Getting A Healthy Breakfast
Peter Garant

Breakfast, like any other meal of the day, needs proper
planning. No longer is it planned independently of the other
meals. The three meals should be planned as a unit and balanced
against the daily body requirement with enough allowance for
good health. A light breakfast must necessarily be followed be a
substantial meal, while a heavy breakfast must be followed by a
light lunch. If both breakfast and lunch are light, then a heavy
dinner is needed. Like all meals, breakfast must be planned to
include food nutrients not provided for or inadequately found in
the two other meals to complete the essential body requirements
for the day. Too often, skimpy breakfasts are blamed in lack of
time. Considering that one-fourth to one-third of the day’s
requirements is served at breakfast, the need for planning ahead
is doubly justified. Breakfast mean to break the fast of several
hours. The factors affecting the nature of the breakfast menu
will depend upon age, sex, weight, health, and kind of
activities of the individual family members. Other factors to
consider are the amount of time allotted for its preparation by
one or several family members, or by a hired helper and how
light, moderate, or heavy other meals are intended to be. Family
custom may have to contend with all of these, although strictly
speaking, this must not prevail upon the more important factors.
Breakfast should always include a raw fruit because this
contains more vitamins and minerals than cooked ones. Fresh ripe
fruits have a rich mellow aroma that can stimulate even the most
delicate appetite. It should be taken as the first course of the
meal for the same reason. Fresh eggs are good breakfast food
because they are rich in complete protein, fat, iron, calcium,
phosphorus, vitamins A & B, and niacin. They are also easy to
prepare and digest. They can be fried, poached, soft-cooked,
hard-cooked, scrambled, or prepared as an omelet. Rice and other
cereals are the main fuel contributors in breakfast. Rice is
cooked plain or sauted in small amount of fat and garlic. Corn
broiled and buttered is a practical American way that can be
adopted anywhere where corn is available. Milk is the almost
complete food and is welcome at any meal. At breakfast, milk is
popular as a beverage or taken with coffee, chocolate, oatmeal,
and other cereals. Milk should be bought from sanitary and
reliable sources. Fresh milk is safer if pasteurized before
serving. Breakfast breads may be in the form of rolls, buns,
loafbread, biscuits, waffles, or hot cakes. Breads can be
toasted and served with butter or fruit jam like strawberry.
Waffles, hotcakes, and French toast are good for heavy and
substantial breakfast. Rolls with butter and jam, jelly, or
marmalade are suitable for heavy breakfast, too, especially if
taken with a heavy protein dish and chocolate.

About the author:

Mr. Peter Garant is writing health, diet and exercise articles
for the 1200″>http://www.diet1200.com”>1200 calories
diet site and herbal health related articles for his herbal”>http://www.good-herbal-health.com”>herbal health site.

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Do you eat a wide variety of foods for a healthy diet?
Zaak OConan

One of the most frequently cited reasons that diets and attempts at healthy eating fail is boredom. Many people simply do not know how to keep a healthy diet interesting day after day, and it can be quite a challenge.

Given the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and other healthy foods at the local grocery store, however, it is definitely possible to create exciting, nutritious meals that will keep boredom at bay.

Your key to healthy eating
The key to the success of any plan for healthy eating is to eat what you like, but to exercise moderation when it comes to the less healthy foods. Improving your level of health and fitness does not mean forgoing that piece of chocolate cake, for instance. It does mean, however, limiting yourself to one piece. A healthy diet contains all types of foods, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats. The key is choosing foods that provide the best combination of taste and nutrition. After all, if your diet consists of foods you hate, you will not stick with it.

The revised USDA food pyramid contains five major food groups – grains, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, and meat and beans. When choosing foods from these groups, it is important to eat a wide variety of foods from every food group. Doing so will not only give you a great deal of variety and keep boredom from setting in, but it will provide the best nutritional balance as well. In addition the widely known macronutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, etc. all foods contain a variety of micronutrients. Though present in extremely tiny amounts, they are vitally important to good health. That is why a healthy, varied diet is so important.

In addition, when choosing foods from within the various food groups, some choices are naturally better and healthier than others. For instance, choosing skim or 2% milk instead of full fat whole milk is a good way to cut down on both fat and calories. And choosing poultry or lean meat is a great way to get the protein you need every day without extra fat, cholesterol and calories.

