Food Cravings- How to Control Them so They Don’t Control You

Someone asked recently, “Can you mentally overcome food cravings?” It sounds like they have already taken the first psychological step to conquering cravings, which is being aware that there is something uncomfortable happening. Most people would just reach for candy or a soda, and think, "Oh, that's how you fix that." Unfortunately, one craving soon leads to another and another, as the body is always looking for satisfaction.

Have you ever noticed that you can eat a big meal and still feel unsatisfied, like there's something missing? That' s because the body is always craving something sweet, salty or fatty. These are the three biggest food cravings. Often, it can seem like the mind is constantly being pulled toward one of those 3. If you get too much fat in your meal, but not enough sweetness, then you're going to want dessert. It's the body looking for balance, which of course, affects the mind.

I don't think that you can train your mind to overcome food cravings without addressing the imbalances in your diet first. Once you get the sweet/salt/fat overdoses eliminated, then the body can achieve its own natural balance. Everything starts to feel more harmonious and it is easier to adjust your thoughts and avoid food cravings.

It's all about achieving balance physically and mentally. Whole food health drinks are an easy tool to use to help the body maintain balance. As for your mind, by remaining clearly focused on how you feel and how you really want to feel, you are well on the way to conquering food cravings.

Slim Fast Recall is good for Consumers who want Natural Weight Loss

For consumers who seek natural weight loss, the recent Slim Fast recall is an opportunity to begin healthier, new strategies.
On December 2nd, 2009, Slim Fast manufacturer Unilever notified the FDA of possible contamination; and a complete recall was issued. These products run the risk of being contaminated with a micro-organism called Bacillus cereus that causes flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The good news is that natural weight loss products actually have numerous advantages over the sugary and highly processed diet drinks offered under labels like Slim Fast. One of the most important factors is that they are often made with whole foods and are therefore more easily digested. This means that more of the vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients are being put to their proper use. Instead of just curbing hunger, naturally healthy diet drinks nourish the body at a much higher level.

The variety of natural weight loss products is also a bonus for many consumers. Because there are so many ingredients to choose from in nature, the combinations are nearly limitless. Some healthy diet drinks include natural, whole food ingredients for the antioxidants they posses. There’s certainly something to be said for a diet drink that not only helps you lose weight but also has potential cancer fighting attributes.

Eating healthy natural foods should always be considered before consuming sugary meal replacement products. For those who need quick, on-the-go foods, there are pre-packaged options that utilize the concept of whole foods, in addition to promoting natural weight loss.

Are Herbal Supplements Safe? – What You Should Know

Both herbal supplements and mineral supplements have been used in various forms throughout history. In the United States, medicines and foods are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are tested for safety before being placed on the market. Herbal supplements, however, fall under a subcategory of “dietary supplements” and are regulated under a different set of rules. For this reason, it is important to do some research before choosing the appropriate herbal or mineral supplement for a particular diet.

When considering which supplements might be appropriate, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine can be an excellent resource. In addition, the herbal supplements manufacturer or mineral supplements distributor should be able to answer questions regarding their products.

Another method consumers have in protecting their health is to be cautious. When taking a particular mineral supplement, for example, the user should follow the recommended dosages, keep a record of what is being taken along with the benefits and any side effects experienced. In addition, supplements produced outside of the U.S. may not be held to any FDA regulations and can contain ingredients not considered safe by FDA standards. The NCCAM keeps a list of supplements that are currently under review, so double checking this resource helps the consumer avoid questionable choices.

The addition of both herbal supplements and mineral supplements to one’s diet can have considerable benefits. With a little common sense and a desire for safety, herbal supplements can offer a natural alternative to many pharmaceuticals on the market today.

Green Tea and the Health Benefits of Herbal Tea

Hundreds of studies have been conducted to determine just how and why green tea and various types of herbal tea seem to make such a difference in health and wellness.

Herbal tea is often used medicinally by those who prefer a more natural approach to health. It is believed that an upset stomach can be calmed by a cup of strong peppermint tea and sleeplessness overcome with a dose of chamomile tea. It is even thought that various herbal teas, green tea among them, have the ability to prevent cancer. Just the act of brewing and drinking a cup of herbal tea can be calming, as the aromas delight the drinker and the warm liquid soothes the throat.

Green tea is probably the most well-known and studied herbal tea. Sources ranging from The Journal of the National Cancer Institute to the Mayo Clinic have found exceptional benefits to green tea and its components. Coupled with thousands of years of documented anecdotes, the health benefits of herbal tea are compelling. In addition to potentially preventing cancer, green tea has also been credited with lowering the risk for heart disease, lessening symptoms of arthritis, preventing tooth decay, promoting natural weight loss and even eliminating bad breath.

Green tea is made from the Camellia Sinensis bush, but herbal tea will include other botanical elements, including leaves, roots, stems, and even the flowers of various plants. It is possible to make "tea" that doesn’t use Camellia Sinensis at all, although this would more accurately be referred to as an “herbal infusion” or “tisane” rather than an herbal tea.

What Are Natural Antioxidants and Why Do You Need Them?

