Improving Health Through Exercise and Nutrition

When we talk of health, physical health is what is understood though our mental health is also a very important component of any health and fitness plan. The definition of health is not a universally accepted one and it is described as the absence of illness and injury...

Natural Antibiotics And Natural Cancer Killers

The medical establishment is quite blatantly failing to develop efficient antibiotics for many microbes, viruses and pathogens which have become resistant to pharmaceutical drugs. Mother Nature is ready to help and teach us, but only "when the student is ready...

Healthy Eating Habits To Lose Weight Quickly

Are you desperate to lose weight quickly? Have you tried everything under the sun and still struggling to lose that unwanted belly fat? Do you keep blaming your metabolism for weight gain? If you answered yes to the above then let me stop right now...

Promoting Healthy Eating Habits In Children

Healthy food can help your child to grow. The right kind of food can help your kids in developing a good body, make their minds alert, and help them improve in their learning. A common factor, which often encourages children and adults to buy junk food...

Healthy Eating: Five Main Food Groups

Healthy eating is not about deprivation or about unrealistic restraints put on yourself. Healthy eating is about making healthy food choices. It's about consuming the right amount of foods from all the food groups in order to achieve the healthiest life possible...

Sources of Iron for Vegetarians

Getting enough iron can be a tough problem for vegetarians, especially for expecting mothers. When you become pregnant, you need more blood for yourself as well as blood for your new baby. This can cause you to become anemic, if you were not already, and can lead to other health conditions later on (as well as complications for your baby).
One of the best sources of iron is red meat; however, this is not the only source of iron, so vegetarians can still get sufficient amounts of the mineral. Vegetarian sources of iron include: lentils, spinach, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, tomato paste, white beans, dried peaches, prune juice, and soybeans. Eating several sources of iron rich foods daily will help you get enough iron to support yourself and your baby.
Even though there are vegetarian sources of iron, there are still other measures you can take to maximize your iron intake from the available foods. Calcium inhibits iron absorption in the body, but is still very necessary for every pregnancy. In order to avoid harming your iron intake and still getting enough calcium, try to avoid consuming any calcium at least half an hour before or after you consume iron. Tea and coffee can also prevent your body from absorbing iron, so avoid these as much as you can. Vitamin C, on the other hand, helps your body retain iron, so be sure to get enough Vitamin C as well.
If you were anemic before you got pregnant or become anemic at some point during your pregnancy, talk to your doctor about taking iron supplements. Your doctor can inform you about different types of iron supplements and suggest the right one for you. They can also test your blood to ensure you are getting enough iron. For some women, a combination of iron supplements and iron rich foods are needed in order to get enough iron.
You don't have to compromise your choice to be a vegetarian in order to have a healthy pregnancy. As you can see, there are several great ways that you can get your nutrients that don't included eating red meat. Remember, it's important you discuss any concerns with your doctor before altering your diet or beginning an iron supplement. Your doctor can test your iron levels and advise you on what course of action would be best for you. Don't self-medicate! Too much iron can be a bad thing too.
Courtney Lazore is a freelance writer and editor. She also runs her own beauty blog. You can find her here and here.

