Nutrition & Diet

and diet is the most important one and the one of which you have the most control of.  Stress, exercise, and some medications can also influence your blood sugar levels. Here are three ways to keep your blood sugar levels stable:

1. Eat often.  The most important thing you can do to keep your blood sugar levels stable is to eat several times throughout the day. It is best to eat about six small meals over the course of a day instead of a few bigger meals. This will also keep you from ever feeling very hungry which means you won&undefined;t over eat. 
2. Eat more fibre. Eating sufficient amounts of fibre through the day will regulate your blood sugar levels, keeping you feeling full for longer as well as giving you energy. Although the majority of people get way less you should be getting about 30 g of it per day. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains, legumes, beans, and oatmeal. Fibre supplements are also a great option if you have a hard time getting your daily amount.
   
3. Keep your carbohydrates in check. We do need carbs, but we need the right kinds of carbs. If you get too many carbohydrates into your body too quickly-either by eating carbohydrates from processed foods or just eating too much- you will end up with too much glucose in your blood stream which causes your blood sugar levels to spike. They key is eating portion control sizes of nutritious foods such as whole grains, fruits, and veggies.
   

It is a scientific fact that our blood sugar levels dictates so much of our physical functions as well as how we feel. Your brain can only burn glucose (blood sugar) and it cannot store it. This means that your brain which is the central part of all functioning, is completely controlled by your blood sugar levels all the time. How you feel and how well your body is functioning at any given moment is completely influenced by our diet.

1. Use milk thistle to protect the liver from damage and help convert foreign substances (i.e. alcohol, drugs) as well as environmental toxins into less harmful, water-soluble substances that can be excreted from the body.

2. Copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc imbalances are found in people with thyroid problems. We can replenish these essential elements by using unrefined sea salt and through multi-mineral supplements.

3. In addition to its dietary benefit, omega-3 is used as supplemental therapy for treating heart disease, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, ADHD, certain skin conditions, diabetes, chronic neck and lower back pain.

4. Research from the University of Sydney has shown that supplementing 5 grams of creatine a day, an amino acid made by the liver and kidneys, can give a significant boost to both working memory and general intelligence.

1. Although quinoa looks like a grain, it’s actually the seed of a green leafy plant. Packed with protein, full of amino acids, iron, potassium, and B vitamins, it makes an excellent substitute for meat.

2. Make your own great tasting, healthy soft drinks by mixing your favorite 100% fruit juice with sparkling water.  

3. Turkey bacon is an excellent alternative to pork bacon as it is much lower in fat, but just as savory.

4. Eating breakfast cereal has a bigger impact on a healthy weight than other breakfast choices because they are high in fiber and low in fat. Breakfasts that do include cereal, contain an average of 60 percent more fat than those that included a bowl of cereal.

1. To increase dietary fiber, as a general rule, swap white foods for brown foods and aim for an intake of 18g of fiber a day.

2. Several studies support the use of Psyllium fiber for cholesterol reduction. In one study, men and women taking an average 10 grams a day for one to four months lowered their cholesterol by 6 to 20 percent.

3. Potatoes with skin are a good source of vitamin C, B6, copper, manganese, and dietary fiber. Potatoes are high in potassium, an important mineral essential in regulating blood pressure. Choose low-fat sour cream for a tasty, healthy side dish.

4. Lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) with plant foods that are high in soluble fiber. Good sources include ground flax, apples, pears, oatmeal or oat bran, broccoli, collard greens, sweet potatoes, cooked beans, barley or split peas.

5. Green peas are loaded with Vitamins A, B-1, B-6, C, and K (known for maintaining bone health and helping blood to clot to prevent bleeding). Peas are high in fiber and low in fat and contain no cholesterol. Plus, they're a good source of vegetable protein.

6. FICTION: Oatmeal is a high source of fiber. FACT: Oatmeal provides 3 grams of fiber per cup. Sprinkle some bran on top to increase the fiber content.

7. If you are the 1 in 5 people that suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), you should be consuming easily digestible foods such as cooked vegetables, eliminate dairy and sugar, supplement with digestive enzymes, probiotics and fiber while minimizing reaction to stress.

8. Replace pulp-free fruit juice with juice that is rich in pulp. Juice with more pulp will fill you up more quickly than processed juice. Pulp is loaded with fiber and can help prevent insulin spiking, which usually results in an energy crash that comes from strained juices.
 

1. Milk is a food group that provides valuable amounts of Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin and vitamins B6 and B12. Considered a rich source of "first class" protein, it is an excellent source of calcium, vitamins, and minerals.

