Insufficient calcium intake doesn’t produce symptoms in the short term, making it really difficult to know when you’re not getting enough.

Also, only 1% of the calcium in the body is needed for important physiological functions, including nerve, muscle, vascular, and hormonal functions. The rest is stored in the bones and teeth.

When your body doesn’t get enough dietary calcium, it simply draws from the reserves in your bones and teeth. This weakens your teeth and bones, putting you at greater risk for fractures and cavities.

Are You Having Any Of These Symptoms?

• Muscle cramps
• Numbness and tingling in the face, hands, and feet
• Joint pain
• Brittle nails
• Depression, confusion, and memory loss
• Brittle and easily fractured bones

These are all symptoms of calcium deficiency or hypocalcemia.

If you think you have a calcium deficiency, talk to your health care provider to get a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will take a blood sample and check for low calcium levels.

Get Enough Calcium

Only 21% of the people in the United States are getting enough calcium. Many people who are at risk for calcium deficiency are unaware of their situation. Some of these people include post-menopausal women, folks with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome, and vegans.

In addition, the body only absorbs 20-30% of dietary calcium. To get enough calcium, you need to eat lots of high-calcium foods or take calcium supplements.

High calcium foods can be split into two main categories: dairy and non-dairy sources. Dairy sources include milk, yogurt, and cheese, whereas non-dairy sources include poultry, lean meat, seafood, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy products, Chinese cabbage, spinach, kale, and broccoli. Foods fortified with calcium, such as fruit juices and cereals, are also good sources (but be careful consuming fruit juices because of the high sugar content if you have prediabetes or are diabetic).

Your body needs Vitamin D to absorb calcium. This means that in addition to high calcium foods, you also need to add Vitamin D-rich foods like egg yolks and fatty fish to your diet; mushrooms and Vitamin D-enriched foods are good sources too. And remember, sun exposure is a great way to get your daily allowance of Vitamin D. Lastly, discuss with your doctor if taking a Vitamin D supplement is a healthy option for you.

Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements are an easy way to get enough calcium. This way, you don’t have to agonize over your food choices and grocery shopping.

Calcium supplements contain compounds such as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate, and calcium lactate. These are the ingredients that you will see on the labels.

Talk to your doctor before deciding on a calcium supplement. This is important because different compounds have different amounts of calcium and will interact differently with prescription medication.

The easiest way to avoid calcium deficiency is to be more intentional about your calcium consumption. Eat more high-calcium foods and talk to your doctor about taking calcium supplements. Take these simple steps, and you should be well on your way to boosting your quality of life for years to come simply by strengthening your bones and teeth

The post Are Your Teeth and Bones Getting Enough Calcium? appeared first on Lifestyle.

Nowadays, it’s a marketing term used to assign near magical powers to overpriced foods. There is no shortage of food companies that claim to have discovered foods that contain extra-ordinary nutrients. This makes it really difficult to separate the facts from the marketing gimmicks.

The Science

While there’s no scientific definition for the term “superfoods”, it’s generally accepted that most of these foods contain high levels of antioxidant compounds, such as carotenoids, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. These compounds fight the (evil) free radicals that destroy our cells and make us old and ill.

There have been numerous scientific studies on antioxidants and their health benefits. Most of these studies have found that while eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits that contain high antioxidant compounds lowers the risk of several diseases, it isn’t clear if this is as a result of the antioxidants. Furthermore, scientist have not found any evidence that antioxidant supplements help to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer.

There are also questions about the safety of high-dose antioxidant supplements. For instance, high doses of beta-carotene can increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Similarly, high doses of vitamin E can increase the risk of prostate cancer and stroke. However, this only applies to antioxidants supplements since no questions have been raised about the safety of antioxidant foods.

To Eat or Not To Eat Superfoods

Superfoods may not be as magical as marketers have led you to believe, but eating a diet full of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables is extremely beneficial to your health. It doesn’t matter if these health benefits are the result of other substances present in the same foods.

