I'm not a purist. I believe that we should have all things in moderation.
When you lack balance in your diet or training program and go with extremes, you are likely to binge or quit all together. However there are certain things you can do to make sure you don't go overboard.
Often when I go out to eat or hang out, my #1 trick is to use cash as much as possible! This always forces me to work within limited resources. Research has shown people tend to eat & thus spend 30% more more when they charge their meal. I figure most folks have a hard time embracing percentages, so let me break it down.
If you weigh 120 pounds, 30% more is your scale saying you are 156 pounds. I love hanging out as much as the next person, but going overboard will set yourself back in a major way if you over do it on your night out of town.
When the laughter and good times are flowing, it becomes very easy to use your VISA as you order larger entrees, extra desserts or get extra drinks. Try using cash. It's all about giving yourself all the possible advantages for success.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Fatigue
Fatigue is a part of life and we’re all familiar with it. But it can be difficult to describe and people express it in a variety of ways, using terms such as tired, weak, exhausted, weary, worn-out, fatigued, burnt out, wiped, etc. Health professionals describe fatigue using terms such as asthenia, fatigue, lassitude, prostration, exercise intolerance, lack of energy, and weakness.
Generally we can put the many ways that people express and experience fatigue into two categories, physical and mental. Although these two kinds of fatigue are sometimes difficult to separate and aspects of each can be involved when one feels tired, they’re separate enough in most of our minds. Physical fatigue is just that, our physical bodies are tired because of either too much physical work, including not enough time to recover from physical work, or lack of sleep, including jet lag. Mental fatigue can occur when we’re emotionally or psychologically worn out and not coping with the stresses and strains in our lives.
In a nutshell we have limited amounts of energy and reserves, and when these are taxed, either physically or mentally, or more commonly both, we experience fatigue. And when we’re fatigued we need to recharge our batteries in one way or another. We deal with the fatigue of our active days and physical activity by resting and by getting a good night's sleep. If we don’t rest enough or get enough sleep then we suffer from fatigue until we do. In a way it’s the same with mental fatigue only in this case we need to get some relief from whatever is causing it. In some cases, such as in chronic fatigue syndrome, the two types of fatigue run in together and we get debilitating mental and physical fatigue.
As well, certain medical conditions cause fatigue. A common example, especially in women, is anemia. Other causes of fatigue include chronic illness, heart and lung problems, cancer, diabetes, hormonal disorders, and a variety of other conditions. If you experience chronic fatigue then the first thing you should do is see your doctor and make sure everything is OK.
While we could go on ad infinitum about the different causes and effects of fatigue and how to deal with them, we’re going to limit the discussion in this article to the fatigue associated with exercise. What it is, why it happens and what we can do about it.
Assuming that there are no underlying problems, then we can divide the fatigue that we experience as a result of exercising into two types, peripheral and central. While the research in the area of fatigue has focused mostly on peripheral fatigue, research in central fatigue has been increasing although it mostly revolves around serotonin and the central fatigue hypothesis.
Peripheral fatigue deals with the capacity of muscle to do physical work. In this type of fatigue we’re dealing with an impairment in the normal functioning of the nerves and muscles involved in muscle contraction. This covers the gamut from the transmission of the impulses from nerves to muscle to the actual contractile apparatus of the muscle itself.
Central fatigue, on the other hand, involves the central nervous system, from our brain to the connections to the nerves that are involved in muscle contraction. Central fatigue can be the result of changes in various neurotransmitters in the brain secondary to changes that occur in the body and mind.
Most fatigue associated with exercise usually involves some degree of both peripheral and central fatigue. The degree that each is involved is often difficult to determine as the contribution of each to fatigue may vary between activities and even within the same activity. For example, when doing a multiple sets of an exercise using weights, the fatigue in the initial sets taken to failure may be mostly peripheral, while the fatigue experienced in later sets may more of a central component.
The problem with examining fatigue associated with a bodybuilding type of weight training, is that it’s not necessarily valid to extrapolate from studies on fatigue done using endurance or high intensity exercises that have different execution variables. For more information on these variables and their applicability to bodybuilding see the well done recently published review on the application of studies done on fatigue to bodybuilding.
Peripheral Fatigue - The mechanisms of fatigue within muscle (peripheral fatigue) are well studied and include impairments in neuromuscular transmission and propagation down the sarcolemma, dysfunction within the sarcoplasmic reticulum involving calcium release and uptake, availability of metabolic substrates and accumulation of metabolites, and actin-myosin cross bridge interactions.
The more important causes of physical fatigue, in my view, have to do with 1. systemic changes such as overheating and dehydration. And 2. the availability and accumulation of various compounds.
1. Systemic factors that may cause peripheral fatigue
Dehydration - While not as important as in endurance events, dehydration can cause fatigue even with resistance training. Dehydration doesn’t have to be extreme to impair performance and as little as a three to four pound loss of water weight (something that’s not too hard to imagine in a vigorous workout) can increase fatigue.
Pure water is not the best way to rehydrate during and after exercise. To restore the body fluids you sweat out during exercise, you should consume a beverage that contains some appropriate electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, and some glucose and perhaps a buffering agent. Sodium and potassium are volumizing agents and help to maintain blood volume and increase the absorption of water from the GI tract. It’s important, therefore to drink fluids before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration and overheating.
Overheating - Body temperature increases with exercise, in some cases as high as 104 degrees even with resistance training. Since large volumes of blood are diverted to the skin to try and cool the body down, the circulatory system may become burdened and result in an increased temperature which in turn results in decreased performance and fatigue.
The best way to deal with this is to make sure you’re well hydrated and to decrease clothing worn so that sweat evaporates readily cooling the body off.
2. The availability and accumulation of various substrates, metabolites and metabolic byproducts.
First of all it’s important that there are no vitamin or mineral deficiencies as these can impact on performance and cause fatigue. For example, even marginal deficiencies in potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc can cause fatigue, as can deficiencies of various vitamins including the B vitamins, folate, vitamins A, C and E.
