Understanding Nutrition Labels

Whether you are trying to become more aware of what you eat, want to establish healthier eating habits, or want to cut down on calories to lose weight, nutrition labels are printed on food packages in order to easily inform you about the food you are buying and to help you make healthier food decisions. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided consumers with information about nutrition labels to help the public make wiser food choices.

According to the FDA, the information in the main section of a nutrition label usually varies with each product you purchase, and will contain information specific to that product, including serving size, calories, and other nutrient information. The bottom part of a nutrition label contains the Daily Values for a 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diet. This section also provides the recommended dietary information for nutrients like fat, salt or sodium, and fiber.

When you read a nutrition label, start by determining the serving size of the product and how many servings come in the package. This can help you determine the nutritional value of foods you are comparing. The serving size often influences the number of calories listed on the nutrition label. Pay attention to the serving size and ask yourself if you are sticking to the serving size on the label or it you are eating more than one serving.

The Daily Values can help you know if the food you are choosing is high in a nutrient or if you may want to consider choosing something else. Don't worry if you don't understand each of the percentages in the Daily Values chart. Just think of this section as a general guide to determine whether a food is high in nutrients or not. With a little effort and education, nutrition labels can help you meet your healthy eating goals.

The Nutrient You Need Most

By Brenda Williams

It's the least expensive item in your diet. It requires no preparation whatsoever. It can even be consumed without soiling any dishes. But most people do not get enough of it. What is it? It is water. The majority of us are dehydrated most of the time and don't even realize it.

Even mild dehydration inflicts stress upon our bodies. Plus it can trigger many unpleasant health problems such as kidney problems, weight gain, fatigue, and headaches.

The thirst mechanism in adults does not work as well as in children. Once we turn twenty-one, we do not perceive thirst as well as we did at twelve. Sometimes we even confuse thirst with hunger and eat when we should be drinking water. This, of course, results in unnecessary weight gain.

And drinking more water will bring about some weight loss without doing anything else. When you are dehydrated, you do not burn calories as fast as you could, and your metabolism is sluggish. Drinking more water helps your body burn stored fat.

In addition, drinking more water prevents fatigue. Dehydration slows down your circulation and causes a drop in blood pressure. This leads to fatigue.

Water is also good for your joints. Your joints' lubricating fluid is made up primarily of water. Water is also present in the soft discs in your spine as well as in the cartilage at the end of your bones. When you keep the joints, cartilage and discs well hydrated they do a better job of absorbing shock. Well-lubricated bones slip smoothly over one another without friction. This prevents joint and back pain.

And some of the grogginess you experience in the morning is due to lack of water. You are much better off to reach for a glass of water than a cup of coffee. Your brain is 4/5ths water. When the water levels drop in your body, it affects such tasks as processing information in your short-term memory and focusing on your work at hand. Your brain cells can't perform as efficiently if water levels are lowered even by a small amount.

Water can also prevent some diseases because it carries toxins away from your body.

Although for many years, nutritionists, researchers and doctors have recommended that people drink eight 8 ounce glasses or sixty-four ounces of water a day, scientists have now found that doesn't work for everyone.

The amount of water that you need to drink depends on your weight, your activity level and the weather. You need more water in hot weather because you perspire more. Active people also perspire more than sedentary people. So the new recommendations are that people drink half of their body weight in ounces. In other words, if a person weighs a hundred and fifty pounds, then they should drink seventy-five ounces of water a day. If it is unusually hot or they are very active, they would need more.

Milk, juice and caffeine-free teas count as part of your daily water quota. Caffeinated beverages do not as they are diuretics and increase the output of water from your body. Neither should alcoholic drinks be included in your daily liquid intake.

When determining the amount of water you drink, pay attention to the size of your glasses. Some glasses hold twelve ounces while others only hold six.

Sometimes we skimp on water because it is not conveniently available. Form the habit of carrying it with you, in the car or in your briefcase. That way you will always have something to sip on.

And even if it is a little extra trouble, your body will thank you.

Do You Really Need a Multivitamin ?

