Category Archives: Nutrition

Nutrition for Nail Growth

Don’t waste good iron for nails or good men for soldiers”. As it is correctly said, nutrition plays an extremely significant role right from the tip of fingers to one’s toe. Nail growth is a good indicator for all possible health related problems which can be linked to intake of daily nutrition.

These problems are associated with multiple factors working together. Lack of proper daily nutrition including proteins is the main cause of improper growth of nails. Deficiency in nutrients can lead to crooked structure, loss of texture, ridged, fragile and yellowing of nails which hamper the growth. One’s body needs adequate amount of all elements for proper development of nails, thus in order to avoid problems one must add certain things in his/her diet. Some of the essential nutrients that affect the nail growth include calcium, vitamin B, Vitamin C or folic acid, protein, fat and iron.on.

Eat plenty of healthy food to get sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins for healthy nails. Let’s take a look on how nutrition plays an important role in growth. Low iron content can cause brittle nails and thus inhibit development. People with iron deficiency generally tend to have spoon shaped nails Hence one should include iron rich product to the diet viz broccoli, shellfish meat, juice, walnut etc. Calcium being the key ingredient for nails should be consumed daily in some form or other. One can get optimum amount of calcium from dairy products.

Nails require proteins and requirements for this can be met by eating lean meat or nuts. Vitamins B and Vitamin C are essential nutrition for nail growth. Hence one should have citrus fruits and other multivitamin supplement along with healthy food. Another component which is essential for growth is Zinc which can be obtained from crabs, breakfast cereals etc. Low level of zincs can cause white spots to occur during growth. Biotin is a vitamin that supports nail growth and the ideal dose recommended in order to eliminate splitting and making nails grow is 2.5mg each day. Besides these elements MSM, methionine and essential fatty acids can significantly assist nail growth. This is the best way to assure oneself of healthy growth.

Good Nutrition Can Lower The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease

I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease,” Ronald Reagan, former president of the United States, announced in November 1994. “I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this Earth doing the things I have always done,” he declared. “Unfortunately, as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience.”

In his message, Reagan summed up the tragedy of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Those suffering from AD face the reality of losing touch with their old lives. Family and friends are forced to watch a loved one slowly fall victim to the dreadful condition.

Scientists aren’t sure exactly what’s behind AD. Some suspect a certain gene – apolipoprotein E 4 allele (Apo E4) – plays a major part in your brain’s decline. Other experts believe years of oxidative stress also are at the root of the problem.

Whatever causes Alzheimer’s disease attacks the part of your brain that controls speech, thoughts, and memory. You gradually lose the power to recall the past and the ability to carry out your daily life. AD usually hits around age 65 and older, and your risk goes up each year after that.

Through this dark cloud, however, there is a ray of hope. According to AD experts like Dr. Grace Petot, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, people can change their lifestyles to lower their risk. Boost your fruit and vegetable intake for a start.

From her research, Petot discovered that many AD sufferers ate fewer fruits and veggies as adults.

Science, she suggests, also points to a connection between heart disease and Alzheimer’s. So eating a heart-healthy diet might protect you, too. That means a lot of high-fiber, low-fat foods. It’s also a good idea to exercise both your mind and your muscles. “Keeping the brain active and the body active,” Petot says, “is beneficial in many ways.”

Nutritional blockbusters that fight AD

Antioxidants.

Thanks to cutting-edge research, experts now hope AD can one day be prevented. Antioxidants, those powerful substances that fend off cancer and heart disease, might also safeguard your brain against free radicals. Antioxidants appear to slow – and even reverse – the memory loss caused by free-radical damage.

Supplements usually only contain one antioxidant, so eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to get the most benefit. Fruits and vegetables are rich in many antioxidants – not just beta carotene or vitamin C, but flavonoids, too. Flavonoids make memory-saving marvels out of snacks like blueberries, strawberries, and spinach.

B vitamins.

You also need foods rich in B vitamins to help protect your brain from AD. At least two studies show Alzheimer’s sufferers have lower levels of folate and B12 than their non-AD peers. Low B-vitamin levels, according to several other studies, appear to lead to lower scores on IQ and memory tests.

Vitamin B 12 helps your body make neurotransmitters, chemicals that help carry messages between your nerves and brain. Another B vitamin, thiamin, helps nerve signals travel from your brain to different parts of your body. These important tasks could be why a lack of B vitamins might affect your brain’s health.

To get more folate into your diet, try dark leafy greens, broccoli, beets, beans, and okra. Meats, eggs, and dairy products are good sources of B12. For older adults, who might have trouble absorbing B12, experts suggest eating fortified breakfast cereals. Wheat germ, nuts, beans, and rice will give you your full day’s supply of thiamin.

