Getting the most from healthy fruits and vegetables
Tony Robinson

Fruits and vegetables are among the healthiest of all foods, and
the great variety of these foods at the local grocery store
makes it easier than every to enjoy great meals and snacks
anytime the mood strikes you.

The latest food guidelines recommend that adults eat from five
to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day. While that
may seem like a lot, it is an important goal to strive for, and
a very reachable one.

A serving of a fruit or vegetable is equal to:

1 medium sized vegetable or fruit (such as an apple,
orange or banana) 2 small fruits (such as kiwi fruit or
plums)  cup of fresh, frozen or canned fruits or
vegetables  cup of 100% fruit juice  cup of
dried fruit 1 cup of green salad

Eating a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables is a great
way to start a healthier lifestyle. Diets high in fruits and
vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease,
diabetes, stroke and even some kinds of cancer. Diets high in
fruits and vegetables are also important in maintaining a
healthy weight.

Since different varieties of fruits and vegetables contain
different types and levels of nutrients, it is important to each
a good variety of fruits and vegetables. Eating a good
combination of yellow, orange, red and green fruits and
vegetables is a great way to ensure adequate levels of nutrition.

Fruits and vegetables are also an important source of fiber. One
way to maximize the amount of fiber you get from fruits and
vegetables is to eat the entire fruit and vegetable including
the edible peel. Eating fruits and vegetables whole, instead of
simply drinking fruit juice, is the best way to enjoy the fiber
these foods have to offer. Orange juice may be very healthy, but
it does not contain the same amount of fiber as a whole orange.

Getting sufficient fiber in the diet offers a great many health
benefits, including aiding in digestion, lowering levels of
cholesterol in the blood, reducing the risk of heart disease and
stroke, and reducing the chances of some forms of cancer. In
addition, fiber is though to play an important role in
controlling levels of blood sugar in diabetics. Fiber also helps
dieters feel full while limiting the number of calories you
consume.

Many people wonder if canned and frozen fruits and vegetables
are as healthy and nutritious as the fresh varieties. The simple
answer to this question is yes. Canned and frozen fruits and
vegetables contain just as many vitamins and minerals as their
fresh counterparts, so it is fine to replace fresh fruits and
vegetables with canned and frozen varieties when fresh ones are
not available.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often less expensive, however,
especially when they are in season. In addition, local farmers
markets and produce stands are often great sources of the
freshest, most delicious fruits and vegetables at some excellent
prices.

How vegetables and fruits are prepared is just as important as
how they are chosen. It is important to rinse fresh fruit and
vegetables thoroughly under clean running water. This step is
important in order to remove any dirt, pesticide residue or
bacterial contamination. The outermost leaves of lettuce and
cabbage should be removed, and the outside of root vegetables
like carrots and potatoes should be removed, especially if you
plan to consume the skins of those vegetables. Vegetables and
fruits should be washed right before they are used in order to
keep them as fresh as possible.

The best ways to cook vegetables in order to maintain their
freshness are to boil, microwave or steam the veggies until they
are tender and crisp. It is best to use as little water as
possible when cooking vegetables. That is because overcooking
can destroy some of the valuable vitamins and minerals the
vegetables contain.

About the author:

Tony Robinson is a Company CEO, webmaster husband and dad. In
his busy lifestyle he has placed importance on health and
fitness. Visit http://www.eat-healthily.com for good eating tips
and techniques to assist you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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We are raising an obese society. With big-sizing everything that we eat especially in fast food chains, we are slowly clogging our arteries with unnecessary fats and cholesterol that our bodies do not actually need and cannot use.

The result is of course a society that is pestered with different kinds of cholesterol complications such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and overweight problems. In fact, one of the problems that the country is facing is the rising prevalence of people with hypertension, which can lead to a possible heart attack when not taken cared of.

So what can you do lower your cholesterol levels? The first line, perhaps the only one that is truly effective is a combination of regular exercise and proper diet. These two activities go hand in hand. Without one factor, you cannot succeed. Dieting without exercising the body will only lead to weak muscles, which will eventually weaken the bodys resistance.

