You’ve heard this all your life…”you are what you eat”. But often, we get confused about what we should be eating. While there is a lot of information available to us about healthy nutrition, it’s good to start with a few sound principals.

As a rule, people of all ages, who wish to be healthy may want to look at the portions of food we eat. You’ve heard of supersizing no doubt? You don’t have to supersize in order to be eating too much…you can do that just by having portions that are a bit larger than they should be.

Most people have “portion distortion”. Get a good reference book on the subject of portions (any diet or nutritional book) and start measuring your portions.

Yes, get out the measuring cup, the tablespoons and the scale. Do this until you relearn the proper amounts of food to eat. Check yourself periodically to make sure you are staying on target. You’ll be amazed with the results.

Eat organically as much as possible. Food today is loaded with hormones, pesticides, anti-bruise chemicals and the like. Simply washing your fruit may not get rid of the pesticides, and you certainly cannot get the hormones and antibiotics out of your meat. If you cannot grow it yourself (and know it’s clean) then consider purchasing foods that are certified as organic.

We, as whole human being, like to stay in balance as much as possible. I believe that much of our stress, much of our illness, and indeed a large part of aging is due to being out of balance. This principal holds true for our eating habits as well.

We need all components of nutrition. We need the fats (healthy fats), carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates) and the protein. Stay away from dietary recommendations that tell you to avoid “all fats” or “all carbohydrates”. You need all three. Balance.

Excerpt from Aging with Success, page 21-2.; (C) Barbara C. Phillips, NP

You know how if you look up in a grocery store, they will have signs that direct you to where the coffee, flour and cereal are? Well, in a store about an hour from me, I found the most amazing signs….”Nutritional Food”, “Natural Cereal” and “Nutritional Drink”.  This is a chain supermarket (and I’ll leave them un-named).

While, I don’t have to tell you that not all food is healthy, the fact that the grocer is now advertising this is telling. Truly…it’s time for the consumer to beware. If you are looking for foods that are nutritional, make sure you are in the correct aisles.

Seriously thought, learn to read the labels and check them for any products you buy. As much as possible, purchase plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables (no labels unless they say “organic”).  Of course, avoid prepared foods, excessive carbs/starches,  soda and sweets, or if you have to get them…make it the smallest amount you can. As always…fresh is likely better. I never heard of anyone going wrong with vegetables.

While food shopping can seem confusing, it seems stores such as the one I visited want to make it as easy as possible for consumers. I hope your local store has nutritional food as well.

Many, many women (not to mention children and men) need to lose weight in order to live a healthier life. Water is such a remarkable thing, but seldom do we give it the credit that it deserves. Did you know that over 66% of your body weight is nothing but water? It’s amazing!

Here are 4 tips on how to incorporate more water into your day to help facilitate your weight loss goals.

1. Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot of water so give in to water. Water is not just way to flush out toxin but if you have more water in your body you will generally feel healthier and fitter. This it self will discourage any tendency to gorge. The best thing about water is that is has no calories at all.
2. Start your day with a glass of water. As soon as you wake up, gulp down a glass of cool water. It’s a wonderful way to start you day and you only need a lesser quantity of your breakfast drink after that. A glass of water lets out all your digestive juices and sort of lubricates the insides of your body. You may have your morning cup of tea but have it after a glass of water. It is good for you.
3. Drink a glass of water before you start the meal. Water naturally needs some space so that you feel fuller without actually having to stuff yourself.
4. Have another glass of water while you are having the meal. Again this is another way of making yourself full so that you can actually rise from the table eating less but feeling full just the same. Instead of drinking it one gulp, take sips after each morsel. It will help the food to settle faster so that you get that feeling that you are full faster.

For more weight loss tips visit Weight Loss Information

We’ve known for a long time that folic acid is good for pregnant women. And actually, we’ve known for a while that folic acid can lower homocystine levels (which is thought to damage the linings of your arteries) in those whose levels are high. In a recent British study, they looked again at folic acid and found that it can cut an individuals risk of heart attacks by 10-20%. About one in ten are thought to have a genetic mutation which can increase homocystine levels.

So which veggies are high in folate/folic acid? The green leafy ones….bok choy, spinach, kale, mustard and collard greens, Swiss Chard, etc.

