How to Have a Heart Healthy Diet

To keep your heart healthy, you need to choose the right foods. Statistics show that heart disease is one of the major killer diseases in the US and UK, with more than 2500 people dying of heart disease each day in the US alone.

Though the scenario is equally alarming in UK, where coronary heart disease kills well over 100,000 a year, the encouraging news is that simply by making the right lifestyle and diet choices you can protect yourself against heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Following a heart healthy diet can also help you lose weight, and helps maintain your weight at optimum level.

How can a heart healthy diet protect my heart?
To help prevent all the cardiovascular diseases – coronary heart disease, heart attack, angina, stroke - you should pay attention to your blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol, a fatty substance made by the liver, does have various uses in the body, but if its level in your blood is too high then the cholesterol can create plaque deposits on the inner walls of arteries, which then narrow and harden. This hinders the flow of blood, and if an artery becomes completely blocked, preventing blood from flowing to part of the heart, you could end up the victim of a heart attack. High blood cholesterol can also lead to raised blood pressure, as the heart has to work harder to pump the blood through the narrowed arteries.

A heart-healthy diet can help protect your heart by:

* Lowering your cholesterol.
* Keeping your arteries in good shape, free of deposits and flexible.
* Maintaining your blood pressure within the normal range.
* Helping you to lose weight if you need to, and then maintain your weight loss.
* Being good for your general wellbeing, and also protecting you against other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

What constitutes a heart healthy diet?

Here are some guidelines to help you choose a diet that's good for your heart.

* Cut down on saturated fats (from animal products like meat and dairy foods) and trans fats (found in many processed foods). Substitute with vegetable oils such as olive, canola and sunflower.
* Cut down as far on red meat and high-fat animal-derived foods. Get more of your daily proteins from fish, lentils, beans and lower fat meats, such as skinned chicken breast.
* Reduce the amount of high-sugar, high-fat junk foods you eat. Cut them out completely if possible.
* Choose whole grains foods whenever you can. Look for wholewheat pasta, wholemeal bread, whole grain unsweetened breakfast cereals.
* Make sure you get at least five portions a day of fruits and vegetables. Pick a range of colours to get a good variety of nutrients, and try to eat more veg than fruit overall.
* Snack on a handful of nuts and seeds (especially, walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds) daily – they contain a special kind of heart-healthy fats called omega-3 fatty acids, also found in fatty fish and olive oil.
* Sodium is a mineral found in salt, and eating too much of it can raise your blood pressure. The Recommended Daily Amount of sodium in the US is under 2400mg, the amount found in one teaspoon of salt. The RDA of sodium in the UK is lower, at 1600mg. Yet processed foods are often high in salt/sodium, and can easily increase your intake up to four or five teaspoons a day. Read labels for sodium content. A low-sodium food should contain no more than 0.1g sodium per 100g. Avoid high-sodium foods, which could have 0.5g of sodium per 100g or more. Don't add extra salt in cooking, or at the table.
* Cut down on alcohol. Limited intake of red wine is considered healthy.
* Alongside your heart healthy diet, aim to take more exercise, and quit smoking altogether.

Super Foods - the 10 Healthiest Foods

The 10 Healthiest Foods

• 1 Berries
  Berries are extremely rich in antioxidants which help protect the cells in our bodies from diseases like cancer. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and soluble fiber.
• 2 Broccoli
  Broccoli (and other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage) helps fight cancer, especially affecting the breast, colon and lung. It boosts the immune system.
• 3 Citrus Fruits
  The citrus bioflavanoids in oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit have anti-cancer
• 4 Garlic
  Numerous studies have shown that garlic can lower blood pressure and decrease LDL cholesterol (the "bad" one) while increasing the good HDL cholesterol.
• 5 Nuts
  Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that protect us against heart disease. Almonds can also help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
• 6 Oats
  Oats help reduce cholesterol. Oats are also an excellent grain for diabetics as they have less impact on blood sugar levels than some other grains.
• 7 Salmon
  The Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon and other fatty fish may help prevent heart disease and stroke.
• 8 Spinach
  Spinach's secret weapon, lutein, makes it one of the best foods in the world to prevent cataracts, as well as age related macular degeneration, the primary cause of preventable blindness in the elderly.
• 9 Tomatoes
  Tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect against cancer, particular cancer of the prostate.
• 10 Turkey
  Turkey is especially lean and low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. Turkey also contains selenium which has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone.
  

The top 10 healthiest foods, or "super foods", are easy to fit into a healthy diet. By consuming these super foods on a regular basis you can easily gain many health benefits.

Healthy Breakfasts

Ideas for easy, fast healthy breakfasts guaranteed to get your day off to a flying start.

It’s never a good idea to skip breakfast, because you’ll start the day with low blood sugar. Half-way through the morning, your energy and concentration will start to flag – and that’s the moment when you’re most likely to grab a sweet and unhealthy snack to tide you over. So make it a priority, to fix a good breakfast for kids, and for yourself.

For sustaining and healthy breakfasts, choose a combination of protein and carbohydrates, that will help to keep blood sugar consistent until lunchtime. Porridge made with milk is a good choice, but there are lots of other possibilities.

