Variety Is The Key To A Healthy Diet
Dave Saunders

When examining the diets of my clients, I commonly find that even of those who tell me they eat from a healthy diet actually eat from a very narrow selection of foods. Most of their food choices are also processed or heavily prepared before eating. These people also frequently complain of failed diets and of their desire to maintain a more healthy weight and to feel the benefits they expect from a healthy diet. 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 meet the challenge of keeping a healthy diet interesting day after day.

With just a little bit of planning and the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats and other healthy foods at the local grocery store, it is possible to create exciting, nutritious meals that will keep boredom at bay.

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 saying no that piece of chocolate cake, but it does mean limiting yourself to one piece, and possibly a smaller piece than you normally eat. A key contributing factor in unwanted weight gain is lack of portion control. Restaurants provide portions which often provide the entire daily recommendation for calorie intake, but in a single meal!

A healthy diet contains all types of foods, including carbohydrates, proteins, and even fats. However, there is a significant difference in the quality of the fats in fried foods compared to the fats in a lightly cooked fish, an avocado or flax seed. Seek out quality sources of nutrition and limit your intake of processed foods. Look through some simple cookbooks with pictures. Look for a small collection of appealing dishes that use similar ingredients. This way you can economize at the grocery store by shopping for ingredients you can use for an entire week. Do not buy too far in advance and avoid buying ingredients in bulk because you will likely get tired of them before you finish using them up.

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 an appropriate amount of 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. Seek out new food items and try them out. Perhaps you can choose a new type of bean or a fruit that is new to you. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy it again, but try new foods and think about how the flavors might work in simple dishes or as replacement ingredients in your favorite recipes.

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 extra fat and calories. Choosing poultry or lean meat is a great way to get the protein you need every day without extra fat, cholesterol and calories. You don’t even need to eat animal protein for healthy protein intake. Even champion bodybuilder, and vegetarian, Bill Pearl, manages to get all the protein he needs from vegetable sources only. You don’t have to “go vegetarian,” but you don’t have to eat an animal every day either.

Not all low fat foods are created equally. Check the label! Many low fat foods add starches and sugars which will raise insulin levels and may lead to unwanted weight gain. Remember, your body is designed to store extra sugar in the fat cells around your middle, so low fat eating isn’t necessarily going to help you loose weight if that is your goal.

Cereals and breads that carry the whole grain label are healthier than those that do not. Not all breads labeled whole wheat are entirely whole wheat. Don’t forget to check the label. 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 better nutrition. The best sources are always the unprocessed variety.

Eat seasonal foods when they are available. Berries are excellent sources of essential nutrients, and antioxidants. Eat them raw, in homemade smoothies, and as toppings for a desert. Berries can also be an excellent ingredient in entries as well. Search your cookbooks, or the Internet, for great recipes that are quick and simple. In the fall, the many varieties of gourds provide a surprisingly wide range of flavors and nutrition. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which is a critical factor in the support of optimal health.

Eating well does take a bit more effort than popping a prepared meal in the microwave, but with a little bit of planning it should not require a significant time investment. You also don’t need to be a gourmet cook. Preparing your own meals is easier than you may think so give it a try and don’t be afraid to mess up a dish from time to time. The learning experience will lead to you being an even more skilled cook. The benefits include better nutrient intake, and lower intake of sodium, transfats, and preservatives. Invest a little time for a healthier you and enjoy the wide variety of tastes that real, unprocessed foods have to offer.
About the Author

Dave Saunders is a professional lecturer, and certified nutritional educator. He enjoys creating interconnections through his writings and lectures to help others create context and see new discoveries and technologies in more a practical light. You can find out more about how to maintain a healthy diet at www.glycoboy.com.

Tags: and certified nutritional educator, Author, Avocado, Bill Pearl, Calorie Intake, Chocolate Cake, Dave Saunders, Flax Seed, food choices;, Food Groups, Food Items, food pyramid;, food;, Fried Foods, Fruits Vegetables, Health And Fitness, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, Healthy Foods, Local Grocery Store, microwave;, Narrow Selection, Nutritious Meals, Portion Control, Processed Foods, professional lecturer, Quality Sources, Unwanted Weight, USDA;, Whole Grains, www.glycoboy.com —

People Stuggle to Eat Healthy
Brian Clancey

Most people struggle to eat healthy foods throughout the day and
at each meal, according to results of an Ipsos-Reid poll for
Canada’s President’s Choice label.

The poll found 94% say they just can’t live without a favorite
food, while 7% concede they almost never make healthy food
choices.

“Canadians want food choices that help make it easier to eat
better and live healthier without giving up the foods and
flavors they love,” says Paul Uys, Vice President, Loblaw Brands
Limited. Most surveyed do understand the importance of reducing
the salt content of their diets and increasing fiber, Uys
noted.

