Nutrition and Diet Importance During Cleansing

These toxins can affect our health and lead to water retention, premature aging, and increased risk for a comprised immune system. To avoid these health risks, you should rid your body of these toxins.

You can get rid of these toxins by cleansing your body. There are many benefits to cleansing, such as improvements in energy levels, vision, hair, skin, mental attitude, and the ability to handle stressful situations. Those people who have cleansed their bodies have also reported weight loss, increased healthy skin, improved concentration, more energy and an overall healthy body. The problem with a lot of cleansing methods is that although they rid your body of toxins, they also deprive your body of the nutrients that it needs. By performing a nutritional cleansing, you can get rid of the toxins in your body while simultaneously providing your body with the necessary nutrients.

It is very important that you maintain adequate nutrition and diet while you are cleansing your body. The ultimate goal of doing a body cleanse is to become healthier, but you can't achieve this if you aren't getting all of the nutrients your body needs.

There are many vitamin and nutritional supplements you can take while you are doing your cleansing to make sure you are getting the necessary nutrients. For example, Cleanse for Life, IsaGenix Greens, IsaFruits, IsaOmega Supreme, Natural Accelerator, FiberPro, Multi-Enzyme Complex, C-Lyte, and IsaCalcium.

You can purchase some of these supplements at a health or nutrition store near you or on the Internet. You should take caution when ordering anything on the Internet that you will be ingesting. Make sure the company you order from has a good reputation. Instead of simply ordering whatever has the lowest price, look for things like testimonials and customer reviews.

With all of the toxins that our bodies come in contact with on a daily basis, it would be a good idea to a body cleansing. There are many types of cleanses, but whichever type you choose you need to make sure that you are going about it in the healthiest way possible. Get the necessary supplements to stay healthy during your cleansing and get rid of the toxins in your body. You will be grateful you did when you have more energy, well balanced diet during your cleansing experience and wonderful feeling of being healthy without all the toxins dragging you down each day.

If you want to learn more about Nutrition Diet During Cleansing please click here:
http://www.healthandwealthsuccess.net

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Getting Kids Involved in Nutrition Early

Last year when many schools around the country implemented new school lunch guidelines, the move sparked protest among students and the movement got off to a rocky start.

Children resoundingly rejected the new menus, forcing many school districts, Los Angeles Unified School District included, to re-evaluate their implementation plans.

The difficulties and issues school districts are facing with school lunches, however, run much deeper than just picky eaters. If a school district wants to instill a healthy lifestyle in students, they must implement nutrition plans that educate beyond the lunchroom.

Children must be taught health and nutrition at a young age, and then these plans must be executed throughout their educational career.

An example of one school doing this is Mark Twain Middle School in Los Angeles. They use a school garden as a catalyst for learning in various subjects like math and history, while using the food grown in the garden for school lunches.

This has led the Los Angeles school board to vote to expand nutrition education to be integrated into the curriculum.

"We have a sacred obligation to make sure we do everything in our power to raise the quality of our nutritional content," Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board member Steve Zimmer said to The Los Angeles Times.

While they may not need to be as extensive as Mark Twain Middle School, other school districts must follow LAUSD's example if they want their new school lunch plans to have a lasting effect on children.

In addition to implementing nutrition programs into the curriculum, other measures can be taken.

Deborah Lewison-Grant and Carolyn Cohen, Co-Founders of FoodFight, an organization dedicated to raising health and nutrition awareness in schools, explained that teachers should set the example.

"We can't expect students to make healthy choices (either in or out of school) while the adults in their learning communities are plunking down sugary drinks, chips and candy bars on their desks and ignoring conventional wisdom about eating well balanced meals," Lewison-Grant and Cohen wrote in a blog post.

They continued, explaining that, however, teachers themselves must be educated in nutrition as well.

"At the same time, we can't expect teachers to act as role models for their students without giving them the knowledge they need to make healthier eating and buying decisions and supporting their own health and wellness needs," Lewison-Grant and Cohen wrote.

Ultimately, a combination of example and education is the only way to truly get children to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Just giving kids a new menu won't cut it, because they just won't eat.

360 Education Solutions is your advocate in the search for quality online teaching degree programs. As an advocate group founded specifically for educators, we provide you with the support and information needed to help you achieve your teaching certification and educational aspirations. http://www.360-edu.com

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10 Basic Nutrition Rules for Workout Beginners

Nutrition makes up at least 60% of your training regimen. It's great to exercise but what you eat will play a larger role in how well you develop. This article covers 10 basic rules to follow when training and wanting to eat healthy to get results.

1. Carbohydrates (40-60% of calories per day)

Carbs are used to replenish glycogen stores in your body which is used for energy when you exercise. As a general rule, 2 - 3 grams of carbs per pound of body weight should be your goal each day. Slow digesting carbs will be used for your meals but will slow you down if eaten pre-workout. More on this later.

2. Protein (20-30% of calories per day)

Protein breaks down into amino acids that your body uses to build muscle fibers and in some cases, it provides an energy source as well. Depending on your fitness goals, the amount you eat will vary but as a general rule, if you are an average gym goer, 1 gram per pound of body weight will do the trick. Stick to chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs and dairy as sources.

3. Fats (20-30% of calories per day)

Yes, there are a number of bad fat sources you should avoid but there are also quite a few good ones too. Experts say that 20-30% of your calorie intake should be from fat each day. A higher fat level means a better supply of testosterone to your body. Without it, you will not grow muscle very well. Red meats will give you the saturated fats you need with mono unsaturated fats coming from nuts, avocados olive oil and peanut butter. Omega-3 oil are really good fats and come from fish and walnuts.

4. Calories

The more you exercise, the more calories you burn so you will need to eat more than an average person will eat. On the high side, 20 calories per pound per day is plenty. See how your body reacts and adjust accordingly.

