Food Addictions and How To Avoid Them

Food addictions often begin as addictions to sugar. In fact, alcohol addictions are sugar addictions. Of course, there are also addictions to salt and fat. In fact, it’s a constant desire for sugar, salt and fat, that keeps people eating without ever achieving a feeling of satisfaction.

The food addict’s insatiable diet is never satisfied because the body is constantly out of balance. Unfortunately, by eating more sugar, salt and fat, the addiction only gets worse and the imbalances grow more pronounced.

The trick is to replace all the sugary, salty and fatty foods with healthy whole foods. When the food addict begins eating a more balanced diet including plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, the body begins to achieve homeostasis and cravings disappear.

Sugar is one of the most powerfully addicting substances in our food supply. Since it is in so many products, most people don’t know how to avoid it. The consumer must be diligent, and look for healthy alternatives like stevia. Stevia is actually 300 times sweeter than sugar, yet helps individuals to maintain normal blood sugar levels without the constant spikes and crashes.

Salt and fat are also in just about everything sold at typical grocery stores. This is why it is better to shop online health food stores for advanced nutritional products that do not include all the sugar, fat, salt and chemicals. When individuals consume high quality nutrition without all the junk, they find it easier to avoid food addictions.

Health Food From Network Marketing Companies Can Be Healthy

Network Marketing is the way that many excellent health food and drink products not sold in stores are distributed in the modern marketplace. Unfortunately, people often confuse network marketing with “pyramid schemes” or scams, without fully understanding the concept. If the network marketing company does not produce a product, or products of value, then it probably is a scam, or worthless scheme. However, when anyone buys from a store, be it health food, drinks or diapers then they have participated in a network marketing pyramid “scheme” of some type.

For typical corporations, including some big health food companies, the manufacturer is at the top of the pyramid, the CEO is next, followed by shareholders, employees, advertising agencies and the actors or celebrities promoting the products. Shipping companies, store owners, managers and employees are also part of this “network marketing scheme” while the customer is down at the bottom of the pyramid.

In a good network marketing company, the health food consumer is the distributor, the marketing agent, the advertising agency and sits right below the manufacturer on the pyramid. In fact, it’s much more of a cooperative relationship between the manufacturer, the sales rep and the consumer. Often, the top distributors are real business partners with the manufacturer.

Granted, only the idea of getting rich is what a few network companies offer, without any solid products to back up the sales force. If the company doesn’t manufacture anything or they produce only one health food or drink product, and they don’t manufacture it themselves, then be suspicious. Unfortunately, many network marketing companies do not make their own health food products. Instead, they use a third party manufacturer, and who really knows what’s going into those products or how they are processed?

Some health food and drink companies that use network marketing for distribution do offer real value and real business opportunities. However, if the sales pitch is all about making millions of dollars without hard work or solid product focus, then run the other way. Really, though, in a tough economy, network marketing can be a great way to create income without having to find a job. Also, helping others find the best health food and drinks available today is a rewarding way to make a living.

Low Carb Foods for Natural Weight Loss

Natural weight loss is a goal for many individuals who want to be healthier and low carb foods are a means to that end. There are so many healthy, low carb food options available now that the only real barrier to weight loss is a mental one.

Simply by making a conscious decision to pay closer attention to dietary choices each day, the progress toward creating a healthier body begins immediately. Choosing low carb foods encourages individuals to take other actions in their efforts to achieve natural weight loss. By consuming nutrient dense low carb foods and natural health drinks instead of processed foods and candy-colored energy drinks or sodas, that mental shift quickly leads to a physical change.

In today’s age, it’s really not any harder to have a healthy diet than to have one full of junk. Once the choice is made to lose weight naturally, the information and products necessary are easier to find than ever before. Nutrient dense low carb foods offer powerful nutrition in fewer calories. Look for whole food powder formulas that are carefully processed to maintain the complex natural structure of the plants used in the ingredients.

Another step in creating that mental shift toward natural weight loss is to realize that low carb foods really can taste good. Not to be confused with fake low carb products that are just overly processed imitations of real foods, natural low carb foods are filled with flavor from Mother Nature. Many consumers have become so accustomed to overly-processed, sweetened, preserved, and otherwise chemically treated food that they often lose sight of just how delicious natural low carb foods really can be.

A few examples of natural low carb foods with plenty of flavor are:

• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Snow peas and sugar snap peas

In order to make the mental shift toward natural weight loss, it is necessary to replace bad habits with good ones. This becomes much easier when the new habits feel good. In this case, replacing unhealthy foods with low carb foods that taste good can be a huge boost for self esteem. An improved self image can lead to healthier choices, which will eventually lead to natural weight loss. After implementing this attitude adjustment, results increase the desire to replace those empty calories with other low carb foods and more healthy food choices.

