. Whatever reason you may have to hit the gym you might also want to consider giving up on the smokes. Pharmacist and online doctor Chemist Direct asked a broad selection of health experts if the combination of cigarettes and the gymnasium is a good one. Interested in their answers? Here they are:

 

We kick off with homeopath and pharmacist Margo Marrone. We asked her how smoking affects your body’s physical performance. She notes that during physical performance oxygen is vital. The harder you work out the harder the heart pumps in order to transport oxygen to muscles. Smoking is counterproductive to your workout.

 

Marrone: “Smoking competes with oxygen for haemoglobin in red blood cells and wins, which means there is less oxygen flowing in the blood and less oxygen available to the muscles. This in turn makes the heart work even harder putting more stress on the heart. Smoking also constricts blood vessels making it harder for blood to flow through them and therefore an increase in the risk of heart attack. It also constricts the airways in the lung through inflammation and a build up of mucous which causes more lack of oxygen.”

 

Second and third up are Mark and Kathy Brown from Fitness Sitacise. They are personal trainers and have trained with Olympic athletes. They have seen first hand how smoking retards the growth and development of muscles. Just like Marrone, Mark and Kathy Brown note that smoking cuts down the amount of oxygen in the blood. They also mention that smokers that go to the gym have to work extra hard to achieve the same results non-smokers do.

 

Kathy Brown: “Smoking causes blood flow to slow down and decreases the amount of nutrients, protein and minerals transported to the muscles during and after the workout. Smoking also slows down your development because you cannot train as hard or as intensely as you could if you didn’t smoke so you now must work out longer to try to achieve the same results. You also get tired more quickly and your recovery time is longer and is not as complete as it is if you didn’t smoke. Your endurance, recovery and your total physical performance is reduced by about 10%.”

 

Non-smokers perform better than smokers in the gym. Gym goers that want better stamina will do themselves a significant favour if they put down their cigarettes. Studies have shown that a smoker’s lung capacity is hugely reduced. This cuts down on smokers’ ability to achieve maximum efforts and the most noticeable results. When you are a smoker and you’re looking to buff up you’re also shooting yourself in the knee.

 

Mark Brown: “Non smokers’ heart beats are 25-30% slower than smokers’. They can generate more power and explosiveness for a longer duration. Non-smokers also have better focus, concentration and coordination to perform complex combination exercises. The potential increase in performance that quitting smoking has will be noticeable in the areas that require the greatest effort. Bench presses, squats, deadlifts and endurance power movements will improve from 10 to 20%. All super setting movements and other routines that require moving from one exercise to another will improve because of increased lung capacity and endurance.”

 

Now that we have established that smoking is bad for your gym performance it is time to come up with a solution. Personal trainer Luke DePron knows exactly what to do to increase a smoker’s performing ability.

 

DePron: “Similar to most bad habits, people fool themselves in thinking healthy eating cancels out the negatives of smoking. While healthy eating does better equip to the body to deal with environmental stresses, smoking cessation would offer the greatest benefits. Trying to cancel out the negative affects of smoking with healthy nutrition is akin to fanning out smoke while a fire still burns. Putting out the fire or in this case the cigarette would have the greatest impact.”

 

It looks like there is only one solution for all the smokers out here. If you are serious about your gym regime, make sure you quit soon rather than later as it will positively affect your performance in the gym in a huge way.

Categories: casual, Healthy Eating, kathy brown, lung capacity, nbsp, Oxygen, performance, physical performance, smokers, Smoking, Workout

Diwali Fitness - Top Tips For Keeping Fit During Diwali

Diwali is just around the corner, which means so too are the sweets, late mornings and days off from work. However, despite all the planning, the only thing which seems to be avoided in the schedules is how to keep fit and healthy. This is particularly the case in people who have spent a long time trying to lose weight and then simply give in to temptation. It may seem like spending a few days indulging won’t do you any harm, but if you’re new to exercise and have spent less than six months working on a routine, you could be at a high risk of dropping off the fitness radar for a long time afterwards – all for the sake of one event. There are ways to stay fit during the celebrations, without it cutting into every moment of fun and relaxation with your loved ones. For example, you could indulge in the foods that you particularly enjoy during Diwali rather than consuming everything on offer. There are so many foods on offer, such as street food, cakes and sweets, that it can be difficult to avoid them. But try to stick to the essentials and carry on with your healthy eating plan other than that, with just your basic three nutritious meals a day.

