Why You Should Eat Good Bacteria

Probiotics (Good Bacteria) are live microorganisms found in food, or supplements that promote health. When the balancing act between good and bad get thrown off your health can suffer.



Do You Have Good Bacteria In You?



Good Bacteria exist within our body in the digestive track, with the largest number occurring in the small and large intestines.

One hundred trillion bacteria reside in the average person; collectively they would weigh 2 to 3 pounds. Link them end-to-end; they would circle the globe two and a half times. Without them, you couldn't digest any food.

Good bacteria spends their days destroying bad bacteria. When stress, medications, or a poor diet decimate their numbers, bad bacteria then rush in to fill the void.

No one is immune, every one's skin swarms with an invisible smorgasbord of bacteria, microorganisms and their cells outnumber yours 10 to 1. Some of us have herds of mites grazing on something in our body at one time or another.

Good bacteria stimulate our immune system, and they stimulate good digestive health.

If the bad bacteria start dominating the good bacteria your immune system suffers and you get sick. If you take antibiotics to fight this infection, you inadvertently kill off the good bacteria with the bad bacteria causing the sickness. Thus leaving you without any good bacteria.

Common signs are gas, cramping, and diarrhea. Without any good bacteria in our body results in a weaker immune system, this can have a domino effect and lead to greater problems such as increased incidence of chronic conditions. Such as irritable bowl syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and allergies like asthma.

Stress also slows the body's ability to heal tiny fissures in the intestinal lining. Bacteria sneak through the openings and nestle inside the gut's walls where they cause inflammation.

The more stressed you are, the more suppressed your immune system gets, which gives bad bacteria an opportunity to take over.

Diets high in animal protein, processed foods and simple sugars can raise the numbers of potentially harmful bacteria.

Probiotic foods can help replace the good bacteria that were destroyed by illness, medications, or stress. If you take antibiotics follow it with some form of probiotic supplement.

If you are going to supplement this, take one or two capsules daily, which typically amounts to 3 to 5 billion live organisms. Probiotics are living, so they are vulnerable to heat, cold and moisture. Store them in a cool, dry place

Foods To Consume That Have Good Bacteria:

Yogurt – but only if contains live active cultures, Organic is best
Buttermilk
Sour cream
Tempeh
Sauerkraut
Sourdough
Bleu and other strong smelling cheese

You can increase the effects of probiotics by taking prebiotics , both work together in a synergistic way in efficiently promoting the probiotics benefits. Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that stay in the intestine and nourish the good bacteria.

Foods To Consume That Have Prebiotics:

Whole grains: oatmeal, flax, and barley
Legumes: lentils, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans
Fruits: berries and bananas
Dark leafy greens: spinach and collards

Want To Know More? see - Why You MUst Eat Fiber For Good Health
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Tired All The Time , Cant Loose Weight ?

A healthy breakfast is not coffee and a donut !

Eating a healthy breakfast can change your life, breakfast refuels your body and replenishes your blood sugar, giving you the energy necessary to get through your day. Plus it helps you loose weight!


Why Eating Breakfast Can Change Your Life !



Most people think skipping breakfast is a good strategy for losing weight, but it's not. Eating a healthy breakfast sets the stage for how your body will use the calories you consume the rest of the day.

Your metabolism slows down while you sleep and it doesn’t speed back up until you eat again. If you don’t eat until lunch time, your body won't burn as many calories as it could during the morning period.

Plus you put your body in a caloric deficit, this happens because your body slows itself down to conserve the nutrients it has in an attempt to stretch it out until it receives more. The food you then eat will be stored as fat instead of converted into much needed energy.

This is why most people do not have the energy to get through the day, so they either use coffee, or sugary foods for that quick energy pickup. The problem is this is a short-term fix putting you in a binge eating state, using stimulants to keep you going.

Even though you don't plan for your energy needs you body automatically does this for you, the only problem is your body can care less what you look like. If you skip breakfast your body automatically stores the food you eat later on in the day as a defense mechanism to prevent you from starving until the next time you consume food.

Metabolism is the rate at which your body’s internal engine operates as it performs its bodily functions.

Males generally have a 10 to 15% faster BMR than females because the male body has a larger percentage of lean muscle tissue.

Do you ever wonder how your friend can eat whatever they want and not gain a pound, while you seem to gain weight by simply looking at food? The answer is in your metabolism, the way your body burns up all the calories from food.

You can change your metabolism by eating more, not less!

