Discover these tips on nutrition for sport and a healthy living

The sport and healthy life diet must have two basic components;
Enough fuel to meet training and sport demands
Essential nutrients for a good healthy life

Nutrients

Carbohydrate - for energy
Fat - for energy
Protein - for growth and repair of tissue
Vitamins - for growth and repair of tissue
Minerals - for regulation of body processes
Dietary Fibre - for regulation of body processes
Water - for regulation of body processes

Carbohydrates
There are two main types of carbohydrates
complex:
Breads, rice, cereals, pasta, biscuits, potatoes, peas, sweetcorn,parsnip,carrots,dried beans and lentils,fruit, milk and yogurt.
Simple:
Sugar, honey, jams, marmalade's, confectionery, cakes, soft drinks and cordials, sweet biscuits and flavoured mineral water.
Complex carbohydrates also contain vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre and are therefore better for you.
Simple carbohydrates are high sugar content and high in fat content.

Fat
A small amount of dietary fat is necessary for good health.
It is recommended that the amount of fat in the diet be kept to 25% to 30% of total kilojoules consumed.
Sources of dietary fat; cream, sour cream, butter, margarine's, full cream milk, cheese, ice-cream, yogurt, nuts, chocolate and snack foods.

Protein
Protein is essential for building and maintaining the body's tissues, such as muscles, skin, hair and blood. Protein also helps in the formation of antibodies.
The basic units of protein are called amino acids , 9 of these cannot be produced by the body and so must be consumed in the diet.The recommended daily amount of body weight.Sources of protein are; lean meat, eggs, dairy produce, fish and poultry, vegetables, nuts, bread,rice, etc.

Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins C, B, folate, pantothenic acid and biotin are easily passed by the body and so need to be included in the daily diet. Vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the fatty tissues of the body and therefore can accumulate over time if an excess is consumed.

Minerals are required for nerve transmission and muscle contraction.
The two most important minerals are iron and calcium.
Sources of iron are; lean red meat, liver and green leafy vegetables.
Sources of calcium are; low fat dairy foods.
(To increase calcium retention, minimise caffeine and salt intake.)
Vitamin and Mineral tablets should only be used if your diet does not contain enough.

Dietary Fibre
Dietary fibre consists of plant material such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, polysaccharides, gums, mucilage and lignin.
These are found in wholegrain cereals,fruit,vegetables, nuts and legumes.
dietary fibre slows down the release of sugars from food and gives a move sustained release of energy.

Water
Water is essential for the body to function properly.
Water is passed regularly by the body and through the lungs and skin, so it needs to be replaced.
Thirst is not a good indicator to replace water lost through exercise.
It is recommended that you drink 2litres of water a day.

A health and fitness program

To ensure that you have a good health and fitness program you need to consider a few key elements to include.
Prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts and informed choices The dimensions of health can encompass "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity"

Where do you start I hear you ask??
Well the first stage is to look at the hear and now.
What can you do for exercise now and very important what do you eat now.
Once you know this you can then plan your health and fitness program and set you goals.
Looking into are diets can, and will surprise us and sometimes we need to fix our diets before hitting the Gym.
Lets start with diet, you need to plan to eat good quality food low in fat but good in vitamins, nutrients and protein. One suggestion for this is is homecooked food. You know whats in it, and can use the best fresh ingredients. Homecooked bread, cakes and meals will all be better for you than the unhealthy supermarket food thats out there.(cakes was put in there for the sweet tooths out there like me)and cooking more will help you check your eating the right food.
There are many online, offline resources to help you plan this.
Next lets start with exercise, plan what you know you can achieve to keep it simple.
As you achieve this plan and gain fitness add more staminer exercises.
Again you can find resources out there to help you make you plan.
Finally make a master plan you can achieve, set goals and stick to them.
With a plan for a diet and excercise program designed by you, achieveing fitness will be easier.
Everyone is different so keeping fit is down to you
Good Luck

Health benefits of drinking freshly made juices

Health benefits of drinking freshly made juices

Freshly made juices are a tremendous source of bio-available vitamins and minerals which are the partners of enzymes and co-enzymes. Vitamins activate enzymes and without vitamins, enzymes could not carry out their work, and we could not live.

Enzymes act as catalysts in hundreds of thousands of chemical reactions that take place throughout your body, and are essential for digesting, absorbing and converting food into body tissue. Enzymes produce energy at the cellular level and are critical for most of the metabolic activities taking place in your body every second of every day.

Another benefit of drinking fresh juices and smoothies is that your body can absorb MORE of the vitamins and minerals then if you were to eat the fruits and vegetables whole! Many of the nutrients are TRAPPED in the fiber and by blending fruits and vegetables, you break down the fiber and release the vital nutrients.

Example:
When you eat a raw carrot, you are only able to assimilate a small percentage of the available beta carotene. When a carrot is juiced, removing the fiber, a LARGE percentage of the beta carotene can be assimilated by your body.

Of course, you still need to eat whole produce because fiber is also an important part of your daily diet.

Meeting you or your children's need for energy and nutrients is essential for good health. Children who do not meet their needs for energy may stop growing and gaining weight. In severe situations, they can develop a condition which is life threatening called protein energy malnutrition. Vitamins and minerals are only required in very small amounts, but a diet insufficient in these can cause SEVERE deficiency diseases.

You may be showing signs of malnutrition if you ...