For sustaining and healthy breakfasts, choose a combination of protein and carbohydrates, that will help to keep blood sugar consistent until lunchtime. Porridge made with milk is a good choice, but there are lots of other possibilities.

HEALTHY BREAKFASTS: WEEKDAY CHOICES

Fresh fruit
It’s easy to include a couple of portions of your five a day at breakfast. A glass of fruit juice, or a shake or smoothie made with fruit is one. For another, add chopped fruit to cereal, or enjoy it by itself. Fruit salad is refreshing, especially in summer, or try a dried fruit compote.

Cereals
Many of us turn to cereal out of habit – but always check the pack, and choose a healthy breakfast cereal. Many varieties are laden with sugar and salt, and have very little nutritional value. Try mixing your own muesli blend with oatmeal, whole grains, seeds, nuts and dried fruit, then add fresh fruit. Serve cereal with milk or soy milk, or try pouring on fruit juice, instead. Especially good with muesli.

Porridge
If you’ve 5-10 minutes to spare, make yourself a bowl of creamy porridge. Oats are high in fiber and contain vitamin E and some B vitamins, as well as iron, calcium and other minerals. Using milk in porridge adds more calcium, a mineral that’s vital for women, who often don’t have a high enough intake. Make your porridge even better, by stirring in grated apple, raisins or nuts while it’s cooking.

Dairy
Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk in drinks or on cereal. Soy or oat milk substitutes have a creamy texture which is very pleasant with cereal. They do have a tendency to separate in hot drinks, so let your coffee or tea cool before adding. Live yogurt is a good breakfast food. Choose a low fat variety and top with nuts, seeds or fresh fruit.

Bread and bakery
Wholegrain bread often tastes even better toasted, and is perfect for an easy breakfast. Its rougher texture makes for crisper, tastier toast. Spread with low fat spread and a little jam, honey or peanut or other nut butter. Muffins and pastries are a no-no if you buy them from snack bars or cafes, where they are usually very high in sugar and saturated fat, and quite possibly packed with hydrogenated veg oils into the bargain.

Drinks
Coffee and tea are the traditional choice, and hard to give up if you love them. Stick to decaffeinated if you can. Wean yourself off, by gradually cut down on the number of cups you have during the day. For a zippy start to the day, reach for herb teas or dandelion coffee, or try a slice of lemon in hot water before breakfast to really wake you up.

HEALTHY BREAKFASTS: COOKED

There’s no need to give up on cooked breakfast just because you want to eat healthily. Ok, the traditional fry-up is heavy on fat and salt, but it’s very possible to cut down and still have a hearty breakfast. Try these suggestions:

• Choose low-fat and low-salt sausages and bacon, and grill. Trim most of the fat from bacon.
• Poach, coddle or scramble eggs rather than frying, or try an omelette.
• Toast that slice of bread, rather than frying it, and spread with low-fat spread. Use wholegrain bread rather than white.Slice and poach button mushrooms in milk or a little water. For a crispier finish, buy portabella or flat cap mushrooms, slice, brush with a little oil and bake in the oven or grill. Just gotta fry something? Use olive or sunflower oil rather than butter or lard, and drain foods on kitchen paper to soak up surplus fat before serving.
• Add healthy ingredients to a cooked breakfast – tomatoes, baked beans. Or try fish for brekkie: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.
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ESSENTIAL FAST FOOD FACTS

Fast food, junk food, processed food, ready-meals.

Whatever label you give it, it all comes down to the same thing – food that's been through the factory and had much of its goodness removed. Here are the essential fast food facts you need to know.

Fast Food Facts: 1 – laden with additives

A quick look at any food label will show you a long, long list of ingredients. But what are those food additives, which so often we eat without questioning? Learning to understand and interpret food labels is vital for clued-up shopping, and will help you make informed choices.

Fast Food Facts: 2 – unhealthy ingredients

Processed foods are heavy on horribly unhealthy ingredients, and more often than not are loaded with
fats
sugar
salt
artificial additives

Many of these food additives, can have serious effects on long term health. The fact that many children have diets high in processed foods underlies the massive increase in childhood obesity.

Fast Food Facts: 3 – Essential nutrients missing

It's not just what's in fast foods that's alarming. What fast foods leave out has just as bad an impact on your health. This is what you're missing out on, when you eat processed foods:


Fibre (fiber) Fibre is essential to keep the gut working properly, yet many processed foods are almost totally devoid of it. It was there in the original fresh ingredients, like grain or vegetables, and has been pulverised out of existence by processing methods. Low fibre intake can lead to serious health problems.

Vitamins and minerals Subjecting foods to processing and refining, often at high temperatures, is a very effective way of robbing them of nutritional value. Some processed foods have added vitamins and minerals - often because those that were there to start with have been lost in processing! Others don't even pretend to be worth eating, and have rock-bottom or even non-existent nutritional value.


