Nutrition Sherpa

Myth: “Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.

2007-03-23T20:52:00.003-07:00

Fact: Research shows that people who follow a vegetarian eating plan, on average, eat fewer calories and less fat than nonvegetarians. They also tend to have lower body weights relative to their heights than nonvegetarians. Choosing a vegetarian eating plan with a low fat content may be helpful for weight loss. But vegetarians—like nonvegetarians—can make food choices that contribute to weight gain, like eating large amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods or foods with little or no nutritional value.

Vegetarian diets should be as carefully planned as nonvegetarian diets to make sure they are balanced. Nutrients that nonvegetarians normally get from animal products, but that are not always found in a vegetarian eating plan, are iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, and protein.

Tip: Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and that provides all of the nutrients your body needs. Food and beverage sources of nutrients that may be lacking in a vegetarian diet are listed below.

Iron: cashews, spinach, lentils, garbanzo beans, fortified bread or cereal

Calcium: dairy products, fortified soy-based beverages, tofu made with calcium sulfate, collard greens, kale, broccoli

Vitamin D: fortified foods and beverages including milk, soy-based beverages, or cereal

Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, fortified cereal or soy-based beverages, tempeh, miso (tempeh and miso are foods made from soybeans)

Zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran of the grain), nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage, lettuce)

Protein: eggs, dairy products, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, soy-based burgers

If you do not know whether or not to believe a weight-loss or nutrition claim, check it out! The Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/features/wgtloss.htm) has information on deceptive weight-loss advertising claims. You can also find out more about nutrition and weight loss by talking with a registered dietitian. To find a registered dietitian in your area, visit the American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org) online or call 1-800-877-1600.

Myth: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.

2007-03-23T20:52:00.001-07:00

Fact: Low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese are just as nutritious as whole milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They offer protein to build muscles and help organs work properly, and calcium to strengthen bones. Most milks and some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D to help your body use calcium.

Tip: The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 3 cups per day of fat-free/low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. For more information on these guidelines, visit www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

If you cannot digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy products), choose low-lactose or lactose-free dairy products, or other foods and beverages that offer calcium and vitamin D (listed below).

Calcium: soy-based beverage or tofu made with calcium sulfate; canned salmon; dark leafy greens like collards or kale

Vitamin D: soy-based beverage or cereal (getting some sunlight on your skin also gives you a small amount of vitamin D)

Myth: Eating red meat is bad for your health and makes it harder to lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:51:00.002-07:00

Fact: Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat (the least healthy kind of fat). They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, and zinc.

Tip: Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. Lower fat meats include pork tenderloin and beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef. Also, pay attention to portion size. Three ounces of meat or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.

Myth: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:51:00.001-07:00

Fact: In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Nuts are high in calories and fat. However, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries. Nuts are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.

Tip: Enjoy small portions of nuts. One-half ounce of mixed nuts has about 270 calories.

Myth: Lifting weights is not good to do if you want to lose weight, because it will make you “bulk up.”

2007-03-23T20:50:00.002-07:00

Fact: Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories—even sitting still. Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not “bulk you up.” Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.

Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking 2 miles in 30 minutes) on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week. You can lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or do household or garden tasks that make you lift or dig.

Myth: Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

2007-03-23T20:50:00.001-07:00

Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.

Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night—it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:49:00.002-07:00

Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.

Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods. For more information about healthy eating, read the Weight-control Information Network brochure Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Tips for Adults.

Myth: Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.

2007-03-23T20:49:00.001-07:00

Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.

Tip: Avoid supersize combo meals, or split one with a friend. Sip on water or fat-free milk instead of soda. Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or small hamburger. Try a “fresco” taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce) at taco stands. Fried foods, like french fries and fried chicken, are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or split an order with a friend. Also, use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese.

Myth: Low-fat or fat-free means no calories.

2007-03-23T20:48:00.002-07:00

Fact: A low-fat or fat-free food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food—or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.

Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too—it may be less than you are used to eating. For more information about reading food labels, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration online at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html.

Myth: “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.”

2007-03-23T20:48:00.001-07:00

Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.

Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.

Myth: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.

2007-03-23T20:47:00.002-07:00

Fact: A weight-loss product that claims to be “natural” or “herbal” is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work. For example, herbal products containing ephedra (now banned by the U.S. Government) have caused serious health problems and even death. Newer products that claim to be ephedra-free are not necessarily danger-free, because they may contain ingredients similar to ephedra.

Tip: Talk with your health care provider before using any weight-loss product. Some natural or herbal weight-loss products can be harmful.

Myth: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:47:00.001-07:00

Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.

Tip: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Myth: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:46:00.002-07:00

Fact: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body.

Tip: A healthy eating plan is one that:

Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
Is low in saturated fats, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

For more specific information about food groups and nutrition values

Myth: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight.

2007-03-23T20:46:00.001-07:00

Fact: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak.

Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease.

Tip: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods.

Myth: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss.

2007-03-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight.

Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple of weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal.

Tip: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Herbal life supplement warnings

2007-03-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Many herbs have a long history of use and of claimed health benefits. However, some herbs have caused health problems for users. This fact sheet contains points you should consider for your safety if you use, or are thinking about using, herbs for health purposes. It does not discuss whether herbs work for specific diseases and conditions. To find out more about topics and resources mentioned in this fact sheet, see "For More Information".

It's important to know that just because an herbal supplement is labeled "natural" does not mean it is safe or without any harmful effects. For example, the herbs kava and comfrey have been linked to serious liver damage.

Herbal supplements can act in the same way as drugs. Therefore, they can cause medical problems if not used correctly or if taken in large amounts. In some cases, people have experienced negative effects even though they followed the instructions on a supplement label.

Women who are pregnant or nursing should be especially cautious about using herbal supplements, since these products can act like drugs. This caution also applies to treating children with herbal supplements.

It is important to consult your health care provider before using an herbal supplement, especially if you are taking any medications (whether prescription or over-the-counter). Some herbal supplements are known to interact with medications in ways that cause health problems. Even if your provider does not know about a particular supplement, he can access the latest medical guidance on its uses, risks, and interactions.

If you use herbal supplements, it is best to do so under the guidance of a medical professional who has been properly trained in herbal medicine. This is especially important for herbs that are part of a whole medical system, such as traditional Chinese medicine or Ayurvedic medicine.

In the United States, herbal and other dietary supplements are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as foods. This means that they do not have to meet the same standards as drugs and over-the-counter medications for proof of safety, effectiveness, and what the FDA calls Good Manufacturing Practices.

Calories per hour of selected activities

2007-02-15T11:50:00.000-08:00

Moderate Physical Activity	Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person^a
Hiking	370
Light gardening/yard work	330
Dancing	330
Golf (walking and carrying clubs)	330
Bicycling (<10>	290
Walking (3.5 mph)	280
Weight lifting (general light workout)	220
Stretching	180
Vigorous Physical Activity	Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person^a
Running/jogging (5 mph)	590
Bicycling (>10 mph)	590
Swimming (slow freestyle laps)	510
Aerobics	480
Walking (4.5 mph)	460
Heavy yard work (chopping wood)	440
Weight lifting (vigorous effort)	440
Basketball (vigorous)	440

What can you do to avoid Trans Fats

2007-02-15T11:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some practical tips you can use every day to keep your consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol low while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.