2. An overly acidic diet leads to calcium loss, brittle hair and nails, curvature of the spine - and eventually, osteoporosis. Anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals actively promote bone-forming cells, decrease calcium loss, prevent oxidative stress and reduce the risk for osteoporosis.

3. Get your daily calcium chugging milk, eating yogurt or popping a pill to keep your bones strong. Remember that your bone density declines after the age of 30. You need at least 200 milligrams daily, combined with magnesium, or the calcium won't be absorbed.

4. Get your calcium from fruits and vegetables that are high in magnesium, an element needed to properly distribute calcium in the body. Foods include dark leafy greens, tofu, yogurt, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, and fish.

1. Antioxidants are nutrients that help prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and help prevent and repair damaged cells.

2. Blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants and a rich source of dietary fiber. Studies indicate that the antioxidants in blueberries may aid in preventing cancer, heart disease, stroke, urinary tract infections, and memory disorders

3. Antioxidants are abundant in beans, grain products, fruits and vegetables. Look for fruits with bright color - lutein in some of the yellow pigments found in corn; orange in cantaloupe, butternut squash and mango; red from lycopene in tomatoes and watermelon, and purple and blue in berries.

4. Pumpkins are a colorful seasonal vegetable with hearty health benefits. A great source of omega 3's, beta Carotene for vitamin A, lutein, and beta Cryptoxanthin, these anti-oxidants may help us keep our vision healthy and decrease inflammation.

5. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries are rich in resveratrol, the antioxidant compound found in red wine believed to help protect against heart disease and cancer.

6. White vegetables such garlic, onions, spring onions and leeks are rich sources of antioxidants which help control blood pressure and cholesterol and increase the body's ability to fight infection.

7. Tea contains antioxidant substances called flavonoids. These have been shown to help prevent and inhibit chemical reactions thought to take place during the development of coronary heart disease.

8. The most colorful vegetables are also the most vitamin- and antioxidant-rich foods. Think about eating at least one serving from each color group (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and white) everyday for optimum health.

9. Cranberry juice is widely used to treat urinary tract infections. Proanthocyanidins, antioxidants present in cranberry juice, prevent bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract.

10. Experts recommend cooked tomatoes over raw, as the heating process breaks down the tomato cell walls and makes the powerful antioxidant, lycopene, more available to your body. 

1. Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value and little flavor. Use dark greens such as spinach, leaf lettuce, arugula, dandelion greens, kale, watercress and basil leaves for added taste and health benefits.

2. Raw spinach juice taken twice a day before meals lowers the blood sugar. Gargle spinach leaf juice if you have a sore throat.

3. A compound found in spinach leaves, tylakoids, appears to inhibit the digestion of fat. Simply put, it keeps the fat in the intestinal tract longer, sending feelings of fullness and suppressing the appetite.

4. Want an easy way to ruin a good, healthy salad? You'll get there by adding bacon bits or croutons, adding extra cheese, adding fried or processed meats, using only iceberg lettuce, or piling on the salad dressing.

5. Get your calcium from fruits and vegetables that are high in magnesium, an element needed to properly distribute calcium in the body. Foods include dark leafy greens, tofu, yogurt, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, and fish.

1. Cut down on carbs by cutting down on portion size: One serving of pasta equals 1/2 cup of cooked pasta, however, the average restaurant portion serves 4 servings of pasta!

2. Eat your carbs! Carbohydrates are your body’s primary energy source and your brains only energy source. Stick to a healthy diet of good carbs such as whole fruits and vegetables, grains, cereal and brown rice.

3. Carbohydrates come in two basic forms: complex and simple. Simple sugars are easily identified by their taste: sweet. Complex carbs, such as potatoes, are pleasant to the taste buds, but not sweet.

4. White and brown rice have the same amount of calories, except that brown rice has twice as much potassium, six times more fibre, ten times more folate and twenty times more vitamin E.

5. White bread is high in refined sugar and pack in more calories than grains. Switch up these "bad carbs" with whole grain, whole weat or multi-grain bread.

1. Eating breakfast improves your thinking ability. Studies show that eating breakfast improved participants' performance on memory tests.

2. Eating breakfast can help prevent you from over-eating. Studies have shown that people eat less compulsively and less often when they've eaten breakfast.

3. Girls who regularly ate breakfast, particularly ones that include cereal, were slimmer than those who skipped the morning meal, according to a study that tracked nearly 2,400 girls for 10 years.

4. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain stable blood sugar levels and effective functioning in the mornings that can lead to increased stress levels.