By Cathy Roll

Everyone seems to be an expert on something these days. I myself do not tend to listen to the so called 'experts' as much as I listen to people who have a lot of experience. For example, I am not an expert on MS, but I have a great deal of experience with it...my own diagnosis. I am not an expert on adoption, but I have a great deal of experience in that area too....with my 2 daughters. I am not an expert on emotional and behavior disorders in teens. I do not feel that my M.A. in severe affective disorders qualifies me as an expert. But I do have over 10 years of experience teaching in self contained classrooms with teens with emotional and behavioral disorders. Am I an expert in anything? Probably not. Do I have a LOT of experience in a lot of different areas? Yes.

As a teacher, I listen to 'experts' tell teachers how to teach and what the best practices are...many of these experts have never been in a classroom. Now, give me a front line successful teacher with a track record of excellent learning and a B.A or a B.S. and I am all ears. I would listen to that teacher over a Ph.D. who has never been in the classroom.

This does not mean that I discount an experts opinion totally, far from it. But I do way experts opinions against experience. I also read the conflicting opinions that experts have with one another. Take vitamins for example. My own MD says that everyone needs to take a multivitamin. OK, sounds reasonable. Why then do I read reports that says there is no benefit to taking a multivitamin? Take Harvard Medical School for example. They published an article in their Harvard Health Publications stating:

"The National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a meeting on multivitamin and mineral supplements in May 2006. Experts listen to presentations by other experts for a couple of days, then issue a "state of the science" statement.

In this case, the statement was extremely cautious. Present evidence is "insufficient to recommend either for or against the use of multivitamin/multimineral supplements by the American public to prevent chronic disease," was the inconclusive conclusion."

An inconclusive conclusion? Yet in the same Health Publication, Harvard Medical School goes on to say,

Yes to a multivitamin

Dr. Walter Willett, chair of the Harvard School of Public Health's nutrition department, has suggested that taking a multivitamin daily is a form of nutritional insurance. He still says it's a good policy, despite the spate of negative study results.

So what to do? Do you need to take one or not? Is it possible to eat a balanced diet and receive all of the nutrients you need? Is there a person in America that eats a balanced diet?

Well if you continue to read medical journals, you will also see the new studies coming out about vitamin deficiencies. Remember how we were told to slather our kids with SPF 50 before going out in the sun to prevent skin cancer? It is still a good idea, but with blocking the sun's rays you are also blocking the vitamin D. That is becoming a huge problem. Read what Harvard has to say:

"What's special about vitamin D? This fat-soluble vitamin is exceptional among vitamins in three ways. First, it has a unique mechanism of action in the body. Second, you can't get very much of it naturally through your diet. And third, many Americans are deficient in this vital nutrient. That final point is keenly important, in light of burgeoning evidence that vitamin D's health benefits extend far beyond its reputation for building healthy bones. Over the past decade, studies suggest that adequate amounts of vitamin D may lessen the risk of several types of cancer (including cancers of the colon, prostate, and breast) and may also play a role in preventing high blood pressure, multiple sclerosis, and even schizophrenia. And a 2007 meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials showed that vitamin D supplementation may even help people to live longer."

After listening and reading what the experts have to say, I do take that into account and then I consider my own experience. Since being diagnosed with MS, I have been looking for alternative natural treatments. I found a liquid supplement that had multivitamins and multiminerals. It also had a detoxifying formula, heart healthy formula, anti aging formula and more. All of this was in one supplement. I could stop spending money on so many different formulas and get 10 formulas in one. I decided to perform my own little experiment to see if I really could cut down on all of the supplements I was taking. I got one bottle for $19.95, a much better price than any other liquid I had tried. I decided to try the recommended dose of 1 ounce for 30 days. It did not take the whole month before I knew that this formula was working. After only 1 week I had more energy and after 2 weeks I felt like a whole new person. I like that it has Mangosteen juice in it too. There have been great studies with mangosteen and MS. I had been buying a bottle of mangosteen but I quit doing that. I only use the liquid supplement. I liked it so well that I have my daughters taking it as well. I only give my youngest daughter 1/2 ounce. She is tiny!

So my experience says that taking a multivitamin is beneficial. I have seen too many people benefit from supplements. I know that some experts say that there is 'no evidence' to support taking a multivitamin, but there are those that say it is beneficial. I choose to trust my experience and the voice of experts that make sense to me. I know that I have a healthy diet, and so do my daughters. If that is all we need then why do we feel so good with supplements? Trust your experience too.