It’s useful to examine the changes that take place in the muscle during exercise and compare these changes with the resting condition. As well, we can suggest ways in which any changes that may impact on performance and fatigue can be corrected, and as such reverse the fatigue and decreased performance.
Changes that take place with exercise over the resting state include:
Decreased ATP levels
Decreased levels of phosphocreatine (PCr)
Increased levels of ADP and Pi
Increased pH or acidity
Increased lactate concentrations
Increased ammonium levels
Decreased muscle glycogen
Strategies to combat fatigue
Based on the principle in which any differences from the resting state may be responsible for fatigue and decreased performance, one way to determine the cause or causes of fatigue, although limited, is to increase or decrease the concentration of a substrate which is depleted with exercise but is required for contraction or the absence or accumulation of substance that may fatigue. Keep in mind that because it’s likely that a number of changes are responsible for fatigue, there may be a number of individual strategies that will have an effect on decreasing fatigue. In all likelihood, the best approach to combating fatigue is one in which a variety of strategies are combined.
Some of the more popular strategies are:
Creatine ingestion with the purpose of increasing PCr levels in the muscle cells, along with an increased ability to form PCr when needed. The ingestion of creatine, usually in the monohydrate form has been shown to increase levels of both creatine and PCr in muscle cells, and to result in increased performance and decreased fatigue. Interestingly enough a recent study has also shown that creatine supplementation also reduces mental fatigue in humans.
Use of a buffer solution to combat the acidosis. Several studies have implicated acidosis as a likely cause of fatigue, especially during high-intensity intermittent exercise and likely during high volume resistance training. In my view and according the literature, buffer solutions that might prove useful are ones containing either bicarbonate or the non bicarbonate natural buffers of vertebrate muscle including inorganic phosphate, protein-bound histidine residues, and the dipeptide carnosine.
Increasing muscle glycogen content and increasing the use of free fatty acids as the primary muscle fuel. Using strategies to maximize glycogen levels but restricting the use of glycogen for those times when it’s needed the most, the times when only anaerobic energy has to be produced, and fat adapting muscle so that fat is used as the primary fuel, increases performance and decreases fatigue. My Metabolic Diet (www.MetabolicDiet.com), besides maximizing body composition, is set up to achieve just that.
Use of antioxidants - Oxidant and radical damage to skeletal muscle membranes has been implicated in the fatigue process and several studies have found that the use of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, increases muscle contractile force and decreases fatigue.
Central Fatigue
In addition to focusing on the causes of muscle fatigue, recent research has also centered on mental fatigue during exercise. This is commonly called central fatigue because it results from impaired function of the central nervous system. Although central fatigue does not affect your muscles directly, it can reduce your capacity to perform.
The basis behind the central fatigue hypothesis is the theorized correlation between levels of the amino acid tryptophan in the brain, which is a precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, and the degree of mental fatigue. When tryptophan enters the brain, it leads to increases in serotonin levels, which can depress the central nervous system, causing sleepiness and fatigue.
One of the ways that has been suggested for fighting off the increases in tryptophan entering the CNS is the use of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) during exercise. Most of the blood tryptophan in the body is loosely bound to albumin, one of the blood proteins, with a certain amount free. The free tryptophan is transported, along with other amino acids (such as the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine) into the CNS. Thus tryptophan levels in the brain, and subsequently serotonin levels, increase when there is an increased ratio of free tryptophan to the total BCAA concentration. The more BCAA present the less tryptophan enters the brain and less serotonin is produced. The end result is less central fatigue. The process is much more complicated than what I’ve just described and there are many other players that can influence brain serotonin levels. Also there is still some controversy about whether the central fatigue hypothesis is even valid. Nevertheless, there are now intriguing theories and some evidence to support a possible role of nutrition in central fatigue during rest and exercise.
Stimulants - One of the ways to combat fatigue, both central and peripheral, is through the use of stimulants such as caffeine and ephedrine, either alone or in combination. Studies have shown that these compounds are effective in increasing both strength and endurance, and in allaying fatigue.
The bottom line is that using several of the strategies I’ve mentioned will help you combat fatigue and make your training more productive and satisfying.
Generally we can put the many ways that people express and experience fatigue into two categories, physical and mental. Although these two kinds of fatigue are sometimes difficult to separate and aspects of each can be involved when one feels tired, they’re separate enough in most of our minds. Physical fatigue is just that, our physical bodies are tired because of either too much physical work, including not enough time to recover from physical work, or lack of sleep, including jet lag. Mental fatigue can occur when we’re emotionally or psychologically worn out and not coping with the stresses and strains in our lives.
In a nutshell we have limited amounts of energy and reserves, and when these are taxed, either physically or mentally, or more commonly both, we experience fatigue. And when we’re fatigued we need to recharge our batteries in one way or another. We deal with the fatigue of our active days and physical activity by resting and by getting a good night's sleep. If we don’t rest enough or get enough sleep then we suffer from fatigue until we do. In a way it’s the same with mental fatigue only in this case we need to get some relief from whatever is causing it. In some cases, such as in chronic fatigue syndrome, the two types of fatigue run in together and we get debilitating mental and physical fatigue.
As well, certain medical conditions cause fatigue. A common example, especially in women, is anemia. Other causes of fatigue include chronic illness, heart and lung problems, cancer, diabetes, hormonal disorders, and a variety of other conditions. If you experience chronic fatigue then the first thing you should do is see your doctor and make sure everything is OK.
While we could go on ad infinitum about the different causes and effects of fatigue and how to deal with them, we’re going to limit the discussion in this article to the fatigue associated with exercise. What it is, why it happens and what we can do about it.
