Do you eat a wide variety of foods for a healthy diet?
Zaak OConan

One of the most frequently cited reasons that diets and attempts at healthy eating fail is boredom. Many people simply do not know how to keep a healthy diet interesting day after day, and it can be quite a challenge.

Given the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and other healthy foods at the local grocery store, however, it is definitely possible to create exciting, nutritious meals that will keep boredom at bay.

Your key to healthy eating
The key to the success of any plan for healthy eating is to eat what you like, but to exercise moderation when it comes to the less healthy foods. Improving your level of health and fitness does not mean forgoing that piece of chocolate cake, for instance. It does mean, however, limiting yourself to one piece. A healthy diet contains all types of foods, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats. The key is choosing foods that provide the best combination of taste and nutrition. After all, if your diet consists of foods you hate, you will not stick with it.

The revised USDA food pyramid contains five major food groups – grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, and meat and beans. When choosing foods from these groups, it is important to eat a wide variety of foods from every food group. Doing so will not only give you a great deal of variety and keep boredom from setting in, but it will provide the best nutritional balance as well. In addition the widely known macronutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, etc. all foods contain a variety of micronutrients. Though present in extremely tiny amounts, they are vitally important to good health. That is why a healthy, varied diet is so important.

In addition, when choosing foods from within the various food groups, some choices are naturally better and healthier than others. For instance, choosing skim or 2% milk instead of full fat whole milk is a good way to cut down on both fat and calories. And choosing poultry or lean meat is a great way to get the protein you need every day without extra fat, cholesterol and calories.

Likewise cereals and breads that carry the whole grain label are healthier than those who do not. Even in the world of fruits and vegetables some choices are better than others. For instance, peaches packed in heavy syrup add unnecessary sugar to the diet, while those packed in water or juice provide only good nutrition.

There has been a trend lately to add vitamin fortification to food, and this can sometimes be a good way to maximize nutrition. It is important to remember, however, that proper nutrition comes from a healthy diet, not from vitamin supplements. It is fine to buy calcium fortified cereal, but the bulk of your calcium intake should still come from milk, dairy products and green leafy veggies.

Choosing the best foods
Knowing the five major food groups and how much of each to eat every day is only part of the picture. The other part is choosing the best foods from within those food groups. That means things like choosing the leanest cuts of meat, using egg substitutes instead of whole eggs, choosing the freshest fruits and vegetables, etc.

Even with fruits and vegetables, some choices are better than others. Some fruits, such as avocados, for instance, are packed with fat and calories. It is important to check the nutritional qualities of the fruits and vegetables you buy, and not simply assume that all fruits and vegetables are equally healthy.

One way to maximize nutrition while minimizing cost is to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually quite a bit cheaper than those that must be shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles, and they are generally much fresher too. Of course, depending on where you live, there may be varieties of fruits and vegetables that are not available locally, so the northerner in search of citrus fruits will just have to watch the sales and buy accordingly.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

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Advice on choosing health food and healthy foods and reading nutrition labels
Chris Robertson

Health food doesn’t need a definition, does it? We all know what
health food is it’s yogurt and granola, whole-grain cereal and
organically grown vegetables and fruit. It’s 100% natural, no
preservatives or dyes, unadulterated, pure. When you put all
that together, you should have healthy food, yet all too often,
what’s marketed as health food these days barely classifies as
food, let alone health food.

Take a look at one of our favorite health food choices – yogurt.
It hit supermarket shelves in the early seventies, though it had
been available before that in health food stores and
restaurants. Real yogurt has two ingredients: milk (whole, skim
or low fat) and live yogurt cultures. That’s health food –
calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, protein. Next time you’re at the
supermarket, take a look at the dairy case. You’ll find row
after row of hyper-sweetened brightly colored rainbow swirled
and candy-sprinkled yogurt packaged in ways that appeal to our
littlest consumers – children. Millions of parents buy the
enticing packages, secure that because it’s yogurt, they’re
buying food that’s healthy for their children.

One look at the label, though, and it’s clear that these kiddy
yogurts (as well as most of the yogurt that’s marketed to
adults) are a far cry from heath food. Some of the most popular
yogurts for children contain anywhere from 3 to 10 added
teaspoons of sugar. Considering how many teaspoons of yogurt are
in a single serving, you might as well hand your child the sugar
bowl. In addition, most yogurts include “natural” ingredients
that have little to do with health food. Ingredients like pectin
(to thicken yogurt), carrageenan (a seafood extract that gives
some yogurts their body, and annatto (for color) add little
nutritionally to yogurt. They’re in the mix to serve one main
purpose: to help yogurt survive its trip from the factory to
your table.

You’ll find the same situation with other foods that originally
made their debut as health foods in the seventies. Granola has
become granola bars with chocolate chips and gooey caramel.
Whole wheat flour is bleached and denuded of its flavorful
kernels. Sunflower seeds are roasted in oil and salted. Even
brown rice comes in the instant variety.

Healthy food not health food

The secret to feeding your family (and yourself) a healthful
diet of healthy food is to read the labels. The United States
Food & Drug Administration has laid out strict guidelines for
nutritional labeling of all food products. The nutrition label
will tell you all you need to know to choose real health foods.
Some things to keep in mind when reading nutrition labels for
health foods:

* In the ingredient’s portion of the nutrition label,
ingredients are listed in order by amount. The ingredient that’s
listed first is the main ingredient, followed by the next
largest amount, etc.

* The nutrition facts label must list each of the required
nutrients even if the food provides 0% of the recommended daily
value.