To better appreciate natural antioxidants, it is helpful to understand a bit more about how human digestion works. As compounds are broken down in the body, they are transformed into energy and various substances. Some of these substances do damage, and that’s where natural antioxidants can be beneficial.

Oxygen is the key in the process of breaking down food, which is why the resulting molecules are considered to be “oxidized.” Through various processes, the oxygen in a molecule loses electrons. This results in a positively charged molecule that steals electrons from other molecules in order to try and rebalance its own neutral state. Some of these molecules or partial molecules go on to cause significant damage if they’re not neutralized. That is where natural antioxidants come into play.

The positively charged molecules created during the oxidation process are called “free radicals,” and as they seek out electrons, they damage cells within the body. These cells then die or become poisoned. Antioxidants are able to neutralize these free radicals before they are able to set off chain reactions that damage and kill cells. Some natural antioxidants also have the job of repairing this type of damage once it has already been done.

The body helps to regulate some of this by creating its own antioxidants, such as catalase and glutathione perixidas. We are also able to introduce additional antioxidants through the diet. Unfortunately, modern diets generally offer a very low level of antioxidants. The best sources for the most potent natural antioxidants are whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

Whole Food Vitamins are Vital for Pregnancy Nutrition

When it comes to pregnancy nutrition, mothers-to-be should consider supplementing with whole food vitamins. These types of vitamins are extracted from natural sources rather than chemically engineered, and the result is better pregnancy nutrition before conception, during fetal development and after childbirth.

By eating a balanced diet, expectant mothers are able to extract the necessary daily requirements of vitamins, minerals, fats, and energy sources needed to keep their bodies running the way they were intended to work. The unfortunate truth is that many women don’t eat a properly balanced diet any more, which accentuates the need for specialized pregnancy nutrition. Adding supplements such as whole food vitamins allows expectant mothers to regain some of those essential compounds that may be missing from the processed foods most people eat every day.

Whole food vitamins utilize sources found in nature, rather than synthesized compounds. The advantage, whether as a part of pregnancy nutrition or not, is that they are more easily absorbed and utilized by the body. The best places to find health-sustaining whole food nutrients is through a diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but few people actually get enough of these foods in their day-to-day regimens.

Naturally occurring whole food vitamins come from fruits, vegetables, and food grade herbs. Because the body recognize these compounds—as opposed to synthetic or isolated vitamins—it knows how to put them to use. In the case of vitamins that have been isolated from their whole food sources or even created in the lab, as much as 90% of them pass directly through the body with no actual benefit. Making whole food vitamins a part of an overall pregnancy nutrition regimen helps ensure that the nutrients are actually being absorbed and used for the health of both the baby and the mother.

Related Articles:
Perfect Pregnancy Nutrition Begins With All Natural Whole Foods

Healthy Pregnancy Nutrition Requires Nutrition Facts About Whole Foods

All Natural Foods and Natural Weight Loss - 5 Simple Tips for A Perfectly Balanced Diet

Slim Fast Recall Reveals Poor Ingredients

Once again, the recall of a popular weight loss product reveals that foods and drinks made with cheap ingredients create more harm than good.

All Slim-Fast beverages have been recalled by the manufacturer due to possible contamination from unhealthy bacteria, Bacillus cereus. A notice posted on the FDA website explains, "The recall involves all Slim-Fast RTD products in cans, regardless of flavor, Best-By date, lot code or UPC number."

Here's more on this topic with an excerpt from an article by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger and editor of NaturalNews.com

"The probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote," says the FDA. But they mean from the bacteria. The possibility of serious adverse health consequences from the other ingredients in Slim-Fast is a whole different matter.

Of course, in my opinion Slim-Fast should have been recalled long ago for false advertising. Any drink positioned as a weight loss beverage that's made primarily with sugar water should probably be banned from being sold even when it's not contaminated with bacteria.

Beverages like Slim-Fast and Ensure are only really consumed by the most uninformed, nutritionally-ignorant consumers -- people who don't read ingredients and probably wouldn't understand them even if they did. Primarily, these drinks are sugar water and milk proteins, combined with a few synthetic vitamins and low-grade minerals. They are, in every way, "junk food beverages" that offer absolutely no slimming or weight loss benefits whatsoever. They're really more like a warm milkshake in a can than any kind of health beverage.

If we could all lose weight by drinking milkshakes and sugar water, America would already be the fittest country in the world!

By the way, if you do own some Slim-Fast (and please tell me you don't), and if there is some Bacillus cereus swimming around in those cans, you might find it interesting to note the bacteria is the only thing alive in Slim-Fast! That's because Slim-Fast is a dead food. Every one of its ingredients has been pasteurized, processed, refined, cooked or otherwise destroyed of any living properties, making Slim-Fast just like all the other processed dead foods sold in grocery stores -- dead and devoid of any real phytonutrients, but loaded with cheap, dead ingredients like milk and sugar.

Read the rest of the article...

So, as this reveals, you can shop for health food items that save money, but when cheap ingredients are used, your health suffers. Is it really worth saving a couple bucks to buy products that, at best, don’t work, and at worst, make you sick? Better ingredients equal greater benefits for your health and fitness.

