Posts Tagged ‘vitamins and minerals’

Minerals that May Help Your Hearing

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

The benefits of eating a well balanced diet have been long established: it can increase your energy levels, boost your immune system, and help every system of your body work correctly. Recently, a growing body of evidence has begun to suggest that vitamins and minerals can even help you hear well and avoid damage to the sensory cells of your ears. This article will review some of the minerals that may improve or maintain hearing levels.

What to Eat

If you are concerned about experiencing diminished hearing with age, keeping certain minerals in your diet may help. Some of the minerals to focus on include:

Magnesium – A recent study at the University of Michigan showed that guinea pigs that were given a mixture of magnesium and vitamins A, C, and E were less susceptible to hearing loss induced by exposure to loud noises. Magnesium is an alkaline metal that plays a vital role in the life of biological cells. Foods that are rich in magnesium include nuts, spinach, whole grains, rice, bananas, and soybeans.

Zinc – Zinc is an elemental metal that is very important for the health of all living plants and animals. Zinc deficiency is a common medical problem that can cause a weakened immune system, and may contribute to impaired auditory nerves. Research shows that eating a healthy amount of zinc can protect hearing levels and may even treat tinnitus. Zinc can be found in beans, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, crab, chicken, and milk.

Iron – Similar to zinc and magnesium, iron is a metal that nearly all living organisms need to survive. Animal studies have shown that mammals with iron deficiencies may be more susceptible to hearing loss related to nerve damage. Nutritional sources of iron include red meat, soybeans, black-eyed peas, poultry, and other types of beans.

Copper – Copper plays several important roles in the body, assisting with the creation of important enzymes and helping anti-oxidants rid the body of free radicals. Copper deficiency can cause many health problems, including fatigue, malnutrition, and sores on the skin. Studies have shown that animals deficient in copper may also be more vulnerable to noise-induced hearing loss and other hearing problems. Copper can be found in green olives, liver, avocados, seeds, lobster, and nuts.

Getting enough of the vitamins and minerals your body needs is a key part of maintaining good health. However, consuming too much of any mineral can also lead to serious health problems. Talk to your doctor about the balanced diet your body – and ears – need.

For more information about hearing health, contact a hearing aid specialist from HearingPlanet.

Article Source: Minerals that May Help Your Hearing

If You Want to Be Slim, Eat These 3 Highly Fatty Foods…

Monday, February 8th, 2010

If you think that all fats are bad, then you are in for a shock.

You see, contrary to popular belief, some highly fatty foods actually help you to burn fat!

Yes, when I made that statement, it sure shocked lots of people.

Alright, let’s take a look at the Top 3 Fatty foods that burn fat, even those stubborn ones.

1. Avocadoes. The first super fatty foods that burn fats is avocado. This is one of my favorite fat burning foods. This amazing “fatty food” makes everything taste creamier and tastier but is in fact power-packed with loads of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

You really do not want to skip this excellent food source. The fats inside avocadoes are healthy fats that controls your appetite and your fat burning hormones. The result is higher fat burning rate.

So how do you start benefiting from this super food? Simple. Just add slices of avocadoes or use the avocado dips like the Mexican guocamole to anything like your burgers, sandwiches, salads and eggs. Your body will thank you for it and start burning fat faster.

2. Egg yolk. Egg yolks has mistakenly been labeled as unhealthy food due to its high fat and cholesterol content. What most people don’t realize however is that the high cholesterol in egg yolks are actually of the GOOD cholesterol variety that your body needs to maintain the good/bad cholesterol levels.

Now for the high fat content, you can actually benefit from it if you choose eggs from free-ranging hens (not those from hens that are caged their entire life). You see, egg yolks from free-ranging hens are high in omega-3 fats that you actually want to eat.

Egg yolks are actually a very densed nutrient-packed food source that is full of vitamins, minerals and trace nutrients. If you try to list all of the nutrients inside egg yolks, it will filled up more than an entire page.

