Nutrition

Article by Leo Babauta

Like many people, I tend to overeat during the holidays, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. It’s kinda part of the tradition to consume huge amounts of food, you know?

And like many others, I also tend to gain weight during the holidays — some people can gain 5 or more pounds (though for most it’s usually only a couple pounds).

Not this time around.

On Thanksgiving, while I enjoyed time with my family, and while everyone else pigged out, I ate moderately and wisely. And I felt great about it. I also got a great workout in the morning after — heavy deadlifts followed by two brutal 10-minute weight circuits and finished with 15 minutes of hard intervals.

This will be the healthiest holiday season ever for me. I’m also starting a meal plan and exercise routine that will have me drop some fat while gaining muscle by New Years, I promise. I’ll publish more about this plan after I see the results (3 pounds dropped already).

But the really cool thing I started on Thanksgiving comes from the Okinawan people (who don’t live too far away from my home, the beautiful island of Guam).

The Okinawan Diet Rules

The Okinawans (the indiginous people of the Ryukyu islands in Japan) are famous for having the longest life expectancy in the world. This single fact has had them studied from every angle, from diet to lifestyle to genetics to environment. And while all of these have played a factor, there’s no doubt that their traditional diet has played a big part — when they eat a more modern, Western-style diet, they don’t live as long or as healthy.

So what’s their secret? Actually, there are two secrets (and they’re not really secrets), and I used these rules to guide my eating on Thanksgiving (and beyond):

Rule 1. Eat to 80% full. The Okinawans call this rule “Hara Hachi Bu”, and if you haven’t tried it, you should. I did this on Thanksgiving — while I usually stuff myself with all the good food, I just ate until I was about 80% full. Of course, there’s no way to know exactly how full you are, but it’s a guideline. And as our brains are 10-20 minutes behind our stomachs, it usually turns out that when you think you’re 80% full, you’re actually full … while when we eat to 100% full, we are usually overstuffing ourselves.

The result of this rule for Okinawans is that they end up eating fewer calories than most people. They tend not to gain too much weight as a result, and coupled with their active lifestyles (they farm and garden and generally stay active, even into their 100s), it keeps them very healthy.

The result for the rest of us is that eating fewer calories will keep the extra pounds off. If we pair this with the next rule and an active lifestyle, we can actually lose weight during the holidays.

Rule 2: Eat healthy foods, mostly plants. Way before Michael Pollan wrote about his simple rules for eating healthy, the Okinawans had this down. They eat way more veggies than most people (mostly green and yellow ones), as well as whole grains, tofu, fish and other legumes. They eat very little sugar, and very little meat, dairy or eggs. This contradicts low-carb diets such as the Zone, Atkins, Paleo and others — I’m not saying those don’t work for whatever your goals are, but I am saying that a mostly plant-based diet has been proven to work well for the Okinawans.

I used these guidelines during Thanksgiving. I don’t eat meat or fish, so I stuck with veggies and sweet potatoes and a mango-ginger tofu dish I made. Again, I ate to about 80% full, and loved it. OK, I also had some pumpkin pie (made it myself) but as I ate mostly healthy and didn’t overeat, I felt great about it.

Can you follow these rules throughout the holidays, and the rest of your life as well? The Okinawans did it (although the younger generation has changed to a more Western lifestyle and has suffered for it) and I think I can too, most of the time. Treats are great in moderation, but moderation is the key word.

Get Active Too

I’m adding more exercise to these Okinawan diet rules (not to be confused with the commercial Okinawan diet, which I think is unnecessary if you follow these rules). The extra activity will help burn any extra calories I take in (which won’t be a huge amount) and I hope lean me out even more. My goal is to be in the best shape of my life by New Year’s — why wait until then to start?

The key is to just get active. Exercise regularly if you can, play sports, toss a ball around with your family. My nephews and I tossed a football around and worked up a sweat durng Thanksgiving lunch, and the next day during a day-after-Thanksgiving dinner with my dad I went swimming with the kids.

For those who are curious, I’ll list my current workout routine. I don’t expect anyone to follow it, especially if you’re not very active already.

• Mon: Running — intervals combined with steady state for 40-60 mins
• Tue: Heavy weights plus metabolic-conditioning strength circuits plus 15-mins of high-intensity cardio intervals
• Wed: Running — hill sprint repeats combined with steady state for 40-60 mins
• Thu: Heavy weights plus metabolic-conditioning strength circuits plus 15-mins of high-intensity cardio intervals
• Fri: Running — longer distance running (over an hour, sometimes two) including some intervals
• Sat: Heavy weights plus metabolic-conditioning strength circuits plus 15-mins of high-intensity cardio intervals
• Sun: rest (although I often play soccer with the kids or do yardwork or sometimes go hiking)

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By Simon Evans

For some time now, we've been promoting the role of a healthy lifestyle in maintaining brain fitness. Another new study lends more support, but before we get into that we thought we'd focus on some common-sense topics as to why this is true.