Assuming that there are no underlying problems, then we can divide the fatigue that we experience as a result of exercising into two types, peripheral and central. While the research in the area of fatigue has focused mostly on peripheral fatigue, research in central fatigue has been increasing although it mostly revolves around serotonin and the central fatigue hypothesis.
Peripheral fatigue deals with the capacity of muscle to do physical work. In this type of fatigue we’re dealing with an impairment in the normal functioning of the nerves and muscles involved in muscle contraction. This covers the gamut from the transmission of the impulses from nerves to muscle to the actual contractile apparatus of the muscle itself.
Central fatigue, on the other hand, involves the central nervous system, from our brain to the connections to the nerves that are involved in muscle contraction. Central fatigue can be the result of changes in various neurotransmitters in the brain secondary to changes that occur in the body and mind.
Most fatigue associated with exercise usually involves some degree of both peripheral and central fatigue. The degree that each is involved is often difficult to determine as the contribution of each to fatigue may vary between activities and even within the same activity. For example, when doing a multiple sets of an exercise using weights, the fatigue in the initial sets taken to failure may be mostly peripheral, while the fatigue experienced in later sets may more of a central component.
The problem with examining fatigue associated with a bodybuilding type of weight training, is that it’s not necessarily valid to extrapolate from studies on fatigue done using endurance or high intensity exercises that have different execution variables. For more information on these variables and their applicability to bodybuilding see the well done recently published review on the application of studies done on fatigue to bodybuilding.
Peripheral Fatigue - The mechanisms of fatigue within muscle (peripheral fatigue) are well studied and include impairments in neuromuscular transmission and propagation down the sarcolemma, dysfunction within the sarcoplasmic reticulum involving calcium release and uptake, availability of metabolic substrates and accumulation of metabolites, and actin-myosin cross bridge interactions.
The more important causes of physical fatigue, in my view, have to do with 1. systemic changes such as overheating and dehydration. And 2. the availability and accumulation of various compounds.
1. Systemic factors that may cause peripheral fatigue
Dehydration - While not as important as in endurance events, dehydration can cause fatigue even with resistance training. Dehydration doesn’t have to be extreme to impair performance and as little as a three to four pound loss of water weight (something that’s not too hard to imagine in a vigorous workout) can increase fatigue.
Pure water is not the best way to rehydrate during and after exercise. To restore the body fluids you sweat out during exercise, you should consume a beverage that contains some appropriate electrolytes, including sodium and potassium, and some glucose and perhaps a buffering agent. Sodium and potassium are volumizing agents and help to maintain blood volume and increase the absorption of water from the GI tract. It’s important, therefore to drink fluids before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration and overheating.
Overheating - Body temperature increases with exercise, in some cases as high as 104 degrees even with resistance training. Since large volumes of blood are diverted to the skin to try and cool the body down, the circulatory system may become burdened and result in an increased temperature which in turn results in decreased performance and fatigue.
The best way to deal with this is to make sure you’re well hydrated and to decrease clothing worn so that sweat evaporates readily cooling the body off.
2. The availability and accumulation of various substrates, metabolites and metabolic byproducts.
First of all it’s important that there are no vitamin or mineral deficiencies as these can impact on performance and cause fatigue. For example, even marginal deficiencies in potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc can cause fatigue, as can deficiencies of various vitamins including the B vitamins, folate, vitamins A, C and E.
It’s useful to examine the changes that take place in the muscle during exercise and compare these changes with the resting condition. As well, we can suggest ways in which any changes that may impact on performance and fatigue can be corrected, and as such reverse the fatigue and decreased performance.
Changes that take place with exercise over the resting state include:
Decreased ATP levels
Decreased levels of phosphocreatine (PCr)
Increased levels of ADP and Pi
Increased pH or acidity
Increased lactate concentrations
Increased ammonium levels
Decreased muscle glycogen
Strategies to combat fatigue
Based on the principle in which any differences from the resting state may be responsible for fatigue and decreased performance, one way to determine the cause or causes of fatigue, although limited, is to increase or decrease the concentration of a substrate which is depleted with exercise but is required for contraction or the absence or accumulation of substance that may fatigue. Keep in mind that because it’s likely that a number of changes are responsible for fatigue, there may be a number of individual strategies that will have an effect on decreasing fatigue. In all likelihood, the best approach to combating fatigue is one in which a variety of strategies are combined.
Some of the more popular strategies are:
Creatine ingestion with the purpose of increasing PCr levels in the muscle cells, along with an increased ability to form PCr when needed. The ingestion of creatine, usually in the monohydrate form has been shown to increase levels of both creatine and PCr in muscle cells, and to result in increased performance and decreased fatigue. Interestingly enough a recent study has also shown that creatine supplementation also reduces mental fatigue in humans.
Use of a buffer solution to combat the acidosis. Several studies have implicated acidosis as a likely cause of fatigue, especially during high-intensity intermittent exercise and likely during high volume resistance training. In my view and according the literature, buffer solutions that might prove useful are ones containing either bicarbonate or the non bicarbonate natural buffers of vertebrate muscle including inorganic phosphate, protein-bound histidine residues, and the dipeptide carnosine.
Increasing muscle glycogen content and increasing the use of free fatty acids as the primary muscle fuel. Using strategies to maximize glycogen levels but restricting the use of glycogen for those times when it’s needed the most, the times when only anaerobic energy has to be produced, and fat adapting muscle so that fat is used as the primary fuel, increases performance and decreases fatigue. My Metabolic Diet (www.MetabolicDiet.com), besides maximizing body composition, is set up to achieve just that.
Use of antioxidants - Oxidant and radical damage to skeletal muscle membranes has been implicated in the fatigue process and several studies have found that the use of antioxidants, such as vitamin E, increases muscle contractile force and decreases fatigue.
