healthy diet

We've all seesawed between depriving ourselves then binging on cravings, usually because we crave things that we know we should avoid. According to Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D., founder of The Natural Gourmet Institute and prominent author and lecturer on natural health and holistic medicine, we should listen to some cravings. They are the body's signal to search for nutrients it needs to operate properly. However, we often crave addictive foods and substances that are nonessential (and often harmful) to our body.

People who experience a food addiction indulge in stimulants such as sugar, white flour, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol. Giving them up can lead to withdrawal symptoms like unpleasant headaches, intense cravings, depression, and anxiety. One bite can instantaneously alleviate these symptoms while propelling the body to pig out. Remember, easily ridding yourself of the symptoms won't reverse the addiction. Dr. Colbin says the first four days of a cleanse are the hardest, but the cravings will diminish with patience and time.

Let's take a look at the biggest culprit. We all know that white sugar is detrimental to our heath, but here's why sugar should be hard to swallow. In her book Food and Healing, Dr. Colbin explains, "To metabolize refined sugar, the body draws out the missing companion nutrients (needed as catalysts in the digestive process) from other sources." The "other sources" can be additional foods eaten during the meal, or else your body strips the micronutrients from its own tissues. Dr. Colbin warns that to digest sugar, "We lose B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, [and] iron . . . from our own reserves." This is obviously a body's last resort, and the body will try to flash a hunger signal first to search for foods with essential nutrients. Instead of bulking up on unnecessary calories to find the right food to satisfy your munchies, Dr. Colbin has mapped out an easy-to-use chart.

To learn how to deal with your cravings, click here.

This morning, Michelle Obama and the US Department of Agriculture revealed a new symbol for a healthy American diet. The food pyramid, which has been around since 1992, has been replaced with MyPlate. The color-coded guidelines call for a fruit- and vegetable-heavy diet with grains and proteins consumed in smaller quantities. The government recommends that Americans switch to low-fat or fat-free milk, reduce processed and frozen meals as well as portion size, and opt for water instead of sugary drinks.

They emphasize that food choice is a personal thing, but that the correct choices need to be made. "Enjoy your food," the website says, "but eat less."

I try to eat as many fruit and vegetables as possible and don't drink sodas, so I'm on my way to meeting the standards set by MyPlate. How about you? What do you think of MyPlate?

Source

Eat your fruits and veggies is a catchphrase we always hear. But if you had to choose between fruits or vegetables, what would you pick? When I think of fruit I think of it as more of a treat rather than an important food group, whereas with vegetables, I eat them because I have to, not because I particularly want to. Fortunately, I've managed to marry the two into my diet quite successfully.

Thankfully, I'm not deviating that far from the norm with my preference of fruit over veggies; as Newsweek reports, the desire for sweetness is actually hardwired into humans. Steven Munger, an associate professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Maryland who is quoted in the article says that if we look back to the days of primal survival when humans were required to make quick decisions about what to eat out in the wild, something sweet usually proved to be a safe food option — not to mention lots of calories to be later burned off as energy. I guess you could say our sweet tooth cravings date way back before the invention of chocolate sundaes, M&M's, and cotton candy.

As important as fruits are in our diet, it's important to make sure we're eating lots of veggies because their health benefits are endless. Aside from providing us with vital nutrients and minerals for our health, they also reduce the risk of some chronic diseases.

Here are a few fun ways to trick your taste buds into liking veggies.

I'm not going to lie, I was starting to worry about Lady Gaga. Her demanding tour schedule, frequent workouts, and numerous public appearances seemed to be taking a toll on the singer: in March, Gaga almost collapsed while performing. The singer later told fans that she was dealing with exhaustion from jet lag and lack of sleep. But things are looking up.

Since then, Gaga has been making her health a priority; her choreographer Laurieann Gibson tells People that the singer is sticking to a healthy diet to keep energy levels up: "It's all about salsa with grain chips, tofu, turkey slices, hummus and coconut water."

It looks like Madonna is no longer the only pop star digging on coconut water!

This reader has a tough situation with a good friend, and could use your thoughtful advice.

