Health Benefits of Good Nutrition

What is the best defense against sickness? What is the best way to fight the common cold or flu? Many will say plenty of rest, drink alot of fluids, take your medicine and follow your doctor's advice. While these things may be helpful there is something else you can do which will likely help you prevent from getting ill in the first place. Consider it "preventive medicine."

So what is this "preventive medicine?" You can be healthy and avoid illness simply by eating the right foods, avoiding the bad foods and doing the right kinds of exercise. Not only will the health benefits of good nutrition help you lose weight and unsightly bodyfat but it will help you build and boost your immune system.

Science has shown us that there is a link between being overweight and how your immune system functions. The reports tell us that when you consume more calories (eat too much) than your body can burn off in a day then you create an imbalance within your immune system. This imbalance leads to poor function of the immune system so it can't fight disease when it has too. This leaves you prone to catching the flu or a cold or something more serious.

Another way to look at that is that if you are overweight you will get sick more often because your body will not fight off viruses and bacteria as effectively as someone who is not overweight and has a healthy, strong immune system. If you avoid the heatlh benefits of good nutrition you are really doing more harm than good for yourself.

You can see that the benefits of eating healthy foods reaches far beyond losing weight. Wouldn't it be nice to feel healthy every day and to avoid getting sick several times a year? You can achieve all that you want to regarding your weight loss goals in addition to building a healthy and stong immune system just by eating better!

If you would like to discover more about good nutrition and illness and to receive your free report titled "The Secret To Losing Weight" then click here now [http://www.youcanloseweight2.com/stfweightlosstruth]

Peter Harris is a health care professional and author and writes frequently about diet, exercise and nutrition.

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What's a Healthy Weight? Body Mass Index (BMI) Defined

Although nutrition experts still debate the precise limits of what constitutes a healthy weight, there's a good working definition based on the ratio of weight to height.

This ratio, called the body mass index (or BMI for short), takes into account the fact that taller people have more tissue than shorter people, and so tend to weigh more.

Dozens of studies that have included more than a million adults have shown that a body mass index above 25 increases the chances of dying early, mainly from heart disease or cancer, and that a body mass index above 30 dramatically increases the chances.

Based on this consistent evidence, a healthy weight is one that equates with a body mass index less than 25. By convention, overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25 to 29.9, and obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher. Nothing magical happens when you cross from 24.9 to 25 or from 29.9 to 30. These are just convenient reference points. Instead, the chances of developing a weight-related health problems increases across the range of weights. Muscle and bone are more dense than fat, so an athlete or muscular person may have a high body mass index, but not be fat.

It's this very thing that makes weight gain during adulthood such an important determinant of weight-related health—few adults add muscle and bone after their early twenties, so nearly all that added weight is fat.

Heart Healthy Nutrition at Work

Heart Healthy Nutrition at Work

Our hearts are precious and worthy of good care. Wise choices with food are
important for our hearts and blood vessels… one healthy step at a time!

1. Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol

a. Reduce solid fats by choosing lean protein sources; baked or broiled chicken, fish, or meats.
b. Decrease intake of butter, mayonnaise, and regular full fat salad dressing.
c. Limit foods containing hidden fats; chips, crackers, cookies, cake, and pie.
d. Easy does it with ice cream; enjoy a single, rather than a double dip.
e. Physicians encourage patients with above normal blood cholesterol to go easy with eggs, choosing egg whites most of the time, over egg yolks; or advise eating only about 3 – 4 whole eggs per week.
f. Gradually switch to low-fat or skim milk.

2. Eat more fruits and vegetables

a. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables assures us of receiving vitamins, minerals, and soluble fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol, reducing risk of heart disease.
b. Even canned and frozen vegetables and fruits are of benefit, providing they are not smothered in sauces, creams, added sodium or sugar.

3. Select whole grains whenever possible

a. Oatmeal is a winner, as are low-sugar and high fiber whole graincereal.
b. When shopping at home, select brown rice and pasta, along with100% whole wheat bread.
c. Good sources of fiber, whole grains contribute to heart health by providing nutrients that play a role in regulating blood pressure and
heart health.