The Truth About Fats and Carbs

In talking with people all over the world about food, I've come to the realization that most people truly do want to eat for excellent health and be at a normal weight. But everything they hear conflicts with everything else they hear The word "healthy" depends on who you're listening to and what their motives are.

For instance, on a trip to the grocery store the other day, I noticed the words "healthy snack" on a product box. So I looked at the ingredients and noticed four known carcinogens and toxins that are anything but healthy. That means this stuff is known to cause cancer.

Healthy? Healthy!?

So just know that the food manufacturers will say whatever they need to in order to sell products--your health be damned. They'd try to convince us that eating shredded cardboard is healthy if they think we'd believe it. Heck, we believe everything else, so that's probably next. You watch.

But by far the biggest blunders in the 'healthy eating advice' world are:

"Carbs are no good--they make you fat." (Usually spoken by companies that sell low carb processed foods.)

and

"Fat is the enemy. Low fat is the only way to go."

Well, I don't sell low fat foods or low carb foods. So you can take this to the bank...

Neither bit of drivel could be further from the truth.

Here's why:

Your body NEEDS both.

Depending on the source, carbohydrates provide fiber, B-complex vitamins and vitamins A and E, plus the minerals magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and selenium.

These nutrients are not "optional" when it comes to your body--they're essential, and you pay a dear price when you're lacking them.

For instance, being low in B vitamins can cause fatigue, muscle degeneration, mental deficiency, depression, skin eruptions and headaches, among other things.

A zinc deficiency can lead to learning disabilities, poor digestion, rashes, menstrual problems, depression, delayed sexual development in kids, prostate problems, and erratic behavior.

So low carb diets can cause these problems!

The same thing can be said about fats.

Fats are critical to your body for cellular function, protecting your brain and nervous system, absorbing vitamins and nutrients and maintaining fertility.

Not having enough of the right fats causes brittle, aged-looking skin, hair and nails, repeated infections, moodiness and--get this--weight GAIN. (I'll explain why in a moment).

The key to eating for blubber loss and great health is NOT to stay away from carbs and fats... but to make sure the carbs and fats you are consume are GOOD ones.

Good carbs vs. bad

GOOD CARBS are natural, unprocessed and unrefined whole grains. They include whole wheat, oat, rye, spelt, quinoa, barley, millet, buckwheat and brown (not white) rice.

These grains and products made from them provide the essential nutrients I mentioned above, plus they taste delicious.

BAD CARBS, on the other hand, include white flour, white rice and white sugar, and all products made from them.

The bleaching and processing of the grains strips away ALL of the naturally occurring nutrients and fiber. Some may be added back after processing, but only a fraction of the amount that was originally in the grain.

Refined carbohydrates are quickly converted to sugar in your body and are easily stored in your body as fat. I once heard the phrase, "The whiter your bread, the quicker you're dead."

That's true.

However, WHOLE grains contain balanced amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They're broken down more slowly by your body and used more efficiently. Plus their fiber helps encourage regular bowel movements and can decrease your risk of colon cancer.

So next time you find yourself blindly counting carbs, think instead about looking for good vs. bad carbs.

Fats--the good, bad and the ugly

A moderate amount (2-3 tablespoons) of good fat each day is VITAL.

Good fats include olive oil (preferably extra-virgin, cold pressed), avocado, butter (yes--I said butter and NOT margarine), flaxseed oil, fish oil, nuts and even meats and dairy products in limited amounts.

These fats help you lose flab by turning off your body's hormone messengers that direct fat storage, especially around your midsection.

Healthy fats also help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels

WITHOUT lowering HDL (good) levels. Plus regular consumption of them can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancers.

Bad fats are processed fats--also known as HYDROGENATED or partially hydrogenated fats and oils.

They contain trans-fatty acids, which are fats that are not found in nature, so your body CANNOT metabolize them.

Instead, they just accumulate, clog your arteries, and cause inflammation, cell damage and heart attacks.

Thank the processed food manufacturers for that wonderful invention!

These bad fats are found in deep fried foods, margarine, baked goods, powdered and artificial coffee creamers, and most processed (packaged) foods.

Look for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" on package labels. If you see them, do NOT buy the product.

And don't be fooled by products that profess to be "low fat." All that means is that they're lacking good, essential fat, and the fat has probably been replaced by sugar (a bad carb).

