Diet Effects Memory

If you think you have a bad memory, you may not be wrong. Many products are sold, including certain vitamins and supplements, with claims of helping memory. But you may want to first take a look at your diet for some possible solutions for improving your memory. Not that this is the only way to help your memory skills, but it may be one of the easiest. Here's more on a study that shows how a certain sugar could be turning your memory off --

Researchers at Georgia State University have found that diets high in fructose — a type of sugar found in most processed foods and beverages — impaired the spatial memory of adult rats.

Amy Ross, a graduate student in the lab of Marise Parent, associate professor at Georgia State's Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, fed a group of Sprague-Dawley rats a diet where fructose represented 60 percent of calories ingested during the day.

She placed the rats in a pool of water to test their ability to learn to find a submerged platform, which allowed them to get out of the water. She then returned them to the pool two days later with no platform present to see if the rats could remember to swim to the platform's location.

"What we discovered is that the fructose diet doesn't affect their ability to learn," Parent said. "But they can't seem to remember as well where the platform was when you take it away. They swam more randomly than rats fed a control diet."

Fructose, unlike another sugar, glucose, is processed almost solely by the liver, and produces an excessive amount of triglycerides — fat which get into the bloodstream. Triglycerides can interfere with insulin signaling in the brain, which plays a major role in brain cell survival and plasticity, or the ability for the brain to change based on new experiences. Results were similar in adolescent rats, but it is unclear whether the effects of high fructose consumption are perm anent, she said (Read on...)

Comments: So for those of you who claim I don't have a good memory, take a look at your diet. If you're consuming too much sugar, then chances are your memory is compromised, and probably many other aspects of your health.

Add more fruits and vegetable nutrients with Juice Plus+®

Be Cautious of Synthetic Vitamins, Instead Choose Whole Food Supplements

The Bayer company is changing its labels on their men's one-a-day vitamins, so the claims of cancer prevention will no longer be seen. While synthetic vitamins like these should have the claims removed, there still stands the issue as to why? The real reason is that many synthetic vitamins have been studied and shown to actually have adverse health effects on the consumer when taken over an extended period of time. So instead of removing these vitamins from the marketplace, Bayer (and others) just choose to remove the claims. Here's the report --

Bayer will change the packaging and health claims for its vitamins targeted at men, on the heels of research that casts serious doubt on one ingredient's ability to prevent prostate cancer. In an E-mail, Bayer HealthCare spokeswoman Tricia McKernan said the company is "in the process of revising the packaging and promotional materials for its One-a-Day Men's and One-a-Day Men's 50+ to exclude reference to the qualified health claim regarding the relationship between selenium intake to the reduced risk of certain cancers."

The company's website seems to have already been changed; it says the men's vitamins provide "key nutrients to support heart health, eye health, and healthy blood pressure," plus ginkgo to "promote memory and concentration." There's no longer any mention of prostate health, and selenium isn't singled out as a key ingredient, though both vitamins still have 150 percent of the recommended daily amount of selenium. McKernan's E-mail said Bayer would not change the products' formulations.

Late last year, researchers halted SELECT, a clinical trial designed to see whether taking selenium and vitamin E might help prevent prostate cancer, after it became clear that neither nutrient had the desired effect. In June, the Center for Science in the Public Interest warned it would file a lawsuit against Bayer if it continued to promote its men's vitamins as a cancer preventative. (Source)

Comments: What's really important to realize here, is there are studies that show negative effects from taking certain synthetic vitamins and minerals (and yes, Vitamin E and selenium are on that list), Bayer ignores this information and instead will just stop making claims of cancer prevention. Wouldn't it be in the consumer's best interest to not just stop making the claim, but take the product (or at the ver least, the vitamin/mineral in question) off the market? Of course not, drugs have more negative side effects than positive effects...so they're use to this sort of thinking. So be cautious if you are taking, or have been told to take, any type of synthetic vitamin or supplement for the prevention of sickness, disease, or cancer.

If you're going to take a nutritional supplement, choose one that is made from a whole food fruits and vegetables. Juice Plus+ contains nutrients from raw, whole food fruits and vegetables - 7 and 8, respectively - and has been researched extensively and shown to actually support good health in many ways. Try a risk-free 4-month supply of Juice Plus+® for your health.

The Health & Wellness Institute, PC

Juice Plus+® Recommended During Pregnancy

Many physicians who understand the importance of good nutrition on the development of a baby, will recommend Juice Plus+® to their patients who are pregnant.

Medical doctors everywhere are recommending Juice Plus+®

Many have written us to share the healthful results that they have observed in their own practices. Doug Odom, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist in Jackson, Mississippi, took his observations one step further, carefully documenting and analyzing the outcome of more than 350 pregnancies within his group practice over an almost three-year period.

