Call First Health Care

A lot of people spend hours at the gym but then go out and eat all the wrong things. The body is like a machine, if you don’t put the right kind of fuel into it, it won’t work properly. In physical terms, you’re looking at weight gain and bad health, apart from other problems.

The right thing to do is to make sure you eat mostly healthy foods. I’m not saying you can’t let go and enjoy yourself once in awhile, but if you stick with health food, you will be lean and look great. It’s as simple as that.

Here are 5 healthy foods you need to eat to be thin and look great

1. Pumpkin and pumpkin seeds – Pumpkin seeds are filled with magnesium and pumpkin itself is a high satiety food, meaning that if fills you up with very little calories helping you to avoid overeating. It also contains vitamin A and is high on fiber which is good for the digestive system.

2. Sardines – These fish are a wonderful and healthy food for you to eat. They are full of Omega-3 and calcium and are also rich in other substances like Iron, zinc, and vitamin B. Make sure to avoid eating salted sardines, eat them in their own oil or in olive oil instead.

3. Green teas – Drinking tea can be very healthy. Green teas are rich in antioxidants which can help delay the aging process. Green Tea shouldn’t be drunk with sugar as it’s fattening. Try some wild honey instead.

4. Sweet potatoes – Loaded with Vitamin C, rich in Fiber and potassium, Sweet potatoes are a healthy food item and one which children and adults like so you can and should make them part of your family’s menu.

5. Brown rice – White rice is much less healthy than the natural brown rice which is full of Vitamin E and B-6, copper and zinc, and also fills you up for a long time and so helps reduce hunger.

Eating these 5 foods will help you lose weight more easily and will also help you feel better overall. Enjoy.

By: John Davenport

About the Author:

Website content

Think about your present food habits. Are you 100% sure the food you send to your belly is actually beneficial for your body? The food you eat is healthy if you can say for sure that the food supplies all the necessary nutrients to your body and doesn’t leave wastes in your body and making your body vulnerable to the attack of diseases of various kinds.

People in the western world think organic farming is something unnatural and comes from outside the world. Applying farming techniques like sprays tons of pesticides, dumping chemical fertilizers, and applying chemicals for quick and uniform ripening of apples as normal natural methods of farming. Not to blame them, because they have been conditioned and accustomed to such farming techniques since more than 150 years ago.

Now we need to have a critical thinking about which techniques are natural farming techniques and which are not. Well, have a look at how plants grow in forests. There is no one to protect any single flowering or fruiting plant or to remove some plants that we label pests. How? It is the law of nature to let the most survivable or healthy plants and animals in tact. The leaves, flowers, fruits and roots of such plants form the food of several animals. The basic unit of food chain is healthy growing plants.

Now, can you say the plants we grow in farms by applying tons of chemicals healthy? Take two fruits – say apples. One plucked freshly from the forest and one from the farm. Leave them open in a place for a few days. Observe the fruits closely. You will find the apple that you plucked from the wilderness stays as such for at least a week more than the apple that is chemically conditioned.

Take another example. You may have taken seedless watermelon, seedless grape fruits, etc in the past. Does seedless variety of fruits occur naturally? No. They are results of genetic recombination or at least unnatural methods of pollination. Such artificial fruits lack reproductive capacity at the first place. A major disadvantage you can see by yourself.

Now have a look at organic food. Organic food need not be produced in your backyard, but can come from any farm where no chemicals are applied and the plants chosen for cultivation are free from genetic recombination, mutation or otherwise artificial methods to induce character changes in plants.

By: Dev Sri

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

Eating healthy foods for the liver can improve and support liver function on a daily basis. Having a healthy liver results in greater energy and general well-being. A poorly functioning liver can result in tiredness, headaches, bad breath, allergies and intolerances, problem skin and weight gain.

Foods that are healthy for the liver fall into two main categories. First are those that promote the detoxification process of the liver. And second, are those that are high in antioxidants and therefore protect the liver while it’s carrying out its detoxification processes. Below are a list of the top eight foods that are considered to be good for your liver.

1. Garlic and onions. Garlic contains allicin which is a sulphur-based compound needed by the liver for effective detoxification. Garlic helps the liver rid the body of mercury, certain food additives and the hormone oestrogen.

2. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage). These vegetables are very powerful detoxifiers of the liver. They contain chemicals that neutralise certain toxins such as nitrosamines found in cigarette smoke and aflotoxin found in peanuts. They also contain glucosinolates that help the liver to produce enzymes it needs for its detoxification processes.