Check the Nutrition Facts panel to compare foods because the serving sizes are generally consistent in similar types of foods. Choose foods lower in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. For saturated fat and cholesterol, use the Quick Guide to %DV: 5%DV or less is low and 20%DV or more is high. (Remember, there is no %DV for trans fat.)
Choose Alternative Fats. Replace saturated and trans fats in your diet with mono- and polyunsaturated fats. These fats do not raise LDL (or "bad") cholesterol levels and have health benefits when eaten in moderation.

Sources of monounsaturated fats include olive and canola oils.

Sources of polyunsaturated fats include soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil and foods like nuts and fish.

Choose vegetable oils (except coconut and palm kernel oils) and soft margarines (liquid, tub, or spray) more often because the amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol are lower than the amounts in solid shortenings, hard margarines, and animal fats, including butter.
Consider Fish. Most fish are lower in saturated fat than meat. Some fish, such as mackerel, sardines, and salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids that are being studied to determine if they offer protection against heart disease.
Choose Lean Meats, such as poultry (without skin, not fried), lean beef and pork (trim visible fat, not fried).
Ask Before You Order When Eating Out. A good tip to remember is to ask which fats are being used in the preparation of your food when eating or ordering out.
Watch Calories. Don't be fooled! Fats are high in calories. All sources of fat contain 9 calories per gram, making fat the most concentrated source of calories. By comparison, carbohydrates and protein have only 4 calories per gram.
Here are two actions consumers can take to keep their intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol "low":
- Look at the Nutrition Facts panel when comparing products. Choose foods low in the combined amount of saturated fat and trans fat and low in cholesterol as part of a nutritionally adequate diet.
- When possible, substitute alternative fats that are higher in mono- and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and corn oil.

Why Do Some Products Not Declare Trans Fat On Their Labels?

2007-02-15T11:48:00.001-08:00

There may be two reasons why you are not seeing trans fat on a product's label.

First, products entering interstate commerce on or after January 1, 2006 must be labeled with trans fat. As this is happening, FDA realizes that it will take some time for food products to move through the distribution chain to a store shelf. Thus, it may take a few months for products that are listing trans fat on their label to show up on a store shelf. However, you will see many products with trans fat listed since companies have already begun to declare trans fat on their products' labels.

Second, FDA has granted enforcement discretion to some firms to use old label stock that do not declare trans fat after the effective date of January 1, 2006. In these cases, food firms followed the required process described in FDA's Guidance for Industry and FDA: Requesting an Extension to Use Existing Label Stock after the Trans Fat Labeling Effective Date of January 1, 2006 (Revised)." For each request, FDA is considering whether the declared label value for trans fat is 0.5 g or less per serving. This information is important because lower amounts of trans fat would have less impact on public health than higher amounts of trans fat. Thus, trans fat information in the Nutrition Facts panel will be missing on some products (that contain lower amounts of trans fat) throughout the next year.

If trans fat is not declared on the label and you are curious about the trans fat content of a product, contact the manufacturer listed on the label.

What Can You Do about Trans Fat

2007-02-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

When comparing foods, look at the Nutrition Facts panel, and choose the food with the lower amounts of saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Health experts recommend that you keep your intake of these nutrients as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. However, these experts recognize that eliminating these three components entirely from your diet is not practical because they are unavoidable in ordinary diets.

Are All Fats the Same?

2007-02-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Simply put: no. Fat is a major source of energy for the body and aids in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, and carotenoids. Both animal and plant-derived food products contain fat, and when eaten in moderation, fat is important for proper growth, development, and maintenance of good health. As a food ingredient, fat provides taste, consistency, and stability and helps us feel full. In addition, parents should be aware that fats are an especially important source of calories and nutrients for infants and toddlers (up to 2 years of age), who have the highest energy needs per unit of body weight of any age group.

Saturated and trans fats raise LDL (or "bad") cholesterol levels in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease. Dietary cholesterol also contributes to heart disease. Unsaturated fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, do not raise LDL cholesterol and are beneficial when consumed in moderation. Therefore, it is advisable to choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol as part of a healthful diet.

Trans Fat What is it?

2007-02-15T11:29:00.000-08:00

Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when liquid oils are made into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. However, a small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods. Essentially, trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil -- a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.

Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL (or "bad") cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. On average, Americans consume 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diet.

Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly. Trans fat can often be found in processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils such as vegetable shortenings, some margarines (especially margarines that are harder), crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, and baked goods.

Unfiltered Milk

2007-01-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

There has been discussion about the benefit of unpasturized vs filtered milk for cheese and milk products. The discussion revolves around does pasteurizing negatively impact the taste and benefit of milk. Can the level of safety be achieved by filtering rather than a pasteurization process?

As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to amend its regulations to provide for the use of fluid ultrafiltered milk (UF) in the manufacture of standardized cheeses and related cheese products. This action responds principally to two citizen petitions: One submitted by the American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI) and another submitted jointly by the National Cheese Institute (NCI), the Grocery Manufacturers of America, Inc. (GMA), and the National Food Processors Association (NFPA). FDA tentatively concludes that this action will promote honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers and, to the extent practicable, will achieve consistency with existing international standards of identity for cheeses and related cheese products.

Currently it is not possible to get unpasteurized milk in a store, but only in a farm. As long as consumers are aware of the risks, then this could be a good thing for all.

Organic Herd Conversion

2006-12-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

One challenge of organic farming currently is that demand for Organic food, in particular milk, is expanding faster than can be accommodated by supply. This creates a problem and is one of the factors of allegations of non organic agriculture being labeled as organic. There are specific rules in place to convert non organic livestock herds to organic and so for a period of time the claims of dubious practices are substantiated as the herd is converted. The specifics of the rule can be seen below.

Milk or milk products must be from animals that have been under continuous organic management beginning no later than 1 year prior to the production of such products, except for the conversion of an entire, distinct herd to organic production. For the first 9 months of the year of conversion, the producer may provide the herd with a minimum of 80-percent feed that is either organic or produced from land included in the organic system plan and managed in compliance with organic crop requirements. During the final 3 months of the year of conversion, the producer must provide the herd feed in compliance with section 205.237. Once the herd has been converted to organic production, all dairy animals shall be under organic management from the last third of gestation. Livestock used as breeder stock may be brought from a nonorganic operation into an organic operation at any time, provided that, if such livestock are gestating and the offspring are to be organically raised from birth, the breeder stock must be brought into the organic operation prior to the last third of gestation.

Organic Livestock Production

2006-12-18T17:18:00.000-08:00

The general rules for livestock organic production which would include Organic milk, yogurt, cheese as well as meat, are based avoiding antibiotics very importantly.

