Living at home, students have parents to take care of nutrition. Healthy meals are typically offered on some kind of a regular basis. When students leave the nest and head off to college, however, nutrition problems can rise up and cause problems in other areas. Without anybody to remind them it’s time for dinner and push them to eat their vegetables, students busy with lectures or holed up in dorms taking online college classes can quickly pack on pounds and watch their health deteriorate. Here are some tips to help college students everywhere avoid the weight gain of freshman year and maintain their great health:

Eat Regularly

Skipping meals will only lead to unstable blood glucose levels and unhealthy eating. Dining on a regular basis will keep blood sugar stable. This means you can’t keep skipping lunch to go talk with friends. Grab something to go from the cafeteria and take it along with you. If you have to study during lunchtime then you should take the books with you to the cafeteria and eat while you catch up on your reading.

Healthy Munchies

When you’re cramming for an exam into the wee hours of the morning it’s normal to get hungry for a snack. Enjoying a nibble of something during study sessions is perfectly fine, as long as you’re choosing healthy snacks. Invest in a small, dorm-size refrigerator that you can stock with yogurt, blocks of cheese, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Nuts are also a healthy snack that can be enjoyed anytime. The next time your study session goes late, don’t just order pizza.

Have it Handy

If you don’t have healthy snacks in your dorm room then you won’t be able to take advantage of them. When you’re at the store picking up foods you can grab in a hurry, take the time to choose healthy ones. Leave the chips at the store and head back to campus with sunflower seeds and a bunch of bananas.

Watch out at Parties

Of course you make time for the occasional party. After all, you’ve got to blow off steam sometime. The problem is parties are usually stocked with snacks that aren’t too good for your body. Don’t skip dinner and then head to the party thinking you’ll eat there. Before you go to the party, chow down on a healthy snack and a big glass of water. You’ll find it easier to turn down the junk food, and have more time to visit with friends instead of scavenging.

Sleep Still Matters

It doesn’t matter how old you get, you’ll always need plenty of sleep. The connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain shouldn’t be underestimated. Give yourself the best chance at success by making sure you’re getting enough sleep. Late-night study sessions may be necessary once in a while, but they should never be a regular habit.

Hydrate

The importance of drinking enough water can’t be stressed enough. Staying hydrated keeps your body healthy and helps you control your appetite and cravings. Invest in a closeable water bottle and keep it with you throughout the day. Sip on it in every class and between classes to ensure that you get all the water your body demands.

Heading off to college is full of challenges. There are new schedules to adjust to and the high demands of professors. Taking care with your nutrition and making healthy choices will make it easier to make the transition and be successful, not to mention make it easier for you to maintain the trim figure you enjoyed in high school.

In the not so distant past , buying organic food was something that many of us considered unnecessary and frankly a little odd. I can recall hearing that fruit and vegetables grown in this way were more dangerous for people than food grown in the traditional manner. The comparisons of organic vs inorganic foods are yet being made, but the arguments against organics are holding less and less water with increasing numbers of individuals shopping for organic over inorganic.

now, buying produce that has been grown without chemicals is part of an overall green living awareness. Consumers are starting become aware that exposure to fewer chemical pesticides and modified ingredients must be better for our health and for the earth’s ecosystem. Proof of this change in public thinking is reflected in the increased number of products in the organic food section of our grocery stores. Once the produce manager might have given you an odd look if you requested such items, we now see the organic products spreading throughout the store. Everybody has their own reasons for making the change. My wake up call was my baby girl’s compromised immune system and food allergies that were my motivation to buy organic whenever possible.

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD

The good news is that the word regarding the benefits of buying organic food is spreading. The bad news is that when you see a product with an organic label it is often accompanied by a more expensive price than traditionally grown foods. This is more than likely one of the only negatives associated with buying organic food.

BUYING ORGANIC ON A BUDGET

If your family budget is already stretched to the breaking point and you simply can’t afford to pay more to feed your family, a good approach may be to buy fruits and vegetables whose chemical pesticide retention rates make it worthwhile to buy organic.