Antioxidant supplements, on the other hand, are another issue altogether. Since there is little evidence of their effectiveness, they should never be used to replace conventional medicines or a healthy diet that consists of whole foods.

It’s also important to note that antioxidant supplements can interact with certain medications. For instance, vitamin E supplements can interact with blood thinners and increase the risk of bleeding. You should always talk to your healthcare provider before taking any antioxidant supplements.

The bottom line is that if you’re eating a diet that is rich in vegetables and fruits, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re getting enough antioxidants. There’s absolutely no reason to go out and spend your entire food budget on costly superfoods like acai or goji berries. Good old broccoli, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, iceberg lettuce, parsley, red peppers, berries and nuts (you see where we’re going with this…) are just as beneficial.

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This is why you need to learn how to separate the facts from clever marketing gimmicks. Here are some guidelines to help you do that.

1. Natural or Natural Flavors

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “all natural”? Healthy, right? Sadly, that is not necessarily true.

According to the FDA, the word natural just means that no artificial ingredients have been added. It does not mean hormone free, pesticide free or non-GMO.

2. Fortified

Today nearly everything on the shelf, including water, is fortified with vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, nutrient fortification does not make unhealthy foods healthy.

Fortified junk food is still junk food.

There is also no evidence that the additional nutrients are doing us any good.

If you want more vitamins and minerals in your diet, skip the fortified sugar and eat healthy, nutrient dense foods that have been proven to have beneficial health effects.

This is not to say that you should avoid all fortified foods. If a food has intrinsic nutritional value, the added nutrients will only make it better. For instance, there is nothing wrong with probiotic-fortified yogurt or milk fortified with vitamin D.

3. Good Source of Fiber

The healthiest sources of fiber are whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.

If you’re making healthy food choices, you don’t need the added fiber from packaged bars or cookies. In fact, most of the fiber found in junk food is faux fiber extracted from chicory root or chemically synthesized. There is also no evidence that eating foods with added fiber is as beneficial as eating foods that are naturally high in fiber.

4. Whole Grain

The terms “whole grain” and “100 percent whole grain” have very different meanings. A product only has to contain a small amount of whole grains to be labeled “made with whole grains.”

What you really want are the products labeled “100 percent whole grain” or “100 percent whole wheat”. Avoid products that say whole grain but don’t give more information on what the grains are or what percent of the grain is whole; such products may still contain processed flour.

5. No Sugar Added

“No sugar added” is not the same as “unsweetened.” “No sugar added” products can still be sweetened with artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, which have fewer calories than sugar but are not necessarily healthy.

On the other hand, products labeled “unsweetened” can only contain naturally occurring sugar and sugar alcohols. They cannot be sweetened with artificial sweeteners.

Keep in mind that while these two terms are regulated by the FDA, the FDA does not require manufacturers to use them. Whether you’re trying to avoid sugar, artificial sweeteners or both, you may have to check the ingredient list to figure out what the products contain.

Do yourself a favor and learn what food labels really mean because your health is worth protecting and you deserve the best.

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We all know that hunger, cravings and food allergies have a very big impact on our moods and energy levels. Conversely, our moods and emotions influence our food choices. There is a whole branch of science, called nutritional psychiatry, dedicated to studying these connections.

Obviously, your mind functions best when it gets premium fuel. This is why you should eat high-quality foods that are rich in antioxidants and probiotics and low in refined sugar.

More Antioxidants

To understand just how important it is to consume antioxidant-rich foods, you must first understand what free radicals are.

Free radicals are highly reactive forms of oxygen that are produced in the course of normal metabolic processes. The substances that generate free radicals are readily available in the air we breathe, the water we drink and food we eat.

This means that it is perfectly natural to have free radicals in the body. The problem arises when these free radicals build up and start damaging cells, including brain cells.