The producer of an organic livestock operation must not treat an animal in that operation with antibiotics, any synthetic substance not included on the National List of synthetic substances allowed for use in livestock production, or any substance that contains a nonsynthetic substance included on the National List of nonsynthetic substances prohibited for use in organic livestock production. The producer must not administer any animal drug, other than vaccinations, in the absence of illness. The use of hormones for growth promotion is prohibited in organic livestock production, as is the use of synthetic parasiticides on a routine basis. The producer must not administer synthetic parasiticides to slaughter stock or administer any animal drug in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The producer must not withhold medical treatment from a sick animal to maintain its organic status. All appropriate medications and treatments must be used to restore an animal to health when methods acceptable to organic production standards

Organic Soil Treatment Requirements

2006-12-18T17:15:00.000-08:00

The tenants of Organic production are based on great theory and all producers practicing organic farming, even if it has been diluted by big business still have to abide by environmentally friendly practices. Defined below are some of the specific treatments that must be practiced for Organic Certification.

A producer of an organic crop must manage soil fertility, including tillage and cultivation practices, in a manner that maintains or improves the physical, chemical, and biological condition of the soil and minimizes soil erosion. The producer must manage crop nutrients and soil fertility through rotations, cover crops, and the application of plant and animal materials. The producer must manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances. Plant and animal materials include raw animal manure, composted plant and animal materials, and uncomposted plant materials. Raw animal manure must either be composted, applied to land used for a crop not intended for human consumption, or incorporated into the soil at least 90 days before harvesting an edible product that does not come into contact with the soil or soil particles and at

Organic Standards Intro

2006-12-18T16:59:00.000-08:00

There has been a great deal of discussion about the alleged co-opting of the organic standards body by big business in the United States. Big business now owns many previously small organic producers. Is this necessarily a bad thing? What is the impact of this. To help isolate the issues and provide accurate information rather than hear say, I am laying out the current standards below.

This final rule establishes the National Organic Program (NOP or program) under
the direction of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), an arm of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This national program will facilitate domestic and international marketing of fresh and processed food that is organically produced and assure consumers that such products meet consistent, uniform standards. This program establishes national standards for the production and handling of organically produced products, including a National List of substances approved for and prohibited from use in organic production and handling. This final rule establishes a national-level accreditation program to be administered by
AMS for State officials and private persons who want to be accredited as certifying agents. Under the program, certifying agents will certify production and handling operations in compliance with the requirements of this regulation and initiate compliance actions to enforce program requirements. The final rule includes requirements for labeling products as organic and containing organic ingredients.

Fast Food Definition

2006-11-16T20:55:00.001-08:00

Fast foods are quick, reasonably priced, and readily available alternatives to home cooking. While convenient and inexpensive for a busy lifestyle, fast foods are typically high in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt.

Fast food chains and restaurants have responded to the public's increasing awareness about nutrition and have attempted to help people concerned about health. For example, they now make ingredient and nutrition information available on their menus. Despite these changes, however, in order to maintain a healthy diet, it is necessary to choose fast foods carefully.

Fast Food Food Sources

2006-11-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

Fast food items have been modified to reflect consumers' concern about the fat content of their food. Many fast food restaurant have switched from beef tallow or lard to hydrogenated vegetable oils for frying.

Some restaurants offer low calorie choices like salad bars and assorted take-out salads with low calorie dressing, low-fat milkshakes, whole grain buns, lean meats, and grilled chicken items.

Fast Food Side Effects

2006-11-16T20:54:00.000-08:00

Maintaining nutritional balance is not easy with fast food, because there is no control over how they are cooked. For example, some are cooked with a lot of oil and butter, and there may be no option if you want your selection with reduced fat.

The large portions also encourage overeating. Fast food also tend to lack fresh fruits and vegetables.

In general, people with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease must be much more careful about choosing fast food, due to the high content of fat, sodium, and sugar.

Fast Food Recommendations

2006-11-16T20:53:00.000-08:00

Knowing the number of calories and the amount of fat and salt in the fast food can help you decide which items are better choices. Many fast food restaurants have published the nutrient content of their foods. These are often available on request. You can plan a convenient yet healthful diet with this information.

Make better choices when eating at fast food restaurants. In general eat at places that offer a variety of salads, soups, and vegetables. Consider these general tips:

* Pizza:

Ask for less cheese, and choose low-fat toppings such as onions, mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables.

* Sandwiches:

Healthier choices include regular or junior-size lean roast beef, turkey, or chicken breast, or lean ham. Extras, such as, bacon, cheese, or mayo will increase the fat and calories of the item. Select whole-grain breads over high-fat croissants or biscuits.

* Hamburgers:

A single, plain meat patty without the cheese and sauces is the best choice. Ask for extra lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Limit your intake of french fries.

* Meat, Chicken, and Fish:

Look for items that are roasted, grilled, baked, or broiled. Avoid meats that are breaded or fried. Ask for heavy sauces, such as gravy, on the side. Better still, avoid heavy sauces and dressings altogether.

* Salads:

High-fat food items such as dressing, bacon bits, and shredded cheese add fat and calories. Choose lettuce and assorted vegetables to make up the majority of your salad. Select low-fat or fat-free salad dressings, vinegar, or lemon juice when available. Ask for the salad dressing on the side.

* Desserts:

Choose low-fat frozen yogurt, fruit ices, sorbets, and sherbets. Occasional indulgent desserts add fun to a carefully selected, well-balanced diet.

Choose smaller-sized servings. Consider splitting some fast food items to reduce the amount of calories and fat. Ask for a "doggy bag." or simply leave the excess on your plate.

To help supplement and balance the fast food meal, make nutritious options such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and yogurt available as snacks.

When chosen carefully and not used in excess, fast foods can offer reasonably good quality nutrition. By being aware of what and how much you eat, and paying attention to how it affects your health, you can set a good example for your children. As always, variety and moderation are the key principles in providing a healthy diet for children as well as adults.

Low carb diet for diabetes

2006-11-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

What you eat has a major impact on your insulin level and therefore is a major consideration for people with diabetes. In particular carbohydrates have the largest impact on the amount of insulin introduced to your body after eating. Fats and protein slow glucose absorption and therefore are not as big a concern for people with diabetes. Therefore, it is important to maintain a low carb diet for diabetes.

There is some controversy about low carb diets, specifically, with regards to the most popular low carb diet, the Atkins Diet. The controversy surrounding low carb diets do not pertain to people with diabetes, but are criticisms of people without diabetes trying low carb diets.
The arguments against low carb diets for the general population are that the they do not in fact increase metabolism as people shift eating patterns to low carb diets, but increase water weight loss which will inevitably be regained when you go off the low carb diet. This is a valid point for people simply dieting for weight control.

When you adopt a low carb diet for diabetes, you are reducing the sugars that your body directly addressing the diabetes culprit. Low carb diet for diabetes is the best diet for type 2 diabetes, reducing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Some of the leading low carb diet for diabetes books include
· Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
· Protein Power
· Life Without Bread: Comparing Low Carb diets for diabetes

Click on the links above to find out more resources for low carb diets for diabetes.