“I’ve delivered literally thousands of babies over the past 30+ years,” says a smiling Dr. Odom. “And I’ve talked with expectant mothers about the importance of good nutrition ever since I started practicing. But it wasn’t until Juice Plus+® came along that I felt really comfortable recommending anything more than prenatal vitamins. “I was always worried that something I recommended could turn out to be harmful to my patients,” he explains. “Juice Plus+® is whole food based nutrition – a wide variety of nutritional elements from a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. That just made good sense to me from the very first time I heard about it. On top of that, it’s backed by a whole body of published, peer-reviewed clinical research that’s impressive in terms of both quantity and quality. “You never see that with other nutritional products.”

Dr. Odom began sharing Juice Plus+® with his patients in May 1998. “I started noticing improvements here and there, but we really saw it in the expectant moms. Pregnancy is a very physically demanding nine months: there’s such a rapid acceleration of tissue growth and, as a result, a rapid acceleration of free radical damage [oxidative stress]. I’ve always recommended ‘standard issue’ prenatal vitamins. But we started to see healthier pregnancies more often when I started to add Juice Plus+® to the regimen.”

Over time, Dr. Odom and his nursing staff noticed that with the Juice Plus+® moms, they were seeing fewer Caesarean deliveries (“Csections”), fewer premature deliveries, and a lower incidence of preeclampsia – a condition of late pregnancy that is characterized by high blood pressure and that can be potentially lifethreatening to both mother and baby. They also noticed that the newborns of these moms tended to have higher birth weights, fewer admissions to neonatal intensive care units, and a lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome.

“It made sense to me that better nutrition would lead to healthier moms,” Dr. Odom recalls. “So, I decided to get a little more formal about my Juice Plus+® observations. “Looking back to January 2000, I categorized expectant mothers into two groups: one composed of women who took Juice Plus+® (two Orchard Blend and two Garden Blend capsules) every day in addition to prenatal vitamins, the other comprised of women who took prenatals only.” Dr. Odom “matched” subjects for age, ethnicity, prior pregnancies, and insurance status – “everything I could think of to make sure that the two groups were as close to identical as possible” – and ended up with 178 mothers in his Juice Plus+® group and 178 in his non-Juice Plus+® comparison group.

Dr. Odom compared pregnancy outcomes by reviewing the medical records of all 356 patients after delivery. “The results even surprised me,” he confides. He found that women who had added Juice Plus+® to their regimen had significantly fewer Caesarean deliveries (47% versus 66%), no premature deliveries before 37 weeks (compared to 35 women or 20% of the comparison group), and no diagnosed incidents of preeclampsia (versus 38 cases or 21% of the comparison group). The Juice Plus+® babies fared better as well. They weighed about a half-pound more at birth on average (7 pounds, 11 ounces versus 7 pounds, 3 ounces). None of the Juice Plus+® babies had to be admitted to neonatal intensive care (compared to 17 or almost 10% of the comparison group babies). Similarly, none of the Juice Plus+® babies studied were diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome (versus 13 or 8% of the non-Juice Plus+® babies).

Dr. Odom offers a simple explanation: “Healthier moms have healthier babies.” Dr. Odom presented these findings to his medical colleagues at the annual meeting of the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in October 2003. The findings are also being published as a “retrospective descriptive analytic comparison” in the March 2006 issue of JANA, the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association. More importantly, Dr. Odom’s findings have led to the initiation of a methodologically rigorous (prospective, doubleblind, placebo-controlled, and randomized) clinical trial of the impact of Juice Plus+® on pregnancy health currently underway at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. “I am pleased to see that what I observed in our practice is now being taken to the next level of scientific investigation by my academic colleagues.

“Eight years ago, when I first started recommending Juice Plus+® to my patients, I did so simply because I believed that better nutrition would lead to improved medical outcomes,” he concludes. “Now, I recommend Juice Plus+® because I know that better nutrition leads to better outcomes.” Dr. Odom and his expectant mothers learned what so many of us already know: that good nutrition – including Juice Plus+® – really can make a difference in the health and wellness of people of all ages and at all stages of life. (from The Health & Wellness Newsletter of Juice Plus+®)

Comment: Whether you are pregnant or not, be sure you're getting plenty of nutrition from raw whole food fruits and vegetables, and add Juice Plus+ to help get those nutrients.

The Health & Wellness Institute, PC
Official Juice Plus+® Distributor

Diet Myths, And One Study On The Cost of Obesity

While we continue to promote a lifestyle of health and fitness, there are two distinct groups that are seemingly being formed: those who are healthy and fit, and those who are not. There is the small group of people who always seem to be trying to lose weight and achieve good health, but keep falling short. This is the group that many marketers prey on with an easy weight loss pill ,or other similar products. The reality is that the only way to lose weight is by developing healthy habits. Here are several myths that most people have about their health and weight --

1. Frequent small meals aid in weight control. This statement is false. Scientific studies involving mice and rodents that live longer when fed the same number of calories as the control group but less frequently than the control group. Dr. Fuhrman writes "The body needs time between meals to finish digesting, because when digestion has ended the body can more effectively detoxify and promote cellular repair. To maximize health, it is not favorable to be constantly eating and digesting food."