Fast Food Facts: 4 – Bad for health

These are some of the dire effects on health of diets which rely too much on fast and processed foods:

* Lethal diseases – cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes – are linked with poor diet and overweight.
* Obesity in children and adults is at record levels and continues to increase.
* The lack of certain essential nutrients can cause behavioural problems in children and affect their ability to learn.
* A diet heavy in processed foods can lead to numerous other problems – rotten teeth, dry or spotty skin, bad breath, constipation, digestive problems, headaches, poor concentration, depression, tiredness, anaemia – the list goes on, and on, and on.


Fast Food Facts: 5 – Lacking flavour and texture

Junk foods are bland because processing wipes out subtle differences in flavour, appetising fragrances, delicate aromas. Of course, manufacturers try to hoodwink you into thinking you have a well-flavoured meal in front of you, by adding artificial flavours, colours and aromas. Yet the flavours never taste like food freshly prepared, from fresh and simple ingredients. Does a ready-made curry ever have real depth and balance in the spicing, a pasta dish lift the tastebuds with a fresh, pure tomato sauce, a fruit pie waft the rich, full scent of ripe apricots around the kitchen? I don't think so.

Fast Food Facts: 6 – Not as fresh as they seem

Some processed foods masquerade as fresh – think of bagged salads, which are doused in chlorinated water before packing. But if food has been wrapped or packaged in some way to give it added value, if it's been coated, or marinaded, or in any way processed, then since it was truly fresh it's been through the production chain – factory, holding depot, transport, shelf. It's kept looking good, maybe for days and days on end, by preservatives.

Those are the shocking, but true Fast Food Facts. No wonder so many people want to rethink their diets, and learn more about healthy eating.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Healthy eating and fast food can't exist side by side. As you switch to a healthy diet, one by one the fast foods must go.

* Learn to understand food labels. If you're looking for healthy food, labels hold the key. Read them. Realise how much rubbish is in the foods peddled by supermarkets and fast food outlets. Start seeking out healthier alternatives.

* As you gradually eradicate unhealthy foods from your diet, replace them with simple, fresh, unadulterated foods.

* Invest a little time in your food. Start cooking fresh ingredients, using easy healthy recipes.
* Begin shopping differently, buying fresh foods more frequently, relying less on foods which have a long shelf life because they're full of artificial preservatives, and buying for just one or two meals at a time. Take the quick reference healthy food list with you when you shop. It takes time to adjust, but over a few months, and with planning, you'll find that it's not that time-consuming and, what's more, you're actually enjoying planning, preparing and eating meals far more than when you trudged round the supermarket and couldn't find anything you really wanted to eat.

* In time, processed foods that used to seem appetising will lose their appeal, as your palate becomes attuned to fresher, purer flavours, with less emphasis on sweet/saltiness, and less fattiness.

* Be realistic. Sometimes you'll still have a take-away, a burger, a ready-meal. Relax. Healthy eating is all about balance. As long as most of the time you're eating good, nutritious food, that's fine.

Fattest Nation In The World

Great Britain is the fattest nation in Europe
Government figures show that two-thirds of British men and 60% of women are overweight, and numerous children are heading for obesity. The problem stems from shopping and eating habits, now deeply ingrained and hard to shift. People also fail to take enough exercise, as well as eating unhealthily. The government is targetting children, and wants to halt the continual rise in obesity by 2010. But it's hard to shift eating habits among adults, and the government could well have a struggle on its hands.

Live 3 years longer - eat more fruit and veg

Research in progress at Cambridge University has calculated that eating five portions of fruit and veg a day can increase life expectancy by up to 3 years. Couple that with giving up smoking and taking more exercise, and you could increase your life span by 11 years.Even small additional amount of fruit or veg can make a worthwhile difference, researchers discovered, in their study of 25,000 people aged 45-79 in Norfolk, discovered. People who don't exercise can still benefit, simply by adding an apple or pear to their daily diet.

Americans less healthy than Brits?

I fear this is disturbing news for my pals across the pond, but according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Americans are a darned sight less healthy than Brits. Americans aged 55-64 are up to twice as likely to have diabetes, lung cancer and high blood pressure as their English counterparts, and even the healthiest Americans have disease rates similar to the least healthy groups over here. Oh dear. The cause? A mixture of different healthcare systems, unknown factors - and diet/exercise. This helps explain why my favourite search term 'healthy eating' is tapped into Google three times in the UK, for every one search in the US. Could it be time to check out my healthy eating site, and make some much-needed changes?

Protect kids from junk food ads

UK proposals to control the advertising of junk foods to children were watered down after Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator was lobbed 29 times by the food and advertising industry. Ofcom has now suggested three options, including a ban on junk food ads being shown during programmes aimed at the under 10s. Anti-obesity campaigning groups had hoped for a blanket ban on junk food ads before the 9pm watershed. Which? the consumer watchdog, said that the proposals don't go nearly far enough in tackling childhood obesity, which has doubled in the last decade, saying that "even the toughtest of the weak options proposed by Ofcom would not cover the programmes that children are actually watching."

Health and Nutrition News

Drinking fruit juices reduces risk of developing Alzheimer's disease
So good to hear a piece of news that people can act on, and make a real difference to their health. Research published today in the American Journal of Medicine, reveals that drinking fruit or vegetable juices more than three times a week, reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 76%. This is true even for people who have a genetic disposition towards this devastating illness.