So the next time you want to give egg yolk a miss and choose egg whites instead, think again. You might be missing out on one of the best foods that burn fats!

3. Grass-fed beef. This is one great food source that we sorely lack nowadays. You see, most of the beef you find in the grocery stores come from cattles that are fed grains or even meats (yes that is crazy since cattles are supposed to be herbivores – that is how messed-up our food system has become).

These grain-fed cattles are not in the best of health and has lower nutrition values. For example, the fatty acids ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 are way too high. We want more of the better omega-3 fatty acids rather than the omega-6 fatty acids (which most of us get too much anyway).

The natural grass-fed beef has these properties. It has high omega-3 content and higher levels of minerals and vitamins. But what is even more important is that they contain higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs). CLAs are actually fats but they are actually healthy fats that will help you to build muscles while also helping you to burn fats.

So these are the Top 3 fatty foods that actually help you to burn fats. So don’t shy away from them. Eat them because these are really awesome fatty foods that burn fats in your body.

Looking to find the best way to burn stomach fat, then visit Rizal Shaik’s site to download your FREE body fat burning reports.

Article Source: If You Want to Be Slim, Eat These 3 Highly Fatty Foods…

Kill Parasites Living In Your Body With a Colon Detox!

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Parasites enter your body from animals and contaminated food or water. That’s right. Your cuddly little pet may be giving you parasites. These little creatures are microscopic but feed off the nutrients that enter your body. This means that your body is not getting the vitamins and minerals it needs. Although parasites are microscopic, sometimes visible worms live inside the intestines. Many parasites can be found in your colon. Your colon is approximately 5 feet long. Once you do a colon detox, you may see some of these worms as they are expelled from your body. Have you ever heard of the phrase, death starts in the colon? The key to a long, healthy life is to ensure that you take care of your colon. An unclean and toxic colon can lead to health concerns, such as:

• Fatigue
• Digestive Problems
• Loss of appetite
• Constipation
• Muscle Pain
• Weight Gain
• Headaches
• Itchy skin
• Hemorrhoids
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

You probably spend time everyday washing your hair, brushing your teeth and bathing yourself. Have you ever had a colon detox? If not, then it is probably clogged with waste from all the years that you have been living. This waste includes built up fecal matter, debris and of course, parasites. In fact, millions of people live with parasites everyday without even knowing it. The best way to maintain a healthy colon is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy is a great way to prevent harmful buildup in your body. A natural colon cleanser can be used to treat an already infected body.

No one wants nasty toxins in their body. The build up of toxins can lead to poor health, including body odor and bad skin. You should consider body detoxification. As managing editor of NaturalDetoxes.com, you will learn how to detox your body with a natural detox.

Article Source: Kill Parasites Living In Your Body With a Colon Detox!

Go Nuts with the Glycemic Load Index

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

If you are a nut lover, then you are in for some good news. Most nuts are low on the glycemic load index. Luckily for nut lovers, nuts are among the lowest foods on the GI. Peanuts, cashews and walnuts, for example, are some of the lowest glycemic index foods around, which is part of what makes them such a great snack.

Since many nuts are very low on the glycemic load index, they will not affect one’s blood sugar levels much at all. This means that some nuts can be eaten without having to worry about their impact on blood sugar levels. Part of the beauty of the GI is that the list clearly tells dieters, diabetics and health conscious people what foods will cause spikes in their glucose levels. By knowing this information ahead of time, it is possible to avoid foods that can cause sudden rises in glucose levels. This can be very important if one is looking to avoid the highs and lows that can accompany foods high on the glycemic load index.

Peanuts and the Glycemic Load Index

Peanuts are very low on the glycemic load index, are a great source of protein, high in fiber and contain numerous vitamins and minerals. Several B Vitamins, including thiamine, folate, pantothenic acid and niacin can be found in considerable concentrations in peanuts. Likewise, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc are all well represented. Yet, peanuts still have more to offer as this little “nut” also has antioxidants, coenzyme Q10 (an important brain and heart compound) and an interesting compound known as resveratrol.