Zone Diet Free Online

2006-11-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

This site provides a brief description of the origins of the Zone Diet and then below links to Zone Diet Free Online. The Zone Diet became all the rage in Hollywood with Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt and other celebrities adopting a variation of a low carb diets such as the Zone Diet. The idea behind the Zone Diet was that eating sugars and having high insulin levels makes us fat. The goal is to regulate the insulin levels in the body within an optimal band or zone of insulin levels which will decrease weight. The ratio that is suggested by Dr. Sears creator of the zone diet is that 40% of calories come from carbs, 30% come from fat and 30% come from protein. The complexity of the zone diet requires a patient attention to dieting detail because you need to closer monitor the different types of calories and break them up into basic measuring units advertised by the Zone diet, blocks. You then are allocated a certain amount of blocks to consume / day under the zone diet rules. For more information click the Zone Diet Free Online.

Calories per pound of fat

2006-11-10T22:43:00.000-08:00

How many calories per pound of fat?

There are approximately 3,500 calories per pound of fat, so to lose one pound a week, a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories of fat per week. This can be done by reducing the daily intake by 500 calories per day (500 x 7 days will provide a deficit of 3,500 calories per week). To lose 2 pounds of fat per week, a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required.

If this seems impossible, remember that physical activity also contributes significantly to weight loss. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories can come from a combination of increased physical activity and reduced intake on a daily basis.

Therefore, you don't need to experience significant food deprivation. The lowest intake per day recommended for women is 1,200 calories, unless they are in a medically-supervised, very low-calorie regimen which may have a daily level of 500 to 800 calories per day.
The lowest level recommended for men is 1,500 calories per day. A very low-calorie diet can also be used by males if they are in a medically-supervised program.
Here are some steps for weight maintenance and weight loss:

Increase your daily activity -- take the stairs rather than the elevator, or walk rather than drive when possible.
Reduce your food intake gradually. This will help make these new eating habits lifetime changes. Reduce fat intake on a daily basis, and reduce intake of other high-calorie foods.
Change any habits that make you eat more, or eat poorly.
Learn about the calorie content of foods and the calorie expenditure of various physical activities.

These suggestions regarding calories per pound of fat and healthy weight loss guidelines is is approved and from the US Governments National Institute of Health.

Making Meals Fun

2006-11-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

alancing a diet does not have to mean meat and potatoes at every meal. As your nutritional awareness increases, you’ll probably come up with many creative and interesting food experiences for your
family. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Breakfast. Breakfast doesn’t have to be the traditional bacon and eggs and toast. Try preparing one of these “breakfast surprises”:
• Toasted cheese sandwich, a glass of milk, and apple slices.
• Peanut butter on toast, and milk shake made with milk and fruit.
• Cereal sundae made with dry cereal or granola sprinkled on fruit or yogurt.
Snacks. Snacking has become a way of life for most Americans. Snacktime does not have to mean candy. It can be another opportunity for good nutrition. Here are some ideas for nutritious snacks:
• Mix together dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. Put the mixture into small plastic bags so children can carry the bags while they play.
• Freeze unsweetened juices in your freezer tray. When almost frozen, put a wooden stick in each cube. Serve frozen fruit juice on a stick.
• Cut up vegetables in sticks, chunks, and circles. Then mix yogurt or sour cream with herbs and spices or onion soup mix and have a “dunking party.”
• Use cookie cutters to cut cheese, meat, and bread into interesting shapes.

Recipes for good habits

2006-11-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Once you have basic nutritional information, you will find many ways to help your children develop good eating habits. Some of the things you can do are:
• Serve a variety of foods.
• Let your children help prepare meals.
• Make mealtime a pleasant experience.
Mealtimes can be fun. They provide an opportunity to discuss the day’s events, plan outings, and get to know one another better. If mealtimes are relaxed and happy, your children will begin to associate the nutritious foods you serve with good feelings.

Child Portions

2006-11-10T22:22:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for child portions, especially for child with diabetes, Child Portions should be the first place to look. This site has a wealth of information about what to give to children, with diabetes.

A Healthy Diet

2006-11-10T22:22:00.000-08:00

Young children need a variety of foods in their diet. Include these every day:
• six servings of breads and cereals,
• three servings of vegetables,
• two servings of fruits,
• two servings of milk and milk products, and
• two servings of meat and meat alternates.

Food is its own reward

2006-11-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

Making children eat when they aren’t hungry
isn’t wise, either. Different
children need different amounts of food. Even the same child will need different
amounts of food at different times. Poor eating habits are begun rather than ended when parents become anxious about their children’s appetites.
Using food as a reward or punishment is another bad idea. Giving dessert as a reward may teach a child that dessert is the most important part of the meal. Such tactics encourage children to see eating as an emotional issue rather than as an enjoyable way to stay healthy and strong.

Substitutions Allowed

2006-11-10T22:20:00.000-08:00

There is no single right way to good nutrition.
The proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals we need are found in a wide variety of foods. Ethnic foods, vegetarian diets, and other common menus can all supply these nutrients.
Because there are so many different nutritious foods, you don’t have to worry if your children won’t eat certain things. It’s easy to find other foods with the nutrients they need. If your child does not like potatoes, he or she can get carbohydrates from bread and rice. Forcing children to eat foods they don’t like is never a good idea.

Starting Healthy Eating Habits

2006-11-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

How is your nutrition IQ? Are these statements true or false?
• A fat baby is a healthy baby.
• Young children need vitamin pills to make sure they get all the proper nutrients.
• Snacking is bad for children.
(All of these are false.)
Children outgrow many things. As they grow up, they cast aside old toys and clothes. They give up diapers and baby talk. A few things, though, they will carry with them into adulthood. These include the eating habits and attitudes toward food they learn from you.
Children develop tastes for certain foods at an early age. They learn to like what you give them to eat. If you offer them lots of fruit and vegetables, they will still enjoy those foods when they are older. If they get used to soda pop and lollipops, they probably won’t be able to resist the lure of sweet foods later on.
The eating habits and attitudes your children pick up through your example are apt to last a lifetime. For this reason, you will want to become familiar with basic nutritional concepts. Fortunately, sound nutritional information isn’t hard to find, but you can also find false information. Separating fact from fiction is the first step

America's Eating Habits: Changes and Consequences

2006-11-10T22:16:00.000-08:00

A new book by Elizabeth Frazao (editor) attempts to get at the problem of nutrition in America and people's knowledge of the dangers of poor eating habits.

Agriculture Information Bulletin No. (AIB750) 484 pp, May 1999

Individual chapters in this book provide different perspectives on the nutrition problems in the United States: what are the economic costs associated with unhealthy eating patterns; how do dietary patterns compare with dietary recommendations; how do national income and prices, advertising, health claims, and trends in eating away from home affect nutrient intake; how much do people know about nutrition and how does nutrition knowledge and attitudes affect intake of fats and cholesterol; how do different government programs and regulations influence food expenditures and consumption; what are some public and private efforts to improve healthy eating; and what are potential impacts of healthier eating on domestic agriculture.