Central Fatigue
In addition to focusing on the causes of muscle fatigue, recent research has also centered on mental fatigue during exercise. This is commonly called central fatigue because it results from impaired function of the central nervous system. Although central fatigue does not affect your muscles directly, it can reduce your capacity to perform.
The basis behind the central fatigue hypothesis is the theorized correlation between levels of the amino acid tryptophan in the brain, which is a precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin, and the degree of mental fatigue. When tryptophan enters the brain, it leads to increases in serotonin levels, which can depress the central nervous system, causing sleepiness and fatigue.
One of the ways that has been suggested for fighting off the increases in tryptophan entering the CNS is the use of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) during exercise. Most of the blood tryptophan in the body is loosely bound to albumin, one of the blood proteins, with a certain amount free. The free tryptophan is transported, along with other amino acids (such as the branched chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine) into the CNS. Thus tryptophan levels in the brain, and subsequently serotonin levels, increase when there is an increased ratio of free tryptophan to the total BCAA concentration. The more BCAA present the less tryptophan enters the brain and less serotonin is produced. The end result is less central fatigue. The process is much more complicated than what I’ve just described and there are many other players that can influence brain serotonin levels. Also there is still some controversy about whether the central fatigue hypothesis is even valid. Nevertheless, there are now intriguing theories and some evidence to support a possible role of nutrition in central fatigue during rest and exercise.
Stimulants - One of the ways to combat fatigue, both central and peripheral, is through the use of stimulants such as caffeine and ephedrine, either alone or in combination. Studies have shown that these compounds are effective in increasing both strength and endurance, and in allaying fatigue.
The bottom line is that using several of the strategies I’ve mentioned will help you combat fatigue and make your training more productive and satisfying.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Diet Dangerous Drinks
THIRST QUENCHERS
WORST: Lemonade Most store-bought versions are made from the same sweeteners used in soda, combined with preservatives and artificial color. At 100 calories per cup, and with the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients, you're essentially drinking liquid candy. Definitely not refreshing.
BEST: Infused water
Nothing beats plain water for health and hydration. But if you find plain H2O a bit blah, reach for a flavor-enhanced version. Just make sure it's made without artificial sweeteners, which can actually stoke your sweet tooth. The ingredients list should contain only water, and natural flavors. Nothing else.
COCKTAILS
WORST: Fancy frozen drinks
When it comes to cocktails, the mixers are the real calorie culprits. Case in point: According to the USDA, a 16-ounce pina colada can clock in at a whopping 880 calories, that's more than 8 times the amount in a shot of rum.
BEST: Light beer
A recent study found that beer, including light versions, contains natural ingredients that help deposit calcium and other minerals into bone. The alcohol in beer also provides protection against heart disease and stroke, and a 12-ounce bottle of light brew will only cost you about 100 calories.
PICK-ME-UPS
WORST: Whipped coffee drinks
When made with 2% milk, a large icy cup of Joe can contain up to 800 calories and a third of the maximum recommended intake for artery-clogging saturated fat. And there's a reason why it tastes so sweet: At 170 grams of sugar in a typical drink, you get more of a sugar shock than a caffeine buzz.
BEST: Chilled green tea
It's calorie free and loaded with antioxidants that bring health and beauty benefits, including protection against heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and overall aging. One study found that the cells of regular tea drinkers have a younger biological age than those of non-drinkers. If you're not crazy about the taste, freeze 100% fruit juice in ice cube trays and toss them in. They'll add color and flavor as they melt.
LIQUID LUNCHES
WORST: A giant fruit smoothie
Yes fruit is good for you, but this is serious overkill. A 32-ounce blend can pack as many as 700 calories with fewer than 2 grams of protein thanks to the high sugar content. That's like eating a whole pineapple, entire mango and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries in a single sitting. Why that's bad: Calories from any food get socked away in your fat cells if you eat more than you can burn.
BEST: Kefir For far fewer calories—about 120 per cup and a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat—pour yourself a cup of kefir. In addition to the 10 grams of satiating protein and 5 grams of filling fiber, kefir contains friendly probiotic bacteria—about 10 different strains compared to 2-3 in yogurt. These good bugs have been shown to help improve digestive health, boost immunity and control body weight. And animal studies have shown that kefir is a potent cancer-fighting food.
WORST: Lemonade Most store-bought versions are made from the same sweeteners used in soda, combined with preservatives and artificial color. At 100 calories per cup, and with the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients, you're essentially drinking liquid candy. Definitely not refreshing.
BEST: Infused water
Nothing beats plain water for health and hydration. But if you find plain H2O a bit blah, reach for a flavor-enhanced version. Just make sure it's made without artificial sweeteners, which can actually stoke your sweet tooth. The ingredients list should contain only water, and natural flavors. Nothing else.
COCKTAILS
WORST: Fancy frozen drinks
When it comes to cocktails, the mixers are the real calorie culprits. Case in point: According to the USDA, a 16-ounce pina colada can clock in at a whopping 880 calories, that's more than 8 times the amount in a shot of rum.
BEST: Light beer
A recent study found that beer, including light versions, contains natural ingredients that help deposit calcium and other minerals into bone. The alcohol in beer also provides protection against heart disease and stroke, and a 12-ounce bottle of light brew will only cost you about 100 calories.
PICK-ME-UPS
WORST: Whipped coffee drinks
When made with 2% milk, a large icy cup of Joe can contain up to 800 calories and a third of the maximum recommended intake for artery-clogging saturated fat. And there's a reason why it tastes so sweet: At 170 grams of sugar in a typical drink, you get more of a sugar shock than a caffeine buzz.
BEST: Chilled green tea
It's calorie free and loaded with antioxidants that bring health and beauty benefits, including protection against heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and overall aging. One study found that the cells of regular tea drinkers have a younger biological age than those of non-drinkers. If you're not crazy about the taste, freeze 100% fruit juice in ice cube trays and toss them in. They'll add color and flavor as they melt.
