General Nutrition

Carbohydrates – The Truth Part II

imagesThere are carbs that are good for you, and these are carbs that are low-glycemic foods that gradually increase your blood sugar levels over time.  This is much less stress for the pancreas.   Unlike bad carbs, they are whole foods packed with nutrients that the body needs to function.  Good carbs are best when eaten in their natural, raw state.

Another great thing is that good carbs tend to have less calories than bad carbs so you can actually eat more food, which surprises many people trying to lose weight.  For example you can eat a whole apple or banana as opposed to one bite of a white bread dinner roll.  Which makes sense when you think that most bad carbs are defines as non-nutritive, high-glycemic foods that spike your blood sugar too rapidly.  These include heavily processed foods that contain refined sugar, refined white flour, additives, chemicals, and preservatives.

Bad carbohydrates, in the end, will cause you to gain weight.  When you put to many empty calories in your body you are giving your body too much energy from high-glycemic carbs and the energy has to go somewhere.  Any idea where it goes?  It is stored as fat!  Yuck!  These excess fat stores put you at increased risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, stroke, and many other chronic conditions.

General Nutrition

Carbohydrates – The Truth Part I

imagesThere are so many different theories about whether carbohydrates are good for us or not and it’s a pretty hot topic when it comes to nutrition.  The high-protein, low-carb diet fads like the Atkins Diet, have produced desirable results for many who have been unable to shed unwanted weight in the past.  However, this temporary result has fooled many people into believing that severely restricting carbs is the answer to weight loss.  While initially it may work, most people can’t keep up with the severe carb restriction.  Once they reintroduce carbs into their diet, they gain the weight back, and add on more pounds than ever before.

A strict, high-protein diet is only a quick fix the problem.  Restricting carbs is not the answer. It’s actually unhealthy in the long run to severely restrict carbohydrates from your diet.  A  healthy balance is best as optimal nutrition and an ideal body weight require good fats, good proteins, and good carbohydrates.

That in itself is the problem.  It’s not carbs in general.  It’s the type of carbohydrates that most Americans are ingesting.  Most Americans diets are overloaded with non-nutritive carbohydrates, such as refined sugar, white flour, and heavily processed foods that have been stripped of their nutrition.  As a result, the calorie consumption of many Americans has gone up dramatically, while the nutrient value has gone down.  The unused calories that are not burned up by the body are stored as fat.  As a result, many people feel hungry, have more cravings, and eat more and aren’t getting adequate nutrition.  This sets the stage for chronic problems with obesity, diabetes, hormone imbalances, and significant nutrient deficiencies that lead to chronic conditions.

General Nutrition

Whole, Simple, Pure, Natural

imagesWhole, simple, pure, and natural, I think these are the words to eat by, and when I think more about it live by.  Why is it that when it comes to material things, we take better care of what we use on them or put into them.  For example when it comes to our cars we try to keep them clean use a good grade oil, have regular check ups and put into them whatever they may need to keep them going and looking good.  We tend not to skimp on our cars.

Yet, when it comes to our bodies we eat things with additives in them that we don’t  know what they are or what they could be doing to our bodies.  Lets take a simple example with simple ingredients.  Ice cream is made from milk, cream, sugar and then depending on the flavor vanilla or other natural ingredients.  Yet when you read most labels these days you see high fructose corn syrup and other additives some of which you can’t pronounce let alone know what they are.

I understand that this isn’t the healthiest example but it is a simple one to understand.  All I want to suggest is that we start as a society to read the ingredient labels on the foods we buy.  If you can’t read or pronounce the ingredients, you don’t know what they are made of, they are only additives to increase the shelf life of a product, and you don’t know what they will do to your body, don’t buy them.  Only buy products that are whole, simple, pure, and natural.  Do the same for yourself and family that you would do for some material thing.

General Nutrition

Finding the Best Meal Replacement Bars

p90x-peak-performance-bars-choc-peanut-butter-iUsing a nutrition bar for meal replacement is a convenient method of keeping your metabolism running on high when you don’t have time for a typical meal. It is also an excellent part of a reduced calorie weight loss plan. But finding the best meal replacement bars can be puzzling with so many options currently available.

