What is a Carbohydrate?

On a biochemical level, a Carbohydrate is a simple fusion of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Different types of carbohydrates have a different chemical makeup, and can have significantly different effects on your body when ingested. Though it is possible to group carbohydrates into two different categories (simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates), this is a slight oversimplification of how carbohydrates affect the body. Carbohydrates are in many foods, such as bread, milk, beans, potatoes, pasta, corn and sweets.

To digest a carbohydrate, your body needs to break each carbohydrate down into single sugar molecules, since this is the required size for sugar to be transported into the bloodstream. All digestible carbohydrates are usually converted to glucose, which provides the “fuel” needed by cells for proper functions. Carbohydrates in the form of fiber are an exception, since fiber is not directly digested by your body. Instead, fiber provides “bulk” to the waste that passes through your intestines, helping to properly dispose of all waste products from the intestines. Soluable fiber (the type of fiber that dissolves in water) helps your body by bonding to fatty substances in the intestines, which disposes of these fatty substances, also helping to lower levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein).

Carbohydrates and Diabetes

When your body digests a carbohydrate (subsequently breaking down that carbohydrate into single sugar molecules), the sugar molecules from that carbohydrate enter the blood. This promotes a rise in blood sugar levels. With higher blood sugar levels, the pancreas begins to produce more insulin, which is required for the proper absorbtion of sugar molecules by the blood cells. When blood sugar levels begin to fall, the pancreas instead begins producing glucagon, which is a hormone that stimulates the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This process runs on a balance, and ensures that all cells in the body will recieve a proper level of blood sugar (especially the brain).

People with diabetes are not able to naturally maintain this balance of blood sugar. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to promote absorbtion of sugar molecules into the bloodstream. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a condition in which the blood cells do not respond to the insulin levels, and are not receptive to absorb sugar molecules. This is also called “insulin resistance”. This condition can be brought about by being genetically succepbtible to this condition, over-eating, or consuming a large amount of highly processed carbohydrates. The best way to prevent becoming insulin resistance is to limit processed carbohydrates (such as sweets, white flour pastries, and white flour pasta) and replace them instead with whole-grain carbohydrates.

There are two types of nutrient, each of which refers to the specific need of our bodies for a certain amount of the nutrient. The first type of nutrient is called a “macronutrient”, which refers to any nutrient that our body needs in large quantities in order to stay alive. The second type of nutrient is called a “micronutrient”. A micronutrient is any nutrient that our bodies also need to function properly, but in much smaller quantities.

There are seven different classifications for the nutrient groups that our bodies need in order to maintain our health. Each of these classified nutrient groups provides a different type of sustenance for our body when consumed in the proper quantities.

Carbohydrates

Due to the recent popularity of many fad diets, the importance of carbohydrates to our body’s functions has been called into question. However, in reality, your body needs healthy carbohydrates in order to maintain your health. Healthy carbohydrates are also called complex carbohydrates, and do not have the health risks associated with unhealthy carbohydrates (also called “simple carbohydrates”). Simple carbohydrates are classified as “Monosaccharides” and chemically consist of one or two sugar units. Since they are quickly digested, simple carbohydrates cause a subsequent spike in blood sugar levels, which has been associated with health problems such as cardiovascular disease. Since complex carbohydrates contain three or more sugar units, (also called polysaccharides) they take a bit longer to digest. Each sugar unit in a chain of a complex carbohydrate is processed individually, resulting in a less severe spike of blood sugar levels.

Fats

Fat has a very bad reputation among people looking to consume a nutritional diet. However, in reality, there are several different kinds of fats, some of which can actually be extremely beneficial to your health. The unhealthy types of fats include saturated fats (which means the fat molecule’s carbon atoms are all bound to hydrogen atoms), and trans-fats (which include trans-isomer fatty acid that is created by industrial processing). The best type of fat to consume for good health is unsaturated fats, which include fat molecules that do not have all of their carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms. Unsaturated fats can be further classified as either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, which can provide a much lower cholesterol level than consuming a diet rich in saturated fats. High Cholesterol can be very damaging to your health, causing a variety of serious health problems.