One simple concept to understand that doesn't require a PhD is the fact that any organ in your body, including your brain, needs a healthy blood supply to access nutrients and oxygen. This is one reason why heart disease and mental health problems, including dementia are so often related. If you tied a tourniquet around your leg to cut-off the blood supply, you shouldn't be surprised when your foot stops working to well.

The same is true for your brain. If you continue to do things that are bad for your cardiovascular system, like sit around all day and eat chips, your vascular system will eventually have a problem, and this is not good news for your brain. In fact, your brain uses about 20% of the oxygen that you breathe and the calories that you eat. Your blood supply is responsible to get that stuff to the right place in order to keep your brain in good working operation.

The benefits of life-long learning and continually challenging your mind to keep it sharp are well established. But if you don't couple that effort with doing what's necessary to maintain a healthy neurovascular system, you cannot fully realize the benefit. You may have read a lot about neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, which is the constant rewiring of your brain that occurs when you stay mentally active and helps to keep your mind agile. However, this process can only work well if the blood vessels near all this rewiring are healthy enough to do their job. Otherwise, where is the energy, nutrients and oxygen necessary for the remodeling job going to come from?

Think of neurogenesis as a new housing subdivision going into an existing community and the roads as the blood supply to service the houses. If you were the builder constructing this new development you wouldn't get very far if you didn't first attend to the new roads. Not only are the roads needed for the new owners to get in and out of their homes; but they are needed for delivering all the lumber and concrete, enabling the different crews to come in and construct the new houses, and take all the trash away. Similarly, new brain cells or new brain cell connections need healthy roads (neurovascular system) to work right.

Related to this, a recent large study, just unveiled this month (April 2008) by Dr. Thomas Montine from the University of Washington, reports that 33% of the risk of dementia stems from disease of small blood-vessels in the brain. In this 12-year study, 3,400 men and women over age 65 volunteered for periodic cognitive testing and a brain autopsy upon their death. In the 221 autopsies performed, researchers discovered that small blood vessel disease accounted for about 1/3 of the risk for dementia. Importantly, this type of small blood vessel disease may go unnoticed for some time. We're not talking about big events like a stroke or blood clot blocking a large vessel. However over time these small problems can add up, and result in cognitive impairment.

Admittedly, this study comes from the Pacific Northwest, the origin of grunge-rock and Starbucks coffee. We can't be sure that all these people aren't suffering from some kind of post-angst cognitive disorder, or a latent flannel shirt allergy! We also can't rule out suffering from some sort of post-tramautic stress after invading the world with high-priced coffee, equivalent to about $18.00 per gallon; slightly more than we're currently paying for gas. In fact, one of us (Evans) was raised in Seattle and may be showing some early symptomology.

However, with these potential confounds aside (unless Austin Powers was right, and during the time that Dr. Evil was cryogenically preserved his faithful cronies invested heavily in Starbucks), this study is an incredibly important step that illustrates the diversity of factors that can lead to dementia. Even more importantly, it suggests that you can substantially decrease your odds of developing dementia by attending to life-style factors that can protect against vascular disease.

The beauty is that we have a good idea of how to do this since blood vessels serve to supply active areas of the body with nutrients! So if your brain is active (which requires energy), and you're maintaining your overall vascular health by eating right and exercising, odds are that you will be greatly reducing your risk of developing dementia from small vessel disease. Now it should be noted that research is ongoing on this subject, but common sense would suggest that this will hold true.

Taken together this highlights some very important reasons as to why exercise and nutrition play such a crucial role in brain fitness. Attending to both of these lifestyle factors is necessary to maintain a healthy blood supply and the creation of new blood vessels, in order to feed new brain circuits established by learning and mental activity. If you neglect this aspect of brain fitness, you may literally limit your ability to benefit from neurogenesis and synaptogenesis induced by many of the 'brain-training' programs designed to keep your mind young.

Copyright (c) 2008 BrainFit For Life

Learn to control stress, improve your metabolism and boost your intelligence with the four cornerstones of Brain Fitness. Visit http://www.BrainFitForLife.com for FREE Brain Fitness resources.

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Author: Mark Macdonald

Thanksgiving to the New Year seems to be the Scariest time for most people who are Health Conscious. Most people view these 6 weeks as the inevitable time they Gain Weight and becomes the classic downfall to their program. I am here to tell you that you Can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too... it all comes back to Understanding the Body and Educating yourself on the proper adjustments before and after you have an "Off Plan" meal and realizing that a few additional days of extra enjoyment has a very minor effect on your waistline in the grand scheme of things.

Let me use my recent Thanksgiving Meal as an example. First, you should know that I love Thanksgiving and I love to eat! When dinner was served I ate everything on the table: Turkey, Stuffing, Bread, Butter, Broccoli Casserole, Pumpkin Bread, Vanilla Ice Cream and of course Whip Cream! Needless to say this was a meal that spiked my blood sugar levels and I enjoyed every moment...

