Deana's Health Corner

Most Americans eat more than their fare share of sugar. As a nation we consume more sugar than any other nation. In fact, many manufacturers have a different recipe for food products being shipped to America than that of any other country. Our food products contain extreme amounts of sugar.

Two different types of sugar exist: simple and complex. Complex sugar takes longer for your body to break down and is healthier for your body. This type is found in natural carbohydrates such as whole grains and fruit. On the other hand, simple sugar is broken down by your body quick and causes energy ups and downs. Not to mention, “Sugar makes us Fat!”

Eating too much sugar can negatively affect your immune system for up to 5 hours after you eat it, according to AskDrSears.com. An excess of sugar blocks your immune system from functioning properly and diminshes the ability of white blood cells to fight bacteria.

Similar to consuming too much salt, an excess of sugar can lead to high blood pressure in men, according to the American Heart Association.

It’s no surprise that sugar negatively affects your dental health. When the sugar you eat mixes with plaque it creates an acid that can cause tooth decay over time, according to the American Dental Association. The ADA recommends eating fewer foods with added sugar.

So I ask you again, is sugar really sweet?

Tags: ADA, AHA, disadvantage, sugar, sweet
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If you’re like me, you probably try to help friends and family find the culprit that brings pain and discomfort, especially when asked.  I’ve questioned myself time and time again…Why can’t I leave people alone and let them go to their Doctor’s Office to find relief from their agony?   I think the answer is that I like to help as much as I can.  Consequently, I’m usually giving advice.   Of course, I haven’t replaced anyone’s Doctor, please don’t be alarmed.  However, I do have a reputation of helping people feel stronger and healthier.  My husband and I both do actually.

Have you ever noticed in the movies that a person can faint or even fall down and twist an ankle and the next scene shows them being served a crystal clear glass of water?  Water?  Why water?  As if water is a cure all.

Strangely enough, I seem to follow that same script.  While giving input to others to help them around their health issues, I commonly ask the age old question:  Are you drinking enough water?  As much as I try to avoid it, I seem to visit the water question every time.  Could there be truth to water as a cure all?

Here are some facts:  Approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water. Because this number is so high, it’s important that you consume the right amount of water each day to replenish your body with this vital nutrient. It’s also important to consume water if you’re trying to lose weight. Water is essential for the majority of important functions in your body – it helps regulate and maintain your body temperature, transports nutrients and oxygen, removes waste products and moistens your mouth, eyes, nose, hair, skin, joints and digestive tract.

Research shows that  many illnesses are caused by not drinking enough water. Water is a very important element in our diet and can provide us with several health benefits. Clean, healthy drinking water, ingested in the right amount, can provide many health advantages, and lack of water can cause dehydration resulting in severe health problems. Health benefits surmount further if the water is alkaline as it helps the body bring itself back in pH balance and reduce the acidic contents in our body. Lack of water intake can cause many problems and discomforts which can be avoided simply by increasing the amount of water we drink. There are several health problems associated with lack of water and dehydration. The five illnesses that alkaline water can solve are:

• Heartburn
• Arthritis
• Angina
• Headaches including migraine
• Back Pain

Consider drinking more water.  Your body will feel much better if you do.

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Unless you’re like my friend Denice, drinking a gallon of water daily is not your norm. In fact, not many people wake up in the morning and say to themselves, “I think I’ll tackle a jug”. You may not drink a gallon a day, but let’s make it priority to drink at least the daily recommended requirement of 8 glasses daily.

Some people drink plenty of water, as they should, then go through dry spells where they drink little to no water at all. If you’ve found yourself in a “dry” place”, here are four suggestions on ways to improve your water drinking performance:

Carry a bottle of water with you everywhere you go.

Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you’ll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you’re at your desk at work or watching television. Drink from it regularly as you’re working.

When you’re not really thirsty make it a habit to take small frequent sips from your bottled water. This way you’re still consuming water, but not enough to make you feel bloated which leads to water rejection.

Finally, add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour; just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight.

Drink up!

Tags: health, recommended daily allowance, water
Posted in Healthy Eating | | 4 Comments »

Temple Fit Founder

“No Eating After 6pm?” Says Temple Fit Director, William Lane…”We are not ‘dogmatic’ about this, but there is tons of research that supports not eating after 6:00 p.m. If you’re trying to lose weight, one of the first things you need to do is to stop eating after 6:00 pm.” Eating late at night does not give your body time to burn calories consumed before you go to sleep at night. This is true for most people. What you eat and how much you eat along with exercise weigh heavily. Let’s apply each of these strategies and get the benefits of each. Give your body a break. Don’t spend your life feeling stuffed and full with food. Let’s use the “T” word. All together now….. say it with me. “TEMPERANCE”

www.templefit.homestead.com

Tags: eating, slimming down, temperance, weight loss
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Today most health conscious individuals attempt to steer away from fast foods. The main reason is because fast foods have been proven to contain mostly high levels of fat, sodium, as well as sugar. Besides that, most of the nutritional value is little to none, while loading you up with mega calories.

I have found a place to eat during the times when I am out and about taking care of business that takes me too far from home to cook and too far from my goals that need to be accomplished for that day to quit. There is an alternative to traditional fast foods. Fortunately, I found a place that I can stop at to enjoy good tasting, nutritional foods. This is a place where one can find the nutrition information for all menu items. The place is ‘Panera Bread’. It’s convenient because they offer, soup, salad, sandwiches and more. Another benefit is that you can connect your lap top to their Wi-Fi and never skip a beat.

Furthermore, Panera Bread was voted #1 Healthiest for eating on the go, from America’s Healthiest (Health Magazine) Award for 2009.

This was just another suggestion for health conscious adults on the go from Deana’s Health Corner.

Tags: fast, food, health
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