5 Handy Diet Tips For Men



Diet plans for men often need to be different than those designed for women. Men have a different set of challenges they need to handle when trying to lose weight there are some unique issues to take into consideration.
Men tend to want to lose weight and gain muscle. But muscle is heavier than fat so you may find that you're putting on pounds instead of losing them. Also you probably want to carve off that slab of fat on your belly and to get a flat and toned stomach. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just cannot seem to shift that excess weight. These 5 handy diet tips for men will help.
1. Cut Down On Salty Foods.
Firstly, reduce the amount of salty snacks you eat. Men tend to have hunger for foods that are high in salt and fat, while women tend to crave sweet foods. Men generally will enjoy munching on foods like nachos, wings, potato crisps and salty peanuts. These types of foods will not help any diet plans for men and can really stop you from losing the weight you're trying to get rid of on your diet program. To curb those the salty urges, make your favorite foods in low-sodium, low-fat versions and keep to smaller portions. If you do have a day where you have a lot of extra salt, drink lots of water to help get it out of your system so that you don't retain water that leads to bloating.
2. Watch Your Alcohol Intake.
Social gatherings for men often involve a lot of salty foods and alcohol. Alcohol is another substance that can really make diet plans for men difficult as it is very high in calories and and is often consumed in large amounts because it's liquid. It causes you to feel hungrier and slows down your loss of fat. If you can avoid alcohol altogether, it will be better for your diet. But if that's too much for you, you can try to slow down your consumption. After you have an alcoholic drink, have a glass of water before you drink another. This will slow down your alcohol consumption and help you to feel full. There's a reason that the term "beer belly" exists so if you want to get a flat tummy, cut down on the booze.
3. Drink Water.
Drinking more water is one of the easiest diet ideas for men. Aim to drink at least one half of your weight in ounces of water on a daily basis. As an example, if you weigh 190 pounds (approx 86 kilos), you should drink a minimum of 95 ounces of water per day, which is approximately 2. 5 litres. As well as water flushing your system of any potentially harmful toxins, it also helps to fill you up so you don't feel so tempted to eat those salty snacks.
4. Get Some Exercise.
When it comes to exercise, diet plans for men often have the goal of bulking up. Strength or resistance training is a great form of exercise to lose weight because muscles burn more calories, even while they are at rest. This exercise routine should involve all major muscle groups: legs (quads), back and chest (pecs). But don't forget to add some aerobic activity to your routine. It will help you to burn fat faster so that you can see those hard-earned muscles. There are many different aerobic exercise activities like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
5. Managing Stress.
Despite the fact that it sounds like one of the more unusual diet tips for men, lowering your stress levels can help you to lose weight. Stress leads to hormonal fluctuations in the body. In particular there is a hormone called cortisol that becomes unbalanced in times of stress and causes fat to build up around your stomach. Analyze your life and decide which things cause you stress. Figure out how to eliminate what you can and get help to lighten your load.
Losing weight and getting fit does not have to be difficult. For the best nutritional tips, the most proven exercise programs, fitness motivation and the whole recipe for fat loss with safe, natural and proven methods please click here.

Feel Your Best With Great Nutrition



Good nutrition is really essential for good health. Knowing what to do doesn't mean that you will do it. Follow each of the steps laid out here to enjoy better health.
Heavily processed foods will interfere with your weight or not. The label should be clear and easy for people to recognize. Stay away from those items that are made with a lot of artificial ingredients.
Eat foods with all different kinds of all different colors! Fruits and vegetables that are bright in color give us lots of nutrition without tons of calories. Try to use a good mix of these fruits or vegetables with every meal. If the fruit or vegetable has an edible skin, eat that as well, since many of the antioxidant benefits are in the skins.
Take time to enjoy your meals slowly. Chew very slowly and savor every bite. This will cause you feel full a lot sooner. You will also be less likely to binge.
Do you want to decrease the amount of red meat in your diet? This can be used for adding some texture and flavor to grain or grain. The Chinese and Mediterranean cultures do this and they have a lot less problems with heart diseases.
Dark chocolate contains chemicals called flavonoids that keep your blood pressure. These flavonoids also improve cholesterol by reducing your LDL levels increasing your HDL levels. Just be sure to choose chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cocoa in order to get the benefits. Don't go overboard; chocolate as it still contains a high calorie food so enjoy it in moderation.
Vitamin B6 is a great supplement to take if you want to positively impact your chances of becoming depressed. This helps to keep your body's serotonin levels at the correct level, which means that you are less likely to experience depression.Asparagus, wheat germ, and wheat germ are foods rich in vitamin B6.
It can be difficult for many people to maintain a proper nutrition. However, when you become accustomed to more healthful foods, comfort food cravings will begin to cease. You will then start eating for the sake of good nutrition in mind and not just because you want to feel better emotionally.
Canned salmon makes a flavorful alternative to your regular dish. Canned salmon is full of important minerals that help your body function properly and it's low in fat and carbs. Try eating new things if you can to enjoy your diet.
Olive oil can be great for skin care. Olive oil seals in moisture to your hands and face. It can also provides a helping of age-fighting antioxidants. A little bit is all you need daily.
If you are one of the millions of people who fights sleepless nights, a change in your diet may make all the difference. Some foods are great for an energizing boost, but others perk you up. It's a great idea to allow your body some time to digest its food after eating before you try to sleep.
Many times you don't realize that you aren't eating healthy. Small miscalculations can lead to obesity. These nutrition tips are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Take what you've learned and put it to good use.
Why The Truth About Fat Burning Foods is the right weight loss solution Read my detailed reviews>>> http://www.slimmingproductsonline.com/truth-about-fat-burning-foods-review/

Vitamin D, Are You Getting Enough?



