Some foods naturally contain sodium.  A low salt diet allows the use of such plus not more than 1 teaspoon of salt in food preparation per day. 

            Sodium is concentrated in table salt (sodium chloride), monosodium glutamate, preservatives (sodium sulfate, sodium benzoate), baking soda and baking powder (sodium bicarbonate).  These items are not included in the 2000 mg sodium allowance. 

Some Tips

-        Limit the use of hidden sodium such as monosodium glutamate, preservatives, baking soda and powder, meat tenderizer.

-        Enjoy the natural flavor of unsalted foods.

-        Avoid sauce and table salt. Food seasoned with little salt is better than unseasoned food served with separate sauce.

-        Eat fresh, natural food instead of processed (canned, smoked, cured) ones.

-        Avoid salted fish.

-        Eat plain rice than fried seasoned rice, instant rice, instant noodles and other instant cereals.

-        Avoid commercial chips and crackers.  They are high in salt.

-        Minimize dining out.  Regular commercial menus have more seasonings which are high in sodium.

-        Read labels.  Sodium can be founding food, water, medicines, toothpastes and mouthwashes.

-        Reduce sodium in the diet, gradually.

-        Eat more fresh fruits instead of rich desserts.

-        Avoid tea, coffee, alcoholic and carbonated beverages (soft drinks)

-        Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day between meals.

-        Include a variety of foods each meal.

-        Take time to enjoy your food.

            A reducing diet is a diet which follows the principle of eating a variety of foods with the essential nutrients but with the goal of effecting weight loss.  The diet is low calories, low in fat but high in complex carbohydrates.

            Weight loss should be gradual to minimize the tendency to get sick.  The extent of acceptable calorie restriction is determined by your physician or nutritionist-dietitian.

            Note:  Complex carbohydrates are fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Some Tips

-        Consult a licensed nutritionist-dietitian before trying to reduce your weight. He knows when you need to reduce, how much weight you need to lose how you should lose extra weight and what your specific nutrients needs are.

-        Choose low-calorie foods. Avoid sweets, cakes (especially those with icing), ice cream, sweet desserts, candies, pies, and chocolates.

-        Eat less fat. Avoid pork and fatty meat.

-        Eat only a maximum of 3 egg yolks per week.

-        Reduce salty foods like dried meat, fish and shrimps.

-        Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day between meals.

-        Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol. Alcoholic drinks are high-calorie beverages.

-        Avoid milk shakes, chocolate drinks, soft drinks, sweetened juices.

-        Increase fiber intake.  This will make you feel full without gaining too much calories since fiber is bulky.  It is also the weight controller’s best friend.  Eat more leafy vegetables, whole grains, and fruits.

-        Choose legumes, fish, poultry, and veal which contain less fat and cholesterol than pork and beef.

-        Cook foods plainly.  Avoid butter or fattening sauces.

-        Eat regularly.  Never skip any meal especially breakfast.

-        Avoid in-between meals.  Drink water instead.

-        Eat a good breakfast and lunch but have a light supper.  If you plan to skip a meal, choose supper instead of breakfast.

-        Exercise regularly.

-        Keep a record of your weight.  Weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds a week is safe and considered reasonable.

-        Determine the lose weight!

At about the age of two years a child becomes more or less independent and will often express his or her likes and dislikes in an emphatic manner. At this time it is most important that the child not be allowed to drift into bad eating habits. Bad eating habits result in malnutrition.

               A child who learns to eat wholesome food makes the best start in life.

               Certain fundamental principles must be observed regarding the diet. An adequate diet must contain, in suitable amounts, tissue-building materials known as protein, minerals, carbohydrates, fat and the necessary accessory substances known as vitamins.

               A child carefully fed in accordance with his or her needs should receive everyday at least one food from each of the following food groups: (a) protein food- milk, eggs, meat and other veggie products, (b) energy food- rice, oat meal, corn and some root crops. (c) vitamin and mineral food- papaya, banana, apple, orange, and other fruits and vegetables.

