What Are We Doing to Our Bodies With the Food We Eat?

The human body needs adequate nutrition to function in a healthy manner. While the body continues to function without adequate nutrition, it does so in an increasingly dysfunctional way. This dysfunction slowly effects each part of the body. Most people do not become concerned unless they feel ill. Many people gain weight not realizing that how inadequate nutrition plays a part on their weight gain. When someone feels ill they typically do one of two things:

1. Rest or sleep or,

2. Purchase and take Over the Counter (OTC) Medicines

Over the Counter Medicines do nothing more than mask the symptoms of the problem. They also create more unnecessary side-effects along with sequences of events must compensate for with other body systems. This is all created from inadequate nutrition resulting from a poor diet.

When we do not properly nourish our bodies with proper nutrition, each body system is immediately affected. The most sensitive system in the human body is the central nervous system. The chief organ in the central nervous system in the brain. The brain utilizes twenty percent of carbohydrates consumed when the body is healthy. When the body is not healthy from a poor diet, this amount is impossible to measure. As I wrote last year; "The human brain has high energy and nutrient needs. The human brain has high nutrient needs utilizing at least twenty percent of all carbohydrates, cholesterol and fats consumed. Changes in energy or nutrient intake can alter both brain chemistry and the functioning of nerves in the brain. Intake of energy and several different nutrients affect levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters that transmit nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another, and they influence mood, sleep patterns and thinking."

The brain is the most overlooked organ in the human body when it comes to health. This includes physical health and mental health. Placing unwarranted stigmas based on ignorance towards mental health functioning creates serious health issues that are easily avoided. Using the human mind to create structure in our diets make everyone more healthy. Therefore; There can be No Health, Without Mental Health is literally true for everyone. Diet is everything in our lives. A nutritionist and exercise physiologist said "you cannot exercise away a poor diet." Too many people waste too much money at health clubs while consuming caffeine, supplements with protein, vitamins, minerals and a long list of other things attempting to "short-cut" their diet because of the delusion of lacking time to eat in a healthy manner.

The products listed above are parts of multi-billion dollar industries that did not help Lance Armstrong as a cyclist and countless basketball, baseball, football and soccer players ruin their careers using various supplements, legal and otherwise to get and stay ahead.

I enjoy reading and writing about diet, health and healthier living.

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When Choosing A Food Dehydrator, Consider The Excalibur 9-Tray Stainless Steel Model

Food dehydrators are a popular, practical tool in the kitchen with dozens of different benefits. Food dehydrators are primarily used to dehydrate food for storage purposes; they are especially popular among those living in remote areas, who cannot get to grocery stores on a regular basis and may need food stored away for months of harsh weather.

However, they are not only popular among people who live in these remote areas--they are becoming an increasingly common regular kitchen tool for people to use, both for storage and 'cooking' purposes. They can be used to dry out vegetables, meats-even fruits and herbs-so they can be easily stored away for the longer term. They are also used to create foods like beef jerky or dried vegetable chips.

Whatever purpose a homeowner decides for their dehydrator, they should buy a dehydrator which is practical, well-made, functional, and reasonably priced. They should also consider what type of special needs or features they might need. Larger families, hunters, sportsmen, and those with large gardens should look for dehydrators which are capable of handling larger quantities of food, and not attempting to dehydrate a table full of food using a single-purpose dehydrator.

The Excalibur 9-tray stainless steel dehydrator is a high quality, well-made food dehydrator which is an excellent choice for many families which are medium to large, hunters and sportsmen, and those with a larger amount of garden vegetables and herbs that they need to dehydrate.

The Excalibur 9-tray stainless steel dehydrator features a total of nine different stainless steel trays, allowing for a larger quantity of food to be dehydrated at one time. Regular dehydrators typically only feature one or two trays-to illustrate just how useful this larger capacity dehydrator is, imagine this fact: a family which requires the use of the nine dehydrator trays would need to use a regular dehydrator five times just to dehydrate the same amount of food.