5. Several Meals a Day

The standard 3 meals a day is not the norm any more. Most trainers now recommend 5-6 smaller meals each day which works out to eating every 2-3 hours all day. This will help to feed your body the nutrients and energy it needs consistently so it will grow.

6. Eat Before Bed

Contrary to what some will say, eating late at night is not a bad thing. You will be "starving" your body for the next 8 hours so a good supply of nutrients and slow digesting protein will help to keep the muscle build activities going. Casein is a good choice and is found in cottage cheese. Eat some healthy fats as well in the form of mixed nuts or peanut butter.

7. Shakes

Protein shakes are easily digested and will give your body a quick supply of protein and carbs pre and post workout. Aim for 20 grams of protein with 40 grams of carbs as a post workout supply within 30 minutes of finishing exercise and again an hour later.

8. Carb Types

Pre-workout (30 minutes before) eat a slower digesting carb to supply blood sugars for your training. Eat fruit or whole grains bread. Post workout will be different. Your body needs energy quick so stick to faster digesting carbs like white bread, potato or a sports drink like Gatorade. These drinks contain sugars and will spike your insulin that helps your body create glycogen and transport nutrients to your muscles.

9. Creatine

This is the most researched supplement on the planet. It is considered very safe to use and will help you to develop muscle mass quicker.

10. Hydrate

Loss of water will kill your chances of training well and getting results. Especially with creatine use, you need to drinks lots of water every day to build muscle mass and to flush out waste by products of metabolism.

My name is Jacques Delorme and I run a youth nutrition blog at http://visportsnutrition.ca where you can get all sorts of information on nutrition, exercise and motivation for youth athletes. Visit my site and feel free to leave comments and questions if you need more information.

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5 Food Nutrition Tips to Help You Look Young Longer

Are you concerned that you are beginning to show the first signs of aging? The part of your body that gives away your real age is your skin. It gets easily damaged as you grow older since it becomes thin and fragile. You might be tempted to use lots of anti-aging products on your skin in order to stay young for long however they have limited effect. Your metabolism also slows as you become older. You'll find that you no longer have high levels of energy and that you also put on weight easily.

You'll find it a lot easier to look and feel young if you ensure you get the best possible food nutrition. In fact, it is imperative that you use the following tips:

- Eat lots of foods rich in anti-oxidants. Many fruits, especially berries, and vegetables are loaded with anti-oxidants which ensure that the damage caused by free radicals is reduced to the absolute minimum. Your daily diet needs to have plenty of brightly coloured foods which contain essential phytochemicals.

- Eat foods filled with vitamins. Certain vitamins help in the production of collagen and also in the replication of cells. This enables the cells of the skin to remain thick and strong, ensuring that it withstands the negative effects of UV rays and heat.

- Consume plenty of probiotic foods. These foods which contain live bacteria help improve your digestive processes. This in turn ensures that your metabolism is high and also that your body is able to absorb all the nutrients contained in your food.

- Include moisture-rich foods in your diet. Water is absolutely for healthy skin and excellent metabolism. Foods such as watermelons, cucumbers and apples ensure that you get the moisture you require.

- Add foods containing natural phytoestrogens to your diet. Phytoestrogens have the ability to put the brake on the aging process. Yams and chickpeas and also foods made out of soybeans (tofu, soymilk, edamame) are great sources.

You will definitely be able to stay young longer as long as you watch what you eat. Make sure that you pay a lot of attention to the subject of food nutrition because it is one of the keystones of good health and youth. You won't need to spend a lot of money on beauty treatments that don't even give you the desired results since your diet will take care of it for you.

Are you ready to feel healthier and have more energy?

Head over to the NLN home page and learn how to fix your diet and eating habits
Diet and health advice from a highly rated nutritionist.

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The Benefits of Sports Nutrition Drinks

We all know that workout routines and intense exercising can dehydrate the body thus increasing the chance of a circulatory condition or stroke. That's why sports nutrition drinks are almost mandatory in some cases and even enjoyable when they're all natural. If you want to know what type of nutrition drink is the most appropriate, make sure you consult a specialist first. During a workout routine people lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, etc. The purpose of nutrition drinks is to replace these substances and restore the balance.

Nutrition drinks come in different shapes, colors and they all have similar ingredients; some of the best known brands are Ensure, Boost, Sustacal, Resource, Gatorade and more. Even though it is more comfortable to buy a drink that is already made and can provide you with all the minerals you need during exercise, it is best for you to buy some fruits and make your own healthy drink. Apples, oranges and grapes are thought to be some of the best, since they have glucose and fructose sugars, as well as potassium. Adding a tablespoon of salt replaces the sodium lost during the exercise and gives you energy..

Check out these tips and you'll know what to take if you want to be energetic an entire day. The best time to drink your homemade nutritious shake is during your training. If you use it before, the body will begin to produce insulin that could lead to hypoglycemia in the middle of your workout. Also, it is better if you drink a nutrition drink rather than eating a nutrition bar because food remains in the stomach for a longer period and the needed carbohydrates will not be absorbed at the right moment. Another useful rule is to sip a quarter of rehydration fluid per hour, when working out throughout the day.

You should always try to drink a lot of water, although it's not as nutritious as an energy drink. When you exercise and you solicit your muscles, you lose a lot of water, amongst other minerals. Sports nutrition drinks can help you regain that energy fast and effective.

Water is replaced only with water, so make sure you drink two glasses before training even if you're not thirsty. At least 2 more glasses will work miracles on your body. You will feel rejuvenated and you will have the power to exercise more which is also the purpose of your entire exercise. Sports nutrition drinks are a must while working out, especially when it's an intense routine. Even though you think that you are strong enough to keep up, your body will tell you otherwise at some point.

Doing exercise every day of the week, every week of the month, and so on, will make your body lose minerals and fluids that must be replaced. It is not healthy leave a gap and stay without vitamins because in time the body will get weaker and weaker. Making your own nutrition drinks from fruits and veggies is also a viable alternative to buying branded liquids at the store.