               Here are some of the suggestions for moving towards the optimal diet:

• Reduce or eliminate the amount of oil, butter in recipes. For instance, try to cook onions and green peppers in a little broth instead of browning them in fat; add garlic and herbs to enhance the flavor. In quick breads such as muffins, cornbread and fruit loaves, the fat can usually be cut in half without affecting the quality of the final product. If meat is used, brown it in a non-stick pan without adding grease. Cook meat in its own juices and then pour off the drippings. If you must use meat always use very lean cuts and in small amounts, more like a condiment. Eliminate the dabs of butter from casserole toppings. Instead of greasing a casserole dish, use a non-stick spray, or a film of lecithin.
• In recipes which call for milk, cut calories and cost by using reconstituted non-fat dry milk, or use skim milk. Evaporated milk and cream can easily be substituted with evaporated skim milk.
• To replace sour cream, use non-fat plain yogurt or blend it with an equal amount of low-fat cottage cheese.
• If you make stews, chili and roasts, refrigerate before serving so that fat will harden and can be removed. Chill meat drippings and remove the fat, then serve your roast au ju instead of with gravy. Or make gravy with fat-free broth, skim milk, and flour or cornstarch.
• Replace a whole egg with two egg whites since cholesterol is found only in the egg yolk.
• Serve foods more simply. Serve fresh fruits. Serve vegetables au natural instead of heavily sauced. It will save you time, money and calories!
• In quick bread, muffin and cookie recipes, the sugar can be cut in half and natural sweeteners such as bananas, dates, raisins, shredded carrots or chopped apple may be used.
• If your recipe calls for cheese, use hoop cheese or low-fat cheese and skim milk instead of whole milk.
• Use herbs, garlic and onions and low calorie dressing to season vegetables instead of butter, bacon, salt and oil dressings.
• Introduce more oriental dishes.
• Eat freely of a wide variety of “foods-as-grown” simply prepared with sparing use of fats and oils, sugars and salt. Use refined products and animal products, if at all, only sparingly.

               It’s never too late to make lifestyle changes. You can actually clean out your arteries, lower your risk of dying of atherosclerosis and extend your active, productive years. You can markedly change your risk factors no matter how old you are, often in just a few weeks.

            Some fat diets restrict the amount and type of foods too much, so they don’t provide the nutrients and food energy needed for growth and health.  When people follow one fad diet after another, their weight may “seesaw” up and down, which isn’t healthful. The weight they lose may be muscle.  Without exercise, it may be replaced with body fat. 

            If at some time you need a weight-loss diet, look for one with sensible advice for a long-term way of eating.  Avoid these risky ones: 

• Liquid Diets – A very low-calorie liquid diet does not provide enough food energy.  You may feel tired, and the diet may have other harmful side effects.  You won’t get all the nutrients and fiber you need from food.

• Fasting – Denying your body food, even for a short time, means you miss out on nutrients and energy.  Your body uses up some protein, which is stored in the muscles for fuel.  You may become dehydrated without fluids.

• Diet Pills – Diet pills may suppress appetite.  However, they can have harmful side effects, such as making you drowsy or anxious or giving you a rapid heartbeat.  Some diet pills increase water loss, promoting dehydration.  Some may be addictive.  

One last tip, smoking, as a substitute for eating, is poor way to lose weight or maintain a low weight.  It robs the body of nutrient-rich food.  Besides, smoking is linked to many health problems, including cancer and heart disease.  It’s not smart to start!

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Organized

You thrive on rules, routines and schedules.  Your kitchen cabinets are likely to be highly organized, and everything has its place in your home.  You’re committed and usually prepared for anything – you’re the one with the first-aid kit on outings. 

Your diet Rx

• Find a structured eating strategy with clear rules and written menus, like three meals and two snacks a day.
• Plan a week or two of menus at a time – it makes shopping and cooking easier. Since you don’t mind repetition, make big batches of your favorite recipes and serve them throughout the week.
• Get out measuring cups.  With your exacting nature, this is an ideal way to learn portion sizes.  But it’s not forever.  Soon you’ll know a cup of pasta just by looking.
• Check off what you’ve eaten.  Food logs keep you in the organized groove you love.  Consider counting calories or fat grams.
• Chart your progress.  You need feedback to stay on track, so programs that offer workbooks, graphs, and logs are great.
• No need to avoid temptations.  Just plan ahead : Instead of an appetizer wait for a slice of cheesecake for your anniversary dinner.  Once you make a commitment you follow through.
• Be flexible.  Structure and organization might feel so comfortable that you get stuck in a pattern that isn’t working.  “What works for you the first month of dieting might not to be the optimal strategy for the fifth month. 

 Analytical 

You’re an information gatherer, approaching life as if it were a scientist.  If you needed surgery, for example, you’d want to see a video of the procedure and study success and compilation rates.  You enjoy complexity and challenges of problem solving. 

