Eat Healthy 101

The Wild Oat health Food Store is a convenient full-service market for all your natural and organic food items. The Wild Oat one-stop shopping, natural supermarket has the most complete selection of high-quality organic and natural foods, useful supplements and environmentally-friendly household products. They also carry a full range of all-natural bathroom and body care products.

Wild Oats offers shoppers a one-stop experience that includes a natural gourmet deli, with dozens of delicious food items to grab while you shop. The store also offers a meat and seafood shop, organic bakery, and a floral department.

Wild oats recently merged with Whole Foods market, and the two leaders in natural and organic foods have joined forces to better serve customers desiring the best in organic and natural products.

With over 50 years of combined collective experience, both of these natural food chains are well-known for their impeccable customer service, attention to detail, high quality standards, outstanding selections and a dedication to support local food producers in their communities.

By combining the respective strengths of the industries two biggest names in organic and natural food, Wild Oats is able to offer customers an even wider selection of the highest quality natural and organic products and a better all-around shopping experience.

Both Wild Oats and the Whole Foods Company have earned reputations as good corporate citizens and companies that believe in giving back to their local communities. The combined company continues this good neighbor policy and seeks to support causes that the company’s customers are concerned about. By combining resources, Wild Oats and Whole Foods can now provide even more support to the these causes.

The Newly redesigned Wild Oats website is a great example of the company’s commitment to both its customers, and to excellence. Web surfers can locate Wild Oat stores in there area, collect natural food recipes, learn about nutrition, support vital community causes, and much, much more.

Wild Oats Markets recently made Business Ethics Magazine’s list of the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” of 2006.

Wild Oats ranked number 28 on the list, from more than 1,100 U.S. companies surveyed. This is in fact the third year that Wild Oats has been recognized by the annual list.

The Wild Oats Company donates over $2 million annually to local communities and non-profit organizations. Last year more than $500,000 was raised by the company to support Hurricane Katrina relief and American Red Cross humanitarian efforts. Wild Oats Markets have remained responsible to their local communities and are recognized as a socially responsible company.

Wild Oat Health Food Store is a convenient full-service market for all your natural and organic food items.

Fast food nutrition information used to be hard to come by, but in recent years the US FDA has begun requiring restaurants to provide nutrition facts for their foods, just as grocery items do on the now ubiquitous “nutritional information labels” we see on every product in the supermarkets (even bottled water must carry this label). Since implementation of this new regulation a few years ago, fast food menus have changed a little for the better, and having accurate nutrition information has allowed fast food diners to make healthier choices at these establishments.

Many people rely on fast food for a convenient (and fast) meal to help them through their busy day, but this does not mean they must sacrifice proper nutrition. By examining the nutrition facts provided on many fast food restaurant menus, healthier choices can be made.

It’s interesting, and eye-opening, to learn how much variety there is in the calories and fat content of different fast foods. For example, most people assume that ordering fish is a healthier choice than opting for beef or burgers, and in some cases this can be true. But consider this fact: a McDonald’s fish sandwich has more calories than their standard hamburger and significantly higher fat content.

Grilled chicken is also known to be relatively healthy, but did you know that the McDonalds grilled chicken sandwich contains the same amount of fat calories as their more popular hamburgers? These facts illustrate the importance of checking the nutritional facts before ordering at your favorite fast food restaurant.

It’s especially important to encourage children to choose more healthy options when eating fast food. Many fast food restaurants have other options for side dishes, for example, than the traditional fries and a soft drink. Fruit cups, yogurt and other healthy sides are increasingly available with fast food meals. Even having children replace a cola with low fat milk or water can lead to a significant improvement in their overall diet.

Fast food nutrition facts are there to help customers make better food choices when eating out, but the choice is still yours. There is currently talk of banning trans fat from restaurant foods, which would eliminate at least one problem with current fast food menus. Trans fat is an unsaturated fat produced by additives in meats and other foods. This particular type of fat has been linked to heart disease in many studies and is a primary cause of obesity.

Making a few little changes in your eating-out habits can produce a big change in your overall health. Fast food nutrition information is available to help guide your choices and eat healthier foods, even at fast food restaurants.

