Newly married and planning weekly meals that will take into consideration your husband’s health condition? If he’s overweight and prone to high blood pressure, you can concentrate on diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Nutrition for health and fitness for you and your hubby should be easy to plan, with much help from health journals and online resources, and sound advice from well-meaning friends and relatives.

Unless you have a master’s degree in nutrition, you need all the help you can get by reading as much as you can and also visiting all-natural products stores for quality nutritional supplements. Clinical studies show that regular intake of fish oil supplements can substantially lower blood pressure in individuals with untreated hypertension.

While you’re shopping for premium quality supplements for you and your hubby, you may as well add fiber and chromium. Fiber supplements like psyllium and chitin can aid your husband’s weight loss efforts as they can let a person feel full and encourage elimination of fat from the body. There are also supplements that combine fat-fighting ingredients formulated to help weight-challenged individuals lose weight the natural way. Proper medical consultation is still essential, though. » Read more: Nutrition For Health and Fitness

Healthy joints require an all-round healthy diet, i.e. one containing sufficient starchy carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, protein-rich foods and are limited in foods high in fat and sugars. You should ensure that you are drinking enough fluids – try to get 3 liters a day as dehydration can cause sore joints. However, certain nutrients are particularly important. One such nutrient is omega-3 fatty acid, specifically the longer chain omega-3s EPA and DHA found in oily fish. EPA and DHA are anti-inflammatory and help to keep joints healthy and pain-free. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least two 3.5 oz. portions of oily fish per week.

Other important nutrients for healthy joints are the vitamins D, C and B-12 and the mineral calcium. Vitamin D regulates calcium levels in the body and is essential for healthy bones and joints. In fact, a deficiency in this vitamin causes sore and painful joints, as reported in the October 2010 issue of the “International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases”. Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin upon exposure to sunlight and is found in oily fish and egg yolks, while calcium is found in dairy products. Another important vitamin is vitamin C – this is essential for collagen synthesis. Collagen is the substance making up cartilage, ligaments and tendons and a deficiency in this vitamin causes weak and aching joints. Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables. Another important vitamin is B-12. This vitamin, found in many animal products, is necessary for healthy nerves and joints. If you believe you are not getting enough of these nutrients, you should consider a supplement. » Read more: Nutrition For Joint Health

Sports nutrition is a very important part of an athletes’ training regiment. Unfortunately most athletes, especially young athletes, think quantity is the answer to improving performance. So many athletes invest in their training by increasing calories (many unhealthy) while mortgaging their performance and long-term health (increasing their fat mass).

True, when an athlete trains there is a possible need for extra calories to help facilitate the effects from training. However most athletes go well beyond their caloric need and consume too many calories. More times than not, athletes consume foods from unhealthy source like fast food or take in large quantities of calories from protein supplements through shakes, pills and/or bars. Athletes consume these extra calories, thinking the added consumptions will increase strength and produce productive weight gains. Most of these extra calories are converted to fat – fat weight is not productive. Regardless of the form of food/substrate intake, if the calories go beyond that which is truly required by the body, those calories will be convert to triglycerides in the liver and stored as fat. This storage of non-productive mass takes away form athletic performance (especially in hockey, basketball, volleyball, track, and many positions in football) by causing premature fatigue and decreased acceleration/explosiveness.

There has been controversy over the years in the sports community on how much nutritional supplementation is needed to enhance athletic performance. Overwhelmingly, the answer keeps coming back as NOT MUCH, IF ANY. Because sport nutrition is such a comprehensive and complex area of study, and because it goes way beyond the scope this program, I am just going to lie out some very simple nutritional guidelines. These recommendations will be more than adequate in complimenting your conditioning program.

