Healthy Living: Simple steps to a better life
Colin McDougall

When you watch TV or read magazines you get the impression that most people spend their days as lean, mean exercise fanatics who compete in triathlons, eat tofu, and drink a gallon of rain water a day.

If you dont fit this profile, you are not alone. Consider:

Seven out of 10 American adults don’t exercise regularly, despite the proven health benefits, according to a 2002 study based on more than 68,000 interviews for the National Center for Health Statistics.

80 percent of people in the US older than 25 are overweight based on the body mass index (BMI), a national guideline computed through a combination of weight and heightaccording to a Harris Poll released in 2002.

According to the American National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC), in 2000 the most common actual causes of death in the United States were tobacco (435,000), poor diet and physical inactivity (400,000), alcohol consumption (85,000).

The writing is on the wall poor diet and physical inactivity is about as dangerous as smoking.

So, why dont we exercise and eat right?

For most of us, the answer is: time. Exercise and diet take time away from our work, our families, our lives.

Some of us have tried to fit exercise into our daily routines before and maybe even stuck with a program for a while, but finally saw too little gain for the effort and time it took.

Heres the good news: a healthy lifestyle wont consume you like it might have years ago. The science of healthy living has come a long way in recent years. Consider:

Modest but regular exercise has proven to raise the bodys metabolic rate, so that you burn fat even when at rest.

New strategies of exercise and diet bring results much sooner than ever before, without drugs.

A healthy lifestyle isnt only about working out and cutting out foods you like. Its also about applying a balanced approach to all areas of your life. For example, studies show that you can lose weight by simply watching less television.

Realistic health improvement for real people

We all know we should take better care of ourselves, but modern lifestyles with hectic work schedules, commuting, and family and social responsibilities make it difficult for us to live a healthy life.

But you can begin to live a healthier life. You can start slowly and work in more healthy practices. Interestingly, even small changes can lead to big improvements over time. Begin modestly by making a commitment to starting to do something and to stay with it. As you proceed, remember to be proud of your accomplishmentsyou will be doing more than 70 percent of the population!

The doctor will see you now

Before embarking on a fitness program and making dietary changes, talk with your doctor about your plans. If you have prior health conditions, especially cardiovascular disease, your doctor may want you to avoid certain exercises. If you are on certain medications, your doctor may give you valuable information on avoiding drug interactions with certain foods such as grapefruit and with some herbal supplements.

A special word to smokers

If you smoke, you know you need to quit. Modern research links smoking to a vast array of cancers, as well as heart and cardiovascular disease. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking alone causes one-third of all cancer deaths.

The bottom lineif you are a smoker, stopping represents the single best health action you can take. Talk with your doctorthere are new treatments available.

Some basic health objectives

It can be hard to know where to start when you want to improve your health.

Here are three baseline objectives for a healthier lifestyle:

Lose weight / Eat a more balanced diet

Get more exercise

Reduce stress

Lose weight / Eat a more balanced diet

Qualified health professionals agree the keys to losing weight are to eat less, eat a more balanced diet, and to increase your exercise level. In general, reducing your intake of protein and eating more fruits and vegetables is a good start. Try and reduce your intake of saturated fats common in fried foods. Your heart will thank you.

Here are some tips:

Eat a diet that contains lots of:

Whole grains

Fruit

Vegetables

Ensure you are getting an adequate supply of:

Vitaminsa daily multi-vitamin is good protection

Calciummany men and women do not get enough calcium in their diets, putting them at risk for osteoporosis.

Watermany adults do not consume enough water each day

Reduce your consumption of:

Fat

Sugar

Salt

Processed foods

Fast food meals

Alcohol

Other Tips:

Make your own nutritious lunch and take it to work. Youll save money and feel better too.

Buy veggies for snacks, such as small washed carrots or apple slices, which you can put into re-sealable bags and take to work.

Consider diet supplements for weight loss and health

Despite our best efforts, it is hard to eat a balanced diet everyday. Consider taking one or more of the excellent vitamins and supplements available, but check with your doctor first before taking them.

Today, you can get the latest high quality vitamins and dietary supplements at low prices and without leaving your home by ordering over the Internet. Here is an excellent example of a vitamins site.

Avoid fad diets

Use common sense and follow the advice of government health authorities, university nutritionists and other well-accredited health care experts. Reliable nutrition advice is available free by contacting your local health department and talking with a nutritionist.

Be wary of the latest Fad Diets put forward by authors. Healthy eating is not rocket scienceyou need to eat a balanced diet that includes the four food groups:

Vegetablesthree or more servings per day

Whole grainsfive or more servings per day

Fruitthree of more servings per day

Legumestwo or more servings per day

This is well documented by decades of research. Sure, the fad diets may help you lose weight temporarily but at worst you could seriously damage your health and at best, you will likely gain the weight back if the diet is not sensible and sustainable.