Most medical organizations agree that it’s best to get the vitamins and minerals you need is through proper diet. However, sometimes taking a vitamin or nutrition supplement may be appropriate.

Even for people without vitamin or mineral deficiency, supplements can be appropriate under the following conditions:

1. People age 65 or older can often have health problems that can contribute to a poor diet. In addition, as we age, our bodies may not absorb certain vitamins as well as before. In these cases, supplement and vitamins are appropriate. There is also some evidence that multivitamins may support the immune function and decrease the risk of infections in older individuals.

2. Supplements are often recommended for postmenopausal women. Lack of calcium and vitamin D can make supplementing the diet necessary. Calcium and vitamin D supplements have been proven to protect against the onset of osteoporosis.

3. If you do not currently eat a balanced diet with the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables. Taking a multivitamin supplement may be reasonable in these cases, but it is also important to adopt better eating habits.

4. If you are on a very low calorie diet, and are eating less than 1,000 calories a day, it could be wise to use a vitamin-mineral supplement.

Keep in mind that low-calorie diets limit the nutrients you receive and are not recommended for extended periods of time. Only undertake such a diet with the assistance of your doctor.

5. Smokers often need more help absorbing vitamins and minerals than non-smokers. Tobacco decreases absorption of B-6, vitamin C, niacin to name but a few.

6. Excessive alcohol drinkers can find that their digestion and absorption of thiamin, vitamins A, D and B-12 is impaired. Excessive drinking can be defined as more than one alcoholic drink daily for women and more than two alcoholic drinks daily for men.

7. Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant may need supplements. During pregnancy, your body will naturally need more nutrients, especially calcium and iron. Ask your doctor to recommend a supplement.

In addition to the seven special cases above, many practitioners consider it a good idea in general to take a daily vitamin or supplement. Because the human body deals with pollutants, stress and other altering factors on a daily basis, hardly any of us can maintain a perfectly healthy diet and receive proper nutrition every day.

For these reasons, dietary supplements and vitamins are an effective safeguard for our immune systems and general well-being. A quality vitamin or nutritional supplement is appropriate for most people at some point in their life.

Receiving proper nutrition can help your kid do well in school. It’s important for all children to get proper nutrition as they grow, but particularly around age 6, or the first grade. This is an important stage of development for the brain. When kids begin learning new things and creating new ideas, brain development takes place rapidly. During these years, it’s critical for your child to receive proper amounts of the following vitamins and nutrients:

Vitamin B

Vitamin B assists in releasing the energy of glucose. A lack of Vitamin B has been shown to cause aggressiveness and in some cases depression.

Glucose

This is another term for blood sugar level. Glucose gives energy, and contributes to sustained attention spans. Too little glucose can cause tiredness in children and they may even feel like falling asleep during class. To ensure proper amounts of glucose during the day, eating a healthy breakfast is key. Children who skip breakfast often develop attention span problems and have trouble concentrating in class

Iron

Iron transports oxygen to individual cells, including the brain cells. An iron-poor diet can result in anemia, among other conditions. Red meat, tuna, leafy vegetables and chicken are all good sources of iron.

Folic Acid

Folic Acid aids formation of both red and white blood cells in the body. Food sources for Folic acid include fruits and vegetables.

Zinc

Zinc is necessary to maintain normal communication between the cells, including brain cells. A zinc deficiency can result in difficulty solving problems. Two good source of Zinc are whole grain cereals and peanuts.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is found in beta carotene form in dark vegetables and orange or yellow fruits. It is important for a variety of normal body functions.

A healthy diet, of whole-grains, vegetables, meat, fish, fruits and clean, unprocessed water give your child with the nutrients they need to succeed in school and on the playground.

Many parents have also begun using nutritional supplements to be certain their children receive a balanced diet. Emphasizing the many benefits of good nutrition can help your child establish a habit of eating right early on.

Good nutrition is a life-long process, and it begins at home. Receiving proper amounts of the recommended vitamins and minerals will ensure that your kid is prepared to meet the challenges of school-time and playtime. The best nutrition for your kid always begins with education and the commitment to provide a balanced variety of healthy foods in the home.