The Best Diets to Lose Weight - This is Easy!

By Teresa Tackett

No doubt you've seen dozens of diets to lose weight that claim to be the best. Have you tried any of them? If so, you probably know that on these plans you can't eat much food, and eventually the weight comes back. Some of the best diets to lose weight are plans you have more than likely never heard of. Let me tell you a little about these plans, and how easy it really is to experience quick weight loss!

You've seen endless commercials for diets to lose weight on television. Some of these plans are Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Slim Fast. These programs are surely all good, but they also have you eat special meals that are expensive and not very filling. Did you know that you really don't have to count calories to drop weight quickly? It's true. So you really DON'T have to eat these 300 calorie meals!

Some of the best diets to lose weight that you will ever find are right here on the internet. One program even has an online meal plan that will tell you how to put your meals together, so you have no thinking to do. How easy is that? Healthy, everyday foods are the best way to lose weight quickly. You don't need special foods or diet supplements.

What some of the best diets to lose weight teach you:

1. How to use REAL foods in a way that increase metabolism and calorie burn.

2. What you should eat at meals, and how to combine them to burn fat efficiently.

3. Why the number of times per day that you eat makes a huge difference

4. How to exercise WITHOUT spending hours per day in a gym. You don't need excessive exercise to lose weight quickly.

By learning the proper way to experience quick weight loss, you will never have to try other diets again. You also don't have to worry about the weight coming back!

With some methods like fasting or starvation diets, you lose weight quickly in the first few days. Why? It's water weight. After that point, your weight loss stops. This is because you NEED calories in order for your metabolism to work properly.

If you have tried other diets to lose weight without much success, you will want to take a look at these plans. Not only will you experience fast weight loss without starvation and hunger, you will improve your overall health dramatically! Conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes will even improve.

4 Weight Loss Supplements For Fast Weight Loss Success

By Kelly Paisley

Weight loss supplements are always known to be able to provide a little boost to your weight loss campaign. Exercises and a proper balanced diet can help in losing weight but most of the time, you will need weight loss supplements to push you through a plateau.

In this article, you are going to learn about the four supplements that you can add to your weight loss plan. However, the results may vary from person to person. Also, you must consult your doctor about taking these supplements if you are underage, pregnant or taking other forms of medication.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Used by the ancient Egyptians and passed to us today after some long centuries, apple cider vinegar is popularly known for its weight loss effects. The most desirable benefits of taking apple cider vinegar as a weight loss supplement is that it does not bring along any negative side effects. Children and elders can even consume them for the health benefits.

Apart from being able to help you to lose weight, apple cider vinegar is also able to improve the condition of a person facing certain ailments or illnesses.

Hoodia
Hoodia gained popularity in the weight loss industry as a great and effective appetite suppressor over recent years. Imported from the Kalahari desert, it has been turned into weight loss pills and supplements. Although it can bring weight loss results within a short period of time, one is not recommended to use it for long term fitness maintenance plan.

Prescription Diet Pills
If you want the safest diet supplements in the market, then you should go for prescription diet pills. Regulated and tested by the FDA, prescription diet pills are known to have little to no side effects to human body. Fat burning, appetite suppression and carbohydrates blocking are some of the major functions of the pills.

These pills are normally inexpensive. Trial offers and test samples are also being given away to consumers by health companies manufacturing these pills. You should take advantage of these offers before spending any big money on them.

Propolene
Propolene is being used widely in supplements and pills for weight loss. Its common functions include suppressing our diet and fat burning. It forms a fiber mass once it reaches our stomach, stimulating our brains that there is no hunger since the stomach is filled. If you are looking forward to lose a large amount of weight or fat, propolene is the ingredient that you should be looking for when buying weight loss supplements.

Weight Loss - In a Natural Way

There are many rapid weight loss programs which guarantee weight loss in a natural way.The weight loss program is no way natural if it promises you fast weight loss. Lets have a look in which way we should lose weight if we want to do it in a natural way. As gaining weight is a slow process so weight loss is also a gradual process.