For more information:
Low Carb Foods List - 10 Choices for an All Natural Low Carb Diet

Low carb foods can be mood boosters

A list of low carb foods from Mother Nature

Natural Weight Loss Plan - How I Lost 30 Pounds in 30 Days

No Health Food Found in Most Health Clubs

Finding health food at fitness clubs is almost as impossible as finding health food at a football game. Notice all the protein bars being sold at health clubs that are made with chemicals, not foods as their primary ingredients.

The human body is not designed to digest isolated chemicals, but rather whole foods that contain proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. It’s not easy to find health food made with whole food ingredients that are processed carefully enough to maintain their natural structure. If the nutrients are separated from the whole foods and then cooked at high temperatures, then the natural structure is gone. This means that prepackaged health foods must be processed very carefully at low temperatures before being shipped to health food stores and fitness clubs.

It is easy to see why nutritional supplements are so popular. Consumers now realize that much of today’s food supply is grown on depleted soil with chemical processing and shipped under industrial storage conditions. Unfortunately, that’s why too many health food consumers have turned to protein health drinks and synthetic supplements. The problem is that an excess of any one substance in a supplement, including vitamins, minerals, or protein, can be potentially as harmful as its deficiency. Many of those power bars at the gym or health food store have way too much protein for most people, and it's isolated protein, which is even harder on the body.

When vitamin dosages are high in a particular supplement, usually they are synthetic. Chemical sources for synthetic vitamin supplements include petrochemicals, coal, tar, sugar, and inorganic materials. Synthetic vitamins, even if they were purchased at a health food store, are received by the body as drugs, and like all drugs, they can potentially disrupt normal metabolic functions, often with devastating side effects.

Eating the chemical isolates that are in all those protein bars, drinks, and vitamin pills at gyms and health food stores can create problems. Too much protein may cause irreversible kidney damage. B Vitamins in excess can cause depletion of other B vitamins, as well as toxic side effects. Too much Vitamin C increases the aging process. Recent studies indicate that ascorbic acid, the most common chemical Vitamin C at the health food store, actually impairs muscle function*.

For more information, see these resources:
*The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol 87, No 1, Jan 2008)

Are We Destroying Our Health with High Potency Vitamins
By Ori Hofmekler
(Warrior Diet, Posted July 21, 2009)

Natural foods are not always healthy, so beware of clever advertising

Health Food vs. Health Care - Where Should the Money Go?

If the topic of health food is about getting healthy through nutrition while health care is about managing sickness, doesn’t it make sense to spend more money on quality nutrition than on medical insurance? Some health conscious people do spend more on quality health food in a month than they do on insurance. These are usually the healthiest individuals who need insurance coverage the least.

Others, who base their food choices on cost while ignoring nutritional value, are often those who consume the least quality nutrition. When a double cheeseburger costs less than $2, a family of 5 can eat for $10. Unfortunately, unhealthy food like that has been linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Of course, food is a necessity while health food and health insurance are more like luxuries these days. No one wants to be without coverage if medical treatment becomes necessary, but everyone wants to avoid ever using it. Food, on the other hand is something that people use every day. If everyone consumes quality health food, that could be a deciding factor in the level of health for Americans.

The problem is that if we all get healthy, then how will insurance and drug companies make money? What if we need fewer medical treatments and drugs? Would insurance companies focus on paying more for preventative care such as health food, rather than medical tests and procedures? Would pharmaceutical manufacturers focus on creating health food instead of medicine? The only way to know for sure is to either get sick and use the insurance coverage, or buy the best health food and see how life develops.

How To Find Health Food That Really Creates a Healthy Body

Even savvy consumers need to know how to find health food that really creates a healthy body. Often, individuals create their own challenges while attempting to tweak one aspect of their health with a certain food or nutrient, which causes an imbalance in another part of the body.

People have many reasons for buying health food, but the most important should be to nourish and cleanse on a daily basis in order to achieve a perfectly balanced body without artificial enhancements.

What health food products nourish, cleanse and balance the body?

• Health Drinks – These should be loaded with natural antioxidants, not synthetic, isolated vitamins or minerals. They should be 100% natural, not artificially flavored or sweetened. Beware of colorful sport drinks and enhanced vitamin waters at the health food store as these only pollute the body with more useless waste that needs to be eliminated. Also, with the right combination of herbal ingredients, some health drinks cleanse fats and toxins from the body much more efficiently than plain water.

• Health food from whole foods – The body needs a wide variety nutrients from whole foods. These nutrients need to come from nature and must maintain their whole food structure during processing, packaging, and shipping. Don't think that good health is packaged in fake meat products or other highly processed health food at the store. These are typically loaded with isolated soy, preservatives, and other chemicals that create the need for more cleansing. However, not all prepackaged health food is bad. If it is properly processed under low heat to maintain the whole food complex of natural ingredients then it will provide valuable nutrients that can actually be absorbed the body.