• feel tired and weak.
• feel like you never have the energy to clean your home, make meals or even do the dishes.
• have difficulty losing or gaining weight.
• can't easily get to sleep.
• feel stressed and/or nervous.
• feel drowsy during the day.
• sometimes can't concentrate, you're mind feels numb, or you get confused easily.
• have problems with your digestion.
• have constipation and/or hard dry stools.
• have mood swings, or get easily upset.
• don't have patience for anything.
• sometimes feel depressed.
• have overly dry or oily skin.
• sometimes have nausea and/or abdominal pain.
• have annoying eye twitches.
• bruise easily.
• have muscle cramps and/or low back pain.
• sometimes get cracks and sores in the corners of your mouth.
• notice that your nails have become thin and/or brittle.
• are losing your hair.
• have water retention.
• have uncontrollable temper outbursts.
• don't eat a well-balanced nutritious diet EVERY DAY

Natural vitamins in juice

Natural vitamins are found only in living things, that is, plants and animals. Your body, with a few exceptions, can't manufacture vitamins. They must be supplied in your food or in dietary supplements but supplements can't replace food, especially fruits and vegetables which provide thousands of substances, some of which have well-known functions, and some whose roles in the human body are not yet understood or recognized.

Vitamins and minerals ...

• reduce your risk of getting a stroke or heart attack!
• strengthen your nails!
• improve your hair condition, strength and growth by providing certain essential nutrients to the hair follicle!
• beautify your skin by keeping it smooth, soft and disease-free!
• provide essential compounds that are necessary for growth, health, normal metabolism and physical well-being! Without them, you would die!
• promote normal growth and development!
• maintain bone density and strength!
• regulate blood clotting!
• help in the function of nerves and muscles, including regulating a normal heart beat!

When it comes to choosing a healthy diet for their children, many parents don't realize the important role that beverages play. For example, fruit flavored drinks and soft drinks are not a substitute for real fruit. Many of these drinks only contain 10% real fruit juice. The very best drinks are made from whole fruit and you can make great fruity healthy drinks at home.

How to make homemade fruit and vegetable juices:

1. You'll need an inexpensive juice machine.
   
2. All fruits and vegetables should be juiced raw.
   
3. Small seeded fruit, such as watermelon and pears, may be juiced with their seeds, with the exception of papaya and apple seeds. Orange and grapefruit seeds might impart a bitter taste to your juice. Remove the large pits from fruits like peaches and nectarines, etc.
   
4. Peel all fruits and vegetables that are not organically grown because the peel is where most of the chemical residues can be found. While most skins of organically grown fruits and vegetables may be left on, with the exception of waxed produce, the skins of pineapples, kiwis, oranges, grapefruits and papaya should be removed.
   
5. Choose fresh ripe produce. Rubbery vegetables, bruised fruit, wilted greens and over or under-ripe fruits will produce juices that are neither tasty nor healthful.
   
6. Cut the fruits or vegetables into pieces that will fit into the mouth of your juice machine. Turn the juice machine on and push the pieces through the mouth of the juicer. As you juice, pulp will collect in a large receptacle. If you don't clean the pulp out right away, it will develop a sour odor and tiny gnats and fruit flies may appear after 8 to 10 hours.
   
7. It is best to drink freshly made juices within one day.

How to make perfect homemade smoothies and shakes:

1. Put the fruit in the blender first. Make sure that the items are smaller than a golf ball so they will blend completely. Add the liquid ingredients next.
   
2. Fasten the lid and press the start button. Use high speed for about 20-30 seconds.
   
3. Stop the blender and check to see if the ingredients are well blended. Sometimes the frozen fruit will jam under the blade. If there is jammed fruit, use a spatula to unjam the fruit, and blend again.
   
4. Once the mixture is evenly blended, slowly add two ice cubes through the opening of the blender lid. Keep adding one or two ice cubes at a time until the blender sounds smooth. If your blender is not strong enough to blend ice cubes, omit the ice and substitute just enough ice cold water or fruit juice so that the shake will have a milkshake consistency.
   
5. If the shake/smoothie is too thin, add more fruit or ice. If it’s too thick, add more liquid.

http://healthrecipes.com

The health benefits of eating nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and peanuts all contain a host of healthful nutrients. Just a handful packs a powerful punch of vitamins, minerals and fats, all of which work together to impact your heart, brain -- and your waistline. Just 1 oz. a day can diminish inflammation, provide satiating fiber and protein as well as immune-boosting minerals.

Heart-Healthy Fat

Nuts and seeds contain healthful mono- and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are essential to health by managing inflammation and maintaining the normal structure of every cell in our bodies. Saturated and trans fats, found in meats, full-fat dairy, fried and processed foods can be damaging to our bodies by triggering inflammation. Research shows that diets high in these unhealthy fats can lead to a host of diseases. Choosing healthy fats instead can lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation. A study published by "British Medical Journal" in 1998 found that individuals who consumed nuts five times a week had a 35% reduction in heart disease risk.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/411381-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-eating-nuts-seeds/#ixzz28Mv43BlS

A plateful of colour in the Summer

In our quest for healthy eating we should look closer at what to eat.
Natural chemicals in plant foods are known to protect, heal and repair our body.
Eating a diet, high in various colours from plant food will bring a host of phytochemicals (chemicals in plants) which are known to deliver health benefits along with the vitamins, minerals and fibre they also contain.
The assortment from our plant foods bring red, green, white, purple, yellow and orange pigments which deliver these special chemicals to support health.
An example to try Beetroot.
This is high nutrient dence food, but look closer at the phytochemicals in the plant we can see that they help in liver detoxification and inflammation and cardiovascular benefits such as keeping blood pressure levels healthy.