Here are some of the vegetables that experts recommend that we buy because they are known to retain the most chemicals:

• Spinach and Lettuce Potatoes
• Bell Peppers
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Avocado

This is a list of fruits that are worth buying organic:

• Strawberries and Raspberries
• Cherries
• Grapes (Imported)
• Apples

BABIES

I try to buy the most important organic fruits and vegetables for my entire family, but at times I just can’t manage it. However, even during times of budget crisis my green parenting goal is to make certain that <b>everything</b> my babies eat is organically grown. Infants are very sensitive to the dangers of chemical pesticides because of their fragile immune systems, It just doesn’t make much sense to swaddle them in organic baby bedding and dress them in expensive organic cotton baby clothes only to feed them <b>in</b>organic foods.

DAIRY PRODUCTS and MEAT

Where buying organic really eats up a chunk of the family’s food budget is buying meat and dairy products. You may save money by buying from locals but I am thinking of saving even more by restricting the amount of these products that my family eats.

ORGANIC FOODS THAT AREN’T WORTH IT

With the information that we have, I’m sure that most people would go all organic if we could but in reality it’s just too expensive for most people. It’s a better plan to start eating more fruits and veggies that bring the least amount of pesticides possible to the table.

Here are some veggies that have few pesticides:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Avocado

And here are some low-risk fruits:

• Bananas
• Mangos
• Pineapples
• Kiwi

I focus on many of the items on this list so that I don’t feel badly about not buying all organic. And if you noticed as I did that there is no mention of seafood, the reason for this omission is because there are currently no standards in place.

People who practice this type of diet are known as “raw foodists”. From having great skin, a lean body, and more energy to having better overall health with a lower risk of developing diseases, the claims of this diet are many. In order to get these results, the diet must be followed exactly. The best way to follow the diet is to only consume food in its most natural form, which is unprocessed and uncooked. You must be fully committed and have plenty of time to devote to this diet. Raw foodists log many hours each day peeling, chopping, blending, and dehydrating food.

Seventy-five percent of the diet is comprised of fruits and vegetables. The remaining twenty-five percent of the diet can be made up of beans, nuts, grains, seaweed, and sprouts. Even though animal products are typically not included on the diet, some forms of cheeses made from raw milk or raw eggs are allowed. Foods such as refined sugar, all forms of refined products, caffeine, and alcohol are not allowed.

Traditional cooking methods are not allowed on the raw food diet. The main “cooking device” used is a food dehydrator, not a stove or oven. No more than 115 to 118 degrees of heat is used by the dehydrator to dry food. Raw foodists believe enzymes and vitamins necessary for digestion are destroyed when food is heated above 118 degrees.

There are several studies being designed to back up the claims of the raw food diet, although one early study found that consuming cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts may lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer. These vegetables contain isothicyanates, which have been shown to modify protein in cancer cells. Cooking vegetables reduces the concentration of isothicyanates, which reduces the health benefits. A second completed study regarding the raw food diet found that regular consumption of raw vegetables may in fact lower the risk of esophageal, laryngeal, oral, pharyngeal, and gastric cancers. Further studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, as well as those that are vegan or vegetarian may lower cholesterol levels, and regulate blood glucose levels.

Be careful though, you should always contact your physician before starting this or any type of diet. You should determine if the diet will supply you with all of your health needs, as well as if it is safe. Adequate nutrition for growth and development is not provided on the raw food, so it is not recommended for infants or children.

If you don’t fancy a raw food diet then you might want to consider the Diet Solution Program instead.

As the economy continues to go down, more families are seeking ways to save on money at the grocery store. More families are wanting foods that are nutritionally good for their families without the added junk. It does not mean buying from a box is the cheapest way to go. And what about organic foods? Are they worth the extra cost? Yes and no, there are certain foods that you should buy organic and foods that it doesn’t really matter. So here is a list of foods you should buy organic and how to have money leftover for Friday night pizza.

The Environmental Working Group puts out a list each year on the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables. The top 12 produce starting with the most contaminated:

• Peaches (contains approximately over 10 different pesticides)
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

These are the produce you want to purchase organic. You can download a wallet guide at Food News or download onto your iphone for free.