Fiber

Technically, fiber is classified along with the carbohydrate group. However, fiber is very different from other carbohydrates, since it is not fully absorbed by our digestive system. Fiber is mostly made up of a polymer called cellulose, which is not digested because humans do not have the necessary enzymes to process it. Fiber is extremely important for maintaining proper digestive health, since it provides “bulk” to the intestinal contents. It’s been proven that consuming fiber-rich foods on a regular basis can help prevent colon cancer, as well as alleviate conditions like constipation and diarrhea. Whole grain fiber is best, since it results in a lower spike in insulin levels, which also reduces the risk of diabetes.

Protein

Protein is the base for many of our body’s systems. Protein is made up of many amino acids, which can be broken down to help the body to produce more protein (as well as manufacture new protein to replace damaged protein). There are ten different types of amino acids in the human body that are “essential amino acids”, which means that our bodies can not manufacture these proteins on our own. A diet that includes a “complete protein source” will provide all essential amino acids that our bodies need to function properly.

Minerals

This is another dietary requirement that is often overlooked. The importance of a proper level of minerals in our diet can not be overstressed, since they are essential for many important bodily functions. Some of the common dietary minerals include:

• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphorous
• Sodium
• Potassium
• Chloride
• Iron
• Zinc
• Iodine

Minerals are very important for supporting biochemical functions in many of the body’s functions. Consuming foods that are rich in these minerals is a great way to get your dietary mineral requirement. It’s also recommended to take mineral supplements to ensure that you are receiving the proper level of nutritional dietary minerals.

Vitamins

It’s estimated that though many people take vitamins, they are still deficient in many important vitamin compounds. There are twelve different types of Vitamins that have been officially recognized for being essential for good health, and that need to be incorporated into the diet.  Here’s a list of many common vitamins.

• Vitamin A     (Retinol)
• Vitamin B1     (Thiamine)
• Vitamin C     (Ascorbic acid)
• Vitamin D     (Calciferol)
• Vitamin B2     (Riboflavin)
• Vitamin E     (Tocopherol)
• Vitamin B12     (Cyanocobalamin)
• Vitamin K     (Phylloquinone)
• Vitamin B5     (Pantothenic acid)
• Vitamin B7     (Biotin)
• Vitamin B6     (Pyridoxine)
• Vitamin B3     (Niacin)
• Vitamin B9     (Folic acid)

Each of these vitamins has many important benefits, which can aid greatly in living a healthy, disease-free life.

Water

Most people know that the human body is approximately 2/3 water. Water is absolutely essential for good health, and is very important for maintaining many of the body’s functions. The body’s requirements for water vary, as it can depend largely on how much water is lost with normal daily activities. To learn more about the importance of water in your diet, and the health benefits associated with drinking enough water, you can read more here.

What are the benefits of Magnesium?

Magnesium is responsible for many important bodily functions. Maintaining a proper level of magnesium is essential for:

• Proper formation of Bone

• Maintaining normal muscle function

• Releasing energy from muscle storage

• Manufacturing proteins

• Maintaining normal muscle and nerve function

• Regulating body temperature

• Proper absorption of Calcium

What happens when you don’t get enough Magnesium?

Magnesium deficiency is very common, and can manifest with symptoms in virtually every area of the body. Some common symptoms of magnesium deficiency include backaches, headaches, muscle spasms, constipation, abnormal hearth rhythms, insomnia, anxiety, and a tingling feeling in the arms or legs. It’s obvious that magnesium is absolutely essential for good health, and many studies are finally giving magnesium the recognition it deserves as an extremely important mineral.

Why should I take Magnesium with Calcium?

To put it simply, magnesium is the “key” to calcium absorption. In many cases of magnesium deficiency, the cause is actually an excessive intake of calcium. Since childhood, many of us have been educated about the importance of calcium in our diet, but actually, magnesium is just as important. If your body is deficient in magnesium, this causes a spike in a hormone called PTH (pituitary thyroid hormone). This increase in PTH actually prevents any absorbed calcium from being used for bone formation, and instead promotes the calcification of soft tissues. For proper calcium absorption, try to take a calcium supplement that also contains an equal level of magnesium.

What are some good sources of Magnesium?

There are some foods that can help to provide you with an additional source of magnesium in your diet. Incorporating magnesium-rich foods into your daily eating habits can greatly help in maintaining good health. Examples of foods containing high levels of magnesium include:

• Almonds

• Halibut (a type of fish)

• Oatmeal

• Spinach

• Peanut Butter

• Cashews

• Avocado

• Soybeans

Some people make the argument that they just love the taste, and that is where Teeccino comes in. Although drinking decaf can help, you still intake a fair amount of caffeine. Teeccino is a unique combination of barely, figs, dates, almonds, roasted carob, and chicory root. Blended correctly, it tastes surprisingly similar to coffee. Not only that, but each cup is infused with several natural elements to help wake you in the morning. For example, consider the 80 milligrams of potassium. Potassium is known to increases oxygen levels in your brain, giving you that morning “boost”. All without the assistance of caffeine.