For reviews on Sports Nutrition Drinks such as the Redline Energy Drink visit Sport Nutrition Drink

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Is Diet and Nutrition the Best Way to Lose Weight Fast and Safely

Diet and Nutrition has been known to be the best way to reduce weight fast for a long time time. Although many people still struggle to lose weight, it is possible to burn body fat fast and keep it off permanently by eating fat burning foods that add nutritional value to your body.

There are plenty of healthy foods that you ca eat to lose weight, the secret however, is to eat foods that will motivate you to stick to your meal plan. A boring or tasteless meal plan is a total recipe for disaster. The best way to lose weight fast and stay lean, is by ensuring you stock up with healthy foods that you will look forward to eating every day.
Here is the best way to lose weight fast on a healthy diet and nutrition plan plus how you can be successful with your meal plan.

1. To be successful on a healthy eating plan, you need to stock up with healthy foods and completely eliminate all the fattening unhealthy junk from your kitchen. This entails getting rid of all processed foods, canned foods, jugged foods and anything that tends to last too long on the shelf. These foods most likely contain additives such as high fructose corn syrup, its high in calories and it will keep you overweight unnecessarily.

2. Personally, i found it difficult to switch to healthy eating in just a few days, to avoid frustrations, the best way to lose weight fast on a diet and nutrition plan is by making a gradual switch to healthy eating. Do it one meal at a time until you have a completely healthy nutrition plan in place.

3. It is vital that you know the number of calories going in your body, remember that the best way to lose weight fast is by burning as many calories per day as you can, more than you consume actually. You won't have to meticulously count calories but a simple research on the internet can guide you on the number of calories in your food.

4. You should have a food journal and make as many daily entries as you can, this is the best way to lose weight fast and stay lean as well as staying on track with your meal plan. A food journal is an effective way to assess when you are going off track with your meal plan and you will easily notice when you are making bad food choices and bad snack choices.

5. The best way to lose weight fast on a diet and nutrition plan is by eating many times a day. If you want to ward off unnecessary cravings or avoid emotional eating, splitting your meals into mini meal courses that you can eat five or six times a day is the best way to lose weight fast that works. You will not only feel satisfied for a longer time, but you will create a fat burning effect in your body as your metabolism will be in high gear.

6. We have already established that eating many times a day is a best way to lose weight fast that works. Many people continue to rely on fad diets or other methods like starving or skipping meals for quick results. Such methods may get you the results you want in short period of time, but you will most certainly gain the weight back soon after you stop the diet and start eating your normal foods again. Instead, eat more healthy, low calorie foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meat or whole grains and enjoy your diet experience.

7. Diet and nutrition advice will not be complete without mention hydration, it is clear that water is a best way to lose weight fast that works, drink as much of it a day as you can. Make it your number one slim drink and eliminate any carbonated sodas.

To get a step by step weight loss plan that i used to lose 50lbs in one month, visit the best way to lose weight fast site today.

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Pre-Workout Weight Lifting Nutrition

There's a lot of hype surrounding post-workout nutrition, but pre-workout nutrition is frequently glanced over. Although eating the right things after working out is indeed important to your muscle building and weight loss routines, eating the right foods before working out is just as important and can help you achieve new heights.

What to Eat
The first thing to understand about pre-workout nutrition is that there isn't a large difference between a pre-workout meal and a regular meal. You should be aiming for a good balance of high quality protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. The only real difference is that the last meal you eat before heading to the gym should be a little heavier on the carbs than usual because your body will need glycogen, which it can attain through the carbs you eat, to help power you through your workout. Fruit is always a good option.

The Importance of Protein
Yes, I did just say that your pre-workout meal should be heavier in carbs than protein, but you should still pay attention to the kind of protein you're consuming. As always, lean animal based protein is a good option. If you're going to opt for a protein supplement, make sure you're utilizing it in the best way possible.
A lot of people will chug a whey protein supplement right before working out because they think that this fast acting protein will help to fuel their muscles during the workout.

However, when taken alone, a lot of these whey protein supplements can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, risking a crash while you're still lifting.
A casein protein supplement, because this protein is digested slowly, may be a better option if you take it with food about an hour before you exercise because it will provide your body with a steady supply of protein for several hours. Note however that a supplement is not essential - you can always get slower acting protein from food, especially dairy.

Timing
I'm not going to provide you with a hard and fast rule as to when you should be eating your pre-workout meal because it's largely a personal preference and something you should experiment with. However, I can provide you with some suggestions that I hope you'll find useful.
If you prefer to lift weights at night, your pre-workout meal may be nothing more than a moderately carb heavy dinner. Wait for about 1-3 hours, then eat an apple or a different serving of fruit about 15 minutes before you plan to start working out.

Studies have shown that eating a piece of fruit close to your weight lifting routine may help to fuel your body throughout your workout.
If you generally exercise in the morning, eat a good breakfast as soon as you wake up.

Make sure to eat some fruit and high quality protein. Then get dressed and ready for the gym so you have as long as possible for your food to settle and fuel your muscles.
If you like to lift during the day, your pre-workout meal may be lunch or a mid-afternoon snack. Aim to eat 1-3 hours before lifting, and then eat a piece of fruit about 15 minutes before pumping iron.

Want to learn more about protein supplements for pre and post workout nutrition? This article tells you everything you need to know about whether or not a protein powder would benefit you and which type is best for your needs.

For more easy to understand information about nutrition, fitness, and simple every day substitutions, visit http://www.delveintohealth.com/

Thanks for reading!

Nathaniel

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Vegan Nutrition Is Easier Than You Think

Vegan nutrition is one of those topics of discussion filled with misconceptions. At the Thanksgiving table, well-meaning relatives are likely to have all sorts of opinions about how you can't possibly be healthy without consuming any animal products. It's easy, however, to prove them incorrect.