Isn't that incredible, what the food manufacturers do to try to fool us in order to make billions? And the effects are passed down to our children in our DNA. That's right, studies show that processed foods are a major reason for the skyrocketing numbers of birth defects and infertility otherwise known as "being sterile."

Click Here! to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Desire_Moore

What's the Best Low Fat Diet Plan?

Dieters seeking to engage in a low fat diet plan will often wonder: what is the best plan to follow? When it comes to diets, is one better than the other? There are many diets that encourage the reduction of fat consumption in order to lose weight, and on the surface they may all seem the same. There are some identifying markers that one can use however, to identify the best low fat plan to follow. Let's examine what some of the top diets promote.

A healthy, ideal low fat diet plan will involve a plan that encourages the dieter to truly be realistic about his or her dieting and weight loss expectations. Any diet stating that it will make fat melt off or that the dieter can lose significant amounts of weight in seven days or less is a plan full of nothing more than empty promises. A good plan encourages the dieter to set small, healthy, reasonable goals for weight loss accomplishments.

An ideal low fat diet will also encourage the dieter to eat three meals a day and some snacks too. With a healthy plan, a dieter must eat in order to keep his or her metabolic processes at their peak. To deprive one's self or to purposefully starve one's self will only cause the body to slip into starvation mode where the metabolic process thereby slows considerably.

A very low fat diet will encourage the dieter to monitor calorie intake and to watch the size of the portions that they consume. If you are overeating, your diet won't do a thing to help you drop undesirable pounds. You will need to monitor what kind of nutritional value you are deriving from the foods you are eating, and you will want to make sure that you eat in moderation at all times. A diet that promises you that you can eat everything you want whenever you want really isn't a diet at all.

A healthy, positive low fat diet plan will also encourage you to drink lots of water. In fact, you will want water over diet colas and other no calorie drinks. Water flushes your body, keeps your metabolism working at a faster rate, helps your body digest foods correctly, and will give you a greater sense of satisfaction after you drink it. It will also ensure you remain properly hydrated as well; many dieters confuse a sense of hunger for thirst.

Wayne Wilson is a freelance writer. Learn more about Low Fat Diet [http://www.low-fatdiet.org], visit Low Fat Diet Plan [http://www.low-fatdiet.org] for expert advice and tips.

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7 Diet Mistakes Even Smart Women Make

1. You Are Doing Too Much Research

Your smarts might lead to your biggest mistake. "Smart women" often do a lot of their own research and end up being susceptible to fads such as specific supplements or pseudo-scientific sounding detox diets that really don't work in the long term.

Get back to basics. Sure, the wheat grass-infused, selenium-linseed-lecithin blend is supposed to be amazing, but so is a balanced eating and exercise program.

2. You Are Not Reading The Fine Print

It's easy to be ambushed by misleading information. When you're busy and you're grabbing boxes in the supermarket, you notice the large letters that say "all natural", "low-carb", "added antioxidants". The nutrition panel, however, can tell a different story - that's where you'll see that its high in sugar, high in salt and low in fibre. It is also important to remember that "organic" means grown without pesticides, not grown without kilojoules.

3. You Only Hear What You Want To Hear

When you sit down to a big breakfast at your local cafe on Saturday morning, you probably feel quite virtuous about eschewing the bacon (bad fat) for a slice of avocado (good fat). Newsflash: it's still a fat. The fat and kilojoules content of avocado is high. Nuts are another example. They're healthy fats and can be a great snack in a healthy diet, but you have to watch how many you eat because they are high in kilojoules.

4. You Probably Don't Need To Go Gluten-Free

Unless someone has coeliac disease or proven intolerance; there is no health benefit to eating gluten-free foods. In fact, many gluten-free foods have a high GI and tend to be lower in B vitamins, iron and fibre compared to wholegrain foods.

Unless you're certain you have a problem with gluten, you're better off choosing low-GI whole grains. These will leave you feeling fuller for longer and won't give you the rollercoaster blood-sugar levels that high-GI foods can cause. The less processed a food is, the lower its GI will usually be.

5. You Are Still Not Eating Carbs After 5pm

There is no evidence to support the still strong belief that having carbs in the evening is bad for you. If anything, it just leaves you unsatisfied and ready to snack after dinner. It also means your muscles are not fuelled for the next day, which is not great if you're planning an activity in the morning.

