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A macrobiotic diet is a diet formulated by the belief that food, and the quality of food, has an affect on a person’s life on a greater extent than most people realize. Practitioners of a macrobiotic diet believe that food has an affect on health, as well as happiness and well being. Those who follow a macrobiotic diet believe that natural foods with little to no processing are the best choice of food. In addition, they believe in using traditional methods of cooking and they enjoy cooking for themselves, as well as for family and friends.

Literally translated, macrobiotics means “great life.” Physicians and philosophers from around the world have associated macrobiotics with living in harmony with nature while eating a simple and balanced diet. In the 1920’s, George Ohsawa, who founded the modern form of macrobiotics, claimed to have cured himself from a serious illness by changing his diet.

Ohsawa believed in the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang. They yin represents outward centrifugal movement and the yang represents inward centrifugal movement. Yin and yang are always opposite, with yin being sweet, cold, and passive and with yang being salty, hot, and aggressive. In a macrobiotic diet, the yin and yang need to be kept in balance for good health.

Because this balance of the yin and yang is at the core of the macrobiotic diet, foods are all classified as one or the other. This division is in accordance with their properties, tastes, and effects on the body.

Grains and vegetables are not strong in either yin or yang. Therefore, they are especially important in the macrobiotic diet. These more neutral types of foods make it easier to maintain balance of yin and yang and these foods that are extremes in either yin or yang or to be avoided in the macrobiotic diet.

All foods included in the macrobiotic diet must be organically grown. Whole grains, such as barley, brown rice, oats, millets, rye, core, buckwheat and whole wheat are thought to be the most balanced of foods in a macrobiotic diet. Therefore, these foods make up about 50 to 60% of the macrobiotic practitioner’s diet. Whole grains are the preferred type of grain in a macrobiotic diet, but small portions of bread and pasta derived from refined flour are acceptable.

Fresh vegetables make up approximately 25 to 30% of the macrobiotic diet. Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, collards, turnips, mustard greens, turnip greens, radish, onion, butternut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin are the primary vegetables to be included in a macrobiotic diet. Iceberg lettuce, celery, snow peas, mushrooms, and string beans are to be included in the diet only two or three times per week. In a macrobiotic diet, these vegetables are to be prepared by either being steamed lightly or being saut

To illustrate just how important the quality of the food you ingest on a daily basis is, just imagine your body as a perfect engine (Which it is!) food is the fuel you feed it to enable it to achieve peak performance. The cleaner and purer the fuel, the better and smoother the engine’s performance. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

In the same way that some foods slow our body engine down, creating deposits which interfere with the smooth running of the various parts. Other foods we eat can actually act as “engine cleaners and boosters” these are the ones we call detox foods. Fortunately, they are abundantly available in nature, and anyone can have access to them.

New discoveries are being made every day on previously unknown properties and benefits some of our common foods possess. However, the ones listed in this article have undeniably proven their positive role in cleansing our engine and boosting its power.

Why detox?

Toxin build-up has become more of a concern in the twenty first century than ever before. Industrial and technological progress has resulted in many new and stronger chemicals, air and water pollution, radiation and nuclear contamination. Due to medical advancement we are using more drugs that promise to rid us of our various day-to-day ailments. We eat a higher percentage of refined foods, and stress is leading us to abuse our bodies with stimulants or sedatives.

Two of the main toxicity diseases are cancer and cardiovascular disease and they are happening to an alarmingly higher percentage of the population today. Others include arthritis, allergies, obesity, and many skin problems. Many common symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, muscular pain, cough, gastrointestinal problems and immune system weakness, can all be attributed to toxic overload.

Accumulated toxins in the body range from undigested organic matter, to metallic deposits such as lead, mercury, copper and aluminium we ingest through food and air. Environmental toxins, as well as those emitted by household furnishings accumulate in our body. Free radicals are also considered biochemical toxins and stress causes great toxicity in the body.

One thing is certain we are all in contact with toxins on a daily basis.

Fortunately nature seems to have an answer to this problem it comes in the form of foods.

Detox foods

Garlic

Garlic has been used for its beneficial effects for thousands of years. It is a blood cleanser, a natural antibiotic it also reduces blood fats thinning the blood and lowering blood pressure.

To avoid the lingering smell when you eat raw garlic, simply peel the garlic clove, cut it lengthways and remove the heart stem (which is sometimes green). If you prefer to avoid the smell of garlic altogether, there is a multitude of garlic supplements in the health food shops to choose from.

Coriander (Cilantro)

Some studies have shown that the leaves of the coriander plant can accelerate the excretion of mercury, lead and aluminium from the body.

This delicious herb, when added to food, can greatly contribute in the detox process. It is available all year round. You can use it instead of basil to make a delicious coriander pesto.

