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Five Key Elements for a Healthy Body

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With so many different obstacles in our way today it’s essential to do the things that are necessary to keep our bodies in top condition. Between diseases and pollution in our air and water, we must stay tuned into the needs of our bodies in order to assure a long and healthy life. Making the right choices in these areas will allow us to remain happy and productive many years past retirement.

1. Get plenty of sleep

Being well-rested is one of the most important elements in maintaining a healthy body. Sleep deprivation whether purposely or the result of insomnia can cause your body to become tired, fatigued, and run down. This lends its way to an invasion of many infections because of a compromised immune system. Sleep is the body’s best defence, so you need to make sure you obtain what your body needs. Each person requires on average between six and eight hours of sleep nightly, although some may function on as little as five hours while others need up to ten hours.

2. Exercise regularly

Besides having the ability to boost the metabolism, exercise also helps the body sleep most restfully. Whether you do a complete workout or just take a walk several times during the day, you will feel much better by participating in some kind of exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to do something boring—you can swim, bicycle, play tennis, ski, water ski, or do any other type of activity that you enjoy. The important thing is to make sure you do it regularly.

3. Eat healthy foods

In order to maintain a body that is healthy and active all of your life, you need to learn how to eat foods that are good for you. Certainly that high fat, high calorie burger from the local fast food place tastes good, but it is not good for you. You need to develop the habit of eating lean protein, steamed or raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and carbohydrates containing a low glycemic index such as whole grain cereals, brown rice, and wheat bread and pasta. That doesn’t mean you have to give up sweet desserts and snacks for good, but you need to learn to eat them in moderation.

4. Maintain a normal weight

Having excess weight puts a strain on both the heart and the back. In order to assure that you can stay active and do the things you enjoy, you need to make sure your weight is within normal range. If you are overweight but think you are still healthy, you need to review the things you are able to do compared to some of the things you used to be able to do. Certainly you are older which causes some difference, but your weight definitely has a detrimental effect on the level of activities in which you are able to participate.

5. Make sure you have an adequate supply of essential nutrients

No matter how many healthy foods we eat, it is likely we are not getting all of the nutrients we need. This is especially true of the Omega-3 Fatty Acids that help us maintain the health of our hearts. Although this nutrient is found in fish, few of us can eat enough fish to compensate, so we need to supplement this deficiency with fish oil supplements. The same holds true of many other nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Folic Acid, and the B vitamins just to name a few.

A healthy lifestyle will help us keep our bodies healthy into our golden years, and following these tips will certainly help you in that process. You don’t need to give up your favourite foods to be healthy, but you do need to make sure you eat unhealthy foods in moderation. You also want to make sure to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and supplement your diet with important vitamins and minerals.

WHAT IS THE BEST DIET

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WHAT IS THE BEST DIET

Many people ask me which is the best diet for me to follow, with practically a new diet coming out every year I find myself getting frustrated with the mis- information being put out there. Let me shine some light on some of these fad diets.

Why fad diets don't work

There's no question if you follow these fad diets you will lose weight, but I can also guarantee you will not be able to sustain these so-called diets which is why millions of people follow these diets only to pack back on the pounds again.

The simple answer to this is fad diets do not work, the reason they do not work is because you can only follow such a ridiculous routine for only so long successful long-term weight loss is not necessarily about a diet but it's about long-term happiness.

I even hate that word diets, because it is linked to feelings of restriction and unhappiness but what I do believe in is a sensible nutrition plan which allows you to eat five to six enjoyable small meals a day. To be honest with you I wish all of these fad diets did work then we wouldn't be experiencing the problems we have today such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Before I explain to you the concept of a healthy eating plan I'll cover just a few of these fad diets.

THE ATKINS DIET.

I'm sure you've all heard of the Atkins diet and heard about the supposed success stories. The problem is that most of these fad diets work on the basis of calorie reduction. with the Atkins carbohydrates are severely limited, the atkins diet requires that you get your calories from just protein and fat.