Since most of my career has been working in cardiology as therapist and lifestyle management counselor, I will recommend eating for your health!!! Heart disease is a condition that starts in early childhood, mainly because children learn sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. Getting young people into sports, of any kind, is very positive. The last thing a parent should do is teach and reinforce poor eating habits simply because they are under the false impression that a high calorie diet, usually coming from higher levels of fat, will help improve athletic performance. The pinnacle of human performance is athletic competition. Remember, when you eat for optimal health you’ll achieve optimal human performance for the hockey season and the REST OF YOUR LIFE.

Food Components

Dietary breakdown comes in three general categories; macronutrients- carbohydrate, protein and fats; micronutrients – vitamins and minerals and water.

Macronutrients Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat

Carbohydrates are divided into three categories: Monosaccarides, oligosaccharides and Polysaccharides. Carbohydrates make up most of our diet and are the main energy fuel used by the body. Besides being the main energy sources, carbohydrates also function as a protein sparer, metabolic primer and provide fuel for the central nervous system. Carbohydrates are stored in the body in the form of blood glucose (15-30g), liver (90 -100g) and muscle glycogen (325g). In sports like hockey where an athlete works in very short durations at an extremely high intensity, almost 100 percent of his/her energy is derived from carbohydrates and 30-40% from blood glucose.

Most of our diet should come in the form of carbohydrate, (60%) with the majority coming in the complex variety. In the complex form, the fibrous portion has not been removed, providing numerous health benefits and better regulation of blood sugars. For an athlete, consuming simple sugars (candy, juice, soda) 30 minutes prior to an event can hinder athletic performance by dramatically lowering blood sugars and depleting glycogen stores. Water is the preferred intake just prior to the start of the event.

During a game, water is the most needed supplement. Dehydration will quickly dissolve performance and place and athlete at risk for a heat related injury. Certain carbohydrate drinks are recommended for athletic competition that is extremely intense (hockey, soccer or football) or long duration (marathon). Controversy exists regarding the amount of sugar concentration. Higher concentration can lead to a lower osmolality (the rate of water absorption), resulting in dehydration, cramping, and diarrhea. The timing of ingestion and the concentration of solution are key for any benefit. Following the first 30 minutes of activity a concentration up to 50% is recommended (70g/140ml) then 5% solution (24g/8 oz) over 30 minutes intervals. For younger children playing in games less than or up to one-hour actual time, cold water is best.

Following practice or game, an athlete should consume a more simple, yet healthy, carbohydrate within 2 hours of completion. A beverage like orange juice will provide replenishment of glycogen stores, electrolytes (potassium and calcium) and fluids. Sports drinks are not necessary and soda provides almost no benefit. Remember caffeine is a diuretic and found in most soft drink. This will increase dehydration and contribute to premature fatigue. This is very important during weekend tournaments when there are many games in a very short time span – even two games in one day.

Fat is categorized into two major groups, saturated and unsaturated. Unsaturated fats are further categorized into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Fats serve many important functions in the body. Like carbohydrates, fats are a protein sparer. Fat also is needed to protect organs, help with vitamin absorption, vitamin D synthesis, production of adrenal gland hormones like estrogen, androgen, progesterone – which are responsible for male and female secondary sex characteristics. Fats also play a role in bile formation for fat breakdown, thermal regulation in the cold, nerve sheath and other cellular membrane development and blood clotting. Besides Linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid (meaning it must be consumed in the diet because it can’t be produce in the body) we can produce all the fat needed for cellular function and life by consuming small amounts in the diet. A typical American’s diet consists of 45% fat, most in the form of saturated fat. This unfortunately leads to obesity, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, coronary heart disease and decreased human and athletic performance. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 30% of daily calories coming from fat; but for athletes like hockey players, that require a very lean body, 20% is ideal.

Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids. They are well known for their function of muscle builders and tissue repair. Proteins also function as enzymes to help speed up chemical reactions, plasma protein for blood clotting, and hemoglobin for oxygen transport. Protein in the form of actin and myosin is what makes movement possible through muscle contraction. Protein can be used for energy, especially in the absences of adequate carbohydrate and in moderate to intense exercise. Most, if not all, people get more than enough protein in their diet. Therefore, supplementing protein is not always necessary. Not only is consuming more protein not necessary if your not and adolescence whom is working out or playing a high intensity sport, consuming the extra calories will result in increase fat mass. To add insult to injury, most forms of high quality protein come in the form of animal products. These products containing high quantities of saturated fat.

