A healthy diet coming your habit

Healthy weight loss diet plans only aim to give participants a better quality of life.Healthy eating means choosing foods with a good nutritional content, and with a lower sugar/saturated-fat content.Healthy weight loss diet plans also include at least 3 and up to 7 servings of protein and dairy.Healthy Dieting Guidelines Healthy diet plans should incorporate a wide variety of foods such as breads and cereals, legumes (beans), dairy products, fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, good fats and oils.When it comes to a healthy diet, women do require additional attention then let's say a man or even a child. Children (in most cases) are blessed with a high metabolism so they can stray from a healthy diet now and again without any worries.

Due to the muscle structure of men, if they gain a little extra weight they can usually do some extra exercises and the fat just seems to disappear. Women are not as lucky. It does require some additional effort on their part to make the weight go away with or without a healthy diet. Women of today have very busy schedules and do so much more than even their mothers before them. It is no surprise that there isn't much time to think of a healthy diet. Women need to take the time as a healthy diet will not only benefit her but the family as well.

A healthy diet is not as difficult as many would lead you to believe or as restrictive. A healthy diet will allow you to burn access fat, maintain your body and give you additional energy that you did not realize was there. Healthy diet plans create a balance between nutriment and flavor variety.Healthy weight loss diet plans have a different focus than many of the commercial programs. Healthy Diet will introduce you how to eat healthy, live healthy, and even save money.Healthy diet plan starts with understanding proper portion control.

Healthy diet plan for women on pregnancy and diet plans for the kids and teenagers will also include healthy kids snacks calorie intake guide. Healthy diets don't mean you can eat the foods you love.Healthy diets aren't that hard to follow, but it does take a desire to make some changes to your eating habits.The key to staying on track is to eat healthy, and to not restrict too many items.

Start living life to the fullest

You owe it to yourself, your body and your family to stick to a healthy diet plan and routine. Isn't it time for you to take control of your weight and start living life to the fullest?

You need a healthy diet women! Where do you find a healthy diet plan? Some weight loss programs are actually healthy diet plans in disguise. Why? This is because they understand that the best way to lose weight is through a healthy diet and lifestyle. Now, if the weight loss program teaches you how to eat in real world situations (including restaurants or family gatherings), is flexible/customizable by you, is designed for the whole family and suggests foods that can be purchased from your local grocery store, then you might actually be looking at a healthy diet plan.

• A healthy diet is not all about counting calories, measuring your meal portions, cutting out carbs or fats.
• A healthy diet is not found on a lite or low fat menu at your favourite restaurant.
• A healthy diet is not even about losing weight but weight loss is a positive side effect for those who are overweight.
• A healthy diet is more about eating the correct foods rather than the amount of food you eat.
• A healthy diet will work quicker and is easier to sustain weight loss than the "quick fix with the latest fad diet".
• Reduce the risk of disease with a healthy diet. Women, the risks of some forms of cancers (breast & cervical) have been found to be greatly reduced when on a healthy diet.

A healthy diet is not just about losing weight nor is it just a temporary solution. It is about a long-term lifestyle choice for you and your family. It is about keeping yourself healthy for the rest of your life while being able to eat the foods you like at every meal.

Finding a proper healthy diet plan can be difficult. If you have a friend that is in good shape, ask what they are doing. Many of my clients are currently on an excellent weight loss program that promotes a healthy diet. Women clients suggest the program called Strip That Fat and it shows excellent results. The healthy diet plan allows for personal customization of over 40,000 meal combinations giving as many unique diets as you want. It prints grocery lists and you go shopping, it could not be any easier. It is a professionally designed program that allows you to become accustomed to healthy eating making it a complete healthy diet program.

Food operations under third party standards

The challenges for the fresh produce industry are in identifying the risks in the growing, harvesting, packing and shipping of these items, and then taking a combination of preventive measures that reduces those risks to the next user to some measurable level. The new research pointed out in Bill Marler's blog found below, is useful, but the industry response will take some time, given the nature of the industry and what it has traditionally seen as risk.

Operations under third party standards are required to monitor for these hazards and not harvest areas with obvious signs of animal intrusion. That procedure if rigorously done limits the wide scale fecal contamination problem but does not eliminate it. Handling thereafter must be sanitary. Packers that do not wash melons can do little to remove contamination. Buyers drive this model, and many will accept raw agricultural products that have not had a washing step, leaving the consumer hard pressed to defend themselves.