In general, health food is best when it provides more high quality nutrients in fewer calories without artificial ingredients. Also, it’s a good idea to watch out for excess protein in powder meal replacements at the health food store. Most of those products contain high levels of protein for bodybuilders, but not for the average person. Excess protein can contribute to liver damage. Learning more about nourishing, cleansing and balancing the body with the right health food is a smart way to create a healthy body.

Anti Aging Results with Healthy Nutrition

While searching for products that provide real anti aging benefits, wise consumers now know that it’s not sufficient to just buy natural foods from the store. They are realizing that nutrient dense, natural foods are superior to organic foods or juicing and produce anti aging results they can really feel.

With nutrient dense concentrated natural foods the most nutritious parts of the plants can be consumed without the bulk or expense of organic produce. Instead of the body degenerating from typical store-bought foods, many people feel anti aging results right away through the "power of regeneration”. What’s happening is that damaged, old, dying cells are being replaced more rapidly by healthy, new cells that are stronger because they are built with more powerful nutrients.

For real anti aging benefits, nutrient dense natural foods provide far more nutrition in fewer calories. This is essential as scientific studies have shown that those who consume fewer calories enjoy a longer, healthier life. Instead of constantly loading the body up with unhealthy foods, sugary drinks, or empty calories, consumers of concentrated, nutrient dense, natural foods are loading up on real nutrition that provides amazing anti aging results. They are taking their health to a whole new level of vitality.

Many people in their 60’s and 70’s are now feeling like they really can live a healthy, energetic, disease free life until the day they pass away peacefully in their sleep. This is vastly different from how most people wind down their golden years. Far too many senior citizens end up in hospitals or nursing homes, unable to care for themselves. The sad part is that it doesn’t have to be this way. The philosophy of regeneration is real. It’s simply a matter of shopping differently for nutrient dense, natural foods that aren’t usually sold in typical stores. Look for concentrated natural foods and health drinks that are made with whole food ingredients, as close to nature as possible. Those who change their minds about nutrition achieve tremendous anti aging benefits.

Whole Foods Are Better for Health Than Isolated Vitamins

Instead of depending on whole foods for vitamins and minerals, some consumers are acting as chemists for their bodies by using isolated vitamins and supplements. Unfortunately, this often creates other problems as chemicals are consumed in place of whole foods. When too much of one vitamin or mineral is consumed it alters the delicate vitamin and mineral balance necessary for the five main systems of the body to work synergistically.

These 5 systems of the body need to work in a balanced manner:

1. Respiratory (Breath)
2. Circulatory (Blood)
3. Digestive (Nutrition)
4. Endocrine (Hormones)
5. Immune System (Defense)

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, world renowned herbalist and founder of Sunrider, the largest herbal health food company in the world, talks about the importance of maintaining balance throughout these 5 systems with whole foods, "The body's five systems are like 5 horses pulling a chariot. If one horse runs too fast or too slow, the chariot cannot run smoothly. The systems must be in balance." Dr. Chen encourages the consumption of vitamins and minerals from whole foods, saying that whole foods naturally contain the perfect structure for our bodies to assimilate nutrients appropriately.

Isolated vitamins are chemicals unfamiliar to the body, but whole foods contain the nutrients we are meant to consume . Studies have shown that 90% of the vitamins in the world today are flushed right into the sewer system. Workers at water treatment plants report that their collection pools are constantly filled with undigested vitamins. Because there are no live enzymes associated with isolated vitamins they are not easily absorbed. All that money on vitamins is being flushed right down the toilet. Have you ever known anyone who improved their health by taking isolated vitamins? Trying to create good health by consuming isolated vitamins is a mistake many people make. Instead, it is better to absorb nutrients from whole foods.

Unlike isolated vitamins, natural whole foods and drinks work to nourish and cleanse the cells of our internal organs, so that the 5 systems perform at a higher level. When new cells are created with more sophisticated nutrients, the body's systems maintain balance. When balanced, the body has the energy to regenerate instead of degenerate. For more information, read, "The Philosophy of Regeneration".

Healthy Chocolate Can Be Health Food That Tastes Good

Health food shoppers can find healthy chocolate that tastes good, but need to read labels for these characteristics:

• No preservatives or fillers (all natural)
• Sugar-free/no sugar added
• Gluten free
• Reduced calories
• Low carbs
• Belgian chocolate
  

One brand that health food consumers can count on for these attributes is Amber Lyn Chocolates, based in St. George, Utah. The company’s founder, Lyman Peterson, was on a low carb, health food kick and couldn’t find any sugar free chocolate that tasted good, until he met a Belgian chocolatier that made delicious sugar free dark chocolate and no sugar added milk chocolate. It was smooth and rich without the preservatives or artificial ingredients found in other chocolates. This was truly healthy chocolate that any health food lover could embrace.

