How to Practice Clean Eating

When you’re used to one way of eating – especially if it’s the way you’ve eaten most of your life – change can be difficult. Fortunately, it’s not impossible to choose clean eating so that you have a healthier, long lasting life.

When you decide that you’re going to make changes in how you eat, there’s more to it than just staying away from foods that aren’t healthy for you. You need to know which foods you should eat in order to get the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to have in order to function properly.

Choose the majority of the foods that you eat from the way that nature made them. This will be whole foods like you would find on any healthy eating plan. You should eat plenty of whole grains along with fruits and vegetables.

Use only dairy products that are low in fat. When you do eat plant products – such as nuts – buy the brand that doesn’t use salt. Additional salt in a product can push your sodium level over the healthy limit.

You’ll want to stay away from as much processed foods as possible. Because life is what it is with time crunches, you might end up having to choose a processed food every now and then.

If that’s the case, choose the healthiest food from among your choices. For example, if you have to buy a boxed pasta, make sure that you pick the one that’s whole grain.

Look over the label carefully. The more ingredients listed on the side, the higher the odds there are some dangerous additives in the box. For the healthiest result, pick the foods that have short labels with a list of ingredients that you can understand.

Clean eating means that you need to watch the amount of sugar that goes into your eating plan. Foods that contain sugar can cause you to develop a sugar addiction.

Plus, the additional added sugar can lead to weight gain and health problems. How many times a day that you eat is just as important with clean eating as what you eat.

The number one reason that drives people to unhealthy eating is hunger. When you allow yourself to get so hungry that you feel as if you need to eat immediately, it’s easier to grab something that’s not healthy for you.

When you eat only three meals a day, you have longer periods of time to cause your glucose levels to fall. At the same time, your metabolism slows down when you space your meals out that far apart.

Instead, eat at least five meals a day. You’ll want these meals to be smaller than if you were eating a three meal plan. What eating at least five times a day will do for you is it keeps your glucose levels steadier and it also keeps your metabolism from slowing down.

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What You Gain from Clean Eating

The way you eat should always give you nutritional benefits. If you’re not getting any health benefits from the way that you eat, that’s a good sign that your body is crying out for something better.

Any eating plan that makes you feel sluggish, causes you to gain weight or gives you health problems – such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure – needs to be changed.

The sooner you decide that you want to practice clean eating, the better you’ll feel and the more benefits you stand to gain from it. When you practice clean eating, you’ll feel better, plus you’ll be healthier.

Even if right now you’re experiencing some health issues as a result of the way you’ve eaten in the past, if you begin clean eating, you can eliminate those problems. With clean eating, you’ll be able to get rid of the extra weight that can lead to illnesses, diseases and pressure on your joints from the weight.

When your body feels better, you feel better. This will make it easier on you to want to get up and be more active than you have been in the past. Plus, when you do get rid of any extra weight, it will be easier to keep it off with clean eating.

You’ll be getting a better intake of vitamins and minerals with clean eating than you would with eating processed foods or foods that aren’t whole or natural. These vitamins and minerals can help keep your immune system healthier which, in turn, will allow you to be able to fight off illnesses.

One of the problems with eating any old way is that you can often feel hungry half an hour after eating a sugar or salty food. Because natural foods are bulkier, you won’t be as tempted to run to the pantry looking for a snack.

This means that you’ll not only have longer lasting energy with the better way of eating, but you’ll also be less likely to fall back into your old eating patterns. Clean eating can help you live longer.

When you have a clean eating plan, you can keep your heart healthier. This way of eating helps prevent cardiovascular diseases – and it’s a great way to fight back against diseases like diabetes, which can lead to heart problems.

Clean eating is a way of eating foods that have a lot more fiber in them. This means that you’ll be less likely to experience digestive problems such as constipation. Eating this way also helps you fight back against aging. It helps boost the cell growth within your body so that your skin looks smoother and you appear younger, too.

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Removing trans fats from food supply over heart disease concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration has a terrible reputation when it comes to protecting the consumer’s best health interest but now finally decided to do something about the hydrogenated oils following decades of protest from heath advocates
One wonders how it will last before they will start doing something about gmo’s and the worst big food company on the planet Monsanto (don’t hold your breath)

US to eliminate trans fats from food supply over heart disease concerns

US Food and Drug Administration to remove partially hydrogenated oils more than a year after it said it would and after decades of lobbying by health advocates

The US Food and Drug Administration will all but eliminate partially hydrogenated oils from the food supply by 2018, it announced on Tuesday, almost a year and a half after the agency first announced its intention to do so.