Antioxidants are substances that interact with free radicals to disarm them, preventing them from causing cell damage. Therefore, staying away from fried foods, which are a rich source of free radicals, and eating foods rich in anti-oxidants keeps your mind sharp and healthy.

Most antioxidants are found in plant foods. Some vitamins like vitamin C and minerals like zinc act as antioxidants. So foods rich in vitamin C such as oranges and peppers and foods rich in zinc such as nuts are good sources of antioxidants.

Other foods that contain substances that act as antioxidants are egg plant, pumpkin, spinach, grapes, mangoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, parsley, leeks, onions, garlic, tomatoes, thyme and oregano. As far as beverages go, tea, coffee and cocoa powder also contain substances that act as antioxidants.

More Probiotics

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, appetite and mood. It is produced in the gastrointestinal tract and is greatly influenced by the millions of “good bacteria” in your gut. There are so many neural pathways that travel directly from the gut to the brain that scientists have nicknamed the gut “the second brain.”

Taking probiotics can influence your anxiety levels, change how you perceive stress, and improve your mental outlook. This is why probiotic supplements are so popular.

However, you don’t need to take supplements to improve your gut bacteria. Simply adding fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi, and probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt and kefir to your diet is enough.

Less Sugar

Diets that are high in refined sugars are bad for your brain. They not only make it difficult for your body to regulate insulin but also promote the damage of brain cells by free radicals.

Numerous scientific studies have found a connection between a diet high in refined sugar and mood disorders such as depression. So the next time you want to reach for a can of soda, remember that it is not just bad for body; it is also bad for your mind and spirit.

The post Nourish Your Mind and Spirit with Food! appeared first on Lifestyle.

The natural pigments that give fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods their bright colors are important micronutrients. Colorful foods are more nutritious and healthier for you. People who eat multi-colored meals reduce their risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

But before you start adding color to your plate, you need to know what nutrients the different colors correspond to.

1. Yellow and Orange

Orange fruits and vegetables, like oranges, apricots, carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes get their color from carotenoids, which are important antioxidants. Some carotenoids, like beta-carotene, are converted to Vitamin A by the body.

Consuming significant portions of foods high in carotenoids reduces your risk of heart attack by 36% even if you have high cholesterol. So go ahead and fill up on nectarines and pumpkins!

2. Red

Red fruits and vegetables contain the antioxidant lycopene. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage, which is why eating lots of tomatoes, beets, cranberries, strawberries, and red grapes can lower your risk of certain cancers.

3. Green

Green is the color of life. Green fruits and vegetables get their color from chlorophyll. However, many of these green foods also contain other nutrients such as folate and lutein.

Folate deficiency, which is unsurprisingly really common, causes cardiovascular and digestive diseases. Lutein deficiency, on the other hand, is associated with poor vision.

If you haven’t been eating enough greens, start adding more broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach and lettuce to your diet.

4. Blue and Purple

Just like red fruits and vegetables, blue and purple produce gets its color from anthocyanins. Nutritional research has shown that anthocyanin pigments have the ability to protect against various diseases. These pigments have been linked to increased longevity, better cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, and better memory. If you want these health benefits, load up on blueberries, blackberries and eggplants.

5. White

When we think of colorful meals, we rarely think of white fruits and vegetables. However, white produce contains anthoxanthins, which are important for eye health. White plant foods are also a good source of potassium, which is necessary for the proper functioning of your cells, tissues, and organs. So don’t forget to include bananas, mushrooms, parsnips, garlic and cauliflower in your diet.

Artificial Food Colors Don’t Count!

Natural plant pigments are the only ones that are nutritious and good for your health; artificial colors don’t count.

In fact, artificial food coloring has been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children, as well as food allergies. The long-term dangers are mostly unknown because there hasn’t been enough research in this area. Their consumption has, however, increased 500% in the last five decades.

Don’t risk it. Avoid artificial colors as much as you can and instead choose high nutrient, fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods.

