Are Whole Grains Needed in any Diet?

Do Not Under Estimate The Power Of Food To Be Your Medicine

Food Can Be Your Medicine

Why Eat Whole Grains? Understanding Their Health Benefits

Grains in seem to be having a hard time lately, with gluten being blamed by some for major health problems and new grain-free diets springing up every year. So one can easily wonder: why eat whole grains, as recommended by health authorities everywhere.

However, according to Dr. Frank Hu, Professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and author of two long-running studies, eating 70g of whole grains per day could reduce your risk of dying by 5%. With each additional 28g serving, the risk of dying of heart disease is reduced by 9%. The study also found that replacing refined grains and red meats by whole grains in equal amounts could potentially increase your lifespan by 8% to 20%.

There is so much to explain about whole grains that I have split this subject in two. Part 1 covers Why eat whole grains, and Part 2 deals with ways to eat more whole grains.
1. What are whole grains?
Grains, also called cereals, are the seeds of some grasses, which are cultivated for food. The following are all grains you're likely to come across in the shops, although not all in the form of whole seeds (alternative names in brackets):

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Buckwheat (or kasha)
• Corn (hominy, popcorn, maize)
• Millet
• Oats (oatmeal)
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Rye
• Sorghum
• Spelt
• Teff
• Wheat (triticale, semolina, seitan, farro, kamut)
• Wild Rice

Whole grains vs. refined grains
A whole grain will contain the whole kernel, i.e.:

• The bran - the outer layer, which contains vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
• The endosperm - the main part of the grain, which can be ground to make flour. Initially destined to feed the embryo, the germ, when it develops into a new plant. Contains carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
• The germ - the smallest component of the kernel, which is supposed to germinate if planted. Contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fat.

100% whole grains will contain all 3 parts of the kernel (the bran, the endosperm, and the germ). To obtain refined grains, whole grains are milled to remove the bran and the germ. The end result is of finer texture and keeps for longer. The process removes, however, a lot of the nutrients, in particular, fiber.

Whole grains can still be milled, rolled, crushed or cracked. As long as the whole of the kernel is present in the end product, they are still "whole grains".

Note - when we eat refined grains, our bodies actually use nutrients to digest these nutrient-poor foods, which leaves us poorer in nutrients than before eating them!

Note 2 - This is why you might come across the terms "enriched grains" and "fortified grains". "Enriched grains" means some of the nutrients lost during the milling stage are replaced, such as vitamins. "Fortified grains" means that some nutrients that were not initially in the kernel have been added.
2. Whole grains and fibers
As you can see from the Nutritional info above, one of the main nutrient to be removed during the refining process is fiber. It's the part of a plant food that the body cannot digest. As it moves through our digestive system, it absorbs water and helps the body eliminate food waste quicker.

A higher consumption is linked with a lower risk of heart disease, as it helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar. It also fills you up and is an essential tool for weight loss and weight management.

There are 2 varieties of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Good sources of insoluble fiber in grains are whole wheat and popcorn (minus any added butter or sugar), but also teff, spelt and millet. Barley and oatmeal, as well as amaranth, contain soluble fiber. The body needs both in equal measures for optimal health.

The current recommended intake of fiber ranges from 21 to 25 grams for women and 30 to 38 grams for men. However, the vast majority of us only get to about half of that amount per day, mostly thanks to our highly processed diet of refined grains and our low intake of high-fiber food such as fruits and vegetables.