Farmers know that wild animals are a major concern in melon operations; they consume and destroy a significant amount of crops. Deer, pigs, raccoons, as well as birds are attracted to these growing and harvesting areas. While growers may not have absolute control over access to the growing areas, harvesting methods must account for contamination found. However, washing in a large packinghouse is itself hazardous. During washing, if antimicrobial quality of wash water is not maintained, water becomes a vehicle to further spread contamination between lots. Diligent control of wash water quality is often a critical control in a food safety program for this reason.

We may not be able to eliminate the pathogens in melons at any one stage of the production system, thus calling for a coordinated effort between growers, handlers, shippers and end users. We need to strengthen the weak links in this chain to the extent we can, and combine that effort with effective microbiological testing, recall procedures and oversight.

Fight Bag, Keep Safe

There is a serious backlash to regulation, we still hear about how backyard farmers are going to impacted by the FSMA when all those concerns are simply bogus. Some writers just want to exploit fear to sell copy. We are making some progress with primary production, maybe. Based on no major outbreaks in a while with produce, but after the fiasco in the EU, and several recalls in the last few months of produce, I can only say that I am "cautiously optomistic."

Writers continue to say that the local movement is the safe route, its so misleading, yet there may be a grain of truth in some of the argument, and it's a definite trend to watch; a trend that will likely have good and bad effects. Riding the coatails of this movement are the so called "good for you but dangerous foods" like sprouts and raw milk. With advocates again appealing to the anti-regulatory backlash people. Consumers continue to sue the food industry, which is expected after so many injuries. Litigation is becoming a real thorn for companies and we seem not to be able to prevent the hits.

The anti-regulatory climate is getting uglier with legislatures and industry teaming up to dismantle monitoring and control orf the food supply by government. We hear industry saying recalling products when pathogens are found, but no outbreak is occurring, is unnecessary.

Yet, the "voluntary" private sector food safety initiates push on and we may be making some headway with suppliers. Third party auditors can carry almost the same clout as regulators, and our ranks are growing. But we don't have the police powers needed to truly protect and we only go when we are invited. In addition, we make recommendations, not requirements.

The anti-regulatory climate

Food safety, probably more so than any other public health problem, must be solved in and by the global food safety community, and the resources to do this work are shrinking.What we know is wherever the reservoir is of EHEC, the bug seems to be able to exploit a pathway and they do not respect borders at all. As we see this spring and summer in the Mystery in the South, this ability applies to states, counties, etc. within borders. And we have done a less than good job of identifying the vectors, vehicles and reservoirs, and controlling them. I don't think we have the capacity to completely stop EHEC at this point in time.

Well publicized outbreaks can taint an entire industry, sector, commodity and not just the brand, it's all too clear.There is a serious backlash to regulation, we still hear about how backyard farmers are going to impacted by the FSMA when all those concerns are simply bogus. Some writers just want to exploit fear to sell copy. Writers continue to say that the local movement is the safe route, its so misleading, yet there may be a grain of truth in some of the argument, and it's a definite trend to watch; a trend that will likely have good and bad effects. Riding the coatails of this movement are the so called "good for you but dangerous foods" like sprouts and raw milk. With advocates again appealing to the anti-regulatory backlash people.Consumers continue to sue the food industry, which is expected after so many injuries. Litigation is becoming a real thorn for companies and we seem not to be able to prevent the hits.

The anti-regulatory climate is getting uglier with legislatures and industry teaming up to dismantle monitoring and control orf the food supply by government. We hear industry saying recalling products when pathogens are found, but no outbreak is occurring, is unnecessary. Yet, the "voluntary" private sector food safety initiates push on and we may be making some headway with suppliers. Third party auditors can carry almost the same clout as regulators, and our ranks are growing.

But we don't have the police powers needed to truly protect and we only go when we are invited. In addition, we make recommendations, not requirements.We are making some progress with primary production, maybe. Based on no major outbreaks in a while with produce, but after the fiasco in the EU, and several recalls in the last few months of produce, I can only say that I am "cautiously optomistic."