LIQUID LUNCHES
WORST: A giant fruit smoothie
Yes fruit is good for you, but this is serious overkill. A 32-ounce blend can pack as many as 700 calories with fewer than 2 grams of protein thanks to the high sugar content. That's like eating a whole pineapple, entire mango and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries in a single sitting. Why that's bad: Calories from any food get socked away in your fat cells if you eat more than you can burn.
BEST: Kefir For far fewer calories—about 120 per cup and a healthy balance of carbs, protein and fat—pour yourself a cup of kefir. In addition to the 10 grams of satiating protein and 5 grams of filling fiber, kefir contains friendly probiotic bacteria—about 10 different strains compared to 2-3 in yogurt. These good bugs have been shown to help improve digestive health, boost immunity and control body weight. And animal studies have shown that kefir is a potent cancer-fighting food.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Eating Healthy on a Budget
When you’re on a tight budget, the thought of preparing tasty, healthy meals on a regular basis can seem daunting. Not only is it easy to get sucked in by grocery merchandising tricks, but it’s also normal for most of us to fall into a mealtime rut, eating the same foods over and over. But you’re in control of your kitchen—and if you cook smart, you can enjoy the first-class meals you deserve.
You can save money and still have quality. If you’ve been using cost as an excuse to eat junk, you can kiss that excuse goodbye! With a little organization and creativity, you can have the proverbial champagne when cooking on a beer budget. To start, here’s a quick review of basic tips of healthy eating:
* Limit your intake of junk food and alcohol
* Drink lots of water (at least 8 cups a day)
* Limit salty and sugary foods
* Avoid eating many foods that are high in saturated fats
* Make “variety” the watchword of your eating
Next, set aside regular blocks of time for planning meals, making your grocery list, and shopping—tasks that are most often shortchanged in food prep. Include healthy snack ideas, as well as main menu items. Think about the time of day, day of week, and even week in the month that you shop. Generally, the grocery is the least busy early in the morning, in the middle of the week, and on any day but the first day or two of the month (when many people receive pension or paychecks).
Don’t be afraid to surf the internet for recipes that use specific ingredients (plug the ingredient in as a keyword of your search), since you can often get good buys on breads, meats, and other items marked for quick sale before they go bad.
Stock your fridge and cupboards with items that are quick and easy to cook (yet kind to your wallet):
* Beans and lentils, whether canned or dried, make nutritious, hearty soups, and can be a main course with the addition of fresh vegetables or rice.
* Brown Rice is a great addition to leftover meat and veggies. Although brown rice is slightly more expensive than white, the nutritional payoff is well worth it. Another inexpensive, easy-to-fix grain, millet, is best when bought fresh. Simply rinse and toast before using it in recipes.
* Pasta, likewise, is quick and easy to prepare, and can be paired with veggies, meat, or a fresh salad. Have fun adding your own embellishments (mushrooms, spices, and herbs.) Choose whole-wheat pasta whenever available.
* Soups can’t be beat for nutrition and convenience, especially since you can use canned or packet soups as your base, then add your own veggies and leftover meat. Again, try to experiment, adding your own herbs and spices.
* Fresh vegetables and fruit should be bought at least once or twice each week, preferably in season, to ensure optimal taste and nutrition. You can also rely on canned/frozen varieties as handy additions to last-minute meals. Veggies make great stir-fries and vegetable patties, while fruit is good for a quick nutritious snack.
* Meat and fish can be kept on hand also for last-minute meals— try the newer tuna and salmon pouches, and shop for inexpensive cuts of meat that work well in stews and casseroles.
* Condiments add flavor and interest to your dishes. Keep a selection of dried herbs, spices, curry powder, marinades, vinegars, tomato and soy sauces, along with stock cubes, in your cupboard. Experiment with the new, such as Japanese miso, an aged salty condiment made from soybeans and various other ingredients (found in the natural foods section, usually refrigerated).
Finally, a few more hints that can help you save a little green:
* When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in the week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.
* Save your vegetable trimmings to make your own vegetable stock. Not only do you save money, but vegetable stock also makes a nutritious base for casseroles, soups, and Crockpot cooking.
* Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper; you can freeze perishable items (such as meat, milk, and even bread) in smaller portions to use as needed. It’s always a good idea to buy non-perishable items in bulk (canned foods, dried beans and grains, etc.).
* Use less expensive cuts of meat for casseroles that you slow cook; add extra vegetables and beans to make the meal go further.
* Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time, money, and dishwashing, and often make great leftovers.
* Look high and low (literally) to find the less expensive generic or store brands on grocery shelves, often very similar to higher-priced brand names though packaged under different labels.
* Stores deliberately place the highest-priced brand-name items at eye level, but if you compare the cost per unit, you’ll be able to figure out the most cost-effective purchase. You can even try your own taste tests— blind, of course— to see where you can save money without sacrificing flavor.
* Take advantage of specials on staples—broth, soups, pasta, rice, canned veggies, even bread and meat. Many of these items have a long shelf life or can be frozen for short periods of time.
* Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in fat, salt, and calories, which short-change you in the nutrition department.
There’s no magic formula to cooking on a budget. Like anything else worthwhile in life, it takes a little planning, creativity, and work. But if you think of the rewards—better health and more money—you’ll find it’s worth the effort. No doubt you’ll still have days when you fall back on that quick-fix packaged food or the local burger drive-thru. But if you look at cooking as an adventure, you’ll also have days when you find yourself pleased at what you’ve accomplished—as you serve dinner to rave reviews from family and friends!
