Eat Those Veggies

If you are looking for a way to feel better, healthier, and even lose some weight, a consideration should be to add more fiber to your diet. Fiber is a natural substance that is found in lots of fruits and vegetables. Fiber comes in a few different forms:

• Soluble or insoluble fiber: Soluble fiber is capable of dissolving in water and insoluble is not. These types of fiber can both be found in many fruits and vegetables.
• Dietary fiber: Fibers found naturally in the foods we ingest.
• Functional fiber: This fiber is extracted from other sources and added to things like the frozen food we eat.

If we get the balanced amount of fiber in our diets, we will not only feel better but lose weight in the process. So how much do we need? A woman’s intake should about 25 grams a day. A man’s intake should be 38 grams a day. But most of us do not get that. If you decide to add more fiber, do it slowly in order to cut down on bloat or gas so you body can get used to it. You also should know it is crucial to drink plenty of liquids.

Here are some things that are good additions to your meals as great sources of fiber.

• Eat fruit rather than drink fruit juice.
• Instead of snacking on chips, snack on some veggies.
• Once in a while, let the vegetable be the main dish in your meal.
• Go for high fiber cereals in the morning – and low calorie dairy.

These are just a few things you can do to add more fiber to your diet. Dietary fiber is the best form of fiber there is. It is found naturally in most foods. It is very filling. It basically fills voids until the next meal. My last and final note is people who have a high fiber breakfast tend to lose the most weight the quickest. Also be aware you should still get plenty of exercise and drink lots of fluids.

Source: Web MD
Photo: Web MD

Here are some of the reasons for you to make sure that these find there way into your diet. The scientific or medical names for Vitamin B are as follows: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid or folate (B9) and cobalamin (B12).

The B vitamins are essential for growth, development, and a variety of other bodily functions. They play a major role in the activities of enzymes and proteins that regulate chemical reactions in the body, which are important in turning food into energy and other needed substances. B vitamins are found in plant and animal food sources.

It is important to have them as part of your diet and to help avoid many health problems. However, with the exception of vitamin B9 (folic acid), there is not enough scientific evidence to know whether B vitamins can reduce significant health risks. But it is generally accepted that inclusion of these vitamins in a daily regimen can benefit you.

Scientists know that B vitamins are part of many important bodily functions:
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and vitamin B2 (riboflavin) help the body produce energy and affect enzymes that influence the muscles, nerves, and heart.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) has a role in energy production in cells and helps keep the skin, nervous system, and digestive system healthy.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) influences normal growth and development.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps the body break down protein and helps maintain the health of red blood cells, the nervous system, and parts of the immune system.
Vitamin B7 (biotin) helps break down protein and carbohydrates and helps the body make hormones.
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) helps the cells in the body make and maintain DNA and is important in the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) plays a role in the body’s growth and development. It also has a part in producing blood cells, nervous system function, and how the body uses folic acid and carbohydrates.

Deficiency of certain B vitamins can cause anemia, tiredness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, depression, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, muscle cramps, respiratory infections, hair loss, eczema, poor growth in children, and birth defects.

Some alternative medical practitioners claim that deficiencies in B vitamins weaken the immune system and make the body vulnerable to cancer. They recommend high doses of B vitamins as treatments for people with cancer. Many researchers are studying the relationships between vitamin intake and cancer and how the problem of cancer can be solved by megadosing on Vitimin B.

Food sources of B vitamins:
Vitamin B1 is found in cereals, whole grains, potatoes, pork, seafood, liver, and kidney beans.
B2 vitamins are found in potatoes, pork, seafood, liver, kidney beans, liver, green leafy vegetables and added in enriched bread and dairy products.
Vitamin B3 is found in liver, fish, chicken, lean red meat, nuts, whole grains, and dried beans.
The B5 vitamin is found in almost all foods.
B6 is found in fish, liver, pork, chicken, potatoes, wheat germ, bananas, and dried beans.
Vitamin B7 is made by the intestinal bacteria and is also found in peanuts, liver, egg yolks, bananas, mushrooms, watermelon, and grapefruit.
The B9 vitamin is in green leafy vegetables, liver, citrus fruits, mushrooms, nuts, peas, dried beans, and wheat bread.
B12 is found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, milk, and milk products.

Supplements that contain several B vitamins, usually in combination with other nutrients, are sold in grocery stores and health food stores.

Image: johnconnor12.livejournal.com

The Atkins Diet has been around for a long time and has worked for thousands of people in helping them lose weight. The principle behind it is that you lose weight by eating more. The theory is that you are allowed to eat fat, meat, cream, milk, eggs, protein and so forth, but no carbohydrates. If you do not eat any carbohydrates then your body is forced to produce ketones which burn fat.

