Vigour – Health and Sports Nutrition

A healthy balanced diet helps you to maintain a good physical and psychological health, prevents the incidence of a number of diseases, and treats most of the illnesses. Your body requires a number of nutrients to carry out metabolic processes and cellular functions. Malnutrition weakens your immune system and makes you vulnerable to numerous bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Moreover, malnutrition slows down your metabolism and makes you look unhealthy and weak.

Nutrients that your body needs on a regular basis include calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, Ascorbic Acid, vitamin D, vitamin E, Tocopherol, vitamin K, and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, zinc, chlorine, copper, chromium, fluorine, silicon, molybdenum, sodium, sulphur and vanadium.

To get the recommended daily allowances of all these nutrients, make sure that you eat a variety of food items. It is important that you do not limit yourself to the consumption of only a few types of diets. Following are the different types of food items that you should incorporate into your daily dietary routine. It is important that you choose at least one item from each category twice a week to nourish your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to perform important metabolic functions.

Pulses are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fibres, vitamins and minerals. This group includes Chickpea, Black Gram, Bengal Gram, Cowpea, Field Bean, Haricot Bean, Horse Bean, Navy Bean, Pigeon Pea, Protein Pea, Rice Bean, Winged Bean, Yam, Urad, Velvet Bean, Broad Bean, Butter Bean, Cajan Pea, Cowitch, Lupin, Lentil and Lima.

Cereals make rich sources of fibres, carbohydrates and minerals. This category includes Maize, Oat, Barley, Wheat, Corn, Millet, Rice, Rye, Teff, Spelt, Kamut and Buckwheat.

Fresh fruits contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre and they must be consumed on a regular basis. This group includes apple, pineapple, apricot, cherry, strawberry, Acai, Acerola, citrus fruits, Banana, Blueberry, Avocado, Coconut, Date Palm, Fig, Guava, Grapefruit, Mango, Olive, Lemon, Lime, ambul, Jatoba, Jenipapo, watermelon, melon, Cantaloupe, Galia, Muskmelons, Pomelo, Pond Apple, Alligator Apple, Dragonfruit, Pitaya, Durian, Honeydew, Monstera, Swiss Cheese Plant, Breadfruit, Buffaloberry, Butternut Squash, Calabash, Date-Plum, Guavaberry, Rumberry, Hackberry, Hardy Kiwi, Chinese Bayberry, Japanese Bayberry, Red Bayberry, Pumpkins, Acorn Squash, Summer Squash, Pupunha, Peach Palm, Snakefruit, Salal Berry, Salmonberry, Santol, Sapodilla, Tree Tomato, Tamarind, Tangerine, Texas Persimmon and many more.

Vegetables make rich sources of fibre, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. This group includes cabbage, pea, spinach, carrot, radish, Onion, Orache, Parsnip, Parwal, Peanut, Nopal, Nori, Oca, Ogonori, Okra, Onion, Perennial Cucumber, Potato, Pigeon Pea, Pignut, Plectranthus, Prairie Turnip, Prussian Asparagus, Sweetcorn, Swiss Chard, Taro, Tarwi, Tepary Bean, Sorrel, Soybean, Spinach, Sweet Potato Summer Purslane, Sweet Pepper, Ti, Tigernut, Tinda, Tomatillo and many more.

Animal and animal products are rich sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats. They include Fish oil, Cod Liver Oil, Eggs, Milk, Whey, Yoghurt, Cheese, Butter, Chicken, Turkey, Seafood, Sheep, Rabbit, Pig, Duck, Ostrich, Pigeon, Lamb, Mussel, Goat, American Bison and many more.

If you find it quite difficult to incorporate a balanced diet into your daily dietary routine due to your hectic lifestyle, then make sure that you use a multivitamin supplement on a regular basis. Higher Nature Super Nutrition Multivitamins is a true A-Z multivitamin and mineral formula on the market that helps replace essential nutrients lost from the diet through cooking, environmental factors, farming methods and storage. This supplement also contains trace minerals such as manganese, molybdenum and iodine in its composition, which are quite hard to find in other multis. Super Nutrition Multivitamins is ideal for busy lives and compromised digestion.