The way this works is by consuming so much fat and protein it sends a signal to your brain saying that your full when in reality you are not, this can result in metabolic disorders. The Atkins diet will allow you to lose weight but at what cost? the side-effects of the Atkins diet is nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and bad breath (urghh)

I would have to say the Atkins diet is a big no-no, a healthy diet is well rounded and borrows from all the food groups such as carbohydrates, protein and good fats. Tricking your body into believing it is full, when it's not, will only can catch up with you and make you feel ill through the lack of nutrients received in you diet.

The weight loss achieved in Atkins is mainly muscle mass, and muscle tissue is what helps speed up your metabolic rate, the more muscle tissue you have the more calories you burn. Which is why when people realise they cannot sustain the Atkins diet any more they put the weight on twice as fast because now they do not have the muscle to combat the fat.

Bear in mind when a new diet hits the market and seems too good to be true, your usually right!

THE ZONE DIET

The zone diet is used by many celebrities such as Jennifer aniston, Renee zellweger, Madonna, Cindy Crawford and Winona Ryder. The main concept of the zone diet is a balanced ratio of carbohydrates (40) and proteins (30%) so on this diet you do actually get to eat, which in my eyes is a good start.

The zone diet works by following recipes with a low-carbohydrate diet plan, it does insist on watching your calorie consumption while eating eg. A meal must not exceed 500 calories and a snack must not exceed 100 calories which they call staying in the zone.

I must say weight loss is not the only benefit of the zone diet you also experience improved energy, improved mental clarity and is also ideal for type 2 diabetes sufferers. This diet was implemented to reduce hunger and compulsion to eat. Zone diet recipes are customized to each individual, based on your sex, activity level and proportion of body fat.

The foods the zone diet encourages are fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts, leafy green vegetables, sufficient protein consumption, and eight glasses of water everyday. How weight loss is achieved with the zone diet is similar to the low gi diet.

By reducing your carbohydrates your body will not produce too much insulin (a hormone that tells your body to store up nutrients) consuming too much carbohydrates causes this to happen which is why carbs are seen as the bad guys. The overload of insulin tells the body to convert the carbohydrates you ate into fat stores around your belly, thighs, buttocks and other areas.

Carbohydrates are not totally the bad guys if you limit them and balance them with low-fat protein this will keep your insulin levels balanced. I like this diet because it's not so much a diet, it's more of a eating plan. The only problem I have with the zone diet is calculating meals and snacks every day is not totally convenient, with 5 hours of exercise a week and a variety of balanced meals consisting of low gi carbs, protein and veg is a simpler formula to lose weight.

THE SOUTH BEACH DIET

The south beach to me is an improved version of the atkins diet because it does allow "good" carbohydrates like fruit and foods with a low glycemic (Gi) index. The south beach diet gives you the freedom to snack all day if you feel the need to and not to worry about counting calories.

This diet is a complete waste of time because if you give people in search of losing weight the go-ahead to eat a portion as big as they like, they probably will, I know I would if I didn't know any better. Even eating the healthiest foods if you consume too much you will still put on weight.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

Weight watchers have created their own brand of foods with low calories from full dinners to ice cream. I must say weight watchers have tried to make counting calories as simple as they can here by running a points system.

Their point system runs something like this: each food has a point value ranging from 0 for jelly to 8 for pizza. Depending on your bodyweight, you are allowed a certain amount of points daily, if you stay under your points you lose weight.

With weight watchers you are allowed to bank points and use them over days, exercise also earns you points. When you're feeling down in the dumps or lacking in the motivation department you can go to daily weight watchers meetings and get great tips and motivation from others who have overcome their obstacles and achieved there goals.

I believe weight watchers has stood the test of time because they focus more on long term healthy eating rather than restrictive dieting, we are all human and sometimes we desire some of our favorite dessert or pizza without having to feel like a failure. I feel this is totally acceptable and is a good approach to achieving your goals.