These results “suggest they’re not eating as well as they could
because of their must-have meals,” say officials at Presidents
Choice. “In fact, 59% say they’d like to eat healthier but don’t
want to give up their favorite foods, with 40% citing comfort
foods like macaroni and cheese or pizza as real weaknesses.”

Finding Time a Priority — Doing It Hard

Despite these findings, the survey found people know it’s
important to eat well. Roughly 82% say finding the time to
prepare and eat healthy meals is a priority, yet half still find
it difficult to make healthy food choices.

“There are a number of other perceived barriers to healthy
habits other than favorite foods that may explain why eating
well can be a challenge,” Presidents Choice said in discussing
the survey results. “Time of day certainly seems to be a factor,
with more than 80% of Canadians finding it hard to eat properly
at some point.”

A quarter find it hard to eat healthy snacks during the day,
with 30% of woman falling prey to temptation, compared to 17% of
the men surveyed. Men, by contrast, struggle with breakfast,
with 24% saying they do not start their day with a healthy
breakfast, compared to 17% of women. This works out to 21%
finding it hard to eat a healthy breakfast. Fewer people have a
problem eating healthy meals the rest of the day. Even so,
eating a healthy lunch is a problem for 16% of people surveyed
and 15% find supper a struggle.

Cost, taste, and choice

The perceived cost, taste and overwhelming number of choices
when it comes to healthier food products also seem to be
barriers for many. In fact, 60% feel that the costs of eating
healthfully have increased, while 54% say their family would eat
more healthfully if the nutritious options tasted better.
Furthermore, 59% indicate they can be confused by the many
different things they’re supposed to look out for when shopping
for healthy foods.

“Canadians do recognize that specific foods are important in
achieving a well-balanced diet,” says Uys. “Interestingly
enough, the Healthy Eating survey found that 68% think it’s
important to incorporate sodium-reduced foods into their diet,
and 58% of younger Canadians aged 18-34 agree with this
statement. This is an age group that typically loves their salty
foods, so the fact that they’re aware that it’s important to
choose foods that offer responsible sodium levels is
encouraging.”

About 40% of those surveyed would like to incorporate more fibre
into their diet, but find it difficult. “There are so many great
and easy ways to add fibre to your diet – yogurt with a
high-fibre muffin and a handful of almonds is a perfect
breakfast to take on the go,” says Uys.

The Joy of Soy

The Healthy Eating survey found that just 29% of Canadians
incorporate soy protein into their diet on a regular basis.
While overall, soy is just one component of healthy eating
towards lowering cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk,
evidence continues to be strong on the benefit of soy protein
compared to animal protein sources.

Not only is soy a great source of vegetable protein and so low
in saturated fat – but many soy foods can be a source of omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids and a good source of calcium.
Despite this, 27% of Canadians feel they get enough protein from
other sources; 25% aren’t familiar with soy protein; 20% say
they’re not interested; 18% don’t like the taste; 13% don’t know
how to incorporate it into their daily diet; and five% don’t
know how much they should eat.

Nutritionists recommend consuming 25 grams of soy protein each
day – about eight grams per meal. “When you consider that just
one glass of PC Soy Beverage contains about a third of your
daily requirement, it’s easy to swallow,” says Uys.

Resources

Rachael Ray’s
30-Minute Get Real Meals

About the author:

Brian Clancey has a long standing interest in health and an
active lifestyle. This was the inspiration behind creation of
the http://www.thehealthyweb.com< /a> website, offering daily recipes and discussion of food and
health issues.

Tags: Author, Brian Clancey, Canada, Cardiovascular Disease, Choice Label, favorite food;, Favorite Foods, Finding Time, Flavors, food choices;, Food Products, food;, Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Food Choices, Healthy Foods, Healthy Habits, Healthy Meals, Healthy Snacks, Ipsos Reid Poll, Loblaw, Loblaw Brands Limited., Macaroni And Cheese, Paul Uys, President, Presidents Choice, Rest Of The Day, Results Time, Salt Content, Uys, Vice President —

How to Make Healthy Food Choices!
Hans Hasselfors

It’s Thursday afternoon, you have thirty minutes to get from
work, go by the house and pickup Heath, Jamie’s already at
basketball practice, oh, and what about dinner? Does this
scenario seem familiar? If you’re a working Mom, I can promise
that it is a familiar scene.

So how do you make healthy food choices, when you only have
fifteen minutes to prepare your meals? Well, the first thing you
should realize is that quite often, healthy choices do not
necessarily equate to two hour meals. You can make healthy food
choices that are as quick to prepare or pickup as the unhealthy
ones.