Old Healthy People

Dr. Bernard Jensen devoted fifteen years of his life to seeking out and visiting with the world’s oldest people to learn what he could about their healthy lifestyles. His travels took him to Russia, Asia, China, India, the Middle East, Europe, New Zealand, Tahiti and even to one of our southern states here in America. His goal was to discover the secrets to their healthy lifestyles and bring back to the ‘civilized’ world the keys to living a long, productive, healthy and happy life. What Doctor Jensen found out was not at all what he was expecting.
　　
Far from the space-age, super food formulations and expensive exercise programs that were gaining popularity in western countries at that time, these healthy, happy old people had long ago adopted simple, healthy lifestyles that carried over into every corner of their lives. They apparently knew nothing about vitamins or minerals and never engaged in any ‘special’ exercise programs during their entire lives.
　　
This came as a shock to Jensen. Popular scientific wisdom of the day insisted that anyone wanting to reach advanced age - in good health - had to walk a narrow path in life. Among many other considerations, this supposedly consisted of taking specially formulated food supplements every day, getting annual physical examinations, walking at least three miles daily, exercising eternally and adhering, fastidiously, to a the framework of a healthy lifestyle. Not to mention keeping up on all the wonderful research being conducted by the health and longevity gurus prevalent throughout most western countries.
　　
While visiting with these old people Jensen made a few startling observations:

• 　　None of the old people had any kind of Arthritis - not one of them
• 　　Arthritis was not a disease of old age
• 　　None of them ever took any food supplements of any kind
• 　　All of the centenarians he met did some kind of physical activity everyday
• 　　Most of them had a garden to grow some of their own foods
• 　　Almost all of them were actively involved with their communities
• 　　They ate whole, organically grown grains, seeds, legumes, berries, fruits and vegetables
• 　　The small amounts of flesh products consumed were chemical-free
• 　　They consumed some form of raw or clabbered milk product almost daily
• 　　They expelled waste daily without signs of constipation or incontinence
• 　　They were happy and content with their lot in life
• 　　They were invariably compassionate, altruistic and spiritual

　　
This was not at all what Jensen expected to find. He was certain that the world’s oldest and healthiest people took some form of super foods and supplements, engaged in special exercise programs geared for the elderly, were cared for by others and that they were careful not to over exert themselves physically, mentally or emotionally.

Former ranking Republican Jack Kingston

As the result of political and economic pressures, FDA will likely not have the resources it needs to carry out its responsibilities under the FSMA. What this means is that more responsibility will be placed on the food industry to self-govern. The various industry initiatives will need to expand to make up the difference.
Some of the things industry can do in cooperation with FDA include:

• Expand education
• Create transparency of food safety systems and risk assessments to the consumer level
• Continue the research, development and application of food safety technology
• Expand testing of products
• Foster a Watchdog/Sentinel role
• Outreach and assistance to the mid sized and small operations
• Expand and apply traceability systems

Former ranking Republican Jack Kingston has called the U.S. food supply “99.99 percent” safe. He goes on to say “We challenge anyone to find a function of government that has a success rate better than 99.99% which the food supply, based on the Obama Administration’s own estimates, currently maintains,” said Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford.

In contrast, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last month that about one in six Americans gets sick, and 3,000 die, from foodborne diseases each year. If .01 % of the food supply is unsafe, as Mr. Crawford explains, this would mean about 1 million meals a day eaten in the US are unsafe.The impact to public health aside, the food industry suffers anytime there is a food recall or an outbreak, and there are political and economic outcomes, as we see today in Europe.

Regardless, industry must step forward in an even greater way than currently. I believe we are up to the challenge, but we need coordination and strengthening of the scientific basis for risk assessments and a better way to measure risk-reductions.

If FDA cannot fully apply its powers, it makes sense for industry and FDA to work together in new ways. Lets spend the money that is available in ways that will have a beneficial effect. Creating more bureaucracy is not the answer. We need a leader that both industry and FDA can trust, that can forge the type of cooperative spirit needed. That person has not emerged, yet.

Whole Foods Market

We were sad to see him go, but excited about offering his all-natural sausages. These sausages contain no added nitrates or nitrites, MSG, sugar, fillers or artificial colors or flavors. Just all-natural, quality ingredients with the pure flavors you expect at Whole Foods Market. At Oktoberfest in Munich, they generally serve more than ten million pints of beer and close to a million sausages.