“The FDA’s action on this major source of artificial trans fat demonstrates the agency’s commitment to the heart health of all Americans,” said the FDA’s acting commissioner Stephen Ostroff. “This action is expected to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.”

The FDA’s decision will not go into effect for three years. The agency said this will allow companies time to reformulate their products or apply for an exemption.

The decision comes after decades of lobbying by health advocates and scientists who say there is a scientific consensus that the artificial oils commonly called “trans fats” clog arteries and contribute to heart disease.

“There’s no real reason for having it in the food supply,” said Alice Lichtenstein, Gershoff professor of nutrition and science policy at Tufts University. “What we really want to do is provide the US population with the safest food supply possible.”

Click this link to read the whole story

What Is Clean Eating?

Clean eating is something that many people are doing. You may have heard about it in the latest celebrity magazine. This way of eating is not some new fad diet that will be here today and gone tomorrow.

Clean eating just means that you’ve made the choice to get away from foods that are bad for your body and you’re going to choose healthy, whole foods instead. The best part about clean eating too is that not only is it healthy, but if you have some weight to lose, it can help you lose those extra pounds.

Plus, it’s a great way to detox if you want to a fresh start. You’ll have more energy and be in better shape than you would be if you were eating processed foods.

Some supposedly healthy eating plans will have you eliminating entire food groups such as not having any protein. But that’s not what clean eating is all about.

When you practice this way of eating, it means that you pay attention to the food that you put in your body. You make sure that the foods that you eat are whole foods that have limited or no processing at all.

One of the best ways to remember how to excel at clean eating is to eat foods as nature made them and nature doesn’t put things in cans. Clean eating means that you won’t be putting the extras into your body that are bad for you.

Foods that are processed contain a whole lot of additives to keep the food fresh enough to be eaten even years down the road. While that might make the food last, these additives can derail your health

Many of these foods will contain things like chemicals so that the food tastes better. Some of them will have a lot of salt, enough to fulfil a whole day’s sodium intake, to preserve the food.

There will also be artificial flavoring or coloring in the foods. For example, not all the roast beef that you buy packaged in the lunch meat area naturally looks that way.

Coloring is added to give it the look of roast beef. Every food that you eat that’s in boxes, cans or jars has been processed in some way. That means that it’s not the healthiest choice to put into your body.

Many of these additives contribute to health problems later in life. All you have to do is read the labels to see what some of these additives are. Look them up and you’ll see exactly what they are and how they can affect your body.

When you choose to follow a clean eating lifestyle, it means that you’re going to forego the refined foods and opt for everything natural from your breakfast cereals, to your breads to your vegetables, fruits and meats.

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What Is a Clean Eating Plan?

A clean eating plan means that you look at the options available for you to eat and you choose the one that’s the most natural. All of the foods that you buy in cans, bags and in the frozen section of your grocery store started out in their natural state.

The reason that a lot of shoppers buy these processed foods is for the sake of convenience. But when you weigh this convenience against being healthier, then it really is no contest.

It might take you a little bit more time to prepare foods that are in their natural state, but it’s better for you physically and even emotionally in the long run. It’s better emotionally because there’s a link between processed foods and depression just like there’s a link between sugar laden foods and addictive behavior.

Choosing foods in their natural state for your eating plan means picking the apple over the applesauce. But if you have a choice between an apple turnover or applesauce, then you would take the applesauce because it’s the least processed.

If you had the choice between an orange, orange juice or orange soda, then you would choose the orange. If that option wasn’t available, then you go with the next natural choice.

If you need to eat fruit and the only option was in a can, then you would choose the fruit that was packed in water or in light syrup over heavy syrup. When it comes to buying lunch meat, if you have to have that, then you would choose meat from the meat counter first.

If that wasn’t an option, then it’s healthier to pick up deli lunch meat rather than buying the processed kind that’s already packaged. When buying meats, look for ones that are grass fed over grain fed.