Get more exercise

The second key to losing weight is to add more physical exercise into your lifestyle.

Exercise takes some effort and time, so it is fair to ask why you should bother. The key reasons include the following:

Weight loss

Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

Increased energy

Increased bone strength

Maintenance of muscle mass

Reduced stress levels

Better appearance

Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or gardening may be beneficial in reducing your risk of heart disease.

Exercise

At a minimum you should strive for at least three 20-minute bouts of continuous aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week.

Other exercise levels will depend on your physical condition and goals. Consider a session or two with a certified personal trainer to accurately assess your current physical condition and plan an exercise regimen.

Easy ways for non-athletes to add exercise to their daily lives:

Get off the bus a stop or two early and walk to work or home.

If you drive to work, park in a new location and walk a few blocks.

Take the stairs at work. Get off the elevator a few floors down and walk up a few flights.

Ride a bicycleyou dont need a fancy bike, but you should always wear a helmet

Walkits cheap and it works! The average person can walk three to four miles an hour. This makes many short trips to the store within walking distance, saving you money on gasoline and providing a health benefit at the same time.

Try gardeningraking, weeding, and tilling will all give you exercise. If you have a small, level yard, consider a push mower. These mowers are quiet, cut the lawn beautifully, and give you exercise all at the same time.

Enlist a friend to join youhave fun together and stay motivated

Consider creating a home gym

More and more people are purchasing exercise equipment to use at home. The advantages include:

No wasted time traveling back and forth to the gym

Ability to use the equipment more often and at more convenient times

Increased chance of participation by all family members

Here are some tips in selecting equipment:

Determine what goals you want to pursuestrength training, aerobic training or cardiovascular training before you look at equipment.
Buy sturdy, quality equipment from known manufacturers.
Purchase equipment that will meet your needs now and as you improve
Buy from a reputable retailer, who has a large selection, low prices, and stands behind their products. For an excellent example for home gyms (click here) and other fitness equipment.

Reduce Stress

The good news is that by eating a healthier diet and exercising more frequently, you will have already taken two of the most important steps to helping your body fight stress.

Obviously sources of stress are a personal matter. Be alert to chronic stress you have trouble managing. This can sometimes lead to more serious conditions for both men and women, such as depression. If you feel you are having trouble coping, it is best to talk with your doctor.

If on the other hand, you have the everyday level of stress most of us face, you may want to try these stress-reducing tips:

Make time for family and friends

Avoid stressful thoughts by not listening or watching the news first thing in the morning and last thing at night

Try listening to music or practicing meditation

Take vitamins B6 and B12they are excellent for fighting the effects of stress and most adults dont get enough of these important vitamins.

How can I get started on a healthier lifestyle?

If you are not living as healthy a life as you want right now, you may be wondering how you will find the time and the resources to make changes.

The good news is you dont have to make all the changes at once, but do resolve to make some improvements. Time is always an issue, but time taken to improve your health will yield big improvements in many other areas of your life.

There has never been a better time to start, because thanks to the Internet you can purchase quality heath care products and equipment, quickly and efficiently and save money too! Heres a link to get you started with weight loss programs and healthy living.

About the Author

Colin McDougall is a successful freelance writer providing valuable advice for people seeking weight loss programs and vitamins. Visit http://www.weight-loss-and-nutritional-supplements.com and http://www.vitamins-source.com for more articles. He also offers other health and exercise related sites such as http://www.a1-hockey-equipment.com and http://www.paint-ball-gun-reviews.com. His numerous articles offer several healthy living tips.

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Healthy eating with fruits and vegetables
Zaak OConan

Dietary experts recommend that every person should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The importance of fruits and vegetables to a healthy diet has been known for quite some time, but studies have shown that very few people eat the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended for a healthy diet.

That’s a shame, since eating a sufficient number of fruits and vegetables just may be the single most effective thing you can do to improve your overall health. The five a day approach to healthy eating may be the single most important strategy you can adopt for a healthier lifestyle.

The many health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables have been established for quite some time now. Study after study has shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic diseases and conditions. Some studies have suggested that as many as 35% of cancer deaths can be attributed to diet, and that diets high in fats and low in fruits and vegetables contributes to unnecessary cancer deaths.

Fruits and vegetables have a lot of advantages besides just their nutritional importance. For one thing, they taste great and add a great deal of variety to everyday meals. Fruits and vegetables come in such a wide variety of colors, textures and flavors that they can be used in virtually every meal. Those seeking to maximize their consumption of fruits and vegetables should get into the habit of using fruits in salads, as toppings and as garnishes.