 

Obviously, the best meal replacement bars are those that taste good. No matter how strong your resolve is, it likely won’t last long if you don’t enjoy the taste of the bars you choose. Don’t stick with a bar just because the nutritional label is stellar; you simply can’t afford to compromise on taste. Choosing a bar that comes in a variety of flavors, like the P90X protein bars, is a great way to ensure your taste buds don’t get bored.

 

Secondly, you want bars that are good for you. Many protein bars and similar “energy” bars are loaded with sugar. Learn how to read a nutritional label and realize that although sugar may give you a fast burst of energy, it will also quickly fizzle out. High protein, low calorie bars that taste good are typically the best meal replacement bars.

 

Once you find a high quality bar to use in your health and fitness goals, keep them in the house for a quick meal on the go or for your regular breakfast. The best meal replacement bars make a great way to squeeze in breakfast for people who won’t normally eat the morning meal. Paired with some fruit or a salad, they become a great healthy lunch.

 

When attacking any fitness goals, having a variety of tools at your fingertips ensures you have the support you need to keep going. The best meal replacement bars add to this “fitness toolbox”, giving you one great option for meals or quick snacks that won’t jeopardize all of your hard work.

General Nutrition , ,

Healthy Ingredient Substitutions In Recipes

imagesHow can you take some of your favorite recipes  that may not be the healthiest and try to tweak them to make them better for you?  It’s not as hard as you may think. The key is to incorporate healthier alternatives into your daily eating routine.

The following suggestions can help you lower fat, salt, sugar and calories and increase fiber in your recipes.

All-purpose (plain) flour

  • Whole-wheat flour for half of the called-for all-purpose flour in baked goods           Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is less dense and works well in softer products like cakes and muffins.

Bacon

  • Canadian bacon, turkey bacon, smoked turkey or lean prosciutto (Italian ham)

Butter, shortening or oil in baked goods

  • Applesauce or prune puree for half of the called-for butter, shortening or oil              Note: To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute oil for butter or shortening.

Butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking

  • Cooking spray or nonstick pans

Creamed soups

  • Fat-free milk-based soups, mashed potato flakes, or pureed carrots, potatoes or tofu for thickening agents

Dry bread crumbs

  • Rolled oats or crushed bran cereal

Eggs

  • Two egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg

Enriched pasta

  • Whole-wheat pasta

Evaporated milk

  • Evaporated skim milk

Fruit canned in heavy syrup

  • Fruit canned in its own juices or in water, or fresh fruit

Fruit-flavored yogurt

  • Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices

Full-fat cream cheese

  • Fat-free or low-fat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth

Full-fat sour cream

  • Fat-free or low-fat sour cream, plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Ground beef

  • Extra-lean or lean ground beef, chicken or turkey breast (make sure no poultry skin has been added to the product)

Iceberg lettuce

  • Arugula, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach or watercress

Margarine in baked goods

  • Trans fat-free butter spreads or shortenings that are specially formulated for baking       Note: If ingredient lists include the term “partially hydrogenated,” it may have up to 0.5 grams of trans fat in one serving. To avoid dense, soggy or flat baked goods, don’t substitute diet, whipped or tub-style margarine for regular margarine.

Mayonnaise

  • Reduced-calorie mayonnaise-type salad dressing or reduced-calorie, reduced-fat mayonnaise

Meat as the main ingredient

  • Three times as many vegetables as the meat on pizzas or in casseroles, soups and stews

Oil-based marinades

  • Wine, balsamic vinegar, fruit juice or fat-free broth

Salad dressing

  • Fat-free or reduced-calorie dressing or flavored vinegars

Seasoning salt, such as garlic salt, celery salt or onion salt

  • Herb-only seasonings, such as garlic powder, celery seed or onion flakes, or use finely chopped herbs or garlic, celery or onions

Soups, sauces, dressings, crackers, or canned meat, fish or vegetables

  • Low-sodium or reduced-sodium versions

Soy sauce

  • Sweet-and-sour sauce, hot mustard sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

Syrup

  • Pureed fruit, such as applesauce, or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup

Table salt

  • Herbs, spices, fruit juices or salt-free seasoning mixes or herb blends

White bread

  • Whole-wheat bread

White rice

  • Brown rice, wild rice, bulgur or pearl barley

Whole milk

  • Reduced-fat or fat-free milk

General Nutrition ,

The Secret To Not Catching The Cold And Flu

bxp136596I am often asked how I keep my immune system running strong during the cold and flu season. Interestingly enough, the answer is relatively simple and easy.

