Tag: Foods

The connection between nutrition and athletics has been well documented, but good nutrition is virtually unpracticed. It is not uncommon for a young athlete to have a burger and French fries before a big game and think nothing of it. But the correlation between optimal performance and an optimal diet for young athletes has been established long ago. It is no surprise that optimal athletic performance requires the proper food and nutrient intake, tailored to that individual, and the individual’s sport as well. Many young athletes today typically gravitate toward eating patterns that are not only unhealthy, but which decrease their chances of optimal performance. If this is your son’s or daughter’s case, it may be time you try a different approach.

The daily calorie intake for every young athlete should be congruent with the sport they play, their gender and age, and also their size and shape. Even children in Aspen, where there may not be many warm weather sports year round, need sufficient energy for skiing and snowboarding. Young athletes, even more than regular young people, need more energy and calories for their growing bodies. If a young athlete has far too few calories than is needed for the body to develop, it could even be damaging to their bodies. It is said that the average girl and boy athletes under the age of 13 need about 2000-2300 calories per day, while girls from 14-18 may need about 2400-2500. But it is no surprise that as the young male’s body grows at a rapid pace, the young athlete needs even more calories to keep up. The average caloric intake for a young male athlete 14-18 years old is about 3,200 calories a day.

Now just because the young athlete needs more calories than a normal person this doesn’t mean that all calories are good. Carbohydrates are the young athletes’ best food source. Carbohydrates work to rapidly break down blood sugar (glucose), which is the body’s primary energy source. The brain, nervous system, and largely all the muscles are fed primarily by glucose. Inadequate carbohydrate intake can lead to fatigue, low energy levels, not to mention a less than optimal performance. It is important for a parent to know, however, the proper intake of carbohydrates in relation to other foods. Carbohydrates should make up around 60% of your young athlete’s diet, with starches and grains being the bulk of that 60%. These are foods like pasta, breads, potatoes and rice.

The young athlete’s body also needs a steady supply of protein as well. Proteins are the building blocks of young muscles and other body tissue that is most vulnerable during this young age. Protein is a less efficient energy source than carbohydrates, but it is no less important. Protein should take up roughly 15-25% of the daily total calories with foods like fish, eggs, lean meats, and poultry being eaten regularly. Fats are important to the young athlete’s diet as well. Good sources of healthy fat are meats, olive oil, nuts, and some dairy products.

Whether you have children in Aspen or New York, whether they play winter or summer sports, make sure your young athletes are getting the proper nutrients so they may enjoy their favorite sport even more.

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What you want to do first is find the best foods to lose belly fat. How to raise your metabolism by eating the right foods and not to kick it into survival mode is a lot easier than you think. When most people want to lose belly fat they tend to skip meals thinking that by doing this they will lose weight more quickly. Not true. What you are really doing is making your body think it is starving and kicking it into survival mode. Your body slows down it’s metabolism and starts to store fat to keep it from starving. Belly fat is the result. Belly fat is not only unsightly, but it is unhealthy too and can lead to much bigger problems down the road.

Instead of skipping meals, what you want to do is eat smaller meals, six or seven, throughout the day to keep your metabolism active and burning the calories. Small snacks are also beneficial, but only healthy ones will do. The following foods are great to boosting your metabolism and to lose belly fat.

Lean Meats (Turkey is great) and Fish (especially Salmon and Sardines which are high in Omega-3) Non-saturated Fats such as Nuts, Olive Oil, Apples, Berries, Pears and Citrus Fruits Oatmeal and Whole Grains Broccoli, Cauliflower and Hot Peppers Soup Protein Foods like Eggs, Beans and Peanut Butter (but watch for additives, try to buy natural peanut butter instead) Green Tea Water (keeping hydrated is important. water also flushes out toxins and staves off hunger)

This is only a small list of the best foods to lose belly fat. By doing a search, you can find many more foods to raise your metabolism and lose weight.

Healthy fats, such as Omega-3, have fat-burning qualities. They can also decrease your body’s fat-storing ability. Citrus fruits have Vitamin-C, which is also proven to break down fats. The latest craze has been Green Tea, which has been found to posses a number of benefits including cancer and cholesterol fighting properties and fat reducing capabilities. Water is the most important thing to remember and has many health benefits from flushing bad toxins to keeping you hydrated.

As you can see by finding the best foods to lose belly fat you will not only melt pounds, but you will feel better too. By eating healthy and more often, you will keep your metabolic rate up and this will burn more calories throughout the day. Ideally you should eat small portions and a couple of snacks (Remember healthy. Donuts are not considered health food). A handful of nuts or berries is a good way to keep your metabolism working.

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What are the Best Foods to Eat for Irritable Bowel problems?  Lifestyle choices can make a major difference when dealing with Irregular Bowel Movements?  What alternative lifestyle decisions can be considered with the view to Managing Irregular Bowel Symptoms?

Nutritious & Healthy Diet – Helps More than Irritable Bowel Disease!