Never opt for a crash diet weight loss program it is true that you will lose weight but you will gain all your weight back whenever you will take a break. Not all weight loss programs are suitable for an individual. It differs from person to person which weight loss program will suit him. If you want to lose weight in a natural way do not try to lose more than three pounds in a week. Always try to set realistic weight loss goals before you. Try to monitor your weight regularly even one pound is a great achievement.

For losing weight you need have lot of fruit and vegetables in your diet. Fruit and vegetables give you lots of vitamins and minerals which help in natural weight loss. Try to eat your vegetables raw it will preserve vitamins as cooking looses half the vitamins. Whenever you cook avoid frying and prefer boiling steaming and grilling.

The most important natural product which you need to drink for a natural weight loss program is water. Water helps in losing extra weight by flushing out toxins and by increasing tone and contraction of your muscles during exercise. Water should be your best friend if you want to lose weight.

Weight loss program should not be followed for a short period of time but it should be part of your life.Always try to find your weight loss partner he will motivate you in difficult times.

Are Supplements Necessary for Maximum Weight Loss?

Weight loss supplements have been used for decades and have helped countless thousands of people with their weight loss goals. Supplements are intended to be added to the diet in order to make up for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies.

When the body is receiving all of the nutrients that it needs, it will be much more willing to shed unwanted pounds.

Weight loss supplements come in many forms including powders, capsules, tablets, liquids, and soft gels. This article will discuss weight loss supplements and whether or not they are absolutely necessary for weight loss.

Many people lose weight without the use of a single supplement. If you eat the proper diet and exercise regularly, you will lose weight. However, you will lose weight much more rapidly if you take weight loss supplements.

One of the things to watch out for is cost. Weight loss supplements tend to be rather pricy, so it is a good idea to only take the weight loss supplements until you have lost all the weight that you want to lose.

Then, proper diet and exercise can be used without weight loss supplements to maintain your new body shape and weight.

Weight loss supplements can be found at health food stores, grocery stores, drug stores, or on the internet. It must be remembered that weight loss supplements alone will not make a person lose weight.

But, weight loss supplements work together with a healthy diet and exercise program to shed the maximum amount of fat from the body as possible.

Effective Weight Loss Tips

If you are looking for an effective weight loss tip, then I actually have three for you: Resistance training, Cardio training, and Proper nutrition. A good combination of these 3 will give you the needed effective weight loss tip you have been looking for.
Nutrition should be the foundation of a good weight loss program. Actually, nutrition is important in life in general. Steer clear of anything processed. Here is a challenge for you: The next time you are shopping in the grocery store, do not buy anything canned or frozen or preserved. Better yet, just shop on the outside isles of the store. This will be fruits and vegetables, fresh breads, dairy sources, and meats. Hmmm…..actually sounds pretty healthy to me.
Cardio training is what will help expedite your weight loss. A good cardio program is having you heart rate up at around 120 for 30-45 minutes at least 3-4 times a week. There is no need to over do it here. You should just be doing something. It could even be chopping wood, or walking, or gardening, or mowing the grass. Any of these cardio exercises help to strengthen your heart, and start burning fat, thus increasing the weight loss.
Resistance training will help build muscles. This would be any type of weight lifting or strength training. The best part about weights is the added muscle you will build takes more calories to maintain. This means an increase in your metabolism and increased weight loss. You will have more energy and feel better all around. If you are a woman, and are concerned about getting masculine, then don’t. It is much harder for women to achieve that muscular look than men. You will still be feminine.
Resistance, cardio, and nutrition are effective weight loss tips you can follow. If you can use these 3 in conjunction with one another, you are sure to be very successful with your weight loss program.By Elizabeth Stewart