Do fresh fruit and veg really matter?
Five brothers in their 80s claim never to have eaten fresh veg. 'They're a pain,' said one, who never eats peas because he can't get them on the fork. So is medical science wrong? Are fresh fruit and veg a waste of time? All the evidence says no - perhaps these siblings have particularly strong genes, and aren't predisposed to the cancers which fruit and veg protect against. I'm not giving up my five portions for anyone - quite apart from doing some good, they just taste fantastic.

Get More Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

* Breakfast ideas
Slice banana on to cereal, or sprinkle over a handful of berries. Fruitify muesli with half a chopped apple, or some chopped dried apricots or prunes – yes, dried fruits count. Spread mashed banana on to wholewheat toast. Have a glass of fruit juice. Make it more interesting by mixing two types. Whiz up a fruit smoothie with fresh fruits and yoghurt, for a quick, gluggable breakfast.

* Snack sense
Carry fresh fruit and vegetables to cope with snack attacks. Firm varieties, like apples, travel well, or you can pack vegetable sticks – carrot, celery, pepper – or mini fruits like cherries into a little airtight box or ziplock bag. Dried fruits work well, too. A handful of raisins, or a couple of dried apple rings can keep hunger at bay.

* Lunch time suggestions
If you're at home, whip up a quick healthy soup. It takes only a few minutes, and tastes fantastic. Never make a sandwich without adding some salad to it. Put together a nice big mixed salad. Give it substance with avocado, or some cold roasted vegetables. Make your dessert a whole piece of fruit – a succulent pear, a perfectly ripe banana. Try something exotic – a kiwi, a slice of fresh pineapple, a handful of kumquats. Or finish lunch with a crisp slice of watermelon, or a rich and sumptuous piece of mango.

* Dinner time
Add extra fruit and vegetables to meals you already serve. A few tablespoons of sweetcorn on a pizza, steamed broccoli florets on pasta, fruit slices – oranges, peaches – added to salad. Liven up veg by combining two colourful types – baby carrots with peas, chopped cucumber and tomato mixed. Serve raw vegetable sticks as an appetiser, with a low fat dip or homemade hummus. Try some easy healthy apple recipes. If you're in a hurry, buy read-prepared fruit and veg from supermarkets. Fresh fruit salad makes a great dessert, and kids love fruity kebabs.

* Eating out?
You can get fresh fruit and vegetables at restaurants, but watch that they aren't drenched in high-fat dressings or creamy sauces. Look for vegetarian options, or seek out vegetable soups, paninis or wraps. Choose the salad or veg option, rather than the fries, and when you go to the salad bar, pile the veg high, but go easy on the rice and pasta salads, and don't overdo the dressing.

How Much Fresh Fruit and Vegetables to Eat?

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Why? Because there's more and more research to show that they contain essential nutrients to protect your health.

What are the health benefits of fresh fruit and veg? The vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. People whose diet is rich in fresh produce have more energy and are less likely to gain weight. And fruit and veg also help reduce the effects of ageing.

OK, it's convincing. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the biz. But how much is enough? The good news is, that even a small extra amount can make a difference. Cancer Research UK has reported that 'just one apple or orange a day' could cut your risk of dying early from cancer or other diseases by 20%.

But because fresh fruit and vegetables have such a huge range of long-term health benefits, both the UK and USA governments advise people to eat a minimum of five servings or portions a day. It's important to give five portions a day to kids, too.
People are sometimes confused about the size of a fruit and vegetable serving. It's not always that large, and often you can combine two or more portions in a salad, or sandwich filling. Whatever you choose, it's best to go for seasonal fruit and vegetables if you can.

How Much Fresh Fruit and Vegetables to Eat?

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Why? Because there's more and more research to show that they contain essential nutrients to protect your health.

What are the health benefits of fresh fruit and veg? The vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. People whose diet is rich in fresh produce have more energy and are less likely to gain weight. And fruit and veg also help reduce the effects of ageing.

OK, it's convincing. Fresh fruit and vegetables are the biz. But how much is enough? The good news is, that even a small extra amount can make a difference. Cancer Research UK has reported that 'just one apple or orange a day' could cut your risk of dying early from cancer or other diseases by 20%.

But because fresh fruit and vegetables have such a huge range of long-term health benefits, both the UK and USA governments advise people to eat a minimum of five servings or portions a day. It's important to give five portions a day to kids, too.
People are sometimes confused about the size of a fruit and vegetable serving. It's not always that large, and often you can combine two or more portions in a salad, or sandwich filling. Whatever you choose, it's best to go for seasonal fruit and vegetables if you can.

How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

You may have heard about the U.S government recommendation that healthy Americans get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day. But another government report urges twice that amount. So, which plan is for you?

The answer, of course, is "it depends." We'll break that down momentarily. But first, here's some background. The 30-minutes-a-day mandate comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the hour-a-day plan from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, published jointly by the departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture.

The CDC's recommendation is intended to help people achieve and maintain adequate fitness. The Dietary Guidelines have the same goal — as well as to help prevent gradual weight gain.