Buying organic food at the health food store can cost an arm and a leg, but if you want to enjoy the fresh taste of organic food without the high prices, there’s good news. By shopping around you can enjoy organic foods without busting your monthly food budget. Here are a few tips to get you started enjoying organic food on the cheap.

Tip 1: Avoid buying organics at your “regular” supermarket; you’ll almost always pay more at the big conventional food stores for organic products.

Tip 2: Do your research. You probably have more organic food choices in your area than you realize. Organic organizations are good places to start. A quick search online will help you locate groups in your area.

Tip 3: Two words: farmers’ markets. Farmers’ markets are good sources of fresh organic produce. And locally grown fruits and vegetable will always taste better than those that have been shipped thousands of miles in the back of a truck.

Tip 4: Purchase shares in a local agricultural CSA, or co-op program. In return for your investment, you’ll receive regular boxes of fresh produce from the upcoming harvest.

Shares in a co-cop or CSA usually go for about $300 to $400 for a 6 month period. It’s well worth the money!

Tip 5: Join buying clubs. This is a really good way to get great organic food on the cheap. Buying clubs usually offer between 30 to 40 percent off the market price.

Tip 6: Buy organic food in bulk. Buying in bulk can stretch your food dollar. For certain items, you can just grab the bulk containers, but make sure you have a cool, dry storage place for beans and lentils, etc.

Tip 7: Buy seasonal produce. The best time to buy any organic produce is the peak of its growing season.

There’s more produce toward the apex of a fruit or vegetable’s growing season, and this has a tendency to push prices down. Stock up on your favorite organic veggies and fruits during their high-season.

Tip 8: During the off-season, purchase preserved foods. In the winter, avoid high-priced fresh produce and buy canned or dried fruits, and veggies instead.

Organic peas and corn will hold up well, as will fruits like peaches and berries, to help you through the winter months.

Buying organic food and health food produce doesn’t have to break your piggybank. Shopping smart and particularly, seasonal, will help you enjoy organic foods year-round, while sticking to your food budget.

Health food store shopping is a time consuming chore, but online resources make it a snap to find the food you need quickly. There are lots of places to shop for groceries online; two of the more popular are the mega-store, Amazon.com, and the specialist company, Peapod.com.

Amazon, for example, even offers their Super Saver Shipping for most everyday grocery items. Gourmet items though, usually do not quality, so be sure to check before you add that Beluga caviar to your online shopping cart.

For recurring items, you can even set your Amazon preferences to purchase these items once a month, or more often if necessary. Amazon has an extensive selection of grocery items, from can goods to fresh organic milk. You can also save items to a virtual “shopping list” for later purchase. Not bad.

Whichever online food site you choose, you can usually find all the conventional major brands. Names like Nabisco, Folgers or Betty Crocker are all to be found on the Amazon site, for example, as well as health foods and organic items. And having your grocery items shipped directly to your door is convenient (and money saving when you consider the price of gas these days).

For the penny pinchers among us, you can purchase many items in bulk sizes and often get a real bargain. You can even order hard to find items that you will rarely see in the neighborhood grocery store, along with organic, health food and international products. Preparing an organic Thai rice noodle dish? Don’t worry—you can find everything you need online.

Individuals with physical limitations or back problems find buying online a dream come true. Purchasing heavier items online and having them delivered to your door is beyond helpful for elderly shoppers or those with limited mobility.

By ordering your basic food items through online stores, you can save constant visits to the store to buy perishables as well. Your car’s fuel gage will also benefit by making less trips to the grocers and ordering more online. Once you try ordering for yourself, you’ll quickly see how simply and conveniently the online companies work. Soon, you may find that you would rather shop “virtually,” than locally. If for no other reason, the convenience makes it worth a try.

Chances are you will enjoy the experience and you may find yourself becoming “addicted” to having your food purchases delivered. If health store food shopping takes up too much of your time, try the online stores and see for yourself how convenient and practical it can be.

Despite recent criticism, Taco Bell nutrition is not the worst in the fast food industry. Mind you, they still have a long way to go to be considered a “healthy option,” but Taco Bell now has a few healthier items on their menu and fair significantly better than a few of their competitors in overall nutritional value.