What about dairy and meats? More consumers are purchasing organic milks and cheeses because they do not want the added hormones and antibiotics into their milk supply. Organic milk is the number one purchase for organic consumers. If organic is not an option for you, then buy non-treated dairy products, which will often say it on the label, but you have to read the label. You may be wondering if it matters. Well if Starbucks offers hormone free milk only, then these trend setters are telling you something. Other chains that offer hormone free dairy products is Wal-Mart brand milks, Safeway, Kroger’s, Chipolte, Ben and Jerry’s (which has never used milk from treated cows) are just to name a few.

Here is the low down on organic meats. It is way too expensive and does not have the same health benefits as grass-feed beef. Organic beef cost 15 to 20 percent more than grass-fed beef. A 2008 study by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found grass-fed beef to have 2 to 6 times more CLA and omega 3′s. Studies have shown CLA to promote muscle growth and fat burning in the body. Both have added value to every cell in our body for optimal health. CLA is also known as the cancer fighting fat. Unfortunately CLA and omega 3′s are not found in conventional or organic beef. Grass-fed beef is less fatty (because they are able to roam freely and get exercise) and is four times higher in vitamin E. These cows eat grass which has far more nutritional value to the cows and is better digested than grains of cornmeal, soy and wheat. And if that is too costly, then purchase your meats that says free of hormones and antibiotics, again read your labels.

Let us not forget eggs. Anything that is certified organic or certified humane is better than free range/cage free and all natural. (there is no clear definition when it comes to all natural, so don’t be fooled if a product says “all natural”). If eggs are certified organic that means they are inspected by the USDA once per year, they are un-caged, hens are allowed outdoors where they eat an organic, vegetarian diet and are antibiotic free. The nutritional value is much higher than any other. They are higher in vitamin A, D and folic acid, (hint, the darker the yellow in the yolk means it has more vitamin A and D). These nutrients are lost if they are kept indoors (if they are free range, that means they get the sun where these important nutrients comes from).

If eggs say free range/cage free most likely live indoors full time but have room to walk, perch and nest. They may be fed anything as there are no regulations on how they are fed or how they live. When the eggs say fortified with omega 3′s,they are most likely being fed flaxseeds and other sources to help fortify their eggs, if you do not supplement with omega 3′s then this may be a good choice for you and your family.

If your family goes through a dozen eggs about twice a month, it may be worth the splurge, if you are going through eggs like you wash your family’s laundry and cannot afford to splurge, then go free range/cage free.

Putting it all together: Look for organic, free-range (or pasture-fed) eggs for the most health benefits.

Use this guide to choose how you spend your money on organic groceries. Determine what is best for your family and their health and well-being.

Jasmine Jafferali, MPH, is the Program Coordinator and an instructor for Educational Fitness Solutions, Inc., Professional Certificate in Women’s Personal Exercise Training and Wellness. She has a diverse fitness background with over ten years of industry experience in campus recreation, corporate wellness, and the commercial health club setting. To learn more about her program, visit: http://www.efslibrary.net

The Problem: Not enough fruits & veggies

Research shows how you eat can affect long term health – no surprise there. It can make a difference not just in the way you feel every day but can help prevent your DNA from getting worn out! Evidence from epidemiological studies and laboratory studies indicates that dietary factors are important in the causation of cancer at many sites. Extensive studies have concluded that diets high in fat, low in fiber and/or low in fruits and vegetables are associated with an increase incidence of mortality from various cancers.

Diets with a higher intake of plant foods, especially yellow and green vegetables and citrus fruits is associated with reduced risk of several cancers, notably cancer of the stomach, pancreas, colon, rectum, bladder, endometrial, cervix and ovary. So how is America doing on eating foods to prevent cancer? And what can we do differently to improve our diets.

• Fewer than 1 in 10 Americans meet fruit or vegetable intake recommendations.
• One quarter of all vegetables consumed by children and adolescents are French fries.
• Kid’s intakes of all fruits and of dark green and/or deep yellow vegetables are very low compared with recommendations.
• Fewer than 10% of 1- to 2- year-olds consume a dark green vegetable a day ‘green foods are important for eye health and often contain folate acid which is good for your heart.
• Only one in five children eats five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
• Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots is converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous membranes and healthy eyes.
• Scientists have also reported that carotenoid-rich foods can help reduce risk of cancer, heart disease and can improve immune system function.

How to fix it!