Likewise cereals and breads that carry the whole grain label are healthier than those who do not. Even in the world of fruits and vegetables some choices are better than others. For instance, peaches packed in heavy syrup add unnecessary sugar to the diet, while those packed in water or juice provide only good nutrition.

There has been a trend lately to add vitamin fortification to food, and this can sometimes be a good way to maximize nutrition. It is important to remember, however, that proper nutrition comes from a healthy diet, not from vitamin supplements. It is fine to buy calcium fortified cereal, but the bulk of your calcium intake should still come from milk, dairy products and green leafy veggies.

Choosing the best foods
Knowing the five major food groups and how much of each to eat every day is only part of the picture. The other part is choosing the best foods from within those food groups. That means things like choosing the leanest cuts of meat, using egg substitutes instead of whole eggs, choosing the freshest fruits and vegetables, etc.

Even with fruits and vegetables, some choices are better than others. Some fruits, such as avocados, for instance, are packed with fat and calories. It is important to check the nutritional qualities of the fruits and vegetables you buy, and not simply assume that all fruits and vegetables are equally healthy.

One way to maximize nutrition while minimizing cost is to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. Fruits and vegetables that are in season are usually quite a bit cheaper than those that must be shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles, and they are generally much fresher too. Of course, depending on where you live, there may be varieties of fruits and vegetables that are not available locally, so the northerner in search of citrus fruits will just have to watch the sales and buy accordingly.
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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Achieving Youthful Healthy Skin with Vitamins A, C and E
Charlene J. Nuble

We all want healthy skin. While the main reasons for pursuing healthy skin tend to be purely shallow and cosmetic in nature, healthy skin is beautiful and keeps us looking younger than our years and there are actually some practical health benefits to maintaining the good health for our skin. The purpose of the skin is to act as a barrier. It serves to prevent bacteria, viruses and other contaminants from entering the body and causing infection, illness and disease. There are many vitamins and minerals that help to keep skin healthy and thus be able to serve its vital role in the protection of the body.

Antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are very important to healthy skin because it is these vitamins that share in the responsibility of controlling the damage that free radicals byproducts of energy production within the body and of environmental contaminants such as air pollution produce. Among the several types of damage done by free radicals is the destruction of collagen and elastin which are fibers that support the skin and keeps it looking supple. As these are damaged wrinkles and a lack of that youthful firmness can occur. Vitamin C also plays a part in the production of collagen making it essential to the function and look of the skin. Recent studies have found that Vitamin C and E used together may help to repair sun-damaged skin.

Vitamin A has its own important role in skin health and beauty in addition to its anti-oxidant properties. In terms of diet even small deficiencies can negatively affect the skin causing flakiness and dryness. Dryness can make lines and wrinkles that are much more apparent. Its primary use however, is as a topical solution for the treatment of severe acne and the reduction of lines and wrinkles themselves. Recent research has showed that a topical solution that contains both Vitamin A and Vitamin C can in some cases reverse the damage done by the aging process and by sun-damage.

Deficiencies in the Vitamin B complex can leave the skin prone to cracking, bleeding and dangerous skin lesions that allow all kinds of bacteria, viruses and other contaminants to easily enter the body. But in terms of strictly cosmetic concerns even a little shortage of the Vitamin B complex can result in scaly and poorly textured skin. Topical preparations have been found to play an important role in the hydrating of skin cells leading to noticeably firmer and healthier looking skin.

Vitamin K has been found to relieve those awful dark circles under the eyes. Some research has found that creams made up of both Vitamin K and Vitamin A are more effective than those that just contain Vitamin K but researchers are still following up on these results.

Minerals important to the look and to the health of the skin include selenium, copper and zinc. Selenium whether used as a topical solution or taken in the form of a dietary supplement is thought to play a big role in the prevention of skin cancer. Copper, zinc and Vitamin C work together to form elastin which helps to support skin keeping it firm and healthy.

Topical solutions and dietary supplements can help to keep the skin healthy and youthful in appearance. However, it is important to recognize that these are powerful substances and using them within the standard guidelines of dosage is essential to good health. There is such a thing as too much of abusing such natural healing powers which could then result to a not so pretty sight. But when used correctly however, your skin can look better than ever.