Mix fresh coriander leaves (about 25 stems) with 1/2 a cup of pine nuts, 1 clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons of lemon and 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a blender until you get a smooth paste (you can make the paste less lumpy by adding hot water). It’s very tasty with pasta or as an accompaniment to vegetables or fish.

Other detoxifying roots and herbs include:

Echinacea: A lymphatic cleanser

Dandelion root: A tonic, a liver and blood cleanser, diuretic and filters toxins

Cayenne pepper: Purifies the blood, increases fluid elimination and encourages sweating

Ginger root: Stimulates blood circulation and sweating

Liquorice root: Is a potent detoxifier it also balances biochemical functions and acts as a mild laxative

Parsley leaf: A diuretic it flushes the kidneys

Red clover blossoms: A blood cleanser that’s very useful during convalescence and recovery.

Fresh Vegetables

Great detox vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli sprouts and onions. Artichokes are well known for their liver detoxifying properties. Also recommended are beetroot and red and green vegetables.

Fresh Fruit

All fresh fruit is good for detox provided it is eaten on its own, not before, with, or after food. A fresh fruit or fruits juice fasting is often recommended for a short (3-day) fast to cleanse and detoxify.

Fruit can be fresh, frozen or dried. It includes apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, bananas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, melon, sultanas nectarines and peaches.

Randa Khalil
Author
Detox Bath
Ebook published by Dream Team Publishing UK
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Important! Read this before you buy another vitamin-mineral or nutritional supplement product. This information is vitally important to your health. All vitamin supplements are not the same. AND there is no one supplement that is good for everyone. If anyone ever tells you that theirs is the one supplement that everyone needs, run, don’t walk and don’t look back.

How do you choose the vitamin-mineral and nutritional supplements that you take? Or maybe you don’t take any because you’re so overwhelmed by the choices and you don’t know which to choose.

One product claims it’s “the most comprehensive answer to the body’s need for life-giving nutrients.” It has “100’s of healthy nutrients from all natural whole-food sources.”

Another company says they produce the “highest quality nutritional … products available” that “make you feel and look wonderful.”

Still another company boasts “an exclusive line of cutting-edge nutritional products” that are “quality, wellness and life-enhancing.”

Then there’s the product that states it “has a total of 165 nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and whole food extracts” which gives you “a more complete and broad spectrum of ingredients [and] faster absorption…”

These are only a few of the claims made for nutritional supplement products available today. There are hundreds of different vitamin-mineral and nutritional supplement products competing for your dollar.

So, how do you choose?

Maybe you’ve heard someone say what fantastic results they got from taking a specific product. You tried it and you didn’t feel any different. Perhaps you did this a few times, with several different products, and still you got no results. You might even have gotten discouraged and decided that vitamin supplements just don’t work. Or quite possibly you continued to take them simply because you felt you needed to, to be healthy, even though it didn’t make you feel any different.

Why do some people get such fantastic results that they rave about it to everyone who will listen and some people don’t get any results at all … with the same product?

It all boils down to biochemical individuality. In other words individual differences. Those who get the most dramatic results are generally the most deficient in the nutrients that product provides. They had deficiencies the product corrected. And why didn’t you feel any different? Because the nutrients in that product were not the right nutrients for your body or they weren’t in the right proportions.

Not everybody needs the same vitamin and mineral combinations in the same proportions. But everyone needs certain amounts of vitamins and minerals to be healthy. Vitamins and minerals are essential to life. And with the nutrient deficient soils our foods are grown on, most people don’t get enough nutrients from their food alone to be truly healthy. Even the American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that every adult take a vitamin/mineral supplement daily.

So how do you choose a good quality supplement that will give you all the nutrients that you need?

First, let’s take a look at some facts that you need to know about how vitamins and minerals work in your body.

1. Vitamins and minerals work together. They need to be taken in the right proportions to be effective. For example, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, in the right proportions, work together to keep your bones strong.
2. If you take too much of one nutrient, it can cause deficiencies in other nutrients. For instance, if you take too much calcium, it can cause your body to absorb less magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. Too much vitamin C can cause a copper deficiency.
3. Taking too much of some nutrients can cause the same symptoms as a deficiency of that same nutrient. This happens with calcium, zinc and vitamin C.

Your personal needs are also dependent upon your metabolism.

Is your metabolism fast or slow? Certain nutrients speed up your metabolism and others slow it down. If you have a fast metabolism, you don’t want to be taking nutrients that speed it up even more. If your metabolism is slow, you shouldn’t be taking nutrients that slow it down. You want a nutritional product that will balance your unique body chemistry.

Choosing the right nutritional supplement sounds complicated, but it’s not. It can really be quite easy.

You see, your hair holds the key. It contains the blueprint of the mineral balance in the tissues of your body, past and present. And because minerals interact not only with each other but also with vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, the mineral status also gives you information on your vitamin needs as well.