There are at 4 typical topics of controversy when it comes to vegan nutrition. They are: vitamin B12, protein, iron, and calcium.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is admittedly challenging to obtain from a vegan diet. And it's certainly true that it's a very important nutrient. A vitamin B12 deficiency can be very serious, so it is important to obtain enough. Nutritional yeast is one vegan food that contains vitamin B12. Many vegans enjoy its cheesy flavor and sprinkle it on popcorn popped with coconut oil.

Vitamin B12 supplements are often suggested for vegans, and you can get all the vitamin B12 you need in a day if you take a good, high-quality supplement.

Protein

Protein is not as much of a concern if one is eating a well-rounded vegan diet. While we don't think of them as protein sources, vegetables do contain protein. Nuts and seeds also offer a lot of protein. Chia seeds have 3 grams of protein in just 2 tablespoons. Hemp seeds contain a complete protein, meaning they contain all the amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Brown rice is also high in protein.

In addition to all these vegan sources of protein, most vegans do not believe that humans need the amount of protein we are led to believe is necessary. Between the lessened need for protein and the bounty of plant protein sources, most vegans with a well-rounded diet get all the protein they need.

Iron

Iron is not just found in meat. One surprisingly rich source of iron is raw cacao powder. Happily, just 2.5 tablespoons have 8% of the RDA for iron! Chia seeds are another good source of iron, with 2 tablespoons containing 8% of the RDA. Blackstrap molasses are high in iron, with 1 tablespoon offering 19% of the RDA. 23% of the RDA is found in just one ounce of pumpkin seeds, which are delicious roasted and eaten out-of-hand. Baked potatoes and spinach are also high in iron. And there are also excellent vegan iron supplements available at any health food store if iron is a particular concern for you. The best and most easily digested tend to be the liquid supplements.

Calcium

Got kale? Many vegetables contain calcium and kale is one of the most concentrated and easily digestible sources of calcium. Sea vegetables, nori or dulse, for example, also contain high amounts of calcium, as do chia seeds. And just one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses contains 17% of the RDA. It's generally accepted in the nutrition community that vegetable and other plant sources of calcium are easily digested, therefore your body reaps the benefits more readily than from animal sources like cow's milk. Speaking of milk, coconut and almond milks contain 45% of the RDA for calcium in just 1 cup!

Serena Li is a web content contributor with Basic-Natural LLC, a socially conscious company dedicated to providing consumers with up-to-date information on the sustainability industry. For news, information, and everyday green living tips, please visit the company blog.

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Nutrition in Sport

There are a lot of common misconceptions with correct nutrition whether it is for general health and well being or race and high performance situations, most people these days don't actually take in the correct amount of nutrients and minerals required for a general healthy diet as most the most common product missing from a healthy balanced diet is plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables which taken in the correct quantities can improve your own quality of life due to the human body being able to operate a lot more efficiently which also boosts your immune system so you are a lot less susceptible to basic illnesses like the common cold. 

Even if you do catch an illness like the common cold a healthy diet can actually speed up your recovery so it can be out of your system a lot faster meaning you can spend a lot less time suffering and feeling sorry for yourself.

Most people like I have said before do not cover the basic requirements for a healthy diet and within that group of people those that exercise regularly and train hard to improve their own performances are no exception as most of them believe exercise is enough for them to have a healthy lifestyle and by training hard and regularly they can eat and drink poor quality food and drink and still live forever.

 This is generally not the case as correct nutrition is a massive part of a normal lifestyle let alone one that involves an individual constantly striving to achieve their personal goals in sport whether that is winning races or beating a personal best time on a regular training circuit. Correct and proper nutrition can help you make bigger leaps and gains in your own sport or quality of life mainly because the body will be more 'primed' and ready, this also goes against the most common excuses made by individuals rejecting change to their poor diet to a healthier balanced diet like;

"It won't make that much difference to me as I'm not that fit anyway"

Or

"I would gain more if I train harder and lose weight instead"

Or

"It's not like I am racing the Tour de France so I don't need to take it that seriously"

All these excuses are very poor reasons not to as the reason top athletes are at the top is because they train hard but also take in a healthy diet in order to reap the full benefits from training which include; the body being refuelled properly so you don't feel the need to eat everything in sight after exercise, having a lot more energy to start with so you can exercise for longer and more efficiently meaning you will increase your fitness and performances a lot quicker,

 the body will also become used to burning better quality food so you will again find an increase in fitness, well being in general and you will find the body will be storing less fat as the fat will be used as fuel but there will also be less trans fats and saturated fats in the body.

To follow correct sports nutrition in this modern era the human body now requires a larger percentage of carbohydrates in a general diet in order to fuel the body enough for exercise but also to refuel the body after exercise for better recovery, a common misconception is that for optimal recover you need to take in a large dose of protein after exercise to rebuild the muscles, 

what is generally more important for recovery is taking in more carbohydrates to refuel but also to take in more amino acids which are required to break the protein down so the body can use it to rebuild the muscles. There are generally a lot more supplements and nutrients that need to be taken in for optimal recovery but you will find certain supplements won't be in basic recovery drinks so in a way recovery products are very much a 'you get what you pay for' product as you can buy recovery products at half the cost of another brand but that doesn't necessarily mean you are getting more for less as generally you will be paying for less ingredients and sometimes a lower quality of ingredients which can actually be counter productive in some cases.

The easiest way to take in carbohydrates and electrolytes to fuel and hydrate the body during exercise is now in very convenient methods compared to carrying sandwiches and fruit around during exercise, most brands now have produced a 'energy bar' which is a very quick and easy way to deliver key nutrients, carbohydrates and more calories to the body,

 calories aren't a bad thing to take in during exercise as you can't exercise without burning calories as they are a key fuel source for the human body. Another quick and easy method of refuelling and hydrating the human body is again a lot of nutrition brands have produced products in powder or tablet form which you can then mix with water to have a drink that contains enough carbohydrates to fuel the body for longer but also deliver it faster through the body as it is already in liquid form, another key ingredient which is sometimes overlooked in 'sports drinks' is electrolytes as they are very important salts needed in the body which you lose through sweating, without enough electrolytes in the body can then cramp up which is something which will not go away quickly whilst exercising.