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About the Author

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

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Your Health Resolutions for a Healthy Chinese New Year
Maricon Williams

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year does not fall on the same date each year, though it is always in January or February. This year, Chinese New Year will start on February 9th this is because it is a new moon day, first day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system.

How is it spent?

Brace yourself and Im going to take you to a wonderful 15 day adventureThe first day in the Chinese New Year season is said to be the welcoming of the gods of heavens and earth. Chinese fast from meat to ensure long and happy lives for them. On the second day, they pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs, because it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all the dogs. Third and fourth days are spent to pay respect to their parents-in-law. On Po Woo, the fifth day, people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one visits families and friends because it is believed to cause bad luck. During sixth to tenth day of the season, they go visit their friends, relatives and temples to pray for good health and fortune. Farmers display their harvest on the seventh day. They also make a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate. This day is considered the birthday of human beings. Noodles and fish, as symbols of longevity and success, are eaten. Eighth day is spent for a family reunion dinner and at midnight, they pray to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven. Ninth day is for offerings to the Jade Emperor. On the tenth through twelfth days, friends and relatives are invited for dinner. On the thirteenth day, simple rice congee and choi sum (mustard greens) are served to cleanse the system. The fourteenth day is for preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival. On the eve of the fifteenth day, the most exciting part of the event, anticipation creeps in. Midnight festivity makes me feisty, it makes me chant: Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere, swaying gracefully with the air, jaunty rhythm fills my brain, my hearts pounding wildly like the rain. Happy people glow with glee, my familys with me and where will you be? Dancing dragon invites you to dance, he keeps murmuring Dont miss this chance. Fortune cookie dont lie to me, give me a note of what my future will be.. From afar raging firecrackers emits a deafening holler, it made me sigh, it made me utter brand new year, brand new adventures for me!

Literal and symbolical
The festivity is both literal and symbolical. The annual reunion dinner is held on the New Year’s Eve. This is a vital part of the celebration. Families come together and eat together. They start the year complete and united. Ties are nurtured and bad experiences are left behind to start anew. Symbols are used to convey something. Use of fireworks is to drive away bad spirits. Cleaning of the entire house is said to take away bad luck. Nian gao, the New Year’s Cake is always served. It is believed that the higher the cake rises the better the year will be. Typically red meat is not served and one is careful not to serve or eat from a chipped or cracked plate. Fish is eaten to guarantee long life and good fortune. Red dates bring the hope for prosperity, melon seeds for abundance and lotus seeds for prosperity through time. Oranges and tangerines symbolize wealth and good fortune.
Resolutions to Keep

Every time we enter a fresh year, numbers of resolutions are forthcoming and we ponder on how to do it efficiently The need to change for the better is inevitable and we have to overcome it successfullyHealth and longevity are one of our topmost concern and we should start the ball rolling before it shun us down.

One thing about resolutions is that motivation should be present. It may mean physically, mentally and emotionally directed to your resolutions so that you will not fail or it will not fail you. Be a positivist. Sometimes we should remind ourselves how lucky we are so that we can see things in a positive perspective. Open yourself to new ideas and experiences. Eat a balanced diet. Drink tea rather than coffee. According to experts, many health problems, especially cancers, can be prevented or corrected with proper nutrition. Exercise regularly. Explore life and explore your surroundings. Pamper yourself and try to detoxify. If you want a relaxing moment, try yoga. It is a quiet and invigorating exercise to achieve peace of mind and tranquility. Peace starts from within. Try to forgivetry to give Dont suppress your feelings inside. Studies have confirmed that repressed emotions especially anger can negatively affect healthTell your loved one how you feel before its too late

Sound mind and sound body is the key to a balanced approached to life. Fountain of youth has not been found yet, so for the meantime the best solution is to take impeccable care of ourselves. Its been a long journey but before we part, celebrate with me soundly in this gaiety. Sip a cup of green tea Pickup those fancy chopsticks and eat with me jovially and healthily Kung Hei Fat Choi Everyone!

About the Author

For Inquiries about the articles visit http://www.onlinehomemedicalsupply.com

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