Caroline MacDougall, Mediterranean rain forest and herbal expert, is the creator of the unique blend. She likes to refer to it as “herbal coffee”, and her company has seen success under that heading. She has been endorsed by several people, including various doctors.

You can order coffee from the Teeccino website, and to be honest it is surprisingly affordable. If you are looking for a way to ease you out of the caffeine drinking habit, this may just be the tool for you. To avoid withdrawal symptoms, we recommend you wean your way off regular coffee during the course of two weeks. A word of warning however, some flavors of Teeccino can contain up to 30 calories per cup, compared to a brewed cup of coffees 2 calories. Those of you on diets may need to make adjustments if you want to intergrate Teeccino into your morning routine.

The little berry has been getting a lot of media attention lately due to recent success with cancer patients. After chemotherapy, patients taste buds are often dulled, giving all foods a very bland taste. After a while, patients have no desire to eat anymore, and can go through rapid weight loss. Dr. Mike Cusnir, a leading researcher at Mount Sinai Medical Center, says that the majority of his patients utilizing the berry have experienced improved taste buds.

Although many people have never heard of them, they are by no means new. In fact in the 70’s there was a failed attempt to commercialize them, with a lot of controversy. When submitted to the FDA, it was supposed to be labeled as a sweetener, because there was not a caloric penalty involved. Instead the FDA labeled it as a “dietary supplement”, pretty much destroying any chance of success it may have had. Many believe that the FDA was trying to protect the sugar industry at the time.

1. To the delight of most males, one of the benefits of a habitual sex life is reduced chance of impotence. Interestingly enough, heart problems and impotence are linked together. Although daily exercise is recommended, if a man has sex more than three times a week, he reduces his chance for a heart attack by fifty percent.
2. Another benefit of having a habitual sex life is overall fitness. The more you exercise, the more in shape you become. It can even promote motivation to do more exercises outside of bed. An average session of lovemaking raises the heartbeat to about 150 beats per minute, which can burn approximately 200 calories. You get to exercise and strengthen various parts your body. Plus, men get a chance to increase their testosterone level.
3. The third benefit of a habitual sex life is heightened senses, or that “feeling alive” feeling. The release of endorphins is the reason why sex is a sought after experience. If you are feeling depressed, habitual sex can help change that drastically.
4. Adults who enjoy the benefits of habitual sex will tell you that they tend to get sick less often. Medically, it has been proven that sex releases antibodies called immunoglobulin. These antibodies will lessen the frequency of flu, colds and cough.
5. For us men, a huge benefit of a habitual sex life is prevention of prostate cancer as long as you do not practice habitual sex with multiple partners. (Having several sex partners increases your risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease which makes it something you should avoid at all costs.)
6. Intimacy is a feeling craved by most females, and one benefit of habitual sex life is increased intimacy with your partner. The moments after can be your most memorable moments with your partner.
7. Did you know you can actually lower cholesterol with sex? This is a great benefit of habitual sex for people with high levels of bad cholesterol.
8. Not only do you get to exercise and enjoy it, you also get to relieve some of the stress in your life. With the endorphin release, you forget any emotional and mental stress you have, at least for the time being.
9. Finally, a great benefit of habitual sex for women is being able to produce hormones naturally. With habitual sex, a woman can increase her estrogen levels which in turn protects her heart, and promotes a healthy weight.
10. (Bonus!) It’s just plain fun!

Focus, or concentration, is a skill that can be taught, so there are some exercises you can do to improve your focus. Start with easy exercises like staring at a picture on the wall for a few minutes without moving or talking to anyone. Once you learn how to block out your surroundings, your focus will improve.

Many athletes require intense focus in their training and games. It isn’t enough to just practice your shots because when game time comes, the stress and tension can make on miss a shot. This is when focus comes into play.