What People Know about Nutrition Introduction

2006-11-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

Recent years have seen a tremendous growth in scientific knowledge
of the relationship between diet and health. This increase in knowledge
has informed dietary recommendations to promote health and
longevity and has sparked national campaigns to educate Americans
on more healthful eating habits. But how has this affected the average
person? Does the typical American know much about nutrition?
Is the average level of nutrition knowledge on the rise? And what
implications does this have for changing eating habits?
Using data from a variety of public and private sourcesincluding
the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Health and Diet Survey
(HDS), the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Diet and

Health Knowledge Survey (DHKS), the Food Marketing Institutes
(FMI) Trends Survey, and the American Dietetic Associations
(ADA) 1995 Nutrition Trends Survey1we examine the level of
nutrition knowledge among American consumers and trends in nutrition
knowledge levels over time. The extent and limitation of consumers
nutrition knowledgewhat people know and do not know
about nutritionand the implications for changing dietary behavior
will be considered.

Measures of Knowledge and Attitudes

2006-11-10T22:14:00.001-08:00

Nutrition-related knowledge can range from an understanding of the
chemical structure of nutrients to knowledge of low-fat cooking
methods. Rogers (1983) identified three types of knowledge: (1)
awareness (say, of diet-disease relationships), (2) knowledge of principles
(e.g., cholesterol is found in animal foods only), and (3) howto
knowledge (e.g., how to select foods with less fat or how to read a
food label accurately).

Attitudes can also play an important role in shaping behavior.
Attitudes frequently assessed by nutrition surveys include belief in the
relationship of diet and health, the importance of nutrition compared
with other food attributes (taste, etc.), the importance of following specific
dietary guidelines, and perceived barriers to dietary change.

Awareness of Diet-Disease Relationships

2006-11-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

Awareness of a relationship between diet and health (diet-disease relationships)
may stimulate interest in learning about nutrition and
healthful eating habits, thus acting as a first step in acquiring the
knowledge necessary for dietary improvement. The Health and Diet
Survey (HDS), conducted by FDA, began tracking top-of-the-mind
awareness of dietary risk factors associated with specific chronic diseases
in 1982. A set of open-ended questions (e.g., Have you heard
about cancer being related to things people eat or drink?, What
things that people eat or drink might be related to cancer?) measures
the levels of knowledge, awareness, and perceived importance of individual
dietary risk factors at the same time. Respondents must have

Diet and Cancer

2006-11-10T22:12:00.000-08:00

Awareness of diet-disease relationships for cancer has also increased
significantly in recent years, but it remains at a lower level than for
heart disease. In 1984, consumers were most likely to mention food
additivessuch as artificial colors, nitrates, and preservativesas
dietary factors related to cancer. Since then, other dietary
factorssuch as dietary fiber, fat, and fruits and vegetableshave
become more important. Although fewer consumers associate fat
with cancer than with heart disease, by 1995 about one in five consumers
mentioned fat as a dietary risk factor for cancer.

Dietary links between foods (fruits and vegetables) and cancer prevention
show a change over time. In the mid-1980s, when dietary
fiber received considerable attention from both public health authorities
such as the National Cancer Institute and advertisers (e.g., the
Kellogg high-fiber cereal campaign), fiber was the most frequently
mentioned dietary factor for preventing cancer (Levy and Stokes,
1987). More recently, fruits and vegetables have received increasing
recognition; by 1995, one in three consumers mentioned fruits or
vegetables, nearly three times as many as mentioned fiber (Levy and
Derby, 1996). Recently, the National Cancer Institute has emphasized
the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption via its
Five-A-Day campaign (Eisner and others, 1992), whereas, without
continued reinforcement, the salience of the fiber message has diminished.
However, since eating five fruits and vegetables per day is an
effective way of increasing fiber intake while also obtaining other
beneficial food components, this shift in awareness is appropriate for
decreasing cancer risk.

Knowledge of Nutrition Principles

2006-11-10T22:03:00.000-08:00

Nutrition is concerned with the relationship of food and health, and
one can think of nutrition knowledge as encompassing both healthoriented
and food-related principles. Health-oriented principles (for
example, knowledge that saturated fat acts differently on cholesterol
levels than does unsaturated fat) can provide a deeper understanding
of diet-health relationships than simple awareness, thereby improving
an individuals ability to understand and implement dietary change.
Food-related principles (for example, that saturated fat is more likely
to be solid at room temperature, whereas unsaturated fat is more likely
to be liquid) also facilitate dietary improvement by providing relatively
simple decision rules for consumers to use in making food
choices. Food guides may also be seen as providing consumers with
a set of principles for translating dietary recommendations into
behavioral terms.

South Beach Diet

2006-11-10T22:01:00.000-08:00

The south beach diet was pioneered by Dr. Agatston who wrote the best selling book “The South Beach Diet”. Dr. Agatston is a well respected Dr. and his work on the South Beach Diet was based on observations that your body does not absorb highly processed carbs and polyunsaturated fat foods both of which are epidemic in American Diets. Therefore the South Beach Diet is less of a temporary diet and more of a permanent change in diet away from foods that the body has difficulty absorbing. The south beach diet further holds that the problem with foods your body can not absorb is that they then become stored as excess fat.

The south beach diet pioneers the role of good carbs and bad carbs and supports the notion that you should eat good fats and good carbs that your body can easily digest. sFollowing the South Beach Diet, you will invariably lose weight and eventually maintain an ideal body weight through the South Beach Diet. There are some suggestions that the South Beach Diet is more effective at reducing weight in the mid-section because this is where the excess fat is stored.
The South Beach Diet at a very minimum suggest good eating principles and is generally not a health risk. As with all diets consult a physician for specifically for what is right for you.

South Beach Diet Phases

2006-11-10T22:00:00.000-08:00

The South Beach Diet manifests itself into 3 different phases..:

South Beach Diet Phase 1: Restraint
South Beach Diet Phase 2:Reintroduction
South Beach Diet Phase 3:Maintenance

South Beach Diet Phase 1: Restraint
At this phase in the diet, you are subject to a very strict set of dietary rules. The South Beach Diet limits this phase to 2 weeks and you can expect to lose between 8-12 lbs. During this phase of the South Beach Diet you must adhere to a very limited no carbohydrate diet. In South Beach Diet Phase 1 you are certainly allowed no alcohol.

South Beach Diet Phase 2: Reintroduction
.The second phase of the South Beach Diet allows for the gradual reintroduction of good carbohydrates back into your diet. Of course this phase of the south beach diet doesn’t suggest that you consume a huge bowl of pasta on the 15th day, but to begin eating low processed carbs. In general you can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week during South Beach Diet phase 2. Continue on South Beach Diet Phase 2 until you have reached your goal weight.

South Beach Diet Phase 3: Maintenance
Once you have reached your goal weight, South Beach Diet Phase 3 kicks in, which is less a weigh loss diet and more a lifestyle change. From now on you are under Phase 3 of the South Beach Diet and you need to adhere to the foods without bad carbs and fats. If you do binge, and go off the South Beach diet and regain some of your weight back, it is suggested that you return to South Beach Diet phase 1 and begin shock therapy to get you back on the wagon. In general eating according to South Beach Diet Phase 3 is a good, nutritious way to eat. Click .to see South Beach Diet Food Lists.