The Benefits of Nutrition Supplement for Weight Loss

taking a nutrition supplement for weight loss, you should be aware of what they can do for you. Remember that a nutritional supplement for weight loss should be able to help you lose or maintain your weight.
Why take supplements?
When you are on a diet that involves calorie restriction, there is a tendency that you are not taking in enough vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Therefore, the nutrition supplement for weight loss is there to provide your body with the vitamins and minerals that it is missing out.
Keep healthy
Your nutrition supplement for weight loss ensures that your body remains healthy even if you are losing weight. However, keep in mind that not all supplements are alike so make sure that you are getting high quality ones that have been tested, researched, and proven for their effectiveness.
Enhancing your potential
Different nutritional supplements for weight loss can provide you with the following benefits:
• improve your mental potential
• decrease mood swings
• improve sleep quality
• increase your energy
• strengthen your immune system
• eliminate or reduce risk factors for chronic diseases
• improve your learning ability
Examples
Some examples nutrition supplements for weight loss include multivitamins and nutritional shakes. Multivitamins ensure that your body receives adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals that it needs. When shopping for multivitamins, check if they can provide you with 100% daily recommended values for every vitamin and mineral that your body needs.
Nutritional shakes
Nutritional shakes can help satisfy your hunger. They contain enough energy and are usually low in calories. However, they provide you with a good dose of protein and other important nutrients that you need for weight loss. You can also substitute nutritional shakes for your regular meals because they can help keep you full.
By Phillip England

Nutrition and Weight Loss: What You Need to Know

If you are looking to lose weight, then you should know that there is much more to the matter overall then just you losing weight; nutrition is an incredibly serious matter, and you really need to include it into any form of weight loss plan or diet that you take on. After all, there is really no point to losing weight if you are losing nutrition, and you need to know this.
Nutrition and Weight Loss
Nutrition and weight loss are two matters which are really helplessly correlated, and in order for you to lose weight, gain muscle, and be healthy overall, you need to make sure that you truly and fully realize this correlation. Nutrition and weight loss really do go hand in hand, and so if you want to start a diet or focus more on your nutrition perhaps, then you need to first understand that one will come with the other.

Nutrition and weight loss are two subjects that are of incredible popularity in regards to the world that we live in today, and this is for several different reasons in particular; primarily, this is due to the fact that the idea of beauty in general has changed almost unbelievably in comparison even to that of only a decade or two ago.

For instance, if you consider the number of people today that have plastic surgery done than compared to that of forty years ago, you will see the point because the difference in percentage is quite astounding.

Nutrition and Weight Loss: Pointers
There are several pointers in particular in regards to this subject that you should remember. For one, know that everyone is different and so what works for one person will not necessarily work as good or at all for that matter for someone else. Thus, you need to find a good personal trainer, and as well you need to speak regularly with your physician, so that you have people with you and behind you and so that you can all work together and come up with the best plan for you in particular.

After all, there may be medical issues that you have that will prevent you from becoming involved in certain activities, or perhaps you will be told that you should not lose any more weight but rather gain more muscle mass; whatever it is, you need to know yourself and your body before you go on any type of diet.By James West

Better Weight Loss Nutrition Means Better Fitness Progress

How you go about handling your weight loss fitness nutrition will greatly affect your weight loss fitness progress. Think of it like this: Losing weight is a bodily process. And what affects bodily processes? The food you eat, your weight loss fitness nutrition. If you are not eating any different from before you started a weight loss program, then, chances are, your weight loss fitness progress won't be so impressive, even though you are engaging in increased regular physical activity. The best way to go is to make sure that the foods you eat supports what your body needs to help itself lose weight in conjunction with physical activity.
Load up on fruits and vegetables
It cannot be stressed enough how important fruits and vegetables are for your weight loss fitness nutrition. Besides helping improve bodily functions by providing you with the essential nutrients that you need everyday, fruits and vegetables also help to cleanse your body of toxins you may have accumulated with not eating properly. With good stuff in and the bad stuff out, your body will function better. The better your body functions, the harder it can get to work in helping you lose weight. Not only for aesthetic purposes, losing weight can achieve for you overall health improvements, helping you to live better in general.
Need help?
If you aren't sure how to go about planning your weight loss fitness nutrition, then it may be best to consult with a registered dietician or nutritionist. With the professional training they have, they can help educate you on what particular foods you have to focus on in order to address your specific weight loss needs. You can also enlist their help in creating a detailed meal plan that you can follow. They may be able to teach you as well on how to properly handle and cook your foods to ensure nutrient retention.By Phillip England