Most of us know Vitamin D in relation to bone health, that vitamin D and calcium are important to ensure your bones are in great shape and we are bombarded with supplementation options of all forms of media.
What many of us don't know is that "low levels of vitamin D are linked with an increase risk of:
  • multiple sclerosis
  • Diabetes
  • Some types of cancer (particularly colon cancer)
  • Heart disease
  • Mental health disorders such as schizophrenia
  • Worse outcomes in stroke
  • Altered immunity and other autoimmune diseases"
(Source Victorian Government Health)
So, it is very important to ensure that we are getting enough vitamin D. How are we to get our Vitamin D? The easiest and more efficient way to get our Vitamin D is via the sun. Obviously, it is also important to avoid too much sun exposure and therefore increase risk of skin cancer. So how do we get our Vitamin D and reduce our risk of some diseases while not exposing our selves to too much sun and therefore increasing our risk of skin cancer? Well, it is important to know when the sun is at its strongest and most dangerous for sun exposure and also to know how long one can be exposed in the sun before it gets dangerous. To find out this, check with your local cancer council.
It is also important to know that in certain seasons the sun is more dangerous to be exposed to than other seasons. Obviously, summer is the season that we're exposed to the sun the most with less clothing coverage and winter is the least when we wear long sleeves and long pants. The time when the sun is high in the sky is the time of the day when it is most dangerous in the sun.
Your complexion is a factor that also needs to be considered. Those with fairer skin (fair skin to olive skin) are able to absorb vitamin D more quickly from the sun but also need to be cautious in the sun to ensure they don't increase their risk of sun exposure.
Those with darker skin colour, have a little more difficulty absorbing vitamin D from the sun and therefore probably need more exposure to the sun to help with this. And they may not even need to where sunscreen, but still need to protect their eyes from the sun.
Sunscreen should be used for the times that the UV exposure will be greatest (usually the middle of the day) and this shouldn't put you at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
You can get small amounts of vitamin D from some foods such as fish and eggs, although it is difficult to gain enough from these sources to ensure your vitamin D levels are high enough. There are also some foods with vitamin D added to these and they may contribute some vitamin D to your diet, although, again, sun is a much more effective way to improve your vitamin D levels.
If you are concerned about your vitamin D level, it is advisable to discuss it with your GP, if they feel that it is appropriate they can arrange to check your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D supplements are available and depending on what you're GP advises, you may need to have these supplements. Ensure you follow the instructions given by your GP with regards to supplements as your GP may advise you differently for different seasons, depending on what your blood test results return and there may give different advice depending on what other risk factors for various conditions you may have.
As you would assume, getting out and enjoying your day during lunch is vitally important not only to make you stop for lunch, increase your exercise levels but now for ensuring that your vitamin D levels are maintained also. Exercise has the potential to help with your vitamin D levels also.
Seeing that the sun is usually strongest during the middle of the day, lunchtime is the perfect time to work on your vitamin D levels. So make the most of the opportunity that your lunch break affords with regards to vitamin D. It is important to ensure that you plan your lunch well also, to include good sources of Calcium such as dairy.
For further information on why stopping for lunch is important see our article of the same name at http://www.TheBalancedLunchbox.com/articles. It's also important to ensure that you plan your lunch well also to include good sources of Calcium such as dairy as well as ensuring you're meeting your Vitamin D requirements. To learn how to balance your lunch well see our website at http://www.TheBalancedLunchbox.com
Remember that balance is important in both your diet and also in your lifestyle.

Fruit: What's the Good Juice?