I firmly believe eating a diet rich in organic foods is an excellent form of prevention, particularly in a western world where medical treatments can be extremely expensive! If you think organic foods are costly, think about the expenses associated with future doctor visits, prescriptions and pain management-and the list goes on if you don’t take 100% responsibility for your health and become prevention-proactive now!

So the number one secret is prevention.  Eat a diet that is rich in antioxidants to boost your immune system. This means eating as many bright colored fruits and vegetables (of course choose organic!) that are rich in antioxidants so your immune system can do its job – protect you against common colds, flues and serious illnesses. In fact there is one thing that health officials agree on: the common cold, flu and serious diseases can not take a hold of a healthy immune system. And why choose organic? Science is proving that organic foods are healthier for you and contain higher counts of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants.

Incorporating things like raw garlic can help if you feel yourself start to get sick because it is an all natural antibiotic.  Also drinking lots of fluids will help flush things out of your system.  Since it is recommend that we get lots of antioxidants into our system every day and an average person doesn’t eat enough of those organic fruits and veggies to get them, try adding a superfood or some kind of powdered greens to your diet to help supplement what you aren’t actually eating.

General Nutrition ,

Using Dietary Fiber Supplements in Your Weight Loss Plan

j0444475When you are in the process of slimming down, every little bit of help counts. Things can get somewhat confusing, however, when you start to examine all of the different supplement choices that are out there. From protein to creatine, to Omega 3 and multivitamins, it can be hard to know which you should take and which you can afford to skip. You certainly don’t want to be taking a fistful of pills with every meal but enhancing your nutrition with things like dietary fiber supplements can’t necessarily hurt.

 

Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. Naturally found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, fiber is present in those plant-derived foods that are closest to their natural state. In other words, although other carbohydrate products like cookies and French fries contain dietary fiber, they are poor sources. Closer to their natural state, things like oatmeal and sweet potatoes will have higher fiber counts and give you more bang for your caloric buck.

 

As with any supplement, if your diet is perfect you have no use for them. But really, whose diet is perfect? Dietary fiber supplements can be a good addition on days when you can’t seem to get your fiber count up through diet alone.

 

Dietary fiber supplements and fiber through whole foods can assist with your weight loss efforts through a few avenues. Fiber tends to be bulky and can fill you up better than other empty calories. This means a fiber-rich meal is often lower in calories than one that is lacking roughage. Also, because it fills you up, you will tend to eat less.

 

And no discussion of fiber would be complete without talking about its effects on the digestive system. Fiber keeps things moving. Being regular has its benefits both in weight loss and in general health. When you consistently eliminate waste from your body, you find it easier to maintain a steady weight and you just generally feel better.

 

While a dietary fiber supplement is not a must-have, it isn’t a bad product to have around. The American Heart Association recommends 25 grams of fiber each day. On days when you just can’t hit that mark, consider a natural source fiber supplement to make up the difference.

General Nutrition , ,

We Are What We Eat Part II

imagesThough eating right is easy, learning how to eat right is extremely difficult for most people. And taking the time to properly prepare food rather than pop in a microwave dinner, an impossible challenge. Just because it’s in the health section or it has a green wrapper or is “made with organic ingredients” doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Learning to eat for the sole purpose of nourishing the body at its cellular level is such a paradigm shift for most people, the hard part is not what to do, but how to do it.

Medications are toxic chemicals that suppress symptoms while damaging the body at a cellular level. Many of them damage the immune system. This is a foreign concept if you’ve taken a pill for every ache and pain for thirty years.

Instead of investing in disease with your time and money, why not invest in health? Instead of medical insurance and over the counter and prescription drugs, co-pays, and sick days, what if you invested your time into learning about the best supplements? What if you spent your money on healthy food? What if you spent time preparing food and truly being involved with what fuels and nourishes you? What if what went into your body to nourish and heal you was one of the most important things in your life?

Does it seem like a radical concept? It is for most people. But consider this – would you rather take the time to learn about nutrition now? To gain the knowledge and the appreciation of how our bodies actually work? Or would you like to spend even more energy later on in life learning about your new disease and all of the drugs and allergies that come along with it?

General Nutrition

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