5. Breakfast boosts our brain-power, keeps us slim and lifts our mood. It is not advisable to manage on a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits till lunchtime. Ensure that you have a proper breakfast, which will supply you the required energy to start your day well.

6. A recent study in the office of a multinational company revealed that employees who skipped breakfast were depressed. Those who had had breakfast felt more content, alert and interested in their jobs.

7. Get all the amino acids you need in your morning breakfast with a piece of whole grain toast and peanut butter or almond butter with a glass of milk.

8. Too busy to sit down and eat breakfast? Nowadays, there are a lot of healthy portable breakfast options that you can easily eat on your way out the door. Choose a plain bagel, hotcakes without butter and lite syrup, or an English muffin.

1. Fats help nutrient absorption, nerve transmission and maintain cell membrane integrity, however, too much fat can contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancers. Some fats promote a healthy life while some increase our risk for heart disease. The key is to replace bad fats (saturated fats and trans fats) with good fats (monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats) in our diet.

2. Researchers at the University of California discovered that eating lots of fat blocks production of an enzyme key to the production of insulin and may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

3. Avoid foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, a major source of unhealthy trans fats. Limit your risk of coronary heart disease by using canola or olive oil.

4. And we eat this for breakfast?!? An average doughnut is fried, full of sugar, white flour, contains 200-300 calories and made up of 35-40% trans fats.

5. Researchers have found that the more fish people eat, the less coronary artery disease they have. Fish contain high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies suggest that omega-3 make the blood more slippery and less likely to clot.

6. A large tub of movie theater popcorn averages 76 grams of fat (the equivalend of 6 McDonald's cheeseburgers) and about 1100 calories. 

7. Essential fatty acids nourish the brain and energy system. They also improve energy, elevate mood, lift depression, increase calmness, alleviate stress, reduce hyperactivity, enhance concentration, improve mental processing, and accelerate learning.

8. Daily supplementation with balanced omega-3 and omega-6 fats reduces the risk for major degenerative health conditions, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

9. Weight management can be supported by omega-3 and omega-6 fat by increasing fat burning and heat production and shifting the body from burning glucose to burning fats.

 

1. A grain is considered "whole" when all three parts - bran, germ and endosperm - are present. Whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron, fiber and antioxidants.

2. The more natural the food, the better for health and weight loss. When in doubt, eat natural foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, wholegrain muesli, nuts, seeds, whole meal or wholegrain bread or brown rice.

3. A "good carb" diet is nutrient-dense and includes plant foods such as whole grains, beans and vegetables. Eliminate refined carbs and processed foods to maintain a healthy balanced diet.

4. Science shows that a heart healthy diet is one with few unprocessed foods with a high content of veggies and fruits, and rice or grains. 60 to 95% of the heart healthy nutrients are lost in food processing.

5. A diet rich in beans, nuts and cereals could be a way to prevent cancer. Researchers have discovered that these everyday foods contain a potent anti-cancer compound that blocks a key enzyme involved in tumour growth.

6. Beans are a great source of protein, fiber, folic acid, zinc, magnesium and potassium. Add a can of beans to your soup or salad for a healthy, inexpensive and convenient protein source.

7. Insomnia? Change your diet. Food plays a huge role in getting a good night's sleep. Foods such as beans, whole wheat pasta, grain, bananas and also fresh fruit juices like apple, mango or pineapple, encourage the production of serotonin, which helps induce sleep.

 

1. A high sodium diet increases water retention and puts an extra few pounds of water weight. Stick to a low sodium diet and help rid the body of water retention.

2. Sodium's RDA (recommended daily allowance) is 2,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day. This is about 1 teaspoon of table salt per day. It includes ALL salt and sodium consumed, including sodium used in cooking and at the table. Are you eating too much salt?

3. Limit your salt and cream intake. Try using salt substitutes (herbs and spices) and low fat products (yogourt instead of cream) which have a lesser fat percentage.

4. A high sodium intake has been shown to cause slight water retention, thus gaining an extra few pounds of water weight. A low sodium diet can help rid the body of water retention.

5. Salt gets a bad rap most of the time, but our bodies need it for digestion, respiration, and maintaining the body's electrolyte balance. Limit your daily salt intake to no more than 5.8 g per day (about a teaspoon).

1. Looking for a protein-dense vegetable? One cup of cooked split peas contains over 16 grams of protein.

2. Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes (promotes good vision).

3. There's growing evidence that beta-carotene, a nutrient in many dark green and dark orange fruits and vegetables, can reduce the risk of cancer. Load up on carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes and broccoli.