We all know we should eat fruit, but why?
The Benefits of eating fruit include:
  • They are packed with vitamins and minerals
  • They contain dietary fibre, which, in a diet of high dietary fibre, may reduce the risk of constipation and help to lower cholesterol
  • They are a tasty snack that has a lot less energy (kilojoules/Calories) per volume than many other snack foods, so may help when trying to maintain a lower energy intake.
  • A high fruit and vegetable intake may be helpful in reducing your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
  • They are naturally low in salt, fat and don't contain any cholesterol, which may be helpful in protecting against heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
Where do I get good quality fruit?
There are many places to get fresh fruit and your access to these will depend on what is available in your local area. If you are somewhere there is a fresh farmers market that would be a great place to start. Farmers markets are great because you can buy the fruit directly from the farm where it is grown. You will get great tasting fruit that is in season and you will probably find that it lasts longer when you get it home.
Not all areas have farmers markets so that next best thing would be to keep an eye out for road side stalls if you are driving through farming areas. Some of these stalls are fantastic for fresh fruit, the freshness and taste are usually great and best of all they are generally quite cheap.
Many towns and cities also have specialty green grocers too. The produce at these stores is usually hand picked by the owners at a larger wholesale market. The green grocers have extensive experience in buying and selling fruit, so tend to select great produce for their stores, so don't be afraid to ask them for their pick of the produce this week.
Supermarkets also have fruit and vegetable sections within them and they are getting better at providing good quality produce. They are beginning to display and keep fresh produce in more appropriate ways, so they can also be a good place to purchase your fruit.
A couple of tips when buying fruit:
  • Make sure you buy in season: This ensures that the fruit is fresh to you in the season it should be harvested for the best nutrient profile and taste.
  • Know what to look for in a fruit: There are many places that will give advice on individual fruit, a large proportion of the large city fruit and vegetable markets often have guides available or the fruit and vegetable board in your local area may be able to provide you with this information relative to the fruits that are in season in your local area at the time.
What will make us want to eat it?
Now you know some background on why fruit is so important and where to find it. Here are a few tips on how to "get them to eat more fruit":
  • Cut it up: Many of us are lazy, so simply having the fruit cut up for us in the fridge will make us more inclined to eat it. Better still having some fruit salad around for snacks or for a sweet treat after a meal will never go uneaten!
  • Varying the colour, flavour and texture of the fruits available: If you are buying what's in season and from the vast array available this will be an easy task
  • Freeze fruits for a cool treat or snack on a hot day: Not only will this cool you down it will help you meet your fruit requirements too
A quick note on Juice
While juice is still a fruit as far as recommendations go, it isn't the best choice of fruit available.
Why?
  • It is easy to drink a lot of juice without really realising it. Keep in mind that it takes 1 whole orange to make ½ cup of orange juice (which won't fill you up anywhere near as much as consuming the actual piece of fruit).
  • Watch out for the big upsized juice smoothies you can get from fast food kiosks, these are often way bigger sizes that what you need and are high in energy (kilojoules/Calories).
  • Juice doesn't have the added benefit of the fibre that fresh fruit does as the fibre if left behind when making the juice
  • Whole fruit is better at helping you feel fuller (higher satiety) than juice so therefore helps you limit your intake and you are less likely to over consume or be unaware of how much you are consuming.
Can I have too much fruit?
We've all had an over indulge on fruit in season at sometime in our lives. Be it, our family has a tree in the backyard that is loaded with fruit or we happen to drive past a roadside stall selling your favourite fruit for cheap, cheap, cheap. But it is possible to have too much fruit on a regular basis and for it be a problem in maintaining weight. Although, fruit is good for us, it still contains energy (kilojoules/Calories) so therefore we need to see it as part of a balanced diet. You can, unfortunately, have too much of a good thing!
To help keep you up informed on what you need to keep in mind about fruit and what quantities you should consume, check in your local area for your country's guide to healthy eating.
For more information on including fruit in your diet and in particular your lunch please visit us at http://www.TheBalancedLunchbox.com