The proteins you do choose should be a selection of a variety of sources, particularly plant. Normally men should consume about .8 grams/kg of body weight. (Simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get kg), women need .9g/kg. Some research suggested protein in certain athletes, especially those involved with high intensity sport like weight lifting, could increase the recommended amount up to 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg of body weight. However, because most American’s already consume more than the RDA suggest, the need for supplements still marginally exist. If extra protein is necessary, egg whites sit on top of the list for a high quality, low fat supplement. A recent Canadian research paper discovered that the body can only synthesize 20g of protein an hour and that this rate of synthesis could only be maintained for up to 4 hours. The source of protein showing the best results was skim milk. So I recommend my athletes’ drink 4, 12oz glasses of milk over four hours. » Read more: Sports Nutrition

There are many changes that occur when your body begins to age. Many times activity levels slow as does the metabolism and bit of rounded belly begins to show. Foods that you once hated now sound appealing because your sense of taste and smell diminish through the years. Your body doesn’t process the food as well since stomach acid and saliva production diminishes and vitamins like B6, B12 and folic acid diminish because of reduced absorption. The body slows or ceases production of many enzymes and coenzymes that create needed building blocks or aid in the digestion of food. If this all sounds way to grim, don’t worry. There are simple remedies to keep you in the pink and get your body up to optimal operation.

Start your day with a balanced breakfast. Most people learn over the years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but they don’t take heed because it is also the busiest time of the day. Don’t overload your plate with heavy fatty foods but keep the meal light and healthy. Fresh fruit, oatmeal, toast and a cup of coffee, decaffeinated preferred is a well balanced meal.

Create a fruit kabob made with a halved strawberry, small slices of cheese, and grapes as a snack for later in the morning. One of the keys to healthy living is the consumption of smaller more frequent meals. Since the digestive system slows, the smaller meal allows the food to be processed more easily. The more frequently you eat small meals, the more your blood sugar levels out and reduces the hunger pangs.

Sensible lunches include salads, wraps and soups. Watch out for creamed soups. Many boomers notice that milk products tend to create a multitude of flatulence. The reason may be simple, the older that people become, the less of the enzyme lactase they create to digest the milk sugar. This sits in the stomach and creates all sorts of distress from gas to diarrhea. Even though you may already realize that milk creates digestive problems, don’t forget creamy dressings and creamed soups. These sneaky devils contain hidden milk that creeps up to bite you later. Aged cheese, over 60 days, contains very little lactose due to the bacteria that consumes it when the cheese is made. Cheese is the best route to get the needed calcium if you have lactose intolerance.

Watch out for food allergies you never knew you had. Just like lactose intolerance, many food allergies aren’t allergies at all but the body’s inability to process certain foods. Gluten intolerance plays havoc on bodies and is seldom suspected until some bright physician asks just the right questions. Gluten is found in wheat and grain products like bread and vinegar.

Supplement your diet with additional vitamins and minerals. Several companies produce vitamins created specifically for seniors. Try capsule forms for easier absorption. There are abundant amounts of coenzymes and enzymes that are available for purchase. One particularly interesting coenzyme is CoQ10. The Co stands for coenzyme. This is normally produced by the body but the production diminishes as you age. Many studies found this beneficial to those on cholesterol lowering drugs and people with beginning Alzheimer’s or heart damage. Even though there has been no harmful side effects reported, it is always best to consult your doctor, particularly if taking other medications.

Keep your processed sugar intake down as each year passes. When you ingest sweets, make them healthy and in the form of fruit. When you eat right, your body tells you with increased vigor and stamina. Add a bit of exercise, whether it be walking, biking, yoga, swimming or anything else to grease the joints and you find that you feel a lot fitter.

