Monday, March 30, 2009

HEALTHY CALORIES INTAKE

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How Many Calories You Should Eat Each Day

By Scott Christ

First off, here is a "simple equation" on how to calculate how many calories you should be eating per day. If you want a more accurate measure, keep reading after this equation:

Simple Equation to Calculate Calorie Needs:

Fat loss = 12 - 13 calories per lb. of bodyweight

Maintenance (TDEE) = 15 - 16 calories per lb. of bodyweight

Weight gain: = 18 - 19 calories per lb. of bodyweight

The Harris Benedict equation is a more accurate formula used to measure how many calories you need using the factors of height, weight, age, and sex to determine basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is calories needed by the body when it's "at rest". Once you have this number, you can then use it to determine how many calories you need per day based on your activity level.

Men: BMR = 66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs.) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Women: BMR = 655 + (4.3 x weight in lbs.) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Now that you know your BMR, you can calculate your daily caloric intake by multiplying your BMR by your activity multiplier from the chart below:

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

Moderately active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

Extremely active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

Example of How to Use the Harris-Benedict Formula:

-You are a female

-You are 30 yrs old
-You are 5' 6" tall (66 in.)

-You weigh 120 lbs.

-Your BMR = (6.3 x 120) + (12.9 x 66) - (6.8 x 30) = 1339 calories/day

Your activity level is moderately active (work out 3-4 times per week)
Your activity factor is 1.55

Your total daily caloric need is = 1.55 X 1339 = 2075 calories/day

For more healthy eating tips, free healthy recipes, and free exercise plans, go to http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com

Also be sure to check out http://www.thehealthyeatingguide.com/countingcalories.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Christ

HEALTHY EATING

At Last! - 10 Healthy Eating Tips That WORK!
By Dr. Kang-pang Chan

How much time do you spend putting healthy eating tips into practice?

Listen, I'm not kidding around, how many times during the day do you correct bad habits and place them with new ones?

I'm telling you, it's a game of inches, and you've got to be willing to make significant changes. Sooner or later you're going to have to implement some healthy eating tips in order to get your body into shape and your health on the right track.

You need balance.

But, how are you going to do it? How are you going to get healthy? How are you going to change?

This is probably the most challenging assignment there is when it comes to figuring out the best healthy eating principles to apply to your life.

You see, I find the whole subject of healthy eating absolutely riveting. I am fascinated by what it takes to change eating habits and lose weight.

By now you're probably wondering - what does it take to create a healthy eating lifestyle? That's the subject of this article today.

What does your body really want? No doubt it wants to be fed when it's hungry, loved, and nourished.

It doesn't want to be filled to the point that you feel like you are ready to pop. It wants to enjoy food, and feel good all the time.

And as you and I both know, good healthy eating tips are powerful.

Eating healthy can cause you to drop excessive weight. Eating healthy can increase your energy. Eating healthy can assure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Let's take a closer look at some riveting healthy eating tips you can use right NOW.

1. Let your bad snack choices bite the dust. Snacking is fact of life for most of us.

2. Get on the up and up and buy fresh foods as opposed to processed foods.

3. Take the bull by the horns and remove any junk food you have in your house.

4. Don't be excessive - leave extra salt, and sugar of the equation.

5. Be more careful about eating large meals and extra snacks before you got to bed.

6. Restore balance by designating only two places for meals in your home.

7. Command at least 30 minutes for each meal.

8. Be disciplined and savor each bite you take.

9. Trust you gut and avoid second helpings.

10. Don't dwell on always cleaning your plate.

If you act now, the results will be astounding. Do whatever it takes to begin using these healthy eating tips as soon as possible.

Get ready for change. You are really going to like it.

So, go get the Develop A Healthy Eating Habit advice at http://howtoloseweightquicker.com/you-should-develop-a-healthy-eating-habit here before you've gone astray too much on the path to health and fitness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Kang-pang_Chan

Heart Health

Take Care of Your Heart Like You Take Care of Your Family

By Allie Moxley

There are things we do for those we love, whether it is a child or a pet: we feed them well, we walk them (if they are the four legged breed), and we make sure everything is running well. A healthy heart can be taken care of in the same way. "No more heart disease" can be a mantra that seems like an impossible feat, but when broken down, it can also be pretty simple: eat well, exercise, don't stress out, and ditch the (smoking) sticks.

A healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways you can ensure your heart health, but what does it mean to lead a healthy life. It starts with food and exercise, but also encompasses other healthy habits like knowing your heart related numbers and controlling diabetes if you have it.

When heading to the grocery store, clearly it is easier to buy canned and bagged, processed and precooked "food," but the real food is hanging out in the fruits and veggies section. It is easier than you think to cook fresh. For breakfast, ditch the eggs and bacon or the sugary cereals and instead try oatmeal with a spoonful of honey, cut up bananas, and a dollop of cinnamon. For dinner, try tossing together quinoa with corn, onions, tomatoes, and whatever other vegetable suits your fancy and let them simmer with a bay leaf, oregano, and a pinch of salt for 20 minutes and bam you have a soup. The American Heart Association helps in the important journey to no more heart disease by publishing recipes delicious as they are heart-healthy. Mushroom Quesadilla, Fudgy Chocolate Walnut Pie, Spicy Baked Pork Chops, and a delicious Banana Walnut Bread are just a few. Another simple tip, shop with lists and make lists from recipes that you will cook. Also, instead of white [insert product: sugar, bread, rice, pasta], buy it brown.

Exercise also doesn't need to be a headache. Instead of driving to the corner store, walk; instead of busing to the park on Saturday, bike. Make family outings on foot and teach your family that physical activity is a part of healthy lifestyle. Start with 30 minutes of activity, 5 days a week and build up as your schedule allows. There should always be time for health!

Other decisions that can help bring to fruition the mantra of "no more heart disease": stopping smoking and stopping overly stressing. Instead of fuming, start meditating, instead of lighting up, start knitting. Whatever it takes to prioritize your hearth health today will surely pay off tomorrow.

Alaska is home to an abundant variety of seafood, and offers some of the purest marine, freshwater, and upland habitats on the planet.

From the clear crystal waters comes seafood that is delicious and healthy. Alaskan seafood is low in fat but big on flavor and Omega-3 oils. You can study thousands of pages of nutritional research. Or, simply observe the amazing health and longevity of people in countries where seafood is the most important part of their diet. Either way, Alaska seafood is as healthy as it is delicious.

Are you are looking for a meal that is low in saturated fat, filled with nutrients and packed with good heart healthy Omega-3s oils? Then you should start with Alaska Seafood.

http://www.alaskaseafood.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allie_Moxley

Healthy Food

Getting the Proper Nutrients
By John Parks

Because nutrition plays such a vital role in our physical, mental and emotional health, it is important to note how certain foods and herbs can affect the human body. Most people have a general understanding that nutrition is good for you - you get it from food like meat, vegetables, nuts and seeds and dairy. But what most people don't know, at least until as of late, is that the quality of our food today does not compare to the quality of food of yesterday.

Before industrialization took over in the early 1900s and began processing the food products we like to eat, food was grown and harvested with little intervention by man. In the days of old, barley, wheat, rice, oats and other grains were harvested from mineral rich soil which provided the minerals of the same sort into the grains themselves. Flour and rice were not bleached, potatoes were not dehydrated and preserved, vegetables were not put in metal cans, and grains were not robbed of their nutritional value by processing techniques designed to "enrich" them.

Altering of the genetic makeup of seeds has also caused our vegetables and grains to produce less nutritionally endowed food. Grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds we once thought of as so rich in nutrition now cause our bodies to react with onset of symptoms of disease and mental imbalance. This one fact is overlooked by the general population, and is taken for granted by those who simply don't know.

The same holds true for our modern-day livestock and poultry industry. It is no secret that the meat we eat is loaded with antibiotics, growth hormones, and other toxic ills that are designed to prevent disease, however it is now common knowledge that many of these toxins actually create disease. Mad cow disease, obesity, and even cancer are among some of the most common maladies resulting from the consumption of mass-produced meat. Is it any wonder that so many diseases are rampant throughout our country, and even the industrialized world?