Other mind exercises you can do is internalizing. This is when you picture yourself in a desired situation, and then you work around your picture. Actors do this a lot to block out laughter, noise, or other distractions. An example of this would be to imagine yourself in a potentially stressful situation, like a singer in a concert. Try to play out the scene in your mind what you would do if different scenarios were to happen. This can actually be a lot of fun, and you learn how to improve your focus by concentrating on one thing only.

If this sounds a little strange to you, you could try another strategy. Why not make lists. Make a list for the things you need to accomplish for the morning, another for the afternoon, and finally, another list for the evening. Study your lists carefully and see where you can move things around.

For instance, if you have a dinner to arrange that evening, don’t bunch up everything in the afternoon, right before the guests arrive. Divide your chores and errands between morning and afternoon, and give yourself an hour or two to relax before the guests arrive. Planning helps you focus. It will also not stress you out.

Another way to improve your focus is to take breaks. If children have recess and lunch as their breaks, adults should also allow themselves the privilege of stopping for a drink or a 30 minute sitcom on TV. Of course, if you are working in an office, you are allowed coffee breaks. Use this time wisely. Don’t spend it with your co-workers beside the coffee machine talking about problems in the office. Doing this would actually stress you and get you to lose focus on the things that need to be done. Your breaks should be as quiet as possible. Read a book, take a walk, or visit a daycare. Go and do anything that will give your brain a rest.

The reason why we lose focus so easily is because we have too much on our minds. Of course, it could also be because you are bored with nothing to do. An good balance between a too relaxed brain and an overly active brain are both undesirable situations to be in. Find your capacity to work, and try not to veer away to far from it on a daily basis. Improving your focus also mean knowing what you can do and being confident about doing it well.

Getting enough sleep at night reduces stress and lessens the chance of depression. It energizes you to face another day of activities. If you get enough sleep at night, your memory will improve because you are resting your brain. Quality sleep time is one of the best ways to give your brain a needed boost for the next day.

If you get enough sleep at night, your body is being given a chance to heal because when you are sleeping, your body produces more protein which in turn allows your cells to repair any damages.

How can you get enough sleep at night?

1. Avoid eating sugar or food that contain sugar before retiring. What happens is that in the middle of your sleep, your blood sugar might suddenly drop and wake you up, because you feel hungry.
2. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and food that you know you are sensitive to. Although alcohol has been known to get you sleepy, it will not give you a good night’s sleep. You could wake up at the middle of the night, or worst yet, wake up in the morning with a terrible headache. If for any reason you cannot avoid drinking alcohol, drink water soon after or dilute your alcoholic drink with ice or water.
3. Try not to drink anything two hours before sleeping because if you have a tendency to urinate often, you could wake up in the middle of the night because of nature’s call. On the other hand, if you do not tend to urinate often, you will definitely be forced to get out of bed early in the morning.
4. A hot bath is a good precursor to a good night’s sleep. Getting enough sleep at night will definitely be more possible if you have a chance to relax under a hot shower. Just try not to sleep with your hair wet because that would not be good for your hair at all.
5. Getting enough sleep at night would be a lot easier if your room is set up properly. Why not leave the TV outside, have a choice of bright and dim lights, and set up your room in a way that you know will relax you.
6. You could also get enough sleep at night by dressing appropriately. If you know that your room temperature has a tendency to drop, make sure you are wearing the right clothes and have enough warm blankets at arm’s reach Socks are also a good idea because we tend to get cold feet faster than any other part of our body.
7. If reading or writing relaxes you, then have a good, easy reading, non-violent book by your bedside. You could also place your journal beside your bed to jot down any last minute thoughts running through your mind.

Getting enough sleep at night is possible only if you allow your body and brain to relax before going to bed. An active mind will just keep you up at night. An extremely tired body, on the other hand, will need some time to settle down. Plan you sleeping time and the hours before you go to sleep well, and you will get enough sleep for the night.

If you do not have enough calcium in your body, you risk getting blood clots which could lead to other serious medical problems. Thrombosis or blood clots in the arteries or veins will cause partial to total blockage which could results in heart, muscle or nerve problems. What makes it more complicated is the fact that it is not so easy to detect when you have a blood clot or not. It usually is looked for when certain surgical operations are done, or symptoms of heart ailments occur.

This is why the importance of calcium in the body cannot be overemphasized. In national surveys, results reveal that many females lack calcium in their system. Their daily intake is less than half of the required amount of calcium daily.  Unfortunately, we reduce our levels of calcium through our urine and feces and to some extent, through our perspiration. Thus, if we do not take the daily recommended amount of calcium, and continue to expel calcium daily, eventually we are depriving our body of proper nutrition.