Even some festival foods have healthy options, so scan the table and stock up on those options which provide a lower fat content and plenty of nutrients. For example, avoiding fried foods is a good start and the same can be said of anything laden with sugar. Rice-based dishes which have plenty of vegetables in them would be your best bet, as these will be lower in fat but have enough vitamins and minerals to make them good for your healthy eating plan. Try to make the selection of foods available as healthy as you can, including whole grains, lean proteins such as eggs, chicken and fish, and dried fruits. Dairy is great for protein, as long as it’s low in fat and sugar, and plenty of water. And, as with any healthy eating plan, stock up on fruits and vegetables.

So what about exercise? Well, celebrations are notoriously about relaxing and indulging, so chances are you haven’t spent much time thinking about your gym sessions. But making the effort to stay healthy and fit during this time will help ensure that once Diwali is done for the year, you aren’t way behind on your plan. Try to keep fit where possible and sneak in a few gym classes or a run around the block of an afternoon will keep you in check for the coming months. The best thing to do is to plan your Diwali week in advance and ensure that there are at least three mornings out of six that you don’t need to be late, because the previous nights will end early. Set out these mornings as home workout sessions, and plan them with your trainer if possible. If you don’t have a trainer, try to be as regimented and disciplined as possible. Be sure to warm up and cool down before and after, so that you can avoid injury where possible, as this will slow up your regime for many months after. It’s all in the planning with big festivities, so as long as you’ve pre-planned it all you should be able to maintain your healthy lifestyle and still have a great time.

Categories: Diwali, fitness, foods, Healthy, Healthy Eating, long, long time, time, Weight Management

Top Tricks for Eating a Better Diet

Experts are always expressing the importance of a healthy and balanced diet in order to maintain good health. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as it first appears, either. It simply boils down to making better choices and relying less on processed foods – here are some basic tips that could help you to forge a beneficial diet easily and effectively. The first step is to eat the right amount of calories for your lifestyle – if you’re more active, the more calories your body needs. You’ll be able to judge by how much weight you lose or gain – if you’re losing weight, you need to up your calorie intake. Likewise, if you’re gaining weight, you need to drop your calorie intake or up the amount of exercise you’re doing. You should try to eat a range of fruits, vegetables, meat and legumes too. This will ensure that you get a range of nutrients.

 

You need to base your meals on a starchy food, such as pasta or potatoes. If you choose wholegrain varieties then this will be better for your body and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Try to include a portion of starch with every main meal, as this will keep your appetite suppressed and will give you energy. Alongside this you need to aim for a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables every day – these are loaded with nutrients If you think it’s too difficult to eat that many portions every day, try being more creative with how you eat. For example, chop up a banana or throw a handful of berries onto your cereal, or you could include two or three portions in a smoothie. Eat a portion of carrot or celery sticks with some humus for your afternoon snack, then have a glass of juice and side dish of veg with your main meal. Remember that dried fruit and legumes count towards this as well.

Fish is really good for your health, being low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Try to include two portions into your weekly diet for better health, protection from heart disease and improved joint function. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are the best varieties, as these have the highest levels of omega-3s, but keep your options varied for the best array of nutrients. Be careful how you cook them in order to retain the levels of goodness – steaming or grilling the fish is the best way. You also, naturally, need to cut back on the fat, salt and sugar. These dangerous additives are found in processed foods, junk food and ready meals. By cooking your own meals and relying less on processed foods, you’ll naturally lower your intake of these things – many health conditions have been linked to high intakes of fat and salt, such as diabetes and stroke, so your health will thank you for it. You should also keep your body hydrated – this means drinking between six to eight glasses of water every day. Our body relies heavily on water in order to function properly, so you need to replace what you use so that your bodily functions can work efficiently. It doesn’t need to be plain water though – cups of tea and coffee all count towards as well. Lastly, don’t skip your breakfast in the morning – you may think that you’re saving your calorie intake each day, but in actual fact you’re making your metabolism struggle and you may gain weight as a result. Keep your metabolism working by having a healthy and filling breakfast, to stop you snacking on unhealthy snacks mid-morning.