In the past I would feel guilty before I ate the meal, while I ate it and after I was finished, thinking that I was sabotaging myself. I thought I needed to be 100% compliant 100% of the time. Even when I was knee deep in it, that mentality just never seemed realistic so I decided to focus on the body's physiology, and uncover some secrets that would minimize storing fat from big meals. Now these Secrets should be used for all "Off Meals", not just during Holiday time.

Let's start with the most important secret, Eating Consistently before the Meal. Too many times people don't eat anything all day in preparation for their feast of an "Off Meal". This becomes a nightmare for your metabolism. What ends up happening is you burn lean tissue mass all day long while you are skipping meals. Your muscle mass is responsible for a fast metabolism, so if you burn muscle mass you slow down your metabolism causing you to store more body-fat. Additionally you will be eating with low blood sugar; this in turn maximizes your appetite. The end result is a very high blood sugar spike alongside an Increase in fat storage. This metabolic swing can be avoided simply: just eat balanced meals right up until the "Off Plan" Meal. Doing this will keep your body stable and burn energy more efficiently through the day. It will also prevent you from severely overeating at the "Off Plan" meal.

The second secret to surviving these kinds of meals is to eat a Meal of Just Protein and Fat 4 hours after the "Off Plan" Meal. Eating food causes the digestive system to work, and an active digestive system typically means an active metabolism. Most people after an "Off Plan" meal will not eat for the rest of the evening. This causes the body to flip right over into a storage state, something that carries over to the next day - and they'll have no appetite upon waking. There is an easy solution to this. Even 4 hours after an "Off Meal" the body's blood sugar may still be high, so by having a ½ Meal of just Protein and Fat (No Carbohydrates), you'll allow stimulation of the digestive tract and will increase your body's metabolic rate, helping digest your initial "Off Plan" meal. In this second meal, you want to avoid carbohydrates since your blood sugar is still high and carbohydrates are the biggest component in causing elevated blood sugar. You will notice that this second meal will cause your appetite to increase later in the evening and this way you'll wake up the next morning hungry. These are very good signs that your body has used the extra energy available to it.

The last Secret is to accept that "Off Plan" Meals are good for you! There are 365 days in a year, if you are consistent 85% of the time you are doing Fantastic. "Off Plan" meals are a great way to indulge in your favorite foods, enjoy Social Gatherings, and most important give yourself a Vacation from your regimen. There are even studies showing that an "Off Plan" meal can be helpful in breaking through Plateaus, due to the way they tend to shake up the body's metabolism.

There you have it, the Three Secrets to fully enjoying your Holiday meals as well as any Future "Off Plan" meals. It's important to remember that the Key to Achieving your Permanent Nutrition and Fitness Goals is your day to day consistency. "Off Plan" meals, if used in moderation, are excellent for maintaining a realistic and balanced approach to your program. By embracing these ideas, you can now let go of the worry about Weight Gain during the Holidays. Implement these three secrets and you can Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

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By Lynn Burchard

The holiday season is approaching. It is only 4 short weeks away. Time really does go by very quickly doesn't it? The holidays, are for many, a time of peace, a time to reflect on the year gone by and a time for fun and family. If you are like me, the holidays are for family gatherings and all the festivities that go along with it. I enjoy making those special memories that will last a lifetime in the minds of my children. Hopefully, they will continue these family traditions into adulthood. The holidays have always been a time of joy and happiness in spite of the feasting, calorie intake and bloating that usually occurs after this joyous season.

There are many ways you can help to balance between maintaining your ideal weight and participating in all the fun and the festivities of the season without feeling guilty or overwhelmed. If you follow these 8 eating healthy tips for holiday feasting, you too can enjoy yourself worry free.

1. Exercise - Most people find themselves with extra time during the holidays. Take this time to develop a regular exercise routine and stick to it. Developing this good habit will help you burn the extra calories you eat during the holiday season and it will help you get into the habit of exercising when the holidays are over.
2. Eat regularly - If you are going to a party don't starve yourself all day. By doing this you are more likely to be famished and to eat everything in sight. During the day, eat light, low-fat snacks. This will make you feel less hungry while you are out partying.
3. Balance each meal - Don't fill your plate up with rich and full caloried foods. Strike a balance by taking a little of everything including fruits and vegetables. By doing this, you not only get to indulge but you also receive important vitamins and nutrients.
4. Be assertive - Don't feel obligated to say yes to everyone who offers you food and drinks. If you are not hungry say so. Do not get pressured into eating food you don't want to eat.
5. Don't clear your plate - Don't feel obliged to eat everything on your plate. Feel free to leave what you don't want to eat. When you feel full, just stop eating. It's that simple.
6. Watch those sugary foods - Remember, that eating sweets can make you crave more sweets. By keeping yourself focused on healthy food and regular exercise, you can expect to have more energy and fewer cravings.
7. Lower your alcohol intake - Alcohol is fattening also. It contains calories and lots of them. Try to control the alcohol you consume in the same way you would the food you eat. Don`t over-indulge. There are plenty of lower-calorie beer and wines on the market. Try to purchase the healthier versions when possible.
8. Prepare for your scheduled outings - If you have planned outings and holiday meals, compensate by having healthy meal days between events. Most of us just want to forget about eating healthy during the holidays but you don't have to. With proper planning, you can manage your diet without forgetting about it.