Creating a colorful fruit smoothie or having your child find a new dark green or deep yellow fruit or vegetable they haven’t tied yet are 2 ways to have new food adventures. Find fun ways to expose children to a variety of fruits and vegetables at an early age. Try our vegetable logic puzzle with your school aged child. See fun eating tips below:

• In our house, broccoli is called dinosaur trees and tomato sauce used as dip becomes swamp sauce.
• Cauliflower’s name ranges from snow clouds to Santa puffs.
• Our spaghetti often comes from spaghetti squash, a deep yellow food packed with nutrients which kids love because it’s can be play with just like spaghetti.
• Yellow peppers also make a great snack and in the summer are fairly easy to grow in a wooden whiskey barrel, a deep pot or in the ground. Grow, eat and enjoy!

Halas-Liang, MA, RD, CDE, CNSD is the Program Coordinator for the Online Certificate in Nutrition for Optimal Health, Wellness, and Sports. This program is offered in partnership with Colleges/Universities throughout the nation and can be taken anywhere. To learn more, go to http://www.efslibrary.net . She is also founder of http://www.superkidsnutrition.com , where she is "saving the world, one healthy food at a time (TM)."

I’d like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates… and in particular, "white foods" as well as potatoes. One reason I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals trash talk potatoes about being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the high glycemic index. Some even say such ridiculous things as "avoid any and all white carbohydrates".

Ok, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definately don’t agree with avoiding any and all "white carbohydrates". Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colors and stay away from white.

It’s true that colorful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let’s look at a few examples… Now lets explore some answers to the question, do fruit and vegetables provide adequate nutrition.

Onions & Garlic

What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren’t easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet… such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Cauliflower

Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates and thiocyanates, which are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. And a little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess belly fat. So eat up on that cauliflower!

Mushrooms

Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine.

Potatoes

Now that also leads us to another example – white potatoes (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index. First of all, understand that glycemic index is not necessarily the most important factor in choosing your carbohydrates.

While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat easier than high glycemic index choices, it is not all that it’s cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.

For example, using glycemic load as an example… it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the glycemic load of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high glycemic index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it is just non-sensical.

Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There’s just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. My point is… candy bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat… NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes.

Also, as i mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I talk in detail about this entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book.

Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form… with the entire skin, and please don’t ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.

Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.

On the topic of potatoes not being so bad after all, I don’t remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks. At the conclusion of the study, the potato eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I’d venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato only has about 100-120 calories, and I can surely imagine you’d be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day.

Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein. On that note, I have one of my favorite recipes for you, using potatoes.

Lean-Body Potato Side Dish

Desired quantity of baby potatoes (I like to use this mixture I found recently at a health food store… it is a mixture of white, red, yellow, and purple baby potatoes)

• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 or 2 onions
• a couple cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• a little salt and pepper to taste (I like using a sea salt instead of normal commercial salt)

Cut the baby potatoes into slightly smaller pieces and place in a steamer until soft all the way through. Slice up the peppers and onions into strips and add with the chopped garlic into a pan with the olive oil. Cook the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender, and then add the steamed baby potatoes. Stir it all together and serve.

This is a delicious and healthy side dish that goes great with chicken or red meat.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little topic today about potatoes, healthy carbohydrates, glycemic index, and my killer potato recipe idea! If you enjoyed this article today, feel free to copy/paste this link and email to your friends and family that would be interested.

For you to find more nutrition information go to http://www.yourfatbelly.com

Wheat grass has become one of the more popular “go green” dietary supplements. You find it offered at premium prices in juice bars, health shops, and many restaurants. It can be purchased in juice, salad, smoothie, pill, and powdered form.

So, what’s all the hype about?

In this instance, the hype is all fact. In addition to being loaded with micro-nutrients, wheat grass also contains high concentrations of raw protein, chlorophyll, calcium, Lysine, and vitamin C. Wheat grass is a true superfood and has been shown to provide a range of benefits including:

• Replenishing blood cells
• Restoring balance in the body
• Providing nourishment to critical organs including the kidneys, liver, and heart
• Flushing toxins from the body
• Supplying raw energy

A single ounce of wheat grass juice provides the nutritional value found in 2.4 pounds of raw, fresh vegetables.

