What''s Not In The Food We Eat?

Ive tried the popular Diet programs like Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and numerous others and have even tried fad diets like the grapefruit diet, the low carb diet and even the 3 by 3 diet (3 foods over 3 days). This one was really insane; first day 3 eggs at breakfast, 3 at lunch 3 at dinner, second day 3 bananas at breakfast, 3 at lunch and 3 at dinner and the third day 3 hot dogs at breakfast, 3 at lunch and 3 at dinner. I ended up at urgent care on this one. And the worst part, after each diet I gained more weight.

Our foods today contain more sugar, more milk, and more eggs than in the past. Food suppliers are using fatter chickens and fatter cows. More convenient foods mean additives to prevent spoilage and as a result, we are getting sicker and heavier.

The USDA listed the top 9 nine foods consumed by Americans: 1 Whole cows milk 6 White rolls 2 2% milk 7 Refined sugars 3 Processed American cheese 8 Colas 4 White bread 9 Ground beef 5 White flour

Well then is it any wonder that this overly consumed and under nutritional group of foods forms a pattern that leads to poor nutrition and overweight?

Look at what the following statistics tell us: The average adult weighed nearly 25 pounds more in 2002 than in 1960. The top selling dress size for women jumped from size 8 to size 14 in less than 20 years. Some deli sandwiches contain one pound of meat (about three days worth of meat according to the USDA). A queen size bed today is 6 inches wider than it was in 1970 A serving of wine today is twice as large as it was in 1970 Muffins today weigh over 6 ounces and contain more than an entire days worth of grains. According to the American Dietetic Association. 50% of people over estimated what was a standard pasta serving size

Well no more. Ive discovered 3 keys for better health and aging well.

Exercise

We all know exercise is crucial for both creating and maintaining optimum health. It might even be one of the most beneficial keys to aging well. There is overwhelming evidence that people who lead active lifestyles are less likely to die early or even to experience major illness. People who have been inactive can improve their health by becoming even moderately active on a regular basis so if you have led an inactive lifestyle, its not to late, start now. Physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve benefits. Start walking on a daily basis. Develop a workout and fitness plan that works best with your schedule and lifestyle. Often the hardest part of exercising is getting started on an exercise program. The second hardest part is to stay motivated but keep in mind the long term benefits.

Eat Healthy Foods

For optimum health, choose to add these foods to your healthy eating plan. Carrots, red peppers, squash, broccoli, spinach, kale, [Foods served raw are best] Salmon Garlic, onions Blueberries Black, green and red teas Dark Chocolate Dairy products for calcium To fight inflammation, blueberries, quercetin found in apple skins, onions and tea and curcumim from spice tumeric Maintain a Healthy Attitude When we are depressed, we turn to comfort foods which lead to overeating. Learn to use meditation and relaxation techniques and dont forget to laugh for laugher really is the best medicine. Our emotional reactions strongly affect our immune system. Replace negative thinking with positive thoughts, a positive attitude is catching.

Attitude affects how we handle stress. Optimists cope more effectively with stress when it occurs and tend to recover more quickly. Pessimists tend to deny their problems and allow stress to interfere with achieving goals.

Adopt the goal of maintaining a balance between your personal, professional and spiritual life, but in all things moderation, especially when starting an exercise program. Choosing to adopt a healthy diet, getting plenty of good exercise and maintaining a positive attitude takes practice and commitment. If you devise a healthy plan, you will be rewarded for your efforts.

Keywords: nutrients, nutrient rich foods, nutrient retention, nutrient value of foods, phytonutrients

About the Author
Linda Miller, Chatsworth
linda@betterhealthforum.com

What is meditation?

Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. Several major religions include ritual meditation; however, meditation itself need not be a religious or spiritual activity. Most of the more popular systems of meditation are of Eastern origin, though there exists also various forms of Christian, Jewish and Muslim meditation.
Meditation as a form of alternative medicine brings about mental calmness and physical relaxation by suspending the stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. Generally performed once or twice a day for approximately 20 minutes at a time, meditation is used to reduce stress, alter hormone levels, and elevate one's mood.
A discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the post war US as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; known to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. Enhances recuperation and improves the body’s resistance to disease.
Meditation is an easy and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned and has been used as an aid in treating stress, anxiety, pain management, and as part of an overall treatment for other conditions including hypertension and heart disease. Research shows that meditation decreases the heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption, and even decreases blood pressure.