McDonald’s, for example, just introduced a new fried McChicken Sandwich that contains more calories and fat than most double cheeseburgers (even more than the Quarter Pounder). Jack-in-the-Box is another offender. They have recently created what they call the “The Ultimate Cheeseburger.” This behemoth has the equivalent of over 15 teaspoons of pure fat!

So no, Taco bell isn’t the worst, but a few of their offerings are running a close second when it comes to calorie count and saturated fat content. Taco Bell’s new Fiesta Salad is one surprisingly bad contender for least healthy fast food item of the year. Because it’s a salad, few people would imagine that it actually has more calories and fat than a Big Mac. How they managed to create a salad that’s worse for you that a Big Mac (which isn’t healthy to begin with) is beyond comprehension. And yet…

Of course it’s well known that certain “light” foods are no healthier than regular (non-light) offerings, but now Taco Bell has managed to create a “light” that’s actually much worse. Amazing (and sad) but true; the most fat-heavy food available at Taco Bell is now a salad. Even the sodium content (1,662 mg) is the highest on the Taco Bell menu!

So is taco Bell any healthier than the other fast food chains? Absolutely not. Still they have the distinction of not being exactly at the bottom of the list. The truth is all of these major fat food companies have a long way to go. There is increasing consumer advocate pressure and even talk of government enforced bans on saturated fats, which figure so prominently in many fast food meals.

So the pressure is definitely on for taco Bell and their competitors. The real question is, what will they do about it? So far the fast food industry has been dragging its heals every step of the way. They have resisted consumer group recommendations and even government guidelines. Will it really take an all out “ban” on certain food-stuffs to finally get the attention of McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell and all the other national fast food chains?

Just like all the other big players, Taco Bell nutrition has a long way to go, and with pressure mounting; only time will tell if they can avert government action to regulate their industry.

There’s nothing high-tech about a food calorie chart, but by focusing on proper nutrition, you can see great results using these simple “counters.”

Maybe you’ve tried lots of ways to control your eating and haven’t seen great results. While it seems everyone and his brother has a plan about how to lose weight, we are all unique; so finding a weight reduction program that works for you personally can take a bit of trial and error.

Paradoxically, sometimes the best results come from the simplest tools. Using a basic calorie counting chart is a good example. There’s nothing high-tech or complicated about it, but the clarity you can gain by using a calorie chart can really be eye-opening, and let you see exactly where you’re going wrong. And let’s face it; knowing what you are doing wrong is half the battle (at least half).

Here are a few tips to get the most of calorie counting and using a calorie chart to get the weight-loss results you want.

1. No Starving.

Calorie counting should never be about depriving yourself. Use the chart to help you understand exactly what you are eating and when. Getting to know your cravings is important if you are going to take managing your weight seriously.

2. Plan for Success

Never begin counting calories a few weeks before Christmas, or your birthday. Give yourself some credit, and understand that special circumstances (like Christmas) will put special demands on you and you will likely have a tough time sticking exactly to your weight-loss program. Begin using a calorie counter when you have a calm home environment so you can give it your complete attention.

3. Make Time.

Allow a minimum of thirty days to use the calorie counter before you re-assess your situation. Change doesn’t happen over night. Be patient, and give counting calories an honest chance before getting discouraged and moving on to the “next big weight-loss fad.” You’ll be glad you did.

4. Get a Buddy

Accountability and the support of a buddy can speed your success. Find a friend who wants to change their eating habits too, and invite them to join you on this adventure. Using calorie counting is ultra low-cost and low tech, so pretty much anyone will be able to do it.

5. Don’t Forget Nutrition

As you begin using a calorie chart, you will probably be focused on calories, fat content, etc. But don’t forget to focus an equal amount of attention on nutrition. The real key to success with a food calorie chart is to focus more on nutrition, than weight loss, and use the chart to guide you toward the best nutritional choices.

Organic health food store produce was recently compared to standard produce in a major university study, and the results were surprising to say the least. The research focused on organically-grown tomatoes versus standard tomatoes, and it was determined that the organics contained almost twice the levels of heart-healthy antioxidants, especially flavonoids.