4. Get that extra serving of veggies by adding lettuce, tomato, sprouts, cucumber slices, bell peppers, and other fresh veggies to your sandwiches.

5. Spinach is packed with vitamin C, beta carotene, vitamin A, fiber, and some calcium and iron. This low-calorie vegetable is packed with potent antioxidants that help fight cancer and boost overall immunity.

6. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that protect us from disease and promote good health. Most fruits and vegetables are fat free and are perfect for those trying to lose weight.

7. Cranberries contain the highest quantity of disease-fighting phenols, an antioxidant thought to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.

8. Choose garlic for its ability to stimulate and support immune function, trigger gastric juices to aid digestion, encourage the growth of friendly bacteria, prevent infections and fight vampires.

9. Garlic's sulfur compounds may offer protection against cancers of the breast, esophagus, prostate, skin and stomach.

10. A vegetarian diet can significantly reduce rates of obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, diet-related cancers, diverticular disease, constipation and gall stones. If you think you'll have a tough time with not eating meat, try eating vegetarian once a week. 

11. To keep your diet high in natural salicylates (the main ingredient in aspirin that helps prevent heart attacks), eat more oranges, raspberries, apricots, cherries, curry, cayenne and thyme.

12. Avoid peeling the skin of a fruit as most minerals and vitamins are concentrated just under the skin.

13. New research shows that eating at least five portions a day of certain fruit and vegetables could cut the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 50%. The most protective foods included onions, garlic, beans, carrots, corn, dark leafy vegetables and citrus fruits.

14. Want to cut your risk of stroke? Eat your fruits and vegetables, British researchers report in The Lancet. People who ate five daily servings of fruits and veggies were 26% less likely to have a stroke over 13 years than those who ate less than 3 servings per day. 

15. Aside from being a powerful weapon against bladder infections, cranberry juice also protects the teeth from cavities by acting like Teflon. In this way, it is difficult for the bacteria that cause cavities to cling to tooth surfaces. 

16. Lightly steam your vegetables rather than boiling them. Steamed vegetables retain more nutrients than boiled vegetables, which lose some of their nutrients in the water.

17. Eat a big salad before lunch or dinner to keep from overeating. Treat meat or meat-based entrees as a side dish rather than the main part of your meal.

18. Dark green leafy vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Try using spinach and other darker greens in your salad tonight instead of the light colored iceberg lettuce.

19. Iceberg lettuce has almost no nutritional value and little flavor. Use dark greens such as spinach, leaf lettuce, arugula, dandelion greens, kale, watercress and basil leaves for added taste and health benefits.

20. Salads can make a healthy meal all alone. Add fruits, nuts and meats to your salad to make a great low calorie, highly nutritious meal. 

21. Can't find fresh produce? Try frozen foods - they hold their nutrition better, and contain less sodium than canned foods.

1. Pistachio nuts, almonds and walnuts are not only tasty they contain monounsaturated fats that have positive effects on blood lipid levels.

2. Almonds contain as much protein per ounce as red meat. In addition, they aid in reducing the risk of heart attacks by up to 50%. Buy unsalted roasted or blanched almonds as a healthy, tasty treat.

3. Aww, nuts! Almonds, peanuts, walnuts and hazelnuts are high in monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, magnesium and fiber. A great treat and a great way to prevent heart disease.

4. Raw peanuts and peanut butter are a good source of protein and essentiall fatty acids, which can be turned into quick energy. Enjoy a covenient, cholesterol-free, healthy source of energy.

5. The brain is composed of 60% fat and consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats are necessary for the nervous system and clearer thinking. Consume a couple of handfuls of walnuts a day, as they are rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fat, as well as Vitamins B6 and E.

6. Nuts are one of the best plant sources of protein. Rich in fiber, phytonutrients and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium, nuts are also high in plant sterols and cholesterol-lowering essential fatty acids.

1. Skipping meals causes bad breath? The body burns up energy improperly and forms toxins that are released through the lungs. These toxins result in a recognizable smell of acetone.

2. Never skip meals or your body's starvation defenses will kick in, lower your metabolism, and store fat.

3. Fasting causes the body to use protein as an energy source even to the point of breaking down vital tissues such as organs and muscles. Excess protein, is converted by the body to fat and stored.

4. Never skip a meal, and eat healthy snacks between meals. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs, provides consistent energy, and maintains metabolism efficiency.

5. Fear of food will make you fat because 1) you will overcompensate later, (2) the body thinks it’s starving and literally stores calories.