The timing and quality of the foods you eat will dictate your metabolism and it all starts with breakfast.

If you eat a healthy diet five to six times a day you will speed up your metabolism. You will have more energy, burn more fat and lose more weight than you would if you only ate one meal per day. It will make you will feel better, and look better.


I know a number of people who only eat one meal a day (dinner) and are overweight


What is a Healthy Breakfast?

A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods. To make a healthy breakfast each day, choose one item from at least three of the following four food groups:

Protein - eggs, lean meat and poultry, soy, peanut butter, dairy products.

Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal, and whole grains, bagels, cereals. Fresh whole fruits and vegetables they all contain fiber to help regulate your metabolism by having less impact on insulin levels. They are all great sources of antioxidants that fight free radicals in you body.

Dairy. Consider low fat milk, yogurt, cheeses, such as cottage and natural cheeses.

Essential fats for good health such as Flax seed oil, olive oil, avocado and nuts.

Want to build lean muscle ? see - Invest In Your Future Health


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Why You Must Eat Fiber For Good Health

High-fiber foods have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and help to keep your digestive system healthy. But most people don't even come close to the recommended intake of 20 grams to 35 grams of fiber a day.



Do You ?



Fiber is the non digestible cellulose found in vegetables, whole grains,nuts,seeds, and beans. It retains moisture and creates bulk which helps you feel full to help you avoid overeating and move food through your digestive tract.

Benefits Of Eating Fiber:

Fiber prevents constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. Fiber is also linked to prevent some cancers especially colon and breast cancer

Also some studies have shown that large amounts of fiber in the diet can help regulate blood glucose and insulin and are less prone to gain weight as they age.

Types Of Fiber:

There are two types of fiber soluble, and insoluble fiber. Both are undigested and not absorbed into the bloodstream. Instead of being used for energy, fiber is excreted from our bodies.

Soluble Fiber Sources:

Oatmeal, oat bran

Apples

Strawberries

Nuts and seeds

Legumes

Beans

Pears

Blueberries


Insoluble Fiber Sources:

Whole wheat bread

Tomatoes

Brown rice

Barley

Celery

Whole grain breakfast cereals

Wheat bran
Seeds

Carrots

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Want to Know More About Weight Loss ? see- HFCS Makes You Fat

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Plan For Your Future Health Today

People rarely have a plan for their future health, its no wonder why we are such an obese society. With health care becoming more of a luxury item, you would think people would take a more pro active approach to their health.






Most people plan for education, jobs, and money. So i decided to do a little survey and i posted a question the other day on a blog site asking, Do you think about getting old ?, And at what age do you think about your future health ?.

I was not surprised that most of the answers were so negative, and lacked no plan at all.

Here are a few responses.

I'm getting old every moment. What can I do about that?

I don't think too much about my age right now but I am coming to a
point where I watch my parents'. It scares me.

I'll never have to work a day past 30, so the later years of my life
will be VERY fun.

Sometimes. Life just seems like one long day though. The next blink it
is over. It goes by faster than they drive here in New York. That is
pretty fast.

It's happening, whether I think about it or not...

I don't think about it too much. I'd much rather enjoy my youth while
it is here. :)

You never know if you will even get old so seize the day and enjoy -
that's what I say. I like my wrinkles - I earned them!

It is very clear that people live for the moment, not for the future. I see this happening every day, people buying houses and cars that they clearly cant afford.

Material things are replaceable, you can loose it all today and get it all back. But when it comes to your future health, can you clearly afford not to plan for it ?.

How to plan for your future health:

First take a hard look at what you are eating each and every day, see if your diet constantly consist of any of the following, soda, junk food, fast foods,saturated fats, alcohol.

Consuming any of theses on a daily basis will seriously put a damper on your future health. Its the little things you do each and every day that compound over a period of time, eventually leading to you poor health.

Lets use cigarettes as an example. If you smoke every once in a while no big deal, smoke every day for years you will most likely end up with some form of cancer or lung damage.

Well its no different with the foods you eat, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, clogged arteries, liver damage, obesity just to name a few.

Your future health is in your hands, choose wisely 1

See how to shop healthy - Protein Carbohydrates And Good Fats


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Steps To help Prevent Osteoporosis

A study by the National Osteoporosis Foundation found that 85% of women assume they are not at risk of getting osteoporosis. Why is it that people always say after the fact why me ?, the study said only 4% of young women take the necessary precautions to starve off osteoporosis.