The Excalibur 9-tray stainless steel dehydrator isn't just perfect for dehydrating food, either: flowers and herbs can easily be dried and combined to make unique and fragrant home-made potpourri, which makes these practical machines perfect not only for people who need or want to dehydrate food, but those into crafts as well.

The Excalibur 9-tray stainless steel dehydrator features a total of 600 watts of power, a twenty-six hour timer for ease of use, a ten-year of limited warranty, and an adjustable thermostat. It comes with nine stainless steel trays and is approximately 12.5" x 17" x 19" in size.

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How Food Affects Your Mood

Many people never stop to think about how food affects your mood. The results found by scientists who have studied the connection between food and mood for a considerable amount of time may be surprising to you.

Consuming certain foods has a significant effect on a person's mood. While some are positive, others are negative. Choosing a healthy diet can have the same effect on mood as other remedies, such as stress reduction, adequate sleep, exercise and even mood-lifting prescription medication.

This research sheds a whole new meaning to the saying, "you are what you eat."

Foods to Increase 
From clinical studies, food researchers have learned the increasing certain nutrients, including Vitamin D, B Vitamins, Omega-3 fats and certain proteins can enhance your mood.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are being shown by a growing body of research to boost the mood and decrease the symptoms of depression. To increase the omega-3 fats, you should include more fish oils from fatty fish (including trout, herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon and sardines) along with fortified eggs, canola oil, flaxseeds and walnuts.

B Vitamins
Certain of the B vitamins, folate and B12 in particular, are effective at lifting one's gloom by causing the body to increase production of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters responsible to stabilize the mood. Individuals who are lacking in these nutrients are more likely to suffer the effects of depression. To increase these two B vitamins increase foods such as dairy, lean beef, shellfish, eggs, greens, seeds, beans, lentils, beets broccoli and whole grain cereals such as oats.

Vitamin D
Known as the "sunshine vitamin," Vitamin D can help to brighten one's outlook on life by increasing production of serotonin. In addition to spending some time outside daily, increase the vitamin intake by consuming fortified milk products, eggs, fatty fish that include bones and fortified soy products.

Decrease These:
 
Refined Carbohydrates
The empty calories of candy, juice, soda and other sweets result in a rapid blood sugar spike followed by a quick drop. The body suffers from this roller coaster effect. Limit these foods along with the refined carbohydrates found in white bread, crackers, white rice and pasta that are quickly digested and absorbed.

Trans Fat
Some studies have shown a link between biological changes leading to depression and consumption of trans-fatty acid intake. These unhealthy fats may lead to an inflammatory response in the body that interferes with the neurotransmitters which boost the mood. Trans-fats are often found in packaged foods such as crackers and pastries as well as many fast foods.

Other Tips
Individuals who take steps to maintain a stable blood sugar during the day are naturally more chipper than those who experience spikes and dips. Eat smaller meals every four hours to prevent plummeting blood sugar. Keeping the blood sugar level in check prevents fatigue as well as mood swings.

Complex carbohydrates and protein should be included with every meal and snack to keep the blood sugar levels constant. Lean proteins, including turkey, chicken and tuna offer the amino acid tyrosine, which enhances production of the mood-boosting neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine.

Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other low calorie drinks, but avoid too much caffeine, which can provide a quick energy burst that leaves you sluggish and tired later.

Start Moving
Regular exercise has been shown to prevent depression. Every step helps. Those who exercise 30 minutes daily suffer 50% fewer symptoms of mild to moderate depression.

What About Supplements?
The best source of nutrients is one's diet and not supplements. Before beginning use of any dietary supplement it is a good idea to talk with your doctor.

The Bottom Line
A well balanced diet including vegetables, fruits, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats, along with regular exercise, stress reduction and adequate sleep are all important in maintaining a positive mood.

Addisson Patrick is a writer for http://www.ListedFit.com, where readers can find the best information on health, fitness and many things in between. He is an expert with years of experience in health and fitness.

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