Nobody says you need to sit down to a huge bowl of anything. If you're focused on your weight, choose small portions of low-GI carbs like sweet potato, wholemeal pasta and brown rice.

6. You Drink Your Dinner

There's been a big change in the way that women socialise. Ten or fifteen years ago, they went on dates with men or went to the movies with their friends. Now they go out in groups with other women to the pub or a club.

In other words they are drinking like boys. Male consumption of alcohol has stabilised, while women's, particularly young women's, has risen dramatically.

There's a fair amount of anecdotal evidence and research to support the idea that drinking has become the new dinner. There's also a view among young women that eating a meal and drinking as well adds up to too many kilojoules. So they skip dinner to keep kilojoules down.

Unfortunately, drinking on an empty stomach destabilises blood sugar levels, saps B vitamins from your body and if you're not eating you're lacking the nutrients, such as zinc, to help you process the alcohol. The result is you retain those empty kilojoules.

7. You Are Drinking A lot Of Diet Soft Drinks

When it's zero kilojoules and tastes so good, it's easy to reach for a diet drink whenever you feel thirsty. It can't hurt you, right? Dietitians point out that soft drinks can be acidic and contribute to tooth decay. The acid in the drink attacks the enamel (the thin outer layer that gives your tooth its whiteness and helps prevent decay) and can age your teeth prematurely.

Researchers have also found that phosphoric acid in cola drinks, including diet drinks, can reduce bone density. Three diet cola drinks a day can reduce your bone mineral density by up to 5.1 per cent. The best drink for your smile, your bones, your weight and your hydration levels is water.

Gary Brayshaw used to be a real estate agent in Adelaide, but is now a widely syndicated consumer advocate and author on sites such as http://www.BusinessAustralia.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Brayshaw

The Best Online Diet Plans

How to find the Best Online Diet Plans?

If you're like most people, you've been wanting to shed some pounds. You've probably even tried countless diet plans and numerous exercise programs but still just can't seem to find a way to lose that unwanted weight. Here's a possible solution. Try an online diet plan. Online diet plans provide a much more overall plan that can help you succeed in shedding the extra weight. There are countless diet websites on the net these days that offer a new online, even interactive in some cases, way to become healthier. Some of these diet plans are better than other so it's important to look for a few things when choosing the best online diet plan for you.

Blogs. This is the new catchword of the internet age we live in today. The best web diet plans offer a way for you to keep up with your day to day activities by sharing your thoughts on your progress. Others can read your blogs which will help them get tips on finding new ideas for their own online diet plan. This also means you can do the same. Creating a network of people who all share the same goals of trying to improve their health has worked for many people. It may help you to stay focused on overall goal of losing weight. If you're thinking of cheating or slipping just a bit, you can log onto your online diet plan website and read blogs of people just like yourself who've been in the same situation. Dieting is hard enough, so don't do it on your own if you don't have to. The best online plans out there will offer this resource.

Some of the best online plans will also have lots of tips and advice on which foods to eat and which foods to stay away from. Think of it as your very own personal cookbook full of great ideas and recipes to keep you healthy right at your fingertips. An online diet plan that does not offer these tips and recipes is one to stay away from. If you're going to try and lose weight with an online diet plan, its best to use one that will actually give you the advice you need. Right? Of course, so make sure you sort through the many different diet plans carefully and pick the best online diet plan which offers recipes.

After you've chosen the best online diet plan for you, make sure you use it! Many people sign up and use it for a few days but then forget about it and stop using it. Adopting an online diet plan is just like any other program you try so you must stick with it to get results. Be sure to log onto your diet plan daily. Use the different charts and tips that it offers to track your progress. The best online diet plan will allow you to input your goals and measure them daily. Sign up, log on and don't stop using your diet plan until you hit that weight loss goal.