Preparing yourself properly is important. By planning ahead you can significantly reduce your stress level. Implement these 8 eating healthy tips for your successful holiday feasting and enjoy yourself this season.

Lynn Burchard is a Wellness Consultant recognized for her dedication and expertise in the field of nutrition, lifestyle and health. She lives with her husband and 4 children in Ontario, Canada and dedicates a large percentage of her time making sure her family stays healthy. She is continuously studying and learning through education, all aspects of nutrition, lifestyle and health that affect day to day living. Her passion is helping others take better care of themselves by providing useful information to those individuals who have been misinformed and bombarded by all sorts of health claims. She has recently written a Free Report entitled "The Health-Wise Report". Head on over to http://www.nutritionlifestylehealth.com and grab your copy today!

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By Zach Hunt

We ingest salt every day, whether we realize it or not. Various organizations, including the USDA, AHA, and Cooking Light magazine, recommend less than 2,300 milligrams sodium daily (the amount in one teaspoon of table salt) for healthy people. Most Americans consume closer to 4,000 milligrams a day. Salt is in nearly every single processed food on the market today. Bread, catsup, candy, even soft drinks. And then we put more on when we eat those already salted foods. However, the more we use, the more our palates desire. Let's take a more detailed look at this not so great super supplement.

Sodium has benefits, like helping to maintain the body's right balance of fluids, says cardiologist Richard Katz, MD, director of the cardiology division of George Washington University. But ingesting too much salt is a prime cause of increased blood pressure. Higher blood pressure is a major cause of heart attacks and strokes, both of which can be reduced by minimizing salt intake.? Almost everyone can use improvement in their blood pressure. "If blood pressure is 125/70, it's better at 120/70", Katz says. (The American Heart Association [AHA] notes that low blood pressure is relative for each person and is a concern when it drops suddenly. Your doctor can help you reach a blood pressure goal that best enhances your health.)

Only a quarter of sodium intake actually comes from salting our food, says AHA President Dan Jones, MD. More than 75 percent of sodium in our daily diets comes from the processed foods we eat. Salt enhances flavor and is a natural preservative, so it's used in many different kinds of packaged foods.

What do I need to to do change my salt intake and balance my super supplements?

The first step to keep sodium under control is to make smart choices at your grocery store. Choose low-sodium, sodium free or no-salt added convenience foods. Always read the label! Reading the Nutrition Facts Panel is an easy way to gauge the amount of sodium present in a food. If an item contains more than 20 percent Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient, a serving of that food is considered to contain a high amount of that nutrient, according to the FDA; five percent DV of a nutrient is deemed low. For sodium, 20 percent DV equals 460 milligrams; five percent DV sodium is just 115 milligrams.

Lower-fat or fat-free products can be higher in sodium than their full-fat counterparts: One ounce of fat-free cheddar has more sodium than one ounce of full-fat cheddar. When fat, a major vehicle for flavor, is removed, other ingredients like sodium may be added to compensate. Still, if you're trying to limit saturated fat in your diet by enjoying low and fat-free foods, the trade-off may be worth it if you limit sodium in other areas.

Disodium guanylate (flavor enhancer)

Disodium inosinate (flavor enhancer)

Sodium alginate (thickener)

Sodium benzoate (preservative)

Sodium bicarbonate (texture enhancer)

Sodium citrate (pH influencer)

Sodium hydroxide (pH influencer)

What should I do to in addition to lowering my intake of this not so great super supplement? Exercise can help keep your body balanced both inside and outand great super supplements can help. When you sweat, you secrete the salts in your body. However, if you work out hard or play hard for more than an hour, you should drink an electrolyte replacing sports drink because you can actually lose too much salt while working out for long periods of time.

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By Olwen Anderson

Its looming. The Silly Season, where we pack a years worth of social engagements into just over a month. For most of us, this means extra functions and parties to attend, family celebrations, and maybe some holiday time too! Whatever happens, you can be sure that your usual routine is going to be disrupted.

But you have worked hard all year to improve your health. How do you make sure that months of good work doesn't get dismantled in just a few weeks?