In addition to their great taste, fruits and vegetables are packed full of many essential vitamins and minerals, including many micronutrients that are not included in packaged vitamin supplements. For instance, foods like butternut squash, pumpkins, carrots, mangoes, peaches, pawpaws and green leafy vegetables are rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is vital for healthy skin and eyes.

In addition, most varieties of fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, another important vitamin and a strong antioxidant. Good sources of vitamin C include Brussels sprouts, citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, nectarines and kiwi fruit. Many fruits and vegetables, including spinach, broccoli and avocadoes, are also good sources of vitamin E, another excellent antioxidant.

Men and women alike should always strive to eat a healthy diet, but women have an extra incentive to get all the nutrition they need. Proper nutrition is essential to a healthy pregnancy, and some of the baby’s biggest nutritional needs happen before the pregnancy is discovered. Folic acid is perhaps the best known essential nutrient for pregnant women. Folic acid has been proven effective at preventing a variety of birth defects, including Spina Bifida. Good dietary sources of folic acid include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach and oranges. In addition, due to its importance to women of child bearing years, many common foods such as cereals and breads, are supplemented with folic acid.

In addition to their importance as source of vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables also provide essential dietary fiber. Adequate fiber in the diet is important in preventing heart disease and some kinds of cancer.

Another great feature of fruits and vegetables, especially to those watching their weight, is the high nutrition, low fat, low calorie nature of these foods. Fruits and vegetables contain very low levels of fats, and a diet low in fat can be quite effective for long term weight loss. In addition, fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, and they are lower in calories than many other types of foods.

With all these things going for them, it is no wonder so many dietary experts recommend eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Not only are fruits and vegetables delicious and nutritious, but they can be quite inexpensive as well. Buying fruits and vegetables that are locally grown, and that are in season, is usually the most cost effective way to get the freshest fruits and veggies at the lowest possible cost.

This buying strategy also helps to ensure a steady stream of new fruits and vegetables every month, as some go out of season while others are just coming in. Trying a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some you may not be familiar with, is also a great way to create exciting new dishes and prevent yourself from becoming bored with the same old diet. Whether your goal is to lose weight or just increase your level of fitness, it is hard to go wrong with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

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Healthy Eating Tips For Busy Women
Phil Beckett

Healthy Eating Tips For Busy Women
By Phil Beckett

The following healthy eating tips will help you feel great, look great, carry out every-day activities better and empower you to keep it up for many years to come.

Poor health for most women is the build up of poor life-long nutrition choices and the lack of exercise, both cardiovascular and weight exercise. If you make good choices now and exercise on a regular basis, you’re less likely to become a strain on the health system years later.

And its been proven over and over for many years that women who do make these good choices tend to be healthier and live longer.

Youve probably heard most nutritionists say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And it is because if you eat breakfast youll not only gain fuel for a high-energy and productive day, but youll also have a tendency to make better food choices during the remainder of the day.

The mistake most women make when making a choice for breakfast is to just eat cereal. And it doesnt help with all of the commercials out their telling us that cereal is all you need.

Yes, cereals rich in fiber like bran flakes, oat bran, all-bran, and raisin bran are very healthy for you. And most types of cereal with a banana, strawberries, low-fat milk etc are very good for you.

But it’s important to know that while they may contain ample carbohydrates, calcium, fiber, other nutrients, are low in fat and easy and quick to make, they dont contain nearly enough protein.

And its the protein thats more than likely the missing ingredient in your diet.

Your muscles need protein, and cannot function properly without it. Women who attempt to lose fat and/or tone up their muscles, will get the best results when they consume an ample amount of protein with breakfast.
But it difficult to get good quality protein during breakfast, unless you were to eat a bunch of eggs and bacon, which of course would lead to a whole other problem
So how do you get enough protein without eating fat?
Well the only way you can is to include Whey protein. Whey protein is a powdered supplement that you can buy in any health food store and most super-markets.
All you have to do is either mix one scoop in with your cereal (it dissolves very easily) or just stir a scoop in a glass of water. Either way its the best way to get the protein you need at breakfast.
Dont focus on any one meal. All of your meals should be nutritionally well-balanced. Meaning they should contain protein, carbohydrates and some fat. Fat will help dramatically to keep your energy levels high.

If you’re dieting you need continually fuel your body throughout the entire day. This means a minimum of 4, but preferably 6 meals each and every day. This way you’ll have the energy to exercise properly and wont crave any large unhealthy meals.