You can save money and still have quality. If you’ve been using cost as an excuse to eat junk, you can kiss that excuse goodbye! With a little organization and creativity, you can have the proverbial champagne when cooking on a beer budget. To start, here’s a quick review of basic tips of healthy eating:
* Limit your intake of junk food and alcohol
* Drink lots of water (at least 8 cups a day)
* Limit salty and sugary foods
* Avoid eating many foods that are high in saturated fats
* Make “variety” the watchword of your eating
Next, set aside regular blocks of time for planning meals, making your grocery list, and shopping—tasks that are most often shortchanged in food prep. Include healthy snack ideas, as well as main menu items. Think about the time of day, day of week, and even week in the month that you shop. Generally, the grocery is the least busy early in the morning, in the middle of the week, and on any day but the first day or two of the month (when many people receive pension or paychecks).
Don’t be afraid to surf the internet for recipes that use specific ingredients (plug the ingredient in as a keyword of your search), since you can often get good buys on breads, meats, and other items marked for quick sale before they go bad.
Stock your fridge and cupboards with items that are quick and easy to cook (yet kind to your wallet):
* Beans and lentils, whether canned or dried, make nutritious, hearty soups, and can be a main course with the addition of fresh vegetables or rice.
* Brown Rice is a great addition to leftover meat and veggies. Although brown rice is slightly more expensive than white, the nutritional payoff is well worth it. Another inexpensive, easy-to-fix grain, millet, is best when bought fresh. Simply rinse and toast before using it in recipes.
* Pasta, likewise, is quick and easy to prepare, and can be paired with veggies, meat, or a fresh salad. Have fun adding your own embellishments (mushrooms, spices, and herbs.) Choose whole-wheat pasta whenever available.
* Soups can’t be beat for nutrition and convenience, especially since you can use canned or packet soups as your base, then add your own veggies and leftover meat. Again, try to experiment, adding your own herbs and spices.
* Fresh vegetables and fruit should be bought at least once or twice each week, preferably in season, to ensure optimal taste and nutrition. You can also rely on canned/frozen varieties as handy additions to last-minute meals. Veggies make great stir-fries and vegetable patties, while fruit is good for a quick nutritious snack.
* Meat and fish can be kept on hand also for last-minute meals— try the newer tuna and salmon pouches, and shop for inexpensive cuts of meat that work well in stews and casseroles.
* Condiments add flavor and interest to your dishes. Keep a selection of dried herbs, spices, curry powder, marinades, vinegars, tomato and soy sauces, along with stock cubes, in your cupboard. Experiment with the new, such as Japanese miso, an aged salty condiment made from soybeans and various other ingredients (found in the natural foods section, usually refrigerated).
Finally, a few more hints that can help you save a little green:
* When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in the week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.
* Save your vegetable trimmings to make your own vegetable stock. Not only do you save money, but vegetable stock also makes a nutritious base for casseroles, soups, and Crockpot cooking.
* Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper; you can freeze perishable items (such as meat, milk, and even bread) in smaller portions to use as needed. It’s always a good idea to buy non-perishable items in bulk (canned foods, dried beans and grains, etc.).
* Use less expensive cuts of meat for casseroles that you slow cook; add extra vegetables and beans to make the meal go further.
* Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time, money, and dishwashing, and often make great leftovers.
* Look high and low (literally) to find the less expensive generic or store brands on grocery shelves, often very similar to higher-priced brand names though packaged under different labels.
* Stores deliberately place the highest-priced brand-name items at eye level, but if you compare the cost per unit, you’ll be able to figure out the most cost-effective purchase. You can even try your own taste tests— blind, of course— to see where you can save money without sacrificing flavor.
* Take advantage of specials on staples—broth, soups, pasta, rice, canned veggies, even bread and meat. Many of these items have a long shelf life or can be frozen for short periods of time.
* Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in fat, salt, and calories, which short-change you in the nutrition department.
There’s no magic formula to cooking on a budget. Like anything else worthwhile in life, it takes a little planning, creativity, and work. But if you think of the rewards—better health and more money—you’ll find it’s worth the effort. No doubt you’ll still have days when you fall back on that quick-fix packaged food or the local burger drive-thru. But if you look at cooking as an adventure, you’ll also have days when you find yourself pleased at what you’ve accomplished—as you serve dinner to rave reviews from family and friends!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Hormonally Enhanced Food
The State of Missouri (where Tiffany is from) passed Proposition B in yesterday's election. This bill was passed with the cover of regulating puppy breeders to avoid puppy mills. A good cause, of course. The dog lovers of Missouri do not realize that this bill does not regulate illegal breeders or hoarders. Nor do they realize that this bill will also force farmers to hormonally enhance their livestock in order to sell them.
What does this mean for local farmers?
It means they may no longer profit from selling organic meat. It means that local consumers may no longer purchase beef or pork that has not been hormonally enhanced.
What is hormone enhancement?
Many animals are given growth hormones in order to produce bigger cuts of meat: such as larger steaks or larger chicken breasts. These hormones also affect consumers, too. Growth hormones are also injected to help the young grow faster: making the profit turnover greater for the farmer.
No longer do the farmers of Missouri have the freedom to chose their farming techniques. As consumers, we are also forced into consuming dangerous meat products! Make educated voting decisions!
What does this mean for local farmers?
It means they may no longer profit from selling organic meat. It means that local consumers may no longer purchase beef or pork that has not been hormonally enhanced.
What is hormone enhancement?
Many animals are given growth hormones in order to produce bigger cuts of meat: such as larger steaks or larger chicken breasts. These hormones also affect consumers, too. Growth hormones are also injected to help the young grow faster: making the profit turnover greater for the farmer.
According to the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health, the use of six natural and artificial growth hormones in beef production poses a potential risk to human health.iii These six hormones include three which are naturally occurring—Oestradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone—and three which are synthetic—Zeranol, Trenbolone, and Melengestrol.