The key to your success is having strategies in place to cope with the disruptions. Sit down with a cuppa (green tea preferably!) and lets work some out. With your diet, develop a one-day low fat detox that you can easily swing into action after a celebration dinner the day before:

- Start your day with fresh raw fruit and a cup of green tea

- Enjoy a high-protein, high-raw breakfast. Grab a handful of baby spinach leaves and put in a heated frypan that you have lightly sprayed with oil. When the leaves have wilted, pour over a beaten egg and cook. Instant green omelette. Serve with raw sliced tomato, even salad too.

- Focus on raw, unprocessed foods for the rest of the day, and chicken or fish cooked simply, with salad or steamed vegetables. Avoid fried food and high fat food. Especially avoid any high-fat, high calorie leftovers in the fridge!!!

- Include a tablespoon of Psyllium husks stirred into a large glass of water as part of your supplement regime for the day.

- Make sure you drink that compulsory two litres of pure water.

Alcohol: Too much alcohol can really help you put on weight and dull your skin. Decide now just how much alcohol you are going to have at each celebration, and stick to it. Arrive at the function armed with a bottle of sparkling mineral water to enjoy. You will feel soooooo much better the next morning!

Keep up your fitness program. Be flexible about the time of day you exercise, but rigid about getting it done. You might need to attend an aerobics class at a different time, but do it.

Now paste your strategies on your fridge door, so when you emerge bleary-eyed from another late night out, you know exactly what to do to get back on track.

Remember that if you have your strategies in mind before December is upon us, you will be much more likely to start January feeling great.

Olwen Anderson is an accredited naturopath based on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Visit her web site for free health information, subscribe to her monthly Health e-News for up to date natural health information; and read more articles that can help you take control of your health. Visit http://www.olwenanderson.com.au

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By Carol Solomon

Our brains are wired to love sweets. Moments after you indulge in sweet treats, your brain's pleasure center releases opiate-like substances.

The same brain chemicals that create narcotic highs also keep you coming back to sugary treats. Beyond the physiological addictive qualities, sweets are highly associated with comfort and pleasure.

For most of us, the problems start in childhood, when we are rewarded with sweets for good behavior, setting up a lifetime association between sugary treats, reward and soothing.

Underlying feelings often drive food cravings as well. My clients will often say "it's easier to stuff my feelings with food than to feel them."

============= Take The Quiz! =============

1. Do you feel that you just don't want to stop indulging in a particular substance - caffeine, sugar, alcohol, excessive carbs - right now, although you could at any time?

2. Have you ever tried to stop for a week but were unable to do so?

3. Do you resent the advice of others who express concerns about your health?

4. Have you ever tried to control your behavior by switching to a different substance?

5. Do you envy people who can indulge without a problem?

6. Do you isolate yourself (eat alone) when you are over-indulging?

7. When the food is limited or unavailable, do you feel deprived and/or go out of your way to get some anyway?

8. When the food is not available, do you feel anxious or worried about how to get some?

9. Are you afraid others will find out?

10. Do you plan your life around your food?

11. Do you often consume more of it than you intended to?

12. Do you consume as much as you can and feel reluctant to throw leftovers away?

13. Do you reach for this food when you are disappointed, depressed, lonely, bored or going through a difficult time?

14. Does it affect your sleep?

15. Are you afraid if you stop using it that you will lack confidence, the ability to relax or that you won't know how to handle situations?

16. Do you hide the evidence or lie to others to cover up?

17. Do you feel your life would be more productive if you weren't indulging in this substance?

18. Do you lack self-control when deciding whether or not to consume this food?

19. Is this habit affecting your health?

20. Do you feel you aren't living up to your potential because of it?

Food addiction is entirely solvable! You can live peacefully with the food you love. In fact, that is my goal: peaceful indifference to food.

Only you can decide if you have a problem deep enough to do something about it.

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By Lambert Klein

Author: Brenda Williams

It's the least expensive item in your diet. It requires no preparation whatsoever. It can even be consumed without soiling any dishes. But most people do not get enough of it. What is it? It is water. The majority of us are dehydrated most of the time and don't even realize it.

Even mild dehydration inflicts stress upon our bodies. Plus it can trigger many unpleasant health problems such as kidney problems, weight gain, fatigue, and headaches.

The thirst mechanism in adults does not work as well as in children. Once we turn twenty-one, we do not perceive thirst as well as we did at twelve. Sometimes we even confuse thirst with hunger and eat when we should be drinking water. This, of course, results in unnecessary weight gain.

And drinking more water will bring about some weight loss without doing anything else. When you are dehydrated, you do not burn calories as fast as you could, and your metabolism is sluggish. Drinking more water helps your body burn stored fat.

In addition, drinking more water prevents fatigue. Dehydration slows down your circulation and causes a drop in blood pressure. This leads to fatigue.

Water is also good for your joints. Your joints' lubricating fluid is made up primarily of water. Water is also present in the soft discs in your spine as well as in the cartilage at the end of your bones. When you keep the joints, cartilage and discs well hydrated they do a better job of absorbing shock. Well-lubricated bones slip smoothly over one another without friction. This prevents joint and back pain.