Dont get caught up in the Fat-free food frenzy. Fat-free foods are very high in simple carbohydrates and will increase your insulin, which will Feed your fat cells making you fatter very quickly.

A good nutrition plan starts when youre making your grocery list. Then of course you have to stick to the list! Another good idea is to shop for your groceries just after youve eaten. This way you wont be tempted to fill up the cart with junk food.

Nutritionally poor food is fine in moderation. But dont over-do it. Take one day each week to satisfy your cravings. You wont eliminate all the good things youve done over the rest of the week. There’s little wrong with it and in fact itll help you stay on track.

If you try to eliminate your favorite junk food completely itll lead to binge eating in only a couple of weeks. Then youll have a lot of trouble getting back on track.

When it comes to meats chicken, tuna (and most other fish) and turkey are your best choices. Theyre lower in fat, which means theyre lower in calories as well and have less cholesterol.

But dont eliminate red meats. Theyre not only an excellent source of protein but also of
iron, zinc and creatine (which helps tremendously with fitness). So try to include a couple of meals each week that contain red meats.

Bananas, oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits are the best fruits. They’re rich in vitamin C and potassium. Eat fruit and drink juices daily. But be aware fruits and fruit juices contain a lot of calories, so if youre trying to lose weight once a day is good enough.

Supplements are meant to supplement healthy eating, not compensate for poor eating habits. But if you arent getting the nutrients you need, for example youd need to drink a ton of milk plus take other calcium rich foods each day to get the calcium you need, then a calcium pill a day may be a good idea.

Exercise is not an option. Cardiovascular exercise and more importantly resistance exercise (weight lifting) is essential for good long-term health. Muscles will increase your metabolism making it possible to lose fat, and resistance exercise has amazing benefits for your heart and other organs.

A daily vitamin E may help protect against heart disease and cancer. Because people cannot easily get enough vitamin E in common foods, a supplement of 200 to 400 international units (IUs) per day is a wise health investment.

About the Author:

Phil Beckett is the author of The New Womens Guide To Successful Weight Loss & Fitness and the Fitness Director at Womens Health & Fitness Inc. Hes helped thousands of women succeed with their weight loss, health & fitness goals over the past 14 years. Visit http://www.womens-health-fitness.com to contact Phil with your questions.

About the Author

About the Author:

Phil Beckett is the author of The New Womens Guide To Successful Weight Loss & Fitness and the Fitness Director at Womens Health & Fitness Inc. Hes helped thousands of women succeed with their weight loss, health & fitness goals over the past 14 years. Visit http://www.womens-health-fitness.com to contact Phil with your questions.

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Healthy Diet Tips
Alan LeStourgeon

These healthy diet tips will keep you on the right path.
Although healthy people are generally at a natural weight, this
is not about dieting and losing weigh, its about lifestyle. The
mainstream seesaw of dieting is a moneymaker that doesn’t
address real health issues and concerns.

One of the best things you can do for your body is eat at least
twelve servings of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables every
single day. These foods are packed with the things that our
bodies need; natural, non-synthetic source of Vitamins A,B, C,
and E, disease fighting antioxidants, minerals like potassium,
calcium, phosphorous, and copper.

These days too many Americans get their vitamins from synthetic
sources that are isolated and chemically induced. The best way
to get this nutrition is from the good earth, directly from the
source, from fruits and vegetables. If eating that many
vegetables seems overwhelming, just think about the colors. Get
your blue and purples like blueberries and plums to reduce the
risk of cancer and protect your urinary tract. Eat green
vegetables like broccoli and celery to protect your bones, teeth
and eyes. Consume your whites like mushrooms and onions for
healthy heart function. Eat foods like oranges and carrots to
boost your immune system from the yellow and orange fruits and
vegetables. Finally, get your reds from foods like apples and
beets for memory function and heart health.

All of these fruits and vegetables have healing qualities and
you’ll feel the difference. If you can’t eat this much or don’t
have the time, drink juices made from a vegetable juicer, a
great way to get the nutrients you need.

In addition to eating fruits and vegetables, cut down on
saturated fats from processed foods and switch to unsaturated
fats from nuts like almonds and vegetables including avocado. In
general however, cut down on fat in your life and your heart and
body will thank you for it. Speaking of processed food, begin to
rid yourself of any processed foods. And of course, drink water
so that you are flushing the toxins out your system and staying
hydrated.

Use these healthy diet tips as a general guide to healthy
eating, not fad dieting.

About the author:

Alan LeStourgeon along with his wife Jean run the web site www.ezHealthyDiet.com
where they explore what it means to eat a healthy diet, have a
healthy
home and live a healthier life.

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