Studies have shown that flavonoids can reduce high blood pressure and lower the risk of many types of heart disease and even strokes. Researches theorize that high levels of nitrogen in the organic soil could cause these benefits to organically grown produce.

The study, carried out at the University of California, measured amounts of two different flavonoids, quercetin and kaempferol, in organic tomato samples collected in relation to general agricultural research.

The UC team’s findings confirm European research, which suggests that organically-grown tomatoes, peaches, apples, and other fruits contain higher nutritional value than non-organic fruits.

On average, the organic fruits proved 80-90% higher in antioxidants than standard, conventionally-grown produce. Other experts attribute the differing levels of flavonoids to the absence of fertilizer in the organic farming methods.

Flavonoids themselves are produced as a defense mechanism, and can be triggered by a deficiency in nutrients—a lack of soil nitrogen, for example. But the inorganic nitrogen found in conventional fertilizer may lower the levels of flavonoids found in fruit, suggesting the most likely cause for this lack could be nothing more than over-fertilization.

In addition to their obvious heart-health benefits, Flavonoids are also linked to reduced rates of certain types of cancers, as well as dementia. Studies are currently underway to determine if flavonoids may have other health benefits as well.

“But scientists are cautious about saying that organically grown foods are empirically healthier for consumers. Most experts agree that there are nutritional benefits to some organic fruits, for example, but this does not prove that organic food in general is healthier than foods grown with conventional farming methods.

For example, another study found organic milk to have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, but researchers point out that this type of “short chain” omega-3 does not contain the same benefits as the more conventional omega 3 oils normally found in fish.

Since this was only the second American study to find significant differences between organic and non-organic produce, researchers warn that more studies are necessary before any definitive conclusions can be reached.

Still, organic health food store food is considered a healthy alternative by many consumers, and the few studies available seem to suggest that organic produce is worth the time and expense to seek out.

Vitamin and Nutrition Supplement users are growing in numbers. More and more people today feel that modern medicine is failing the average person, by dealing almost exclusively in medicated cures for illnesses, and in their refusal to take preventive medicine and alternative concepts of wellness seriously.

Increasingly, people are turning to vitamins, herbal and nutritional supplements to augment their diet and help prevent disease, while promoting natural well-being.

But with the hectic pace of modern lifestyles, the enormous amounts of processed foods being consumed, and the impurities in our air and water, it can be challenging to live a healthy natural lifestyle. All of these toxins and stressors can work together to undermine our natural well-being.

Nutritional supplements are an excellent way to combat this barrage of toxicity and stress in modern society, and can provide us with all the essential elements needed to achieve optimum health and maintain a strong immune system.

Of course dietary supplements are not a replacement for eating healthy. Rather they are here to provide “extra” benefits and protection, not to justify a sedentary lifestyle or poor eating habits. Dietary supplements can help you improve your health, but your day-to-day diet must also be nutritious. And when these two areas are in alignment, we experience a higher degree of energy and general well-being.

Choosing Supplements

The market for nutritional supplements in North America has grown substantially over the past decade. We now have a plethora of choices in supplement variations and manufacturers. With all this information, it can be hard to know here to begin in choosing supplements for yourself and your family. Here are a few simple tips to help pick the right supplements for you:

1. Never choose supplements that contain food coloring. If it is not a natural color, don’t buy it!

2. Avoid supplements that contain synthetic vitamin C or vitamin E. These are laboratory produced and not at all natural. The differences in vitamin breakdown and absorption are enough to make you want to avoid all synthetic “vitamins.”

3. Avoid any supplements that use artificial flavorings, sweeteners (natural or synthetic) or preservatives.

4. Look for a multi-supplement, including the basic vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and herbs together in one formula. This keeps the amount of pills on your daily schedule to a minimum, as well as saving money.

5. Look for supplements that are made to pharmaceutical grade, by an FDA approved manufacturer. FDA approved facilities adhere to the highest quality controls, from the raw materials to the finished supplement.

6. Vitamin and Nutrition Supplement companies vary widely, so the company’s reputation should always be taken into consideration.