Your hair gives you a good picture of your body’s nutrient needs. When you have a hair mineral analysis test, there’s no guessing, no trial and error. With proper interpretation of the results, you know what’s in balance in your body, what’s out of balance and what your body needs. And with the proper selection of nutritional products based upon the results of your hair analysis, you will get the nutrients your body needs.

(c) 2006 Christine H. Farlow, D.C. Find out more about how hair analysis can help you choose the right supplements for your unique nutritional needs at HealthyEatingAdvisor.com

Looking for a way to lift your mood and treat headaches? To lower your risk of Parkinson’s, diabetes, and colon cancer? One that could even lower your risk of cavities?

It’s not too good to be true: coffee consumption appears to lower the risk for several diseases. And, what’s even more exciting, the more you drink, the greater the health benefits.

I have what might be referred to as a healthy dependence on coffee, particularly in the morning. As a result, I am already aware that coffee is effective for stopping a morning headache and boosting my mood.

And, as the parent of a teen asthmatic, I’ve also seen first hand that coffee is helpful in managing asthma and even controlling attacks when medication is unavailable.

The interesting thing is, new research by Harvard demonstrates that consuming one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. What’s more, having six cups or more each day slashed men’s risk by 54% and women’s by 30% over those who abstain from coffee.

Granted, that is more than most people normally consume. But it does hold out promise that greater research might what is responsible for such positive effects.

The really interesting thing here is that more and more studies are revealing that coffee, particularly in higher amounts, can have very positive effects on overall health. And while there may be some negatives to excessive drinking of coffee, overall, research shows that coffee is far more beneficial than it is harmful.

For example: recent research indicates that regular coffee drinkers are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s. What’s more, several of those research programs were able to demonstrate that the more a person drinks, the lower their risk.

Another great example is that at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones, versus those who do not drink coffee.

So, what’s causing these health benefits?

In all likelihood, it’s the caffeine and the many naturally occurring antioxidants found in coffee beans. Interestingly, the overall potency of many of these anti-oxidants is increased during the roasting process.

Coffee is a significant source of caffeine, and the evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease. The cause of that is directly related to caffeine. As a result, Parkinson’s drugs are currently being developed which contain a derivative of caffeine.

Caffeine is also what helps in treating asthma and headaches. For example, a single dose of many popular pain relievers contains up to 120 milligrams of caffeine, the equivalent to two cups of coffee.

Coffee also has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. These compounds have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. This increased sensitivity improves one’s response to insulin.

The result is that a cup of decaf is also more effective than a cup of tea in reducing diabetes (though only half as much as those drinking caffeinated coffee).

Finally, research in Europe has shown that the compound trigonelline, which is responsible for coffee’s aroma and bitter taste, demonstrates both antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties. Such properties have a direct effect on dental health, helping to prevent dental cavities from forming.

Of course, coffee isn’t perfect. In some people, that magic “jolt” of caffeine can result in nervousness, hand trembling, and rapid heartbeat. Further, pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee.

Nevertheless, the result is that, for people of reasonably normal health, coffee is a reasonably healthy choice and can have health benefits into the future.

Michael Lee-Smith has been researching alternative health techniques for almost seven years. To learn more about the positive health outcomes of a healthy diet, visit http://www.personal-information.info/.

When it comes to eating the most important meal of the day, healthy breakfast foods are key to ensuring the best start of a morning. The foods you eat for breakfast will kick-off the momentum of your day as you use the energy from healthy breakfast selections to hold you over until lunch. Many advantages come from eating healthy breakfast foods, such as increased strength, endurance, weight control, concentration, and focus. Below, you will find five healthy suggestions to get you going in the right direction.

Oatmeal

Not only will oatmeal fill you up, but it also makes the day much easier to tackle with a newfound sense of energy. This naturally supreme breakfast food is cholesterol-free, as well as low in fat and sugar. When it comes to getting the essentials in a diet, oatmeal provides four grams of fiber, as well as five grams of protein per serving. For those trying to boost the health of their heart, the American Heart Association has given oatmeal the official thumbs up. The best oatmeal to select contains 100% whole grain oats.

Fruit: Apples and Bananas, Berries

When pairing low in fat and low in sugar fruits together, you may come closer to satisfying the daily recommended allowances for a wide range of essentials, such as protein and fiber. When it comes to eating one apple, you will consume about 80 calories with a large amount of fiber and protein. Bananas are about 110 calories, offering additional protein, fiber, as well as potassium to your diet. Both healthy breakfast items are also easy to prepare and eat.