As outlined above the key points are as follows:

1) good nutrition can benefit everyone whether they exercise or not

2) good nutrition for those who train and exercise isn't just for professional athletes as good nutrition can also give you that extra advantage your looking for without spending every waking minute of your life exercising and training.

3) modern energy and recovery products are a good way to help put in the correct amount of nutrients and carbohydrates during exercise and training without carrying a fruit bowl around with you.

4) without correct nutrition and a balanced diet with enough carbohydrates in your diet for exercise and training your body can get run down and lower your immune system so you are more susceptible to illness, a good quality recovery product can help prevent this.

Why not have a look at what sort of nutrition is available.

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How to Practice Good Sports Nutrition

Sports nutrition is defined as the study and practice of nutrition and dieting as it relates to athletes and their performance. It is mainly concerned with the types and quantities of food and drink ingested by athletes and deals with vitamins, minerals, supplements and organic substances such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are the most important macro-nutrients needed to build the ideal athletic diet.

Sports nutrition is something you'll commonly hear in strength and endurance sports like weight lifting, swimming, cycling and running because these are the sports that require athletes to strike a perfect balance in order to sustain themselves during intense workouts and competitions. Sports nutrition is a concept that has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks, who credited their Olympic victories from being able to ably combine wine, meat and bread that gives them all the nutrition they need, as well as the strength and energy to win challenging competitions.

Sports nutrition these days has come a long way from the simple bread, meat and wine regimen of the Greeks. Continuous study has proven that diet along with specialized exercise and training routines enables athletes to lead healthy and productive lifestyles and helps them prevent or manage non-chronic diseases like non-insulin dependent diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and osteoporosis to name a few.

What you eat and what you drink greatly affects your performance and how you feel during your workouts/training which is why knowing your basics on sports nutrition can not only help keep you healthy but also ensure you make the most of your exercise routine. It is known to often focus on carbohydrates, an example of which is the training routine of endurance athletes, who load up on carbohydrates days before their event to boost their performance. It is also best to complement your diet regimens with the best sports supplements as well to take care of any nutritional gaps.

Sports nutrition goes beyond what you eat because you need to consider the times when you need to eat as well as coordinating your meals, snacks and drinks helps you maximize your workout. For starters, you need to eat something every 2-4 hours to keep your blood sugar levels stable and your energy high enough to boost your metabolism. By coordinating your meals and snacks, you make sure that you are never too hungry to reach for the nearest bag of chips and will be able to train at any time during the day.

Ideally, you will need to eat a pre-exercise meal that will depend on the kind of exercises and workouts you do but generally they should be food that is easily digestible and high in complex carbohydrates like pasta, breads, salads and fruits. You can also go for a big salad that is high in protein or select a small amount of lean meat like chicken or fish.

 If you're the type who likes to train or exercise in the morning, a light snack of fruits, toast and an egg will probably be best.

On the other hand, if you would prefer to have a snack thirty minutes before you start your workout, it would be best to partake of trail mix, half a granola bar, a big banana or a few graham crackers to get your energy levels going. 

Remember though, to drink lots of water before you start working out so you can replenish the electrolytes you lose when you sweat. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated before, during and after your training and workouts to keep from being dehydrated.

To maximize your training and exercise, you need the best supplements to complement your sports nutrition efforts. Find them all at affordable prices on http://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au and be at the top of your game every time, all the time.

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Detox and Nutrition

General health

As the Christmas season has come to an end, most are (relatively) happy to see the back of it and thinking of regaining our health in the New Year!

Our livers have been given a good run, so the first thing to do is to take some time off drinking alcohol. Processing alcohol creates numerous toxins in your system (such as Acetaldehyde) that your liver has to process. Your liver is a resilient organ and can regenerate but needs time to do so! A few other things to consider:

Whole Foods

Try to eat whole foods (naturally grown and unprocessed foods). There are several thousand chemicals that can be used in processing foods. Your liver filters out and detoxifies these chemicals. Organic whole foods (fruit, vegetables and meat) will take pressure off your liver as it will not have to filter or detoxify the food chemicals.

Exercise

Exercise increases blood flow around the body. This enables blood to more rapidly carry toxins and waste to the liver and kidneys, to then be filtered out of the body.

Through aerobic exercise, breathing increases, allowing lungs to expel more toxins from the body.

The skin is our largest organ. Waste is eliminated through the skin by sweating.

Detox Foods

There are a diverse range of foods that are good for your liver/digestive tract and for detoxing. Some are a bit more unorthodox than others such as seaweed and dandelions (which contain powerful antioxidants to cleanse the digestive tract and liver) to household items such as lemons and garlic.

A full list of detox foods are as follows:

Citrus fruits

Citrus fruits such as lemons and limes contain Vitamin C and help cleanse the liver and digestive tract. The also alkalise the body to offset the acidity of foods.

Fresh fruit

Full of vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, fruit is great for detoxing after a boozy Christmas season. Although if you are not active/exercising try to restrict your fruit intake to one piece per day, as it is high in natural sugar.

Ginger and Garlic

Ginger and Garlic are beneficial to the liver because they help it get rid of free radicals (molecules that can damage body cells) that are built up in the body.

Greens

The chlorophyll in these plant-based foods rid the body of harmful environmental toxins, as well as help the liver in detoxification. A blood cleanser and natural antibiotic, chlorophyl also reduces blood fats, thinning the blood and lowering blood pressure.

Beets

Fiber in beets help increase the production of antioxidant enzymes in the liver, which help the liver and gallbladder eliminate bile and other toxic substances from the body.

Cabbage

Cabbage is rich in antioxidant nutrients, which neutralize free-radicals. Antioxidants have been strongly linked to the protection from numerous diseases, from heart disease to regulation of the immune system.