Lack of proper nutrition can cause the body's immune system to suffer irrevocable hardship, some of which are listed below:

• Lethargy
• Muscle pain, cramps and aches
• Joint stiffness and inflammation
• Mental lethargy, confusion
• Faltering memory
• Lack of drive and inspiration
• Unexplained skin conditions
• Hair loss
• Vision and hearing loss
• Mood swings, depression, anxiety and other mental conditions from brain chemical imbalance
• Irrational behavior
• Low blood sugar, high cholesterol, heart disease and other common medical conditions

The list above is just a few of the growing number of physical, mental and emotional conditions that arise from lack of proper nutrition. To help you get a better idea of how nutrition affects the human body, there are a number of resources on the Web that provide information. You can find information on nutritional deficiencies and their symptoms by typing in the symptoms name, or by searching for a specific type of vitamin, mineral, or herb and does the word "deficiency" after it. Also you can seek out nutritional counseling in your local area by doing a web search for "nutrition specialists", "alternative medical doctors", "herbalists", and even "weight loss and nutrition".

Remember, it is essentially up to you to be the caretaker of your temple. Providing the proper nutrition and fuel that it needs to function to its optimum requires your awareness of exactly what you put inside it.

For more information on nutrition, visit http://nutritionmicroblog.com and http://foodmicroblog.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Parks

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Heart Health

High Cholesterol Information
By Jason Hunter

The heart is a very impressive organ; it beats an average of one hundred thousand times a day. There is two to three ounces of blood that flows through your vascular system with every beat. The vascular system consists of some sixty thousand miles of arteries, veins and capillaries.

However, no matter how impressive the heart is, its efforts will not do much good if the great vascular highway is clogged up. Unfortunately, millions of people have a build-up of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the arteries that hamper the flow of blood and promote the development of blood clots. Over a long period, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and other diseases of the vascular system.

Cholesterol itself is not harmful. Actually, this waxy substance plays a big role in our health and well-being. The body produces cholesterol daily to manufacture cell membranes, bile acids, a range of sex hormones, and vitamin D. Cholesterol only becomes a problem when it rises to unhealthy levels in the blood.

There are two types of cholesterol:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the dangerous one. When high levels of LDL are present in the blood, it promotes the development of a dense, fatty layer called plaque on the artery walls. Over the years, the plaque gets thicker and makes it harder for blood to flow through the arteries. Plaque is also a promoter of blood clots that can slow or stop the flow of blood. Try to keep your LDL level below 100.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good one. It is responsible for removing the excess LDL from the blood and transferring it to the liver for discarding. Try to keep HDL above 40.

To avoid trouble, do your best to keep your total cholesterol level, which is the sum of HDL, LDL, and other blood fats, below 200.

Seeking professional care

As you know, uncontrolled high cholesterol can be a serious health problem. If possible, try to have your cholesterol tested at least every six months. If your total cholesterol reading is above 200, your physician may want to test you every three months, while he or she works with you to try to get it within a healthier range.

Unfortunately, many doctors put their patients on cholesterol lowering medications before trying to lower the numbers through natural means. You can have success with a combination of diet, nutritional supplements and lifestyle changes.

High cholesterol is one of the lifestyle diseases that can be cured and reversed naturally. Therefore, try to find a natural health oriented physician to treat this condition. Most cholesterol lowering drugs take months to lower your cholesterol levels only a few points, while people who use diet and lifestyle changes could drop their levels by a whopping 100 points in a matter of weeks. Cholesterol lowering medication also does damage to the liver.

Find out how to lower your high cholesterol naturally without harmful drugs:

Natural Remedies For High Cholesterol -or- Cholesterol Natural Remedies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Hunter

Heart Health

Heart Healthy Living During an Economic Crisis
By Kirsten Whittaker

Even before the full force of the economic downturn became part of the nightly news, the levels of stress Americans were feeling about our finances were pretty intense making heart healthy living more difficult.

The American Psychological Association completed a survey called Stress in America, released in October 2008 (with data collected as late as September, just as the stock market was heading downward) found a full 46% of us were already worried about providing for our families basic needs.

Money was a concern for 72%, work for 68%, housing for 47% and job insecurity by 34%.