3. Freshly squeezed lemon in hot water. Drinking freshly squeezed lemon juice in a cup of boiled water first thing in the morning helps to cleanse the liver and promote detoxification. It also stimulates bile production, cleanses the stomach and bowel and stimulates a bowel motion.

4. Beetroot. It’s a blood-purifying tonic that is also capable of absorbing heavy metals.

5. High-antioxidant fruits. In a study done by the US Department of Agriculture at Tuffs University, it was found that the following list of fruits had the highest levels of antioxidants (in descending order): Prunes, raisons, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, pink grapefruit, cantaloupe, apples and pears. Antioxidants help to protect the liver from the high levels of free radicals that are naturally produced during the process of detoxification.

6. Apples. Apples contain pectin that bind to heavy metals in the body (in particular in the colon) and help their excretion. This reduces the load on the liver and its detoxification capacities.

7. Artichoke. Increases bile production. One of the jobs of bile is to remove toxins through the bowel, as well as ‘unfriendly’ micro-organisms. It has been suggested that 30 minutes after eating globe artichoke, bile flow is increased by over 100%.
8. Bitter leafy salad greens (dandelion, chicory, endive, rocket). The bitterness of these foods helps to stimulate bile flow within the liver.

Please note: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a personal relationship with a qualified health practitioner nor is it intended as medical advice.

By: Alison Cassar

About the Author:

Kansieo.com

Rule #1 for Busy People- Don’t allow yourself to get starving. Once you reach that state of “I’m starving,” you are going to eat anything and everything in sight. How do you avoid getting starving? Snack on healthy foods throughout the day. Here’s a few tips:

* Keep healthy snacks on your desk such as dried fruit, dry cheerios, unsalted nuts, and even cut-up bagel

* Once you feel that hunger coming on, simply have a handful of your favorite healthy snack and WhAla! You won’t be starving anymore- and can easily get back to work.

Rule #2 for Busy People- Stay hydrated. It’s very easy to confuse being hungry with being thirsty. Try this: next time you feel hungry, have an 8-12oz glass of water. How do you feel? Perhaps you feel less hungry?

Don’t wait until you are thirsty. By that time, you are already dehydrated. Rather, keep your body “lubricated” all day by taking a few more trips to the water fountain and trying to keep bottled water near your desk.

Rule #3 for Busy People- Know the numbers when dining out. Simply by understanding what you are eating, you can cut back on overall calories, yet still consume the same amount of food. Simply by passing on the high-fat salad dressing, you can save hundreds of calories. Ordering a burger? Skip the fries and enjoy saving a few hundred calories, a few hundred mg of sodium, and a whole lot of fat grams!

Rule #4 for Busy People- Use commonsense. If you are going to be confined to the office all day with no chance of going out for lunch, be sure to bring a healthy lunch. Otherwise, you will be heading to the snack machine to indulge on a 500 calorie, high-fat snack that your body doesn’t need one bit.

By: Jeff Hopeck

About the Author:

Healthy Food

Finding a list of healthy foods to eat is not as easy you would think. There are a lot of amazing foods in the world that can increase your well being and make you look amazing. It is just about finding them.

What is healthy food?

Healthy food is food that is healthy. Now that might sound oversimplified but that is what it is. You can generally tell what food is healthy and what food is not. Fruit and vegetables are the obvious choice. The problem is that every corner seems to be filled with a fast food joint. This makes making the healthy choices a little bit harder.

Why fruits and vegetables?

They may seem dull to eat but they are the “bread and butter” of healthy foods. You could make a list of healthy foods to eat right now by simply visiting the fruits and vegetables section of any supermarket. Why is this?

Fruits and vegetables contain all the vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis. This includes vitamins A, B, C, D and E. They all serve different areas of the body. On top of this they are also very low in fat. So you are eating food but not storing anything. The low quantity of carbohydrates that they are made of is burnt of quickly throughout the day. Celery for example is in fact considered a negative calorie food. You actually lose weight eating it.

What else is healthy?

To be completely healthy and find a list of healthy foods to eat, you are however going to need more than just fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates and proteins are the base of any meal. Breads, cereals, rice and pasta are all excellent carbohydrates. The wholemeal choice is always the best option.