Powerful Health Benefits of Tomatoes



Tomatoes are a nutrient-dense fruit. They are often referred to as a functional food because they provides more than just nutrition for the body. They can actually prevent illness and disease.
A Rocky Start
About 200 years ago, the tomato was thought to be poisonous. Since the tomato plant belongs to the nightshade family, people believed that the leaves and fruits could not be consumed. Fortunately, that was not the case. It's one of the few nightshade plants that are not poisonous and it's a good thing too, because they contain many nutrients.
What You Get from Tomatoes
When you eat a medium sized tomato, you consume only 22 calories. There's no fat in it, and you only get about 5 grams of carbohydrates. Each tomato has plenty of Vitamins A and C. It also has alpha-lipoic acid, folic acid, beta-carotene, lycopene, choline, and lutein.
Vitamins A and C can help you ward off illnesses because they boost the immune system. Folic acid is a great nutrient to help you stay strong and feeling good.
Alpha-lipoic acid converts glucose in your body to energy. This is what makes you move more easily and have more motivation to move. Since it aids in glucose conversion, it helps many people who are at risk for diabetes. It can also help people control diabetes. Research has found that alpha-lipoic may help preserve brain and nerve tissues as well.
Lycopene is an antioxidant and the nutrient that gives tomatoes their bold, red color. It's also a great way to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. It has been shown to help prevent cancer as well.
The choline in tomatoes helps you sleep better. It has also been shown to help people learn better and remember more. This is probably because it maintains cellular membrane structures and helps the transmission of nerve impulses. Additionally, choline can help promote weight loss because it helps the body absorb fat and reduce inflammation.
Eat Your Daily Tomatoes for Better Health
Tomatoes are highly nutritious. They should be a part of everyone's diet and for most people, they are, with obvious exceptions, such as when people are allergic or if they suffer from arthritic conditions, which may be exacerbated by tomatoes. You don't even have to eat the fruit raw to reap the benefits. Recipes with cooked tomatoes can also deliver the nutrition you need to stay healthy. Everything from pizza sauce to soups can include tomatoes, making them taste great and good for you.
Tasti-Lee for Good Health
Tasti-Lee tomatoes are naturally-developed, vine-ripened tomatoes that not only have all the nutrients we know and love in tomatoes, but also the homegrown taste that is usually lacking in a grocery store tomato. For health, flavor and freshness, go Tasti-Lee! Visit our website to learn more about us: http://tastilee.com/

Feel Your Best With Great Nutrition

Good nutrition is really essential for good health. Knowing what to do doesn't mean that you will do it. Follow each of the steps laid out here to enjoy better health.
Heavily processed foods will interfere with your weight or not. The label should be clear and easy for people to recognize. Stay away from those items that are made with a lot of artificial ingredients.
Eat foods with all different kinds of all different colors! Fruits and vegetables that are bright in color give us lots of nutrition without tons of calories. Try to use a good mix of these fruits or vegetables with every meal. If the fruit or vegetable has an edible skin, eat that as well, since many of the antioxidant benefits are in the skins.
Take time to enjoy your meals slowly. Chew very slowly and savor every bite. This will cause you feel full a lot sooner. You will also be less likely to binge.
Do you want to decrease the amount of red meat in your diet? This can be used for adding some texture and flavor to grain or grain. The Chinese and Mediterranean cultures do this and they have a lot less problems with heart diseases.
Dark chocolate contains chemicals called flavonoids that keep your blood pressure. These flavonoids also improve cholesterol by reducing your LDL levels increasing your HDL levels. Just be sure to choose chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cocoa in order to get the benefits. Don't go overboard; chocolate as it still contains a high calorie food so enjoy it in moderation.
Vitamin B6 is a great supplement to take if you want to positively impact your chances of becoming depressed. This helps to keep your body's serotonin levels at the correct level, which means that you are less likely to experience depression.Asparagus, wheat germ, and wheat germ are foods rich in vitamin B6.
It can be difficult for many people to maintain a proper nutrition. However, when you become accustomed to more healthful foods, comfort food cravings will begin to cease. You will then start eating for the sake of good nutrition in mind and not just because you want to feel better emotionally.
Canned salmon makes a flavorful alternative to your regular dish. Canned salmon is full of important minerals that help your body function properly and it's low in fat and carbs. Try eating new things if you can to enjoy your diet.
Olive oil can be great for skin care. Olive oil seals in moisture to your hands and face. It can also provides a helping of age-fighting antioxidants. A little bit is all you need daily.
If you are one of the millions of people who fights sleepless nights, a change in your diet may make all the difference. Some foods are great for an energizing boost, but others perk you up. It's a great idea to allow your body some time to digest its food after eating before you try to sleep.
Many times you don't realize that you aren't eating healthy. Small miscalculations can lead to obesity. These nutrition tips are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Take what you've learned and put it to good use.
Why The Truth About Fat Burning Foods is the right weight loss solution Read my detailed reviews>>> http://www.slimmingproductsonline.com/truth-about-fat-burning-foods-review/