This value is derived from the 30 enzymes and the 70% chlorophyll content found in freshly juiced wheat grass. And as most of us don’t get the recommended eight servings of fruits and vegetables in our daily diet, being able to obtain the equivalent nutritional value in a one ounce shot of juice is certainly an attractive alternative.

Many people are now growing their own wheat grass in their kitchen, or anywhere there is ample sunlight. Utilizing a wheat grass juicer, or even a household blender (not recommended as you lose much of the nutritional value via the high speed blending process), you can save that $2-$4 dollars you would pay in a juice shop and make your own juice at home.

Wheat grass is the young seedlings of wheat plants. It’s fast and easy to cultivate and can be grown in containers ranging from plastic cups to full size plant trays. Follow these steps to grow your own nutrition-rich wheat grass:

1. Obtain a bag of wheat berries (seed). They can generally be found in any natural food store for around a dollar per pound. They keep well, so stock up and store the extra in a darkened pantry.
2. Determine what you want to use to grow the plants in. You can use any container that is at least two inches deep. A used flat from a gardening project is ideal. And if you can find one with drainage holes, even better. Otherwise poke an appropriate number of small holes in the bottom of your selected container.
3. Select the wheat berries you intend to plant. There should be enough to completely cover the surface of the planting container. Err on the side of too many rather than too few. Soak the selected wheat berries, or seed, in clean cold water for eight hours.
4. Add soil to your container to a depth of at least two inches. Any type of good potting soil should be sufficient. Spread the seeds over the top of the dirt. Use enough to completely cover the planting area.
5. Although not strictly necessary, it’s helpful to cover the seeds in a light layer of moss of some type. I typically use Spanish moss, breaking it up and sprinkling it over the seeds. But any dry type will do.
6. Water the plants well and cover the container with a thin sheet of plastic. Sandwich wrap or the like can be used as long as light is able to get through.
7. After a couple of days, the seeds should have germinated and the plastic can be removed. Make sure the plants are positioned to get ample sunlight. Mine grow on the counter beneath a kitchen window.
8. To avoid mold (a common problem), mist the plants daily with a mixture of water, baking soda, and kelp extract. Assuming a 16 ounce spray bottle, fill with water and add two tablespoons of kelp extract and a quarter tablespoon of baking soda.
9. Once the grass has reached 3-4 inches in height, it’s ready to be harvested. Just cut around 3/4 of it’s length to allow the blades to regrow.
10. To juice your harvested grass, you’ll need a wheat grass juicer (a fruit juicer will not work due to the high speed process which will destroy the delicate enzymes in the wheat grass). An alternative is to put a half cup of water in a blender, throw in the grass, blend at a low speed, and filter the mixture through a fine strainer. But even this method will destroy many of the enzymes, reducing the nutritional value of the resulting mixture.

Go to Men Living Longer to learn more about wheat grass juicer recommendations and some limited time free trial offers Visit the author’s fitness, health, and lifestyle blog.

1. Eat At Least ONE Green Salad Each Day

North Americans are only consuming on average 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day! When you consider that the recommendation is for 5-10 servings per day and that most of our produce is nowhere near as mineral-rich as it was just 50 years ago, consuming greater amounts of vegetables and fruit has never been as necessary as now for nourishing your body with vital nutrients, alkalinity, and the life-prolonging food enzymes that it needs.

2. Drink At Least ONE Fresh-Pressed Juice or Green Smoothie Each Day

We live in busy lives. No one has time for anything anymore – not even healthy eating. Therefore, one of the greatest ways of supplying tremendous amounts of vitamins, minerals, food enzymes, and alkalinity to your body is through juices and smoothies. And remember, the greener the better!

It might be tough for some people to physically eat 5-10 fruits or vegetables during a day but with just 1 juice or smoothie you can easily meet that quota!

3. Eat 80% Whole Living Foods (raw)

Ever wonder why animals in their natural habitats do not suffer from the diseases that plague mankind? Isn’t also interesting that humans are the only species on earth that apparently "needs" to cook their food! There is no greater gift you can give your body then eating foods in their natural state – that is living or raw.

Cooking foods dramatically reduces their vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content and destroys their vital food enzymes that are so beneficial to our health. Simply incorporating more raw fruits and vegetables into your diet can make a profound difference in how you look and feel…and in no time at all!