Make bagged, frozen meats your last choice. In the dairy department, buy low fat milk and yogurt that doesn’t have any flavorings. The flavorings are additives that aren’t healthy.

If you need bread, always go with a whole grain first. Make white bread your last option because it’s packed with additives and is the least healthy. Choose natural peanut butter over any other kind for your clean eating plan.

Think of your clean eating plan as direct from nature to your plate. If you can pick whole foods such as fruits or vegetables, wash them and eat them, that’s the best choice.

If you need it cooked, then you would steam it or stir fry it over frying it or deep frying it. But if you had to something other than steaming it, to avoid the worst option of frying it, you would bake the food.

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Johnson & Johnson launches major research on Type 1 diabetes

Here’s s a story that might ultimately spell good news for those suffering from the Type 1 Diabetes and them having to take insulin every day for life:
“Johnson & Johnson has begun a research partnership to find the root cause of Type 1 diabetes and stop the hormonal disorder in its tracks. It’s the health care giant’s first project under its ambitious initiative to prevent or at least intercept and reduce harm from many diseases.

In a collaboration with immunologist and Washington University professor Dr. Emil Unanue and his colleagues, researchers at J&J’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals will explore how specific immune system cells are involved in the initiation and progression of Type 1 diabetes.

The disease, also called juvenile diabetes, affects about 5 percent of Americans with diabetes, roughly 1.25 million people. For reasons that aren’t clear, the immune system attacks and destroys beta cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin, which is needed to convert blood sugar into energy. As a result, patients must take insulin every day for life. When diabetes is poorly controlled, complications including blindness, amputations and kidney failure can result.

“We hope to be able to manipulate the (immune) system in such a way that this no longer drives the destruction of beta cells, while maintaining protection against infections and tumors,” said Dr. Joseph A. Hedrick, leader of that project.

Click Here if you wish to read the whole story

Eating chocolate to protect against heart disease and stroke

How could I miss this story, I mean like most people I’m rather fond of chocolate, dark chocolate actually, and now there’s this very serious study showing that eating chocolate on a daily basis can actually  lower the risk of dying from heart disease by 25 per cent and the chance of suffering a stroke by 23 per cent.

I don’t need any more reasons to increase my daily consumption so as to improve my chances of avoiding a heart disease, do you?

“Two bars of chocolate a day ‘lowers risk of stroke and heart disease’

It is the ultimate comfort food which is known to produce the same chemical in the brain as falling in love.

But now scientists have shown that chocolate need no longer be a guilty pleasure after finding that eating up to two bars a day appears to protect against heart disease and stroke.

Although dark chocolate has long been known to have health benefits, the new study found that milk chocolate may also provide valuable nutrients which lower the chance of heart problems.

It is the latest research to highlight the value of the treat. Previously chocolate have been shown to reduce memory loss, prevent diabetes, reduce stress, protect the skin against sun damage and lower cholesterol.

To find out if it was beneficial for the heart researchers at the University of Aberdeen looked at the snacking habits of 21,000 people over 12 years.

They found that eating up to 100g of chocolate every day lowered the risk of dying from heart disease during that time by 25 per cent. The chance of suffering a stroke also fell by 23 per cent.

Professor Phyo Myint, Chair in Old Age Medicine at Aberdeen University, said: “Cumulative evidence suggests that higher chocolate intake is associated with a lower risk of future cardiovascular events”. ..

Click Here for the full story

For those who’d like to start a chocolate diet you know where to go, don’t you?

10 reasons why sunshine is good for your health

I somehow keep forgetting how important vitamin D is for my general wellbeing and so I am happy to read this story at the seaside where I have just arrived for a 2 week vacation.

Hopefully the weather will prove to be sunny so I can get loaded up for the next couple of months, may I suggest you read this story too and take it to heart:

why sunshine is good for your health

1. You’ll start the day better

Being woken up gradually by the sun’s natural light switches off melatonin, the hormone that stimulates sleep. This improves your energy and mood without the “fight or flight” stress of an alarm clock forcing you awake. Leave your curtains open – or use a “dawn simulator” alarm (from £59.95; lumie.com) to feel less tired and more alert.

2. It boosts your mood

Sunshine boosts levels of serotonin, the body’s natural happy hormone. Just five minutes of exercise outdoors – such as a walk in your local park – is enough to make you feel happier and less stressed, according to research published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal.