Proteins are essential for muscle repair and include meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Of course the right kind of meat must be chosen. Chicken ****** is an excellent choice, along with turkey and tuna. When eating eggs it is always best to keep the egg yolks to a minimum. A ratio of 1 yolk to 3 eggs is ideal.

Milk, yoghurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium which greatly benefits your bone strength. The low fat choice of both is also recommended.

What about fats?

The right kind of fats in the right quantities is absolutely essential. Sweets and fried food generally do not fit in to this category. Fish oil and nuts are rich a source of healthy fats including Omega-3.

How much do I Eat?

This really depends on your daily activity level. To lose weight, carbohydrates and fats should be restricted to a low amount. Weight maintenance can be done simply by making the healthy choices and avoiding junk food.

Can I ever eat junk food?

At the end of the day, we are all human and it is impossible to suppress cravings for junk food for the rest of your life. So you certainly can eat junk food but only once in a while. For example you could reward yourself for a week of healthy eating by going out of a meal. This is fine as long as you are back to healthy eating the next day.

Where can I find a complete list of these healthy foods?

This is a basic overview of a list of healthy foods to eat. There are many guides available that can help you with this and actually do provide you with a list of healthy foods to eat. They can be very affordable and well worth the money.

By: James Paz

About the Author:

Create a video blog

Whatever food or beverage you mention, over the years, you can find stories that say it’s good for you or it will kill you faster than a speeding bullet. Look at butter, trans-fats, eggs, wine, coffee, chocolate, red meats, fish, fruit, vegetables…it’s all the same story. It just seems there’s no food that’s healthy. So, what do we do and how do we live with the knowledge that everything we consume might kill us? The answer is stunningly simple.

Butter, Eggs, Meats, Cholesterol And Trans-fats: When I was growing up, there was a very strong effort to reduce or eliminate cholesterol in the diet. Butter (along with milk, cream, cheese, meats, etc.) hit the top of the 10 most despised foods list. It became common knowledge that margarine was much better for you than butter. People everywhere, including medical professionals, were proclaiming the health benefits of switching from butter to margarine. Now that more research has been done and more studies produced, it turns out that the trans-fats in most margarines will kill you, if we’re to believe the media. Our politicians seem to believe it, because trans-fats are becoming illegal. Will someone tell me which is worse for me, so I can decide what to put on my fat free, salt free, low carb toast? All the other stuff tastes like plastic, and besides, I know once I change to one of these other things there will be a study to show it’s the worst of all.

To add insult to injury, new studies are revealing stuff we never knew about cholesterols and animal products. It’s true, for instance, that cholesterol problems aren’t just from bad eating habits…genes have a lot to do with it. Some people can eat a lot more cholesterol with no harm. Some of us produce unhealthy amounts of cholesterol despite a strict diet. Thanks Dad! There are medicines for that! Now, some cholesterols are good. Some other fats are good. We’re also discovering that strict avoidance of animal products produces protein deficiencies. Heavy amounts of soy products can help with that, but then there’s the sodium issue. Sure, we can load up on seafood, but we could die from heavy metal poisoning and too much sodium. So, at least until the next series of studies are published, animal products are back on the menu.

Beverages, Wine, Coffee, Etc: In my lifetime, wine has been good for you and bad for you several times. This issue is so old, even the Bible says wine is bad, good, and even medicinal. In the 2,000 years since the Bible was written, science seems to have proven all three claims to be correct about wine and other alcohols. First, they say it’s “empty calories,” causes weight gain, destroys the liver, leads to addiction. Then, they say it’s good for relaxation and stress reduction. Finally, it’s full of antioxidants, so it helps fight cancer and delay aging. Coffee, they said, causes high blood pressure, but now they’re finding all kinds of benefits from coffee. Even tobacco, one of our most evil inventions, is being found to help prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Sure, cola, with or without sugar, will kill you now, but who is to say they won’t find out it cures heart disease in the next few years. Actually, they’ve already found that the caffeine helps with migraines and asthma. Green tea is the holy grail of the healthy beverage faithful, but in five years, I have no doubt they’ll find some disease to pin on it.

Chocolate: My favorite food deserves a segment all it’s own. I still don’t know why it isn’t in the new food pyramid. Everyone knows the evils of chocolate. The fats in it will clog your arteries, leading to heart attack and stroke. The sugars in it will make you obese, leading to diabetes, blindness, kidney failure, cancer, heat attack, stroke and worst of all…weight discrimination. There is no end to the evils of chocolate.