For a quick boost of energy in the morning, berries are a delicious treat that are packed with folate, fiber, phytonutrients, as well as vitamin C. In addition to providing just the right start in the morning, fresh berries are also one of the most potent foods that build up a defense against disease. Since preparing berries only require a quick wash and rinse, this breakfast choice makes the perfect companion on an early commute to the job.

Bar Food

Whether you peel back the wrapper of an energy bar, protein bar, or cereal bar, such as Nutrigrain, breakfast food in the form of a bar is a great choice for a morning mini-meal. When extra fat and sugar are absent from the equation, bar food makes a great portable breakfast choice that is quite healthy. Another plus in selecting a cereal bar for breakfast is that there are plenty of fruit choices to choose from.

Yogurt

When you choose your yogurt options carefully, you can supply yourself with a healthy breakfast that offers an array of colorful and fruity selections. Raspberry, black cherry, strawberry, vanilla, blueberry, and lemon are just some of the flavors you will come across. Make sure you read the nutritional facts on the label to make sure you are choosing yogurts that contain the least amount of fat and calories.

Heart Healthy Cereal

Cereals that contain heart-boosting ingredients, such as oats, psyllium, and whole grains are some of the healthiest foods for breakfast because they are high in fiber and low in fat. When shopping for heart healthy cereals, it is important to be on the lookout for key words on the box that highlight 100% wheat or bran, oat bran, or barley ingredients. Whole grain cereals also contain a high amount of B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and iron.

Opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the view of the websites Home page Texas Residential Treatment Center and Texas Drug and Alcohol Rehab which the author would like for you to visit. Sitemap.

Is there a magic pill for athletes that will make them the best? Many search for this magic pill and many offer these magic pills. But the outcome is always the same; there is no magic pill. Everybody knows it but still we all fall into the same trap over and over again. Only by hard work one will reach the top. Reaching the top is just one part, but staying on top is really hard. How can one reach the top and stay on the top? Several factors will determine this like talent, good nutrition, focus, concentration and another factor that some call luck. Here we will be focussing on sports nutrition.

What is the best nutrition for any athlete? That’s hard to say. Different sports and different individual athletes call for an individual approach. Each type of sport has it own physical requirements. Endurance versus sprint, those are very different. Just by looking at the athlete’s you can tell what nutrition’s these athletes need.

What is the best sports nutrition for an athlete? There is no definitive answer to this. No athlete has the same need. It all depends on the physique of an athlete and the kind of sports that he or she is into.

Let’s focus on endurance for now.

Endurance sports test the physical and mental strength of an athlete. If the distance is longer the test will be harder. The marathon runner will suffer during a match. He may face physical pain, in knees, ankles, back pain, and shoulders. During the match he will suffer mentally when he wants to run harder but his body isn’t able to.

When we look at the match the athlete needs to mould his body for the big day. Of course a lot of training is required, but we will stick to nutrition.

Before the match a good solid meal is important. The pre-competition meal should consist of 2/3 of carbohydrates, 1/3 of high quality proteins and some natural fats. Good carbohydrates are pasta’s, but don’t overlook whole-wheat bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, fruits and beans. High quality proteins are lean meat like chicken, turkey, beef, pork, but you can also eat soybeans, eggs, nuts and drink milk. When eating meats don’t prepare them with saturated (from animal products, such as dairy and meat) or ‘trans’ fat (from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in many packaged products). You will find these terms on the package labels. A high quality meal should be something like pasta with fresh tomato sauce prepared with olive oil accompanied by a steamed chicken breast. Look for these kinds of foods and recipes. Soon you will find you own recipes and make delicious and tasty meals that are wonderful for your sport.

The best sports nutrition in endurance sports is hydration. You should be hydrating yourself even a week before the game. This is to keep your body cleansed, fuelled and watered for the coming event.

If you only hydrate yourself on the day of the event, you won’t hold too much water. Most of the liquid that you intake will only seep out through sweat. So, if you want to go to the game in full tank, drink lots of water beforehand.

Add up salty foods to your meal. Salt will help you retain more water in your body.

On the day of competition or just hours before the match you should be eating small quantities of carbohydrates. Many sport nutritionist advice around 50 grams per hour prior to competition. You can find quality carbohydrates in bananas, cereals, low fat milk and energy bars. This will give you the necessary glucose in the muscle and enough energy to run a good race.
After the race you should eat a rich carbohydrate meal to give your body the necessary carbohydrates back.

This will give you an impression what your body may need for endurance training and competition. This is not complete but will give you an idea what will give you some ideas what to eat or drink. Athletes need individual nutritional programs that will fit their specific needs. You should consult a sport physician or sport nutrition specialist for the best program.

Bryan Wong is the owner of the nutrition website
www.GetEasyInfo.com/nutrition > - A great website that shares quality Info, News and TIPS on Nutrition. Get Free good food for athletes recipes at => http://www.GetEasyInfo.com/nutrition