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Nutrition is the Foundation of our Being 30 Minute/Nutritional Consultation Only $50 Welcome to Mind B4 Body Fitness Nutritional Website: We hope that you find this information interesting and helpful, so that you can re-visit or re-think your nutritional plan or guideline. If you are one of those people who eat just to eat for the joy of the food with no regards to the types of carbohydrates, fats, or the amount of simple sugar and protein that you ingest, let me assure you that you are headed straight toward obesity, clogged arteries, Type II diabetes, kidney problems just to name a few.
Carbohydrates
Most of your daily
calories should come from complex carbohydrates. That means that you should
consume 55-60 percent of calories from things like, whole wheat bread, cereal,
brown rice, grains and oatmeal. Complex carbohydrates are considered the ideal
choice of “fuel” because they are easily converted to glucose, a type of
sugar that is the body’s main energy supply. When choosing whole- wheat bread
check the ingredients to make sure whole-wheat flour tops the list and don’t
trust the food color for assurance that the wheat is whole-grained. Some
manufactures add coloring to their bread and other baked goods to make them look
browner and more “wholesome’. Unless you need a quick
pick-up, you should choose carbohydrates that break down slowly in your body and
provide a longer steady flow of energy rather than a quick burst. The answer may be in
what’s known as their glycemic index- that’s the speed at which a food
converts to glucose in your body. Foods that convert more slowly provide energy
for longer periods of time. To help you select some of the best steady-energy foods
please visit http://www.shakeoffthesugar.com/
.
The higher the number,
the faster the food converts to glucose. The glycemic index measures the rise in
blood sugar caused by a specific amount of each food compared to that caused by
a reference food. In this case white bread has been chosen as the reference food
and has been assigned a glycemic index of 95 percent. The Result of Excess Carbohydrate IntakeExcess carbohydrates also causes generalized vascular disease. The high-carbohydrate diet which is now so popular causes the pancreas to produce large amounts of insulin, and if this happens for many years in a genetically predisposed person, the insulin receptors throughout the body become resistant to insulin. Because insulin's action is to drive glucose into the cells, this results in chronic hyperglycemia, also called "high blood sugar." A large portion of this sugar is stored as fat resulting in obesity. Excess insulin also causes hypertension and helps initiate the sequence of events in the arterial wall which leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease. Adult onset diabetes is known to be greatly benefited by the adoption of a low carbohydrate diet, moderate in fat, which stresses the importance of a regular intake of sufficient protein. You will not hear this advice from the American Diabetes Association, (or from most doctors) since they are still operating on the research as it was twenty years ago. Many cancers, such as breast, colon and lung cancer, apparently have a hereditary tendency. However, it may be that nutritional habits are passed on from one generation to the next, thus accounting for the familial tendency toward cancer. Excess fats damage the immune system through irradiation by free radicals during peroxidation of fats. Protein
Protein is recognized
as the muscle builder. Protein is what your body needs to build and repair
tissue, to launch an immune defense, to make chemical messengers in your brain
and to provide optimum energy. “
A diet that includes adequate amounts of protein helps to stabilize blood sugar
and insulin levels. How much protein you need depends on how much lean muscle
mass you’re packing and how hard you work that muscle each day. You need a
daily minimum of about a half a gram of complete protein from any source per
pound of lean body mass just to repair the wear and tear on that lean mass.
People working to build muscle with exercise may need almost twice that amount.
A 125-pound woman with 22 percent body fat (average for women) would need 35
grams of protein a day. And a 170-pound body builder with 10 percent fat might
need as much as 55 grams of protein per day. Example: 125 x 22 (body fat %)
=97.5, 97.5 ¸
2.2 = 44.3, 44.3 x .8 (grams of protein per day) = 35 grams of protein per day.
The USDA requirements for protein is .8
grams of protein per pound of lean muscle mass. Highly active athletes
and bodybuilders need more than .8 and therefore uses a different ratio of 1.0,
1.5 or 2 grams of protein per pound of lean muscle mass. FatFat occurs naturally in
food and play and important role in nutrition. A certain amount of fat and oil
is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and
insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body’s energy
storage.