Most of all stay active, positive and enjoy life. Sometimes a change of mind creates a completely new outlook. Focus on healthy eating as a challenge and develop interesting menus and new ways of looking at food. Remember, you are the power generation that changed the face of youth; it’s time to change the face of aging.

By Melissa Simmonds

They’re little jewels. Rich purples, glowing reds and greens, bunches of grapes tumble down the sides of the fruit bowl, insinuating themselves among peaches, pears and oranges, inviting you to reach out and pluck the nutrition of grapes to enjoy as a delectable fruit snack. They burst into life in your mouth and their juice makes your taste buds sing. No wonder the ancient Greeks and Romans have enjoyed their wine for thousands of years – Hail Caesar and hail the nutrition of grapes.

Europeans enjoy their glasses of wine, especially the French who, according to those who know these things, live longer lives than the rest of us. And researchers have determined that it’s because they drink more red wine. Red wine is made from red grapes which contain the compound “resveratrol,” which, among the other well-known nutrition of grapes, is a powerful antioxidant which hunts down and kills those free radicals which attack and destroy the cells of the body, resulting in disease. And while we’re examining the nutrition of grapes, we should be aware that most of these disease-fighting factors are in their seeds and skins – the deeper the color, the more antioxidants.

Resveratrol has been found to prevent certain cancers as well as helping to avoid the risk of heart disease by maintaining a healthy venous and arterial system – keeps them clear and free from plaque deposits which lead to atherosclerosis. This powerful antioxidant has also been shown to slow down the progression of Alzheimer and other degenerative nerve diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease. It can reduce high blood pressure and can even boost brain power.

What other health benefits can we find in the nutrition of grapes? Vitamin A, essential for eye health, Vitamin C which boosts the immune system, Vitamin E, another weapon against those free radicals and Vitamin K which assists in blood clotting. Grapes also contain those essential trace elements such as potassium and manganese, phosphorus, iron, zinc and selenium. That’s a lot of good stuff in one tiny fruit.

Of course, all these benefits are in the green and white grapes too – they’re not restricted to just the red ones. And calories – one cup of grapes is about 70 calories compared with a medium apple which has about 60 calories. Use the nutrition of grapes as a detoxifier as these little fruits are packed with fiber; perfect for cleansing the colon of sludge. And as a result of that cleansing, your skin will be clearer and your energy level will soar.

The nutrition of grapes is available all year round in our stores – choose plump firm fruits with rich color and wash them carefully – you might want to let them soak for about ten minutes in a mixture of cool water and white vinegar. This will rid them of pesticides and other contaminants. Rinse well and pat them dry with paper towels and keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Raisins are dried grapes and the drying process does not interfere with the nutrition of grapes. Raisins are a quick, healthy delicious snack – take them to work or school and make sure that you’re getting all the nutrition of grapes available to you in your lunch box. And enjoy a glass of red wine that evening!

By Todd Michaels

Traditionally, food distributors, and the nutrition industry has used Recommended Daily Allowance or RDA as the yard stick for measuring the amount of vitamins and nutrients the human body needs to function properly. Obviously, these nutrients come from the food we consume. However, when discussing the actual supply of those nutrients in the food, RDA assumes an even availability of all food groups to all people. That just doesn’t work well across all demographics.

Compare the lifestyle of someone who has makes an above average income, but has a very busy lifestyle and very little time to shop for food, cook and prepare it versus a median income household with one spouse that takes care of the grocery shopping and food preparation.

The person with a faster paced lifestyle tends to gravitate towards convenience foods that are quick and easy to prepare but possess lower nutritional value. The person that has the time to shop for and prepare the proper balanced foods, will inherently stand a better chance of a balance and proper vitamin and nutrition intake. It is for this reason that the better discussion method is “food supply nutrients” which uses a per capita basis.
» Read more: Vitamins & Nutrition Supplements – RDA Or Nutrients Per Capita?

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