Check my next post on How to eat more whole grains to figure out how to increase your fiber intake the easy way.
3. So why eat whole grains?
The higher fiber content of whole grains is linked with lowering your general risk of mortality, but that's not the only reason why eating whole grains is beneficial to our bodies. The bran and germ of grains also contain a whole range of phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals, as well as proteins, all playing a beneficial role. Let's list a few of the main benefits here:
1. They slow down digestion,
... stabilizing your blood sugar and insulin levels. When ingested, refined grains break down immediately into glucose, much the same way as pure sugar. This sends your blood sugar rocketing, then plummeting, later on, causing sugar crash and cravings.
Whole grains are broken down more slowly, keeping you full for longer.
2. They have been found to help with weight management
... by not sending you reaching for the next sugar or starchy fix, three servings per day being associated with a less abdominal fat.
3. Whole grains, therefore, help with preventing type 2 diabetes
... through healthy weight control and stabilization of your blood sugar levels. Those benefits kick in from only two servings per day (read my post on How to eat more whole grains to figure out what a serving is). This could be due to their high-fiber and high-magnesium content, both linked with better carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
4. Whole grains can help lower blood cholesterol,
... oats being a real champion in this category. Their higher soluble fiber content helps with eliminating cholesterol, by binding the cholesterol and its precursors together in the digestive tract and eliminating it quickly. The antioxidants found in oats also play a role.
5. They can help decrease your blood pressure,
... in particular, whole grains with a high soluble fiber content, such as barley and oats. Their antioxidants help improve cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation.
6. Numerous studies on more than 20 types of cancer
... have found a link between eating three servings of whole grains per day and a reduced risk of cancer. This is in particular valid for gastrointestinal cancers and cancers of the oral cavity, such as pharynx, esophagus, and larynx.
Whole grains offer protective nutrients, such as fiber, antioxidants (vitamin E and selenium in particular) and phytochemicals which can help suppress the growth of cancer cells, block DNA damage and prevent the formation of carcinogens.

And if the benefits of whole grains start at just two servings per day, research has shown that the health improvements increase with each extra serving, to reach the 3-4 servings of whole grains recommended daily by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
The take-home message: load up on whole grains for optimal health
How to do this? There are a lot of easy ways to identify whole grains in your food and increase your intake. Read up on those in my next article on How to eat more whole grains.

If tips and resources about Eating a Cleaner diet for Better Health is what you're looking for, SimplyGoClean.com is your answer! Come, read, and share your story and tips with us

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9994094

Exercise, Nutrition, and Health: Keeping it Simple | Jason Kilderry | TE...

5 Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Workouts

The benefits of exercise are vast not only for the body but also the mind. If you want to get the most out of your workouts there are a few key things that should be high on the priority list.

Tip 1: Plan
When you have a solid plan of action to reach your goals you are more likely to be successful. Hire an experienced coach or find a workout program on a reputable site. If you have a plan when you step into the gym your workouts will be more effective because you won't waste time trying to figure out what to do next.

Tip 2: Fuel
We need energy to exercise and the fuel we put in our bodies on a daily basis is important. Be sure to include a variety of whole foods especially your green vegetables and limit how much processed food you eat. With a diet full of nutritious foods you will have more energy to perform in the gym. Another point to note is about pre-workout nutrition - everyone is different when it comes to what they need to eat and when so you may have to experiment. If you are not exercising for two hours after you eat, your meal could be a healthy balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates. If you plan to exercise within 30-45 minutes of eating then you will want simpler carbohydrates such as fruit to give you the energy you need quicker.

Tip 3: Form
You will get the best bang for your buck when you perform exercises properly. Pay attention to your form and be sure to make the necessary adjustments. When your form is correct you are not only safer and preventing injury but you'll be targeting the muscles groups more efficiently and effectively. Hire an experienced personal trainer or watch a few video clips online from a reputable source to ensure your form is correct.

Tip 4: Intensity
If you don't break a sweat, feel a burn or your heart rate doesn't increase, you might not be pushing yourself hard enough. It's true that for some people exercise simply feels very uncomfortable but change doesn't happen in our comfort zones. Some people will lackadaisically go through their workout but this is not using your time efficiently. Push and challenge yourself each and every time you begin your workout or else you will never improve and your results will suffer.

Tip 5: Recovery
Allow your body and muscles time to recover and heal so you're primed to give it your all in your next workout. Healthy, nutrient-dense nutrition plays a role in recovery but sleep and stretching are just as crucial. Set up a sleep schedule to improve sleeping habits so that you're getting adequate amounts of rest. The body does its repair work while you sleep so don't neglect this aspect of recovery. The other big key in recovery is stretching which is often over-looked. Take five to ten minutes after every workout session to really stretch out and elongate the muscles you just contracted. For releasing deeper muscle knots try using a foam roller - they are very inexpensive to purchase.

If you want the best results from your workouts try implementing these tips to see improvements in your health, fitness and strength.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9750006

What is clean eating?

Focus on eating more whole foods

and avoiding processed foods.

Clean eating needs to be a lifestyle to benefit your health long-term.