Dannie Evans is a very regular person with an extraordinary thirst for life. She happily appreciates life due to some major life threatening experiences. Instead of dwelling in the past, Dannie loves the present and looks with great hope for the future. Dannie continues to find life nuggets that she gladly shares [http://www.simple-marketing-ideas.com/thebestdiettips.html] with others looking to fill unfulfilled gaps in their life. "Life is too short" says Dannie. She has lost weight, reinvented herself and found a few ways to get ahead. According to Dannie, "all is good." She always invites others to share the wealth. She shares her life tips [http://www.simple-marketing-ideas.com/thebestdiettips.html] on her website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dannielle_Evans

New Acai Berry Research Fights Cancer

Knowledge about eating right has shown that a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables can have a great benefit on personal health. New research has proven this to be true in a laboratory setting, especially when it comes to fighting cancer.

According to Monica Giusti of Ohio State University's Department of Food Science and Technology, one of the main ingredients in dark colored fruits, anthrocyanins, has shown remarkable results in the slowing and even complete halting of cancer cell growth in a controlled environment.

Since the evidence points to all foods with a natural dark hue, blueberries, pomegranates, and Acai berries are included as the best source of this natural compound. Again it seems that science is proving that the benefits thousands have felt in the increase of their overall health are real!

Who knows how many actual benefits can be had just by taking one Acai supplement a day? With the results found by Monica Giusti, it may even be possible that a treatment for cancer may be created out of foods rich in antioxidants and anthrocyanins. There are many people out there who would defiantly prefer to have a treatment for cancer made from fruits and their juices than to have their body pumped full of chemicals, "chemo-therapy" or have their body irradiated in a hospital.

Now that you know this, do not hesitate at the benefits a simple supplement can give you. Whether you want to experience a healthier lifestyle, gain more energy, or even look for an alternative to common cancer treatments, the Acai berry research shown here can help you today!

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jon_Skulemowski

Eat Smart and Save Money

Smarter Eating

LESS MEAT- The average American eats two-hundred pounds of meat each year. A family of four spends about $2,300 annually on meat ($192 a month), and that number is increasing. By skipping meat one day a week you could save between 300 and 450 dollars a year. The impact on the environment is even greater it takes 2500 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat. If the population of the US ate 1 lb less meat a year it would save 767,500,000,000 gallons of water! In 2006 FAO estimated that meat industry contributes 18% of all emissions of greenhouse gasses. This figure was challenged in 2009 by two World-Watch researchers who estimated a 51% minimum; this small thing will change your budget and the world!

Poultry - The price of ground meat compared to ground turkey or chicken is comparable, but Raising 1 pound of turkey or chicken requires 75% less energy from fossil fuels, 85% less water, and half the land required to produce than 1 pound of beef. Poultry farms are also less polluting to air and water.

Buy whole chickens instead of pre-cut you will save up to $600 per year if all chicken (4 pounds per week) is purchased whole instead of as boneless, skinless breasts. You reduce the energy, resources, and waste involved with processing, packaging, and transport.

Dairy - Buy block cheese instead of pre-sliced or shredded cheese. There can be a savings of up to $100 per year for a family of four that buys 4 pounds of cheese per month. Block cheeses involve less processing and less plastic packaging than shredded or sliced cheeses, which results in less energy use and less waste.

Block cheese gives you more flexibility in how it can be used for snacks, appetizers, or meals. Buy milk by the gallon instead of smaller packages. This could be a savings of up to $115 a year. A single large container uses less energy to produce and results in less waste than two small ones. Buying 1- gallon jugs of milk will reduce your waste by about 12 pounds per year compared with buying twice as many half- gallon plastic jugs.

BUY LOCAL- Produce and meats that are grown or raised locally. The Locally owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

Wendy Hall

[http://www.atchisonhall.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_J_Hall

Five Foods You Should Not Put In Your Mouth

Did you know that every day you may be consuming foods that are doing incredible harm to your body? These aren't poisonous foods, or even illegal foods, they are worse than that! They are foods that have become such major ingredients that most processed, supermarket or pre-packed food contains many of these deadly ingredients.

In this article, we look at the top five foods that should never enter your mouth. Five foods that are responsible for much of today's chronic illness and disease. If you regularly consume any of these foods, stop now and see what a powerful difference you can make to your health.

Wheat

Wheat is the number one food on our list, one that single handedly is responsible for most forms of digestive distress and discomfort. If you have not yet removed wheat from your diet this is an absolute must.