And some of the grogginess you experience in the morning is due to lack of water. You are much better off to reach for a glass of water than a cup of coffee. Your brain is 4/5ths water. When the water levels drop in your body, it affects such tasks as processing information in your short-term memory and focusing on your work at hand. Your brain cells can't perform as efficiently if water levels are lowered even by a small amount.

Water can also prevent some diseases because it carries toxins away from your body.

Although for many years, nutritionists, researchers and doctors have recommended that people drink eight 8 ounce glasses or sixty-four ounces of water a day, scientists have now found that doesn't work for everyone.

The amount of water that you need to drink depends on your weight, your activity level and the weather. You need more water in hot weather because you perspire more. Active people also perspire more than sedentary people. So the new recommendations are that people drink half of their body weight in ounces. In other words, if a person weighs a hundred and fifty pounds, then they should drink seventy-five ounces of water a day. If it is unusually hot or they are very active, they would need more.

Milk, juice and caffeine-free teas count as part of your daily water quota. Caffeinated beverages do not as they are diuretics and increase the output of water from your body. Neither should alcoholic drinks be included in your daily liquid intake.

When determining the amount of water you drink, pay attention to the size of your glasses. Some glasses hold twelve ounces while others only hold six.

Sometimes we skimp on water because it is not conveniently available. Form the habit of carrying it with you, in the car or in your briefcase. That way you will always have something to sip on.

And even if it is a little extra trouble, your body will thank you.

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By Wendy Pan

The health benefits of eating breakfast extend throughout your day, making it the most important meal of the day. Consuming a good, hearty breakfast is like priming a pump, to help your body get ready for a full day's worth of activity. Not only does the first meal of the day heat up your metabolism to better burn calories, studies show that the effects of this "jump start" help keep the metabolism working at a higher rate throughout the day. Blood sugar levels rise up and remain higher longer, instead of having a quick drop off that might be generated by eating just high sugar content breakfast snack foods. Skipping this important meal does you no good at all. You will be hungry sooner, eat more later, and not have the good energy to function efficiently.

Additional health benefits of eating breakfast include an increased ability to use your brain, an excellent idea for those younger ones who need to pay attention at school. Some dieters have found that they have better success by flipping their food intake, having dinner for breakfast and typical breakfast foods for dinner. The higher caloric intake at the breakfast meal allows the body to function better all day, and the impact of a good breakfast helps the body become less hungry at later meals. The body can burn off the higher calorie levels all day long, instead of having food sit idle at night, turning into fat with inactivity. Calories burn faster in the morning, following the breakfast meal, and the body metabolism slows down near nighttime.

Being able to eat more food is another of the health benefits of eating breakfast. You can actually eat more with a good balanced breakfast followed by a moderate lunch and lighter dinner. People who skip breakfast eat more snacks during the day, and have heavier meals later. It is easier to incorporate protein, fiber and fruit into typical breakfasts. Breakfast eaters exercise more because they have the energy to do so, making personal fitness a by-product of eating healthy breakfast meals.

Tangible health benefits of eating breakfast include a boost in concentration, energy and productivity levels. Eating high fiber breakfast foods like cereal, fruit, grains, nuts, and yogurt are lower calorie than snack foods like doughnuts or sweet rolls. They give you needed bulk in your diet, last longer, help you feel full and less hungry longer. High protein breakfast foods like eggs, milk, and meats are good breakfast foods, but watch out for the fats like butter and cream cheese. Always take fats in moderation.

Eating breakfast will improve your overall nutrition, and help reduce the risk of heart disease and regulate cholesterol. Breakfast is important to body metabolism by breaking the fast of sleep time; long term fasting does not allow you to produce the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight. Extensive studies on this topic have been done by researchers at the Cleveland (OH) Mayo Clinic and Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital.

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By Susan Patterson

The words Glycemic index seem to be everywhere lately. So what exactly is the Glycemic index and how does it pertain to our health? The Glycemic index is the scale on which the influence of foods that are comprised of carbohydrates affects our blood glucose levels, and has been a tool in helping people to lose weight. Using the Glycemic index (GI), foods are ranked on a scale of 1-100. The lower the number assigned to a food, the less of an affect on blood glucose levels. On the other hand, foods that have a great affect on glucose levels in the blood are assigned a much higher number.

Characteristic of high GI foods is that they are more quickly digested and absorbed into the blood stream. This event causes a dramatic spike in insulin and glucose levels in the blood. Foods that have a high GI value will provide a quick burst of energy. For example, dates are assigned a value of 103, and will more quickly be absorbed into the bloodstream. Having the opposite approach are low GI foods. These foods have a very gradual affect on the levels of insulin and glucose in the blood, an example of a fruit with a low GI value is the prune, which is assigned a value of only 15.