But wait! Chocolate has now been found to be good for you…especially sugar-free dark chocolate. In addition to stimulants to help you stay alert and curb your appetite, chocolate produces a relaxed feeling, helpful in managing stress and mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Long known as the love candy, recent studies show chocolate actually causes the body to release the same chemicals released during sexual activity. Now you can have that pleasure and excitement without all the small-talk or the expensive dinner out. That’s not all! Chocolate is also rich in anti-oxidants, so it helps fight cancer and aging.

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables: Long known as the healthiest foods, these garden products are not off the hook, either. Many health food staples, like carrots, contain dangerously high levels carbohydrates. All fruits are guilty of this. Avocado’s are very high in fats. Celery and soy bean products are high in sodium. Most fruits and vegetables were raised using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Some are genetically altered. The jury is still out on whether these methods are harmful…many reports suggest they are. Even those grown “organically” aren’t completely safe, as we’ve recently discovered concerning spinach.

How To Have Healthy Foods: Well, this can be pretty depressing. So, what do we do? If we stop eating or drinking everything that’s been reported to be bad for us, it only takes 3 days to a few weeks to die…from starvation and dehydration. That’s because everything, according to some report, is bad for us. According to Patricia Zifferblatt of the Better Life Institute, “A little bit won’t make your eyes fall out.”

Really, let’s get off our food anxiety and just eat a regular, balanced diet from all of the food groups. Unless you suffer from alcoholism, have a drink every now and then. Have some chocolate…I eat a serving of sugar-free dark chocolate almost every day and I’m losing weight while my glucose and blood fats stay within the normal range. Enjoy a good steak or a plate of pork ribs every now and then. You can eat healthy and still have these things. There is more to food than fuel for the body…it’s also fuel for the soul. If you plan on staying alive, then live!

By: Glen D. Williams

About the Author:

Website content

It is not true that you have to go on a dieting in order to have a successful weight loss experience. In fact, by reducing the amount of food intake everyday drastically, it is harmful for your body. What you need to do actually is to carefully consider the type of food you eat everyday.

Here are some healthy food choices you may want to consider:

1. Grains

You should consume 6 ounces of grains everyday. Grains can be found in foods such as whole grain cereals, breads, rice, crackers and pasta.

2. Vegetables

You should consume 2 1/2 cups of vegetables everyday. Vegetables you should consume are broccoli and spinach. Carrots and sweet potatoes are very good as well, along with dry beans such as peas, pinto beans and kidney beans.

3. Fruits

You should consume 2 cups of fruits everyday. You should focus on eating a variety of fruits (and not stick to just one variety). You can also consume fruit juices as well.

4. Milk

If you are an adult, you should drink 3 cups of milk everyday. If you are a kid aged 2 – 8 years, you should drink 2 cups of milk everyday. When choosing milk or other dairy products, you should opt for those which are fat-free or low-fat.

If you do not like milk or you can’t have it due to medical reasons, you can go for lactose free products or other sources of foods with calcium such as fortified foods and beverages.

5. Meat and Beans

You should consume 5 ounces of meat and beans everyday. When eating meat, you should always bake it, grill it or broil it, as this will prevent grease from adding to the equation. You should also vary the amount of protein intake everyday, with more fish, beans, peas, and nuts.

In addition, when you cook your food, you should also limit the amount of solid fats such as butter, margarine, shortening and lard you put in. Even though these may help make your dishes taste better, but along with it comes with lots of fats, and it will also increase your cholesterol level.

By picking the types and varieties of foods wisely, it will greatly aid you in your weight loss regime.
However, on top of choosing healthier food to consume, you should not neglect exercising – as it goes hand-in-hand with your healthy eating lifestyle. No matter how young or old you may be, eating healthy will help you keep prolong your active lifestyle for even more years ahead and help you in your health as well.

By: Jun Yuan Lim

About the Author:

Create a video blog…instantly.

The evidence increases that what you eat – and how much you eat – impact your health. Today, more people are well aware that good nutrition is a major factor for a healthy lifestyle. The problem is that figuring out what’s a healthy food and what is not can be confusing.

As we became more concerned about the source of our food and the ingredients in it, companies created new strategies for their marketing. They redesigned their food labels to reflect our willingness to go out of our way or pay a little more for healthy foods. Companies started using the terms like “all natural”, “hormone free”, “no artificial ingredients”, and “free range”.