Health and fitness
Regular exercise can improve overall health and decrease risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other maladies. To reap such benefits, adults should strive for 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week.

For the sedentary, the main challenges are getting started and sticking with exercise long enough to see progress.

"You can start with a few 10-minute periods in the first week and then work up to 30 minutes of continuous activity over 2 or 3 weeks," says Bill Kohl, Ph.D., lead epidemiologist and team leader of the CDC's Physical Activity and Health Unit.

And don't expect an instant transformation of your physique. It will take at least a few weeks for you to notice fat loss or muscle tone improvements. But by starting to exercise, you are laying the foundation for that betterment and taking the all-important first steps.

Exercising for weight maintenance and loss
So far, so good. Now it gets stickier. It's a safe bet that most people fear gradual weight gain. And it's an even safer wager that most of us will not find an hour a day to exercise. We don't dispute the logic in the Dietary Guidelines, but here's a more manageable piece of reality. You can lose weight with less than hour a day of exercise. But how much weight you lose depends on that annoying constant in weight management — how much you eat.

To shed fat, no matter what your exercise level, you must burn more calories than you consume. Shoot for a deficit of around 300 calories a day. That's a safe level that won't leave you gnawing at your coat sleeve or passing out from a lack of nutrition.

Never too old
Elderly people should strive to meet the 30-minutes-a-day mark, says Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, Ph.D., head of the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Those of advancing years may have issues — like low bone density or stiff joints — that limit activity. So, they should adjust their routines to avoid injury. But no matter what the rest of their regimen looks like, older folks should incorporate balance and strength exercises to help lessen their risk of falling.

Just like other newbies, older adults who are sedentary should start out slowly with a moderate-intensity activity like walking. They should begin with 2 or 3 sessions a week that last 10 minutes each.

"The goal is to build activity into their daily lives and get used to that," Chodzko-Zajko says. "Then they can add other components such as strength training and flexibility."

Examples of strength-building activities for older adults include light weight lifting, training with resistance bands and even household chores such as scrubbing the floor. (Not that we're suggesting your floor needs cleaning.) To improve flexibility, older adults should seek activities that lengthen their muscles, like swimming, yoga or basic stretching programs.

Setting the pace
"Moderate intensity is when you feel yourself beginning to perspire, but you could still carry out a conversation," Chodzko-Zajko says. You could achieve this in any variety of activities, from brisk walking, gardening and tennis to house cleaning, swimming and bicycling.

But be honest with yourself about how hard you're working. A light walk around the block or a saunter through the tomato patch that prompts neither sweat nor a quickened heart rate doesn't count as "moderate."

If you're already hitting the 30-minute, moderate-intensity benchmark, you can further boost your fitness — and burn more calories — by bumping up the intensity or extending the length of time of your workouts.

Vigorous activity — one that results in an elevated heartbeat and difficulty in carrying on a conversation — puts more oxygen demands on your body, which means that more calories are mobilized to help shuttle oxygen to your muscles.

We know high-intensity exercise sounds hard — and it is. But the upside is that you can achieve real benefit in less time than if you were working out at a moderate intensity level. For example, take that 30-minute light jog you've been doing. Kick it up a notch, and you're done in 20 minutes. But there's one important caution here. You shouldn't go hard every workout. Varying your workouts — both intensity and range of activities — gives your body the appropriate time to recover and keeps exercise more interesting for you. And once you've established an exercise routine, you should take one full day per week to rest.

Fitting it in
Don't feel you have to block out all your exercise time at once. Numerous studies show that activity in bouts of as little as 10 minutes each — like doing a couple laps up and down the stairs at work — burns calories and enhances fitness. Ideally, you'll do enough to add up to your daily target. But even if you can't, any activity is better than none. Even on the most harried weeks, try to get some exercise on most days. This will help establish a habit, and before long you'll feel antsy on the days you don't exercise.

And if you do miss a few days, don't try to get it all back in one session. There's no evidence that overloading one day to make up for missed workouts yields the same benefits as daily exercise.

Healthy eating tips

A healthy diet should include a good variety of nutritious foods. These include breads, pastas, fruits and vegetables. Eating breakfast is also an important part of a healthy diet.

Healthy diets contain a variety of foods
In general, we should all eat:

• A wide variety of nutritious foods
• Plenty of breads and cereals (particularly wholegrain), vegetables, legumes (such as chickpeas) and fruit
• Low salt foods, and use salt sparingly
• Small amounts of foods which contain added sugars.

Physical activity
A good balance between exercise and food intake is important, as this helps to maintain a healthy body weight. About 30 minutes of physical activity, such as walking, is recommended every day.

Keep fat to a minimum
Adult diets should be low in fat, especially saturated fat. Saturated fat, which is the predominant fat in animal products, is more easily deposited as fat tissue than unsaturated fats. Saturated fat can also be converted into cholesterol and cause blood cholesterol levels to rise.

Small amounts of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats may have some health benefits when they are part of a healthy diet. Polyunsaturated fats are generally thought to lower blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, are thought to have an anti-clotting effect on blood and may lower blood pressure.