Benefits of diets comprised of low GI foods

Diets comprised of foods that are low on the GI scale are most beneficial for people who suffer from diabetes as well as those who want to lose weight. Studies show that reduced levels of insulin as well as reduced insulin resistance were correlated to diets of low GI foods. Low GI foods also are known to suppress the appetite and put off hunger, thereby making them an ideal choice for quick weight loss.

Other than weight loss, a low GI food diet has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes as well as coronary heart disease.

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Susan Patterson has been studying alternative medicine and health for over 10 years.

By Leo Babauta,

I have to admit that while I eat pretty healthy at home, my weakness is at social gatherings: family parties, weddings, gatherings with friends, barbecues, eating out at restaurants.

I’ve tried different strategies, with mixed success. So before I went out last night (for the FIFTH time in six nights!), I asked my friends on Twitter (follow me here) for some of their best tips on eating healthy at social gatherings.

They responded with some great, common-sense tips. While many of these are tips I’ve tried before, it’s good to be reminded of them. And a couple I haven’t tried yet, so I now have a good arsenal of strategies at my disposal.

I thought you might find these tips useful. All credit goes to Zen Habits readers on Twitter — thanks guys!

Please note that some of these tips might be a bit contradictory. You should pick the tips that work best for you, and not look at this as a step-by-step guide to be adopted wholesale.

1. Eat before you go. This was by far the most popular tip, and probably the most useful. Fill up on healthy foods at home.
2. Place limits. Try a 2 plate limit, and a 2 drink limit.
3. Plan ahead. Find out the menu ahead of time and make healthy choices, before you go.
4. Drink lots of water and eat fruits and veggies. You can eat as many veggies as you want without consuming many calories. Just avoid dipping sauces and dressings.
5. Have a big salad before the main course. Again, avoid too much dressing, and go for the lighter dressings.
6. Log what you eat, so you’ll be more aware of it.
7. Avoid alcohol. It’s just empty calories. You can have fun without alcohol — I do it all the time.
8. Bring your own. If it’s a potluck-style gathering, cook something healthy and bring it with you.
9. Just try to eat healthy most of the week, and relax when you are at social gatherings. This is one of my favorite tips. :) You don’t need to eat healthy all the time. This is the tip I usually follow, but you’ve got to come up with other strategies when you’re going to social gatherings almost every night of the week (I couldn’t help it this past week, but it’s not my usual schedule).

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What are your strategies for eating healthy (or not) when you’re out at social gatherings? Share in the comments!

By Carol Stanley

Stop that random eating! This careless eating is what is making many of us over-weight and unhealthy. I do not mean "stop eating" but think before you eat. Plan your splurges. When you see that plate of cookies, doughnuts, samples in grocery stores just say NO! During the holidays this is a major problem. There is food everywhere. Give yourself two splurges a week and plan them out. Be sure it is something you really love.

Keep your home sugar free and fat free. Sound difficult? It is not at all. If your house is lacking in sugary drinks, potato chips or chocolate chip cookies you will more than likely forego your craving. It is far too much work to go to the store. Sugar is addictive. Have it one day and you want it the next day. When your house has healthy snacks such as cut up veggies with low fat dip, fruit cut up and raw nuts, you will reach for them. Another thing is when these snacks are ready to eat you will be more likely to help yourself. Unfortunately as we get older the pounds graciously attack our waists, thighs and other unwanted places. The metabolism slows down even with planned exercise. Your weapon is to make wise choices when you are able.

When going into a restaurant decide whether or not it is a splurge night. How does the bread look? Is it just average? Is it crusty and hot? Is it worth the calories? This may seem like a lot of work, but your choices at these times will help keep your trim and healthy.

Baking is another downfall. Unless you love the activity and can avoid tasting (generously) avoid it!! Actually as good as pastries are we do not need them for good health.

Food is fuel for life and energy. Think of that whenever you are tempted to indulge in something with a million calories.

My rules to live by:

1. Eat only what you love

2. Eat only when you are hungry

3. Stop before you are full

4. Never random eat

5. Plan your splurges ahead

Follow these simple rules and your energy and your body will thank you.

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By Charles Carter

Proteins are composed of long chain like forms of amino acids. Amino acids are basic and fundamental to life. As a chemical compound, it is made of amine and carbonyl functional groups. To put it simply, they are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen and on some rare occasions, sulfur. These four or five materials build themselves into various chain-like structures and form different types of protein. Protein is the life line of human health.

Human cells, muscle tissue, and the organs of the body are made up of protein. Long chains of amino acids are structured to make different types of proteins. There are 22 types of amino acids and the human body needs all of them to be healthy.

Different types of proteins in our body execute different body functions. Our body's strength, its flexibility and elasticity are taken care of by a protein called collagen, and our hair and skin are composed of the same protein.