For example, sub sandwiches are a healthier alternative than
pizza or burger and fries, but do not really take any longer to
pickup. Salads can be prepared in just a few short minutes, and
provide for the necessary vegetable daily requirement. Don’ care
for the usual salad? Make a Waldorf or fruit salad, either way
you’ve changed it up a bit, and still provided a health choice.
As for the dressing, oil based or vinegar based dressings are
much better for you than the cream based, and are really more
tasteful. Okay, suppose salads aren’t what your kids like. What
about other prepared foods that are also healthy foods? Healthy
Choice is a brand of frozen entrees or meals that take only a
few minutes in the microwave to prepare, and are still healthy
alternatives. Baked rather than fried is always a better choice,
and many supermarkets today offer baked products fresh from
their bakery, ready to go.

Still aren’t satisfied? You want a place to go and actually sit
down and eat. There are still many healthy alternatives for a
family when going to eat at a restaurant. Restaurants that offer
buffet style meals are great choices. Thanks to many of the
health conscious consumers out there, buffets have added baked,
broiled, and fresh food choices to the display. Fresh fruits and
vegetables are usually always available on food bars, along with
broiled or steamed vegetables. Meats are just about as varied,
with many of the choices being offered in a fried and baked
option. And if you’re up for dessert, watermelons and grapes are
just as satisfying as the Boston cream pie.

You can always throw up objections when it comes to healthy
eating, the real trick is in realizing it’s your body that will
suffer. Or your children that will suffer from the unhealthy
choices you make. Why not start with healthy options, set the
right example, and you will have children that make health
conscious intelligent decisions about their eating.

Okay, now back to our Thursday afternoon juggling act. You’ve
dropped Heath at baseball practice, picked Jamie up from
basketball, and you have exactly fifteen minutes to make a
decision about dinner. As you sit at the red-light contemplating
your options, there is a Subway, a Pizza Hut, and a grocery
store with a deli in the same shopping center. How can this
still be a difficult choice to make?

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical
practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes
only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care
provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical
condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay
in seeking it because of something you have read. Since natural
and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be
accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that
the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product
is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
disease.”

About the author:

About the Author: This article was published by Hans Hasselfors
from http://www.SubmitYourN
ewArticle.com. Visit our article directory for more articles
about health food.

Tags: Author, Basketball Practice, Boston, Buffet Style, Conscious Consumers, Dietary Supplements, disease, Dressings, FDA;, Food Bars, Fresh Food, fresh food choices, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Frozen Entrees, Fruit Salad, Fruits And Vegetables, Hans Hasselfors, Health Choice, Health Food, Healthy Alternatives, Healthy Choice, Healthy Choices, Healthy Food Choices, Healthy Foods, microwave;, oil;, physician, Prepared Foods, Style Meals, Thursday Afternoon, Waldorf, Working Mom —

Healthy nutrition for children
John Gibb

When growing up, it’s important to have healthy nutrition for children. Since their bodies are in a state of constant growth, a lack of vitamins and minerals can result in poor growth processes and problems later in life. It is important for your child to eat a variety of healthy foods, balance the food they eat with regular physical activity, and choose a diet with the right nutrients.

For instance, a child’s growing body requires high levels of calcium and iron, sometimes even more than adults. Iron is crucial to a child’s development since it is used in developing strong muscles and producing blood, while calcium helps bones and teeth grow strong. These substances can be found in various foods, but it can be more helpful to get your children a supplement to help aid these needs.

Children of schooling age require around 1600 to 2400 calories per day, depending on their age and activity level. Once the growth spurt occurs, girls tend to require an additional 200 calories per day and boys need an extra 500 calories. No more than 30% of your child’s diet should come from fats. To maintain healthy nutrition for children, this can help to prevent obesity and other health problems. It is also important for your child to get a daily variety of vegetables. Requiring two to four servings of vegetables per day, children can meet these guidelines by eating such vegetables as salad greens and legumes. These vegetables contain nutrients key to a child’s development.

Children should also have 2-4 servings of fruit per day, and 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice or pasta. 2 to 3 servings of meat, beans, or nuts per day are also key to help a child develop properly. Following these steps, healthy nutrition for children can be a breeze. Just be sure to get all their daily requirements covered and your child will thank you later.

About the Author

John Gibb manages http://www.nutritional-supplement-guides.com

The site deidciated to nutrition

Tags: Author, Author John, Calcium, Calories, Calories Per Day, Cereal, Daily Variety, Extra 500, Fats, food;, Fruits And Vegetables, Growth Processes, Growth Spurt, Health Problems, Healthy Diet, Healthy Foods, Muscles, Nutrients, Nutritional Supplement, obesity;, Regular Physical Activity, Salad Greens, Supplement Guides, Vegetables, Vitamins And Minerals —