The protein gluten, found in wheat is particularly damaging to the lining of the digestive tract. The regular, frequent consumption of wheat based products is one of the key factors behind digestive disorders like IBS, Crohn's Disease and Celiac's. If you find yourself regularly affected by any of the below symptoms, removing wheat from your diet is particularly important:

• bloating or abdominal discomfort after eating,
• frequent bouts of diarrhoea or constipation,
• regular problems with gas and wind.

Recurrent eczema or hard to beat psoriasis is a key indication you are eating too much wheat.

Wheat, and it's damaging protein gluten, is a common filler ingredient in many prepacked and prepared foods. Be sure to read labels carefully and choose products that are free from both wheat and gluten.

Cow's Milk

Wheat's partner in crime is cow's milk. The protein casein found in cow's milk has a similar effect to gluten. A dietary change as simple as removing gluten and casein is one of the key natural interventions for many chronic conditions including:

• arthritis and auto immune conditions,
• digestive conditions such as Crohn's, Celiac's, IBS, and ulcerative colitis,
• childhood disorders such as Autism,
• common allergies and asthma.

Try replacing cow's milk with rice milk or almond milk which are commonly available in supermarkets. Many people have reported that purchasing A2 Cow's milk has seen a reduction in symptoms. Don't be fooled by lactose reduced, or low lactose milks. While some people are lactose intolerant, it is the protein structure more than the sugar that causes problems.

The culturing of cow's milk in products such as kefir, yoghurt, and many soft cheeses, also helps to remove the damaging aspects of casein.

Sugar

Called "white, sweet, and deadly", sugar is one of the most damaging ingredients in the modern diet. Often overlooked however, is that white, refined, breads and pastas are also simple sugars and have the same effects and cause the same problems.

Commonly known as a key factor in obesity and diabetes, simple sugars are also the preferred food for cancers and a major contributor to auto immune and degenerative joint conditions. Removing sugar from the diet is one of the quickest and easiest ways to:

• lose weight,
• control blood sugar levels,
• improve cholesterol and metabolic risk parameters,
• improve immune function and prevent colds and flues.

Like wheat, look carefully at food labels. Sugar is a cheap flavouring and makes its way into many foods that you would not expect.

Refined Salt

Not quite sweet like sugar, but definitely white and deadly, the use of salt has exploded in our modern diets. Some salts are good, others are bad. Refined table salt definitely falls into the bad category and has been directly linked to:

• heart disease,
• hypertension,
• and diabetes.

The salt refining process also sees the addition of many chemical nasties such as aluminium. Although aluminium may make your salt easier to pour and more resistant to clumping, excess aluminium has been associated with many adverse health outcomes.

Try replacing refined table salts with good quality, unprocessed, Celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt. These salts have not been stripped of important trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and iodine, during processing. These full spectrum salts are powerful foods in maintaining health and wellbeing.

Trans Fats

If your plans for ageing don't include heart disease, cholesterol, or diabetes, reducing your intake of trans fats is a step in the right direction.

Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, are plant based unsaturated fats that are artificially stabilised. Trans fats are often found in margarine, cookies, baked goods, pastries, take away foods, and other processed foods, where the hydrogenation prevents rancidity. It is the high consumption of trans fats, rather than saturated fats that is one of the leading drivers of high cholesterol levels.

Make sure the fats and oils in your diet are of the healthy variety by increasing intake of olives, avocado, nuts and seeds, and purified fish oils. Don't be scared of saturated fats from meat, eggs, and cheeses, as modern research places the blame for adverse outcomes on trans fats.

Marianne Fernance is the founding Naturopath for Brisbane Naturopath Passion4Health.

For more informative articles on natural health go to our website at http://www.passion4health.com.au.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marianne_Fernance

Why Adding Salt to Food Is Bad For Your Health

When most people think of salt, they tend to think of the salt that is so heavily advertised as being good for your health, such as Celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt. The question is, are these types of salt actually healthy for us and, if not, where should we be obtaining our salt from?

