Why You Should Include Olives in Your Diet

Olives have long been avoided by dieters because they have a high fat content. While that is true, there are many health benefits to be gained by eating olives.


In Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Italy, Spain, and many more, they consume olive oils, gourmet olives, black olives, and green olives. By eating these, they are consuming healthy fats, unlike many of the fats that we consume here in the United States. The difference between the types of fat consumed can mean the difference between getting diabetes, colon cancer, and even asthma. It also greatly decreases your chances of developing heart disease.

So, why are olives different? Olives have monounsaturated fatty acids. These are fatty acids known to lower your cholesterol, which decreases your chances of having heart and liver problems. That's not to say that adding olive oil to an unhealthy food will make you healthy. Adding delicious olives to a dish packed with fat, calories, and carbohydrates doesn't make it a healthy meal, either. To get the benefits of all that olives have to offer, you need to replace the other fats with things like olive oil.

The Mediterranean Diet, known as one of the most healthy diets in the world, is known to reduce the risk of heart disease. The food is delicious, you're not starving, and you get to enjoy the rich flavors of olives and olive oils in addition to your food. You base your meals on whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, and olive oil. The rich Mediterranean flavors are enhanced not by added fat, but by herbs and spices. They accentuate the natural flavors of the food, such as olives, so that you get a mouth full of flavor with every bite without filling yourself up with unhealthy fat laden additives.

Olives are also rich in antioxidants, making them great for your skin and hair as well. The oils found in olives aid in digestion, liver function, and can even cure diarrhea!

Wondering which olives to choose? All olives start out green. They are picked at various stages of ripening, and that is what determines their color and flavor. Black olives are picked when they are fully ripened, and they contain the most of the heart healthy olive oil. The difference between regular green or black olives and gourmet olives is the way that they are treated and prepared after being harvested. Most commonly olives are soaked in a brine to make them less bitter.

If you're looking for a heart healthy fat, olives are the way to go. There are many health benefits packed into a small olive!



Jillian Johnson is a professional marketing content writer with a heavy interest in writing about health and wellness. Follow her @MissWritey.

Related articles

• Is Insulin The Key To Weight Loss?
• How to get rid of Wrinkles Naturally
• Can What You Eat Make You Age Faster?

Healthy Tips for Healthy Weight Gain

Most people would think that gaining weight is simply a matter of consuming large amounts of food and stacking your body with calories. While most of us suffer from over weight problems some have problems bulking up and getting a curvier figure. But whatever the reason, it is always important to keep healthy eating habits in mind. There’s no use bulking up is you only have to shed those unhealthy cellulite deposits in the end. If you think you are too lanky and want curvier figure or if you want to develop a better muscular structure, here are some eating habits that you must observe: 

Set your Goal

This is first step in gaining weight safely. Determine your ideal body mass or weight. You don’t want to gain too much or you’ll end up tipping on the unhealthy side of the scale. 

Make a diet plan and calculate the proper amount of weight gain in a specific amount of time. For instance, you need to gain 8 kilos in 4 months. Make sure that you only gain 2 kilos each month so your body can adjust to your new weight safely.

Keep track of those calories

Record the calories you need to consume everyday so you won’t go over or eat less. If there are days when you think you ate less, be sure to make it up during the next days. However, you can only do this if you accidentally missed your food goal. Learn to discipline yourself when eating to keep weight gain healthy.

Don’t be a Junkie

Gaining weight doesn’t mean neglecting the food you eat, this includes junk foods. Stick to healthy calories, not junk food filled with salt and sugar. Avoid foods way too much fat such French fries, pizzas, and ready to eat meals. Eat healthier alternatives packed with protein such tofu, lean meat, fish and beans. Snack on fruits such as banana and apples so you will gain healthy pounds, not excess fats.

Increase your daily meals

People normally eat three times a day but you can increase the frequency accordingly. Instead of eating three daily meals, include heavy snacks in between meals. This is an easy way to gain weight plus it helps improve your body’s digestion.