The guideline for fat
intake is well known: for healthy Americans, consume no more than 30 percent of
total calories from fat. The “30 percent” guidelines means:
CholesterolBlood
(serum) cholesterol and dietary cholesterol are two different types of
cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is found in food of animal origin such as egg
yolks, organ meats, and full fat dairy products. Blood cholesterol is a waxy
substance, which occurs naturally in our body. It is used to make estrogen and
testosterone, and bile, which is needed for digestion. But if the level of
cholesterol in the blood is too high, cholesterol and other fats can stick to
the artery walls. Since blood cholesterol
is waxy and cannot dissolve in water, it is carried through the blood in
packages called lipoproteins. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a “good”
package for cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is a “bad” package
for cholesterol. HDL cholesterol gathers
up excess cholesterol in the blood and carries it to the liver. The liver
reprocesses or excretes it. HDL may also help remove some of the cholesterol
deposited on the artery walls. Excess LDL cholesterol
can increase the risk of heart disease because it is LDL cholesterol that builds
up on the artery walls. The type of fats and oils we eat helps control LDL
levels.
How you can improve your Cholesterol Levels
FiberThe advantage of bringing fiber into your
diet is that it moves food through your digestive system quickly, it protects
you from absorbing toxins, which may be associated with your food (pesticides,
for example), it modulates the absorption of simple carbs, and it keeps the
walls of the intestine clean by removing toxins which are believed to cause
cancer. Fiber also modulates the amount of salt you consume, containing just the
right amount, and thus works to prevent hypertension and the results of
hypertension: kidney and heart disease. Fiber is good stuff! You can get some at
your local vegetable store. Eating enough fiber is
one of the best and easiest things you can do for your health. A diet that is
high in fiber.
A healthy diet includes
20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. This may sound like a lot. But you can meet that
goal by eating a variety of foods each day.
Adding fiber to quickly to your diet could cause gas, bloating or
diarrhea. To prevent this, add high fiber foods to your diet slowly over several
weeks. Increase the amount of daily water intake; drink at least 8 glasses per
day. These foods are the best sources of fiber:
It is known that fruit
is good for you and it is because fruit is fill of nutrients, high in fiber,
vitamins, minerals, and low in fat and calories. It is common practice for
bodybuilders during pre-contest preparation to omit fruit from their diets, as
it should be for anyone looking to minimize body fat. Our bodies can only
absorb monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, or fructose), the single units of
sugar starches. Once we ingest one of the substances it is then absorbed and
circulated into the bloodstream through the liver as blood glucose, our bodies
can put glucose to work in three ways: 1.
It can burn the glucose
immediately for energy if blood glucose levels are not at a stable level of 20
grams blood borne glucose circulating per hour. 2.
If it is not needed for energy
immediately, then it is converted into glycogen in the liver or muscles. The
liver has the capacity to store 100 grams of glycogen. The muscles have the
capacity to store between 250-400 grams of glycogen, depending on muscle mass
and physical condition. Liver glycogen supplies energy for the entire body.
Muscle glycogen only supplies energy to muscles. 3.
