Nutritional planning involves balancing macronutrients, understanding calorie formulas, and identifying the functional properties of whole foods to manage weight and chronic conditions effectively.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which your body uses to make new tissues and repair damaged tissues, and protein-rich foods like fish, poultry and beef are some of the best sources. The amino acid profiles of animal foods vary, with some being higher in certain amino acids than others.
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When your heart beats and your muscles contract, that's the work of electrolytes -- particles that conduct an electrical charge -- in your body.
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Although it's best to get all the nutrients you need through a well-rounded, nutritious diet, it may be necessary to take vitamins if you are deficient in certain nutrients. Those vitamins are supposed to make you feel better, relieving any symptoms of a deficiency you may have been experiencing.
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Humans have evolved to eat meat, including beef, so the human body comes equipped with specialized enzymes that break down the tough proteins and fats in beef. But beef is harder for the body to digest than plant foods, because it's entirely protein and fat.
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You put on weight easily, have a high body fat percentage and have a hard time shedding fat -- you're an endomorph, one of the three body types in addition to ectomorphs and mesomorphs. Losing weight as an endomorph can be tough, but it's not impossible.
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The supplement industry makes millions of dollars each year selling appetite-suppressing pills to people who want to lose weight. Instead of spending your hard-earned cash, though, you can get hunger-curbing help from foods and drinks you may already have at home.
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Eating too many salty, gas-inducing foods can leave you feeling bloated like a balloon. The good news is that you can beat the bloat by following a non-bloat diet for 24 hours after overdoing it. Drink plenty of water to flush out your system, and focus on foods that help decrease fluid retention and intestinal gas.
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Bloating and water retention can add pounds to your frame and make you feel uncomfortable. Diuretic foods may help your body naturally release some of the water it's holding onto to reduce your symptoms. Although lemon is a great way to liven up a glass of water, there's no evidence that it acts as a diuretic.
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Naturally skinny people are the envy of many who battle a widening waistline; however, if you struggle to achieve your goal of increased weight or muscle mass, you know that it's nothing to envy. If you're following an intense weightlifting program to build muscle, you'll need to supplement it with a high-calorie diet.
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Bite into a juicy apple or a sweet pear and part of what you're eating is cellulose, a component of plant foods that is indigestible by the human body. It might not seem intuitive that something your body can't digest can benefit your health, but it can.
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You put honey in hot tea to soothe a scratchy throat, so it might seem to be a good food to soothe acid reflux, or heartburn. Many home remedy peddlers maintain that honey helps heal the esophagus and lessen heartburn symptoms. But there's no scientific evidence to support that honey works in this way.
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Water can be a powerful ally in your battle against the bulge. Not only does water help fill you up so you eat less, but thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Keeping yourself well-hydrated may prevent the snack attacks that lead to diet derailment.
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The amount of protein you need each day depends on your gender and your activity level. Although basic dietary guidelines recommend 46 grams each day for women and 56 grams each day for men, if you're active you may need more than that. According to sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, active adults need 0.4 to 0.
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Including more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet is an easy way to improve your health. The naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables is buffered by the important vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber that benefit your health.
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When you're trying to pack on the pounds, the trick is to eat high-calorie, nutrient-dense foods. Adding about 500 calories to your regular diet each day can help you put on about 1 pound a week. Combine that with strength-training exercise to make sure you're putting on weight in the form of muscle, not fat.
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There's no magic weight-loss pill, but getting enough vitamins from a healthy diet may make it easier for you to maintain a healthy body weight.
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With its high fiber and omega-3 fatty acid contents, ground flaxseed is a nutritious addition to your diet that can improve your digestive health, lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.
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A blood pH level that's too acidic can throw the entire body out of whack, potentially leading to muscle loss, chronic back pain, bone loss, high blood pressure and stroke, according to a review published in Journal of Environmental and Public Health in October 2011.
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For good health, it's best to avoid refined carbs as much as possible. Carbs that have been refined digest very quickly, which can lead to surges in your blood sugar level. You may find that after a blood sugar surge, your energy drops.
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The Candida diet aims to control Candida albicans, a yeast in the human body that can cause infections when grown in excess.
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