Bring Healthy Snacks to Work

Living busier lives sometimes means having not enough time for everything. Resist the temptation of eating unhealthy snacks by bring your own to work. You can avoid unhealthy snacks by preparing your lunch or snacks at home. Bring a bag full of fruits, fiber rich bread and a nice, healthy juice drink.

Shake it up!

Protein shakes are popular right now because they are packed with nutrients that can help to build and develop muscles. Purchase protein shakes which are sold in supermarkets or try some online health websites that offer protein shakes in packs. Drinking once a day should help you meet your protein requirements easily.

James Vanderhoek is a parent blogger who writes for Baby Baron. To read more about his personal experiences about parenting or one of his baby product reviews, please visit him at www.baby-baron.com/uppababy-vista-stroller-0056-col-review.

Related articles

• How To Adjust Your Meals Schedule To Your Exercise Routine
• 10 Ways for Losing Weight Effectively

Can What You Eat Make You Age Faster?

It's Saturday morning. Dad just came back from his morning workout. The kids are playing in the family room. Mom is in the kitchen making her traditional weekend breakfast. The smell of pancakes, bacon, and sausage fills the air. The table is set, complete with butter, syrup and orange juice. The family sits down to enjoy the feast, eats until they are about to burst, then goes on with the rest of the morning. Later in the afternoon, the kids have a soccer game at the local rec center. It's hot out, and during the breaks in the game, the kids gulp down various flavors of sports drinks. After the game, the team celebrates their victory with ice cream at their favorite parlor. As dinner approaches, mom and dad are tired from a long day of activity, so they drive through a fast food place for a burger and soda. Later in the evening, as bedtime approaches, mom and dad relax with a glass of wine and reflect on the day. Lots of family time, plenty of activity, and as they describe it, "We ate pretty healthy today. We had a good breakfast, didn't have time for lunch, and had a burger at the fast food joint. While the burger wasn't great for us, we kept so busy that it balanced out in the end."

Does this sound at all familiar? For many families, this is a typical weekend experience. But what if this lifestyle is slowly killing us, and the foods we are eating are making us age faster? While we may be getting plenty of activity and exercise, our diet may be wiping out all of the effort we put into trying to be healthy. How are the foods we eat making us age faster? Let's check it out.

There are four culprits that can make us age faster: Sugar, in the form of high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, phosphates, and alcohol.

Sugar

Sugar, in the form of high fructose corn syrup, is the largest source of calories for Americans. It is found in many everyday items, such as soda, sports drinks, fruit juices, refined carbs, and processed foods. Over the last 300 years, sugar consumption has increased dramatically. In 1700, the average person consumed 4 pounds of sugar per year. In 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consumed 180 pounds of sugar per year. That's an increase of 4400 percent! Why is high fructose corn syrup bad for us, and why does it make us age faster? When we eat high fructose corn syrup, it causes our blood sugar to increase. An increase in blood sugar triggers an insulin response. High insulin levels put the immune system on alert. The immune system responds by increasing inflammatory cells, which can result in low-level inflammation throughout the body. This type of chronic inflammation speeds up the aging process and can contribute to conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancers. So when the family sat down to eat their pancake breakfast, and had a treat after the soccer game, they were taking in plenty of sugar from the pancakes, syrup, orange juice, and ice cream. Ouch!


Trans Fats and Phosphates

Trans Fats, found in processed meats and refined carbs, produce LDLs, and LDLs contribute to inflammation in the arteries. Processed meats and refined carbs also contain phosphates, which accelerate the aging process. When our storied family had bacon and sausage with their pancakes at breakfast, and then a fast food burger at dinner, they were loading up on trans fats and phosphates. Double ouch!

Alcohol

Alcohol, such as a glass of wine, dilates or breaks blood vessels in the face. Over time, this will cause wrinkles and make the skin look older. Triple ouch!

Conclusion

Despite our best intentions to stay healthy and young, our diet can often sabotage our efforts, and speed up the aging process. Should we just give up all the good stuff we love? No. Avoiding those foods forever is not realistic. The best course of action is to be aware of the foods we eat, and eat those not-so-good foods in moderation. Enjoy a diet of fruits, vegetables, leanmeats, and whole foods. Enjoy pancakes, ice cream, or a glass of wine on special occasions. Just remember to make it the exception, rather than the rule!