The test is a simply to urinate on a ketone stick to see if you are producing ketones in order to determine that you are living off the fat and protein that you are eating and not the carbohydrates. This has the result of a dramatic weight loss and at the same time the satisfaction of eating most of your favourite foods.

Constipation is a problem as your diet consists of mostly protein and fat and very little fibre week after week. This, over the long-term, can have many side-effects. Over the last 30 years, though, the Atkins diet has had a positive effect for a large amount of people.

It was a fad diet that was very popular at one time, but has since been made less popular by the more conservative diet experts who have proclaimed the diet to be potentially harmful.

Source: instructables.com

Image: instructables.com

You may have heard of the Mediterranean diet, but you might not be familiar with the details of the plan. Generally, this “diet” is not a diet in the traditional sense of the word, since it doesn’t involve caloric restrictions. Instead, it focuses on the cuisine of countries along the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece and Italy. Typically, these cultures do not consume a lot of meat, dairy or saturated fat, choosing instead to favor whole grains, fresh produce, fish and olive oil.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the key aspects of the Mediterranean diet include regular exercise, plant-based foods, substituting herbs for salt and moderate alcohol consumption. Fish and seafood are also a regular part of the Mediterranean diet, being eaten two to three times weekly. Physicians also recommend eating nuts and drinking red wine moderately as part of the diet.

Since the Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat and sodium, it has been linked to heart health. The foods that are included in the diet have also been connected with reduced risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that the foods eaten in Mediterranean cuisine may actually work together to promote health and ward off disease.

Image c/o: Fourat

With America leading the way in the world with obesity, we are busy trying to figure out ways to combat this epidemic. It used to be exercise and monitoring what we ate. Now have dieting apps on ours phones to help us count calories in order to fight the battle of the bulge. I am going to give you a list of some of best apps out there for this. It is not going to be a get skinny quick thing; it’s a tool to help you monitor on the go.

First I am going to start with the Fast Food Calorie Counter simply because let’s face it, sometimes you cannot control where you eat. If you are a traveller or simply want to cheat, the application includes the bigger chained restaurants from McDonald’s to Panda Express. This neat little application gives you 73 different menus and over 9,000 menu items. It calculates the fat in the items. So you may not be in the best places for a healthy meal but you can still make healthier decisions by adding up the fat you ingest in these franchise restaurants.

One of the most important things with dieting is keeping yourself hydrated with water. However it so common to forget what and how much we drink.  Eight Glasses A Day Helps with this. This is an excellent app for athletes. Basically you go into the application and every time you have a glass of water you tick it off. It will make sure you get 8 glasses of water a day.

Lose It is an easy calorie counting app that takes it one step further: you can add in your exercise. So you can make sure you burn the calories you intake. You can add your own recipes if you like to cook for yourself or just make your Grandma’s favorite recipe.

These are just a few applications I thought were awesome. There are many more out there. These applications are mostly phone-based on the iPhone, iTunes, Android and most smart phones. None of the applications are over two dollars. So it’s worth the purchase if you are serious about getting in shape and you are on the go a lot. You do not have to journal it anymore or simply guess. Now you can get all the information in the palm of your hand.

Source:
http://www.switched.com/2010/09/15/the-best-iphone-diet-apps/
http://mylifescoop.com/featured-stories/2010/02/8-best-fitness-and-diet-smart-phone-apps.html

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Think prunes are just for constipation? Think again! These tasty fruits have more fiber than beans and offer plenty of health benefits for the human body. But prunes are far more than just constipation-fighters, and their versatile qualities make them a good alternative in a variety of recipes, drinks, and pastries.

Read on for some fun ideas of how you can use prunes in your daily routine!

1) Prune Puree. Instead of using fattening butters and oils to make holiday treats or pastries, use a prune puree instead. Simply combine the prunes and a few Tablespoons of water in a food processor, and a substitute for fat is born.

2) Prune Cider. We’ve all had apple cider before, but if you’re looking for something different, prune cider is just the thing. Made with prune juice, apple juice, cinnamon sticks, and clovers, this is one warm beverage that’s tasty and nutritious.

3) Prune Smoothies. When you need an ice cream fix, don’t deny yourself – make a prune smoothie instead! Packed with calcium and all the benefits of prunes, you can also add other sweet fruits to the mix, such as apples and bananas. Great for breakfast or a snack.

