What's The Contrast Between Good Fats and Bad Fats?

All of us have probably heard that too much fat in our diets is bad for our health. However, not all fats are bad. In fact, some fat is actually acceptable for us and is required by our body for competent function. Some of the uses that fat has in our body include:

1) Helps our body in the production of hormones

2) Insulates and cushions our body and internal organs

3) Keeps our skin and hair healthy

3) Regulates our blood pressure

4) Helps to improve brain function - especially in children

5) Provides us with energy

6) Lowers bad cholesterol levels

7) Alleviate symptoms of PMS and Menopause

8) Lowers our risk against heart disease and other cancers

9) Helps to transport certain vitamins through our bloodstream

Understanding the differences between fats, therefore, can be helpful to understand whether the fat content in a particular food will be helpful to you or harmful.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Polyunsaturated fats are a rich source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids which we need but can't be made by our bodies. These fats support to lower bad cholesterol levels, ease symptoms of PMS and aid in motor coordination. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in sunflower oil, safflower oil, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, and sesame seeds.

Monounsaturated Fats

Like polyunsaturated fats, it is thought that monounsaturated oils also assist in the lowering of bad cholesterol levels. Additionally, a diet rich in monounsaturated fats have been associated with lower risks of cancer and increased longevity. Some foods that are rich in monounsaturated oils include: olive oil, Angola oil, sesame oil, avocados, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, humus, mackerel, and lean meat.

Saturated Fats

A diet high is saturated fats have been proven to raise the levels of bad cholesterol and boost the risk of heart disorder, cancer and obesity. These fats have been found in considerable quantities in such foods as: cheese, lard, cakes, chocolate, pies, pastry, cookies and meat.

Trans Fat

As bad as saturated fats are for our health, Trans fats are even worse. Trans fats are nothing more than saturated fats that have been chemically modified in the food manufacturing process. And not only do they increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the body but they also lower the splendid cholesterol levels as well. There is also a link between Trans fats and various forms of cancer and heart malady. Trans fat is sometimes listed on the food label; however is mostly found in margarine, cookies, cakes, puddings, fried foods, chocolate bars and in various fast foods.

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How to Avoid the Holiday Bulge

Do you consider it almost futile to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. Numerous Americans are overweight. All American's are in this together.

You can take heart from a distinct government study which shows most Americans gain about a pound over the holiday. You're not alone. The study shows that during the holiday period, for the people in the study, two stellar things influenced the holiday weight gain: level of hunger and level of action. Those who reported being hungrier had the greatest weight gain.

If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you'll probably win.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain," according to Dr. Samuel Klein. He is Director of the Center for Human Nutrition as Washington University in St. Louis, MO. "Preventing the raise in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again."

The answer is smooth. Eat less and exercise more. The gratifying news is that most of the people overestimate how much they had gained. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or over.
The bad news is that although the one pound gained seems like a cramped amount, that weight WAS NOT LOST during the rest of the year and those single pounds accumulate over the years and add up to obesity.

Listed below are some helpful hints and tips put together by skinny people to help you avoid the tiny petite weight watching issues you face during this joyous season [along with the thoughts going through weight watcher Jennifer's head as she listened to the skinny people happily chirping out their advice. NOTE: Jennifer isn't her real name.]

1)."You SHOULD stay efficacious, darling. The tops thing for you to do is to stick to your typical schedule and custom." [Procedure? Jennifer's family doesn't have no stinking routine in November and December. Jennifer doesn't have no stinking time for her general yoga classes, workouts at the gym, long dog walks, you ninny, because in addition to shopping, home decorating and cooking, Jennifer has to take every one of the kids to extraneous practices and exertion for pageants, concerts and freaking fund raisers! Jennifer's too active to stay alive, darling.]

2). "Don't let yourself get hungry. Don't arrive at the party starving. Be sure you eat your ordinary, disease-free meals, especially breakfast. A protein rich breakfast "resets" the body and starts it off not hungry. Don't starve yourself, thinking you can "save up" calories. Fill up before the big holiday feasts with invigorating vegetable snacks." [Standard? There ain't no stinking "usual" in November and December, and Jennifer's not sure she ever has usual, sustaining meals. She's got a life to run. Jennifer doesn't' know where YOU'RE having Thanksgiving, but Jennifer's family's appetizer table has God's own Cheese Puffs and Ruffles with sour cream/onion dip, Brie on sourdough and 80 plates of cookies and bowls of peanut M&Ms on every applicable surface! There is nary a vegetable snack in sight.]

3) "How can you keep the pounds off at calorie rich parties? Stay away from the food! Literally ... stay on the other side of the room from the buffet table or appetizers tray. [Jennifer liked this one. She'll just go plant herself in the bathroom and lock the door. Maybe she can acquire a place under the pile of coats in the back bedroom. A nap sounds delightful.]