Categories: body, calorie intake, diet, health, Healthy Eating, Intake, main meal, nutrients, processed foods, weight

How to Maintain Your Diet in Your Nine to Five Workday

These days, most of us are working a nine to five work day and struggle to keep on track with healthy eating habits. There’s always another lunch meeting, a stressful deadline, or that well-meaning colleague who brings in pastries in the morning, and suddenly your diet is out of the window. While sometimes you need a little willpower to get you through the day, the most important factors in your healthy eating plan are knowledge and preparation. You need foods that will be good for your body and mind, but still give you enough oomph to keep you going until dinner time. Luckily, with the right know-how and little work, you can have meals and snacks that are nutritious and low in calories, bad fats and sugar. However, most importantly of all, they’ll get you through the work day.

 

The Best Breakfast:

You may be tempted to skip breakfast or pick up a coffee and muffin to go, but you can take care of your wellbeing, prevent at-work hunger and save time with a brilliant breakfast you make at home. Simply throw some banana slices, strawberries and raspberries in a tub with some Greek or plan yoghurt, sprinkle some granola or almond slivers on for crunch and you’ve got a pot of delicious brekkie that’s packed with fibre, potassium and vitamin C (which gives your immune system a boost and even helps reduce dry skin and wrinkles).

 

If you have a little more time in the morning, an omelette or scrambled eggs with tomatoes, broccoli and red pepper is a great option. The lycopene in tomatoes is a known cancer-preventer, while red pepper contains vision-promoting and bone-strengthening vitamin A. You may think it’s better for your wellness to just use egg whiles but Sally Kravich, author of Vibrant Living, notes, ‘I prefer whole eggs; the yolk is brain food.’

 

 

The Magnificent Mid-morning Snack:

Keri Glassman, MS, RD, author of The Snack Factor Diet, advises, ‘Stock up on portion-controlled snacks like yogurt smoothies, reduced-fat cheese sticks and high-fibre crackers and individual-portion soups.’ Fruit and nut bars are another great diet option, as these can appease your sweet tooth while giving you plenty of fibre to keep you going until lunch.

 

 

The Leading Lunch:

If you’re brown-bagging it, make your own fresh salad at home. Mixed greens have nine times the vitamin K of iceberg lettuce, so fill a plastic, resealable bag with these and tomatoes, a chopped hardboiled egg, sun flower seeds, low-fat grated cheese and sliced chicken breasts. Drizzle on a little olive oil mixed with red wine vinegar or lemon juice with a splash of light soy sauce.

 

For business lunches or those times when you can’t make it at home, order a whole-grain sandwich or wrap with protein-rich turkey or tuna. Kravich warns against white bread in the middle of the working day, as ‘white flour will make you feel tired and sluggish.’ A vegetable or broth soup is also a good option.

 

 

The Marvellous Mid-afternoon Snack:

Instead of heading to the vending machine at 4pm, smear some natural peanut butter onto an apple or celery sticks. Kravich recommends hummus and carrot sticks, or salsa with tortilla crisps, if you fancy something a little saltier. Glassman adds, ‘If you must have candy, instead of a handful of jelly beans, indulge in a few squares of dark chocolate as you sip on herbal or green tea.’ You can always return to plain or Greek yoghurt for a low calorie sweet treat, just drizzle a little honey or add some fruit for flavour.

Categories: diet, Healthy Eating, Home, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, nine to five, red pepper, snacks, time, work, work day

A Healthy Diet Can Regulate Your Hormones

Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers, which affect our moods, energy, growth and the ability to reproduce – they are a vital part of a number of the body’s natural processes. When they are unbalanced, it can seriously affect our wellbeing as well as the risk of developing heart disease, depression, infertility and even cancer. Much has been said on the importance of a healthy diet but very little has ever been publicised on the effect it has on the hormonal balance. Balancing your hormones can significantly affect your health, improving your energy levels and leaving your feeling better overall. What you eat and the quality of the food you’re using as fuel for your body can either throw this off track or help to maintain a good hormonal balance. According to experts, people overlook the importance of their diet where hormones are concerned. However, the kind of diet you choose plays a vital role – in order to be hormone happy, you need to mimic the plant-based, low fat and high fibre diet prescribed by GPs in order to keep your heart healthy and fight off disease. For example, if you’re loading up on fatty foods and sugar through your diet, it will throw your bodily functions off track, and you’ll feel sluggish and low on energy. This is because your hormones are imbalanced which leads to many of your organs running on a lower quality fuel.