4) Colon Cleanse. People cleanse their bodies for different reasons – dieting, health concerns, or after being sick. Prune juice is an excellent way to detox the colon, cleanse the body, and only has to be used for one week.

5) Osteoporosis. Studies have shown that eating 9-10 prunes per day can reverse the effects of osteoporosis.

6) Hair, Skin, and Nails. Prunes are excellent for the hair, skin, and nails, especially since they’re packed with vitamin A and vitamin C – both essential for healthy growth.

7) Acne. Prune juice is packed with vitamins, which keep the skin moistened, shiny, and free of pimples.

8 ) Tummy Troubles. A bit of warm prune juice and a squeeze of lemon can go a long way in treating an upset stomach.

9) Dieting. Dieting is never easy, but eating prunes can be a tasty alternative and mimics the texture of sweet chocolate. Plus, they fill up the tummy, making you feel fuller faster and longer.

10) Hairballs. Prunes are even beneficial for pets. If your cat gets a hairball from grooming him or herself, give the cat a bit of prune juice to break up the hairball.

Blog sponsored by Sunsweet UK

Image c/o Reneerogers.com

My name is Melissa. I am a Hurricane Katrina survivor. I thought the worse was over after Katrina. I had no idea of the physical tolls on me until months after. I don’t want to sound gross but after Hurricane Katrina going to the bathroom had become a nightmare for me.

I finally went to my general practitioner and she sent me to a specialist. They found I had a torn rectum. It was painful and made it impossible to do a lot of things. The doctor told me there was not much they could for that. He offered a change in a diet. He put me on a high fiber diet which included prunes. He said I should add prunes or at least drink prune juice daily.

I did all the things doctors asked added my fiberatemy prunes and drink my Sunsweet juice. It was great because with the combination of diet and the addition of prunes. I was able to get better and stay better without the aid of medicines.

Hurricane Katrina was a difficult time for me. But I learned a lot about my body in particular my bowels and dietary tract. I still abide by the diet. I fell in love with prunes. I have not had a problem in that area since.

Melissa Robinson

When I first found out I was expecting a baby, I figured that bringing him into this world couldn’t be much different than what was shown in the movies. After all, I had watched a lot of babies be born on TV, and the moms always looked sweat-free and happy when it was over. Little did I know that once you have kids, what YOU had planned goes out the window.

At 38 weeks, my little guy was born via C-section. Sure, he was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, but that didn’t fix the way I felt after delivery and the road to recovery afterward.

No matter what kind of delivery you have, there are plenty of complications  one of them being hemorrhoids. They often show up during pregnancy but enjoy sticking around after. There are many reasons for it, including a slow digestive tract and lack of sleep. Fortunately, prunes can help and are often the recommended option for new moms, since they’re safe to eat and drink and offer plenty of health benefits.

While prunes may not be on the usual menu at your house, there’s a variety of ways to eat them instead of just relying on prune juice. Dried fruits, snacks, and even chocolate covered prunes are all edible choices.

While I recovered from my C-section, I incorporated them into my diet, which helped me steer clear of some of the more scary methods of treatments: think creams and suppositories! Even better, once you get over your fear of eating prunes, they’re not so bad after all! Needless to say, I will be stocking up on a few prune goodies before baby #2 arrives in a few months!

A heavy prune diet was a small sacrifice for this little guy who, will be 2 years old next month!

Sometimes my experience with prune juice and lemon feels as common and cyclical as washing my hair. And it’s every bit as important to my health and well being.

Years ago my grandfather was in hospital dealing with the many types of irregularities hospital residence provides. The waking you up every few hours for routine tests, the putting off of meals in deference to doctor’s orders, etc. His private nurse, a jolly islander chock full of folk wisdom, recommended he drink prune juice and lemon to preempt intestinal irregularity caused by medications and diet imposed by the hospital.

That advice has stuck in my family. Whenever we have the slightest hint of tummy trouble, we reach for the Sunsweet prune juice, a squeeze of lemon, and the microwave.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve since been offered the prune juice and lemon remedy by doctors and friends. I guess there really is something to it. It certainly works for me!

Warm prune juice with lemon to taste is just about the only ‘medicine’ that tastes so good and feels so comforting, at least since Mary Poppins recommended a spoonful of sugar!

Blog sponsored by Sunsweet UK

Image by Tobias Schula.

We would like to thank all the contest’s participants for great response and entries! The lucky winners will be chosen shortly and announced here, as well as our Facebook fan page. All the Sunsweet goods, books and an iPod will be sent to them immediately.

Keep smiling!

The Sunsweet Team