It may also lead to fatigue and sore muscles because there is not enough nutrients in the body. Exercising, on the other hand, without the proper diet is useless because you will only be maintaining your usual weight.You will not be gaining of course, because you are burning whatever you need; but you will not be losing any pound either.

Besides, exercising too much will strain the muscles and might even lead to a possible heart attack because of too much strain to the heart.

So what do you have to eat in order to lower those cholesterol levels in the body and ultimately prevent the occurrence of hypertension?

Eat less oil

One of the first things that a person dieting should avoid is to eat foods that are deep-fried or those that are cooked using oil. These include potato chips, fries, fried meat, fried seafood, fried veggies and a whole lot more.

Oil, when taken into the body translates to cholesterol. What you should be eating are foods that are boiled, steamed, baked and braised. Grilled foods may also be eaten but not so much.

Eat less meat

The fats from meat contain a lot of cholesterol. If you can avoid eating meat all the frequently, better; but if you cant stop munching those meat, just remove the fats that hang on the side. Chicken and Turkey meat is a lot healthier so if you can have a choice, opt for these kinds of meat products. Dont forget to remove the skin though as cholesterol concentrate in white meats can be found on the skin.

Eat vegetables

Vegetables do not only contain zero cholesterol, it is also a great source of fibers that help the body in digesting the food that we take in.

As much as possible, steam the vegetables that you eat to maintain the nutrients in it and of course avoid fatty and cholesterol additives like oils.

Eat less period

Try to curb that appetite slowly by taking in less food that you normally take in. If you can lessen the number of times that you eat or of you do want snacks, eat healthy snacks like fruits.

Try to also lessen the carbohydrates that you take in, which can be found in rice, cereals and bread. If you must eat these staple opt for the healthier kind like brown rice and wheat bread.

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If you are one of the millions of people who are morbidly obese and you are desperate to find a way to lose the weight as quickly and safely as possible so that you can help save your own life, you have probably considered having some sort of gastric bypass surgery. When someone gets to the point of considering surgery one of the first questions they ask are what are the gastric bypass surgery cost?

Of course, many people will tell you that you can’t put a price tag on good health, which is true, but you still have to be able to come up with the money to pay for the surgery which can range widely in price based on your physical condition, the exact type of procedure performed and even your location, the cost will generally average between $15,000 and $35,000.

Some people have even traveled to other countries to find doctors who will perform the surgery more cheaply ( one reason is that U.S. doctors have gotten so burned with frivolous lawsuits that they have to pay enormous premiums for their mal- practice insurance and that cost is passed on to the patient for every procedure that is performed).

One thing that you need to look into is whether or not your insurance company will cover the expense of the surgery. Many people mistakenly believe that since this is elective surgery that their insurance won’t cover it, just like many plastic surgery procedures aren’t covered, the truth is though that more and more insurance companies are starting to recognize that obesity almost always leads to other life long health issues and that the cost of the one surgery may actually be less, a lot less, than continuing care for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

If your insurance company does cover the cost of the surgery they will likely have some pretty strict guidelines as to who will be covered and who will not. For example, many companies will only consider people who are at least 100 or more pounds overweight, people who have been overweight for at least the last 5 years, and people who have demonstrated a real commitment to trying to make lifestyle changes in order to control their weight but have been unsuccessful.

Another cost you will have to consider is the significant lifestyle changes you must be willing to make after your surgery. You will have to drastically alter your eating and drinking habits and despite what many people think, you can gain weight after the procedure if you aren’t careful to eat right and get enough exercise. This isn’t a quick fix.

Gastric bypass surgery cost isn’t just about the dollars and cents of the procedure, it’s also about what you can gain if you were to achieve, and maintain, and healthy weight and lifestyle. If you are morbidly overweight and have tried to lose the weight but haven’t had any luck, you may want to seriously consider having this surgery. Just be willing to make the needed changes and you may be on your way to a much healthier lifestyle.

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