The importance of calcium is not immediately recognized especially by the youth because it take time for the problems to develop. In addition, our daily requirements for calcium changes as we age.

At a young age, we are encouraged to drink milk regularly and take in daily doses of multivitamins which contain Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential to normal mineralization of bone and promotes bone growth. As we grow older, we tend to disregard milk in favor of sugary drinks and alcohol. Except as young adults, we still need calcium in our body to prevent blood clots, and keep our bones and teeth strong.

The importance of calcium in an adult is for good cardiovascular health. An average healthy adult requires about 700 to 1000 mg of calcium daily. This of course changes, if you are an adult with bone problems like osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a crippling disease that usually happens to seniors. After the age of fifty, your bones start to become more porous, It starts to thin and soften. This causes the person to decrease in height, and can be quite painful.

Osteoporosis affects more women than men, mainly because of the lack of oestregen when a woman starts menopause. That is why it is important for calcium to be replaced through Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

In women’s diet, calcium and iron are recognized as the two most neglected minerals. When pregnant, women could suffer from pre-eclampsia, or high blood. Calcium can help control this, and help with the health of the unborn child up to the first year after birth, if the mother intends to nurse her baby.

The importance of calcium is not just in the areas of teeth and bone strength, or while pregnant. You need calcium to help control your cholesterol and cell environment. It helps contract muscles and prevents cramps.

Milk is not the only way to getting calcium, you can take vitamins, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids found in fish oil and evening primrose oil. Look for food like juices and dairy products that have calcium in them.

By understanding the importance of calcium in your body, you can take the necessary steps to including it in your daily diet. This is one way to ensure that you grow old gracefully and with as little medical problems as possible.

The other difference between bad and good carbohydrate is that the bad carbohydrate is the refined, simple sugar. The reason this is not the more desirable carbohydrate to eat is because eating it gives you a surge in your blood sugar and causes you to gain weight. It can also promote the development of diabetes.

The good carbohydrate does not cause you to have sudden surges in your blood sugar. It is also the recommended kind of carbohydrate for those on low carb diets.

To illustrate the difference between bad and good carbohydrate, let’s look at a simple scenario of eating desert. If you use a good substitute for sugar in your cake like brown sugar, you are going to be able to enjoy your desert better because of the switch to a less refined carbohydrate.   You don’t expose your body to plain sugar, which can leave you feeling lethargic after the sugar rush. Neither do you gain excessive weight from all the simple white sugar you consumed.

Some good carbohydrates come in the most natural form as possible like fruits and vegetables that contain natural sugar.  This is good because our body needs it to keep us going. Aside from giving us the energy to do physical activities, good carbohydrates help us in our normal body functions like breathing and digestion.

Meanwhile, the problem with bad carbohydrates is the weight gain and the sudden crash from the sugar high. Do you ever get that feeling when you suddenly loose energy? After a whole day of stocking up on carbohydrates, at one point in the afternoon, you suddenly feel a heavy weight come down upon you. Your eyes feel tired, your body feels heavy, you can hardly function much more engage in any strenuous activity. You have been eating the wrong kind of carbohydrates. What you have been feeding your body was sugar, plain and simple.

If you plan on having an active day, instead of eating candy and chocolate to keep you going, why not try some whole grain cereal, or pasta? Not only will you be able to stock up on reserve energy to get you through your day, you do not get hungry. This is one of the obvious difference in bad and good carbohydrates that you can personally experience.

Bad carbohydrates are also easy to digest which will explain why we can get hungry and tired after a while. If we eat good carbohydrates, the nutrients are not as easily digested, and are usually packed with fiber.

Easily the difference between bad and good carbohydrates is that one is refined, and the other is more natural. The problem with refined carbohydrates is that when the process of refining happens, nutrients are lost. Since the concentration is on the sugar content, you can bombard your pancreas with too much glucose. Glucose is the blood sugar that is made when we consume carbohydrates. It is glucose that is used to give us the energy to function.

Refined carbohydrates is also not good because the fiber is removed from the carbohydrates which is needed to slow down the sugar release into our body. We need to lessen the amount of bad carbohydrates in our body, especially if we want to lose a few pounds. The increase in intake of good carbohydrates will more than compensate for the need for sugar by our bodies. Clearly, there is a big difference between bad and good carbohydrates.