Amber Lyn Chocolates are sold in health food stores and at Sam’s Club and Costco stores nationwide. Their most popular product is a bar that comes in ten different varieties, including, dark and white chocolate. Recently, the company also added gourmet truffles and chocolate almonds to its lineup of healthy chocolates. Numerous scientific studies have shown that almonds and chocolate are two health foods that can boost antioxidants in the body to promote healthy aging.

With eight percent of the U.S. population suffering from diabetes and more consumers shopping for health food, the sugar free/no sugar added chocolate business is booming. Companies like Hershey and Russell Stover have attempted to appeal to health food consumers, but their products often contain fillers, preservatives and waxes. It is reassuring to know that at least one smaller company is making healthy chocolate that can be flavorful without all the fake stuff. This natural approach to healthy snacks makes eating health food more enjoyable and beneficial.

Healthy Food for a Healthy Vacation

I just returned from a family vacation in Puerto Vallarta and have some interesting stories to tell about how our healthy food helped make the trip better for everyone.

My wife and I vacation in Mexico often, but this was the first time my son was able to join us, along with my mother, father and niece, who live in Ohio. None of these people used our healthy food concentrates before this vacation. My father tried some Nuplus once, but decided it wasn’t his cup of tea.

My mother developed digestive problems before the trip, so she was willing to try whatever healthy food we had to offer her for relief. We told her to consume Vitadophilus and drink Calli Tea. After a couple days, we were thrilled to hear that she was feeling better. By the time her plane landed in Mexico, my mother was convinced that these healthy food products were responsible for a complete turnaround. In fact, she swam ½ mile for exercise during her vacation and began to enjoy NuPlus every day for extra healthy food at breakfast and between meals.

My father, who had already seen how the Sunrider products helped me lose 30 lbs, was now ready to try our healthy food again after seeing the results that my mother had. He also recently witnessed my 87 year old mother-in-law lose 20 pounds and turn her health around with our healthy food, so he was more eager than before. We told him to drink Calli in the morning and have NuPlus at least 20 minutes before mealtime in order to eat fewer calories. We told him he could absorb nutrients rather than digesting mass quantities of food. He has decided to turn over a new leaf and now understands more about how Nuplus can help him reach his goals.

My niece also enjoyed NuPlus and VitaShake during the trip for quick, healthy food at breakfast. She was excited to hear that she could consume that instead of typical fatty foods.

On our final evening together, we took a boat ride across the Bay of Banderas. My son got a little seasick. We told him to put a drop of Sunbreeze Oil on his tongue. Ten minutes later, he exclaimed, “Wow, that stuff really works!” and he was his perky, energetic self again. We also found Sunbreeze to be cooling for sunburns, good for opening clogged breathing passages, and soothing for headaches and sore muscles, too.

We're always glad that we have our healthy food and Sunbreeze on hand for perfectly balanced nutrition, no matter how out of balance our vacation diets may be. It just makes life better.

Your Healthy Food Choices Are Part of Health Care Reform

Instead of waiting for the government to fix health care, many people are taking control of their well-being by making healthy food choices.

In addition to being one of the owner/operators of BestHealthFoodStore.net, I write about healthy nutrition in Massage Magazine’s Whole Food Blog, contribute to Wellsphere.com as a nutrition expert, post on my own blog, High Fiber Food Is Good For Your Mood, and share my knowledge as the Phoenix Healthy Food Examiner for Examiner.com.

Can you help me tell others about the power of positive nutrition? I am asking people like you who are aware of health and nutritional issues to share this information with others. I encourage you to click on any of these links and forward them to your friends or relatives, so that they may also learn about the power of sound nutrition.

Here are a few healthy food topics for you to get things started:

Quality health drinks are more valuable than health insurance for the rich and famous - World-class athletes and famous actors often consume superior products, such as health drinks, that simply aren’t found in the usual places. Learn how to find the best healthy foods and drinks for your fitness. Read more...

High fiber foods for natural weight loss - Oprah Winfrey often features Dr. Oz on her show talking about high fiber foods for a healthy diet and natural weight loss. During one program, Dr. Oz described an experiment where a group of people ate 11 pounds of raw fruits and vegetables for 12 days. The results were surprising as cholesterol levels dropped 25%, blood pressure fell 10%, and each participant lost about 10 pounds. Read more...

Calcium supplements simplify pH balance - It is extremely challenging for even the most health conscious person to reach the recommended proportion of alkaline foods to acid forming foods each day. That recommended ratio is 80% alkaline foods to 20% acid forming foods. While most people eat plenty of acid foods without even trying, it takes some conscious effort to consume more alkaline foods. Calcium supplements offer an easy way to boost alkalinity in the body. Read more...

