Living Healthy With Vitamins and Minerals
Posted on September 15, 2011 | Supplements.
There are ways to eat smart and ways you should avoid eating. Obviously getting your daily dose of fruits and veggies is more productive than stuffing your face full of deep fried fast food “yum-yums.” Eating right and exercise are not as complicated as you think. And, although the food pyramid seemingly keeps getting re-structured, the types of vitamins and minerals you should be getting does not change.
Vitamins can be either fat or water-soluble. The fat-soluble ones last in your system longer so you can get less of them daily, however, the water-soluble ones must be replenished often because they will not stay in your system. The nutrients we get from foods are based on the portions and the richness of the source. Some, obviously, are richer than others. The other thing is that we should eat the foods when they have the highest potential to provide nutrition.
Think about it this way, when you cook foods you are actually diminishing the amount of nutrients held in them. So, if you are to cook fruits or vegetables for any meal consider steaming, grilling, or baking. Ever have grilled banana with rice and fish? It’s delicious and still fairly healthy. Speaking of, fish can also be steamed or poached. Chicken and other poultry, meat, and other protein heavy foods should be grilled rather than fried.
Lower the amount of tea and coffee you drink daily, the caffeine will actually decrease your vitamin and mineral absorption. That would be counter-productive to your system. However, one or two small cups a day is good for you because it will spike your metabolism and your energy to healthy levels for your heart.
There are other things to remember when choosing foods. Wholegrains and multigrains are better than white breads. Lean cuts of your favorite foods are better for sandwiches. Salads and other water-holding foods ease hunger and fill your stomach until the next mealtime. If you must snack, try nuts and seeds, granola, or fruit slices.
Your daily multivitamins and other supplements should help fill in the gaps. Buy supplements based on need. Target deficiencies you may have, such as low calcium or low iron, and work from there to create a balance. Too little or too much of one vitamin can actually throw your body off and then you’ll have to change your eating habits just to make up for it.
Best Foods For Ocular Nutrition
Posted on September 11, 2011 | Nutrition.
If you are frequently plagued with vision related problems, you may find you can confine the symptoms to your past by ensuring you have the correct ocular nutrition. Just like other organs and systems in the body, the eyes need a constant flow of nutrients to perform correctly. Unfortunately, most modern diets are loaded with junk food and potential toxins which do nothing but cause harm to the body. The advice discussed below should help in ensuring that the number of vision related problems you suffer from are kept to an absolute minimum.
Kale, broccoli, cabbage, and spinach are a few of the leafy green vegetables that are rich in carotenoids. Carotenoids are important in minimizing the occurrence of macular degeneration in the eye, this is a disease that inflicts upon an area behind the retina, and which if not treated can even result in blindness. By maintaining an adequate intake of leafy green vegetables the chance of developing this condition would be greatly reduced.
Fruits such as blueberries, apricots, and blackcurrant can also be consumed regularly to maintain healthy vision. These types of fruits are believed to reduce the risk of eye infection, as well as damage caused by excessive exposure to harsh sunlight.
Foods that are lycopene rich are also essential in ensuring ocular health. You can source lycopene from tomatoes, when consumed regularly it will enhance night vision and reduce color blindness. Lycopene is one of the most important sources of nutrition for the eyes.
You may already be aware that omega 3 is an important compound for the body in terms of preventing rheumatic conditions and improving mental health, but did you know that it is also useful in developing eye muscle strength and reducing dryness. Omega 3 can be sourced from fish such as mackerel and salmon, as well as from nuts and seeds such as hemp. There is also the option of using an omega 3 supplement to get the same effect.
At the end of the day, the best diet for preventing various health problems is one that is balanced. Try to minimize the intake of processed foods as these have very little nutritional value. Five portions of fresh fruit and vegetable each day, alongside side some amount of carbohydrate and protein can be the best option. You should also make sure that you keep your body adequately hydrated as if not this can result in problems relating to vision.