nutrition facts

My immediate answer is YES
you are eating yourself to death!

I can just hear you all shout "Hold on a second there Richelo! I eat very healthy foods
and I only drink healthy fruit juices. I don't eat sweets
I only buy low fat and low carb products. I eat healthy
and don't need to read the rest of this article!" HOLD ON there a moment! You are not eating as healthy as you think! Let me tell you why.

Never in the history of man have we seen more obesity
diseases
syndromes and what not
than we do right now. Is this all thanks to food? No
BUT
a HUGE part is
and if you will indulge me for a short while
I will try my best to explain to you in an easy to understand manner
why this is so.

We live in an instant gratification and microwave society. If it is not quick
easy and now
it is so yesterday. BUT
at what cost?

I can write a whole book about all the "stuff" they put in processed
or so called fast foods
but
I don't want to bore you to death with all the scientific names and what it does to your body. Let me rather simplify this for you
and say that if it is processed in any way
it is not good for you
and very possibly bad for you!

So
what exactly is processed foods
and why is it so bad for you?

Does it come in a can
sealed box
sealed bag
or is it ready made? If so
it is processed. This is the vast majority of the foods that you get at the grocery store! Have a look the next time you are at the store
and you will see this to be true.

Now on to why it is so bad for you. For this food to last long
have the right color
and not pick up all the bad bacteria associated with keeping food for long
a LONG list of chemicals are added to this food. A lot of these chemicals are known to have very serious negative effects of the human body. To name but a few of these "side" effects: Cancer
High blood pressure
high cholesterol
Numbness
Burning sensation
Tingling
Facial pressure or tightness
Chest pain
Headache
Nausea
Rapid heartbeat
Drowsiness
Weakness and Difficulty breathing for asthmatics .

Now
forget all the "stuff" being added. What about nutritional value? Because of all the processing
there is little
if any
real nutrients left in any any of these foods! Not only that
BUT
the salt levels are WAY above what a human being should be consuming!

What about all these healthy bran cereals? Are they processed? YES. They contain more sugar than anything else! You poor blood sugar levels does not know what to do with all the extra insulin that it gets with just about any fast or processed food!

So
what then is safe and healthy?

Anything that is fresh
not processed
and preferably organic. Plain and simple! YES
that means that nice cup of coffee you are enjoying while reading this is not very good for you!

Have a look at your grocery store. The vast majority of the fresh
non processed foods are around the perimeter of the store
and not in the isles! This makes shopping so much easier!

"BUT
it takes so long to prepare!" The most common complaint I hear! Well
if you plan it properly
you can make all your fresh food in less time than it takes to get all your fast food during the day! Read that again! My wife and I prepare all our meals
for the 2 of us
and our 2 children
in 30 minutes in the morning! All fresh
all healthy
and all ready to eat for the rest of the day!

How much
and how often should you eat? This is also very simple. You should be eating every 2.5 to 3 hours. Before you start screaming at me for telling you to eat so much
remember also that these meals should be much smaller portions of your regular 3 meals a day. This will equate to around 6 meals a day.

What will you be eating? Also quite simple. Protein
Carbohydrates and Fat. YES
fat! You need to eat lean meat
skinless chicken or fish for protein. If you are vegan
there are loads of alternatives. For carbohydrates
you will have fruit and vegetables. For fat
you will have fish
fish oil capsules or flaxseed oil.

That's IT! Sounds boring? Believe me when I tell you that it is not!

To read many more articles like this one
and to learn more about healthy eating and exercising
please visit my web site at http://www.allaboutfitnessonline.com/. While at the site
also take the time to subscribe to our newsletter
which is published bi-weekly
and includes many more articles just like this one.

Alexander the Great fell in love with this surprisingly sweet fruit in Asia
where he found them growing wild. When he returned to Europe from his military expeditions
he brought some with him.

The ancient Romans gave the apricot its name - from the Latin word for "precocious" - because the apricot is the first fruit of the season to ripen. The name stuck
and the apricot spread all over
from Europe
to America
and all the way to Australia.

The apricot is a fantastic fruit - loaded with beta carotene
iron
fiber
vitamin C
and several B vitamins. If you dry an apricot
its nutrients get more concentrated
making dried apricots a great snack.

Whether fresh or dried
eating apricots will help you fight the effects of aging
protect your eyesight
ward off cancer
and prevent heart disease.

4
ways apricots keep you healthy

Combats cancer.

If you get indigestion from eating tomato products - the prime source of lycopene - here's great news for you. Apricots
especially dried ones
are another source of lycopene
the amazing carotenoid that can help prevent prostate
breast
and several other cancers. Though apricots aren't nearly as good a source of lycopene - about 30 dried ones have the same amount as one tomato - munching on them throughout the day can boost your lycopene quicker than you think.

Apricots are also a good source of the most famous carotenoid of them all - beta carotene. This powerful antioxidant reduces your risk of some types of stomach and intestinal cancers. To get these benefits
experts suggest getting at least 5 milligrams of beta carotene each day. That's equal to about six fresh apricots.

Halts heart disease.

Eating dried apricots as a snack can punch up your levels of iron
potassium
beta carotene
magnesium
and copper. These important nutrients help control your blood pressure and prevent heart disease. Plus
as few as five dried apricots can give you up to 3 grams of fiber
which sweeps cholesterol out of your system before it has a chance to clog your arteries.

Chases away cataracts.

What you eat can affect your vision. Dr. Robert G. Cumming
the lead researcher for the Blue Mountains Eye Study
says
Our study confirms the importance of vitamin A for cataract prevention.
Cumming adds
Our overall conclusion is that a well-balanced diet is needed for eye health.

Since apricots are a good source of beta carotene
which your body converts to vitamin A
and several other nutrients
they could be just what you're looking for.

Adds to a long life.

Believe it or not
some people claim apricots are the secret to living to age 120. They get this idea from the Hunzas
a tribe living in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia. Common health problems
like cancer
heart disease
high blood pressure
and high cholesterol
do not exist in Hunza. And researchers are wondering if apricots
a main part of their diet
are partly responsible. The Hunzas eat fresh apricots in season and dry the rest to eat during their long
cold winter.

Although eating apricots can't guarantee you'll live a long life
recent research suggests the little fruit may help you live a better life. The B vitamins in dried apricots may protect you from Alzheimer's and age-related mental problems
like memory loss.

Pantry pointers

From June to August
the finest fresh apricots roll into your supermarket from California and Washington state. Keep your eyes peeled for the tastiest of the bunch. They'll wear a beautiful
bright orange skin
and they'll look and feel plump. Avoid apricots with yellowish or greenish tinges and those that are hard
shrunken
or bruised.

Just like their cousin the peach
apricots can ripen on your kitchen counter at room temperature. When they feel and smell ripe
wrap them in a paper bag and store them in your refrigerator. They'll stay fresh for several days.

During the winter months
satisfy your apricot craving with fruits imported from South America
or enjoy canned apricots
jams
spreads
and nectars.