As a result of all this advertising, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published definitions for many of the marketing terms, including “natural”, so that consumers would have a better idea of what they were purchasing. According to the USDA, food can only be labeled natural if it contains no artificial ingredients or added colors and is minimally processed.
This definition is enforced through the Food Safety and Inspection Service, which monitors how food is produced and what goes into it. They’re responsible for backing up product labels with regular inspection.

The term “all natural” was the most used label on new food products in the US last year. Manufacturers wanted to cash in on last year’s $13 billion dollar natural food market.

The main reason that natural food products sell so well is that you and I believe that if a food is labeled “natural” it must be good for us. Plus, we’re willing to pay extra if that natural food keeps us healthy.

The problem is that even with the USDA regulations, the term “natural” isn’t well-defined. There’s no standard definition for the term except for meat and poultry products other than the product contains no synthetic or artificial ingredients including artificial flavors and food colorings.

And a natural food may not be a healthy food, either. For example, a brand of vanilla ice cream may meet the natural standard but the product is high in calories and saturated fat. That’s not too healthy!

Right now there’s only one way to even attempt to make wise decisions for natural food products. Read the label. The label will help you compare one product to another and tell you which natural food product – or regular food product- fits your dietary needs.

By: Ruthan Brodsky

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

Diabetes is a very serious illness and proper care is essential in remaining healthy. People with diabetes have to beware of what they eat and when they eat it. This particular illness is very sensitive and any little mistake can cause the blood sugar levels to go up tremendously. Very often, people who suffer from this disease are also stricken with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or obesity. Taking all of these things into consideration, a healthy diet for a diabetic is a must.

One healthy food habit for diabetics is to monitor their intake of carbohydrates. The proper carb intake is as important as the proper sugar intake. Carbs are simply a different type of sugar and they can impact the blood levels just the same as sugar in a cake or in candy. Some foods that should be served in controlled portions include pastas, potatoes, and breads. These foods along with other carb rich products raise blood sugar levels. A good diet for someone suffering from this illness should be low in sugar, fat, and carbohydrates.

Another thing to consider when you are a diabetic is to be consistent with meal times. Try not to let your blood sugars become too low by not eating or too high by eating too often. Also, when making a meal, be sure to understand what is written on the food label. Be aware of the ingredients, serving sizes, and any additives that a product may contain. Certain products may contain ingredients that will unknowingly add to your daily sugar intake. Therefore, it is important to be aware of what you are consuming. And for those people who are overweight and suffer from diabetes, it may be beneficial to consult with a doctor regarding any all natural supplements which aid in weight loss and blood sugar control. Natural supplements, along with all of the other tips presented earlier in this article, may aid in reducing the unpleasant side effects of diabetes.

By: Lauren S Johnson

About the Author:

Website content

Children everywhere in the world have an on-going love affair with junk food such as hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a single child who has these same strong feeling for the healthy food that they need such as grains, vegetables, fruits and foods reach in nutrients such as meat, beans, fish and nuts.

Fortunately, there is one tied and tested strategy to make kids eat the kind of healthy food that some of them may not want — that’s by making it fun.

That’s right, make eating healthy food fun. And how do you do that? Here are some tips:

(1) The Sneak Attack. Try sneaking in some of those fruits and vegetables along with the kind of food they like, say, making muffins out of bananas or apples. There are lots of vegetables the you can throw in when you’re serving the kids pizza. You could also make them look funny by arranging them creatively on a plate or making them stand up like people. Sure, some people don’t want their kids playing with food, but if it will help them get healthier, it may be worth the effort.

(2) Funny Name Game. If your kids are below the age of four, here’s a nifty trick that gets them every time. Give the fruits and vegetables funny names and concoct elaborate stories. Some stories will end with these funny-named vegetables getting swallowed alive by the giant child. In another version, the vegetables run for cover and hide from their enemies by entering a big cave that happens to be your child’s mouth where they quickly get gulped down.

(3) The Taste Test. Kids dislike vegetables because they don’t like the taste. Therefore, make the healthy foods taste better and your child will love them. For instance, put peanut butter on celery or add a dash of flavor to broccoli with ranch dressing. I’m sure you can think of dozens of ways to spruce up healthy food.

The key is to find creative ways to make your children enjoy eating healthy food. And once they’ve acquired a taste for it, eating healthy foods will be second nature to them.

By: Kadence Buchanan

About the Author:

Create a video blog…instantly.