Steve Miller is a health writer for http://assistedlivingtoday.com/, a leading source of information on a range of topics related to elderly care and assisted living.

5 Diet Tips to Help With Building Muscle

Building muscle requires more than just an intense workout at the gym every couple of days. In fact, the majority of your muscle gains are only accomplished through your diet. The reason for this is that you cannot gain muscle mass without gaining weight. Naturally, you will gain a bit of fat as well but you can go on a cutting diet to eliminate this and look more muscular than before.
These are five diet tips to help with building muscle will go a long ways with making your diet more effective for adding muscle mass to your body.

1)     Eat above your caloric maintenance
The only way to gain weight is to have an excess of calories at the end of each day. To lose weight, you eat at a caloric deficit and this prevents muscle mass gain from occurring. As a result, you will want to make sure that you are eating over your caloric maintenance amount on a daily basis. You can calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate) to get an idea on what your maintenance calories are for any given day and then add 300-500 calories to that amount at first.

2)     Focus on protein intake
There is no doubt that your protein intake will have a major effect on your body’s ability to gain and maintain muscle mass. When on a muscle building diet, it is suggested that you consume at least one gram of protein for every pound that you weigh. The next tip may help you make this possible if you were otherwise struggling.

3)     Consume protein shakes daily
Protein shakes are great as they provide a considerable amount of protein and they are easy to hide extra calories in as well. For instance, you can add oats and eggs into a protein shake and make it into a mass gaining shake. This would be comparable to a “mass gainer” product as it provides high amounts of protein along with high amounts of other macronutrients, and more importantly it offers high calorie amount to support growth.

4)     Macronutrient Breakdown
Your macronutrient breakdown mainly consists of the intake ratio for carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It is important as it factors into how much and how well the body stores muscle and fat. You should read this article to get a better idea on the importance of your macronutrient intake. That should give you a good idea on the basics of macronutrients, and then you can begin looking for ideal breakdowns for your muscle building diet. You can also customize the macronutrient breakdown according to your preferences and based on how your body responds to your dieting methods.

5)     Pre/Post Workout Intake
Your pre-workout and post-workout intake will both be very important. What you take in before a workout will factor into the energy your body has for the workout. If you have starved yourself all day then your muscle building exercises will end up breaking the muscle down. Your post-workout consumption is also important as it serves as your recovery for the workout and allows the muscles to not break down while resting.
Building muscle is not easy but it is not rocket science. The hardest part is actually creating a diet and workout program and sticking to it. The fundamentals are easy to understand though, and there is an abundance of information on proper dieting that you can find online. With that being said, it is recommended that you take the time to create a proper bulking diet so you are eating every day with foods that are highly effective at building muscle.


Ron Tidwell contributed to this article.  He is a blogger who writes about fitness and nutrition.  Visit his site for more articles like this one.

Related articles

• Body Building Tips - A Review
• Fast Weight Loss For Fat
• Simple Steps For Building Muscle Mass

Three Weight Loss Myths Busted

                                                                                                                                                           
When it comes to weight loss there are a myriad of things that are considered do’s and don’ts.  Thousands of diet routines with specific instructions to follow for success; do this, avoid that, eat this try that and so on.  Because weight loss is so individual and based upon so many different factors, it’s hard to say what the best fitness routine is to follow.  However, there are a few myths that don’t always fall into line with standard truth.  With some tweaking and creativity weight loss can be fun, non-limiting and a great start to a new life.  Maintaining a healthy weight is just one of the factors in a lifestyle that will set you free, promoting overall health, wellness, vitality and longevity.

Myth #1: Snacking is always a bad idea.                                                                                                              Snacking can be just the opposite with weight loss, it’s a great idea.  It is one of the most important things to engage in when dieting for weight loss.  Snacking helps ward off overwhelming feelings to overeat or binge eat to satisfy hunger pains.  Eating smaller meals more consistently throughout the day can really boost metabolism and burn calories.  It’s also important to remember that the snacks we should be consuming need to be healthy and nutritious snacks.  Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and healthy fats need to be consumed when snacking instead of sugary simple carbs that are considered empty calories and offer a false sense of satisfaction.  Remember snack to your heart’s content, just make sure your snacks are healthy ones.