Sodium (salt) is critical for maintaining health and is utilised by the human body for numerous tasks that include the following:

• Found in the fluid between cells (extracellular fluid) where it is in constant dynamic balance with potassium which is mainly to be found within the cells (intracellular fluid). This healthy balance allows for the passage of waste and nutrients across the cell membranes
• A major component of blood and lymphatic fluid
• Needed for the use of our muscles, including the heart
• Correct functioning of our nerves
• Electrolyte, fluid and pH balance within our bodies

Over the last few thousand years, man has used salt for not only preserving foods, but also adding flavour to it. To think of going through life without adding salt to any of their foods would drive most people to distraction. "What, no salt on my food? But what should I do for taste?", most people will say. The addiction that most people have for adding salt to their food or for having salt added to it lies in the fact that most of the foods people eat are to put it quite simply not satiety and, so, the need is found to use salt to make the food come 'alive', which without it would appear as bland and unexciting as eating cardboard.

So, most of us now partake of various different types of salt, whether it is table salt, rock salt or sea salt. Many people know that traditional table salt is far from healthy as it is highly refined with various chemicals added to it including even fluoride in certain cases. They believe that by using other types of salt, which are deemed as being a healthy alternative such as 'unrefined sea salt' "Himalayan salt" and 'pure rock salt'.

Well, even though these types of salts do not go through the same processing that table salt does and as such could be termed 'natural', it does not automatically equate to them being healthy and suitable for human consumption. "Why?", you may ask.

Here are some points you may want to consider if you ever feel the need to sprinkle some 'healthy' salt on your food:

Consuming your salt through eating sea/rock salt, including table salt, creates the very real potential for overdosing and so can impact negatively upon the human body. How do you know when you have had too much, when your eyes become bloodshot or your blood pressure starts going up?

Unrefined sea salt can contain over 80 minerals but the majority of these are in very small amounts. For example a medium sized banana contains over 400mg of potassium while a teaspoon of sea salt contains just 11mg

Traces of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury have all been found in sea salt. Why would anyone knowingly want to potentially be adding known toxins to their body?

So getting your sodium through eating food laden with table/rock/sea salt is certainly not conducive towards good health and ideal body weight. Yet, there is another source of sodium that is greatly overlooked in the modern world and that is obtained through eating natural, whole foods, which all contain sodium. Below is just a small list of whole raw foods that contain good amounts of sodium:

• Celery
• Coconut water
• Carrots
• Kale
• Honeydew Melon
• Cantaloupe Melon
• Swiss Chard
• Beets
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce

Getting sodium through eating a whole raw food diet wins hands down because:

It is more bio-available, due to chelation (binding) which means it is much easier for the human body to absorb.

Consuming your salt through eating sea/rock salt including table salt creates the very real potential for overdosing, which impacts negatively upon the human body.

Consuming salt, whether it is table/rock or sea salt, is addictive and so unhealthy.

Fruits and vegetables more than easily cover all your bases when it comes to mineral content including iodine (as long as the soil it is grown in is healthy/mineral rich).

Overdosing on salt and suffering the health consequences from eating a raw food diet of vegetables and fruits is unheard of.

Just as a reminder if any of us needed one about the dangers of eating too much salt:

High blood pressure can result from having too much salt in the bloodstream, forcing the heart to work harder, putting it under greater strain and narrowing the arteries.

Increased body weight can occur due to fluid retention because of excess sodium requiring water from the body to neutralise it and make it safe. This can be a real issue for people wanting to achieve weight loss. So, if you want to lose weight, exclude salt from your diet completely and switch to a low-fat raw vegan diet.

The more sodium you have in your body, the less you will absorb calcium.

The body becomes dehydrated by the over consumption of salt.

Salt has an acidic effect on the body, which can force it to leach alkaline minerals such as calcium from the bones to maintain a healthy pH balance. This can eventually lead to osteoporosis.

Our own personal experience of living without salt on the 80/10/10 raw food diet for well over 3 years now has been an interesting one. As we weaned ourselves off the addiction that we had for salt in the past, we eventually found that we could live without it and now find our taste buds much more sensitive to the foods that we eat. We enjoy our meals more than we have ever done and the thought of adding any salt never ever crosses our mind. Looking back salt is now for us what we can best term as a sledgehammer to the taste buds. We do not miss it anymore and revel in all the many fruits and vegetables that we eat daily.

Do we or other people we know who follow the same diet as us get any symptoms of under eating on sodium such as tiredness, nausea or muscle cramps? Quite the opposite, in fact, and we do a lot of exercise, often in hot tropical climates. So the argument that you need to add salt to your diet as a means to be healthy is simply untrue. Just eating a healthy raw food diet of fruits and vegetables and you will more than adequately cover you sodium needs.

