Tag: Fruits Vegetables

How To Use The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a rating of carbohydrates that was developed in 1981 by Dr. David J. Jenkins of the University of Toronto. This concept was developed to help people who wanted to rank carbohydrates based upon how they affected the blood glucose levels. Different carbohydrates are absorbed into the system in different manners and all take different times to break down and digest. Carbohydrates that break down and cause rapid digestion tend to leave the most glucose in the blood stream and cause the most damage to a person who is a diabetic. These carbohydrates are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index.

The carbohydrates that are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index include those made with white sugar, white flour, baked potato, French fried pototoes, white break, pastas made with white flour. Even corn flakes are considered bad carbohydrates on the Glycemic Index. This can be valuable information for anyone who has just been diagnosed as a diabetic and wants to discover which foods are more beneficial. While most diabetics will be told to avoid carbs, avoiding carbohydrates all together is not often feasible. For someone who thinks a candy bar is way worse than white bread, the Glycemic Index can be a real eye opener and can be a great way how to use the Glycemic Index for someone who is trying to discover which carbohydrates are safer than others.

Another way on how to use the Glycemic Index is to learn which carbohydrates are better for those who are trying to either watch their carbohydrate intake or who are on a diabetic diet. Some foods, such as fruits and certain vegetables, are low on the glycemic index and take a longer time to absorb into the bloodstream, giving the body the benefit of the nutrients while allowing the body to expel the glucose in a more natural way. One caveat when it comes to fruits and vegetables is that baked potatoes are not considered in the low group in the Glycemic Index.

As a matter of fact, potatoes are one of the highest ranking foods in the Glycemic Index. People consume French fries throughout the world like they are going out of style. Not only are they high in fat and offer little protein, they are also very high in carbohydrates.

Intermediate carbohydrates in the Glycemic Index include foods with a rating from 56 to 69. These include candy bars, some brown rices and croissants. This an be invaluable news to someone who is learning to develop a diabetic diet but who is unaware of what foods rank high and rank low.

Most people may assume that a piece of white bread is way worse for a person with diabetes than a candy bar, but this is not true. By learning the different ratings and classifications on the Glycemic Index, a person who is watching their carbohydrates as well as their diabetic diet can learn some invaluable lessons and learn how to use the Glycemic Index to their advantage.

Triglycerides-Fat In The Human Body

Triglycerides are one of the types of fat that are naturally occurring in the human body. While you do need some, the problem comes when your levels get out of balance and you have a higher level than you should.

Your doctor can easily let you know whether or not your triglycerides are where they should be. If they are too high, she can also provide you with some resources for getting them back to more normal levels.

Having high levels can lead to many serious health issues like heart disease and diabetes. There may be things you can do, other than take prescription medication and have to deal with all the side effects, to lower your levels.

You can keep your cholesterol as well as triglycerides at the proper balance as well as just keep your body weight where it needs to be.

Bottom line: these tips will help you look better, feel better and get more healthy:

1. Watch how much you eat. We tend to eat portions that are too big. One of the simplest (in terms of both implementation and actually being able to stick with it) things you can do is cut back on your portion sizes.

A good rule of thumb is to keep all your portion sizes about the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. This makes keeping track of the proper portions easier than having to pull out a scale all the time.

This is a good trick to keep in mind when you are eating out too. Most restaurant meals are the portion of 2 to 3 meals. Take home the extra so you can enjoy it another day.

Also, eat throughout the day, but make each meal you eat smaller and more nutritious. Don’t eat a bunch of huge, high fat meals. Instead eat about 6 times a day and keep each meal the proper portion size and keep them loaded with fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.

A low fat diet is a very effective way to ensure that all systems are working the way they were made to work.

2. Get moving. Again, exercise is just one of those things that can help you control the fat levels in your body as well as around your middle. It just provides so many benefits.

If you are new to exercising you want to talk to your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough. And once you get the ok start small.

It will take time for these tips to start showing up in your blood tests or on the scale. You must view it as a process and not some sort of quick fix.

Be willing to start small, say take a walk everyday, then ramp things up as you get stronger.

3. Moderation in the amount of things like sugar and alcohol in your diet is another way to keep your blood levels where they should be.

No one says you can never drink or never eat a candy bar again, it’s just that you need to make sure you do keep the intake of these things to a minimum.

