Nutrition tips

Malnutrition is a problem that makes us vulnerable to
diseases and premature deaths. Proper nutrition is
important because it affects us in so many ways. It
provides energy for us to grown, develop, work, play and
resist infections. Our nutrition and health affects our
social lives and is our fundamental right as humans.

Poverty is the number one cause of malnutrition in
developing countries. But in developed countries, stress
from work has led to many people neglecting the basic
requirements for health. So what is nutrition? Nutrition
is the process of getting the right kinds of food into your
body for proper growth and development. Not obtaining the
right balance of nutritional foods can affect every aspect
of your life. We need to correct our eating habits and
start living a healthier lifestyle.

A balanced nutritious diet based centered on nutrients is a
healthy diet. Nutrients are substances found in food that
nourish the body. Proper nutrition allows us to have a
shapely body with appropriate body weight. A balanced
amount of fat and muscle can help you carry out your daily
activities without straining your mentally or physically.
Nutritional disorders result when you don’t get the right
amount of nutrients.

Nutrients are divided into two groups: macronutrients and
micronutrients. The first groups include proteins, fats,
some minerals, water and carbohydrates and they are needed
on a daily basis and in large quantities. Micronutrients are
also required daily but in small quantities. They consist of
vitamins and some minerals that allow the body to use
macronutrients. There are some guidelines for a healthy diet
but it is important to know that nutritional requirements
depend on many factors such as age, weight, sex, height and
physical activities.

Choosing foods that contain a low percentage of saturated
fat is recommended for eating healthy. Foods low in
saturated fats help the body decrease the cholesterol level.
A gradual decrease in saturated fats is recommended. Also,
incorporating fruits and vegetables into your diet helps
build up the fiber level.

Basically, you need to take a lot of bread, cereal, rice,
and pasta and supplement it with vegetables and fruits in
sufficient quantities. You can further add products like
cheese, milk, yoghurt, meat, poultry, beans, beans, eggs and
nuts but in smaller quantities. Finally, bring your intake
of fats, oils and sweets to the minimum. If you follow the
basics of a nutritional balanced diet you can live a happy
and healthy life.

Healthy Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most critical times in a woman’s
life, and is such it’s critical that a woman to eat properly
and take care of her body, almost more so than any other
time in her life. Eating properly is not only necessary for
the health the mother, but the growth and health of the
unborn baby. Regular exercise is also important throughout
the nine months of pregnancy. Both will make the pregnancy
as easy as possible.

If you’re pregnant there are many things that you can do to
make sure that your pregnancy is as full of health as
possible. One of the most important things that you can do
is make sure that you get the vitamins and nutrition that
you need in the amounts recommended for a pregnant woman.

Make sure that you get enough iron and folium. If you lack a
diet that has adequate amounts of iron you may want to talk
to your doctor about taking a supplement. You’ll also need
to make sure that you get enough calcium during your
pregnancy. One of the ways that you can ensure that you’re
eating enough to include all the nutrients that you need in
one day, is too make sure that you eat a well balanced
breakfast each day.

One of the other frequent problems that happen during
pregnancy is constipation. To alleviate this problem, make
sure you eat foods that are high in fiber and also minimum
of eight glasses of water each day. Exercising every day,
even moderately, will also help in the prevention of
constipation.

There are some foods that you should during pregnancy. Soft
cheeses taste great but also may contain a bacteria called
Listeria in addition to offering a limited amount of calcium
and other nutrition. You should also limit your exposure to
eating certain types of fish (like tuna) that are high in
mercury. Of course, alcohol should be avoided at all costs
since it can harm the growth of your unborn baby.

When you’re pregnant you’ll want to make sure that you don’t
gain too much extra weight. A good way to make sure that you
don’t gain too much weight is to remember that you only need
an additional 300 calories each day while you’re pregnant.
Therefore, in total, you should be eating about 1,900 to
2,500 calories each day, depending on your height. The last
thing that you want to do is gain too much weight since this
can put a strain on your pregnancy as well as make it harder
for you to get into shape after the birth of your baby.

Also the extra 300 calories that you have to take more
should comprise wholly of fatty foods but rather well
balanced food. You should take foods like non fat yogurt,
wholegrain toast and peanut butter, fruit salads topped with
yogurt, or low fat granola with skim milk.

By focusing on what you eat, and combining that with an
exercise routine that stretches and tones your body, you’ll
be able to make sure that you have a healthy pregnancy from
conception to delivery. Your doctor will be able to give you
advice at your regular appointments that is specific to your
pregnancy, since every woman is different.

Don’t forget to take care of your mental health while you’re
pregnant. It’s just as important for you to remain
emotionally healthy, since the way you feel is often
reflected in what you eat. There are many books out there
that offer more guidelines for a healthy pregnancy so be
sure that you check out your local bookstore for more
reading material about what to expect during pregnancy.

What is Diabetes?

What is diabetes? It’s a fairly common disease, afflicting
over eighteen million people in the United States alone.
Almost a third of these people don’t even know that they
have the disease. diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin or the inability of the body to use insulin
properly. And what is insulin? It’s the substance we need
to convert food into energy. The consequences can be dire,
so if you suspect that you are at risk, consult your
doctor. Here are some key facts to know:

Diabetes is categorized in two ways, as Type 1 and
Type 2. The types have some similarities, but they
are different in terms of cause and treatment.

So how do we recognise Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is genetic in nature and results from a
failure of the pancreas to create insulin. It often affects
children or young adults. In these people, the immune
system actually works against the body, killing
off beta cells that produce insulin. This causes glucose
to stay in the blood rather than getting turned into the
essential fuel our body needs. Treatment is required in
order to prevent diabetic coma, which is when the levels
of glucose in the blood get dangerously high. Treatment
generally consists of regular insulin injections.

By contrast, Type 2 diabetes usually develops later in
life and is often related to lifestyle. This type is
the more common of the two. While doctors can’t say
exactly what causes it, some ethnicities seem to be at
a greater risk, as are people who are overweight or who
do not exercise regularly. Age is also a factor, with
this type of diabetes being more common in older folks.
In Type 2 diabetes, the body is failing to take up the
insulin generated by the pancreas. You can try to stave
off your risk for developing Type 2 diabetes by eating a
healthy diet high in fiber, fruits, veggies and whole
grains, and exercising on a regular basis.

Exercise is key because it lowers the level of glucose in
the blood and increases the body’s ability to take up
naturally produced glucose. Exercise is also good for
keeping stress levels low and helping with cholesterol and
circulation problems. It is such a good treatment, in
fact, that sometimes diet and exercise can negate the
necessity of medication in Type 2 diabetes patients.

Diets rich is complex carbohydrates such as fruits,
vegetables and whole grains are believed in help in the
prevention of diabetes. For people with diabetes however,
it is important to be aware of the effect of all foods on
the disease, as some carbohydrates are broken down
differently and effect glucose levels in different ways. If
in doubt diabetics can refer to the glycemic index (usually
called GI index) which provides information on all foods
and their likely effect.

Finally, consume fiber, which has been shown to keep down
glucose levels and is healthy for just about everyone.
Opt for healthy oils and fats like olive oil rather than
saturated fats, such as animal fat. Eating healthy will
help to prevent cardiovascular disease, for which
diabetes patients are at increased risk.