Dear Fit,
I've been best friends with someone for over a decade, and within this past year, she's gotten on a major health kick. We're talking meeting with a personal trainer, exercising at least five times a week, buying only organic foods, and not eating a drop of junk. She won't even drink alcohol, not even a glass of wine. I'm really proud of her for being so healthy, but honestly, it's driving me crazy. I feel really insecure around her, not only because she looks so amazingly toned and thin, but because I like to indulge a little every once in a while. I feel like I can't order greasy French fries or enjoy a decadent dessert if we go out to dinner. She won't stay out past 9 pm because she needs to get up early and work out. It sounds stupid, but I feel like her super healthy lifestyle is putting distance between us. It's just not fun to hang out with someone who is so darn strict. I don't want to lose her completely as a friend, so what can I do to make me feel less annoyed and less self-conscious?
—Not-As-Healthy Heather

If you have a question you need an answer to, post it here. The friendly FitSugar Community is sure to offer you helpful tips and insightful advice.

I visited my mom a couple weekends ago, and was appalled to discover that as her daily afternoon snack, she devours an entire Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar With Almonds. No, not a regular-sized 210-calorie bar. With her insane sweet tooth, she said that isn't enough. The bar she gobbles down contains over 600 calories. I felt like her mother when I said, "Do you think this is healthy?" And her response was, "Well, I have a really light lunch. That way I can eat as much chocolate as I want and not gain weight." I was shocked.

We had a good long talk about how a person can be thin, but still be unhealthy. I said, "Mom, I want you to live a long, healthy life, and eating this much chocolate every day in place of nourishing foods isn't doing your body any good." I explained that she didn't have to ignore her chocolate cravings entirely, that moderation was the key. I think deep down, she knew eating that much chocolate wasn't good for her, but needed to hear it from someone else.

Yesterday, my mom was happy to report that she's given up the chocolate pig-out afternoon snack sessions. Yay! She said, "I started eating Greek yogurt with fruit, just like you suggested, and I feel so much better." I was so proud.

Tell me, on your quest to live a healthy lifestyle, how have you inspired others along the way?

Japanese women have an average lifespan of 86.44 years, topping the world's longevity records for 25 years in a row, the government said on Monday in a health ministry report. This is also the fourth year in a row that life expectancy has risen in the country. The increase reflects better medical treatment in areas of cancer, cardiac disorders, and strokes — the three main causes of death among the elderly in Japan. Officials also cite the country's high standard of living and healthy eating practices as contributing factors.

When I spoke to celeb trainer Harley Pasternak about the world's eating habits, he said Japan was one of the healthiest diets he experienced. And since I've been following the Mediterranean diet for some time now, I may give the typical Japanese diet a try too. A typical Japanese diet is composed of rice, fresh seafood, soy, seaweed, and all types of noodles, including the very healthy buckwheat soba noodles. It also includes lots of veggies and fruits, and little reliance on beef or processed foods. A huge factor in the Japanese diet is portion control, which remains very moderate. And besides longevity, the Japanese also enjoy one of the world's lowest obesity rates.

Even though I was bummed to find out that eating extra fruit and veggies won't prevent cancer, there is a silver lining. As if we needed to give you another reason to exercise, researchers say that up to a third of breast cancer cases can be prevented if women exercise more and eat healthy. These findings come from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), who shared them at a conference in Barcelona recently.

These findings affirm that developing breast cancer is not just about genes, but lifestyle too. The IARC says that a woman's chances of getting cancer are about one in eight, but that eating right, maintaining an active lifestyle, and not smoking can reduce the risk immensely. Doctors think that a link between cancer and weight exists since many "breast cancers are fueled by estrogen, a hormone produced by fat tissue." The logic is pretty simple: reduce the amount of fat tissue, and you reduce the amount of estrogen too. Those involved in the study said they were not trying to single out overweight and/or obese women, saying that even slim women can benefit by turning their fat tissue into muscle.

While many people only think of exercise as a vehicle for weight loss, it really is so much more. Please make sure you do your best to lead an active lifestyle — you'll have many more years tacked onto your life for doing so!