Eat less high kilojoule foods
The total amount of energy-dense (high kilojoule) foods you eat may be as important as the total amount of fat in your diet. To reduce the energy density of your diet, you need to increase the amount of plant foods you eat. This will provide essential nutrients, help to make you feel ‘full’ and also reduce the amount of fat in your diet.

Eat foods rich in calcium and iron
It is important for all Australians to eat foods which contain iron and calcium. In particular:

• Calcium – is important for infants, women and girls.
• Iron – is important for women, girls, vegetarians and athletes.

Drink alcohol in moderation
A healthy diet can include a moderate amount of alcohol (men should drink less than two standard drinks per day and women less than one standard drink per day). Alcohol should not be given to children.

Healthy diets for babies and children
Follow these guidelines to help encourage a healthy diet for your infant or child:

• Babies – encourage your baby to breastfeed for the first year of life. In most cases, breastfeeding should be the only source of food in the first six months. If you use formula, be careful not to overfeed or underfeed your baby.
• Sugar – children should eat only a small amount of foods that contain sugar.
• Low fat diets – these are not appropriate for infants and young children under two years of age. A diet low in fat, especially saturated fat, may be considered for older children.
• Drinks – infants and children should be encouraged to choose water as their preferred drink.

Don’t let children skip breakfast
Children who skip breakfast generally have below average nutrition. Their diets contain less:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Dietary fibre
• Vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin.

Skipping breakfast becomes more common as children get older. Some schools have introduced breakfast programs because they were concerned about children who skip breakfast. Children did better in school once the program was introduced.

Tips for easy breakfasts
Here are some easy-to-prepare, healthy breakfast ideas:

• Fresh fruit with wholegrain breakfast cereal and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated).
• Toast with cheese and tomato. Hot or cold reduced fat milk.
• Rolled oats with sultanas and reduced fat milk. Toast with a thin spread of margarine (polyunsaturated or mono-unsaturated). Orange juice.
• Baked beans on toast. Orange juice.

Things to remember

• Calcium and iron are important nutrients in our diets.
• Infants and young children should not be placed on low fat diets.
• Encourage infants and children to choose water as their preferred drink.
• Children will have better nutrition and do better at school if they eat breakfast.

How to Make Exercise Fun

If you're new to exercise, it may not cross your mind that working out is something you'll look forward to. During the first few weeks of exercise, your body and mind may rebel against your new workouts and you may wonder if you'll ever get the hang of it.

Like healthy eating, however, exercise actually becomes easier over time and, eventually, you even look forward to it. Here's what can happen when you make exercise a regular part of your life:

• You'll start to appreciate your body. It doesn't take much time to see improvements in strength and endurance when you start exercising. As you feel that strength grow, you may get excited about your workouts, wondering how much you'll lift next time or how fast you'll walk or run.
• Everything gets easier. Carrying groceries, taking care of kids, going up and down stairs - all of these things get easier and you may even get more done with your new found energy.
• Your confidence grows. The more you work your body, the more your body can do and following through on your exercise goals lets you know you can trust yourself. That self-trust is a key ingredient to a healthy life.
• You'll try things you never imagined. I've seen my clients go from being couch potatoes to running races, hiking up mountains and just enjoying life more. The stronger you get, the more confidence you'll have to branch out.
• You'll be inspired to change other areas of your life. This is exemplified by one of my clients in his 40s. When I met him, he worked up to 16 hours a day. As he started exercising, he looked at other bad habits that affected his energy and stress levels. He cut his hours, hired more people and started to enjoy his family and his life.
• Your health improves. Exercise can help with diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety and high cholesterol, as well as protect your body from some types of cancer.
• Your sex life gets better. Ooh la la! Studies have shown that exercisers have more satisfying sex lives than non-exercisers.
• Your children will have a better chance at being healthy. As with healthy eating, being a good role model when it comes to being active gives your kids the know-how to be active themselves.
• You'll have more energy. You be more alert, focused and an annoyance to all those people in the office who are dragging towards the end of the day.

What's in store for you, if you keep trying your best, is a better life. It may not seem that way in the beginning, which is one reason many people quit before they experience these changes. Any new lifestyle change can seem overwhelming at first, but there is a secret to staying on track: Take it one day at a time, one healthy choice at a time. Stay with it and you'll finally see the bright side of exercise.

How to Make Healthy Eating More Fun

The longer you follow healthy behaviors, the easier they become and the best part is, you actually start to enjoy them. Your first step in getting to that happy place is to change your attitude.

The Party Isn't Over

What does a healthy lifestyle look like? For some people, it looks like a lifestyle without any kind of fun. You have to slog through boring workouts, avoid going out to restaurants and eat twigs and berries. What kind of fun is that? At first, it may look like you have to give up everything to lose weight, but what you gain from those changes is much more meaningful and satisfying. Not only will your body change, but your mind will change as well.

Can You Enjoy Healthy Foods?