Myth #2: All carbs (carbohydrate) are bad.                                                                                                                                               
Carbs are necessary to life. They are what our bodies use as fuel and are needed to sustain activities and exercise.  We must remember however, not all carbs are created equal.  There are 2 types of carbs, simple and complex, but when comparing the 2, complex carbs are where the weight loss success lies.  Simple carbs are processed and sugary; they are considered empty calories because they offer nothing but calories.  Complex carbs are healthy, offering not only fuel for the body but fiber and better sustained blood glucose levels, without highs and then crashing lows. Yes, eat carbs just make them complex carbs. Whole grains, fruits, veggies, brown rice etc.  

Myth #3: All fast foods are bad.                                                                                                                                     Generally when we refer to fast food, we think cheap, easy, tasty and fattening. The majority of fast food might only offer this, but there are many other options available when trying to maintain a healthy diet.  Many fast food restaurants have posted calorie, fat and sodium content of their foods, refer to these postings for guidance on what to avoid when eating out.  Try healthier options.  Order lemon water instead of a soda, start with a garden salad, try lemon juice instead of fatty dressings, opt for grilled instead of fried or breaded, ask for whole wheat versus white and don’t feel the need to supersize.  Drink more water if you still feel hungry after the meal, you probably feel this way because you need more hydration not food.

Do your homework.                                                                                                                                                            When dieting for weight loss, do your homework on nutrition and exercise.  Dieting can be fun and you don’t have to feel deprived.  With certain creative methods and some extra efforts, you can live a pretty normal life while dieting.  Success is just around the corner, with consistency and some knowledge weight loss will be yours to keep.


Pete Reynolds is a health entusiast and an employee at www.lemonadediet.com

Related articles

• Weight Loss Pills Are Not For Everybody
• A Hardcore Weight Loss Program

6 Essential Nutrients for Your Weight Loss Diet

Obesity is one of the major risk factors of several serious diseases.  Obese people are at high risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.  Long ago, obesity used to be a common problem for people who are living in highly-industrialized countries.  Accessibility to work and the availability of high-paying jobs seem to be the culprit.  Unfortunately, obesity nowadays has afflicted even those individuals who are living in low and average income countries.  Researchers agree that this could be due to unhealthy lifestyle habits brought about by the disadvantages of modern living. 

The good news is that more and more people these days are looking for ways to get rid of obesity.  One must remember that losing weight is not just about shedding those excess fats.  It also entails keeping your body healthy all throughout the process.   The following are some of the most essential nutrients that you should include in your daily weight loss diet:

Protein

Eating protein rich foods has always been the best way to satisfy one’s hunger.  Studies reveal that protein–rich diet coupled with an exercise regimen is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for those who would want to lose weight should not be more than 120 grams of protein per day. Protein rich foods include almonds, anchovies, hummus, tuna, soya beans, crab meat, etc.

Calcium

You need to eat calcium-rich foods every day in order to speed up your weight loss.  The production of calcitriol will definitely become higher if a person is calcium deficit.  Calcitriol is responsible for the increase of fat cells in the body. Studies reveal that those people who have high-dairy intake lose weight faster than those who eat less of dairy products.  Furthermore, the study reported that high-dairy diet will help speed up weight loss up to 70%.Calcium is also important for the prevention of osteoporosis.  It is also beneficial for people who need to lower their blood pressure.  Broccoli, egg, cheese, turnip greens and corn bread are few examples of foods that are rich in Calcium. 