Nutrition for athletes and live enzymes go together - The importance of live enzymes in nutrition for athletes cannot be overstated, "In short, virtually nothing happens in the body without the help of enzymes", says Ellen W. Cutler, co-author of 'Micro Miracles'. For the body to function at full potential, experts agree it is a good idea to load up on nutrition for athletes with live enzymes. Read more...

Sotomayor soup recipe
This healthy food is in honor of Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sotomayor. It’s based on a traditional Puerto Rican soup typically made with pork. This vegan recipe calls for green plantains molded into shapes resembling meatballs. The other main ingredient is gandules, a favorite of Sotomayor. Read more...

Remember, the food you put in your mouth either builds your body up or tears it down. Make it healthy food that provides real results.

Nutrition for Athletes Needs Live Enzymes for Optimal Performance

Nutrition for athletes requires live enzymes which allow nutrients to be absorbed most efficiently by the body. Live enzymes are not nutrients like vitamins and minerals, but they are the catalysts to get those nutrients into the cells. Think of them as the key that opens the door to the cell and lets the vitamins and minerals in to do their work.

From The Nutrition Almanac-4th Edition (1996 McGraw Hill, Gayla J. Kirschmann and John D. Kirschmann), here is the definition of live enzymes: "The active chemicals in the digestive juices which cause the chemical breakdown of foods are called enzymes, combinations of amino acids that are capable of inducing chemical changes in other substances".

The importance of live enzymes in nutrition for athletes cannot be overstated, "In short, virtually nothing happens in the body without the help of enzymes", says Ellen W. Cutler, co-author of 'Micro Miracles'. For the body to function at full potential, experts agree it is a good idea to load up on nutrition for athletes with live enzymes.

While there are 1,300 different kinds of live enzymes that help your body function, the most familiar are digestive enzymes. If your body does not have enough of these then the organs change functions. The liver and the pancreas switch from making metabolic enzymes, so tasks like converting fat into energy are given a lower priority. That is not good for athletes requiring nutrition to burn fat and generate energy. Live enzymes help provide essential nutrition for athletes to most effectively burn fat and create energy.

According to Joseph Brasco, M.D., Gastroenterologist at the Center of Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, Alabama, "Because the pancreas and liver need energy to produce enzymes, the resulting drain renders the organs temporarily unable to perform their functions of detoxification, blood sugar control and fat burning".

Fortunately, live enzymes are abundant in whole foods that provide perfectly natural nutrition for athletes. Now, it is easier than ever to find concentrated nutrients with live enzymes from whole food sources. Some of the best natural foods and health drinks, available online, have a strong regenerating effect on the liver and pancreas, as well as the adrenals, reproductive glands, nervous system and kidneys.

To get the right digestive juices for turning nutrients into energy, discover nutrition for athletes with live enzymes. Look for natural foods and health drinks that are made from whole food ingredients like real fruits and herbs. Feed your body the nutrients it is crying out for along with the live enzymes to absorb those nutrients more effectively, and it will perform better for you over the long term.

Sotomayor Soup - High Fiber Food for Supreme Court Nominee, Sotomayor

This high fiber food is in honor of Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sotomayor. It’s based on a traditional Puerto Rican soup that is typically made with pork. However, this vegan recipe calls for green plantains molded into shapes resembling meatballs and gandules, a favorite of Sotomayor as well as many other Puerto Ricans.

In a recent speech, Sotomayor proudly stated, “For me, a very special part of my being Latina is the mucho platos de arroz, gandules y pernir -- rice, beans and pork -- that I have eaten at countless family holidays and special events."

Gandules, or pigeon peas, and green plantains are a staple in Puerto Rican dishes. This soup is a healthy high fiber food that is loaded with plantains and gondules, but avoids the use of animal products.

Sopa de Platanos Verde con Gandules
(Plantain soup with green plantains and pigeon peas)

Gandules:

• 1 lb.gandules (fresh or frozen or canned)
• 2 Qts water
• 2tsp sea salt
• 4 cloves of chopped garlic
• (If using canned you can skip to making the sauce. Otherwise, use the water from the can and add 1 ½ quarts of water.)
• Fresh or frozen-rinse and cook in 2qts of water for about 45 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
  

Sauce:

• 1 green pepper chopped
• ½ onion chopped
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 Tablespoon capers
• ½ C green stuffed olives
• 8oz canned tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 Qt vegetable broth
• 2-3 large very green plantains (peel and cut into pieces)
• 1tsp sea salt
• 1/3 Cup water or rice milk