The post Eat the Rainbow! Why Colorful Meals are Healthier for You appeared first on Lifestyle.

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This is easier said than done: it can be challenging to pick foods that have the nutrients needed to recover from the flu. If you’re curious about where to start, here are some suggestions that may help.

Rice dishes

If someone with the flu is suffering from a bad stomach, it may be beneficial to eat bland foods since they’re easier to digest. Rice is excellent for this since it’s rich in starch and contains less fiber, helping promote better digestion.

It’s not a hard food to cook, either. This article from We Know Rice explains that you can conveniently prepare it with a rice cooker, making it easier for those who are sick or caring for someone who is. The Aroma MI Cool Touch Mini Rice Cooker is particularly useful since it has a one-touch operation feature that lets you cook various meals with the push of a button. If you want to add flavor, you can use broth or soup to make porridge or congee, which is tastier but still easy to digest.

Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C

You’re probably familiar with people consuming vitamin C when they contract the flu. That’s because the flu often disrupts the body’s normal immune response to bacterial infection. Medical News Today explains here that vitamin C boosts the immune system, making it a necessary nutrient to consume when sick.

Some great sources of vitamin C include fruits like kiwi, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, and tomatoes, as well as green peas, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables. If you or the person you’re caring for is too tired to eat, you can blend some vitamin C-rich foods up and make a smoothie. Otherwise, you can whip up many tasty yet nourishing salads that you can top off with vitamin-C-rich citrus dressings.

Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is excellent for those with the flu for several reasons. It’s rich in probiotics, making it ideal for boosting immunity and addressing gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. Compared to regular yogurt, it has less lactose, helping the body digest it more easily. It’s also twice as rich in protein, which our post explains delivers amino acids to repair the muscles and organs. Beyond this, protein is essential for building antibodies that combat infections like the flu.

Top Greek yogurt with vitamin C-rich fruits or honey, a great remedy for sore throat. This lets you or your patient consume a light meal packed with the necessary nutrients to relieve flu symptoms.

Oatmeal

Another bland and easily digestible food is oatmeal. It contains immunity-boosting vitamins like protein, copper, iron, zinc, and selenium, but you should ensure you’re using varieties that don’t contain added sugar or flavoring.

Like Greek yogurt, you can load your oatmeal with powerhouse foods full of nutrients. You can add fruits rich in vitamin C or bananas, which contain more vitamins like potassium. If you want to boost your protein intake, you can also add cottage cheese or almond butter. These ingredients can also add flavor without being too hard on the stomach.

Getting the flu is never pleasant. Fortunately, you can promote quicker recovery with healthy and enjoyable meals made from these four foods.

Exclusively written for https://lifestyle.org/ by Ameila Conner

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B-12

The good news is that the body doesn’t need very much B-12. But, vegans can struggle with getting enough. A vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, nerve damage, mood swings, and muscle weakness.

Sources of vitamin B-12 include, nutritional yeast, marmite, yeast spreads, fortified soy, almond milk, plant-based meats, fortified cereals, tempeh, chlorella, and nori seaweed, to name a few.

Please consult your primary health care provider if you think you might have an issue with your vitamin B-12 levels. Occasionally, vitamin B-12 injections may be a recommended course of action.

Iron

Iron plays a role in red blood cell production. Sources of iron include: beans, broccoli, and raisins. Since the body needs vitamin C to absorb iron efficiently, consider adding citrus to your diet.

Protein

Protein helps with skin, bones, teeth, muscles, and organs, and delivers amino acids to the body. There are three types of amino acids, of which essential amino acids are one.

The body can’t produce essential amino acids; they must come from nutritional sources. But plants are unable to deliver complete proteins – proteins that carry all 9 essential amino acids. But, a great option is to combine protein sources like rice and beans. Eggs are a great source of complete protein, too – just make sure to include the yolk.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and Vitamin D are vital for strong, healthy bones. Some vegetarians augment their diet with fish occasionally because although it isn’t plant-based, it is a whole food. Salmon is an excellent source of calcium, as are almond and cashew milks.