One fact should be pointed to immediately for all those reading this that happen to be sticklers for fine details. Peanuts are not technically nuts, but are instead are technically a legume. However, the nut family has clearly adopted the peanut. Therefore, it is still considered to be a nut on the glycemic load index.

The Importance of Walnuts

Now one might think that peanuts have won the day as the ultimate low glycemic load index snack food, but walnuts can certainly give the peanut a run for its money. Walnuts are also loaded down with nutrition and antioxidants. Walnuts also have a trick up hidden “under their shell.” Walnuts are loaded down with essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital to brain health. There is some evidence that walnuts can fight cancer, and compounds contained within walnuts may even ward off breast cancer and heart disease.

Few foods are loaded down with, as much overall goodness as nuts, and this is doubly the case for those nuts that fall on the low side of the glycemic load index. Adding nuts, especially walnuts and peanuts, to one’s diet is an easy way of eating more foods that are low on the GI. Eating more nuts may even increase your lifespan and help ward off diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Jonathan is main contributor and co-creator of the new Glycemic Index info based web-site: http://the-glycemic-index-guide.com . Get lots more info there on the Glycemic Load Index and also check out our free 10-part mini-eCourse, “Glycemic Index Secrets”, it might be all you’ll ever need (and did I mention it was free!!)

Article Source: Go Nuts with the Glycemic Load Index

Introduction to Fitness Nutrition

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Merely knowing what food to eat, those that would ensure your body receives the nutrients it needs, is not enough to achieve a fit and healthy body. Diet could never be without exercise, they are a pair simply referred to as fitness nutrition, the combination of both. Those that exercise more, like athletes, require more food and nutrients so their body could keep up with all the physical activities they go through.

Carbohydrates, although mistakenly avoided by people on diets, are actually beneficial especially if you undertake physical activities or sports like sprinting, basketball of playing badminton. This is because these “carbs” produce the blood sugar in the body, this blood sugar which is more commonly known as glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen provides the energy a person needs to perform such activities. Without glucose, a person can easily feel exhausted and out of breath. Some diet junkies think that they “sweat off the fat” in their body, but in reality, they sweat off the glycogen first and then the fat.

While carbohydrates are important for quick exercises, fats are in fact needed by the body when doing long endurance exercises like cycling, or running marathons. A healthy person does not actually have zero fat in their body; they have fat and in fact use them as a source of energy during their exercises. Without fat, your body tends to use the energy stored in the proteins. This is not ideal since the body needs these proteins to repair the muscles instead.

Vitamins and minerals, although not energy producers, are important for other health functions. They provide the calcium that strengthens the bones, the iron that helps in transporting oxygen throughout the body, and some minerals like potassium help in the regulation of water in the body during rigorous workouts.

Knowledge regarding fitness nutrition is important to determine what specific food to eat or drink before you deal with your exercise routine. About 3-6 hours before you exercise, it is advisable that you consume a full healthy meal. A few hours before actually exercising, you should consume food that is rich in carbohydrates, or better yet complex carbohydrates. This food type can provide a large amount of carbohydrate which can provide for more energy during your activities. Never ever forget to drink water before, during and after your exercise. Sweating causes the water in the body to evaporate. An individual must replace this lost fluid at once to prevent dehydration.

Keep in mind that too little or too much exercise can be bad. Be specific with your exercise regime; make sure it fits the type of lifestyle you lead. If you are already tired from work all day, try exercises which are not so intense like short jogs. Always eat a balanced diet; after all it is the other half of fitness nutrition. Never ever skip meals to ensure that your body is well nourished and drink lots of water and fluid. This ensures that the body stays in tip-top shape even if you are working out.

With a lifelong passion for health, I enjoy sharing my personal experiences with diet and exercise. I also enjoy reviewing products, enjoy my latest reviews on what you need to know about which rolling suitcase to choose for your holidays, including Hello Kitty luggage for your children.

Article Source: Introduction to Fitness Nutrition