Dandelions

Dandelions are great for detox and particularly effective for treating a build up of toxins in the liver by helping to remove waste products. It also may help reduce side effects of medication and as it can help improve bile flow & reduce inflammation.

Seaweed

Seaweed rids the body of toxins that cause a variety of health problem such as obesity, arthritis and high blood pressure. It is rich in minerals like iodine and potassium, and is also believed to boost the body's natural immune system, and improve thyroid and liver function which also helps with detoxification.

Practical advice

Personally I can't see myself cooking up seaweed and dandelion soup! But there are plenty of practical and easy ways to detox and improve your diet. Try to make these changes permanent as a temporary change to your diet will only return temporary result.

Eat whole (unprocessed) foods

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables although more vegetables than fruit

Eat at least two vegetables with your meals - one green and one coloured

Restrict your fruit intake to one piece a day if you are not active

Eat plenty of different coloured fruit and vegetables

Drink plenty of water (at least 1.5 litres per day), more if exercising regularly

Put a slice of lemon in your water

Stay off the booze for a few weeks

For references and further reading see:

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com

http://www.livestrong.com

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Weight Loss Nutrition Plan - Your Complete Guide To Finding Your 6-Pack

You want to find your 6-pack, and you've got a workout plan, so what do you eat? Am I eating enough? I'm not losing weight, why? Those questions, by far the most asked on the message boards. I'm going to give you the straight skinny on research I've done, what I feel works, doesn't work etc.

What You Stuff In Your Face Will 100% Impact Your Results

First, it's not a "Diet Plan", if you want a crash diet, it's not going to work long term. Really what most of us need to do is adjust our thinking on food and nutrition. In the world today it's been way to easy to sacrifice nutrition for convenience That's how I got fat, I'm lazy when it comes to cooking for myself. I'm a single guy, and making an ornate meal is about the lowest thing on my agenda, just above cutting the grass or shoveling snow. I just like to eat, and if someone else wants to make the food I stuff in my pie hole that's even better.

So what will it take to get your 6 Pack? Well I'm going to be honest, it's going to take dedication like no other. You need to be sub 10% body fat for a guy or sub 15% for a female. The food you stuff in your face is one of the few things you control in your life. Double Bacon Cheeseburger, or Extra Lean Turkey Tacos? You decide, and the path you chose will have consequences, and that is either carrying around a keg, or a 6-pack.

MATH. It's Not Just For School - Your "Food Budget"

Losing weight, in it's simplest form is easy math. Calories Eaten - Calories Your Body Needs To Live - Calories Exerted On Other Activities = Weight Loss/Gain. To lose weight you need to be in what is known as a Calorie Reduced State, a negative number.

To lose 1lb weight, you need that equation to = -3500/week. Or roughly 500/day. So how the heck do you figure that out? Well there are a number of studies and formulas, but the one I use is this:

Calories Your Body Needs To Live (aka you Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR):

Men: 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age)

Women: 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.7 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age)

So lets use me as an example, 213lbs when I started, I'm 5'11 and I'm 34 years old... a quick Google calculator conversion to get from Imperial to Metric gives me this: 66 + (13.7 x 96.61) + (5 x 180.34) - (6.8 x 34) = 2,522.46 calories just to breath, and sleep.

Then we need to figure out what does life take to live, so there are some other generally accepted numbers:

1.0 Sedentary - you do nothing but sleep and veg out on the couch

1.2 Very light activity - nothing too physical, you work an office job,

1.4 Light activity - office job but a lot of walking, but no real "working out"

1.6 Moderate activity - your job requires physical labor, maybe an occasional workout

1.8 High activity - you are training a lot, running regularly, lifting etc.

2.0 Extreme activity - very physical job, plus working your butt off on the off hours.

The way I use this is NOT to factor in any working out (we'll get to the why later). So for me, I'm a 1.2, I'm a computer nerd by trade sitting in cube world so:

2,522.46 * 1.2 = 3,026.95 calories just to maintain my weight doing what I do all day or 21,188.65 calories a week. So now that we have that, lets subtract 20% to get some weight loss going. 3,026.95 * 0.8 = 2,421.56.

If you look at those numbers, reducing my caloric intake everyday by 20% will come out to a 605.39/day or 4,237.73/week deficit. Since 1lb = 3500 calories, just doing this will be a 1.21lb/week loss.

Let's take that a bit further, I want to lose on average 2lbs (a generally acceptable weight loss for someone overweight), that means I need to consume 7,000 calories less in a week or 1,000/day. So, if we take my BMR - 1,000 calories, we're down to 2,026.95 calories a day is my food budget. That is the number of calories I need to eat, each day to keep my body running, but still losing weight. AND THAT IS WITHOUT WORKING OUT. Even if you're not exercising this will work, I've done it in the past, I know it works. What that DOES NOT MEAN, is to limit yourself to 1,000 calories and lose 10lbs a week, your body doesn't work that way, it's smarter than that and there's more on that below.

How Does My Workout Plan Figure In?

So any workout plan, be it P90X (which I currently use), Insanity, training in the gym, the boring treadmill, is going to burn extra calories, just think of it as a bonus. Everyone will burn a different amount of calories depending on size, exercise, length of workout etc. If you want to know, strap a HR monitor on yourself and it'll tell you what it thinks you burned based on the metrics above (height, age, weight), but that can be inaccurate. I've done the HR monitor, and a number I'm comfortable with is 400 calories/workout on average when I do P90x for example. Sometimes way more, sometimes less, it all depends how I'm feeling, how much I put into it etc, but for the sake of a constant # I use 400.

Sooooo, where does that get us?

2026.95 calories - 400 = 1626.95 calories a day is what's left over for my body to use to sleep. Back to the top, we can easily figure out that 1626.95 - 3026.95 = -1400/day * 7 days = 9800 calories "saved" a week. Then we take what we saved, 9800 I either didn't eat or burned working out and divide it 3500 and I'm at 2.8lb/per week loss. THIS IS MY AVERAGE Loss this round so far, by eating about 2,000 calories a day. Math is math.