The Committee also questioned whether hormone residues in the meat of "growth enhanced" animals and can disrupt human hormone balance, causing developmental problems, interfering with the reproductive system, and even leading to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancer.iv
Children, pregnant women and the unborn are thought to be most susceptible to these negative health effects. Hormone residues in beef have been implicated in the early onset of puberty in girls, which could put them at greater risk of developing breast and other forms of cancer. The European Union’s Committee reported that as of 1999, no comprehensive studies had been conducted to determine whether hormone residues in meat can be cancer-causing.v
Scientists are also concerned about the environmental impacts of hormone residues in cow manure. Growth promoting hormones not only remain in the meat we consume, but they also pass through the cattle and are excreted in their manure. When manure from factory farms enters the surrounding environment, these hormones can contaminate surface and groundwater. Aquatic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to hormone residues. Recent studies have demonstrated that exposure to hormones has a substantial effect on the gender and reproductive capacity of fish, throwing off the natural cycle.vi
Despite international scientific concern, the United States and Canadavii continue to allow growth promoting hormones in cattle.viii The European Union, however, does not allow the use of hormones in cattle production, has prohibited the import of hormone-treated beef since 1988, and has banned all beef imports from the US. The ban has been challenged by the US at the World Trade Organization and debate still rages between the US and the EU over its validity.ix
No longer do the farmers of Missouri have the freedom to chose their farming techniques. As consumers, we are also forced into consuming dangerous meat products! Make educated voting decisions!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
5 Tips to Train Like a Pro!
1. Dedication: you have to remember that for professional athletes, training and practicing is their job. They have gotten to where they are because of their dedication and work ethic so if you want results, you need to take your workout seriously! Hanging out by the water fountain and talking to people at the gym or standing around staring at other people working out isn’t going to cut it. Enter your workout with the attitude that you’re there to get work done and to accomplish something. Just like in a game, I zone out everyone else in the gym as if I’m zoning out the away crowd during one of my games. Nothing is going to come between me and getting a good workout in. Another way to focus is to listen to your I-pod when you work out. Try listening to music with an upbeat tempo, something that will keep you moving and keep your heart rate up throughout your work out.
2. Get a trainer: It is difficult for the majority of individuals to push themselves working out alone. It’s always those last few repetitions or that last lap on the track that is the most difficult. A good trainer can not only correct any bad form you might have, but can help motivate you and push you through those tough times. Doing those extra reps is what makes the difference between a pro and a regular ’ole Joe. All professional athletes work out with a trainer or strength and conditioning coach. These trainers are there to push them to the limits and to make them the best.
3. Eat like an athlete: If you are going to workout like a pro athlete, you better eat like one. So guess what… you better kick that “no carb” diet to the curb. The primary sources of energy for the body are Carbohydrates and Fats. At rest, the body uses about the same percentage of each as energy. As the intensity of the exercise increases the body uses a much greater percentage of carbohydrates than fats as energy. If you’re working out pretty strenuously from an hour to two hours a day, then you should be eating around 3 grams of carbohydrates for every lb. of body weight you have. Not having that energy readily available will hurt both the intensity and duration of your workout.
4. Physical toughness: There are days when pro athletes are sore, tired, hurt, but they still go in and work out. If you’ve taken 2 to 3 days rest and your hamstrings and gluts are still on fire from doing lunges, do them again! They have most likely recovered by then but still probably have some lactic acid build up in the muscles, so working those muscles again will help break up the lactic acid in those muscles and get the soreness out.
5. Mental toughness: As the Navy Seal’s put it: the body can take all the pain in the world; it’s the mind that often isn’t tough enough. If you’re working out correctly or whether you’re doing resistance training or cardio, your muscles should burn. That pain can be intense sometimes, but it’s that mental toughness to keep going. That is what separates the professional athletes from recreational athletes, that mental toughness to grit down and keep going when things get tough.
2. Get a trainer: It is difficult for the majority of individuals to push themselves working out alone. It’s always those last few repetitions or that last lap on the track that is the most difficult. A good trainer can not only correct any bad form you might have, but can help motivate you and push you through those tough times. Doing those extra reps is what makes the difference between a pro and a regular ’ole Joe. All professional athletes work out with a trainer or strength and conditioning coach. These trainers are there to push them to the limits and to make them the best.
3. Eat like an athlete: If you are going to workout like a pro athlete, you better eat like one. So guess what… you better kick that “no carb” diet to the curb. The primary sources of energy for the body are Carbohydrates and Fats. At rest, the body uses about the same percentage of each as energy. As the intensity of the exercise increases the body uses a much greater percentage of carbohydrates than fats as energy. If you’re working out pretty strenuously from an hour to two hours a day, then you should be eating around 3 grams of carbohydrates for every lb. of body weight you have. Not having that energy readily available will hurt both the intensity and duration of your workout.
4. Physical toughness: There are days when pro athletes are sore, tired, hurt, but they still go in and work out. If you’ve taken 2 to 3 days rest and your hamstrings and gluts are still on fire from doing lunges, do them again! They have most likely recovered by then but still probably have some lactic acid build up in the muscles, so working those muscles again will help break up the lactic acid in those muscles and get the soreness out.
5. Mental toughness: As the Navy Seal’s put it: the body can take all the pain in the world; it’s the mind that often isn’t tough enough. If you’re working out correctly or whether you’re doing resistance training or cardio, your muscles should burn. That pain can be intense sometimes, but it’s that mental toughness to keep going. That is what separates the professional athletes from recreational athletes, that mental toughness to grit down and keep going when things get tough.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Easy Tips for Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, sharpening your memory and stabilizing your mood. Expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Think of exercise as a food group in your diet. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.
Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.
The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible
The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.
Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.
Water—a vital part of a healthy diet Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbsHealthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.
Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Fiber: An essential component of a healthy dietDietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Complete, incomplete and complementary proteinsA complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal? Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Great sources of calcium include:
Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
Dried beans and legumes
See Osteoporosis, Diet and Calcium for more about the role of calcium in your diet.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt, and refined grainsIf you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.
Sugar and refined starchesIt is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.
Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.
SaltSalt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.
Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.
Healthy eating tip 10: Plan quick and easy meals ahead Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.
Plan your meals by the week or even the month One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery storeIn general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
Cook when you canTry to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.
Have an emergency dinner or two ready to goChallenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.
Stock your kitchen to be meal readyTry to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:
Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. Recipe and soup starters such as garlic, onions, carrots, and celery.
Healthy staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice.
Whole wheat bread and tortillas for healthy sandwiches and wraps.
Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.
Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables to add to recipes or for a quick vegetable side dish.
Frozen fruit and berries to make smoothies or frozen desserts.
Dark greens for salads, plus salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, beans, and seeds.
Fresh and dried herbs and spices.
Healthy fats and oils for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. You can also try specialty oils like peanut, sesame, or truffle oil for adding flavor.
Unsalted nuts for snacking, like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios.
Vinegars, such as balsamic, red wine, and rice vinegar for salads and veggies.
Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta, and soups.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can improve your health by boosting your energy, sharpening your memory and stabilizing your mood. Expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Think of exercise as a food group in your diet. Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.
Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.
The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible
The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest.
Avoid: Fruit juices, which can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit is often in sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies and those with dressings or sauces—too much unhealthy fat and calories.
Water—a vital part of a healthy diet Water makes up about 75% of our bodies and helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy and headaches.
Caffeinated beverages, in particular, actually cause the body to lose water. Fresh fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, contain plenty of water and can help with hydration, especially when you are looking for an alternative to your eighth glass of water for the day.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbsHealthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.
Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp. If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains, like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Fiber: An essential component of a healthy dietDietary fiber, found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by helping you feel full faster and for a longer amount of time, and keeping your blood sugar stable. A healthy diet contains approximately 20-30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half that amount.
The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.
Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans) and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective Protein gives us the energy to get up and go—and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Most people in the U.S. eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Complete, incomplete and complementary proteinsA complete protein source—from animal proteins such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese and eggs—provides all of the essential amino acids.
An incomplete protein—from vegetable proteins like grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and beans—is low in one or more essential amino acids.
Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs. For example, rice and dry beans are each incomplete proteins, but together they provide all of the essential amino acids.
Do complementary proteins need to be eaten in the same meal? Research shows that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day.
Why are complete and complementary proteins important? Complete and complementary proteins that provide all of the essential amino acids will fill you up longer than carbohydrates because they break down more slowly in the digestive process.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium & vitamin D for strong bones Calcium and vitamin D are essential for strong, healthy bones—vitamin D is essential for optimum calcium absorption in the small intestine. Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Great sources of calcium include:
Dairy products, which come already fortified with vitamin D.
Dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens
Dried beans and legumes
See Osteoporosis, Diet and Calcium for more about the role of calcium in your diet.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar, salt, and refined grainsIf you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar, salt and refined starches.
Sugar and refined starchesIt is okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, but try to cut down on sugar. Sugar causes energy ups and downs and adds to health problems like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, headaches, and depression.
Give recipes a makeover. Often recipes taste just as good with less sugar.
Avoid sugary drinks. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eliminate processed foods. Processed foods and foods made with white flour and white sugar cause your blood sugar to go up and down leaving you tired and sapped of energy.
SaltSalt itself is not bad, but most of us consume too much salt in our diets.
Limit sodium to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Most of us consume far more than one teaspoon of salt per day.
Avoid processed, packaged, restaurant and fast food. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen meals contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended teaspoon a day.
Healthy eating tip 10: Plan quick and easy meals ahead Healthy eating starts with great planning. You will have won half the healthy diet battle if you have a well-stocked kitchen, a stash of quick and easy recipes, and plenty of healthy snacks.
Plan your meals by the week or even the month One of the best ways to have a healthy diet is to prepare your own food and eat in regularly. Pick a few healthy recipes that you and your family like and build a meal schedule around them. If you have three or four meals planned per week and eat leftovers on the other nights, you will be much farther ahead than if you are eating out or having frozen dinners most nights.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery storeIn general, healthy eating ingredients are found around the outer edges of most grocery stores—fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and poultry, whole grain breads and dairy products. The centers of many grocery stores are filled with overpriced, processed foods that aren’t good for you. Shop the perimeter of the store for most of your groceries (fresh items), add a few things from the freezer section (frozen fruits and vegetables), and the aisles with spices, oils, and whole grains (like rolled oats, brown rice, whole wheat pasta).
Cook when you canTry to cook one or both weekend days or on a weekday evening and make extra to freeze or set aside for another night. Cooking ahead saves time and money, and it is gratifying to know that you have a home cooked meal waiting to be eaten.
Have an emergency dinner or two ready to goChallenge yourself to come up with two or three dinners that can be put together without going to the store—utilizing things in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. A delicious dinner of whole grain pasta with a quick tomato sauce or a quick and easy black bean quesadilla on a whole wheat flour tortilla (among endless other recipes) could act as your go-to meal when you are just too busy to shop or cook.
Stock your kitchen to be meal readyTry to keep your kitchen stocked with recipe basics:
Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. Recipe and soup starters such as garlic, onions, carrots, and celery.
Healthy staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice.
Whole wheat bread and tortillas for healthy sandwiches and wraps.
Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.
Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables to add to recipes or for a quick vegetable side dish.
Frozen fruit and berries to make smoothies or frozen desserts.
Dark greens for salads, plus salad add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, beans, and seeds.
Fresh and dried herbs and spices.
Healthy fats and oils for cooking, such as olive oil and canola oil. You can also try specialty oils like peanut, sesame, or truffle oil for adding flavor.
Unsalted nuts for snacking, like almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, and pistachios.
Vinegars, such as balsamic, red wine, and rice vinegar for salads and veggies.
Strong cheeses, like aged Parmesan or blue cheese for intense flavor in salads, pasta, and soups.
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