17 Healthy Eating Tips...

1. Include at least 1-2 varied fresh / tinned fish meals per week.

2. Include several varied lean red meat meals per week. Vegetarians need to eat legumes and/or nuts daily.

3. Include lean poultry or pork weekly.

4. Include at least one legume meal per week e.g tofu, baked beans.

5. Include a handful of a variety of nuts/seeds several times a week.

6. Include eggs weekly.

7. Include several cups of a variety of vegetables daily. Include dark green leafy types, a variety of deep coloured vegetables across the week and garlic, onions and herbs in meals daily.

8. Use cooking methods that minimise the risk of cancer by adding herbs, spices, fruits, vinegar.

9. Include reduced fat milk products daily.

10. Have at least two different pieces of fruit daily.

11. Try to make most of your cereal serves whole grain and reduced in salt. Bread is a major source of salt in our diet.

12. It is OK to sprinkle a little iodized salt on healthy foods to improve their flavour.

13. It is OK to sprinkle a little sugar on healthy foods to improve their flavour; prefer foods with naturally occurring sugars over those high in added sugar.

14. Have plentiful fluids using water and tea.

15. Minimise 'hidden fats' by choosing lean meats, reduced fat milk products and processed foods.

16. Prefer unrefined natural fat found in nuts, seeds, fish, soy, olives and avocado (because the fat is accompanied by other desirable nutrients).

17. Reserve added fats (preferably cold pressed monounsaturated oils) for cooking to improve the palatability of vegetables, legumes & fish dishes.

Things that are healthy for the body...

Your body needs a daily supply of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to get the fuel it needs for energy and optimum health.

Protein is a primary component of our muscles, hair, nails, skin, eyes, and internal organs, especially the heart and brain. Protein is needed for growth, for healthy red blood cells, and much more.

Carbohydrates are our main source of energy and play an important role in the functioning of our nervous system, muscles, and internal organs.

Fats are a form of energy reserve and insulation in your body, and can be burned to make energy when you don't get enough from your diet. Fats transport nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K through your body and fatty tissue protects your vital organs from trauma and temperature change.

Simply put, there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. The "bad" fats are called saturated fats and are found in animal products, meats, and dairy foods; they should be eaten in limited amounts.

The "good" fats include the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Deficiencies of Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to decreased learning ability, ADHD, depression, and dyslexia.

Reason why calorie-restrictive diets are unhealthy...

Here are some reasons why you should stay away from traditional calorie restrictive diets:


1. Calories restrictive diets make you lose muscle.

Since your body is in starvation mode, it will draw it’s energy from other sources such as muscle.


2. Calorie restrictive diets increases the chance that you will gain the weight back.

Studies have shown time and time again that almost everyone who goes on a calorie restrictive diet gains the weight back. 3. Calorie restrictive diets slow down your metabolism.

3. Studies have shown that when calories are restricted, your metabolism decreases by 20% to 30%. This is the bodies response to the lack of food being consumed.

By decreasing the amount of calories you consume, the body will adjust the amount work it does. When you eat less, the body burns less calories.

4. Calorie restrictive diets increase cravings and appetite.

The less you eat the more your body will crave food.

5. Calorie restrictive diets decreases your energy.

The body needs a certain amount of calories to use as energy.

Interesting tips...

I'm all of the time reading tips on how to be healthier, how to improve my workout, etc. This morning I was reading some health tips I thought were interesting. I just thought I'd share a few. Check out the one about how to reduce stress. I thought those was interesting.

To Improve Nutrition:

1. Buy whole foods -- whether canned, frozen, or fresh from the farm -- and use them
in place of processed foods whenever possible.
2. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup, a calorie-dense, nutritionally
empty sweetener that many believe is worse for the body than sugar, says Katz.
3. Start each dinner with a mixed green salad. Not only will it help reduce your
appetite for more caloric foods, but it also will automatically add veggies to
your meal.

To Improve Physical Fitness:

1. Do a squat every time you pick something up. Instead of bending over in the usual
way, which stresses the lower back, bend your knees and squat. This forces you to
use your leg muscles and will build strength.
2. Every time you stop at a traffic light (or the bus does), tighten your thighs and
butt muscles and release as many times as you can. (Don't worry, no one will see
it!) This will firm leg and buttock muscles, improve blood flow.
3. Whenever you're standing on a line, lift one foot a half-inch off the ground. The
extra stress on your opposite foot, ankle, calf and thigh, plus your buttocks,
will help firm and tone muscles. Switch feet every few minutes.

To Improve Stress Control:

1. Give your partner a hug every day before work.
2. Have a good cry. It can boost your immune system, reduce levels of stress
hormones, eliminate depression, and help you think more clearly.
3. Twice a day, breathe deeply for three to five minutes

To Improve Sleep:

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water. The scent has
been shown in studies to promote relaxation, which can lead to better sleep.
2. Buy a new pillow.
3. Eat a handful of walnuts before bed. You'll be giving yourself a boost of fiber
and essential fatty acids along with the amino acid tryptophan -- a natural sleep-
inducer.

Sweat the Weight Off

I bet I've lost five pounds in sweat in the past couple of days. No, I didn't go to a suana unless that's what you call central Georgia. I've been helping my dad tear down an old outbuilding he had in his backyard. It was over thirty years old and was about half rotted down. At least it was cooler this week. The heat index was only around 95 to 97 instead of the 105 to 107 it was last week. Still with 100% humidity you do a lot of sweating. It was good exercise and it made up for the lack of good eating and activities that I have left off due to being extremely busy at work. Anyway, my dad appreciated the help and that reminds me, Happy Father's Day to all you fathers out there.