Proteins we consume through food are broken down into amino acids in the process of digestion and absorbed by the body only to be rebuilt into different types of proteins that are the requirement of the body. There are twenty two kinds of amino acids essential for the human body. And in that 14 are produced by the body and the remaining 8 are to be obtained though food.

Complete and incomplete Proteins

A protein that can be obtained through one food source like a meat or dairy product is called a complete protein. A complete protein is obtained generally though meat, diary products, eggs, fish and poultry. Vegetables, fruits and nuts do not contain all the essential proteins in one food items and so it is termed as incomplete.

Importance of Proteins

For proper growth, sustenance and repair of body cells, for the health of muscles, tissues, organs and for body function like metabolism, digestion, transportation of nutrients and oxygen through blood circulation, proteins are imperative.

Apart from that more importantly for the production of antibodies, or in other words, antibodies are little soldiers who fight any infection that invades into our body and fights diseases and makes us healthy. The healthy skin and shining hair of which we are proud of is due to the proteins.

Too little Protein means ill health

Like our grand mothers say often, 'anything too much or too little is harmful' is absolute truth in case of protein. Too much protein intake leads to many uncomfortable physical complications just as too little of protein intake can lead to complications.

Protein is needed to repair and create new cells, tissues, hormones, enzymes and muscles and lack of protein would impair these important body functions leading to grave situations. Many foods which supply protein do contain certain other minerals and vitamins like iron, a lack of which creates an eternal tiredness and fatigue. The person who lacks iron feels weak and becomes listless with lack of energy.

Physical activities consume protein daily, and so it is essential to give regular supply of protein to the body daily. And too little protein can cause severe skin ailments and would make you look lusterless and pale.

Children need a lot of protein as they are in the phase of growing and insufficient protein in children hampers their growth very much.

For a period of time if the body fails to get sufficient amount of protein through food, it starts breaking the muscles which contain large amount of protein to fulfill its need. This means eroding of the muscle and it is generally known as muscle wasting. And prolonged such situation leads to a vicious cycle of protein energy malnutrition where in when the body does not get any other source of energy, body's muscles and organs a re broken down for energy. The digestive system suffers with the loss of cell lining which is important for absorption of nutrients from the digested food. Thus a vicious cycle of poor diet and insufficient absorption of nutrients from food lead to severe body wasting.

So, too little protein intake is dangerous and very harmful to health.

Copyright (c) 2008 Charles Carter
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by Lisa Nelson, RD, LN

Too much sodium in your diet can contribute to high blood pressure and make your blood pressure treatment less effective.

Sodium versus Table Salt

First, let's clear up the confusion about the difference between sodium and table salt. Table salt is a combination of the two minerals sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). Table salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

Sodium

Sodium is a mineral that is vital for health. Sodium maintains fluid balance, which is why it plays a key role in blood pressure control.

There is a direct relationship between sodium intake and blood pressure. Reducing sodium to 2.3 grams sodium (6 g table salt) daily is linked with decreased blood pressure levels.

Sodium Intake

A typical U.S. diet means a high sodium diet. The average person consumes 6-18 grams of table salt daily (about 3 teaspoons). The body only needs 200 mg daily. That is 30 times less than what is typically consume.

To be heart healthy, sodium intake should be reduced to less than 2300 mg (1 teaspoon) daily.

Sources

Sodium is found naturally in food, but most sodium we consume has been added for food preservation and preparation. To successfully reduce sodium intake you need to be aware of the table salt you add to foods and the sodium pre-added to foods.

75% of the typical American diet comes from processed foods - sauces, soups, condiments, canned foods, and prepared mixes. Fast food is another common source of sodium.

Tips to Reduce Sodium Intake

Use less salt at the table and when cooking.

If you automatically add salt to food before tasting it, this is the first place to start cutting back. You have many options for flavoring your food in place of salt - salt substitute, herbs, and spices.

If you want to try salt substitute, check with your MD. Salt substitutes contain potassium and needs to be monitored if you have kidney disorders.

Read labels when buying prepared and prepackaged foods.

When reading labels, here are some terms to avoid:

Salt (sodium chloride)
Monosodium glutamate (also called MSG)
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
Baking powder
Disodium phosphate

Select canned, frozen, and snack foods without added salt, such as unsalted nuts, unsalted broths, and no added salt canned vegetables. Better yet, switch from canned vegetables to frozen with no added salt or fresh veggies. Limit salty snacks like chips, pretzels, and salted nuts. Cheese is anther high sodium source.

Make healthy choices when dining out.

Here are some tips to enjoy a meal out and maintain a low sodium intake:

Use pepper for extra seasoning instead of salt.
Avoid sauces or gravies.
Order broiled and baked meats.
Avoid seasoned or blackened menu items.
Avoid menu items with a lot of cheese.
Avoid soy sauce and MSG.

Salty flavor is something you have trained your body to prefer. You can retrain your taste buds over time with the ultimate goal of lowering high blood pressure.

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