Vitamin D

Researchers from the University of Minnesota reveal that an increased level of vitamin D helps people lose weight.  It also helps regulate the individual’s blood sugar levels when combined with calcium. Vitamin D functions together with leptin.  Leptin is a hormone that enhances the brain’s capability to recognize that the stomach is full.  Therefore, it helps a lot in controlling one’s appetite.  A deficiency in Vitamin D also means deficiency in leptin.  As a result, the body will not be able to recognize well when it is full.  Vitamin D also plays a role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous to the individual’s body.  Vitamin D rich foods include milk, cereal, eggs, salmon, mackerel and cod liver oil. 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Our body needs a substantial amount of fatty acids for it to function well. Our heart and our muscles get their energy from these Omega-3 fatty acids.  They also act as the building blocks of each cell membrane in the body. Salmon, tuna, flaxseed oil, cashews, pecans and almonds are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. 

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Conjugated Linoleic Acid helps in the reduction of fat in the body.  It also helps in the preservation of the muscle tissues. According to research, CLA  improves the rate of one’s metabolism.  It can also be responsible for muscle growth, lowering of cholesterol and for strengthening the immune system.  CLAs can be obtained from tuna, safflower oil, beef, cheese and yoghurt.

MUFAs (Monounsaturated fats)

These are the healthy type of fats.  Monounsaturated fats are great substitutes for saturated fats.  Furthermore, MUFAs also help people lose weight faster.  The American Heart Association suggests that our daily diet must consist of up to 20% of foods that are rich in MUFAs. MUFAs can be found in olive oil, lima, avocados, grape seed oil, lentils, flaxseed, sesame, walnut, etc.

These are some of the essential nutrients that you must include in your daily diet.  This is to ensure that you are losing weight the healthy way. A deficiency of any of these nutrients may increase one’s vulnerability to stress and anxiety, which may prelude the emergence of several serious diseases. 

Ryan Rivera used to suffer from anxiety attacks for seven years. He now advocates healthy living as the best weapon against anxiety and depression.  You can read more of his writings at Calm Clinic. 

Related articles

• Fast Weight Loss For Fat
• Ageing: Unexpected Weight Gain
• Weight Loss Pills Are Not For Everybody

An Easy Diet For Weight Loss

When most people seek to lose weight, they start to look for a good diet plan. The truth about losing weight is that diet is everything. Exercise can help, but you cannot lose weight without a good eating plan. There is a great diet out there called The 5 Factor Diet that gives you a very straightforward plan that is easy to follow.

Where The Name Comes From

The 5 Factor Diet gets it name from the fact that on this diet you do everything in five. There is eating 5 times a day. Then there are the 5 things you must eat at every meal, 5 days of exercise and 5 cheat days. The theme of five is one thing that helps make this diet so simple to follow. 

Eat 5 Times a Day

The 5 Factor Diet has some simple basic ideas. This diet is based on the idea of eating about 5 times a day or every 3 hours.; By eating this way you will keep hunger at bay.; However, eating that often means eating smaller meals and making better food choices.; It can be easy for you to eat too many calories, so you must follow the rest of the diet plan carefully.

Eat These 5 Foods

Every meal needs to contain 5 specific food types. You should be eating a lean protein, low fat carb, fiber, healthy fat and a sugar free beverage.

The lean protein choices can include chicken breast without skin, fish, cottage cheese or eggs. Carb choices can include veggies, fruit, sweet potatoes and beans. Fiber should come from the carb choice so there is nothing extra to think of here. Healthy fat should come from the protein choice. As for the drink, water is best but you can also have other sugar free drinks in moderation.

Exercise 5 Times

You should be exercising 5 times a week. You only need to get in about 25 or 30 minutes. Try to do interval training where you mix cardio with strength training.

5 Cheat Days

Every week you get a cheat day where you can eat whatever you want. This cheat day is a release where you do not have to say no to any of your favorite foods. Do not worry about it too much, though. After time on the diet you will start to form healthy habits so on your cheat days you will naturally gravitate to foods that are good for you instead of your old favorites.

This diet is actually quite interesting and rather simple to follow and stick to. That is why it makes a great choice for your weight loss plan. It includes healthy food choices, no strict rules and exercise. You should find that sticking to the 5 Factor Diet is not too difficult. You just have to get started and stay committed to it. In no time you will be dropping weight and getting fit.