Nature's Most Amazing Medicine: Phytochemicals


What if there was a medicine that protected you from cancer, heart and artery disease, diabetes, stroke, asthma and arthritis. Would you take advantage of it? As it turns out, vegetables, fruit and whole grains are full of what are called phytochemicals, and recent studies have shown that they play an important role in protecting us against all of the above diseases and others. Dieticians have, in fact, recently labeled foods that contains phytochemicals as functional foods. They are formally defined as foods that have a positive effect on your health beyond basics nutrition, and also appear to slow down the aging process. Researchers have identified more than 4000 phytochemicals and believe there are thousands more. Furthermore, few of them have been studied in detail.
What is particularly surprising is that a large number of people miss out on their amazing benefits. And it's important that you realize their importance early on. Many people, in fact, only begin thinking about them when they are older and already in declining health. But it is important to take advantage of them early so they help you throughout your life.
Studies have shown that they protect against most of the major forms of cancer including prostate, lung, breast, and stomach cancer. Furthermore, they lower your risk of heart attack and coronary disease. And in a study of 284,000 people, researchers noted that people who ate foods with phytochemicals appeared to have a much lower incidence of diabetes II. Phytochemicals are also important in relation to eye-health. And they have been shown to help prevent macular degeneracy, glaucoma and cataracts. So it's hard to overstate their importance.
They can be broken down into several classes that include:
  • Carotenoids. The major ones are alpha and beta carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. In all there are about 600 different carotenoids.
  • Flavonoids. The major ones are lignins (in nuts and whole grains), anthocyanins (fruit and vegetables), and isoflavones (soybeans).
  • Polyphenols. They are particularly important because of their antioxidant properties.
  • Isoflavones. A subclass of flavonoids.
Besides phytochemicals, several other foods, including those that contain omega 3 fatty acids, probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants, are also considered to be functional foods.
Let's turn now to the foods that give us all these benefits. The two major groups are vegetables and fruit (and berries). But there are several others.
  • Vegetables. In general, vegetables with a rich, dark color are best. Vegetables are not only rich in phytochemicals, they are low in cholesterol, fat, calories, and they contain a large amount of fiber. But all vegetables are not equally nutritious, and it's important to make sure they are fresh. Some of the best are: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, green beans, kale, brussel sprouts, and cucumbers. Broccoli is particularly good because of its overabundance of vitamins and minerals, and it contains a number of other substances that are extremely healthful. They include indoles (that are effective against cancer), sulforophane (that has been shown to slow tumor growth) and sinigrin (that is particularly effective against colon cancer). Tomatoes really shine because of their lycopene, which has been shown to be effective against several major cancers. And spinach not only fights cancer, it fights the inflammation associated with asthma and arthritis.
  • Fruit (and berries). Fruits and berries are nutritious, healthy, non-fattening, and best of all, they taste great. In fact, most people eat them as desserts. Some of the best are: oranges, grapefruit, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, mangos, cherries, and plums. Again, dark, rich color is a good guide. Blueberries are a superstar because of their antioxidant. Researchers at Tufts University analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for antioxidants, and blueberries came out on top. Oranges and grapefruit are also great in that they have been shown to contain 170 different phytochemicals, and are a good source of antioxidants. In addition they contain hesperidan (that lowers cholesterol and blood pressure).

  • Whole grains and oats. There has been some controversy about whole wheat lately because of its gluten. People with celiac disease cannot eat gluten. But less than one-percent of the population has this disease, so it's not a problem for most people. Oats are particularly important in that they are effective in lowering cholesterol. Oat bran is, in fact, even better at this than oats itself. Oats also help protect your LDL cholesterol from oxidation by free radicals. Oxidized LDL quickly ends up as plaque in your arteries. Oats and whole grain are also an excellent source of antioxidants.

  • Nuts and seeds are not particularly high in phytochemicals, but they are worth mentioning because they are a highly functional food. Some of the best are almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. Studies have shown that a handful of almonds each day can reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 percent. It is also an effective cancer fighter. Walnuts are excellent because they contain a large amount of omega-3 fatty acid.
So if you want to enhance your health and give yourself the best protection known against disease, it is essential that you eat foods that contain phytochemicals.
Barry Parker, Ph. D., is a professor emeritus (physics, biophysics) at Idaho State University. He is the author of 25 books on science, health, writing and music. He has a strong interest in health and fitness, self-improvement and music. His most recent book is "Learn from Yesterday, Live for Today, Hope for Tomorrow." He is also the author of "Feel great Feel alive." His website is http://www.Barryparkerbooks.com