All Food Is Not Created Equally

Running hard for 20 on a treadmill will burn somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 calories. What is 200 calories?

two pieces of whole wheat bread - nothing on them.

or 29 almonds

or a doughnut

or less than two 8oz glasses of apple juice

or not quite a pint of Guinness

or 1.5 cans of soda

or two cans of energy drink

So, what would you rather do, run your butt off for 20 minutes, or eat/drink one of those things? The thing to remember is your body is not a computer or calculator. How your body handles nutrients is different based on the nutrients you're consuming. While eating less calories than you need will indeed help you lose weight, you should be conscious of what that food you're stuffing in your face contains. Try and eat lean proteins. Eat GOOD carbs, you know, ones that grow from the earth, not put together in a factory and have a bunch of junk added in as fillers and other junk. Get your fats from good places like nuts, seeds, avocados.

The way I usually eat is on the 50/30/20 plan. 50% of my calories are from lean Protein sources, 30% from Carbs, and 20% from fat. This works for me all the way through the workout program I use and I see great results. I'd recommend this at least through the first 30 days and then listen to your body. Different nutrients make you feel different ways. This particular breakdown, while being in a big deficit tends to make me feel hungry at times once I hit week 3 and 4, at which point I tell my brain and stomach to be quiet and drink some water. I also am intaking calories every 3-3.5 hours the entire time I'm awake (5am-9 or 10pm). The major meals have more calories than the in between "snack" times.

So how do you track all this? First, you buy all your own food, and limit going out to eat as much as possible. Second, you need to track your caloric intake, which is WAY easier than you might think. I use a website called MyFitnessPal.com. It's a free site, has a great free application for your phone, and a huge user supported and verified database of just about anything you want to eat, easily searchable by brand and what it's called on the bag (including a lot of restaurants). It sounds daunting, but once you do it a few times, it just becomes second nature. The key is to find a variety of foods that you can put together and hit your needs. The third thing you need to buy is a cheap food scale, I personally use the Taylor Precision 37204014T, it's $4.50. Then you measure out every portion you put into every meal, it takes 2 seconds. You can even create custom "Meals" on MyFitnessPal based on ingredients you're using, so it's easy to recall it later to track.

So I Should Just Really Stop Eating And I'll Lose All The Weight Right?

WRONG! Your body is a smart machine, and it adapts. I can't constantly keep eating 1,900 calories and keep that weight loss up. Some people call it "Starvation Mode", call it what you will, but your body adjusts your metabolism in an effort to keep you healthy and protect itself. After the first 30 days, I take my weight, and refigure things. I also INCREASE my caloric intake. The reasoning is because your muscles will actually burn more fat while sleeping, sitting, working out than the tubs of lard you just spent 30 days burning off. Remember, you want your body going after the fat stores, not the lean muscle mass you're working on toning and building. Your body needs more to keep the furnace pumping. If you've hit a plateau with your weight loss, my first reaction is Eat MORE! I typically will bump up my intake by 400-500 calories after the first month, and believe me, it works, there are plenty of resources and forum posts discussing this.

Anyway, that's my "quick" lesson on nutrition, this should set you in the right direction. If you have any questions at all, PLEASE get a hold of me on my website!

Learn what to eat to make the most of your weight loss journey!
http://www.pbjfitness.com

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The Nutrition Weight Loss Secret - The Thermogenic Effect of Food

Thermogenesis, or the "Thermogenic Effect", is the heat-producing effect of calories consumed from food. In other words, when your body digests the food that you eat, it produces heat in the body that temporarily increases your metabolism. In fact, it is this heat produced that facilitates the very digestion of that food, and in turn, provides you the greatest degree of nutrition weight loss and other health benefits per quantity of food eaten.

A calorie is actually a measurement of a unit of heat. And heat is a measurement of energy. Digesting food and properly absorbing it for nutrition weight loss and general health requires energy, which requires heat, which is measured in calories.

But not all calories are built alike.

Some calories are more available to the body for easy digestion through the production of heat than others. By the same token, some calories require more energy to digest than others.

An Easy Example: Chew Your Food!

For a familiar example, the more your chew your food, converting it from a solid mass into a more liquefied mush, the more available those calories become and thus the easier they are to convert to heat (or energy) for easy digestion. Who hasn't had the experience of inadequately chewing their food, only to later suffer bloating and/or indigestion?

Which Calories Are More Thermogenically Available Than Others?

The easiest macronutrient for reaping the most nutrition weight loss and other health benefits for the least amount of food eaten is protein. An average of 27% of the calories consumed as protein are converted to heat to be utilized in the digestion of that protein.

Meanwhile, 7% of the calories consumed in the form of carbohydrates are converted into heat energy for use in the metabolic processes of digestion and absorption. That means not as much energy is produced by eating carbohydrates as by proteins, and therefore it requires the body draw on various other energy sources (like exercise) to get the job done, or else it won't get done at all.

Keep that in mind as we look at the last-and worst-macronutrient in terms of thermogenesis, and that is fats, which only convert 3% of their calories into energy for use in digestion and absorption. That means a body must find 97% of the energy it uses to digest and absorb those fats from other sources. And what happens if it doesn't?

Why is Knowledge of the Thermogenic Effect Important For Nutrition Weight Loss and General Health?

The answer to this question is simple. Because what do you think happens to those other calories not used in the thermogenic process (in other words: not converted to heat for use as metabolic energy)? Some of it gets digested-yes-its nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream.

But the rest is either eliminated as waste (leading the body to crave more food to meet its nutritional needs) or stored as fat. Either way, this contributes to all that unwanted weight gain. The more calories not used in the thermogenic effect, the likelier that some of the remaining calories in that food-whatever it is-will show up on your belly, thighs, hips, cheeks, or wherever it is that your body typically and most easily puts on weight.