Here's what will happen if you keep maintaining that healthy diet:

• Your priorities change. The way your body feels after a healthy meal will become more important to you than the instant pleasure of having something loaded with fat or sugar.
• You'll enjoy healthy food. Take it from the Junk Food Queen I used to be, you can live without chips and Cokes and you'll gladly give those things up once you experience how your body feels after healthier meals.
• You'll still enjoy your favorite foods. The only difference is the frequency. Now, instead of having it several times a week, you might indulge once or twice a month.
• You'll get rid of the guilt. By not indulging every time you want a treat, you'll savor it even more.
• You'll see food in a different light. Food becomes fuel rather than something that controls your life. If you exercise, you'll learn very quickly how food affects your workouts. Eating a heavy, fatty meal makes you tired and your workouts suffer. Soon, you'll want better workouts which will motivate you to eat better.
• You'll become more adventurous. Eating healthy often opens the door to more options than you usually give yourself. You'll try new vegetables and grains and experiment with herbs and flavors you've never tried.
• Your friends and family will benefit. Even if you're the only one eating healthy, those habits rub off on others. Being a good role model for your kids or co-workers is one way to teach them how to live healthy.
• You'll have tools to deal with temptation. Healthy eaters are much better at avoiding the usual pitfalls like party foods or overloaded buffets. They make an effort to eat regular meals so they're not starving, fill up on healthy foods first to eat less of the bad stuff, and choose a few quality treats to enjoy instead of everything in front of them.

These changes come over time, sometimes weeks, months or years of slowly working on your habits and choices. Allowing yourself this time is crucial for permanently changing how you look at food and healthy eating.

The positive changes don't just end there. Your feelings and perspective on exercise change as well.

How Much Exercise Does Your Heart Need?

It's true that regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. The good news is, you don't need intense exercise, or a lot of it, to gain health benefits for your heart.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day of the week for most healthy adults. This level of exercise may improve cholesterol profiles, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Moderate-intensity physical activity includes activities that use large muscle groups and are at least equivalent to brisk walking. In addition to walking, such activities include swimming, cycling, dancing, gardening, yard work, and various domestic and occupational pursuits.

More intense exercise may be necessary to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, whereby you can do more work with less effort. To lose weight, it may be necessary to exercise longer (that is, 60 minutes daily), but the exercise does not have to be intense.

Always consult with a physician before starting any exercise program. People with risk factors or who are over age 40 may require stress testing first. A stress test entails walking on a treadmill at increasing speeds and inclines while your heart rate and rhythm, breathing, and blood pressure are monitored to see how your heart handles the demands of exercise.

Diet Supplements - Do They Work?

Is there such a thing as a natural "energy booster" that really peps you up? Do the so-called "fat-burners" actually work? Will protein powders help you build more muscle? Are there legal "steroid replacements" that mimic the effects of powerful anabolic drugs without the side effects?

These questions have bewildered millions of health conscious consumers for decades. Because we are constantly bombarded by advertising for hundreds of products making outlandish health claims, it has become increasingly difficult to tell what to believe and what not to. A magic pill that gives you a body like Schwarzennegger overnight doesn't exist and it never will, but recent advances in nutrition science have produced some remarkably effective products that are definitely worth considering.

Multi-Vitamin Minerals

A basic multivitamin-mineral is the cornerstone of a solid supplementation program. Unfortunately, most people misunderstand the role vitamins and minerals play in human nutrition. If you think you’re going to get a super-charged energy blast, a decrease in body fat, or a spurt of muscle growth by simply popping a few pills every day, you’re in for a big disappointment. Vitamin and mineral supplements will not burn more fat, build more muscle, increase energy, or improve athletic performance. However, if you are deficient in certain nutrients you will most definitely see a decrease in fitness levels, health and performance.

Today, most people rely heavily on processed, enriched, and refined foods. In addition, high stress levels, strenuous workouts, and missed meals may all contribute to a less than optimal intake of essential nutrients. Under these conditions, it is difficult to guarantee that you're getting everything you need from your food alone. Taking a vitamin and mineral supplement acts as an "insurance policy" against deficiencies so that you can function at optimal levels.

Chromium for example, is a mineral that has been hyped as a fat burner and muscle builder. It's true that Chromium plays a role in fat loss and muscle development as well as in the regulation of blood sugar. However, if your diet isn't deficient in Chromium, taking additional Chromium will probably do little or nothing for you. According to government statistics, many Americans are not getting enough of this important nutrient in their regular diets. The reason for taking the supplement is not because it's a miracle fat burner and muscle builder, but because it's protecting you from deficiency. A good multi-vitamin mineral formula will contain every essential nutrient you need (including the recommended daily dose of 200 mcg of Chromium)

"Fat Burners"

There is no such thing as a pill that simply burns away body fat. Fat loss is primarily a function of negative energy balance (burning more calories than you consume). Even if such a "magic" pill did exist, it would not be a permanent solution to the obesity problem because it would be addressing the symptom (the fat) and not the cause (poor nutrition and lack of activity). Many products advertised today as "fat burners" are utterly worthless frauds.

One category of products that are effective is "thermogenic" agents. These formulas raise body temperature and increase metabolism, thereby burning off calories as heat. The most common ingredients in these products are the natural herbs "Ma Huang," or "ephedra" which contains ephedrine, and "Kola Nut," which contains caffeine. Published, peer-reviewed studies have shown that this combination works synergistically for a thermogenic and a stimulant effect.