Vegetarian Foods with Live Enzymes are Powerful for the Body

Eating more vegetarian foods can be quite powerful for the body when live enzymes are present. Enzymes are needed to digest food, but many of the things humans ingest don’t contain any of their own. This means that the body has to work even harder to break these foods down into usable components. Those who consume mostly raw fruits, vegetables, herbs and juices are using the power of live enzymes to create plenty of benefits for themselves.

Because the live enzymes in some vegetarian foods work synergistically with the body’s digestive system, less energy is used to break the foods down. The body doesn’t have to work as long or as hard to do the same job. This means that more energy is created with less food and fewer calories.

Of course, live enzymes aren’t the only benefits of more vegetarian foods. As mentioned, these foods generally offer more vitamins and minerals than their counterparts. They also provide an excellent, natural source of dietary fiber. Fiber is generally made up of plant material that the body cannot digest. While it seems counter intuitive to eat something indigestible, it actually serves a couple vital purposes.

Fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which allows for more balanced blood sugar levels between meals. In addition, the fiber provided by so many vegetarian foods also helps to keep the digestive tract free of unwanted toxins and debris.

It’s no secret that vegetarian foods offer a number of health benefits, and live enzymes play an important role.

Natural Foods with Complex Carbohydrates Fuel the Body Most Efficiently

Complex carbohydrates are abundant in a variety of natural foods that fuel the body. However, not all carbs are created equal. Simple carbohydrates, such as fructose, galactose, glucose, and sucrose, don’t offer the same benefits. While some of these simple carbohydrates, like fructose, occur in natural foods, others are completely man-made and only cause blood sugar imbalances.

Simple sugars are often found in processed foods like candy, fruit juices, soda pop, white breads and pastas. While choosing natural foods with complex carbohydrates works to regulate blood sugar and energy levels, eating processed foods full of simple sugars can contribute to diabetes and fatigue. Produce like fruits and vegetables are a great option, as are grains, nuts, and seeds. Other types of food that offer this starchy goodness include breads, cereals, and pasta made from whole grains.

Fiber found in many of the natural foods that are rich with complex carbohydrates plays an important part in how well your body performs, because it cannot be fully digested. Instead, it works to slow down the absorption of sugar molecules. The results are more consistent energy and blood sugar levels.

More healthy sources of complex carbohydrates include:

• Legumes
• Oatmeal
• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Barley

Because of changes in farming practices, air and soil quality, and numerous other factors, even our natural foods don’t pack the nutritional punch that they once did. That is why pre-packaged, concentrated whole food formulas loaded with healthy complex carbohydrates can be extremely beneficial.

3 Diet Tips for Natural Weight Loss

These 3 diet tips are vital to success with any natural weight loss program.

1. Eat breakfast.

The Weight Control Registry, which tracks more than 5000 people who have lost 30 pounds and kept them off for at least a year, shows that most people who experience natural weight loss take the time to fuel up every morning. Studies indicate that people who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Natural weight loss occurs as the body adjusts to more calories in the morning and fewer calories afterward. So, this is one of those crucial diet tips that must be adhered to for best results.

2. Start each meal with soup, salad or fruit.

These foods are essential for natural weight loss because they are filled with water and fiber. Diet tips like this can be difficult to follow, but worthwhile. A study from Penn State University found that people who used two 10 ½ ounce servings of broth based soup each day for a year, lost 50 % more weight than those who consumed the same number of calories from low-fat, healthy snacks. Rachel Brandeis, R.D., of Atlanta, reports that eating 3 cups of green salad with fat-free dressing cut the number of calories people consumed at a meal by 12%. So, starting a meal with high fiber foods is one of the best diet tips you can follow.

3. Keep unhealthy foods out of sight.

This is one of those absolutely vital diet tips for natural weight loss. “Cravings are often fleeting, and if you have to leave the house to go get ice cream, you’ll be less likely to do it,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. By taking these diet tips seriously and eliminating unhealthy foods from the house, the foundation for natural weight loss is solid.

Complex Carbohydrates from Natural Foods are Necessary for Optimum Nutrition

Complex carbohydrates are necessary for optimum nutrition and natural foods offer the best way to consume them. Humans need carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. All of these essential elements are present in whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

When natural foods account for the largest part of the diet, then weight management and natural weight loss are easier to achieve. Complex carbohydrates take longer to burn, which means they provide more long term satisfaction of hunger and more long lasting energy.

Some low carb diet fanatics believe they should avoid all carbohydrates, but this is just not healthy. Complex carbohydrates from natural foods are essential for energy and proper brain function. Simple carbohydrates do occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, but in much smaller amounts than in products like cookies, candy and ice cream. Some high starch foods such as corn, potatoes and whole grains include even more complex carbohydrates. That’s why these natural foods provide long lasting energy without the sugar spikes associated with simple carbohydrates.

At least half of the calories consumed each day should be in the form of complex carbohydrates. That’s hard for some people to achieve when they don’t like to est fruits, vegetables or whole grains very often. Fortunately, there are now advanced formulas that provide plenty of nutrition. Search the net for concentrated natural foods and find healthy products not found in the usual places.

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.