Organic foods, leafy greens and removing sugar, flour and processed foods from your diet can do wonders for your overall health, as well as reducing your risk of developing health problems. Some women have even reported an improvement in their fertility levels thanks to their improved diet. Whether you’re trying to get pregnant, battle mood swings and pre-menstrual syndrome, or combat fatigue, a hormone-healthy diet can make a massive difference. This includes loading up on vegetables and fruits, aiming for at least five portions every day. You also need to top this up with vital nutrients, plant fibres and legumes. These contain isoflavins which stabilise the symptoms of PMS, menopause and perimenopause. Soybeans are fantastic sources of these, but you can also opt for chickpeas and lentils as well. Whole grains are high in fibre and B vitamins which are essential for hormonal balance. Smart fats are also important, such as olive and canola oils – you should avoid saturated and trans fats as these are extremely bad for your health. Omega-3 fatty acids are the best form of fats, as they’re great for improving your brain function and regulating your body’s health – these can be sourced from oily fish such as salmon or tuna, walnuts and flax seeds.

For women especially, soy is a fantastic addition to your diet – it helps to block the negative effects of the body’s oestrogen receptors, as well as reducing vaginal dryness, hot flushes and other symptoms of the menopause. Your weight will make a different to your health and hormone production – for example, people who are overweight tend to be oestrogen dominant which increases the risk of PMS, ovarian cysts and fibroids. As with any diet, exercise is significant and offers a wealth of health benefits, from strengthening the body and improving flexibility to regulating the release of endorphins which are referred to as ‘happy hormones’. It’s advised that you do three to four, half hour sessions each week to stay healthy but this can be any exercise, including brisk walks or dancing. It will also assist you in maintaining a healthy weight, which goes towards your hormonal health.

Categories: diet, Healthy Eating, hormones

The Five Most Dangerous Diets

We’ve all been there – you’re struggling to shift the pounds so you get lured into the promise of a fast weight loss through a new diet plan. Fad diets don’t work though, and once you’ve lost the weight, it will simply pile back on again the moment you start eating a regular diet. Not only that, but it’s damaging to your body and organs. Here are the top five most dangerous diets and those to avoid at all costs.

Tapeworm diet

The tapeworm diet does what it says on the tin – it involves putting a tapeworm into your digestive system, which eats the food you consume to stop you absorbing the fat from it. This diet has actually now been banned by the FDA, but many still opt to go on it in order to lose weight. This form of diet is extremely dangerous, as you are essentially ingesting a parasite. The tapeworm won’t necessarily stay in your stomach, with the risk that it could end up in your brain – this, obviously, could be fatal.

The Prolinn Diet

This diet plan involves drinking a concoction of leftover animal parts from the slaughterhouse, from tendons to hooves – this is supposedly in place of food to help you lose weight. A popular diet during the seventies, this was the cause of millions of heart attacks due to the fact that it requires you to essentially starve yourself.

The cigarette diet

Dating back to the ‘20’s, the cigarette diet works by suppressing the appetite via nicotine. Naturally, we know now that smoking is really bad for your health, causing a host of health concerns such as lung cancer, impotence and stroke.

Fruitarian diet

As it suggests, the fruitarian diet consists of eating fruit, although many people on this regime also eat nuts and seeds. Even vegetables are banned on this diet though, so you’re really limited as to what you can eat. While fruit is good for you and advised by all health experts, eating just one food group isn’t good for your health. By eating just fruit, you’re starving yourself of a host of other nutrients, such as fatty acids and protein. You’ll be left with a poor immune system, be more prone to osteoporosis and feel fatigued.

hCG Diet

The hCG hormone is found in the urine of pregnant women, and in placenta, which can be injected into your bloodstream to enable you to survive on just 800 calories a day. There are no conclusive studies to prove that it works as an effective diet strategy though, and can lead to numerous health problems through a lack of vitamins and nutrients.

 

Categories: dangerous diets, Healthy Eating, Weight Loss