Stephanie's advice is to avoid a clean eating “kick” that will only last 30 days.

Strive to make it a way of life.

Eating Clean and Healthy

The typical modern Western diet is filled with processed foods. This typically means lots of sugars, additives, preservatives and saturated fats. It is not what the body is meant to have. Sure, much of it is convenient, but with this convenience has come a myriad of health problems including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other problems.

Eating clean is the antithesis of today's typical modern diet. It means eating whole grains, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.

Benefits of Eating Clean

There are many health benefits of adopting a clean eating diet. Really, it is more of an overall lifestyle then just a diet. One of the reasons many people first look at adopting an eating clean diet is to lose weight. Without all those sugars and processed foods, your body will drop weight.

In addition to losing weight, some of the first things people will notice are an increase in energy and healthier looking skin and hair. Taking out all the additives and preservatives from the diet and filling your body with the nutrients it wants and needs, will help increase your energy and lead to a healthier appearance.

Overall health is another benefit of eating clean. Reducing the saturated fats in your diet decreases the possibility for heart failure or stoke. Eliminating highly processed foods and sugar from your diet can decrease your likelihood for diabetes. And the list goes on.

Basics of Eating Clean

Here are a few basic components of adopting an eating clean diet:

Food in its most natural state

Think of how the food you eat originated - in its most natural state. Certainly wheat was not meant to be stripped of all its nutrients, pummeled and then mixed in with a large amount of additives and preservatives in order to feed the body. If this was natural, we would see white bread growing on stalks in fields. In following this line of thinking, eating clean means taking the food back to its most natural state. This means eliminating processed sugars, additives, and preservative from your diet.

Eating small frequent meals

Another aspect of eating clean is to eat small frequent meals. Our standard of three square meals a day is outdated. It has been researched and proven that eating smaller meals more frequently helps the body in a number of ways. It helps to have a feeling of being satisfied over being "starving" at meal time, and thus have a susceptibility to overeating. It also helps increase the metabolism overall, which brings a wealth of health benefits, including weight loss.

Cooking your own meals

One of the downfalls of our modern over processed diet is that it is convenient. You can reach of a box of this or a jar of that or a frozen package of something else and pop it in the microwave for a quick meal. The problem is, the reason it can sit on your shelf or be in your freezer for extended periods of time is that it is chock full of additives and preservatives.

By cooking your own meals, you are able to avoid these pitfalls. You can start with all natural eating, clean foods, and then add some more. Spices are a great way to add some pizzazz to your meals. Again, these are natural herbs and spices, not the pre-packaged kind of the shelf. You will be amazed and how different the real flavor is of herbs and spices that you get fresh!

How to start eating clean

It can be a little daunting to think of jumping in to an eating clean diet. After all, your body is used to all those processed foods you've been feeding it for years. It's probably a good idea to take it one step at a time. Remember, your body will be riding itself of toxins. All that processed food you've been feeding your body for years will be crying out to you...after all, a highly processed carb diet just means your body will want more of the same.

Start by eliminating one food category at a time. For starters, maybe it's eliminating all white bread including hot dog and hamburger buns.

A good idea when you are starting eating clean is to re-route your grocery shopping trips. You probably have a 'typical" route that you go in when grocery shopping right? Maybe you start at one end of the store and go up and down the aisles until you are done. Think about planning your shopping this way: start in the fresh fruits and vegetable section. This is usually on one side of the store. Stock up on fruits and vegetables - just about the simplest thing to find in its true natural state. If your produce section has an organic section, take a look at it closely. This way you know there are no pesticides being added to your foods. Start trying out some new fruits and vegetables you haven't tried yet... there are probably plenty. Take your time in the produce section...if there is a fruit or vegetable you haven't heard of and aren't sure how to prepare, hop on the internet to find out more.

Next, continue through your shopping trip by going on the outside perimeter of the store. This will usually take you through the dairy and meat sections of the store. Again, look for organic items as much as possible. Then think long and hard before you go down any other aisle. There are MANY that can be skipped altogether. Eating clean is about making smart decisions.

You don't have to do it all at once. It can actually be really hard on the body to do so. Start with some small steps, and then add more and more. Soon you will be on your way to feeling and looking better by eating clean.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6534128