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Almost everyone wants to eat a healthy diet but, for one reason or another very few of us do. Some people think that they never have time; others think that it doesn’t really matter. Most people in truth know little or nothing about what it really means to eat healthy and how education and good sense can improve all of out diets significantly.

The first step is to choose foods that are healthy first, and avoid foods that are known to cause problems like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Carbohydrates have been in the limelight in recent years but watching your calorie intake is still very important.

The recommended daily calorie intake for an active adult is about 2000 calories, depending on your age and gender. Try to start eating foods you have never tried before like fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Take moderate helpings. And with all that food you want to make sure to drink plenty of water.

Everyone loves sweets. Processed sugar, salt and refined grain products are not good for your system, each making the body overwork in order to process them. Drinking one 12 ounce can of Coke a day for a year can increase you body weight by almost 20 pounds.

Here are a few examples of food types and what they can do for you and to you:

• Bad carbs have been stripped of all of the sugar, fiber and starches by heavy processing. White flour, sugar, and white rice will digest so rapidly that it can cause in blood sugar, weight gain, or even diabetes.
• Whole grains contain phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help prevent against cancer and heart disease. Look for the words on the package, “Stone ground”, “Multigrain”, or 100% wheat/bran before you buy.
• High fiber is a must. Fiber helps you feel fuller and cuts the amount you eat, keeps your blood sugar under control and helps maintain a healthy colon.
• Cut the amount of saturated fats from red meat and whole milk, to lower your LDL (bad cholesterol) which increases your risk of heart disease.

If you are on one of the fad diets that tell you to lower the amount of carbohydrates, fat, proteins, etc. from your diet, ask your doctor what they think. Our bodies all need a good balance of all of those and protein and minerals as well.

Talk to your doctor about outlining a diet that meets your specific needs and pay attention to your body.

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Cholesterol is a type of fat that is manufactured by your body which needs it to bind cells together, produce hormones, vitamin D and manufacture substances that help us digest the foods we eat. By now we all understand the negative health affects that high cholesterol causes. When to much is present in your blood this is where problems arise. When we get into a situation where we have too much cholesterol in our blood the condition is called Hypercholesterolemia or Hyperlipidemia. Health problems from high cholesterol do not appear in a matter of days or months but are a result of the condition persisting over a number of years.

There are basically two ways in which we obtain cholesterol. First our bodies manufacture most of what we need in our liver. The second source is from the foods that we eat. Animals are the only ones that manufacture cholesterol so we get it when we eat animal products such as meat, chicken, fish, butter, whole milk and cheeses. Eating these foods will provide you with more than enough cholesterol. You will not find it in anything that comes from a plant such as fruits, vegetables or whole grains. One way to reduce our intake of cholesterol of course would be to eat more fruits and vegetables and reduce our intake of animal products.

We have all heard of LDL (Bad) and HDL (Good) cholesterol, but what exactly are these and what functions do they play? In order for cholesterol to get to the cells where it is needed it has to be transported through the bloodstream. We all know that oil and water do not mix. Because cholesterol is a fat, like oil and water, it does not mix with your blood and will separate. To travel through the bloodstream cholesterol is surrounded by a protein to create a “cholesterol complex”. This is called a lipoprotein, the two forms being LDL and HDL. These lipoproteins have two functions; first the LDL’s transport this complex from the liver to the tissues that need it. The problem arises when we have too many LDL’s left over. They will let go of the cholesterol and will cause a plague build-up that results in a condition known as atherosclerosis, commonly known as hardening of the arteries. The HDL’s then pick up this excess cholesterol and transport it back to the liver where it can either repackage it for later use or get rid of it. This is why ideally we want high levels of HDL’s and low levels of LDL’s.

Your cholesterol level is a result of two things, first it is affected by what we eat and secondly how fast our bodies manufacture and use it up. Most of the time there is no specific reason why a person has high cholesterol. Modern medicine has not yet been able to identify specific causes for the condition but have come up with a list of risk factors that can lead to it.

Some of these risk factors are things we have control over and others we can not control. Some that are within our control are:

* Diet – Eating foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fats will increase cholesterol levels. This is believed to be the main reason for high cholesterol and the high rate of heart attacks in this country.

* Weight – Being overweight can increase your cholesterol levels. Losing weight can lower LDL and total cholesterol as well as increase HDL levels.

* Physical Activity – Getting regular exercise can lower LDL levels and increase HDL levels.

Now let us take a look at some of the factors that we can not control:

* Heredity – Your genes determine how fast your body makes LDL and how fast it is removed from the blood. This is why heart disease runs in some families and not in others.

* Age and Gender – As we get older our cholesterol levels rise. For example, before menopause women usually have lower cholesterol levels than men the same age. After menopause women have higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels. After the age of 50 women tend to have higher total cholesterol levels than men their same age.