THE GI DIET

This diet definitely takes the No.1 spot for me, because it's more of a eating plan than a restrictive diet. The GI diet also teaches you that carbs are not the bad guys after all, it's the type of carbs you eat that is important.

Put simply the GI diet is a scale which charts how quickly a food is converted into sugar in the body. Foods that chart as a high G.I number are converted into sugar more quickly than foods that have a low G.I number, the scale is based on a rating of 1 to 100.

So why is the G.I number important?

If a food is rated high on the G.I scale your body is more likely to store fat, this is due to insulin which is the primary storage hormone in your body and is used to help get nutrients into the different cells of your body. High G.I foods raise our blood sugar so rapidly that insulin has to be released in our body to bring our blood sugar down to a normal baseline, in order for insulin to bring our blood sugar levels down it has to store the sugar

It's a simple stimulus - response system that works to keep blood sugar levels in balance in the body.

So how does this affect your fat loss?

I'll tell you how, just remember when insulin is present in your bloodstream, your body is in STORAGE mode and will NOT release fat from your fat cells to burn. So when your blood sugar levels are high, your body isn't burning fat.

Another thing is when your blood sugar is high, your body is using that blood sugar for energy instead of using fat. Sugar is the preferred fuel for your body because it's easier to use, but it confuses the body so the body takes a guess and always releases too much insulin to bring your blood sugar level down but too much insulin results in bringing your blood sugar levels too low leaving you feeling dizzy and lethargic craving for more sugary foods to perk yourself up again, this is where the vicious cycle starts.

How do you stop this cycle?

To stop this vicious cycle you need keep your blood sugar levels stable so your body stays in fat burning mode instead of STORAGE mode. You accomplish this by focusing on eating low G.I carbs (every G.I diet book gives you a list of low G.I foods)

When you eat low G.I foods, the carbs are converted into sugar at a slower, steadier rate into the body, this way your body doesn't have to panick and send out extra reserves of insulin in an emergency response, also your blood sugar levels will not drop so suddenly leaving you craving for more sugar an hour later.

The steady state you recieve from consuming low G.I foods will allow your body to access stored bodyfat and use this fat for energy instead of constantly relying on blood sugar. The bonus… you don't get as hungry and you feel more energised throughout the day with a leaner body to go with it.

G.I diet: A eating plan for life

Another advantage of the G.I diet is that it focuses on good amounts of protein, healthy fats and fiber, which is a well balanced diet.

The concept of the G.I diet is scientifically sound because it works and can be maintained for the rest of your life unlike many fad diets which cannot. Eating low G.I foods for fat loss can have a positive impact not only on your fat loss but on your mood and well being as well.

A diet that focuses on natural, unprocessed foods such as whole grains, quality lean proteins, healthy fats and lots of fiber is no doubt going to be a effective diet

Parents are at Fault(obesity)

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Parents are at fault

A pertinent observation about such behavior in children is that the blame should entirely lie on the parents. Moderation in every thing is never considered a virtue. A show of leniency towards their loved one's tantrums and behavior are mistakenly thought to be the immense love they have for their children. Sweets are used as bribe as well as reward to make them do things and when they do things without being told. Young children at school are encouraged to distribute toffees and chocolates on their birthdays in almost all schools with the consent of parents as well as teachers. This practice has become a way of school going children's life even in villages.
Many children are fond of eating fried-salty snacks, cakes, pastries and biscuits frequently, especially when they watch their favorite programmes on the television. This type of wrong eating encourages and results in overeating and consequent obesity. In many families parents themselves have such eating habits from whom the children pick them up easily.

Games devoid of exercise in children

Education combined with entertainment, most of which are more of brain-work than physical activity, has taken hold of young children's time. In every home children spend hours together confined to a place. Video games and a variety of games and puzzles deprive them of the opportunity to engage in outdoor exercise and sports.
Some children are also found to gain weight after the removal of the tonsils. This is more so in girls than in boys.

An emotionally insecure child also eats frequently to gain reassurance and comfort when under pressure either at home or school.