Omega-3s.

Look to the sea to find help against Alzheimer’s. Fish are the greatest source of omega-3 fatty acids. These fat molecules protect against heart disease and inflammation and may lead the attack against Alzheimer’s as well. One of AD’S possible causes is beta-amyloid plaque, clumps of protein that build up in the victim’s brain. Experts believe beta amyloid might be connected with inflammation of the brain’s blood vessels. So it makes sense that anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids could help.

It’s a good idea to eat as much fish as you can net. Experts recommend at least two servings of salmon, tuna, mackerel, or other cold-water fish per week. For you landlubbers who think fish are for the birds, get your omega-3 from flaxseed, walnuts, and dark leafy greens. And while you punch up omega-3, limit your intake of omega-6 fatty acids. They compete with omega-3 and can cause inflammation. Foods high in omega-6 include fried and fast foods, salad dressings, and baked goods.

Nutrition Rules For Ripped Abs

Working out at the gym to get ripped abs is only half the equation; to get ripped abs you must pay attention to what you eat.

You dont need a degree in advanced mathematics in order to build a nutrition program to develop ripped abs. Follow these 4 simple rules to shed bodyfat and get your abs to pop.

Ripped Abs Rule #1 Eat Less Carbs

When youre attempting to shed body fat, your goal needs to be to deplete your carbohydrate stores. Simply put, the more carbs you consume the less likely you are to shed bodyfat because carbs are your bodys primary energy source.

In turn, your body will use your carbohydrate stores also known as muscle glycogen as energy instead of using stored body fat.

Cut out al refined and processed carbohydrates such as white bread, white potatoes, sugary cereals and sweets as well as juice and soda.

Ripped Abs Rule #2 Eat More Protein

In order to avoid losing lean muscle tissue you must consume a diet high in protein especially when carbohydrates are drastically eliminated.

The simple rule to follow is to eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. Get your protein for high quality sources such as lean beef, salmon, chicken breast and if you prefer; protein bars and shakes (although protein supplements are not mandatory)

Ripped Abs Rule #3 Eat More Fiber

By eating more fiber you increase the volume of food, making it harder for your body to absorb all of the calories that youre eating. If youre trying to get ripped, thats obviously a big help.

Fiber also decreases your appetite and enhances the length of time you feel full from your meals. You should strive to consume about 30 to 40 grams of dietary fiber every day. Great sources of fiber include apples, beans, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and whole grain breads.

Ripped Abs Rule #4 Control Your Fat Consumption

By this I mean eat more good fats and less bad fats. Good fats include unsaturated fats such as olive oil, fish, almonds, eggs. Bad fats come from refined and pre-packaged foods such as frozen dinners, pastries, and fried foods.

Youll want to avoid these fats like the plague because they do nothing for you to help you build ripped abs other than put you at a greater risk for all kinds of negative health ailments.

Get on a solid exercise program and stay consistent with your workouts and youre guaranteed to have rock-solid, ripped abs everyone at the beach and pool will notice in the summer time.

Ten common Nutrition Mistakes

There are some very simple nutrition mistakes, that can be corrected for free, that would take care of a lot of people’s diet difficulties. Yet millions of dollars are spent every year in helping people supposedly eat their way to health, through hundreds of various diets and allegedly new health trends. The number one enemy for losing that extra weight is sugar. “You have to be careful of the word `nonfat,’ because that usually implies more sugar,” says Larry Krug, chief executive officer of the online nutritional-consulting firm Eatwize.com. In the majority of instances ‘fat-free’ simply means the product is full of calories, because of the added sugar. Consuming lots of fruit juice is not the answer either. Laura J. Kruskall, Ph.D., R.D., an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas says “People assume that juice is healthier than cola, so they’ll go ahead and drink a heap of it. Yet your average half a cup of juice equals about 60 calories”.When orange juice is consumed it converts directly to sugar Many people eat whole grain products in the wrong assumption that they are ‘eating healthy’. In fact whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, health cereals and whole grain crackers all convert to sugar when they are consumed. The number two enemy in the battle of of the bulge is consuming processed foods. They contain loads of sugar and a wide variety of harmful chemicals, which prevent the liver from working to optimum. Conola oil, vegetable butter, fake margarine, hydrogenated oils, substitute butter, artificial sweeteners, as well as processed soy products, all assist in the retention of bad fat. Real butter, coconut oil, whole eggs, avocados, bacon, raw nuts and olive oil are all aids when it comes to burning up bad fat. Carbohydrates are vital to good health, so consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables will assist in regulating the blood sugar level and help burn up unwanted fat. Going without food is another wrong conception when it comes to losing weight. Starving the body only causes it to store what fat it already has. In order to keep blood sugar and insulin levels even, it is better to eat healthy food, small and often. Correct hydration is another important key to losing weight. This entails drinking non-caffeinated fluids before they are required, as the body often fails to sense its own thirst, until after the fact. Drinking plenty of liquids burns fat and notifies your body to lose that layer of muscle-camouflaging water it likes to hold between your skin and muscles. Susan Kundrat, M.S., R.D., of Nutrition on the Move says. “I recommend a minimum of 12 eight-ounce glasses of noncaffeinated fluids per day, plus an additional six ounces for every 15 minutes of training you engage in.” Several authorities claim that once you start to eat healthily, you will throw your body onto auto-pilot, so that it will continuously discard that unwanted fat. Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO’s and founders of YouMe Support Foundation, providing high school education grants for children who are without hope. You can help in this really great project by taking a few minutes to check out the Sponsor a Student program at (http://youmesupport.org). It will change the life of some really needy kids in the South Pacific. Feel free to contact Wendy on