Each year there are more than 1 million heart attacks in the United States resulting in over 500,000 deaths. Understanding the role that high cholesterol plays and what we need to do to lower it can benefit everyone. The only way to know if you have high cholesterol is by a blood test. If you have concerns that you may have high cholesterol levels due to lifestyle or other factors it is best to discuss this with your doctor who can monitor the situation.

John Bradstreet is an experienced Biochemist with extensive knowledge in nutritional supplementation. He is committed to a healthier lifestyle through natural means. To learn more about the benefits controlling high cholesterol we have included additional links at the bottom of the page to help educate you on the subject. Or you can subscribe to our Vitamin and Supplement blog.

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A lot of people associate healthy nutrition with a strict diet and an empty stomach; that however is untrue. Even though a healthy diet does require a certain amount of will power, it is not as nightmarish as some people make it out to be. In this article I will list several tips will help you make the transition from poor eating habits to healthy eating habits.

1. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce provide your body with minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Fiber helps you feel full longer and various vitamins and minerals support a healthy body.
2. Switch to whole grains. Replace all of your refined grains with whole grains. By doing so you are reducing your risk of various diseases and increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals.
3. Consume low fat dairy rather than whole milk dairy. You will still get the calcium you need but without the added calories.
4. Be sure to consume fish at least 2 days out of the week. Remember that meat is not the only source of protein. Other great sources of protein include fish and beans.
5. If you must eat meat, be sure that it’s lean and skinless.
6. Switch to low fat condiments. Everything from mayo to salad dressing is available with reduced calories. Don’t be afraid to make the switch. The taste is still the same but you will be consuming fewer calories and fat.
7. Stay away from foods which you know are bad, such as fast foods, any fried foods, and sodas.

Consuming a healthy diet can also help you lose weight. Healthy nutrition, routine physical activity, all natural diet pills, whey protein shakes and various herbal remedies can all help you attain a slimmer waistline. 

Tucker Moore enjoys writing articles relating to diet, health, fitness and nutrition. Her skills include unearthing the natural medicinal and weight loss benefits of natural supplements, diet pills, and herbal remedies.

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Healthy nutrition does not always require drastic changes to your current diet. Sometimes, improving your eating habits can be as simple as switching from refined grains to whole grains or adding a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your daily cup of yogurt. In this article I will list 10 simple steps which can improve your health and your diet.

1. Make the switch from refined grains to whole grain. Everything from pasta to bread should be purchased in whole grain form.
2. Use mustard instead of mayo. Whenever buying any condiments always look for a healthier, low fat alternative. This includes salad dressing.
3. Make our oatmeal with skim milk, not water. This will help you boost your protein and calcium levels.
4. Use spinach leaves instead of iceberg lettuce in salads. Spinach leaves are very nutritious whereas iceberg lettuce is not.
5. Choose healthy beverages, such unsweetened freshly brewed tea (skip sweetened teas and sodas). You would be amazed at just how many calories beverages add up to each and every day.
6. Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to either your cereal or yogurt every day.
7. Order broiled or grilled fish instead of steak when eating out.
8. Make sure that your breakfast cereal is a whole grain, low sugar brand.
9. When drinking coffee skip the whipped cream and whole milk, instead opt for skim milk.
10. Order or serve your main course with steamed veggies or salad rather than loaded mash potatoes and fries. These little changes can add up greatly at the end of the week.

These 10 tips will help you improve your health and your weight. Weight loss can also be attained with the help from whey protein shakes, all natural diet pills and various herbal remedies. 

Tucker Moore enjoys writing articles relating to diet, health, fitness and nutrition. Her skills include unearthing the natural medicinal and weight loss benefits of natural supplements, diet pills, and herbal remedies.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/10-simple-steps-to-a-healthy-diet-923893.html

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The body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise, so lots of exercises and crash diets do not go with healthy weight loss. Your body uses food for energy and stores excess energy as fat. To loose weight you need to use up these stores of fat, these can be done by reducing the amount of calories you eat and also by increasing levels of activity.

It is best to introduce change gradually. Small changes make big difference. Think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits. Increase of activity also does well. Someone who maintains the same diet and calorie intake will almost certainly lose weight. Reduction of calorie intake is also necessary. This means eating less calories to reduce body fat.

Below are ways to reduce calorie intake without having to alter your diet significantly.

* Replace fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water.

* Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.

* Eat less lunch than usual. For example, make your own sandwich and limit the use of margarine/butter
and full-fat mayonnaise (store-bought sandwiches often contain both).

* Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee.

* Have smaller portions of the food you enjoy.

* Avoid having a second helping at dinner.

* Cut out unhealthy treats such as confectionary, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.

* Cut down on beer and alcohol.

You will find that your body slowly but gradually adopts to the healthy changes that you make. It may not be easy when you are starting, but it can be done! And my, you shall feel lighter on your feet within no time.

Mercy Maranga Reports on Health and Fitness issues. Visit Her Site here for more information on weight loss and its management Weight Loss Plan

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