Saute peppers, onions, capers, and olives in olive oil for 5 minutes, place in large soup pot, add broth, then heat to simmer. Add cooked gandules. Cut off the ends of the plantains and score the skin with a sharp knife. This makes it easier to remove the peels. Place plantain pieces in a food processor, add sea salt, and slowly add water to make a soft mixture. Form mixture into round balls, a little smaller than golf ball size. Drop the balls into the heated soup. Simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings

Energy Drinks Can Be Naturally Healthy

Naturally healthy energy drinks that actually taste good, fill the body with whole food nutrients, provide a mood boost, and cost about the same as those convenience store energy drinks, do exist. When you understand the dangers of those toxic energy drinks you avoid them like swine flu. The caffeine and phosphates in most of those energy drinks are so acidic that the body leaches calcium from bones to alkalize the blood. The isolated vitamins are not recognized as real nutrients, the chemical ingredients do more harm than good, and the artificial sweeteners or sugars used in those energy drinks wreck the body.

Here are two solid reasons to consume natural health drinks instead of convenience store energy drinks:

· High caffeine energy drinks are very acidic, which contributes to a pH imbalance. The body needs a balance of 80% alkaline foods to only 20% acid forming foods for proper pH. An improper ratio of too many acid foods and beverages causes the body to break down faster as it pulls calcium from bones in order to maintain the right pH balance. Natural health drinks, on the other hand, are more often than not, alkaline by nature. For more information about this, take the free alkaline food test.

· Energy drinks deprive the body of the health benefits of drinking water. All the phosphates, sugar, caffeine and artificial ingredients take more water to process than they replace. When the body doesn’t take in enough water then it suffers cellular dehydration. When cells are dehydrated they die, which can lead to cancer and rapid aging. Natural health drinks enhance the benefits of drinking water by getting H2O into the cells more efficiently.

Many young people who are drinking high caffeine energy drinks are actually walking around dehydrated, and aging rapidly. People who are consuming naturally healthy energy drinks that contain live nutrients from whole foods such as fruits and herbs are enjoying more than just the benefits of drinking water. They are experiencing natural, longer lasting energy from phytonutrients. These phytonutrients are micronutrients from plants that provide natural antioxidants to prevent the deterioration of cells and reverse aging with each sip. These naturally healthy energy drinks supply the body with antioxidants for anti aging, complex carbohydrates for lasting energy, chlorophyll from plants for enhanced oxygen flow, and live enzymes for better absorption of the nutrients. You can’t get that from energy drinks at the store. You have to look past the sexy marketing and colorful bottles and search online health food stores for natural health drinks.

Pregnancy Nutrition Should Include Folate or Folic Acid

Folate, also called Folic Acid and Vitamin B9, is an essential nutrient for healthy pregnancy nutrition. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps the body create healthy new cells. That is why folate is very important for pregnancy nutrition as hopeful mothers create new life. Moms who include sufficient folic acid in their diets are taking positive steps toward preventing birth defects, especially of the baby's brain or spine.

Everyone has heard the stories about pregnant women who can't control their mood swings. Plenty of medical research points to a deficiency of folic acid in pregnancy nutrition for fostering depression and other psychiatric disorders. In the book, "Food, Your Miracle Medicine" (Copyright 1993), Jean Carper states, "That folic acid can act as an antidepressant is no secret among scientists". The book goes on to point out that McGill University's Dr. Young found "accumulating evidence that folic acid deficiency can contribute to depressed mood", and that eliminating the deficiency often cures the depression.

For proper pregnancy nutrition, a woman needs about 800 mcg of folic acid daily. Nursing mothers can back that down to about 500 mcg. This level may not be easy for some to reach, as it requires up to six servings of foods such as spinach, beans or asparagus, every day. If a pregnant woman is not getting enough folate from whole foods, then a health food vitamin should be investigated.

Foods with folic acid in them include:
* Leafy, green vegetables
* Fruits
* Beans
* Peas
* Nuts

Some enriched breads, cereals and other grain products also contain folic acid. Again, it is important to be sure that the folate is attached to a natural whole food complex of B vitamins. You can find more effective whole food vitamins for pregnancy nutrition online than you will find in most retail stores. Just be sure to search for a natural health food vitamin for the highest quality pregnancy nutrition available today.

The added stress of pregnancy can create an increased demand for vitamins in the mother's body. When the body is in stress mode, more adrenal hormones are produced, which speeds up metabolism. This can cause a rapid depletion in nutrients stored in the mother's body thus robbing the mother and the fetus of valuable vitamins and minerals. That is why proper pregnancy nutrition requires a very safe, balanced diet including essential nutrients like folate or folic acid.

Pregnancy Nutrition from Whole Foods is Best for Baby and Mom

For proper pregnancy nutrition, many experts agree that it is best to obtain vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from whole foods, not isolated supplements. Whole food nutrients are easier for the body to absorb, whereas isolated vitamins and minerals are often eliminated before they can actually be put to use.