A Nutritious Diet contains Foods from the Major Food Groups:

Carbohydrates – Pasta, Breads, Cereal

Proteins – Meat, Fish, Chicken, Eggs & Nuts

A small amount of Beneficial Fats & Oils

Increased Fibre & Low Sodium Intake

A diet rich in nutrients provides innumerable benefits. Assisting with the regulating of an Irregular bowel will not be the only health benefit.

A low fat diet may also decrease Blood Cholesterol Levels

The Best Foods to Eat for Irritable Bowel – is simple!

A balanced, nutritious diet that promotes overall health benefits for the entire body.  This will aid in creating an improved sense of well being & contribute to building a positive outlook to life.

Irritable Bowel & the Role of Fibre!

Why is a High Fibre diet so important when it comes to Managing Irregular Bowel Conditions?

Foods such as fruits, vegetable, breads, cereals, grains & pasta contain fewer calories than many processed foods

High fibre foods can keep you feeling full & satisfied for longer periods

More importantly Fibre increases the amount of bulk or volume contained within the bowel, helping to manage bowel regularity.

Irregular Bowel Management – The “Combination Approach!”

The Best Foods to Eat with Irritable Bowel is to choose a Healthy Diet. Good Nutrition consists of a Low Sugar, Low Fat – High Fibre Diet.  Natural Treatments for Irritable Bowel Disease work best with a “Combination Approach.”  Choosing Herbs to Cleanse Bowels can provide needed relief.  For maximum success a Colon Cleanse used in combination with a Regular Exercise Routine & Eating a Well Balanced Diet – irregular bowels can be successfully managed.

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Optimum Health Foods

It is a widely accepted idea that some foods do more good to your body than others. In other words, some foods are “healthier” to eat than others. In this article, I set out to examine some of the natural nutrition sources that experts consider to be exceptionally “healthy” for your body. Remember, you are what you eat!

The Apricot is number one on my list. Apricots contain beta-carotene which helps to prevent free radical damage and gives protection to the eyes. An average sized apricot gives you 17 calories, 0 fats, and 1 gram of fiber. They may be eaten dried or soft.

Next, I’ll strongly recommend the mango fruit. Accounting for approximately 50 percent of all tropical fruits produced worldwide, mango is one of the most extensively exploited fruits—for good reasons. A medium sized mango packs 57 mg of vitamin C—almost your entire daily dose. Considered a model “superfruit”, it boosts your immune system and helps prevent arthritis.

The average sized cantaloupe contains 177 mg of vitamin C—almost twice your recommended daily dose. Half a melon contains approximately 853 mg of potassium, 97 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber. The potassium in the cantaloupe helps to lower blood pressure.

Tomatoes, according to a review published in the “Journal of the National Cancer Institute” has been linked (although by limited evidence) to the prevention of certain types of cancer. One medium sized tomato contains 26 calories, 0 fat and 1 gram of fiber.

In the vegetables category, I’ll choose to start with onions. A cup of onions provide 61 calories, 0 fat and 3 grams of fiber. Onions are known to prevent cancer, according to studies. They have been used in Chinese medicine to treat coughs, angina, bacterial infections and breathing problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. Onion extracts are also recognized by the World Health Organization for providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis.

Next in my vegetables list is broccoli. One cup of chopped broccoli contains 25 calories, 0 fats and 3 grams of fiber. Broccoli is rich in a wide array of nutrients with a substantial amount of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Half of the fiber in broccoli is soluble, and half insoluble, helping to meet your needs for both types of fiber. Broccoli belongs to the family of cruciferous vegetables– which are known for reducing the risk of many types of cancer.

Spinach is recommended for its high calcium and iron content. In addition, spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc, and vitamin E. This vegetable also contains omega-3 fatty acids in a fairly good proportion. The carotenoids in spinach helps fend of macular degeneration, which is a major cause of blindness in elderly people. One cup of spinach provides 7 calories, 0 fats and 1 gram of fiber.

In the “grains, beans and nuts” section, I’ll choose to start with “peanuts”. Peanuts, and other nuts, can lower your risk of heart disease by 20 percent. One ounce contains 166 calories, 14 grams of fats, and over 2 grams of fiber.

The pinto bean is another highly recommended potassium rich health food. Half cup of pinto beans provides more than 25 percent of your daily folate requirement, which protects you against heart disease. Half a cup gives 103 calories, 1 gram of fats, and 6 grams of fiber.

Skim milk is a great source of vitamin B2, which is important for good vision and, along with vitamin A, could protect against allergies. It also gives calcium and vitamin D. One cup contains 86 calories, 0 fats, and 0 fiber.

In the “seafood” category, the salmon is strongly recommended. Like all cold water fish, salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to help reduce the risk of cardiac diseases. A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories, 4 grams of fats, and 0 fiber. Two other great sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the “seafood” category are mackerel and tuna.

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