Sunday, January 27, 2013

Feed Your Body What It Needs: Nutrition Tips

By Aurelio Crissler


Nutrition can imply a lot of different connotations depending upon whom you ask or talk to about it. We all know that food should taste good, but that doesn't mean that it has to be bad for you. Take some time to eat healthier and look your best using the tips below.

Increase the amount of fruits you're eating by making a breakfast smoothie. Throw some low fat yogurt, fresh frozen fruit of your choosing, a banana and some milk into the blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy! You can hide all kids of healthy ingredients in a smoothie that you won't be able to taste at all.

Worried about nutrition? Try the six meals a day plan. By taking the normal "three" meals a day motto and splitting them up, you can actually help your metabolism and make your body more energetic and ready to function. By having smaller portions, your body can better digest the food and absorb the nutrients which are necessary for you to thrive.

When it comes to good nutrition, a good exercise plan is also important. Make sure that your nutrition matches your exercise goals or you will burn yourself out. Also, make sure you start with goals you can easily attain and slowly work yourself up. Giving yourself unreachable goals will just make your nutrition efforts that much harder, and cause you to feel unmotivated to continue.

Nutrition can be undertaken for many reasons. Some people just prefer the lifestyle in general while others are trying to lose weight and some people even have medical issues demanding the changes in their life. Be sure to understand exactly what your goals are before you start changing your diet.

Obesity and nutrition are major concerns today. Not obese people have poor eating habits that have lead to excess weight gain. Many people who are classified as obese have a great diet. Nutrition is one way to help one maintain over all heath, even if weight issues are present.

Avoid starving your body of nutrients by eating a healthy breakfast. Folks who skip breakfast end up going without ingesting nutrients for hours, and that's as unhealthy as it sounds. Without adequate fuel, you're putting both your body and your brain at a disadvantage. Don't try to take on a day by throwing away several good hours that could be more productive.

To ward off common geriatric ailments like Alzheimer's, adults over the age of 55 should modify their diet to include foods that nourish the brain with omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients can be taken in a prescription form or can be ingested from fish, nuts, and a variety of brightly colored fruits and veggies.

For the best nutritional value, be sure not to overcook your vegetables. Simply steaming them for 10 minutes or so is usually plenty to get the right texture and retain the most in flavor and nutrition. Whatever you do, don't boil your veggies for an extended period of time. This robs them of nutritional value.

Try eating low-fat dairy products. Milk and cheese have very high fat levels, and instead of cutting them out of a healthy diet completely, try eating them in a more sensible, low-fat way. Try cheeses that are lower in fat, such as cottage cheese, and try purchasing 1% or 2% milk. This way you can still enjoy dairy foods and their benefits.

Drink plenty of water. When you are thirsty you may be dehydrated. Instead of drinking sugary drinks or soda, drink water. This will help flush your body of toxins, cool your nervous system and refresh your muscles and brain. It can make you less stressed when you stay hydrated and refreshed.

In the grocery store, shop the outer areas and try to avoid the inner aisles. The outer walls of the grocery store is where the good stuff is. Fruits and veggies, fresh meat, fish, bread and dairy are all usually located on the outer aisles and areas. The inner aisles are usually full of preprocessed foods that can tempt you off course like cookies, chips, pastas, and others. Stay away from them to keep your shopping in line.

While high-protein meats and poultry can be part of a healthy diet, many nutritionists suggest including at least one meat-free meal into your weekly diet. Instead of meat, add in additional servings of low sodium cooked beans, soy products, or a variety of unsalted nuts like pecans, peanuts, and walnuts.

Vitamin B6 is an important part of a healthy diet. Vitamin B6 works to metabolize protein and carbohydrates. It is also important in helping your body maintain a healthy blood sugar level. B6 is a player in the functioning of your immune and nervous systems. It also helps to keep anemia away.

You should limit the amount of sugar your children are eating per day. More children are developing diabetes than ever before because they are being fed foods that are full of sugar, preservatives and chemicals. Busy parents can create a diet for their children that is healthy if they take the time to plan ahead.

The best way to maximize your nutritional program is to effectively balance your foods. For example, a good pairing for breakfast would be oatmeal, a complex carbohydrate and eggs, which are pure protein. This combination burns in your body effectively since they two items play off of each other which maximizes their individual properties.

Do not miss your semi-annual cleanings and exams. These exams ensure that you can are informed about all of the things going on with your body. If you are a woman, it is important that you frequently give yourself personal breast examinations so you can catch cancer before it gets you.

It's true that food needs to be tasty for you to want to eat it. That said, you still have to eat things that are good for you and your body. You can always improve upon your nutrition plan, and hopefully these tips gave you advice on how to do that.




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