It is recommended and it is possible to get all your nutritional needs from the foods you eat daily, but it does take some intricate planning and a perfect day to get them all in every day. So, if you’re like me, taking supplements is just a little insurance that my body doesn’t suffer from my poor planning. Your doctor may also advise you to take a particular supplement such as folic acid if you are of child bearing age. On the other hand, too much of a supplement can be toxic. An example would be vitamin A which can cause liver damage or nervous system disorders. So, always talk with your doctor about the supplements you need and in the correct amounts for your situation. Remember, also, to include your list of supplements with your prescription list when seeing your doctor since they can interact with one another and cause adverse effects. You might also try over the counter supplements for other conditions like high cholesterol or allergies which may be more cost effective for you.
Some diet gurus believe that stress will slow down your metabolism when dieting and suggest that a dieter take an anti-stress formula vitamin and mineral compound. Chromium also is believed to help prevent sweet cravings and fatigue. A capsule dosage of 100 micrograms, three times a day before meals should help alleviate those nasty hunger pangs.  I have taken this when limiting my sugar intake and it really does help my cravings.

Do some research of your own and talk with your doctor. If you plan ahead and eat healthy you may feel you don’t really need supplements at all. But it’s nice to know there’s help in the wings for us Type A personalities who never have time to do it all!

 

Food Labels-What Do They Really Mean?

If you’re counting calories, carbs, sugars, or just restricting daily intake of some other ingredient, it’s important to understand how to read food labels. Pretty simple, really. Just take a quick look at the information you’ll find on the label that the government requires.

1. The Serving Size on the food label is listed in both the metric and common measurements.
2. Servings Per Container will be a shock because most of us have become used to the “more is better” mentality here in America.
3. Listed next will be Calories and Calories from Fat (Try to keep total saturated fat intake no more than 10% of total calories per day).
4. Cholesterol will be listed in mg. Guidelines suggest not more than 300 mg daily.
5. Sodium, also measured in mg with guidelines for adults 1,500 mg daily or less.
6. Total Carbohydrates in grams. There are15 grams in 1 exchange, 1 starch, 1 fruit, or 1 milk serving.
7. Notice fiber and sugar are a subgroup of total carbohydrates.
8. Daily caloric levels are listed based on the needs for an average woman at 2,000 and for an average man at 2,500.

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New Dietary Guidelines in 2010

The current Dietary Guidelines have existed since 1980 with minor revisions every five years. A major revision will be due in 2010 and the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services are now assembling a committee of experts to establish the new guidelines. They will focus on the following:

• Prevention of Chronic Diseases
• Epidemiology
• Nutrition Biochemistry & Physiology
• Obesity
• Food Safety and Technology
• Update 2005 Dietary Guidelines

The goal of the committee will be to give the public expert sound advice on what make up a healthy, balanced diet. At the same time, they’ll give manufacturers guidance so their products are healthier and we are more educated as consumers .

My hubby recently used the 3-Day Chemical Diet successfully! He lost 20 pounds in about 6 weeks and his cholesterol went down 54 points! He did exercise, walking on a treadmill about two times a week and played golf three times a week. His doctor was very pleased and he felt fit and healthy. His golf improved remarkably….he played some of the best rounds of his life, wining the local club championship this year!

So, about the diet: This 3-Day Chemical Diet has been around for a long time and supposedly works by a chemical breakdown. Do not vary or substitute any of the foods. Salt and pepper may be used but no other seasoning and NO SUGAR. Measure your foods accurately and eat all that you’re suppose to so you won’t get hungry between meals. This diet is to be used three days at a time. After three days you may eat your usual food in moderate amounts. Please don’t overeat. After four days, start back on the 3-day diet. The original diet says you can lost up to 40 pounds in a month, but I think that’s a little far fetched and also a bit unhealthy, so I hesitate to make any predictions. It is a healthy diet, rich in protein, low fat, low glycemic index foods, omega-3 fatty acids, high fiber and all the other good for you veggies, so it’s got a lot going for it!

Drink only clear water between meals!! No diet sodas or hyped-up flavored waters! GOOD LUCK!

THREE DAY CHEMICAL DIET

First Day Breakfast

½ grapefruit/juice

1 slice toast

1 Tbsp. peanut butter

Black coffee or tea

First Day Lunch

½ C tuna or chicken (plain)

1 slice toast or 1 inch slice cheese

Black coffee or tea

First Day Dinner

Small broiled steak

1 C each green beans and carrots

1 small apple

1 C low-fat vanilla ice cream

Second Day Breakfast

½  banana

1 hard boiled egg

1 slice toast

Black coffee or tea

Second Day Lunch

1 C cottage cheese or ½ C tuna

5 saltine crackers

Black coffee or tea

Second Day Dinner

2 all beef franks

½ C carrots

1 C broccoli or cabbage

½ banana

½ C low-fat vanilla ice cream

Third Day Breakfast

5 saltine crackers

1 slice cheddar cheese

1 small apple

Black coffee or tea

Third Day Lunch

½ cup tuna

1 hard boiled egg

1 slice toast

Black coffee or tea

Third Day Dinner

1 C Chicken or turkey

1 C beets or carrots

1 C cauliflower or greens

1 C cantaloupe/banana

½ C low-fat vanilla ice cream

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MEDITERRANEAN DIET

The Mediterranean Diet has been studied since WWII as the “go to diet” for doctors all over the world as the most healthy way of eating, losing weight, and staying that way. It is recommended as THE way to protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. There are several factors that keep this diet from being called a “fad” in medical circles. 1. The fresh foods used instead of supplements. 2. Food combinations for maximum benefit 3. Avoid processed flour/sugars. 4. Exercise

Americans are notorious for opting to pop a pill rather than seek out the fresh veggies, wash and prepare them, gather our family around the table and eat a nutritious meal. Even if we don’t take a pill, manufacturers enhance our foods with ingredient that nature never meant them to have in the first place. Then we avoid eating the food that would easily give us the required ingredient naturally. For example, we put iron in our cereal, but we could eat liver which is packed with iron.

Some researchers believe that not only are the natural forms of a nutrient better for us, but also the combination of how those nutrients are used may have the greatest positive effect on our health. Take tofu for instance. It’s healthy enough..full of pure protein. But tofu used in a stir fry with sesame oil creates a chemical reaction that allows our bodies to use all that “good for you protein” much more effectively.

Our Western diet historically has been filled with processed flours, corn, animal fat, sugars, and red meat for obvious reasons. If you’ve studied the history of our nation or just look at some cook books from your grandmother’s kitchen, our ancestors cooked and ate what was available. It’s no wonder our population is obese, we eat just like our ancestors and don’t do any of the hard daily labor they were required to do just to survive.

The same holds true for the Mediterraneans. Historically, they ate what was available and have passed down their recipes and their love for hearty whole grains, fruits and vegetables. And they are an active people; walking is a way of life for them; it is social as well as athletic.

The Center for Health Statistics reports that only 3 out of 10 adults in America exercise 30 minutes a day 5 times a week. So, even if you give the Mediterranean Diet a try, remember, exercise has to be a big part of crossing that ocean!

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