Completely eradicating fats from your daily dietary routine is not recommended as minimal amounts of fats are required for maintaining a good health and normal cholesterol levels. Moreover, a continuous supply of fats also helps maintain optimal energy levels, and provides fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins such as A, K, D and E to your body. Therefore, it is important to keep in your mind that you need to consume foods that contain healthy fats.

Trans fats make the worst type of fats and their consumption must be avoided. Processed foods and fast foods are rich in trans fats and they tend to increase the bad cholesterol in your blood. When cooking with oils, make sure that you use olive oil or canola oil because they are high in monounsaturated fats, which help lower the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood.

It is also a good idea to use a supplement that helps promote good health. Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil Plus Multivitamins contains pure cod liver oil with omega-3 fish oils and vitamins A, D and E. Not only does this supplement maintain the health of your cardiovascular system, but it also helps release energy and maintains strong bones and teeth. Moreover, it keeps your joints flexible and maintains healthy hair, skin and nails. Use of this supplement also contributes to the betterment of the environment as it makes use of cod liver oil from sustainable fish stocks of Arctic fisheries. Another attribute of this supplement is that it does not make use of gelatin in its formulation.

The quality and type of foods you eat have a direct effect on your health and well-being. For example, a research that was conducted a few years ago revealed that risk of colorectal cancer is 60 percent lower in those people who consume higher amounts of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables.

According to another study, people who consume 21-24 oz. of red meat in a week are more susceptible to the colorectal cancer than those who consume lower or moderate amounts. Similarly, a daily intake of 0.5-1 oz. of processed meat is associated with a 45 percent increased risk.

Moreover, the risk of colorectal as well as stomach cancer for highest meat consumers is 4 times greater than the lowest consumers. Consumption of red and processed meat on a regular basis also exposes one to the risk of colon cancer.

Therefore, instead of consuming red meat, one should eat lean meats such as poultry, fish and turkey. Lean meats are lower in trans fats as well as harmful compounds that are mainly responsible for the onset of different types of cancer.

Similarly, you can replace the red meat with a protein supplement. Among numerous brands on the market, Sanatogen High Protein Powder Original is a popular brand which provides the strength and energy your body need. It makes a good replacement to red meat because it is a rich source of high quality protein called casein.

Moreover, it contains essential building blocks of protein, which are needed to support the repair and healthy growth of human tissues. Not only it protects you against the risk of different types of cancer, but it also makes a wonderful gift for those people who are recovering from illness and surgery. Sanatogen High Protein Powder Original is also rich in calcium and helps strengthen your teeth and bones.

High cholesterol is one of the many risk factors that can contribute to numerous cardiovascular problems including coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, heart strokes and heart attacks. Other factors include genetics and family history, age, presence of other diseases especially diabetes and high blood pressure, lifestyle and obesity.

Make sure that your daily intake of dietary cholesterol doesn’t exceed 200 milligrams. It is also important that you consume those diets which are rich in soluble fibre. Moreover, you should add sterols and plant stanols to your daily dietary routine. Plant food sources such as green leafy vegetables, fruits and grains contain no cholesterol and are low in fats as well.

It is also important that you incorporate an aerobic activity into your daily routine. You can choose two or three exercises that you enjoy most and perform them on an alternate basis. Brisk walking, stair climbing, skipping, jogging and running make a few of the effective cardio exercises that lower your cholesterol levels and help burn excessive fat.

It also makes a good idea that you use a weight loss supplement on a regular basis. EAS Myoplex Diet Protein Bars make a complete meal replacement supplement that contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. It is available in the flavours of strawberry crunch, chocolate orange and chocolate nut, thus offering you complete nutrition in a convenient and delicious form. It contains 24% of high value milk and soy protein as well. Moreover, it can be used as a supplement or meal at any time of the day.

In order to maintain an optimal weight and good overall health, one needs to use low fat diets on a regular basis. Diets with low fat contents help avoid cardiovascular problems and high cholesterol levels. Moreover, they also reduce the risks of different types of cancer.

Processed as well as fast foods are rich in trans fats, which are worst type of fats and have negative effects on the health of your cardiovascular system especially blood arteries. Therefore, you need to follow a low fat diet plan and should consume those foods that are cooked in the vegetable oils.