Bon Appétit!

BOSTON — As you age, walking can keep the pounds away, according to new research presented at the annual meeting of the Obesity Society, an organization of weight-loss researchers and care providers.

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh found that overweight middle-aged people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost 7 pounds in a year and a half, while similar adults who didn’t exercise consistently gained seven pounds in that time.

In the second study, University of North Carolina researchers did an analysis of data on young adults, ages 18 to 30, over a 15-year period and found those who walked four or more hours a week were the least likely to gain weight as they aged.

For the complete article –> Click here

We all the that the Mediterranean Diet tastes good. And many of us know that it’s been shown to reduce ones risk of cardiovascular events. And now, it looks like the Mediterranean Diet may help reduce our risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

The Mediterranean Diet & Alzheimer’s Disease

In Feb of 2006 a study was published showing the beneficial results that grapefruit – especially the red type – can have on one’s triglyceride level (part of your lipid panel). This study also showed that grapefruit has powerful antioxidant effects as well.

This is great news, especially for those with elevated cholesterol panels and atherosclerosis (plaque build up in the vessels). As with everything though…this does not mean you should run out and start eating tons of grapefruit.

The downside to grapefruit is that it interacts with a certain metabolic pathway (CYP3A4)…and that pathway plays a big part in the metabolism of many, many medications – including the ones you may take to reduce your cholesterol level.

What medications are involved? Think blood pressure medication, benzodiazepines (that’s the valium/xanax family), some seizure and allergy medication, many of the statins (used to lower cholesterol, think lipitor and family), anti-fungal medications, estrogens, caffeine, some antibiotics and some antidepressants. Coumadin or warfarin is also affected – as they are with most everything.

One study looked at how long grapefruit inhibits the CYP3A4 pathway and found effects even 7 days after the ingestion of grapefruit juice – in healthy individuals. This could be radically different in someone who is taking medication for a problem. They also found in order to avoid this interaction; one should take no have any grapefruit within 3 days of the medication.

If you are taking something daily…well, that means no grapefruit.

New information is coming out all the time as more and more medications are tested and as more is learned about the metabolic pathways of medication and food. If you are like me, and love grapefruit…please check with your health care provider or pharmacists regarding any potential interactions.

©2006 Barbara C. Phillips, MN, NP

May is Stroke Awarness Month and the American Heart Association | American Stroke Association has launched new guidelines for stroke preventon.

Here are some things that you can be doing:

• Get your blood pressure checked. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a significiant risk factor. You can reduce your risk of stokes due to hypertension with proper treatment.
• Dont’ smoke and eliminate your exposure to secondhand smoke.
• If you have diabetes, it is imperative that you maintain tight control of your blood pressure, as well as your cholesterol.
• If you already have hypertension reduce you intake of sodium (salt) to no more than 2.3 grams per day and increase your potassium intake to (4.7 gms per day) – eat a diet high in fruit, vegatbles, low-fat dairy products and low in saturated and total fat.
• Lower your total cholesterol to acceptable levels.
• Be physically active (moderate-intensity) for at least 30 minutes a day. That’s one brisk walk for 30 minutes.

The American Stroke Association recently launched Power To End Stroke, an aggressive education and awareness initiative to reach African Americans, who are at greater stroke risk than other ethnic groups. For more information on stroke or the Power To End Stroke campaign, call 1-888-4STROKE, or visit the American Stroke Association Web site: strokeassociation.org/power.

By Stephanie Schupska University of Georgia
As female baby boomers crawl toward menopause and retirement, eating disorders among this age group have started to rise.

Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc., reports that some speculate the eating disorder increase in this group, born from 1946 until 1964, is because they’ve consistently considered image to be of major importance.

Connie Crawley, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension expert, agrees. “Women of all ages are very conscious of their bodies and sometimes have a very negative opinion of their bodies,” she said. “Now that the baby boomers are aging, their body changes are really kind of hitting them harder than probably the previous generation. So now there are women who are becoming much more concerned about the normal changes in body fat distribution that come with age.”

Crawley is a UGA Extension nutrition and health specialist and a registered dietitian. She says many people focus on the physical symptoms of an eating disorder, but “the self-esteem issues, the coping skills, dealing with all the changes as one gets older,” are the real issues.

Read more…