Hiking Up The Mountain With Nutrition

Mountaineering is a strenuous activity; and the last thing you want to happen to you while in the mountains is to faint due to malnutrition. Thus, it is important to take the kinds of food that would help you survive in the mountains. Nutritionists say that mountaineers should take in as much carbohydrates as possible to quickly replenish the energy lost in hiking or climbing.

Carbohydrates provide one’s body with glucose which functions as your body’s fuel. Glucose can be extracted once carbohydrates have been broken down. Glucose joins the bloodstream and provides your body with energy it needs. Glucose can also be stored in your muscle tissues and in your liver.

Glucose maintains the body’s endurance. If the body runs out of glucose in the bloodstream or in the muscle tissues, you will start feeling fatigue. Your muscles could not continue to perform at its optimal level. Since mountaineering consumes a lot of energy, it is advised to load your body with more carbohydrates.

It is highly recommended to start preparing your body’s nutrition for your mountaineering expedition at least three days prior to the event. Your diet should compose of at least 70 percent carbohydrates. It doesn’t necessarily mean you also have to increase your calorie content. Doing so would just make you gain weight.

The best thing to do is to reduce your protein and fat intake, instead. However, higher carbohydrate content in your diet runs you the risk of a decrease intake in other essential nutrients in the long run. That’s why, carb loading would only do you good in the first few days. After which, you should get back to your regular diet.

Since mountaineering involves traveling at higher elevations, your food intake may change at higher altitudes. In fact, studies have shown that mountaineers tend to be more finicky when above 10 000 feet. In your choice of food to carry on your mountaineering trip, don’t just consider the nutritional values. What good would nutritious food do if you don’t feel like eating it?

Higher altitudes actually trigger anorexia and loss of appetite. Not only that, the body will go through an overall change in metabolism. Your body may not be able to digest some of the food you eat when you’re at home. These are the reasons why mountaineering contributes to weight loss, on top of the fact that a climber should expect to burn more calories at elevated locations.

Because of this, you tend to consumer more food so pack more food than what you normally eat at home. Still, you will have to consider your nutrition intake. The recommended ratio is about 70% carbohydrate, and the rest for fat and protein. Fatty foods require much more oxygen to digest, thus, if you packed high-fat foods, it could slow down your acclimatization.

There are actually a lot of power bars which are specifically formulated for mountaineers available in the supermarkets. You could also check out their dehydrated foods and other packaged camping foods which are usually freeze dried. They won’t weigh that much but they’re packed with the nutrients you’ll need to last for your trip.

However, as mentioned earlier, since you tend to become picky when it comes to food, plan your menu wisely. Pack foods that aren’t only nutritious, but also palatable. Don’t compromise your trip by packing food you’re not willing to eat. You won’t be able to enjoy the scenery when you’re energy level’s down.

Different people also have different dietary needs. Not all healthy camping foods work well with everyone. So that means you may have to experiment on what food works best for you. When you don’t find a food appealing at a certain height, most likely, it won’t taste any better higher up. Try to take with you the tastiest and healthiest foods you can find.

Mountaineering is one of the sports that you really need to prepare for. Aside from the physical training that you should get, you should always check that you’re also getting enough nutrients to get through the activity. Even if you have the leanest body and the strongest lungs, but you weren’t able to get proper nutrition, you may not thoroughly enjoy the trip as you’ll probably get tired easily.