South Beach Diet Food Lists

2006-11-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

South Beach Diet Food Lists:

Boiled Ham
Canadian Bacon
Canola Oil
Chicken Breasts (skinless)
Cheese (fat-free or low-fat - American, Cheddar, cottage, cream substitute, feta)
Cornish Game Hen
Eggs (whole)
Fish (all types)
Green Vegetables
Lunchmeat (lean)
Peanut Butter
Peanuts
Pecans
Pistachio Nuts
Olive Oil
Seasoning/Spices (broth, butter sprays, pepper, anything containing no sugar)
Shellfish
Sirloin
Sweets * (chocolate powder, cocoa powder (baking type), hard candy, sugar substitute(sugar-free)
Tenderloin
Tofu
Turkey Bacon
Veal
Vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, legumes, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini)

South Beach Diet Food Lists: Foods to avoid

Alcohol *
Baked Goods **
Beef (brisket, liver, rib steaks, fatty cuts)
Bread **
Breast of Veal
Cereal (all kinds) **
Cheese (full fat, brie, edam)
Crackers **
Fruit
Fruit Juice
Honey-Baked Ham
Ice Cream
Matzo **
Milk (whole, low-fat)
Oatmeal **
Pasta **
Pastries **
Poultry (chicken wings, legs, thighs, wings, duck, goose, poultry products)
Soy
Vegetables (barley, beets, black-eyed peas, carrots, corn, pinto beans, sweet potatoes,
white potatoes, yams)
Yogurt

Cabbage Soup Diet

2006-11-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

The cabbage soup diet is a humorously ludicrous diet invented by a society obsessed with dieting, weight loss and a thin body image. The Cabbage Soup Diet is one of those statements about what goes into a diet when really all diets do is remove the food we want to eat. The Cabbage Soup Diet in particular is a diet that deprives the dieter of all food they wish to eat and pushes them towards the point of starvation in order to lose weight.

The cabbage soup diet replaces the food the dieter wishes to eat with one of the least tasty food options, cabbage soup. The Cabbage Soup Diet is intended for only 1 week and should not be pursued beyond 1 week without the potential for serious health repercussions. In general the Cabbage Soup Diet forces the dieter to abdicate eating protein, so the weight loss is primarily muscle mass and water weight. Therefore as a real dieting solution the Cabbage Soup Diet is not a viable long term weight loss option. In the short term dieters will pursue this temporary weight loss fix for a variety of superficial reasons such as weight loss bets, fitting into an outfit, or a misguided attempt to kick start a diet. If you must you can see a daily list of foods you can eat while undergoing the cabbage soup starvation diet:

Cabbage Soup Diet Day 1: Cabbage Soup + Fruit
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 2: Cabbage Soup + Vegetables
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 3: Cabbage Soup + Fruit + Vegetables
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 4: Cabbage Soup + 8 Bananas + Skim Milk
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 5: Cabbage Soup + 20 Oz of Beef + Six Tomatoes
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 6: Cabbage Soup + Beef + Vegetables
Cabbage Soup Diet Day 7: Cabbage Soup + Rice + Vegetables + Unsweetened Juice

As you can see above the menu is quite bizarre and limited in the Cabbage Soup Diet. Also to make matters worse, the vegetables listed above can’t include potatoes and the fruit can not include bananas. The make up of the cabbage soup in the cabbage soup diet, includes onions, tomatoes, canyons, peppers, celery, carrots and a vegetable soup stock. If you aren’t sick of cabbage by the end of day seven then you should go see the doctor.

Vegetarian Food Pyramid

2006-11-07T16:43:00.000-08:00

A common approach to healthy, sustainable food consumption is vegetarianism. Vegetarian food is generally lower in fat, doesn’t contain growth hormones that the meat industry is notorious for using to maximize profits and is the most efficient consumption of food by eating lower on the food chain. Though there are a great many benefits of being a vegetarian, the challenge in leading a healthy life, consuming sufficient protein and having enough energy to fight of infection needs to be addressed. To counteract the challenges of eating vegetarian, researchers at Arizona State University came up with the vegetarian food pyramid. The vegetarian food pyramid is the corollary to the food pyramid learned in grade school and the one diet suggested by the FDA. The vegetarian food pyramid is an effective guide for vegetarians to promote eating protein and avoid enervation. Below is a detailed daily list of the vegetarian food pyramid:

Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 1: 2-3 tsp of Oils (olive, canola)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 2: 1-2 ounces of nuts (almonds, sunflower seeds)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 3A: 3 servings of dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 3B: 2-3 servings protein (including beans, eggs, and tofu)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4A: 2-3 servings of greens (spinach, arugala)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4B: 2-4 servings of vegetables (carrots, squash)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4C: 2-4 servings of fruit (fresh, dried)
Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 5: 6-11 servings of whole grains (bread, cereal)

The above list a sample of the foods available in the vegetarian food pyramid. To avoid enervation and a lack of protein, follow the above guidelines.

Lose Water for Weight Loss

2006-11-05T18:33:00.000-08:00

Though water in and of itself is not a way to achieve weight loss, water can help to speed up weight loss primarily through making you feel full and therefore diminishing your drive to eat more. Water help to weight loss therefore is not a recommended nutritional diet approach. Water has no calories but also no nutrition so it can be a good policy to eat citrus fruits that have a lot of water content as well as nutritional value to help with weight loss.

On the other hand, if you are not looking to lose permanent weight and are just trying to win a weight loss bet, then you can quickly trim lbs by losing water weight. Water weight loss can be a dangerous way to loose weight and there are danger stories associated with wrestlers and other athletes who need to make certain weight restrictions and loose water weight. This type of weight loss is often banned in high schools where water help to weigh loss is very common. Below are some common albeit bizarre suggestions for water weight loss.

Put a plastic bag over your torso, sweats and run laps for 45 minutes. Your body will not be able to breathe, you will sweat profusely and water weight will come dripping off.
Sit in a steam room or sauna for much longer than the doctor recommended (dangerous) by overheating you will sweat off a great deal of water weight.
Don’t drink any water 12 hours before the weigh in and while doing any of these methods. Not drinking water too far in advance will cause your body to go into starvation mode and you will not have water weight loss success.
Take drugs or substances that are a diuretic or make you pee, this also increases water weight loss.

All of the above methods are dangerous and are not recommended but are pursued often for short term goals to hit certain weights. Water help to weight loss is not a real diet solution.

Herbalife Information

2006-03-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

Herbalife International is a wellness company focused on providing natural health solutions, including weight loss, improved nutrition and enhanced personal care. There is a great deal of Herbalife information available on the web. The Sherpa will try and summarize this information as accuratly and concisly as possible.