What's worse, more of us are reporting physical symptoms from all that stress compared to a year ago. The sleepless nights and a shorter fuse. The wrangling and worry are chipping away at our health.

At these unhealthy (and constant) stress levels, coupled with eating fat and calorie laden foods and dropping workout sessions to take on more hours at work, we're all taking a pretty big chance with the health of one of our most vital organs - our heart.

What can you do to help yourself?

One of the first, best things you can do is to take better care of your body by eating a healthy diet that gives you the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables experts recommend we eat each day.

Cooking foods at home, instead of using prepared ones or eating out, can help you save money and give your body good-for-you basics at the same time.

Food closer to it's natural state is almost always more affordable than a prepared alternative - think salad in a bag vs. the old fashioned head of lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and such. Convenience is expensive, and it isn't always good for us.

But diet is only one part of the heart health picture.

You also need to know the risks your body has for heart disease.

- Do you have a family history of heart disease?
- What are your cholesterol numbers?
- Do you have low enough LDL (bad) cholesterol and high enough HDL (good) cholesterol?
- And what about your blood pressure, is it high or low?

Recognize too that the heart is a muscle, and like other muscles, to stay strong and healthy it must be exercised and exercised regularly. Even just half an hour of walking a day is a good start.

Almost as important, finding a way to manage your stress level is another key to keeping your heart healthy.

You need a positive outlet for all that nervous energy - rigorous workouts or cleaning, meditation or relaxation breathing, hobbies or laughter - all are great for reducing the stress in your life.

The American Psychological Association also offers some wonderful, common sense tips for managing your stress level during these uncertain economic times.

During times when money is tight, you might be tempted to put off your healthcare or cut your gym memberships.

But doing this hurts you more in the long run as you feel bad for longer than you have to, and end up spending more time and money getting yourself well (or in healthy shape) again.

If you're having trouble affording your prescription medications, talk with your doctor.

Often the pharmaceutical companies have programs to help patients get the medicine they need at no cost, or the doctor might be able to supply samples to help you out.

Good heart health also comes, as we all know, from not smoking, and avoiding second hand smoke as much as possible.

Smoking, beyond the expense, greatly increases your risk of heart problems, as well as other dangerous diseases. Quitting now will start you on the road to reduced risk and saving some money too.

It's easy to allow the bad news to take over and sabotage your health. The trick is to remember this isn't the first time we've faced tough times, and it probably won't be the last.

We may not be able to control what happens in the economy or the world around us, but we can control the toll it takes (or doesn't take) on our heart and our health and ensure we stick to heart healthy living.

Next just head on over to the Daily Health Bulletin for more health tips showing you effective ways for heart healthy living and get 5 free revealing health reports.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kirsten_Whittaker



Healthcare for A Healthy Life

Healthcare with Natural Remedies - Nutrition, Exercise, Water

By Richard Ruhling

Dr. Lester Breslow, Dean of the School of Public Health at UCLA did a 10-year, federally-funded study of Alameda County residents. He found seven simple habits meant an average of 11 years advantage, but the extremes-those who observed all seven and were "happy" had a 30-year advantage over those who broke all seven rules. The study fit the NEW START concept above.

People who smoked, drank, were obese, unhappy, who failed to exercise or drink five glasses of water, who failed to get 7-8 hours of sleep and who ate no breakfast lived 30 years less than those whose habits were the opposite of the above. We look at each briefly.

Nutrition: fruits and vegetables are known in nutrition as the protective foods. The dark greens are among the highest in vitamins and minerals. Sprouted whole grains, barley and wheat grass are exceptional. Uncooked food has enzymes that some cancer survivors say are helpful. Beans and peas balance the protein in whole grains to make it more complete, but even a potato has more protein per dollar than most meats which also are high in cholesterol, fat and no fiber.

Exercise: Outdoor exercise of a practical nature like gardening is great. Aerobic exercise like jogging, hiking, racquetball, soccer, basketball and swimming are better than tennis or bowling. I like stair climbing, chin-ups, pushups, sit-ups (no gym membership needed). Daily is best.

Water: 5-6 glasses a day are the goal unless you are overweight; then an extra glass (8 oz) for each 25 lbs overweight. Vegetarians need less because high protein works the kidneys.

