Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Composition Of A Good Nutrient Rich Diet

For the human body to function well, it should be fed a good balance of vitamins and nutrients. There are three primary macronutrients which we consume namely protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Without these, our body won't be able to function properly. Since we cannot synthesize vitamins in sufficient quantities, they must be obtained from dietary sources. We also need several minerals for our body to function smoothly. Calcium and phosphorous, for example, aside from being important in the strengthening and lengthening of your bones are needed by your heart to pump efficiently. Salt, aside from adding flavor to your dishes, contain sodium and chlorine which help in maintaining fluid balance and producing digestive juices, respectively. Mineral salts are ionic in nature, they help regulate pH levels in our blood and body. Maintenance of proper pH levels is crucial for the proper functioning of the body, a balanced supply of necessary mineral nutrients ensures that natural pH balance is maintained. There are also minerals which you require in lesser amounts of such as iron, iodine and zinc. While only minute levels are required, several ailments will emanate from not being able to meet the recommended dietary allowance overtime. You can get both macrominerals and trace elements from dietary sources. If your diet is deficient is essential nutrients, taking dietary supplements on a regular basis is recommended.
Beside mineral nutrients, the body needs water, you need to keep your body hydrated. 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is more than sufficient for the average person, if you have an active lifestyle, your requirement will be higher. Taking the adequate amounts of fluids is essential for the growth and maintenance of your body. It is also important in the elimination of unneeded and harmful substances from your system. Alkaline water, called so because of its slightly alkaline pH, is believed to benefit the body by reducing blood acidity.
This trend is brought about by the heightened awareness of the public to alkaline water benefits. The manufacturers of alkaline water additives claim that the regular consumption of alkaline water protects against cancer and may even slow down aging. Also called ionized water, this water preparation is mineral-rich and consequently keeps the blood pH at a neutral state. It is believed that certain food items, most notably carbonated drinks and junk foods, can make the blood acidic. When not neutralized, blood that is too acidic can have deleterious effects, like lethargy and abnormal heart rhythms.
Still there are those who do not believe in these alkaline water benefits saying further that these are overstated. The argument between believers and non-believers essentially fuels interest for the product. Ultimately, the users are the only people who can testify whether or not alkaline water works, and the present consensus is that it works.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Three Means To Improve Metabolic Rate and Lose Weight

In order to achieve your weight loss goal it is normally not enough to simply eat less. The three factors that will impact how quickly or how slowly weight loss happens are the amount of calories intake against the number of calories the body requires and the metabolic rate. Slow metabolic rate will make the loss slower and the other way round of course.

Diets that are too aggressive in the low intake of calories will bring about slower metabolic rate. The results may indicate a quick weight loss, however, in the first few weeks it will likely consist of muscle tissue rather than fat. The factors that determine the required levels of energy, and therefore calories, that the body consumes are the amount of energy when stationary that is required to work certain processes such as breathing, the process of digesting food and physical activity.

The three means to improve metabolic rate in order to improve weight loss are:

Avoid Drastic Dieting – Up to 40% decrease in metabolic rate can be experienced by consuming too few calories than the body requires. The result of which is loss of muscle instead of loss of fat. This type of aggressive regime is often unsustainable and the weight will quickly be put on back once normal foods are once again consumed.

Exercise Often – Only physical activity and exercise that is performed at an intense degree of difficulty will influence the metabolic rate and of course, weight loss. An exercise regime that will engage three joints is often more rewarding compared to an exercise that will engage only two joints as the more muscles engaged, the higher the metabolic rate will be addressed. When exercising, it is important to reach 70% to 80% of the maximum heart rate to bring about results. For those who partake in muscle building they should exercise around three or four times a week without long breaks between sessions.

Eating Right Foods – Certain foods take longer to be digested by the body. It means that it takes longer for the body to extract the required levels of energy from the food and therefore it works harder to achieve it by burning more calories. Furthermore, the longer it takes the body to extract the required energy from the food source, the longer you will feel full.

If your goal is to lose weight and to keep those pounds off, you must address your metabolic rate together with a suitable diet.