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, mustard greens, Swiss chard, and other greens are amazing plant-based sources of calcium.

Many foods are fortified with vitamin D. When it comes to plant sources, mushrooms are a good option. But probably the best option comes in the form of getting a daily dose of sunshine. The body will produce vitamin D in response to sunlight. So, aim for at least 10 minutes of sunshine daily.

As a side note, you can use impact and resistance exercises for strong, healthy bones.

In summary, although it might not be as easy for vegans and vegetarians to get the required amount of certain nutrients, it isn’t as hard as one might think either. Whole-food plant-based sources should always be the first option. But keep in mind that there isn’t anything wrong with supplements either; discuss the matter with your doctor. Remember, at the end of the day, the important thing is to protect and maintain your health and energy levels.

Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash

The post Getting Enough Protein and Nutrients on a Whole Food Plant Based Diet appeared first on Lifestyle.

Since taking care of your heart is important, here are five easy things you can do to create a heart-healthy lifestyle.

REDUCE STRESS HORMONES

According to Cleveland Clinic, stress is a major player in heart disease. We all have stress.

We’ve all heard of the stress hormone Cortisol but there are others as well like the ones released during fight or flight such as epinephrine, adrenaline and norepinephrine.

Stress is a part of life. But living an overly stressful life without adequate rest or relaxation strains the cardiovascular system and causes heart problems.

Relaxing activities reduce the production and release of stress hormones, which does wonders for your heart. These can be activities like massage, meditation, journaling, gentle stretching, deep breathing, relaxing walks, etc. Reducing stress doesn’t just make you healthier it makes you feel happier, too

Eat for a healthy heart

Despite its bad rap in years past, fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. But you have to eat the right kind of fats, which are mono (think olive, canola, peanut, sunflower and safflower oils, and avocados) and polyunsaturated fats (pine nuts, flaxseed, and sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds). A heart healthy diet should also include essential fatty acids (think flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts, along with plant oils like flaxseed, soybean and canola), and antioxidants (foods like dark chocolate, berries, kale).

The important thing to remember about fat is that it’s high in calories. Consuming more calories than you use causes weight gain, which is bad for the heart. So keep an eye on how much fat you eat.

A heart healthy diet doesn’t have to be bland and boring. You have so many delicious to choose from that protect your heart AND satisfy your taste buds.

Be Active

Physical activity is necessary for heart health because a sedentary lifestyle is hard on your heart. But you don’t have to run marathons or be in the gym six days a week, either. Just taking a walk or a jog a few times a week makes a huge difference in keeping your heart healthy.

Simple things like taking the stairs or parking farther away help too. Physical activity also releases endorphins, meaning you’ll feel happier, have a calmer mind, and a healthier heart.

Fresh air

According to research, there’s a correlation between breathing in pollutants and arterial damage. Although we can’t always choose the quality of air we breathe because of where we live, just remember that the concentration of pollutants in the air tends to be highest early in the morning. So, if you live in a big city like New York or Chicago, consider planning your outdoor activities for the afternoon or evening.

Don’t Sleep Too Much

Science has found a link between the amount and quality of sleep with heart health. According to certain studies, people with sleep disorders like insomnia increase their risk of developing heart disease by 50% compared to people who average eight hours of good quality, restful sleep.

But this might come as a surprise, averaging more than 9 hours of nightly sleep regularly can throw your system into metabolic disarray and actually damage your heart from secondary conditions like depression or obesity.

In conclusion, the bad news is that heart disease causes 1 out of every 4 deaths in the United States. But the good news is that it’s a lifestyle disease, which means it’s something you control! So take charge and avoid being a statistic by following these five simple steps for creating a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Image by silviarita from Pixabay

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