Sunlight: When cholesterol was discovered as a cause of heart disease (Framingham Study), they thought people would not give up meat, so they changed the fats from butter to margarine and from lard to Crisco. The polyunsaturated fats lowered cholesterol, but those fats went to the skin where the sun then became a risk for skin cancer when it never had before. We now know sunlight is beneficial; it converts cholesterol to Vitamin D which prevents osteoporosis.

Temperance: This means abstinence from harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol, but not so obvious are a long list of potential problems from tea, coffee, food additives, flavor enhancer and excitotoxins. A huge overlooked danger comes from prescription drugs which have made medical care, the #3 cause of death in the U.S. Journal of American Medical Assoc, July 26, 2000. People become toxic to medicine that doesn't cure, but relieves their symptoms for weeks, months or years. When they get a headache, they go for another prescription instead of eliminating the drug that caused it, putting them on a slippery slope.

Air: Fresh air is best. Nature not only takes our carbon dioxide that we exhale and converts it to oxygen by a process we know at photosynthesis, but plants put a negative charge in the air that is beneficial. Animal research suggests protection against cancer, for example.

Rest: In Breslow's study, 7-8 hours of sleep at night was best. Recent studies show night shift workers have a higher risk of numerous health problems. And a Swedish study showed heart attacks went up 10% in the spring when daylight saving time meant getting up an hour earlier.

Trust in Nature: "Nature heals, not the physician" said Hippocrates. 45 years of being called Doctor has shown me that many of man's interventions, especially with drugs, but too often with surgery, only made the patient worse off. A Harvard cardiologist, for example, told 60 Minutes that 85% of the patients who came to him for a second opinion did not need heart bypass surgery. It was good for the surgeon, but little if any advantage for the patient.

Trust in God: We say it on our money, but we are entering a time when, without money, our trust in God may be tested. This area of life reflects on our basic attitudes. People tend to be givers or takers. When we understand that God loves us and is benevolent toward us, it helps us "pay it forward" to the next person. And in so doing, we are often blessed with a happiness that we would probably not have otherwise.

Richard Ruhling, MD, MPH, board-certified in internal medicine became Assist. Prof. Health Science at Loma Linda University (1974-78) He recommends his favorite book on life and health for low cost at http://www.BestHealthBook.com

His website suggests meaning in current events that are fulfilling Bible prophecy, predicting the economy crash, and that's not all, http://www.theBridegroomComes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Ruhling

Healthy Digestion

Digestive Aid - Top 9 Herbal Assistances to Improve Digestion

By Kate Willson

The digestion system lays down the foundation of a person's health. So it must be working properly. Our body fights with the toxins that enter from outside environment as well as those that are formed inside the body. At one stage we cannot resist the power of toxins and the digestive system gets clogged. The chemical aids used in that scenario can make the condition bad to worst.

Here are Top 9 Herbal Digestive Aid to Improve Your Digestion:

Cayenne : It fights the internal bacteria. It relieves the gas. It is also known to accentuate the action of the digestive enzymes.

Black Pepper : It gives you an abdominal massage by washing away all the toxins and cleansing the internal system.

Papaya Fruit : It helps in weight loss. It also aids in keeping the digestion system working fine.

Horseradish : It stimulates the digestive organs and aids in the cure of chronic rheumatism and paralytic complaints.

Calamus : It should be chewed to cure tooth ache. It is a great help in quitting smoking.

Gentian : Its eases the gall bladder problems & indigestion. If you take it 30 minutes before the meal, it increases the appetite. It stimulates the digestive juices and the pancreatic activity. It boosts the blood supply in the digestive tract & the intestines. It is especially helpful for the fat & protein digestion. This also stimulates the production of bile.

Agrimony : It acts like a tonic for the digestive system. It treats the peptic ulcers and colitis. This plant regulates the functions of the liver & gall bladder.

Alfalfa : It treats the ulcers and adds to the capillary strength. It reduces inflammation of the stomach lining. It is highly rich in vitamin A that maintains the stomach's health. This herb's enzymes aid in food assimilation.

Cinnamon : It is an astringent, stimulant, antiseptic. It stops vomiting & relieves flatulence.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Willson