10 Tips To Healthy Eating

1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.
2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don’t eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don’t enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
3. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that’s right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you’re constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
4. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it’s easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
5. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you’re very hungry, it’s also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don’t eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
6. Reduce, don’t eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
   Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
   Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
   If you love fried chicken, however, you don’t have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
7. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be “perfect.” When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
8. Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what’s wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
9. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no “superfoods” or easy answers to a healthy diet, don’t expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don’t like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
10. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is “good” or “bad.” Don’t feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

ORIGINAL POSTED BY : www.realtime.net

Stop Losing Your Hair Now!

1. Wash your hair every other day. Some people wash it daily, but as long as your hair remains manageable and not greasy, you can probably switch to alternative days. This will protect weak new hair follicles, giving them a chance to develop more fully. It also means you will be brushing or combing your hair less often, which means less stress on your scalp and strands. 2. Forget the 100 strokes a day. A generation or two ago, women taught their daughters to brush their hair 100 strokes daily. But professionals have come to realize that lengthy brushing may loosen hair strands and pull out excess hair. A dozen strokes or so ought to be enough for most heads of hair, but consult with your hair care stylist if you have questions or feel your hair needs more attention.

3. Use a detangle product. If your hair is long or thick, or for any reason is prone to tangles or split ends, apply a conditioner that defuses tangles or a detangling cream that smoothes them before combing. When you do comb or brush your hair, it will be easier to manage and result in less breakage.

4. Don’t overuse hair care products. Too much spray, gel, or mousse, along with too much heat treatment can cause damage over time. Use products like these sensibly. Keep an eye on their effect. If your hair starts looking dry or greasy, or if the ends look dull or split, make an appointment with your hair stylist or try a deep conditioning product at home.

5. Protect your hair from the elements. Avoid too much sun on a hot day. Keep your head covered in pelting rain, cold, snow, or sleet. Humidify your home when the air gets dry. Steps like these will help to keep your hair strong and safe from potentially damaging elements.

6. Comb wet hair gently. Begin with the lower layers and gently comb in the direction the hair takes naturally. Work your way up to the scalp, carefully working through tangles or snarls. Don’t use a brush on wet hair, as it can cause breakage.
Read more: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/stop-losing-your-hair-now-9038.html#ixzz0uPpz8Hre