You Really Are What You Eat

Recent dietary research has uncovered 14 different nutrient-dense foods that time and again promote good overall health.  Coined “superfoods,” they tend to have fewer calories, higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and many disease-fighting antioxidants.
Beans (legumes), berries (especially blueberries), broccoli, green tea, nuts (especially walnuts), oranges, pumpkin, salmon. soy, spinach, tomatoes, turkey, whole grains and oats, and yogurt can all help stop and even reverse diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and some forms of cancer. And where one might have an effect on a certain part of the body, it can also affect the health of other body functions and performance, since the whole body is connected.  With these 14 foods as the base of a balanced, solid diet, weight loss gimmicks and other fly-by-night programs can become a thing of the past in your life. 
Conversely, the ill-effects of an unbalanced diet are several and varied. Low energy levels, mood swings, tired all the time, weight change, uncomfortable with body are just a few signs that your diet is unbalanced.  An unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance of body tissues, growth and development, brain and nervous system function, as well as problems with bone and muscle systems.
Symptoms of malnutrition include lack of energy, irritability, a weakened immune system leading to frequent colds or allergies, and mineral depletion that can trigger a variety of health concerns including anemia.  
And since the body is connected, realizing that an unhealthy body will result in an unhealthy spirit only makes sense.  When we nourish our body with these super foods and complement them with other nutrient-dense and healthy fresh foods, our spirit will be vitalized and healthy as a direct result.
Many modern diets based on prepackaged convenience foods are sorely lacking in many vitamins and minerals, which can affect our mental capacities as well, and cause irritability, confusion, and the feeling of ‘being in a fog’ all the time. 
Superfoods can be the basis of a sound, healthy, nutritious solution to curing many of these ailments and more.  

Changing How You Eat

Changing How You Eat

As you may know, not fueling up with the right
nutrients can affect how well your body performs
and your overall fitness benefits.  Even though
healthy eating is important, there are myths that
hinder your performance if you listen to them.
Below, you'll find some myth busters on healthy
eating.

1.  Working out on an empty stomach.
If you hear a rumbling noise in your stomach, the
rumbling is trying to tell you something.  Without
listening to them, you are forcing your body to
run without any fuel.  Before you exercise or do
any physical activity, always eat a light snack
such as an apple.

2.  Relying on energy bars and drinks.
Although they are fine every once in a while, they
don't deliver the antioxidants you need.  Fruits and vegetables are your best bets,
as they are loaded in vitamins, minerals, fluid,
and fibre.

3.  Skipping breakfast.
Skipping breakfast is never a good idea,as
breakfast starts the day.Your body needs fuel
as soon as possible, and without it, you'll be
hungry throughout the day.

4.  Low carb diets.
Your body needs carbohydrates for your muscles and
the storing of energy. 

5.  Eating what you want.
Eating healthy and exercising doesn't give you an
all access pass to eat anything you want. Everyone
needs the same nutrients whether they exercise or
not, as well as fruits and vegetables.

6.  Not enough calories.
Although losing weight involves calories, losing
it too quickly is never safe.  What you should do,
is aim for 1 - 2 pounds a week.  Always make sure
that you are getting enough calories to keep your
body operating smoothly.  If you start dropping
weight too fast, eat a bit more food.

7.  Skip soda and alcohol.
Water, milk,and juice is the best to drink for
active people.  You should drink often, and not
rely on thirst to be an indicator.  By the time
you get thirsty, your body is already running a
bit too low.
 
Changing how you eat is always a great step
towards healthy eating and it will affect how your
body performs.  The healthier you eat, you better
you'll feel.  No matter how old you may be, healthy
eating is something you should strive for.
Once you give it a try, you'll see in no time just how much it can change your life - for the
better.

Experience Healthy Weight Loss By Eating Slower

"How in the world can I experience healthy weight loss by eating slower?" you just asked yourself. Right? If you didn't maybe you should have. In this article I will tell you how this works and tell you how this can benefit you health wise and weight loss wise.

Believe it or not you can lose weight, get healthy and stay that way, by following this fat shedding advice. It is literally one of the best pieces of advice I can give you. And it is something you can start today! Drum roll please! Eat your food more slowly. It can take your brain as much as 20 minutes or more to process that you are full.

Hunger actually happens in your brain, not your stomach. When it is full, your stomach sends a signal to your brain to stop eating. However, it takes time for that signal to get to your brain. Meanwhile, you are continuing to plow food into your body, before that signal reaches your brain.

The Chinese have a saying “eat until you are two thirds full.” This is good advice because even after you stop eating, you will continue to feel more full as the brain processes the food you have eaten. In fact, studies have shown that people routinely eat 100 to 200 more calories than they need each sitting just because they don’t stop when they ought to. So, slowing down your food consumption will actually allow your brain to process the signals that you are getting full.

People who eat slower tend to weigh less in general.

In one study, women were monitored at two meals. In the first meal, they were given a large plate of pasta and told to eat quickly. In the second meal, they were told to chew each bite at least 20 times. In the first meal, they ate an average of 646 calories in 9 minutes. In the second meal, they ate 579 calories in 29 minutes before they felt full.

In addition to losing weight, when you eat food slowly, you will enjoy it more. You can eat a small amount of an indulgent food rather than a big hunk of cake. But, you will experience a higher level of satisfaction with the smaller amount.

You will also be better able to digest your food. Digestion starts in the mouth. The more work you do there, the less work you will have to do in the stomach. Paying attention to your eating can also reduce the amount of stress in your life. Meal time will become a time of relaxation and rejuvenation rather than one more harried activity in the day.

You will also be able to really enjoy the company of the people with whom you eat. Our fast lives lead to fast food. Fast food makes you fat. Instead, slow down, prepare your own food, and eat it leisurely.