Your diet Rx

• Study nutrition.  Buy factually sound books to learn about the latest breakthroughs in research.  Understanding how and why a diet works will help spur you on.
• Design a program.  “Study several programs, picking the best of each for your personalized plan.  “If you don’t like to read, take a diet class or meet with a dietician.
• Try three meals a day with snacks or several minimally- whatever fits your lifestyle.  Have fun finding new and different ways of meeting your nutritional goals.
• Challenge yourself.  You love figuring out how to enjoy your favorite foods and still lose weight for instance, if you like café mocha, try skim milk, fat-free cocoa, and artificial sweeteners.
• Take action.  Since you enjoy gathering information, you may get stuck in that stage.  “This type does well in a university-based setting, where behavioral experts with training in weight management can explain the theories, but also confront people when they’re stalling.
• Be accountable.  A little structure can be good.  Programs with weekly weigh-ins may help, but you’re likely to be bored with long meetings.  Alternatively, ask your doctor, a dietician, or even a friend or family member to monitor you. 

Spontaneous 

You live life as it comes, expanding each moment for variety and maximum flexibility. You hate schedules and may have a crisis come into your life.  That’s good, because your lack of planning frequently puts you in the middle of one.  You’re not much for rules.  But if they’re fun, interesting, and not too strict, you may follow them. 

Your diet Rx

• Skip rigid food plans.  If they don’t fit into your lifestyle, you’ll just ignore them.
• Stock up on healthy foods.  Planning ahead doesn’t work for you- what sounds good one day usually won’t interest you tomorrow.  Instead, post choices for healthy, lean meals on the refrigerator, all within certain calorie guidelines.
• Keep problem foods out of the house- you’ll eat them if the mood seizes you. Similarly, change your route to work to avoid the doughnut store.
• Pass on the weight loss groups.  They may sound like fun, but rules that apply to large groups generally don’t work for you.
• Hangout with healthy eaters.  When spontaneous get-togethers happen, you’re apt to join the fun.  You’re also likely to be the first to join someone who’s falling off the healthy-eating wagon.
• Set short term goals.  For you, there’s always tomorrow and the chance to start over.  But daily goals- such as eating a piece of fruit with every meal- don’t let you “do it later.”
• Find a counselor.  An individual weight loss counselor, who allows you flexibility yet provides some firm guidance, may be your angel in disguise. 

Inspirational 

You’re always interested in improving yourself, mentally and physically.  People often confide in you because you’re a great listener- and you have a wonderfully kind, effective way of inspiring others. 

Your diet Rx 

• Join a weight loss group.  You like people, so group settings or the buddy system works extremely well.  You thrive on positive feedback and social support and provide plenty of it to others.  “In motivating others, you provide even more motivation to yourself.
• Patrol portions.  You’re likely to enjoy an extra scoop of something you love, so dish up just a single serving.  No eating right out of the bag
• Keep tempting foods out of the house.
• Work in favorite dessert weekly- deprivation leads to overeating.
• Learn about the other benefits of weight loss-more energy, lower blood pressure, and reduced cancer risk.  This will help motivate you.
• Create a pleasant environment.  Post photos of fruits, vegetables and whole grains; play soothing music while you eat; visualize yourself slimmer . “This feeds that need to do something with all senses, with the whole body.
• Reward yourself frequently- a new outfit, a motivational book, or perhaps a bread machine to make hearty and healthy whole grain breads.
• Avoid negative influences.  Criticism destroys you more than other type and can send you down the path to failure.  Learn to draw on your inner strength.
• Stick to the basics.

This blog article has been approved for our use by http://Himaacala.com/Blog

 A good cookbook is an investment that will repay you many times over. There’s no better tool when it comes to changing your eating habits. We have good recipes that fit to your diet.

Moving Toward the Optimal Diet

• Use whole grain breads and cereals. They have the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that products made with refined flour lack.
• Enjoy a variety of fresh fruit each day.
• Eat a wide variety of vegetables. Dark green leafy vegetables are essential for the total vegetarian. (One cup of greens contains more calcium than milk). Yellow vegetables are high in Vitamin A.
• Use nuts sparingly. They are high in minerals and vitamins but also contain lots of fat.
• Use a wide variety of beans and peas. They provide protein and fiber and are low in fat.

The Risks of Cancer

• Tobacco. Smoking causes one of every three cancer deaths in North America.
• Red Meat. Regular meat eaters have three times higher risk of developing colon cancer when compared with occasional meat eaters.
• Junk food. Those who will fill up on doughnuts, sodas, and potato chips lose out on the cancer-fighting substances found in fruits and vegetables.
• Inactivity. Those who log at least four hours of exercise a week cut their risk of breast and colon cancer by more than a third.
• Overeating. Among women, being heavy adds markedly to the danger from breast, colon, and endometrial cancers. And men are pushing their luck with prostate and colon cancer.
• Alcohol. Heavy drinking has been clearly linked to cancers of the liver, throat, and esophagus .In women, even daily drink or two raises breast cancer risk.