3. It’s easier to lose weight

Just 20 to 30 minutes of early morning sunshine can help lower body fat, say scientists. Light is the most potent agent to synchronize your internal body clock – regulating circadian rhythms which, in turn, also regulate energy balance, says Dr Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Not getting sufficient light between 8am and noon can de-synchronize your internal body clock, altering the metabolism and can lead to weight gain. Serotonin can also act as a natural appetite suppressant for some people.

4. Your memory works better

A high level of vitamin D in the bloodstream can boost memory and protect against dementia.

A study, in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, found middle-aged and older men with higher levels of the vitamin had a better memory and were quicker to process information.

5. Things hurt less

Being out in the sun helps to warm the body’s muscles and eases stiffness, reducing the pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University noted that patients who were placed in bright rooms reported less perceived stress and took less medication per hour than patients in dim rooms.

Click here to read the full story

For those who like fitness apps

I usually don’t read the magazine Maxim but they just featured an article that caught my attention for I am always interested to learn about new fitness apps. That’s not because I am such a fitness freak but I somehow seem to think that if I get the right app I might start doing all those exercises that will result in losing that excess weight and get back into great shape.

One of those apps I use every time I go ride my bike which is at least once a week is Runkeeper (the free version) which I highly recommend.
Anyway about that Maxim article here’s an excerpt which will give you an idea of the rest of the story, it really is worth your time:

“6 Fitness Apps That Actually Don’t Suck

You need more than a set of weights and sheer force of will—the key to a healthier summer is right in your pocket.

We all have that friend. He’s the guy who can eat and drink a seemingly endless supply of beer and burgers and never has to worry. If you’re reading this, you’re probably not that guy. Good, because everyone hates that f..king guy.

As for the rest of us, we have to put pain, effort, and sacrifice into looking and feeling phenomenal — but that’s a good thing. A solid workout routine should take discipline, the result of hard work and perseverance. At the end, you should feel like you’ve accomplished something.

But it shouldn’t be impossible. Here are 6 fitness apps to help get that grind going.

1.FitStar – Free, Premium for $4.99/month or $49.99/year
Custom curated workout routines delivered straight to your phone, based on your personal goals, objectives, and current fitness level. FitStar gives you a baseline “fitness test” to gauge starting health levels, then sends you custom daily workout routines that intensify and get more complex as you get more fit. The app actively solicits feedback and either increases or reduces intensity based on how you feel. It’ll also give you workouts for specific time parameters, perfect for squeezing in some exercise on busy days”

If you want to read about the other 5 apps mentioned in this article you can Click Here

Is your cheap wine habit hurting your health?

For those who like drinking red wine (or like me, red, white and the occasional rosé) there’s good news, a recent study shows that you don’t have to buy the expensive stuff (unless that’s what you prefer) to get all the health benefits of the antioxidants which help fight inflammation and also to protect against heart disease.

Needless to say this isn’t going to make me drink less red wine..

Anyway here’s that story:

“You’re heading over to a friend’s house for dinner and you stop first to pick up a bottle of red wine. Will she think you’re cheap if you pick one up for under $10? Will she even notice the difference if it’s $22? You wouldn’t notice, but the last thing you want is for her to take a sip and realize you spent more on your mani than her hostess gift.

Great news: More than likely, the only way she’ll know you splurged is if you leave the receipt in the gift bag. At least that’s what a recent video from Vox.com has determined. The site had their staffers blindly taste wines from different price points, and they all actually preferred the cheapest wine. The video went on to discuss how even wine connoisseurs often can’t tell the difference in price.

So if it tastes just as good no matter how much you’re forking over, are you at least getting more of a health bang for your buck? Red wine boasts loads of health benefits—it contains antioxidants [2] like resveratrol and polyphenols, which help fight inflammation; it has been shown to protect against heart disease; and it has been shown to stave off decline in memory as you age. But a fancier merlot is not going to give you a stronger dose of those benefits, says Molly Kimball, R.D. For her, the question of whether expensive wine offers more health benefits is pretty cut and dry. “There’s not even a maybe. The price wouldn’t matter.” (Did you know Scientists Are Making Hangover-Free Wine [3]? We’ll take some of that, thanks.)”..

Here’s the link to the full story