Of course, they have a reputation to uphold as the birthplace of Oktoberfest back in 1810 celebrating the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria. It strikes me a little odd that we are still celebrating that union today. But, of course, it may be that we are really celebrating the perfect union of wurst (sausage) and brew (beer) instead! We have you covered with all of your Oktoberfest needs. Start off with Beck’s Oktoberfest, a Maerzen-style Lager characterized by a rich amber color and aromas of caramel, coffee and chocolate. It is full-bodied and slightly sweet, with notes of caramel and roasted malts.

Then add the wurst. From Bratwurst to Weisswurst, Knackwurst to Wieners, the Original Brat Hans is a line of truly authentic German sausages. Created by lifetime sausage maker—butcher Hans from Germany—they are made in small batches to assure the highest quality and consistency.Hans came from Germany to the U.S. in 1987 and his first job was as a meat cutter at one of our Whole Foods Market stores. A few years later, he left to start his own business creating sausages. In fact, they are made exclusively for us from pigs raised on vegetarian feed with no antibiotics, ever. You can’t find them anywhere else!

You can top your sausage with German mustard, sauerkraut and other classic accompaniments and you’ll be all set. Or you can expand your horizons by serving up any of these German- and sauerkraut-inspired recipes and ideas.

10 of modern foods processing

Now imagine this same garden on a sunny, summer day. How different things are during these two seasons of the year! For ecologists, seasons are considered a source of natural diversity. Changes in growing conditions from spring to summer or fall to winter are considered essential for balancing the earth's resources and its life forms. But today it's so easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat! Modern food processing and worldwide distribution of food make foods available year-round, and grocery stores shelves look much the same in December as they do in July.

1. Fondue Rub a small pot with garlic; add 1 cup white wine and simmer. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with a splash of cognac, then 1/4 pound each gruyère and emmentaler cheese; add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve hot with apples and bread.

2. Tahini Dip Puree 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste), the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons ground cumin and 1 minced garlic clove. Drizzle in 1/2 cup hot water; puree until smooth.

3. Hummus Make a half batch of Tahini Dip; puree with 1 can chickpeas, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 cup hot water.

4. Red Pepper Hummus Make a half batch of Tahini Dip, puree with 1 can chickpeas, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 cup roasted red peppers and 1/2 cup hot water.

5. Fried-Chickpea Hummus Make Tahini Dip; puree with 1/2 can chickpeas. Microwave until warm. Fry the other 1/2 can chickpeas in olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Top the hummus with the fried chickpeas, red pepper flakes and chopped parsley.

6. Edamame Hummus Make a half batch of Tahini Dip. Puree with a 16-ounce bag thawed shelled edamame and 1/3 cup olive oil; add enough water until smooth.

7. Charred-Tomato Salsa Broil 2 tomatoes until charred, then cool and core. Pulse in a food processor with 1 minced jalapeño, 1 scallion, 1 garlic clove and 1 tablespoon fresh mint. Season with salt.

8. Deviled Dip Puree 8 hard-boiled eggs with 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 chopped pickle, a dash of hot sauce, and paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.

9. Pimiento-Cheese Dip Mix 1/2 pound each grated cheddar and pepper jack, 1/4 cup each mayonnaise and sour cream and 2 tablespoons diced pimientos. Season with hot sauce and onion and garlic powders.

10. Eggplant Caviar Roast 1 eggplant at 400 degrees until tender, 45 minutes, then peel and chop. Mix with 2 tablespoons each olive oil and parsley, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 chopped garlic clove, and salt and pepper.

Choose Healty

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet—they are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.

Fruits and vegetables should be part of every meal and your first choice for a snack—aim for a minimum of five portions each day. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases.

Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day—the brighter the better.

The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits. Some great choices are:

Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.

Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.

Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Don’t forget to shop fresh and local whenever possible

The local farmer’s market, fruit stand or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group are great ways to get access to fresh, local produce. To find local growers, farmer's markets, and CSAs in your area, visit Local Harvest (See "Related Links for Healthy Eating" below).

Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains

Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
 

A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs

Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.