It's About More Than Macronutrients - Thermogenesis is Also About Eating Patterns

The more food your body takes in at once, the harder it is to convert any part of that food into heat for digestion and absorption. So the more you eat at once the harder it is to produce and sustain an appropriate metabolic rate for proper nutrition weight loss and general health. That's why it is always recommended that you eat several smaller meals throughout the day rather just one or two large meals. In this way, you can actually eat more and still wind up weighing less!

Download your free copy of the "Experts Guide to Understanding Weight Loss" using the below link right now and get started losing weight naturally and healthily right away.

Dr. William Berkowitz has been in the natural health field for more than 23 years. His focus is on maximizing health and vitality through natural means. One of his passions is Diet and Nutrition and its application to Weight Loss. Frustrated by the confusion in the Weight Loss marketplace, through his research he developed a Weight Loss program founded on the Laws of Human Physiology. He has also developed a companion Exercise Program that turns up the metabolism in just minutes a day. Click on this link to download your FREE copy of the "Experts Guide to Weight Loss - 7 Keys to Weight Loss" [http://RapidNaturalWeightLoss.com/]

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Good Nutrition: Benefits of Optimum Nutrition

Nourishment of your body is known as nutrition. Nutritious diet is required to maintain overall health of your body. Your diet should be a balanced one which contains vegetables, fruits and poultry. The benefits of optimum nutrition are numerous. Nutritious and healthy diet gives energy to function throughout the day and promotes sleep. Let's take a look at the various benefits of good nutrition.

Why you should have Nutritious Diet

Good diet is required to perform your daily activities - Carbohydrates, Fats and proteins are some of the nutrients that provide energy to your body. However, the body also needs vitamins and minerals to use as well as convert the energy. When you diet does not contain the required vitamins and minerals it can lead to serious health issues.

Nutritious diet ensures growth and tissue repair - Optimum nutrition helps in growth during your childhood, healing and maintaining muscle mass in case of injury. To build muscles you surely need protein. This can be obtained from legumes, beans, eggs, milk and meat.

Nutrients are required by the body cells - To synchronize the functioning of all the vital organs, you need to consume a nutritious diet at least once in a day. Though many nutrients are produced by the body, there are many more nutrients that have to be got from the food we consume. Without the essential nutrients, the cells of your body cannot simply function.

Balanced diet prevents lifestyle diseases - Many health issues that arise due to your lifestyle such as diabetes, blood pressure, obesity and overweight can be combated with the help of balanced nutritious diet. Avoid saturated fats and sugar. Consume many helpings of green leafy vegetables. Phyto-chemicals fight the free radicals in the blood stream and prevent terminal diseases such as cancer.

Strengthens your bones and teeth - A balanced diet rich in calcium during the growing years is a must if the child needs a set of healthy teeth and strong bones. As an adult you can control the intake of sugary junk and soft drinks. However, you can snack on nuts, cheese and plenty of vegetables.

Along with good sleep you also need highly nutritious food for good mental health - Including food items such as fruit and vegetables, lean meat, poultry and diary, unprocessed cereals and grains can keep depression and mood swings at bay. Consumption of sea food especially the fish that is rich in omega-3 acid can even prevent Alzheimers and improve your concentration.

Summary

Optimum nutrition is essential to keep you mentally and physically fit. Therefore your diet must be a balanced one that contains proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If you are planning to reduce your weight, then it is mandatory that you follow a good nutritious diet.

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Nutrition Is The Best Medicine

March is National Nutrition Month. Personally, I think nutrition should be front and center in our health all year. It's the only side-effect free medicine!

For example, omega-3 fatty acids are known to help lower cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic lists fatty fish, such as salmon, as it's #2 food to help lower cholesterol. That's because natural wild-caught salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. 
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine produced a study that showed healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats can lower cholesterol as much as 18%. Eating 1-2 servings of salmon per week and combining that with other food with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, olive oil, flax seeds and Brussels sprouts, can help lower your cholesterol without dangerous medications.

Nutrition also plays a huge role in keeping kids healthy and active. Kids who eat a healthy diet and are allowed to play as children are supposed to experience less illness, are of a healthy weight and have better concentration.

Recently, there has been much controversy over type 2 diabetes in children. Sadly, many of these reports sideline or completely forget that the top recommendation for children is to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and run around to burn energy. What frightens me is the second recommendation is to give metformin to children. 
Not only is this drug not test on children, the side effects are scary. WebMD lists the side effects as sinus infections, head pain, nausea, diarrhea, swelling of the abdomen and inadequate vitamin B12 absorption. The manufacturer's website confirms this, and lists nearly 20 more side effects. Diarrhea and B12 deficiency in children can be fatal side effects in children.

What people sometimes forget is that diabetes is a disease that originates in sugar control problems. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys the pancreas in kids. Type 2 comes from overeating sugar. It's easy to stop overeating sugars: Eliminate pre-packaged foods, soda and candy from the diet, focus on fruits, vegetables and quality meats and get plenty of exercise and fun.

The problem of being overweight can be solved with nutrition. In fact, nutrition and exercise are the only two methods of weight loss that has no side effects, is long term and never been pulled off the market. It's the only safe way. Switching unhealthy pre-packaged foods for healthy, fresh foods is the best way to incorporate good nutrition.

Our local farmers are a treasure trove of fruits and vegetables. Look at some of their stands this month. You will find fresh fruits and vegetables that these very farmers grew themselves. 
Yes, I know it is March and yes, we do have fresh food. Rhubarb, mushrooms, lettuces, spinach, parsnips, radishes and peas can all be grown with a little care to be harvested now. Much more is available from local greenhouses. Apples, squash and onions can be stored and used throughout the winter. Shop around, you will be surprised!

Christina Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health helps people, especially women, who have Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure lower their numbers, get off medication and increase their energy so they can save money, take back control of their lives and improve the health and happiness of their families. You can get a free report on health at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com/

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