Information Regarding The Company Herbalife - Herbalife is one of the largest and most successful direct selling multi-level marketing (MLM) companies in the world. What this means is that you can really only buy their products through one of the 1,000,000 Herbalife distributors around the world. What does this information about Herbalife being an MLM mean? Mainly that you will get personalized service and advice about the products you are purchasing from one of these distributrs who is in business for themselves as a sales agent for the company. If you are receptive to purchasing and being sold nutritional and beauty supplies from a person with good information about how these products can help you then this may be a good option for you. Also if you really like the Herbalife products then you can go into business for yourself selling these products. If you prefer an anonymous buying experience and can find information about what products to buy easily by yourself then Herbalife may not be for you.

Herbalife Information for Quality of its products - Herbalife is a reputable and respectable company where well respected scientists and doctors develop its products and readily publishes information about Herbalife products and how they benefit you. There is a great deal of Herbalife information about it donating money to UCLA for research on human nutrition as well as Herbalife information about its medical advisory and scientific advsiory board.

In short there is a great deal of Herbalife Information out there. Herbalife may or may not be for you, but you should always make the decision with the best information available!!

Herbalife Distributors

2006-03-09T19:16:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for Herbalife products, there are a number of Herbalife Distributors in your area. Generally Herbalife Distributors will come to your house and direct sell the Herbalife products to you. This is the fundamental business model for Herbalife, distributor direct sales.

The benefit is that you gain more information about the product from these Herbalife Distributors. The downside is that the Herbalife Distributors will always try to sell you. If you don't feel comfortable with a sales pitch from an Herbalife Distributor than look at the Herbalife Outlet described on this site. If you don't mind a sales pitch from an Herbalife Distributor click one of the ads above to find an Herbalife Distributor near you. Good luck in finding your Herbalife Distributor.

Herbalife Outlet

2006-03-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

Herbalife Outlets are hard to find because usually you have to purchase from a distributor, but here are some tips to setting up and finding Herbalife Outlets. If you are looking to purchase Herbalife direct you have to find a distributor who hosts an Herbalife Outlet and can sell to you direct. Generally, the parent company Herbalife does not promote Herbalife Outlets because it undermines the direct selling organization it is trying to foster. But individual Herbalife distributors can and do promote and Herbalife Outlet to sell direct to customers.

Often you have to go to a distributors house to find an Herbalfie Outlet. You can actually pretty easily purchase Herbalife products from ebay Herbalife Outlets. If you click on some of the sponsered links above you can purchase Herbalife products direct from the advertising Herbalife Outlets. Enjoy and good Herbalife Outlet hunting.

Beauty with Herbalife

2006-03-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Beauty with Herbalife products is a complete solution for external cosmetic solutions. Sherpa prefers basic beauty products from Herbalife that are effective in maintaining external wellness. The below Beauty with Herbalife products is a good basic and effective selection.

One Beauty with Herbalife product that is the most basic and should be in everyones repertoire of cosmetic care is the MultiVitamin Exfoliating Scrub. This beauty with Herbalife product exfoliates old and dead skin, taking off the ashy skin and leaving your skin glowing with the beauty of Herbalife. Just as you would use any exfoliant apply this rub as needed and wash with water.

If you live in a dry climate than you may require a body lotion so that your skin does not dry out. A great beauty with Herbalife product is the Radiant C body lotion. Not only is this Beauty with Herbalife lotion a great skin rehydrator but it is also SPF 15 to protect your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. The sun's rays are one of the worst things for your skin so this beauty with Herbalife product is superb in doubly protecting your skin both from harmful rays as well as to remoisturize and keep your skin glowing and radiant. This citrus smelling beauty with Herbalife lotions is one of the most satisfying products avaiable!

Herbalife Vitamins

2006-03-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

Herbalife is the most successful and prolific wellness company around and the products are comprehensive across ages and different areas of wellness. So of course there are Herbalife Vitamins made specially for children. Herbalife offers some fun vitamins called Dinomins, these Herbalife Vitamins are made for Children 2 to 4 years of age. This is a kids multi vitamin and provides 20 essential vitamins and minerals.

Alternatively, Herbalife Vitamins come in a liquid form. This is for younger kids who do not take down the pills very well. This Herbalife vitamin is a pleasant tasting liquid which can be mixed into a baby's bottle. General usage is to use 1 drop per day for an infant. For more information on Herbalife Vitamins in a liquid form you can review the link to the label. For growing children one of the most important things is a good multi vitamin and the Herbalife Vitamins either in the liquid or the solid form are a great way to keep your child healthy.

Herbal Life Weight Loss Product

2006-03-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

Herbal Life weight loss products are a great way to stay fit and lose weight. The easiest way to try the Herbal Life weight loss products is to try the QuickStart shake program. This program will provide the nutrition you need and suppress your appetite by replacing two meals a day with the Herbal Life weight loss products and shakes. The Herbal Life Weight Loss regimen includes shakes, vitamen supplements as well as a concentrated tonic, that when these products are taken together, accelerate your weight loss. The Herbal Life Weight Loss shakes come in a variety of tasty flavors, including Vanilla, Chocolate, Wild Berry, Tropical Fruit and Cookies and Cream (there is also a kosher variety). My favorite Herbal Life shake is certainly Cookies and Cream!! The Herbal Life Weight Loss Product nutrition supplements are also effective at increasing metabolism.

You can also get the Herbal Life Weight Loss products by themselves and just take the shakes as your weight loss regimen. You can use the shakes as a quick meal when you are at a work or at play as an easy meal and great weight loss product.

Take this quiz if you want wish to learn more about what Herbal Life Weight Loss Products are a good match for you.

Herbalife Health Nutrition

2006-03-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

In addition to general nutrition products, Herbalife offers some products focused on health nutrition that the Sherpa recommends. Some of the popular Herbalife Health Nutrition regimens offered are focused on the heart. It is never too early to start taking care of your heart, because when you have a problem it is often too late. The Herbalife health nutrition described below are good preventative health nutrition supplements that can increase heart health:

Core Complex is a great Herbalife Health Nutrition product that was developed with Nobel Laureate in Medicine Dr. Lou Ignarro to focus on four areas of heart health,

cholesterol through soybean sterols found to reduce LDL or bad cholestorol
triglycerides
homocysteine - including B vitamins to maitain healthy levels
and oxidative stress - antioxidants increase good blood and vascular flow

The 30 packets contained in the box is enough for one month of Herbalife Health Nutrition. The Core Complex includes Krill Oil which is a great source of Antioxidents. This is a great way to start your Herbalife Health Nutrition and take care of your heart.

Another favorite Herbalife Health Nutrition supplement is the Mega Garlic Plus. One major reason that I like this product is that Garlic is widely acclaimed to help your heart and it is very familiar. So much of the Herbalife Health Nutrition supplements are filled with esoteric ingredients, that of course are beneficial, but it always feels good to stay with something familiar. The way garlic helps your health nutrition is by increasing antioxidents which stimulates blood flow therefore not overly straining your heart. Some of the unique features of this Herbalife Health Nutrition supplement is how the nutrition supplement is treated for ready absorption in a concentrated form and the quality of all of the ingredients are very high. Take one of these tablets with a meal once a day. This is like eating one clove of garlic but your breath won't smell (well at least from eating this Herbalife Health Nutrition supplement) and your stomach should not get upset.