5 Healthy Eating Tips for Kids

Here are 5 Healthy Eating Tips for Kids:
　　
1. Offer Encouragement: Encourage your child to eat a variety of different foods to help them get the nutrients they need from each food group.
　　
2. Be a Good Role Model: Kids often mimic their parents good choices, so if your child sees you enjoying fruits and vegetables, chances are, they'll be more willing to eat them and enjoy them as well.
　　
3. Stock Up On Healthy Foods: Make sure your cupboards and fridge are stocked with healthy items instead of prepackaged foods full of sugar and sodium.
　　
4. Serve Balanced Portions: The United States
 
Department of Agriculture has turned the Food Pyramid into a plate. It illustrates balanced food portions for the five food groups; fruits, vegetables, protein and dairy.

　　
5. Follow A Schedule: Set a daily schedule for meals and snacks with plenty of time in between each. This will help children learn the importance of structured eating and will help them remain full throughout the day.

These five tips are provided by The Goddard School in Grand Rapids. To promote healthy eating for kids, The Goddard School is holding a block party that will engage children and their families in a variety of fitness and other learning activities.
　　

These cakes are absolutely delicious to older

These cakes are absolutely delicious. And the best part is they’re made with the simplest ingredients: eggs, butter, sugar, flour, milk, spices, salt, vanilla. That’s it! It’s just like something you’d bake at home. They even have gluten-free varieties (flourless) in the same flavors as their regular cakes.
　　
Each cake is individually wrapped (go portion sizes!) and only about 130 calories with 6-7g sugar. It kind of reminded me of a slightly denser pound cake – and my mind started wandering with all the different ways I could serve it: with ice cream and strawberries, with coffee or tea, with powdered sugar and chocolate syrup, etc. So many possibilities. The spice cake was divine – subtle flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar with a buttery texture that just blended together wonderfully. The folks at Euphoria sent me 12 individually wrapped cakes (3 of each variety) and my husband and I have been enjoying them all week.

While I’m picky about many things, one of my weaknesses is dessert. I love cupcakes, chocolate, pretty much all things sweet. I still try to eat desserts made with really great ingredients (all-natural, organic, nothing I can’t pronounce) – and I try to pay attention to portion size, but I’m all for indulging once in a while. Everything in moderation. So when the folks at Euforia contacted me to try their all-natural, gourmet thousand-layer cakes, I couldn’t resist. And the best part is, all of you have the chance to win their cakes as well!

But first, I have to announce the winner of my last giveaway.
　　
Rachel – just email me your mailing address and your ravioli will be on its way. Congratulations on winning! And now on to this week’s giveaway from Euforia.
　　

Some Tips To Older Healthy On Foods

Two Plans for Healthy Eating

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) suggest two eating plans. Eating a variety of foods from each food group in either plan will help you get the nutrients you need.
One plan is called the USDA Food Guide (also known as MyPyramid). It suggests that people 50 or older choose healthy foods every day from the following:

• 　　Fruits—1-1/2 to 2-1/2 cups
• 　　What is the same as 1/2 cup of cut-up fruit? One medium whole fruit or ¼ cup of dried fruit
• 　　Vegetables—2 to 3-1/2 cups
• 　　What is the same as a cup of cut-up vegetables? Two cups of uncooked leafy vegetable
• 　　Grains—5 to 10 ounces

What is the same as an ounce of grains? One roll, a small muffin, a slice of bread, 1 cup of flaked, ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
Meat/beans—5 to 7 ounces
What is the same as an ounce of meat, fish, or poultry? One egg, ¼ cup of cooked beans or tofu, ½ ounce of nuts or seeds, or 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Milk—3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk
What is the same as 1 cup of milk? One cup of yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces of cheese. One cup of cottage cheese is the same as ½ cup of milk.
Your doctor may have suggested that you follow a certain diet because you have a health problem like heart disease or diabetes. Or, you might have been told to avoid eating certain foods because they can change how well your medicines work. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about foods you can eat instead.
Here’s a tip: Stay away from “empty calories.” These are foods and drinks with a lot of calories but not many nutrients—for example, chips, cookies, sodas, and alcohol.
The second eating plan is called the DASH Eating Plan. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Following this plan will help you lower your blood pressure. See the resources at the end of this Age Page for more information on DASH.

How Much Should I Eat?