4). "Wear clothes which are slightly tight and your favorites. You'll think twice about the third helping if you can't let your belt out a notch. Always remember there's about 8 pounds between dress sizes." [What skinny sadist came up with this bright idea? Jennifer bets she's a size 2, and hides an eating disorder!]

5). "Portion size is the real mystical. Keep salad portions excessive and all other portions extra miniscule. When it comes to sweets, think attribute, not availability. Just because the candy corn is there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Don't be afraid to cut off "just a bite" of a expensive calorie handle. Put the rest back on the serving tray. If you're the hostess, pre-cut excessive calorie items into tiny portions to help your friends. Just a bite may be plenty to satisfy you. [Just a bite! Just a bite? Jennifer's stressed to the max and darn it, Jennifer DESERVES a candy treat ... and a WHOLE one. Heck, Jennifer's double stressed, so she deserves ...]

6). "You don't need to be stressed. Take Time for You. Get a massage or a delightful facial. Sit down and slip your shoes off." [Don't you know Jennifer's facing a month and a half on shopping overdrive and the only place to sit down is at the mall's breakneck-food court? McDonald's doesn't have a massage spa. If Jennifer slips her shoes off, she'll NEVER get them back on again, you fool.]

7). "Keep up your food diary ... every day of the holiday ... it will assistance you pinpoint your certain weaknesses. Just one 150 calorie chocolate chip cookie each day will add up to an spare pound in only 3 weeks." [Jennifer can't even obtain her food diary in chaos house. And, she really needed the enlightenment on the cookies. Thank you very much. Jennifer just ate three, and she doesn't need any food diary to pinpoint this tiny weakness.]

8). "Only eat things you really require and care about. So what if your neighbor brought okra au gratin everyone's raving about? Use that space on your plate for a homemade roll, hot from the oven. Put real butter on it. Life is choices. Treat yourself to what you covet and LEAVE THE REST IN THE SERVING DISH."[Stupendous advice. How obliged do you think Jennifer'd be after a feast of Brussels sprouts and tofu salad while she's passing the yams, potatoes and gravy to Aunt Lucille? Jennifer bets Lucille's glad she got granddad's wiry build instead of those astounding wide childbearing hips from grandma's "peasant" stock!]

9). Drink water instead of alcohol which has empty calories and lowers will power. Avoid sugary sodas which throw your metabolism into pendulum swings. [You didn't mention eggnog. Eggnog is OK, then, right?]

10). "Don't eat while you cook. Those petite "tastes" can turn into 1000 calories before you've blinked." [Jennifer just spent 304 hours in the kitchen, cooking. She HAS to taste everything before she serves it, or they'll hate it and won't delight in her any numerous. And besides, cookie dough doesn't have any calories, does it?]

Well, that's all 10 pieces of holiday advice. Here's just one parting thought from Jennifer.
[Santa's fat and everybody loves him! The baby Jesus is fat, too. The turkey is so fat it can hardly stand up! Nobody buys a skinny Christmas tree, do they? Get a grip. Get a life. Have a Jubilant holiday.}

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What Is The Perfect Meal?

Positive nutrition is vital to a strong and desirable mind and body. It's factual what they say - you are what you eat. This statement points out very effectively that if you feed your body with low nutritional and sugary garbage, your body has nothing to work with and you'll end up eventually feeling like garbage.

On the other hand, if you nourish your body with food that is packed with nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, nourishing fats, whole grains and omega-3's, you'll notice a mighty departure in how you look and feel...especially if you make this type of food a dietary habit.

Right now we're at a crossroad - we know we should be eating preferable, but there are so innumerable restaurants handy offering "bad" food and it's making the obesity rate skyrocket. Even restaurants that offer fish platters and other health-conscious meals end up not so well because of the chunk of calories you ingest between the bread, colossal portions and dessert.

You have two options:
1. Stay away from expeditious rood restaurants - and when you eat out at restaurants, be strict about what you eat. Stay away from the bread and don't finish everything on your plate...bring the rest home for a meal you can eat the next day.
2. Make a meal at home yourself using ingredients you buy at the grocery store, not frozen entrees.

The focus of this article is on number two because by making your own meal, you can command exactly what goes into it. The end consequence is a meal that you know is nutritious and NOT packed with health-deteriorating ingredients.
Here's an example of the perfect meal you can make at home. It has everything you need for greater health.

What you'll need is:
1 9-10 ounce bag of baby spinach 1 can of wild Alaskan pink salmon 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil 1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar 1/2-3/4 cup of brown rice
Here's a breakdown of each food's health benefits:
Spinach - this green leaf is packed with phytonutrients, vitamins and fiber - and it's low in calories.

Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon - yes, canned is ok! It tastes greater than you think. The reason this is recommended is because the food is a powerhouse of stupendous fats, protein and omega-3's and is low in calories and carbohydrates. The salmon you would regularly buy is potentially steep in mercury, which is bad. This Wild Alaskan form is free of mercury...and it's inexpensive.
In case you're wondering, Omega-3's are vital for desirable weight loss, brain health and a invigorating cardiovascular system.

Olive Oil - full of positive fat which your body does need. When you buy olive oil, make sure it's 100% authentic. Some brands are now mixing olive oil with refined oils...the end development is olive oil, but not really.

Balsamic Vinegar - vinegar reportedly controls your blood sugar level when eating which is imperative for overall health. Furthermore, it gives the meal greater taste.
Brown Rice - whole grains are full of vitamins and fiber. Check out Uncle Ben's instant brown rice...it's pretty valuable and quick to make.

Making the meal is painless. You frankly lay the spinach out on a platter- you can numerous or diminished use however much you itch for- and drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the spinach.

Let this sit for 10 minutes or so- this gives the spinach a chance to soak up the oil and vinegar. While this is sitting, cook the brown rice and open up the can of salmon.
When ready, simply spread the salmon over the spinach and put the brown rice either on the side or in a separate bowl.

And now the tops part of all - Appreciate!
This meal will take you 15 minutes max to make and each bite will nourish your body from the inside out. And once you get used to eating nutritious, you'll obtain yourself experimenting with all types of distinctive meals. This article shared with you one paradigm of a perfect meal, but there are countless multitudinous more!

weight+loss

Understanding the Direct Relationship Between Your Diet and Cancer

Although the impact is difficult to measure, it is evident that diet is a factor when considering most, if not all types of cancer. Furthermore, diet may also be effective in preventing cancer. There is no concrete explanation of the relationship between cancer and your diet; however it would be obviously beneficial to maintain a well-balanced and nutritious diet. The insight regarding the diet- cancer link first appeared in 1913. Until recently, the phenomenon had been amazingly ignored. The scientist became involved, mainly with the assistance of animals, to determine the relationship. Coincidently, the risk for cancer will certainly decrease if you were to consistently eat healthy meals as well as take vitamin and/or mineral supplements. It is extremely important to live a healthy lifestyle.
There are obvious techniques that people should live by such as regular screening and self-exams that is crucial for identifying potential cancer cells. Healthcare physicians recommend that you actively practice these techniques, yet you must also obtain knowledge of the risk factors that contribute to cancer. For many years, the National Cancer Institute has promoted a program that encourages Americans to eat more fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, 60%-70% of cancer is the result of dietary risk factors. Extensive research has also concluded that one-third of cancer deaths within the United States are due to nutritional factors.
The suggested risk factors include being overweight or obese, having a low intake of fruits and vegetables, low physical activity and smoking or alcohol abuse. Therefore, cancer is believed to be related and associated with an individual’s lifestyle. Specifically, the American Cancer Society has estimated that women who are 40% or more over the ideal body weight have a 55% greater cancer risk. Contrarily, the men who are 40% over weight have a 33% greater risk. Ironically, it has been noted that cancer occurs at different rates in different countries. This merely suggests that people from different countries have different eating patterns.
No matter what the consensus is on the relationship between diet and cancer, fiber is actually agreed upon as one of the most important preventive measure to cancer. With an increase in fiber intake, it is possible to consume less fat and calories. The fiber-rich foods enhances the intensity of our diets and contributes to satiety. You are able to obtain fiber in a variety of ways. Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits and grains. These items are discharged in two categories: soluble and insoluble. Ideally, it is recommended to increase the intake of breads, cereals, legumes (beans and peas) and of course, more fruits and vegetables.
Although it is highly sensitive at this point, the American Institute for Cancer Research has identified foods that are promising for preventing cancer. First of all, the institute suggests that beans and legumes may lower risk of prostate, breast and pancreatic cancer. Berries are expected to lower the risk of skin, bladder, and lung or breast cancer. More over, the cruciferous vegetables possibly lower the contingency for lung, stomach, colorectal, prostate and bladder cancer. Cancer of the bladder, colon, stomach, pancreas and esophagus may be prevented by consuming green tea. Finally, prostate cancer may be avoided by eating tomatoes. Additionally, it is suggested by the American Institute for Cancer Research that consuming whole grains may lower the risks for all cancers.
In conclusion, there are five dietary guidelines that may save your life from Cancer. It is recommended that you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. And again, you should eat high fiber foods to include limiting the fat intake. You should always stay or become physically fit. Last, but not least, limit the consumption of alcohol. Bottom line, improving your diet and overall lifestyle generally protects your body against cancer.

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