It is important to realize, however, that a low fat diet plan does not completely eliminate fats from the diet because at least 25% of the daily calorie intake must come from fats especially saturated fats. This is because healthy fats tend to maintain your overall health by supplying energy and fat soluble vitamins such as A, D and E. Another important role of fats is that they supply your body with essential fatty acids as well.

You should also use fish oils to maintain your cardio health. Fish oils contain Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that maintain the cholesterol levels in your blood and promote a healthy cardiovascular system.

Vitabiotics Aquamarine 2 in 1 Omega-3 & Cod Liver Oil is a popular brand on the market that contains all the ingredients that are necessary for maintaining your heart health. Not only does it contain cod liver oil and omega-3 fish oil in a 50:50 ratio, but is especially beneficial for your eyes, joints, brain and heart.

Moreover, it contains vitamins A, D and E in its formulation. Vitamin A helps promote skin health, supports the immune system and maintains your eye health. Vitamin D is an important nutrient that promotes healthy bones and teeth. It is important for a healthy immune system and helps in the absorption of calcium from foods or supplements. Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant, which works at a cellular level. It destroys potentially harmful free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause damage to tissues. It also promotes a healthy immune system, healthy cardiovascular system and youthful skin.

In order to enjoy a healthy life for a long period of time, your body weight needs to be normal. According to numerous studies, people who have a high abdominal to hip body fat ratio are more susceptible to various diseases especially diabetes. Moreover, it is also estimated that approximately 47% diabetics are overweight.

One of the best ways to reduce your weight is to consume fibre-rich bulky meals on a daily basis. These foods give you a feeling of fullness and have a lower caloric density. Thus, one can easily lose weight especially if he or she combines a cardio exercise routine with a fibre-rich diet plan. Exercises which are specifically important in this regard are skipping, stair climbing, brisk walking and running.

Moreover, make sure that you avoid alcohol. It is important to realize that weight reduction is associated with a decrease in insulin requirements and reduction in blood lipid levels. As alcohol increases the blood glucose levels, its use on a daily basis would drastically affect your weight-reduction efforts.

It also makes a good idea that you consume a weight loss supplement on a daily basis. There are numerous supplements on the market that help lose weight. Sci MX Diet Shake Meal Replacement Powder is formulated for aiding fat loss, curbing hunger between meals and improving muscle tone. It makes a wonderful gift for athletes and dieters because it assists fat loss without losing muscle tone.

This supplement is a wonderful combination of CLA, Vit-MX-Trim, whey protein and Actilight. CLA is a healthy fatty acid that helps your body to effectively utilize fat for energy. Vit-MX-Trim is a blend of biotin, folic acid, niacin and iodine that contributes to the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and proteins, normal thyroid function and energy-yielding metabolism. Whey protein and Actilight work together to curb hunger and carvings.

In order to maintain the healthy blood cholesterol levels, it becomes very important that you follow a low-cholesterol diet plan. It is estimated that people who follow a healthy lifestyle and consume diets with low unhealthy fats, are 40% less susceptible to cardiovascular problems compared to those who do not.

First and foremost, you should avoid the consumption of saturated fats as well as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. They both are bad sources of dietary fat and increase bad cholesterol in your blood. Instead, consume olive oil, canola oil or sunflower oil in moderate amounts.

Make sure that you use those dairy products in your dietary routine which contain low fats. Prefer using low-fat yogurt, cheese and 2% skim milk over routine dairy products.

Another healthy change in your dietary plan is to include spices and herbs. Garlic, onion, cinnamon, rosemary, basil and thyme have positive effects on the health of your cardiovascular system and they help regulate the cholesterol levels in your blood.

Moreover, it is also important that you use a supplement that contains healthy fats in its formulation on a regular basis. Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil High Strength Fish Oil is a unique supplement on the market with pure cod liver oil, Omega-3 fish oil and vitamins D and E. Not only Omega-3 fish oil helps maintain your cholesterol levels around normal, but it also makes your joints flexible and supple. Furthermore, this supplement also promotes healthy nails, hair and skin and makes a wonderful gift for those men or women who are “Beauty Conscious”.