If the body has an excess of
glucose, and all of the glycogen stores are full, the surplus glucose is
converted to fat by the liver and stored as adipose tissue (body fat) around the
body. If needed, fatty acids can be burned as fuel (BUT the fat cannot be
converted back to glucose). Now that we have
outlined how our bodies use glucose, we will discuss why fruit (Fructose or
fruit sugar) is detrimental in an attempt to maximize fat loss. Since muscles
have the specific purpose of contraction, they have a limited number of enzymes
for glycogen synthesis. Muscles only have the
necessary enzymes to convert glucose and nothing else into glycogen. The liver,
however, is able to make glycogen from fructose. Muscle glycogen, which is
similar in structure to starch, contains hundreds of glucose units. If you consume fruit or
fruit juices the following occurs: Referring to the three
ways listed above that the body uses glucose, assuming that blood glucose levels
are adequate, the glucose will then be stored as glycogen. Muscle does not have
the enzymes to synthesize fructose into glycogen; therefore the liver converts
this fructose into liver glycogen. It would only take three, 8 – ounce glasses
of orange juice to fully replenish liver glycogen stores. Since the liver is
responsible for supplying energy to the entire body, once its stores are full,
your body will send a signal that the glycogen stores are full our body will
then convert the excess glucose to fatty acid and store as adipose tissue (body fat)
In essence, fruit sugar is easily converted to fat. Chances are small
amounts of fruit each day are not going to cause severe or adverse affects.
However, it’s probably a good idea to avoid combinations of a great deal of
table sugar, soft drinks, and large quantities of fruit on a regular basis. It has also been noted
that exercise has been shown to reduce the efficiency by which fructose has been
absorbed just as with any other simple sugar, so that piece of fruit or high
fructose carb drink right before or during your workout might not be such a good
idea. If your goal is
exclusively to minimize body fat, then it is advisable that you consume more
complex carbohydrate, which will go to replenishing muscle glycogen stores
rather than fruit, which will only replenish liver glycogen stores, and is
useless in muscle glycogen replenishment. Don’t get the wrong
idea. Fruits are obviously healthy. But as will all good things, should be taken
in moderation. What's In A Food Label?In 1990, the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act went into effect. The USDA and the FDA designed the requirements so that consumers would have useful information about the food they eat. But how do you make sense of a food label? According to the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, all food labels must contain the following information:
Ingredient List – Lists the ingredients in descending order
of predominance and weight. In Krispy Krunchies, the ingredients are listed at
the bottom of the label. As you can see, the predominant ingredient is corn, Serving Sizes – Each package must identify the size of a serving. In Krispy Krunchies, one package contains one serving. The nutritional information given on the label is based on one serving of the food. Nutrition Facts – each package must identify the quantities of specified nutrients and food constituents for one serving. From this information, you can gleam some very useful information. The most important thing to remember is this:
Therefore, we can tell the percentages of each nutrient in Krispy Krunchies:
FDA Specifications for Health Claims and Descriptive TermsThe FDA also provides guidelines about the claims and descriptions manufacturers may use in food labeling to promote their products:
Easing into a Healthier DietYou want to eat healthier but you're not sure how to start? Are you eating too much processed food and ignoring natural, healthy foods? Start by choosing foods from the following list each day. At first, you might try to eat 3-5 of the foods each day. Then gradually add more and more servings from the foods below, until your diet consists mostly of healthy foods, and less on processed or prepackaged foods. Try to eat from a variety of the listed foods to avoid boredom. Go ahead - try something new! When preparing your meals, try to keep the foods as "clean" as possible from additional oils, butters, sauces or gravies. If you're watching your weight, remember: bake, broil, grill, poach or sauté in water or broth.
Super FoodsTry including some of the following "super foods" into your diet. Each food contains vitamins, nutrients and/or minerals that are believed to contain special properties for health, disease prevention and/or longevity.
Healthier Fast Food ChoicesEating on the run doesn't have to be disastrous to your health. Though most fast foods are higher in fat, calories and sugar than home-prepared foods, there are many healthier fast food choices. Try some of the fast foods listed below when your on the go. Nutritional data for calories, fat percentage, protein and carbohydrates are supplied.
The Glycemic Index and the Glycemic ResponseThe glycemic response of a food is a measure of the food's ability to elevate blood sugar. The glycemic response is influenced by the amount of food you eat, its fiber content, fat content or amount of added fat, and the way the food is prepared. Highly glycemic carbohydrates are best consumed during and after exercise. They enter the bloodstream quickly and are readily available for fueling exercising muscles. Low glycemic carbohydrates enter the bloodstream slowly and are best eaten before exercise. They provide sustained longer-term energy, and help maintain stable blood sugar levels during extended exercise periods (greater than one hour).
Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage Body fat measurements and the measuring tape
are recognized as superior methods for measuring "weight loss".
When one declares that they want to "lose weight", what they often
mean is that they want to lose fat. So, now that you've had your body
fat percentage measured, what does the number really mean? First, your body fat percentage is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. If you are 150 pounds and 10% fat, it means that your body consists of 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood and everything else). A certain amount of fat is essential to bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of the body's energy storage. The following table describes body fat ranges and their associated categories: *General Body Fat Percentage Categories
Knowing your body fat percentage can also help you determine if your weight loss goals are realistic. Remember, weight loss doesn't always mean fat loss. For example: Let's say you're a 130# woman with 23% body fat, and you goal is to "lose 20 pounds":
As you can see, the goal of losing 20 pounds is not realistic or healthy. At 110 pounds, this woman still requires 100# of lean body mass (bones, organs, etc.), but would only be carrying 10#, or only 9% body fat. From the chart above, you can see that this is a dangerously low percentage. A better goal might be for the woman to reduce her body fat from 23% to 18%. In this case:
So, for this individual to achieve a lean, but healthy 18% fat, she would need to lose only 7 pounds of fat, reducing her weight from her current 130 pounds to 123 pounds. Losing more than 7 pounds means losing lean body mass (usually metabolically-active muscle tissue), which is clearly not desirable. So before you decide that you need to "lose weight", remember to consider that "weight" consists of both lean body mass and body fat. Try to keep your weight loss goals realistic, and remember, keep the calorie-burning muscle, and lose only the fat Diabetes: An Introduction
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by
high blood glucose and either insufficient or ineffective insulin.
5.9% of the population in the United States has diabetes, and diabetes is
the seventh leading cause of death in our country.
Diabetes is a chronic disease without a cure, however, with proper
management and treatment, diabetics can live a normal, healthy lives. Insulin
Insulin
is a hormone secreted by specialized cells in the pancreas in response to (among
other things), increased blood glucose concentration.
The primary role of insulin is to control the transport of glucose from
the bloodstream into the cells. After
consuming a meal, insulin enhances the uptake of the energy nutrients (amino
acids, glucose, and fatty acids). Insulin
helps maintain blood glucose within normal limits and stimulates protein
synthesis, glucose synthesis in the liver and muscle, and fat synthesis.
Without
insulin, or when insulin is ineffective, glucose regulation falters and the
metabolism of energy-yielding nutrients changes.
In diabetes, there is too much glucose in the blood.
When glucose builds in the blood instead of going into the cells, it can
cause two problems:
There
are two main types of diabetes, Type I and Type II, described below. Type
I Diabetes Insulin-dependant
is caused by damage to the pancreas. The
pancreas contains beta cells, which make insulin.
With Type I diabetes, the deficiency of insulin is due to a decline in
the number of beta cells the pancreas contains.
It appears that certain genes make Type I diabetics more susceptible, but
a triggering factor (usually a viral infection) sets it off.
In most people with Type I diabetes, the immune system makes a mistake,
attacking the beta cells and causing them to die.
Without the beta cells, you cannot produce insulin.
Glucose then builds up in the blood and causes diabetes. Type
I diabetes exhibits the following warning signs: ·
Losing weight without trying ·
An increased need to urinate ·
Increased hunger ·
Increased thirst ·
Trouble seeing ·
Feeling tired and/or ·
Going into a coma For
Type I diabetics, treatment usually consists of a healthy diet, exercise, and
insulin shots to replace the insulin that your body no longer produces.
Most insulin-dependent diabetics test their blood at least four times per
day to monitor their blood’s glucose level. This is necessary to keep their
blood glucose within certain limits. If
blood glucose is not monitored, and if insulin levels are not kept in check,
three things may happen: 1.
Ketoacidosis
– occurs when your blood glucose levels are highly elevated, by either eating
too much or taking too little insulin, by stress or illness.