* The nutrition facts label must list what portion of the food’s
calories is derived from fat, from sugar, from protein and from
carbohydrates. It will also break down the fat into saturated
and unsaturated fat.

Reading labels on everything you feed your family is the best
way to tell whether a food is really a health food – or just
masquerading as one.

About the author:

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon
International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on
the web. Visit this Food Website
and Majon’s Food
directory.

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3 Easy Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy
Amie Gerlowski

There are plenty of articles out there about what to do to make your skin look young again. But what if you still have it? How do young women keep their skin looking the way it is now well into the future? The following five easy tips can help you keep your youthful glow.

1. Use Sunscreen, Never Tan. It’s hard for young women to resist the warm glow that a few hours of tanning can bring. But the damage that it does beneath the surface accumulates over time–ultimately leaving the skin dull and thin. By the time premature aging becomes evident, significant amounts of damage has taken place below the surface. Rather than a week of beauty, think of long-term beauty. If you really want to give your skin an added glow, try shimmering lotions and makeups. Or, for a darker look, try artificial tanners (but be careful, they can sometimes leave you looking more orange than tan). Don’t forget that you can experience the damaging effects of the sun even if you aren’t deliberately trying to tan. Make applying sunscreen part of your daily routine. Purchasing moisturizers with sunscreen already in them can help. Remember, only 15 minutes of sun exposure each day provides you with the vitamin D you need to stay healthy.

2. Eat the Right Foods. You’ve always heard the phrase “You are what you eat” and that is exactly right when talking about your skin! What you eat is not just relevant to your weight. It also affects the health of your skin. Clinical studies have shown that eating diets rich in fatty acids and antioxidants can help skin retain its youthful appearance. Foods good for your skin include fish, vegetables, whole grains and fruits including all kinds of berries. Antioxidants in the diet may help reduce the appearance of age spots. Fatty acids are one of the components of metabolic processes within the body that are also integral to the maintenance of healthy skin. Making these foods a part of your daily diet can benefit you for years to come.

3. Clean and Moisturize! Don’t neglect your skin. For normal skin, a gentle daily cleanser is all you need. Using a washcloth needlessly pulls and tears at the skin. Cleanse your skin with your fingers using gentle, circular motions, paying particular attention not to stretch the delicate eye area. Moisturizing the skin is also important to protect it from the effects of the elements including wind, pollution, and sun (if it is a sunscreen moisturizure). Not only does it protect the skin from the outside, but also helps it to retain its natural moisture from the inside. Keep in mind that spending a lot of money is not necessary. If your skin is oily or you have a problem with acne, use products designed specifically for your skin type. You may want to consult a dermatologist to seek prescription treatments. Never attempt to pop your pimples. This will increase the size of your pores and possibly cause scaring.

Essentially, if your skin is young, value it! Taking simple precautionary steps can help keep it that way. Think of the benefits of having healthy skin in the future. Use sunscreen, eat healthy, and following a daily skin regimine. You don’t need alot of money to keep your skin healthy. All it takes is common sense and good lifestyles choices.

About the Author

Amie Gerlowski writes about skin care topics such as skin doctors and tanning. Learn more at http://www.feelconfident.co.uk .

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Green tea leaves are harvested and dried before they even ferment. This process ensures that organic green tea keeps many of its healthy properties compared to other teas which undergo a lot of processes. Organic green tea produces a fresher and more aromatic flavor that many people love and enjoy. Aside from its taste and aroma, green teas are patronized more for their benefits to the overall condition of the body. They are now included in many diets and are made into diet supplements in the form of pills and extracts as well.

Little Facts about Organic Green Tea

Men have been drinking organic green tea for over half a million years now. Its medicinal effects posses been known by Chinese people long before researches and experiments have been done to manifest its benefits. The history of green tea traces back from Asian culture, used as a beverage or an herbal medicine. Because a matter of fact, history reports show that organic green tea was used as an astringent before to jurisdiction bleeding and to help mend wounds.

What Makes Organic Tea Special

Catechin Polyphenols, a powerful antioxidant can be found richly in green tea. The mingled is known to kill cancer cells, lowers bad cholesterol levels, and inhibits scheme of blood clots. What sets organic green tea apart from other tea like oolong, and black tea is how it is processed. Organic green tea is steamed so its important compounds are not oxidized. Other teas are usually mythical from fermented leaves which get ready the beneficial health compounds not as effective as when it is only steamed.

Health Benefits of Green Tea

The popularity of green tea grew with the interest in fitness and healthy lifestyle. Tea contains a group of compounds called Polyphenols which acts as antioxidants to the body. Great benefits double preventing cancer retain been proven to come from drinking organic green tea. Aside from that, here are a few more benefits of green tea to the health of a person:
Prevents flu Green tea can boost opportunity against influenza
Lowers Blood pressure Blood handicap can be lowered by 50 % by drinking at least two cups of green tea a day
Cleanses the Digestive System Tannins in tea cleanses the digestive tract and can calm a troubled stomach
Aids in Weight Loss Organic green tea is rich in antioxidants known as catechins which helps reduce the affection of fats. Metabolism is also increased by drinking a cup to two of green tea everyday
Dental Health Cavity is prevented with the aid of fluoride from green tea. Aside from that, antioxidants kill bacteria and thus fresher breathe is obtained
Bone Strength Organic green tea is rich in Vitamin D which helps maintain bone density

Harmful Effects of Organic Green Tea

The hazards of green tea to the health are due to its caffeine. Insomnia can be experienced by those who consume more than five cups of green tea a day. However, compared to coffee, green tea contains lesser caffeine.

24 Hour Fitness
http://www.www.24-hr-fitness.com

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