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Put More Zest into your life!
Newsletter
Intro : Why go back to basics?
We think it is time to go back to basics - ignore the hype - life your own life, your own way! Eating and exercising to reduce the risk of chronic disease Whilst we now understand that high-fat diets are bad for us, it may surprise you to know that very low fat diets are also bad for us. Studies show that when people eat very low levels of fat combined with very high levels of carbohydrates, high-density lipoprotein concentration, or 'good' cholesterol, decreases.
To meet our daily energy and nutritional needs
while reducing vulnerability to disease, adults should get 45 to
65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent
from fat and 10 to 35 percent from protein.
To maintain cardiovascular health, adults and children also should spend at least one hour each day in moderately intense physical activity (which is double the daily goal set in 1996).
The new ranges for children are similar to those
for adults, except that infants and younger children need a
slightly higher proportion of fat: 25 to 40 percent of their
caloric intake.
Because carbohydrates, fat and protein serve as
energy sources and can substitute for one another to some extent
to meet caloric needs, these recommended ranges for consuming the
nutrients should be useful and flexible for dietary planning.
(Extract from the US Institute of Medicine
(Texas A&M University): Guidelines for eating and exercising
to reduce the risk of chronic disease)
Newsflash:
Folic Acid & B Vitamins: their role in reducing Heart disease & Stroke We know folic acid helps prevent spina bifida and other birth defects in babies (NTDs) but new research suggests it also may help ward off heart disease and strokes.
More information on sources of Folic Acid is on our
Good foods
page, under the same heading.
That
water myth : how much you should really drink? Almost everyone advises you to drink upto eight glasses of water a day for optimal health, but ignores the fact that most foods and, of course, drinks have a high water content and this water counts towards those eight glasses. This was due to misquoting advice to drink "the equivalent of" eight glasses of water a day. Numerous studies suggest that large amounts of water (i.e. well above 8 glasses a day) are not needed as most healthy bodies maintain a proper water balance. Plenty of water is advised for the treatment or prevention of some diseases, such as kidney stones, as well as in special circumstances, such as strenuous physical activity, long airplane flights or hot weather. Too much water can result in "water intoxication" if one's kidneys are unable to excrete enough urine. Such instances have led to mental confusion and even death in athletes, teenagers after ingesting the recreational drug Ecstasy and in ordinary patients. So drink up, but don't overdo it! Source: Report by Dr. Heinz Valtin, Professor Emeritus of Physiology at Dartmouth Medical School in the American Journal of Physiology, August 2002. Are we over-farming?
:
Is intensive farming reducing the nutritional value of fruits and
vegetables?
Examples: Source: Die Welt, 24 August 97 (comparing 1985 and 1996 nutrition content of common foods) Cod Liver Oil : good for the joints Cardiff-based researchers say taking cod liver oil could delay or even reverse the destruction of joint cartilage and inflammatory pain associated with arthritic disease. They believe it could even delay joint replacement surgery. Over one million people in the UK are affected by osteoarthritis. Although it is traditionally associated with old age, one in 1,000 children suffers from arthritis. Severe arthritis causes significant disability for over three million people. Professor Bruce Caterson of the School of Biomedicine at Cardiff University looked at the effect of Omega-3 fatty acids (the main component of cod liver oil) on the discarded arthritic knees of people undergoing knee replacement surgery. Some were treated with Omega-3 fatty acids for 24 hours in a laboratory - others were not. A chemical was added to mimic an inflammatory response, and the samples examined four days later. When researchers looked at the cartilage pieces, they found enzymes, responsible for destroying cartilage in arthritis, present in the untreated group, but they were 'turned off' in those treated with Omega-3 fatty acids, as were the enzymes which cause inflammation and pain in joints. These findings offer a scientific basis for why cod liver oil
helps people with arthritis. Not
only does cod liver oil reduce pain and inflammation in the joints
of people with osteoarthritis, but we now know it also turns off
the enzymes responsible for destroying cartilage. Fighting cancer the natural way Studies show that people who consume LESS THAN 2 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day are TWICE as likely to develop cancer of the digestive and respiratory tracts as those on 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily. (Source: National Cancer Institute, 2000). Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and fibre, which are proven to be effective in preventing certain cancers. In addition, fruits and vegetables, combined with a low-fat diet, also will help to reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Exercise and Food go hand in hand. By eating more good foods (carbohydrates/cereals, fruits & vegetables, fish) and less bad foods (meats, dairy products, fats and sugars) and exercising more you can burn more calories off and reduce fat. More information … on the web Health & Food:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/nutrition TIPS for changing your diet
and finally
Afterword : a little inspiration |
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Recipe: 1. health
board | 2. harness
your habits | 3. make
YOUR plan | 4. Get
Going! | sitemap Copyright (c) 2002 - 2004 MoreZest UK NOTE: Always seek advice from a GP or doctor before exercise or diet |
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