Food Nutrition and Weight Loss

Food nutrition and weight loss go hand in hand. It is vital that the food you eat is high in nutrition and aimed at helping you lose weight. Finding the right nutritious food is not always easy. Food is complicated and it can be very easy to find yourself wondering over to the closest fast food joint. The first step in understanding what foods you should be eating to help you lose weight is to simply understand food. Food is made up of many elements including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and fibre. The energy, calories, in food is comprised of different amounts of these basic things.
To lose weight you have to eat the right amount of the right food to match your daily lifestyle and your intended weight loss goals. Having the right nutrition can greatly increase your chances of losing weight and keeping it off.
The more activity in your daily life the more carbohydrates and proteins you need to prevent muscle loss. Carbohydrates would include pasta, rice, cereal and breads. Proteins would be meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Consuming too much of these, especially with no exercise, will however lead to weight gain. Vitamins are found in vegetables and fruits. Eating these two food groups is absolutely essential to food nutrition and weight loss. Vitamins A, B, C,D & E all serve different purposes in your body.
Dairy and fats are also important to a nutritious diet. Milk yoghurt and cheese are rich sources of calcium and help strengthen your bones. Fats are important but only in very small quantities. To lose weight you have to pick the right foods with the right nutritional properties. In fact there are special foods you can find that are 100% natural and greatly enhance your weight loss.
This is a basic overview on food nutrition and weight loss. The secret is to pick the right foods with the right nutritional values. There are a number of nutrition guides that can help you in this aspect by showing you exactly what foods and meals help you lose weight. They can be very affordable and well worth the money.By James Paz

Nutrition and Weight Loss Information

Our health is certainly affected by what we take in into our bodies. Nutrition plays a big role in our over-all health, as well body weight. Having a poor nutrition leads to diverse health problems, such as cancer. In weight loss, proper nutrition is also important. Starving yourself or skipping meals are not an option when trying to lose weight. You will only experience binges, cravings, and nutrient deficiency.
Information sources
Nutrition and weight loss information can be found online, detailing the relationship between the two, how nutrition affects our weight, and how we can achieve our ideal body through proper nutrition. If you are looking for nutrition and weight loss information, you can also ask for professional advice. A nutritionist, doctor, and expert can give your safe and effective tips. Moreover, they can provide you with a program that suits your personal needs.
The plan
Losing weight is a matter of reducing our calorie intake, and making sure that the remaining calories are burned through physical activity. Among individuals who want to lose weight, they should strike a balance between their calorie intake and physical activity. Weight loss can be achieved successfully if we eat less and move more. This simple tip is always given by nutritionists and doctors, and doing it never fails to result to long-lasting health.
Simple strategies
Online nutrition and weight loss information, as well as professional advice, would tell you that you need to make lifestyle changes. There is no need to do it abruptly. It is important to make gradual changes, so as not to force your body. You may have also find out from seeking this type of information that you need strong personal motivation to succeed, and that social support plays a big role. You can never go through a program and achieve your goals successfully if you do not have a support group, whether they are your loved ones or your doctor.By Phillip England

Nutrition Secrets For Weight Loss

Are you trying to lose weight by starving yourself? The truth is starvation is not the right method to lose weight. It deprives the body of nutrition and causes weight retention and weight gain. The nutrition is very important for your weight loss. You can't expect to achieve weight loss if your body doesn't have sufficient nutrition.
If you tried everything to help you lose weight but you are not successful yet. You might have to consider all of these elements.
1. Nutrition: You have to avoid fattening foods and look for low or no-fat foods. Make sure you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat (preferably chicken or salmon rather than red meat), and calcium rich foods like cheese and skim milk.
2. Exercise: Workout at a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Make sure it's an exercise you enjoy. Walking, swimming, cycling are all excellent exercise for weight loss.
3. Deep Breathing: Several times throughout the day, practice deep breathing for about 15 minutes each session. This will help your body to burn energy.
4. Consistency and Persistence: No weight loss, nutrition plan or exercise will help you to lose weight if you don't follow through consistently and with persistence.
One final tip, eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big meals, and avoid eating within four hours of your bed time. Eating at this late hour can cause you to get improper sleep and it can cause you to gain weight.
Follow these tips for weight loss: nutrition and exercise according to your weight loss plan, and you'll soon see results. By Joe Steven