These are the essential elements of pregnancy nutrition:
* calcium
* protein
* phosphorus
* potassium
* folic acid (folate)
* Vitamins A, D, C, E and the entire B complex.

Nutrition facts point to calcium as an important mineral for healthy pregnancy nutrition. It is especially challenging to get enough calcium from whole foods like fruits and vegetables.

Some of the more familiar sources of calcium are:
* Broccoli
* Yogurt
* Cheese
* Milk
* Beans

Dandelion is a natural source of calcium from a whole food source and alfalfa has a high level of calcium, but these are a little harder to include in daily pregnancy nutrition. There is one whole food calcium supplement that includes dandelion and alfalfa along with other whole food calcium sources, but you won’t find it in a typical health food store.

It is equally important that Vitamin D2 is present in the calcium supplement for perfect pregnancy nutrition. Vitamin D2 is crucial to aid the body in absorbing calcium. In one particular natural whole food calcium supplement, 3 types of calcium are included with different absorption characteristics, and Vitamin D2 is present to augment the absorption of calcium.

Of course, some supplements may be necessary to get all the required nutrients for proper pregnancy nutrition. However, it is important to consider how they are made and where the nutrients are coming from. Isolated vitamins like those typically found on store shelves will be next to useless for sound pregnancy nutrition. In addition to supplements, there are whole food formulas that provide sound pregnancy nutrition in health drink concentrates. These drinks make it easy for expectant mothers to get the nutrients they need for perfect pregnancy nutrition while satisfying whole food requirements.

Hydroxycut Recall Proves That Healthy Food is Better Than Chemical Isolates

The FDA has asked for a recall of Hydroxycut products because consumers have suffered liver damage. This again proves that it’s always better to get nutrition from healthy food rather than chemical formulas made with isolated nutrients.

I'm also living proof that healthy food works better to power a lean, fit body. I’m writing this after a challenging 11-mile hike in the Superstition Mountain Wilderness near Phoenix, Arizona on a hot day in May. Here’s exactly what I ate today for the big hike, and I feel great, even after six and a half hours of hiking in the Arizona sun:

7:30am – Breakfast is 1 healthy all natural whole food concentrate, 1 banana (frozen), and 16 oz of rice milk.

8:30am – 1 all natural fiber food bar while driving to the trailhead.

9:00am – Start hiking, carrying 150 oz of water mixed with an all-natural electrolyte replacement formula.

11:30 am- A handful of walnuts and raisins, 2 small organic dates, 1 healthy food concentrate made with whole foods.

12:30 pm – 1 apple

1:30 pm – 2 dates

3: 45pm – Finished the hike and swallowed the last sips of my electrolyte fluid.

4:15pm - 1 healthy food concentrate with 10 oz of rice milk and 1 frozen banana

6:00pm – A bowl of salad with various healthy food ingredients and Annie’s Natural Goddess salad dressing (to bond with my feminine side)

8:00pm –1 whole food fiber bar, with a tablespoon of organic peanut butter.

9:00pm – Feelin’ good and ready for sleep.

This proves that a healthy food plan, based on whole foods, works to power the body, balance vitamins and minerals and satisfy hunger. You don’t need protein drinks, high carb goop, or extra supplements. Healthy food concentrates made with whole food ingredients are great because they’re easy to use, quickly absorbed by the body and satisfy hunger.

Next weekend, I’m hiking 20 miles in the Grand Canyon with my teenage son. If I can convince him to eat this kind of healthy food, our backpacks will be much lighter.

My Healthy Food Plan

Today, I'm committing myself to a week of consuming only healthy food. Normally, I eat a few things that aren’t necessarily considered to be healthy food, but for the next week, I'm going to eat only whole foods that are exceptionally good for the body.

Why do I feel the need to adopt a strict, healthy food plan consisting of only whole foods?
I fractured my arm in a bicycle accident 8 weeks ago, so I haven’t been as active as usual. Now, my physical therapy is progressing and I’m eager to get back on the mountain bike with all the passion I had before. Also, I need to prepare for backpacking 20 miles at the Grand Canyon with my teenage son. I know that this healthy food plan is the best way to increase my energy level and reach optimum fitness, quickly.

Today is day one and I already notice a difference, at least in my attitude. By committing to a new healthy food routine, I have received an instant energy enhancement and a quick mood boost. Adopting new healthy food habits that I know are good for me elevates my mind and body immediately. I’m already focusing on work more clearly, feeling more relaxed, and saving time by eating and thinking about food less frequently.