Find out the truth about salt and how you should really be obtaining it for true health! Also visit our website at: http://www.rawsomehealthy.com where you can find out even more about what healthy living really means and how you and your loved ones can set yourselves free!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Tarbath

Eating Fat Will Not Make You Fat

I'm going to say something quite shocking: you don't get fat by eating fat! Okay, let me say that again in layman's terms: the greasy foods that you love will not make you chubby.

As a personal trainer, I don't advocate low-fat diets. I don't advise clients to cut back on fat or purchase a bunch of "fat-blocking" supplements. I don't even go on talking about "good" and "bad" fats (I'll discuss that in another article). Fat is good for you, would make you healthier, and could even help you lose a few pounds.

The real enemy here is sugar, not fat.

Let me explain. There are three types of nutrients that play a role in how fat you'll get: fat, protein, and carbohydrates (sugar and starches). These three are also known as "macronutrients" because they contain calories and supply your body with fuel. Without macronutrients in your diet, you'll simply die. A car cannot run without gas. Your body cannot run without macronutrients.

All three of these nutrients are absolutely essential for the body. However, fat and protein have several roles in the body. Carbohydrates do not.

Simply put, the main role for carbs (sugar and starches) is to give your cells energy. Nothing else. If you have more than enough carbs in your system, the body would pee it out, store it as glycogen (stored form of sugar for later use), or simply convert the left-overs into fat. (By the way, starch is a stored form of sugar in plants, and the body would simply break it down into sugar, which would be further broken down into glucose for energy).

If you have an excess of protein, there is a chance that it could also be converted to fat. However, protein has several different roles in the body: repairing soft tissue such as skin, organs, and muscles, improving our immune system, providing fuel for the body, helping us feel full for longer periods, help regulate hormones, help produce serotonin in the brain, and many more things. Even though excessive protein could be converted to fat, it won't happen right away as the body could do plenty of things with protein.

Fat is the same way: it does several things in the body from reducing inflammation, maintaining your nervous system, providing fuel for your heart (of all things!), building cellular membranes, providing insulation, and even prevent you from getting hungry too frequently. It also helps you better absorb vitamin D (which is crucial to maintaining bone health) and other fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, E, and K. Fat does a lot for the body. Excessive amounts can be stored in the body and expand your waist, but it won't happen right away. It has plenty to do in the body!

But sugar? Well...it doesn't do a whole lot for the body. It gives you energy and...well...that's about it! If you get more sugar than you need, then your body would fill up its glycogen stores so you could use that sugar later on. But once your glycogen stores are filled to the brim, then guess what? That's right, the body would either pee out the rest or simply store it as fat.

And guess what? It's a heck of a lot easier to eat sugar than it is to eat fat.

Think about it. Could you eat bacon, sausage, fried chicken, and "fat back" all day? You can if you got issues! Otherwise, you'll get nauseated!

But, could you drink 10 sodas in a day? You bet you can!

Or, how many cookies can you eat in a day? The whole box? I bet you can!

Can you drink more than "a few" glasses of wine a day? Wine is basically a carb. The body breaks down the alcohol into a substance called acetate, which is very similar to sugar -- and the body prefers acetate for fuel over sugar. So, if you've eaten additional sources of carbs, they would be stored as fat!

Why is it so easy to get fat? Because of carbs, not fat. Eating fat in itself will not make you fat. And it's not all that easy to eat a lot of fat. But, it is very easy to eat and drink a lot of sugar. Don't believe me? See how many M&M's, Pepsi's, cookies, gummy worms, and ice cream you could consume in an entire day. You'd be thoroughly surprised!

Now, I don't advocate a low-carb diet. I'm completely against it. But I also don't advocate low-fat diet either. Your diet should have a fair mixture of fats, carbs, and protein. Don't try to get rid of the fat from your diet. You need it. However, try to go easy with the sugar. You don't need too much of it.

Aiyo A. Jones is a certified fitness trainer through the National Council for Strength and Fitness. He teaches boot camps, group fitness aerobics, and conducts an online fitness training program called "The 21-Day Health Challenge." Visit his site at: http://www.21dayhealthchallenge.com and receive a free e-book: "110 Best Kept Secrets For Weight-Loss."

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