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June 04, 2006
Acne Diets
Do you have acne? This affliction can be a rather traumatic one if left untreated. Our appearance, as we all know, can have such a pertinent effect on our confidence, or lack there of. How is your skin looking these days? It's certainly no rarity to be tormented by acne, but you should never let this skin disorder get the best of you.
It's time to stand up tall, and demand your life back. With the oodles of resources at our disposal, there's no reason why we can't strive to be acne free. While proper skin care and reliable treatments are crucial in getting rid of blemishes, many people overlook the other things.
It's not just about your exterior, folks. We have to consider what goes on inside us as well. This brings me to the topic of acne diets. What do you eat?
You may or may not have come across the subject of acne diets. This pertains to what you consume and how it affects your skin. I recall a few winters ago I was sitting in the doctor's office with my wife. She was there for a back pain assessment. I had severely chapped lips at the time and asked her if she had some lip balm in her purse. The doctor looked at me with a smirk and said, "You know, the condition of your lips actually relates to your diet." Huh? She informed me that consuming the proper nutrients and fluids on a regular basis would prevent my lips from being chapped.
This baffled me. However, these days I have adopted a more nutritious diet and refrain from using lip balm. What do you know; I never have chapped lips anymore. It's bizarre how some things work. This concept also applies to our skin. Did you know that the food you eat excretes back through your pores? Well, substances from them do anyway. This gives whole new meaning to the phrase, you are what you eat. This is why acne diets may be important for some individuals. Foods high in fat and grease are known for causing breakouts. I'm talking about fast foods, especially.
When it comes to acne diets, foods that are great for your skin include, fruits and vegetables, organic products, non-processed items, and of course water. I highly recommend that you give acne diets a shot if pimples are giving you trouble. This should certainly better your complexion if you stick to it. For more information on acne diets, you can simply hop online.
Posted by personalhealthnews at 10:40 AM | Comments (0)
June 02, 2006
Understanding fats and carbs
Fats and carbohydrates are two building blocks of a healthy diet, but many people do not understand their role in proper nutrition. While the daily intake of fats and oils should be limited, these elements are still a vital part of the diet. The key is to make smart choices when it comes to fats and oils. That means substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats, and using healthier, lighter oils in cooking.
Let’s look at the role fats and oils play in the diet. Fats are necessary for supplying energy to the body. In addition, fats supply essential fatty acids and act as carriers for fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and the carotenoids. In addition, fats have an important role to play as building blocks for various tissues and membranes, and they also play a key role in regulating numerous bodily functions.
Dietary fat is available from a variety of plant and animal sources, and most diets do contain adequate amounts of fat. Most nutrition experts recommend keeping the intake of fat to less than 20% of calories, but studies have shown that severely limiting fat intake can be dangerous. Extreme low fat diets should only be undertaking with a doctor’s approval and oversight.
The type and amount of fat in the diet makes all the difference. A diet high in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol has been associated with a variety of ills, including heart disease, stroke and other associated diseases. In addition, many long term chronic problems, such as obesity, are associated with high levels of dietary fats.
The greatest risk of complications from excessive fat intake appears to lie with saturated fats and trans fats (fats that are solid at room temperature). One of the best ways to keep levels of saturated fat low is to limit the amount of animal fats that are consumed. These animal based fats include meats like bacon and sausage, as well as butter and ice cream. Dietary cholesterol can be limited by watching the consumption of eggs, organ meats and other foods high in cholesterol.
Food labels do make the complicated process of choosing the right fats somewhat easier. For instance, trans fats will be listed on the ingredient list of foods that contain them. In general, trans fats are found mainly in processed foods.
Some fats, such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, are better choices for healthy eating. Examples of these fats include canola oil and olive oil. Cooking with these lighter oils can be a big step toward a healthier diet. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they have been found to have heart protecting qualities.
Many types of fish have also been found to be sources of good fat. Fish are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These omega-3’s have been found to promote good health, and they may even lower cholesterol levels.
Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet as well, and carbs are necessary for providing energy and many essential nutrients. Carbohydrates are found in fruits and vegetables, in grains and in milk and dairy products. It is important to choose carbohydrates carefully, however, since not all are equally healthy.
When choosing breads and cereal, for instance, try to select those made with whole grains, while avoiding the more highly refined varieties. It is also important to limit the intake of sugars, such as soda, candy and highly processed baked goods. Consuming large amounts of such high calorie, low nutrient foods, can make it very difficult to stay on a healthy diet without gaining weight.
Most Americans tend to have too much of certain elements in their diet. Sugar is one such element and salt is the other. While a basic level of sodium in the form of salt is important to proper nutrition, most people consume too much salt in their daily diet. Excess salt consumption can lead to water retention, high blood pressure and other complications. Choosing low sodium foods, and limiting the use of the salt shaker, can go a long way toward cutting levels of excess salt in the diet.
Posted by personalhealthnews at 04:44 PM | Comments (0)