How much you should eat depends on how active you are. If you eat more calories than your body uses, you gain weight.What are calories? Calories are a way to count how much energy is in food. You use the energy you get from food to do the things you need to do each day.
Just counting calories is not enough for making healthy choices. For example, a medium banana, 1 cup of flaked cereal, 2-1/2 cups of cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or 1 cup of 1% milk--all have roughly the same number of calories. But, the foods are different in many ways. Some have more of the nutrients you might need than others do. Milk gives you more calcium than a banana, and peanut butter gives you more protein than cereal. And a banana is likely to make you feel fuller than a tablespoon of peanut butter.
Here’s a tip: In the USDA Food Guide, eating the smallest amount suggested for each food group gives you about 1,600 calories. The largest amount has 2,800 calories.

• 　　How many calories do people over age 50 need each day?
• 　　A woman: who is not physically active needs about 1,600 calories
• 　　who is somewhat active needs about 1,800 calories
• 　　who has an active lifestyle needs about 2,000-2,200 calories
• 　　A man:who is not physically active needs about 2,000 calories
• 　　who is somewhat active needs about 2,200-2,400 calories
• 　　who has an active lifestyle needs about 2,400-2,800 calories

Here’s a tip: Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all days of the week.

Older should learn their Healthy Lifestyle

The world’s oldest people to learn what he could about their healthy lifestyles. His travels took him to Russia, Asia, China, India, the Middle East, Europe, New Zealand, Tahiti and even to one of our southern states here in America.

His goal was to discover the secrets to their healthy lifestyles and bring back to the ‘civilized’ world the keys to living a long, productive, healthy and happy life. What Doctor Jensen found out was not at all what he was expecting.

Far from the space-age, super food formulations and expensive exercise programs that were gaining popularity in western countries at that time, these healthy, happy old people had long ago adopted simple, healthy lifestyles that carried over into every corner of their lives. They apparently knew nothing about vitamins or minerals and never engaged in any ‘special’ exercise programs during their entire lives.
This came as a shock to Jensen. Popular scientific wisdom of the day insisted that anyone wanting to reach advanced age - in good health - had to walk a narrow path in life. Among many other considerations, this supposedly consisted of taking specially formulated food supplements every day, getting annual physical examinations, walking at least three miles daily, exercising eternally and adhering, fastidiously, to a the framework of a healthy lifestyle. Not to mention keeping up on all the wonderful research being conducted by the health and longevity gurus prevalent throughout most western countries.

While visiting with these old people Jensen made a few startling observations:

• 　　None of the old people had any kind of Arthritis - not one of them
• 　　Arthritis was not a disease of old age
• 　　None of them ever took any food supplements of any kind
• 　　All of the centenarians he met did some kind of physical activity everyday
• 　　Most of them had a garden to grow some of their own foods
• 　　Almost all of them were actively involved with their communities
• 　　They ate whole, organically grown grains, seeds, legumes, berries, fruits and vegetables
• 　　The small amounts of flesh products consumed were chemical-free
• 　　They consumed some form of raw or clabbered milk product almost daily
• 　　They expelled waste daily without signs of constipation or incontinence
• 　　They were happy and content with their lot in life
• 　　They were invariably compassionate, altruistic and spiritual

This was not at all what Jensen expected to find. He was certain that the world’s oldest and healthiest people took some form of super foods and supplements, engaged in special exercise programs geared for the elderly, were cared for by others and that they were careful not to over exert themselves physically, mentally or emotionally.

3 Things Let Older More Healthy

The forgiveness and flexibility of my youth has officially gone bye-bye.
So I’ve begun to ask myself what the energetic 80-year-olds that swim at the Naval Academy with me are doing differently than the lifeless elderly folks at the senior center I occasionally visit. And, yes, I’ll occasionally pretend to be Barbara Walters and ask nosy questions about what they are doing right (or wrong, but I don’t quite word it like that).
1. They like to laugh.

Yep, nearly all of them have a marvelous sense of humor. And this is consistent with a Norwegian study that suggests folks who can laugh at life’s ups and downs live longer. For example, the study, which was presented at a meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society and reported by USA Today, followed a subgroup of 2,015 cancer patients for seven years, and found that the people who could laugh more easily and had a healthy sense of humor were 70 percent less likely to die than the poker-faced guys.

2. They are involved.

Yep. Each and every one of them was engaged in some type of project: babysitting their grandkids, participating in some writers’ group, working on a literacy campaign, or playing a part in the local theatre group. All the vibrant folks had some passion or life mission that got them up in the morning and gave them reason to wake up another day.