Avocados, olives, pecans, almonds, peaches and pistachios make great foods for healthy people as well as people with different medical conditions. They are rich in monounsaturated fats and those diabetic patients who are sensitive to carbohydrate are often advised to replace carbohydrate with healthy fats.

The mono rich diets help maintain blood glucose and regulate insulin levels. In fact, they have a positive impact on the functionality of your pancreas as they help enhance the performance of Beta cells. Moreover, they are also beneficial to the health of your cardiovascular system and lower triglyceride levels. Another advantage of consuming monounsaturated fats is that they help maintain normal cholesterol levels in your blood, thus reducing the risk of atherosclerosis or coronary artery disease, heart stroke and heart attack.

Therefore, it becomes very important that you include those diets in your dietary routine which provide you with plenty of nutrients, minerals and monounsaturated fats. Moreover, you should use a supplement which contains whey protein, whey concentrate, healthy fats, vitamins and mineral in its formulation. EAS Myoplex Deluxe Meal Replacement Sachet offers a powerful supply of nutrients to help boost energy levels.

It is a protein rich supplement which provides an optimal release of amino acids into blood stream to support gains in lean muscle mass. It provides monounsaturated fats which help diabetic patients to replace carbohydrate with fats. As high levels of amino acids are important to ensure protein synthesis and anabolism, therefore, the continuous use of this supplement is important to support lean muscle gains.

Plant fats and vegetable oils usually contain low levels of saturated fats and they must be preferred over animal fats. However, make sure that vegetable oils are not hydrogenated because this process will make the fats semisolid or solid. Foods such as whole grains, legumes, pulses, fruits and vegetables make a good source of plant fats and they contain very little cholesterol as well. Another advantage of using vegetable oils is that they provide you with the recommended levels of fat while keeping your heart and cardiovascular system healthy at the same time.

Animal food sources, on the other hand, contain lots of saturated fats and they must be avoided to maintain a normal blood cholesterol level. Avoid eating dairy products especially butter, margarine, milk cream and red meat. However, you can consume fish, chicken and eggs to provide your body with ample amounts of protein and fats. It is also important that you incorporate those foods into your daily dietary routine which provide your body with carbohydrates as well.

If you want to maintain a healthy proportion of protein, carbohydrate and unsaturated fats, make sure that you use a supplement such as Sci MX Omni MX All In One on a regular basis. Its unique formulation not only provides you with an ideal carbohydrate to protein ratio for lean muscle gain, but also contains 11 muscle building ingredients to make your body building efforts even more successful. It is a great gift for regular gym users and athletes especially sprinters and rugby players as it helps them develop a lean and muscular physique while boosting their strength and power at the same time.

Hydrogenated, saturated and heated fats are considered as the most common causes of certain diseases such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and certain types of cancer. They lead to the accumulation of fats within your body, thus making you obese and out of shape. However, you also need good fats such as unsaturated essential fatty acids to carry out important metabolic activities within your body. It is important to realize, however, that your body can not produce those fats on it own and you need a constant supply of unsaturated essential fatty acids to avoid cardiovascular problems and heart disease risks.

Good fats play a vital role in your health chain as they carry the fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, E, and K in your body and generate the body heat. They replace undesirable and harmful fats, and give a feeling of fullness by staying in your digestive tract for a much longer period of time than carbohydrates or proteins. Moreover, they supply energy to your tissues and help to reduce the synthesis of LDLs. All cell membranes and myelin sheaths that provide protection to nerve fibres are also composed of fats as well.

In order to maintain a healthy level of good fats in your body, make sure that you consume foods that are rich in unsaturated essential fatty acids. Foods like ocean fish, salmon, mackerel, grape-seed, borage-seed, flax-seed, evening primrose and similar oils make a good source of essential fatty acids. You should eat 3-4 servings of fish a week to supply your body with good fats on a consistent basis.

Make sure that you take an omega-3 supplement such as Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil Plus Multivitamins on a daily basis. This unique supplement contains omega-3 fish oil and vitamins A, D and E. It makes a sustainable fish source and helps release energy. Furthermore, it helps maintain strong bones and healthy teeth, skin, hair and nails.