Please note that this plan involves the consumption of whole food concentrates and health drinks from my online health food store. This is not an attempt to convince people to purchase these products. It’s just that I’ve been using these healthy foods and drinks for over 8 years and know they work, especially when I consume more of them and less other food. These healthy foods and drinks work because all the nutrients are still in their whole food state. This means they contain live enzymes, complex carbohydrates and valuable nutrients that the body absorbs efficiently, instantly alleviating hunger and eliminating cravings for other, unhealthy foods.

Here’s how my healthy food plan works:

Breakfast: 1 Cocoa VitaShake mixed with 16 oz of water, 1 Cinnamon Fortune Delight, 1 Quinary, 1 ripe banana (broken in chunks and frozen) and 3-4 drops of stevia sweetener, all blended together.

Drink 1 Quart (32oz) of Calli tea with stevia throughout the morning.

Midmorning Snack: 1 Fruit or Chocolate Sunbar. If still hungry for some healthy food, then eat an apple or a handful of nuts.

Drink 2 quarts of Fortune Delight with Sunnydew Stevia throughout the day.

Lunch: 1 NuPlus and 1 Quinary mixed with 8oz of rice milk

Midafternoon Snack: 1 Fruit or Chocolate Sunbar. If still hungry, then maybe eat a small salad, piece of fruit, handful of nuts, or other healthy food.

Dinner: 1 Nuplus mixed with 10oz of rice milk and frozen banana chunks
If still hungry, have another NuPlus.

A cup or two of Calli Night to sleep like a baby.

I'll continue to provide updates on my progress. Let me know if you have any questions about my personal healthy food plan.

5 High Fiber Foods for Daily Fiber

Those who are aware of the need for high fiber foods know that 25-35 grams of fiber are the recommended daily amounts for a healthy diet. Here are 5 high fiber foods that are easy to eat each day.

1. Apples - The perfect high fiber foods to eat anywhere, anytime. Apples provide a quick way to pick up 5 grams of fiber.

2. Beans - Few high fiber foods are as economical and versatile as beans. Black beans provide as much as 7g of fiber per 1/4 cup, a quarter cup of pinto beans rings up a hefty 12g of fiber per serving, and Garbanzo beans offer 9g of fiber per 1/4 cup serving.

3. Whole Grains - A bowl of oatmeal, a piece of multi-grain toast, or a bran muffin are good high fiber foods for breakfast. Each one provides an easy way to start the day with 3-5g of fiber or more.

4. High Fiber Food Bars - For quick, healthy snacks any time of day, high fiber food bars are an effortless choice. Just make sure that the bar provides at least 4g of fiber in a serving or it isn't worth the calories. All too often, people eat snack bars that offer little or no fiber. Look for all natural high fiber food bars that give you the most fiber in the fewest calories.

5. Fiber Drinks - Health drinks that provide soluble fiber are good choices if they include whole food ingredients and are low in sugar. In fact, some high fiber drinks even has FOS, a soluble fiber that is typically found in foods like onion, garlic, oats, and barley. High fiber foods in health drinks make it really easy to add 5g of fiber to your diet any time of day.

With these five high fiber foods as part of your daily routine, you will easily consume 25-35 grams of fiber each day without the hassles of juicing or preparing pounds of produce.

Stevia- A Naturally Healthy Sugar Free Sweetener

Stevia sweetener may be the only natural and healthy sugar free sweetener that has no calories and registers zero on the glycemic index. Stevia sweetener can help individuals sustain normal blood sugar levels, which makes it a very beneficial product for diabetics and other health conscious people who are striving to maintain a sugar free diet.

Stevia is an herb in the Chrysanthemum family of plants. The extracts from the stevia leaves are up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, but have no impact on blood glucose. Stevia leaf extract has been used for centuries by natives of South America as a sugar free sweetener in their teas. It is also known for relieving ailments such as heartburn, and for its antiseptic properties. It has even been used to treat irritations of the skin.

Dr. Tei-Fu Chen, a master herbalist and licensed American pharmacist, perfected a method to extract the nectar from the stevia leaves without using chemicals. His company, Sunrider International, successfully petitioned the FDA in 1995 to lift the import alert on the extract of stevia. Other companies joined Sunrider in the production of stevia as a sugar free, “dietary supplement".

In 2007, Coca Cola petitioned the FDA for approval of stevia as a sugar free "food additive". In 2008 that approval was made, and Coca Cola is now among other major manufacturers in the production of stevia based, sugar free products. Sunrider was one of the first companies to introduce stevia to the United States in 1984 with Sunectar. Sunectar has a dark brown color, but later, Sunrider purified the sugar free extract even further with the creation of SunnyDew, a clear liquid stevia.

After more than twenty-five years of stevia use throughout the United States, the benefits of this sugar free herbal extract seem certain. Through my own daily use of liquid stevia, I can say that it has helped in my life to reduce cravings for sweets and other unhealthy foods. I am no longer searching for a healthy sugar free substitute.