4. Eat Every 2-3 Hours (but only if you’re hungry)

It’s a fact – most people eat too much food! It’s no wonder that more than 60% of the North American population is overweight. One of the reasons for this is eating copious amounts of "empty foods". These are foods that have no nutritional value. Eating empty foods only prompts you to eat more food since your body is not receiving the nutrients it requires.

By eating smaller "nutrient-dense" foods more frequently throughout the day you will avoid cravings caused by blood sugar irregularities and you will also tend to eat less since your body will now be receiving all the nutrients it needs.

5. Eat Meat No More Than 2 Times Per Week

Let’s face it – meat is detrimental to your body. You can turn a blind eye if you want but the truth is that meat is acid-forming and causes inflammation in the body. Both of these conditions are common to every single disease known to mankind!

Oh, and don’t forget about the hormones, antibiotics, and inhumane conditions in which animals (for human consumption) are raised or the higher levels of cholesterol and saturated fats found in heavier meats.

Meat (especially red meat) also deprives your body of energy because it requires a tremendous amount of digestive energy and water to be broken down and assimilated into your body.

Yuri Elkaim is a Certified Kinesiologist, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, former Professional Soccer Player, the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the University of Toronto men’s soccer program, and regarded by many as Canada’s leading Fitness expert.

For more information on nutrition and Yuri, please visit us at http://www.eatingforenergy.ca

Yuri Elkaim is the author of Eating for Energy,a guide to healthy eating that has awaken the world to the power of natural living foods. It includes 120 recipes, a 12-week meal plan, and more great nutritional tools for living the best life ever! For more information, visit http://www.eatingforenergy.ca

Many people forget about the nutritional values of foods when planning their meals. After all, it’s so much easier to just stop at their favorite fast food restaurant on their way home from work.

Everyone knows they should be eating more healthy foods, but some people aren’t quite sure where to start. Here are some things to look for when trying to plan healthier meals.

Are you eating lots of fruits and vegetables? The majority of us do not eat adequate amounts to keep us healthy. Experts recommend that we eat between 5 to 9 servings every day. That adds up to about 2 cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables and fruits in different colors. Dark green vegetables like spinach, for instance, contain more nutritients than lighter colored vegetables.

Are you eating grains and cereals? Besides the well-known benefits of dietary fiber, grains and cereals provide many important nutrients for your health. Whole grain breads and cereals are much preferred over refined white breads or rice.

Are you eating a wide variety of foods? They say that variety is the spice of life. In reality, it’s the basis of a healthy diet. Our bodies need food from all of the food groups to function at peak performance. These food groups consist of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meats, beans and nuts. Sorry… candy is not a food group.

Do you eat breakfast every day? Yes, it’s true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a good breakfast will give you the energy you need to make it through the morning and help eliminate those high-fat splurges.

Do you drink plenty of water? Soda and coffee may be liquid but they do not replace the water that your body needs. We need at least 16 ounces of water each day to keep ourselves hydrated and flush out the impurities that we may have accumulated in our digestive systems.

How much fat do you eat? Dietary fat is our enemy. Even though our bodies need a certain amount of fat, most of us consume 200 to 300 percent more than we need. That’s a scary thought! So, when you are making your food choices, look at the labels to see how much fat is contained in the food item. Vegetables and fruits are naturally lower in fat than meats.

How much salt, sugar and alcohol are you eating? Here again, moderation is the key. Serious problems can occur when you overdo. Salt can lead to water retention, weight gain and heart problems. Sugar, when eaten in large quantities over a long period of time can contribute to diabetes. And, excessive alcohol consumption is bad for the kidneys.

Your body will tell you when you are not getting (or when you are getting too much) of a certain kind of food. If you are gaining weight, you know you are either eating portions that are too large or you are eating foods that are high in fat. Feeling tired can mean that you’re not getting the nutrients from the foods required by your body to function.

Eating healthy foods is not as difficult as it sounds. In a nutshell: drink more water, eat less fats and sugars, and eat more fruits, vegetables and grains.

Jude Wright is an author and webmaster whose main interests are in cooking and gardening. Learn more about eating healthy foods at her website at http://nutritious-cooking.com.