3. They watch what they eat and they exercise.

I was so hoping that this would not be the case, because I am aware that maintaining your weight gets more difficult with every year you hike down from that peak. Metabolisms slow and appetites grow, because energy starts disappearing like coal, and you can’t burn off the calories that used to crank up your metabolic rate. And will power? Well, it’s where the energy is … gone. Many studies have found that exercise keeps the mind in shape as well.

Health Care For Olders

This Tuesday, September 13, 2011, Health Care For All will take to the streets! Every member of the Health Care For All staff will be out of the office today for a day of team building and strategic planning. We will begin with a vigorous citywide scavenger hunt before taking an aerial tour of the city at the Prudential Center and finally settling down at the John Hancock Conference Center where we will focus on the details for our strategic plan that will guide us through the next era of Health Care For All’s history. We know that this rapidly changing marketplace, and current escalating health care costs require that we remain vigilant in our pursuit of policies and health care practices that deliver high value and patient centered care.

As we gather for this Fall day of fun we will reflect on our current policy challenges – inadequate state revenue to address the growing needs of MA residents, breaking down and addressing entrenched health disparities, restoring adult dental services for MassHealth members, keeping children connected to their health care and care providers, addressing the barriers to behavioral health services, fostering environments for effective patient engagement and empowerment, preserving relationships between doctors, other care providers and their patients, making sure that health coverage means true health care access, and that Health Care For All can attract sufficient resources to support and sustain our efforts.

We also gather acutely aware of significant opportunities that are before us, most notably the opportunity to improve our health care delivery system through comprehensive payment reform. Finally, we gather in gratitude for each of you who supports our work, with your time, talent or treasure. We are grateful for your investment and continuing participation in our efforts. It is a privilege to represent the voice of health care consumers in the state that leads the nation in health care coverage – even in these very difficult economic times, more than 97% of Massachusetts residents have health care coverage!

So today, if you see groups of Health Care For All staff members in colorful team t-shirts taking pictures in spots all over this city, give them a shout out, and know that we are focused on working toward our mission of creating a consumer centered health care system that provides affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care for everyone in Massachusetts, particularly the most vulnerable people among us.

5 Eating Habits Basiced Your Healthy

1. Base your meals on starchy foods
   Starchy foods include potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread. Choose wholegrain varieties when you can: they contain more fibre, and can make you feel full for longer. Starchy foods should make up around one third of the foods you eat.
   Most of us should eat more starchy foods: try to include at least one starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram they contain fewer than half the calories of fat. Learn more in Starchy foods.
2. Eat lots of fruit and vegIt’s recommended that we eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and veg a day. It’s easier than it sounds. A glass of 100% unsweetened fruit juice can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for some dried fruit? Learn more in 5 A DAY.
3. Eat more fishFish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim for at least two portions a week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish is high in omega-3 fats, which may help to prevent heart disease. You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned; but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt. Oily fish include salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, fresh tuna, sardines and pilchards. Non-oily fish include haddock, plaice, coley, cod, tinned tuna, skate and hake. Anyone who regularly eats a lot of fish should try to choose as wide a variety as possible.
4. Cut down on saturated fat and sugarWe all need some fat in our diet. But it’s important to pay attention to the type of fat we’re eating. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as cakes, pies, biscuits, sausages, cream, butter, lard and hard cheese. Try to cut down, and choose foods that contain unsaturated rather than saturated fats, such as vegetable oils, oily fish and avocados. Learn more, and get tips on cutting down, in Eat less saturated fat.
   
   Most people in the UK eat too much sugar. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, and could  contribute to weight gain. They can also cause tooth decay, especially if eaten between meals. Cut down on sugary fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, which contain added sugars: this is the kind of sugar we should be cutting down on rather than sugars that are found naturally in foods such as fruit and milk. Food labels can help: use them to check how much sugar foods contain. More than 15g of sugar per 100g means that the food is high in sugar. Learn more in Sugars.
5. Eat less salt
   Even if you don’t add salt to your food, you may still be eating too much. About three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as breakfast cereals, soups, breads and sauces. Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Use food labels to help you cut down. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g means the food is high in salt. Adults and children over 11 should eat no more than 6g of salt a day. Younger children should have even less. Learn more in Salt: the facts.