Recently, ephedra products were banned by the FDA and they are no longer available for over the counter sale. The banning of ephedra is not a great loss, however, because thermogenic products, although effective stimulants and thermogenics, were not without their drawbacks. Because they are powerful central nervous system stimulants, overuse may cause side effects such as insomnia, heart palpitations, and jitteriness. Long term use can cause adrenal fatigue. Although ephedrine (and ephedra) was relatively safe when compared to prescription drugs and other over the counter drugs, overuse and abuse has been known to cause trips to the emergency room and even death.

Meal Replacement Products (MRP's)

Eating small, frequent meals (five to six per day) speeds up the metabolism, increases energy levels, decreases the chance of fat storage from overfeeding, and allows the body to process more protein and nutrients for muscle growth. With the fast paced, hectic lifestyles that many of us lead, it is often very difficult to eat frequently.

If a crazy schedule makes it hard for you to eat a balanced whole food meal every three hours or so, meal replacement products (MRP’s) are a tremendous convenience. The addition of one or two MRP’s can improve your results by allowing you to maintain your meal frequency and a steady flow of protein and nutrients into your system.

MRP’s are low in calories and fat, and high in protein and essential nutrients. They usually come in convenient single serving packets that you can carry with you if you are on the go. "MET-RX," "Myoplex," and "Labrada's Lean Body" are some of the more well known and popular brands. These products are not intended to take the place of good eating habits, but they are an extremely convenient way to get a "meal" in a hurry.

Protein Supplements

For years a heated debate has raged over whether or not extra protein will boost muscle development. Everyone knows that protein is the raw material for building muscle, but many people do not consume enough protein foods to support muscle growth during periods of intense training.

Since proteins cannot be stored like carbohydrates, it's important to eat a serving of protein such as egg whites, fish, lean meat, or a nonfat dairy product with every meal. If you're already consuming a high quality source of protein with each meal five to six times a day, taking heaps of additional protein probably won’t speed up muscle growth any further. But if you’re one of those people who are not eating enough protein foods in your regular diet, then protein supplements will definitely help.

One of the best types of protein supplement is whey, which is a milk-based protein that has been specially processed (most of the lactose has been removed), and it has one of the highest biological values and utilization rates of all the proteins. Protein powder supplements can be made into shakes or mixed into food such as oatmeal. Consumed with a balanced meal instead of a protein food provides a great convenience for busy people.

"Steroid replacements"

Countless supplements over the years have been touted as "steroid replacements" which supposedly mimic the effects of anabolic drugs. Virtually any product which advertises itself as a "steroid replacement" is a scam. Steroids are drugs, supplements are food; there is a big difference! If any over the counter product did produce the same effects of steroids it would soon be discovered by the FDA who would promptly yank it off the market.

Creatine Monohydrate

While certainly not approaching the effectiveness of steroids, one compound which has been proven effective in enhancing strength is Creatine Monohydrate. Creatine is a metabolite which regenerates ATP, the high powered chemical that supplies energy for the initial seconds of muscle contraction. The effects of Creatine, which have been studied and documented in peer reviewed scientific and medical journals include increased strength, power, muscle mass, recovery time, and weight gain.

Creatine is unquestionably the most popular supplement in the sports nutrition world today and is being used widely by sprinters, bicyclists, football players, boxers, powerlifters, bodybuilders and virtually any athlete who requires strength and power.

In the quest for a better body, everyone seems to be looking for an easy way, but the truth is there is no way to develop a great physique other than good nutrition and outright hard work. Supplements help, but they simply cannot take the place of good eating habits and hard training. Instead of looking for a magic elixir, you should first start paying more attention to proper nutrition and training. Once you’ve established a sound nutrition program and a consistent training regimen, then try adding some of the supplements we’ve discussed and they might just give you that slight edge that you’re looking for.

3 Day Diet

The 3 Day Diet is one of the most popular short-term fat diets around today. Many people adopt the diet to try and achieve short-term weight loss. However, unfortunately most people simply gain the weight back on again.

The 3 Day Diet is simply a low calorie diet (as can be seen by the meal plan). There is nothing magical - no mystical chemical reaction that goes on (as some seem to think). Weight loss is due to a sudden drop in calories - some of this may be fat - but most will be from water loss.

3 Day Diet Meal Plan

DAY 1
Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water 1/2 Grapefruit or Juice 1 slice toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter	1/2 Cup of Tuna 1 slice toast Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water	3 oz. any lean meat 1 cup green beans 1 cup carrots 1 cup vanilla ice cream 1 medium apple Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water
DAY 2
Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water 1 egg (any style) 1 slice toast 1 banana	1 cup cottage cheese or tuna 5 saltine crackers Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water	2 beef franks or hot dogs 1/2 cup carrots 1 banana 1 cup broccoli or cabbage 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water
DAY 3
Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water 5 regular saltine crackers 1 oz.(slice) cheddar cheese 1 apple	1 hard boiled egg 1 slice toast Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water	1 cup tuna 1 cup carrots 1 cup cauliflower 1 cup melon 1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream Black coffee or tea (Sweet & Low or Equal) or water