Another area of Herbalife Health Nutrition that the Sherpa has found very useful is the Herbal Aloe Drink. After years of eating spicy foods and having very bad stomach problems I went to the doctor and the doctor recommended that I begin drinking aloe for my health nutrition. After trying a variety of different health nutrition tonics, the Herbalife Health Nutrition Aloe Drink was by far and away the best remedy for my ailing stomach. After a few weeks of drinking this Herbalife Health Nutrition drink my stomach began feeling better. If you have stomach problems and do not want to give up adventurous eating then get the Herbalife health nutrition aloe drink. One bottle of this elixer goes a long way becuase you mix it in with other drinks. For more information about what is contained in this Herbalife Health Nutrition concentrate.

Herbal Weight Shakes

2006-03-01T22:43:00.000-08:00

A great Herbal Weight Shake is offered by Herbalife. This is a high protein low carbohadrate shake and is a great and tasty weigh to lose weight the healthy way. This herbal weight shake comes in chocolate and vanilla. In addition to being dietetic, the herbal weight shake provides 20 essential vitamins and minerals.

I have enjoy taking these herbal weight shakes as breakfast because it is a great boost of energy for the rest of the day. The low carbs and high protein in the weight shake combined with the vitamins is a fantastic way to start the day.

You can purchase these herbal weight shakes as a full canister or in a smaller 14 packet size. To purchase these herbal weight shakes, find an herbalife distributor or go to an herbalife outlet.

Herbalife Nutrition Products

2006-03-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

Like all statements by Sherpa, the Herbalife Nutritional Product posting is an objective, non affiliated information source. These Herbalife Nutrition Products are reviewed by the Sherpa because the Sherpa has found that some of these herbal nutritional remedies, weight loss regimens, and cosmetics are beneficial. Below is a reiview of some of the assorted Herbalife Nutritional Products:

Garden 7® is an Herbalife Nutrition Product that is designed to provide 7 servings of fruites and vegetables, is an easy to take nutritional product, and is targeted nutrition for 7 organs. There are a number of different Herbalife products that work very will when taken with The Garden 7 Nutritional Product. You buy these nutritional products in packets which you take daily and you buy in packets in boxes of 30, or one box each month. The major benefits of Garden 7 is the high level of antioxidents in the Herbalife Nutritional Products . You can also see exactly what is in Garden 7 Herbalife Nutritional Products by looking at this web image of the label. For best results, combine with Formula 2 Multivitamin Complex Herbalife Nutritional Products and Xtra-Cal® Herbalife Nutritional Products. Add to your ShapeWorks™ program to help ensure your daily phytonutrient needs are met.

Another Herbalife Nutrional Product that is a good source of Antioxidants is Schizandra Plus. Schizandra Plus is a Herbalife Nutritional Product that combines the natural antioxidant power of schizandra berries, with vitamins C, E beta carotene and the mineral selenium, to help support and protect good health. For optimal antioxidant intake, combine this Herbalife Nutritional Product with Herbalife's RoseOx®† and Extreme C nutritional products. Also, use Herbalife's Radiant C™ Daily Skin Booster and Face Quencher to boost your skin's antioxidant defenses, an exterior Herbalife Product that will make your skin feel and look great.

Herbalife Nutritional Products should always be treated as healthy supplements. The nutritional products have all been tested and are safe for over the counter consumption. If you have serious health problems please consult your physician. The Sherpa has found Herbalife Nutritional Products to be a great way to stay healthy and energetic and regularlary takes the above nutritional products.

Tea Tree Oil is also a great nutritional product, though not for ingestion it is great as an astringent.

Macrobiotic Anti-Cancer Diet

2006-01-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

The Macrobiotic diet is claimed to be a good anti–cancer diet. General associations of macrobiotic diets as similar to Japanese (a low incidence of cancer in the population) dietary habits because of the whole grains and vegetable focus. Though there is no definitive evidence of macrobiotic anti-cancer diets working, it is a good solution for improving quality of life for the patience and can be beneficial. The following information from the National Institute of Health provides further information on antic-cancer diets including macrobiotic diets. Increasing attention is being paid to the role of nutrition in cancer. Dietary measures, such as decreased consumption of calories, fat, alcohol and smoked or pickled foods have been shown to reduce the incidence of specific "adult" cancers, while increased dietary fiber appears to have a protective role. However, no clear scientific evidence exists that dietary manipulation is a successful primary therapy for established cancer. A significant percentage of adult and child cancer patients take unproven therapies during their illness. Alternative nutritional therapies, of which there is a wide variety, are the commonest of these reflecting current public interest in "natural" remedies.

Commonly utilized anti-cancer diets include the macrobiotic philosophy, the Gerson diet, the Livingstone diet, and the use of vitamin and mineral therapy. While details may differ, most alternative approaches involve fresh whole foods, with strong emphasis on low-fat vegetarian diet. Most are nutritionally adequate, at least for adults. No anti-cancer diet has been shown to cure established cancers, even those whose incidence is decreased by dietary changes. Careful dietary manipulation may at least improve quality of life for adult cancer patients, and, together with conventional therapy, may prolong survival in selected cancer patients. Assessment by carefully controlled prospective clinical trials is essential; those in pediatric patients must be controlled very strictly, since tumors in children have not been shown to be influenced by diet, and the diets described may be inadequate for children with malignant disease.

Click for more information on macrobiotic anti-cancer diets. The macrobiotic anti-cancer diet is not necessarily a panacea but it is certainly healthy and good for your body.

Herbalife Links

2005-04-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Below are additional links to Herbalife Distributors

Below are other non herbalife related links

GreatestVitaminsWorld.net All natural vitamin supports entire body. Includes work at home program. Also: Natural Cures book, Native Remedies, Yoga, Lowering Blood Pressure. Comprehensive health site & more.
1001 Beauty Tips
ABC Home Shopping Directory
The American bargain and coupon home shopping network (ABCHSN) caters for those smart online shoppers looking to buy locally as well as providing a trusted, safe and reliable shopping directory for those looking to buy for family and friends living locally or in another region of the world.
1000's of FREE Promotional Resources = Reciprocal links exchange database and website promotion resources and more!

Nutrition Health Suppliments Herbalife Independent Distributor. Quality nutrition supplements online. Fast shipping.

Herbalife - HerbalRack.com is an independent Herbalife distributor which offers discount Herbalife products including ShapeWorks to help people with a healthy weight loss diet.

Herbalife Distributor - Buy products online, weight management, healthy weight loss, natural ingredients, healthy diet formula, omega 3, beauty products.

New Zealand Web and Pick Brains are interesting directories.

Self GrowthGreat health and help directory

Spiritual Weight Loss - For weight loss that is permanent, make it who you are. Check out SpiritualWeightLoss.net.

iWeightLossA great weight loss resource

Weight Loss :: Bodybuilding :: Training Programs - Gary Matthews from Australia offers weight loss programs for obesity. Also weight gain, bodybuilding, and weight training programs for all your fitness and exercise needs.