My mother who has osteoporosis found this out the hard way, she worked every day and had no sign of any physical problems. One day she was brushing her hair and she heard a crack in her back and was in pain, so she went to the doctor and he dismissed it as just a back ache.

The very next day another cracking sound and she collapsed and had to be rushed to the hospital where they informed her that a vertebrate had fractured. Since she had no health insurance they just sent her home, a long story short in one months time she had 5 more vertebrate fracture and is almost 1 foot shorter because of it.

Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones porous and brittle and leads to debilitating fractures. A bone density check is paramount, this is usually not considered untill you are around age 65.

It took her almost a year of intense pain and wearing a back brace to walk again, and now she is so brittle the slightest wrong turn or fall could cripple her.

Now women usually don't develop the conditions until their 50's and up, but the actions you take in your early years play a huge role in determining your future bone health later in life.

Your bones are constantly being made and broken down throughout your life, and by the time you reach 30 you have hit your peak. Then its all down hill due to hormones changing. Levels of bone protecting estrogen begin to fall and you start to loose bone mass more quickly then you can replace it.

With a good diet and exercise a woman in their 20's and 30'3 can add to her reserves or simply preserve what she has. This is something you have to take a proactive stance on with a proper diet and exercise, plus evaluating your risk.

Risk Factors For Osteoporosis

Check your family history, see if anyone else has it ?
Have you broken any bones ?
Have you missed your period three months in a row, and your not pregnant ?
You smoke or drink ? This can interfere with calcium absorption.
You have a small frame, a body weight under 127 lbs ?
Have you taken a prescription medication that can cause bone loss ?

You need to include strenght training in your exercise program at least 3 times a week, lifting weights, aerobics, or running to stimulate bone formation. Jumping rope is also a good weight bearing exercise.

Assuming you are eating a proper diet with fresh fruits, lean protein, whole grains,and good fats. Here is what you need to make sure is also included in your diet.

Calcium

It is one of the most important minerals involved in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Adequate amounts of calcium in your diet can help reduce bone loss by 30 - 50 percent!

Calcium must be properly absorbed by the body, look for chelated forms of calcium (calcium citrate, calcium lactate, or calcium gluconate) because it is the easiest form for most people to absorb.

The recommended amount of calcium is 1000 mg to 1500 mg per day. However, since your body can't absorb more than about 500 mg of calcium at a time, you should divide your doses and take them at different times of the day. Also for maximum absorption take your calcium supplements with food.

You can also increase your intake of calcium by eating calcium-rich foods. Food sources that are high in calcium include:

Dairy products
Kelp
Turnips
Collard greens


Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones. It contributes to increased bone density and helps prevent the onset of osteoporosis.

Since magnesium works closely with calcium, it is important to have an appropriate ratio of both minerals in order for them to be effective. A good rule of thumb is a 2:1 calcium-to-magnesium ratio. For example, if you take 1000mg of calcium, you should also take 500mg of magnesium.

The recommended amount of magnesium is 300mg to 500mg daily. As with calcium, chelated forms of magnesium are absorbed best by the body. Magnesium oxide is also available and is often less expensive, but it is poorly absorbed by the body. Since high doses of magnesium can cause diarrhea, you should divide your doses and take them with meals throughout the day.

You can also increase your intake of magnesium by eating magnesium-rich foods. Food sources that are high in magnesium include:

Brown rice
Corn
Dark green vegetables
Legumes
Nuts - almonds, cashew
Seeds - sunflower, sesame, pumpkin
Whole grain cereals

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps enhance calcium absorption in the body and helps with bone formation. When taken along with calcium, Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining bone density.

The best source of Vitamin D is the sun, about 15 minutes of unprotected exposure. But this might not be possible for most so a vitamin D supplement of 200 IU to 400 IU per day.

You can also increase your intake of Vitamin D by eating Vitamin D-rich foods.

Butter and margarine
Cheese
Egg yolk
Fish liver oils
Fortified cereals and bread
Fortified milk
Oysters
Salmon

Vitamin K

Vitamin K helps promote strong bones by binding calcium and other minerals to the bone. The recommended dosage of Vitamin K is 150mcg a day.

You can also increase your intake of Vitamin K by eating Vitamin K-rich foods. Food sources that are high in Vitamin K include:

Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Chick peas
Dairy products
Eggs
Kale
Seeds
Vegetable oils (olive, canola)

There are also calcium supplements that have everything included in one pill to make life a little easier.

Want to know more about staying healthy ? see - Antioxidants And Free Radicals

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