In this case, there is too little insulin in the blood.
Your body then begins breaking down fat for energy, producing chemicals
called ketones. Ketones can make
you throw up, have difficulty breathing, cause excessive thirst, cause dry,
itchy skin, or even cause coma. 2.
Hypoglycemia
– occurs when blood glucose levels become too low.
It can be cause by taking too much insulin, eating too little, skipping
meals, eating at the wrong time, exercising too intensely or for too long, or by
drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. If
your blood glucose is too low you may feel hungry, confused, tired, shaky or
nervous. 3.
Complications
– elevated glucose levels in the blood over time can hurt your organs.
Diabetes can damage kidneys, eyes and nerves, and makes heart and blood
vessel disease more likely. Diabetics
can defend themselves from complications by keeping their glucose levels under
control. Type
II Diabetes Type
II diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, with about 90% of diabetes
falling into the Type II category. With
Type II diabetes, glucose builds up in the blood – not because not enough
insulin is present, but probably because cells lose their insulin receptors and
become less sensitive to insulin. Type
II diabetes usually (though not
always) occurs in individuals who are over 40 years of age who are overweight. Type
II diabetes produces mild symptoms, and can be controlled with a healthy diet,
exercise and weight loss. Type II
diabetics should also monitor their glucose levels to be sure they are
maintaining healthy levels. In some
cases, weight loss, diet and exercise are not enough to control the glucose
levels. In those cases, your
physician may control your diabetes by prescribing diabetes pills or insulin
shots. Type
II diabetes can cause three types of problems:
Warning Signs of Diabetes
Back to MenuHigh Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
Blood
pressure is the result of two forces: from
the heart as it pumps blood into the arteries and throughout the circulatory
system, and the force of the arteries as they resist blood flow. Elevated
blood pressure is harmful to the body because it causes the heart to work harder
than normal, leaving both the heart and arteries more prone to injury.
High blood pressure also increases the risk of heart attack, stroke,
damage to the eyes, kidney failure, atherosclerosis and congestive heart
failure. High blood pressure
combined with other risks, such as obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol or
diabetes greatly increases the risk for heart attack or stroke. When
high blood pressure persists without treatment, the heart must work harder to
pump enough blood and oxygen to the body’s organs and tissues.
When the heart is over-worked for extended periods of time, the heart
tends to enlarge and weaken. Arteries
also suffer from elevated blood pressure, becoming scarred, hardened and less
elastic over time. The “Silent Killer”
High blood pressure is often termed “the Silent Killer” because it usually has no symptoms. Many people have high blood pressure for many years without knowing about it. The only way to find out if your blood pressure is elevated is to have your blood pressure checked. Blood Pressure Readings
When
you have your blood pressure taken, what do the numbers mean?
The higher number, or systolic pressure, represents the pressure
exerted when the heart is beating. The
lower number, or diastolic pressure, represents the pressure exerted when
the heart is at rest between beats. The
systolic pressure is always stated first. For
example, a blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 (120/80) would mean that your
systolic pressure is 122 mm Hg and your diastolic pressure is 80 mm Hg.
(Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg). Recommendations
High blood pressure (hypertension) is defined as an adult
having a systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher and/or a diastolic pressure of
90 mm Hg or higher.
Treating High Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, there is a great deal
you can do to reduce it. You and
your doctor can determine the most effective treatment for you.
Treatment may include a low-fat, low-salt diet, losing weight, quitting
smoking, reducing alcohol intake, and getting more exercise.
In addition, many medications can be used to reduce and control your high
blood pressure. With effective
monitoring and treatment, you can help control your blood pressure and reduce
your risk of stroke, kidney and heart failure and heart attack.
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Copyright © 2007 Mind B4 Body Fitness | mindb4bodyfitness@yahoo.com | 301-516-0137 | 5805E, Silver Hill Road, District Heights, MD 20747 |
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is oil, then cheese, etc.
