The FDA requires that manufacturers put food labels on the foods that they produce. However, if you do not take the time to educate yourself on how to read the labels then you have no way to really understand whether or not something is actually good for your consumption. Take the time to educate yourself about the proper nutrients that you need for optimum health. Check out Dr. Weil's book.
Each one of us requires different amount of calories and other nutrients in our food intake program. It is up to you to educate yourself. Unfortunately, in my opinion, not all of manufacturers make their labels straight forward and easy to understand. I am not saying that they are lying, but what I am saying is that it is up to you to make sure that you truly understand how the information is derived.
I do not believe in counting every percentage, gram, or calorie. That is not what I believe reading labels is all about. However, you do need to be able to look at a label and decide if it is something healthy or not. Unless your doctor, nutritionist, or other health care professional has given you specific guidelines on what numbers you can have then I don't think you need to count.
Just use common sense, for example if you know your blood pressure is high, then you know that you need to be careful of your sodium intake. If you get too caught up in watching every number for every time you eat something, it can become very cumbersome and time consuming. Then it makes it possible for frustration to come in and cause you to stop.
Here is a short video to teach you how to read labels.
Showing posts with label sodium. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sodium. Show all posts
Monday, September 7, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Put Down the Salt Shaker
Salt is something that is overly consumed as a nation. It is in our foods in astronomical amounts. It is a perservative that is put in foods during the manufacturing process. Anything that has a expiration date that seems like 'forever'. Take time to learn the truth about food in Jill Fullerton's book Truth About Food
Take the time to read labels. Anything with sodium is also salt. Salt in 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Although some salt is required for our bodies to function, as a nation we eat way too much salt. Salt and sodium greatly increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Daily intake of sodium should not exceed 2400 miligrams which is about 1 teaspoon. We get this already in the foods that we eat. Processed foods are notorious for having large quantities of salt.
We can lower our salt intake and still bring out the flavor by the following these basic guidelines.
1. Use fresh ingredients.
2. Choose low sodium.
3. Stop putting salt in the pot when cooking pasta
4. Use fresh meat.
5. Choose fresh chicken and turkey.
6. Use lower and reduced sodium cheeses.
7. Use no salt canned vegetables and soups.
8. Use hot and cold cereals low in sodium.
9. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables.
10. Use herbs, spices, garlic, onion powder, and other seasonings.
So get rid of your salt shaker, try your food first and re think your usage of salt and sodium in order to reduce your risk for high blood pressure and hypertension.
Take the time to read labels. Anything with sodium is also salt. Salt in 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Although some salt is required for our bodies to function, as a nation we eat way too much salt. Salt and sodium greatly increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Daily intake of sodium should not exceed 2400 miligrams which is about 1 teaspoon. We get this already in the foods that we eat. Processed foods are notorious for having large quantities of salt.
We can lower our salt intake and still bring out the flavor by the following these basic guidelines.
1. Use fresh ingredients.
2. Choose low sodium.
3. Stop putting salt in the pot when cooking pasta
4. Use fresh meat.
5. Choose fresh chicken and turkey.
6. Use lower and reduced sodium cheeses.
7. Use no salt canned vegetables and soups.
8. Use hot and cold cereals low in sodium.
9. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables.
10. Use herbs, spices, garlic, onion powder, and other seasonings.
So get rid of your salt shaker, try your food first and re think your usage of salt and sodium in order to reduce your risk for high blood pressure and hypertension.
Monday, June 8, 2009
10 Rules Unfit People Follow
Here are some basic rules that unfit people follow. There are many other rules that I am missing, but here are some of the big ones that is keeping us unfit.
1.) I eat whatever I want. These people do not pay any attention to what they eat. If they want it, then they eat it with absolutely no regard to its nutritional value. They do not believe in moderation.
2.) I do not exercise. These people believe that exercise is meant for someone else. They do not believe in it and will not do it under any circumstances. They feel that exercise is a waste of time.
3.) I can rely on my genetics to keep me in shape. Genetics only plays into effect for a limited time. Even a person with good genetics needs to exercise. Genetics will only carry you so far in terms of your body and the health of your organs.
4.)I can eat at any time. You should really stop eating about 2 to 2 1/2 hours before bed. Your metabolism slows when you sleep and unburned calories will turn into fat.
5.) They follow every fad diet. Fad diets are just that a fad. They come and they go, because they either don't work at all or if they do they are very limited. Most fad diets are very generic in what you can and can not consume. This poses a conflict, because every person is different and no two people can follow the same diet and get the same result.
6.) They lose weight too fast. These people do everything that they can to lose as much weight as they can as fast as they can. Then in return they gain back more than before they started. This is the yo-yo dieter.
7.) They take diet pills from infomercials. These don't work, they are quite dangerous and addictive. Unless you are severely obese and under a physians care you should not be taking any pills from informercials or over the counter.
8.) They compare themselves to others. God made you to be who you are. Psalms 139:14 says, "I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." We are each unique and to want to be someone else is to say that God made a mistake.
9.) They eat one big meal a day. These people eat little to no breakfast, skip lunch, have a small snack and then a enornous dinner. You should eat several small meals through the day and eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, moderate dinner.
10.) They eat fast food all of the time. Fast food generally has a bunch of unnecessary and empty calories, high sodium, high cholesterol, and sugar. Eating at home is healthier and cheaper.
1.) I eat whatever I want. These people do not pay any attention to what they eat. If they want it, then they eat it with absolutely no regard to its nutritional value. They do not believe in moderation.
2.) I do not exercise. These people believe that exercise is meant for someone else. They do not believe in it and will not do it under any circumstances. They feel that exercise is a waste of time.
3.) I can rely on my genetics to keep me in shape. Genetics only plays into effect for a limited time. Even a person with good genetics needs to exercise. Genetics will only carry you so far in terms of your body and the health of your organs.
4.)I can eat at any time. You should really stop eating about 2 to 2 1/2 hours before bed. Your metabolism slows when you sleep and unburned calories will turn into fat.
5.) They follow every fad diet. Fad diets are just that a fad. They come and they go, because they either don't work at all or if they do they are very limited. Most fad diets are very generic in what you can and can not consume. This poses a conflict, because every person is different and no two people can follow the same diet and get the same result.
6.) They lose weight too fast. These people do everything that they can to lose as much weight as they can as fast as they can. Then in return they gain back more than before they started. This is the yo-yo dieter.
7.) They take diet pills from infomercials. These don't work, they are quite dangerous and addictive. Unless you are severely obese and under a physians care you should not be taking any pills from informercials or over the counter.
8.) They compare themselves to others. God made you to be who you are. Psalms 139:14 says, "I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." We are each unique and to want to be someone else is to say that God made a mistake.
9.) They eat one big meal a day. These people eat little to no breakfast, skip lunch, have a small snack and then a enornous dinner. You should eat several small meals through the day and eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, moderate dinner.
10.) They eat fast food all of the time. Fast food generally has a bunch of unnecessary and empty calories, high sodium, high cholesterol, and sugar. Eating at home is healthier and cheaper.
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