So, if your doctor tells you that you have high triglycerides, don’t panic. There are many ways you can get these levels back into the normal range. Just work with your doctor and follow these tips.

Children And Flu Vaccine-Tips To Help Fight The Flu During

Children And Flu Vaccine-Tips To Help Fight The Flu During Holidays

With the flu season ever approaching you will want to prepare yourself. The worst thing that can happen during the holiday season is to get bogged down with the flu. There is simply too much going on for you to be stuck at home sick. But what can be even worse is having your kids be the ones to catch the flu. Because then it you have to stay home and take care of them.

Sometimes Children and Flu vaccine do not mix, as there are often a lot of complaining to be had when you try to get them one. So all in all, your child getting the flu is not something you want to deal with. But there are some methods you can use to minimize the risk of them even getting sick.

1. Keep active. Exercise is a great way to boost the immune system, so having your kid remain active and stay in shape allows their immune system to run at peak capacity. Now exercise does not necessarily mean thirty minute workouts or going to the gym. Simply having them run around playing with friends is great exercise. But if they are going to be playing out in the snow make sure they are bundled up tight.

2. Fruits and vegetables. Another method for boosting your child’s immune system is to feed them plenty of fruits and vegetables. These types of foods contain various vitamins and minerals needed for a strong immune system. So simply by changing up their diet you can spare yourself of trying to mix Children and Flu vaccine.

3. Rest. Getting plenty of rest is yet another major component of keeping your children healthy. While exercise is important, recharging after an action packed day is equally as important. If they do not get enough sleep, their body will not be as recharged as it should be and will not be able to fight off the flu as well as it should.

4. Keep their hands clean. Kids love running around and they love to get their hands on things. There are a lot of germs out there and while you do not have to be all OCD over it, you should make sure they wash their hands regularly to prevent them from picking up something particularly nasty. When germs invade their body, it is the immune system that fights them off, but if their immune system is busy fighting off the various small time germs they have picked up, it makes it easier for the flu to move in and take hold. So keeping their hands clean can go a long way towards preventing that.

5. Flu shot. Lastly, and probably the most dreaded preventative measure for any parent is the nightmarish flu shot. As I have said above, Children and Flu vaccine rarely mix well and there is often a lot of complaining to be had. But as painful as it might be, ultimately it is in their best interest. Simply getting a flu shot is probably the best method out there for protecting them against the flu.

Constipation Home Remedies Take A Close Look At Your

Constipation Home Remedies Take A Close Look At Your Diet

If you have constipation often the best place to start looking for constipation home remedies is to look at your diet. Constipation is no joke and it can mean a painful effort to try and open the bowels and even more of an ordeal to pass a stool.

What you should understand before you take a closer look at your diet is that there is no ‘normal’ where individuals are concerned. One person may easily open their bowels once a day and another every third day, it doesn’t mean the latter has a problem. It simply means that our bodies naturally find the frequency that is right for us. However, if you find that you are struggling and it is painful to pass a stool when you want to, then you are probably constipated.

If you are struggling with constipation then you should take quick steps to find out what is causing it and what you can do to stop it before it manifests into something more problematic. As stated, diet plays a huge role in our ability to have regular soft bowel movements and so it’s crucial to always remember that what we put into our bodies has an effect on what does, or doesn’t, come out of our bodies.

Aim for a diet that is rich in fiber. That means eating plenty of fruits and vegetables a good indicator is always to have at least the recommended five portions a day. If you are suffering from chronic constipation, then you can even start making your own juices and drinking your fruits as one way towards a more refreshing constipation home remedies. Some really useful fruits to eat to relieve constipation are dates, figs and mangoes for vegetables try potatoes, corn and leafy green vegetables.

What should also be added to the diet are wholegrain foods. These include breads, rice and cereals. Eating wholegrain foods means that you add roughage to your diet which is what the body needs to keep the bowels healthy. Healthy bowels means relief from constipation.

Nuts in general are another great addition when you’re looking for constipation home remedies. Nuts will also add the much needed fiber and roughage to the diet but eating one particular nut, walnut, is a great way to help relieve constipation. If you can get them fresh, then that’s the way to eat them.

As far as all the constipation home remedies go, what you should of course make sure of, is that you’re drinking plenty of water, roughly around 8 glasses per day. Water will keep you well hydrated, flush your system and make your stools softer and easier to pass.