2. Being overweight is due to poor genetics. False. Your genes may cause you to be predisposed to a particular condition, but that doesn't mean that you will definitely develop it. Take breast cancer and heart disease as examples. In the case of being overweight, the combination of environment (food choices and activity level) and genetics determine your health. "Excellent nutrition and a healthy lifestyle will overwhelm genetics and allow even those with a genetic hindrance to achieve a healthy weight," Fuhrman states.

3. Milk builds and strengthens bones. Most likely, this is the most widely held myth in America. Drinking milk actually encourages the development of osteoporosis. Dr. Fuhrman shouts back, "In a comprehensive review of all studies of dairy intake and bone strength in 2000, researchers concluded, 'the body of scientific evidence appears inadequate to support a recommendation for daily intake of dairy foods to promote bone health in the general US population.' "

4. Heart disease and dementia are the consequence of aging. If this were true, all people would develop heart disease and dementia, not just the people who eat a diet rich in animal food and low in nutrients (one reason why Juice Plus+® is recommended - to add more fruit and vegetable nutrients to a diet). Lifestyle is paramount in determining who develops disease. (Source)

Now because we know how beneficial it can be to being healthy and fit, the flip side is that we would like to quantify what it means if you're not. In California, one such study has been done, with some interesting conclusions --

According to a study of the economic cost of obesity and physical inactivity in California released today by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), Yolo County collectively lost $197,464,460 in healthcare costs and productivity. In just six years, reported economic costs of adult overweight, obesity and physical inactivity have nearly doubled statewide and are now costing California an estimated $41 billion a year. (Full report...)

Comments: You can see how important it is to promote a healthy diet and lifestyle as an answer (at least partially) to health care reform, as pointed out in previous blogs. The costs are staggering. The quality of life for those who are overweight, obese, and/or have limited fitness levels, is certainly much less than what they could be enjoying. We don't have to measure it in terms of dollars only, but in the burdens that are being carried by those who aren't healthy. Could it be that there is a growing number of people who have lost hope or just don't care? Quite possibly. And this is why any diet plan or weight loss plan must be easy to begin with, in order to help someone reach a small milestone in their journey back to good health, so that they will be just a little be more motivated and see a glimmer more of hope to reach that level of fitness. Do you need to start a new lifestyle plan?

If you are interested in a weight loss plan that will guide you to develop a healthy lifestyle while you lose weight in the process, check out The Vice Busting Diet Plans.

Diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, diabetes and cancer. Learn why eating fruits and vegetables is especially important, and how you can benefit from adding Juice Plus+® to your diet.

The Worst Health Advice For Americans - 'Ignore Preventative Health Care'

I had to read it to believe it - a writer who dishes prevention as any sort of answer to our health care woes. How ridiculous, absurd, and irresponsible it is to write such things...if for no other reason than to make people think their decision to take more personal responsibility for their health will do nothing to help the health care costs in America. I have to disagree, and on many levels. There is no downside to promoting better health for all citizens. Here's what's been said --

Juice Plus

Juice Plus+ is made by juicing 17 different fruits and vegetables into a vitamin supplement all in a capsule form. The mixture of different sources like and apples and many other fruits are all good. Even the combination of vegetables like kale really adds to the potentcy. First the juice is squeezed out of the fruits and vegetables. Then the mix is dried, so what's left are a healthy mix of nutrients without the water and sugar - all from a variety of sources. You know, with a dried mix, the nutrients you are left with is what goes into a Juice Plus+ Capsule.

"...when they jump from this to the idea that America's overdue prevention agenda will be the fix for soaring national health costs (and even help pay for expanded coverage), they're blowing smoke.

The main reason is something Victor Fuchs, a health economist at Stanford, pointed out long ago. The bulk of most people's lifetime health spending comes in the last five years of life, when one body part after another begins to crumble, often in tandem. That's when we roll out the heroic medicine, as endlessly inventive technology is applied to stave off the day of death. Nothing on the prevention agenda alters this end-of-life dynamic.

"Prevention gives you a better quality of life," says Uwe Reinhardt, a health economist at Princeton, "but I have never seen any analysis that shows that in the long-run a society that uses a lot of prevention will have lower health care costs." (Read all the nonsense here)

Comments: Ok, there may be some truth in figuring the costs that will still be endured in the years to come if, for instance, every individual started eating a healthy diet and exercising everyday...but this is still very debatable. The upside to having a healthier nation of citizens can't be measured quantitatively, but some general assertions can be made. First, with better health, we'd have a country full of productive and happy beings, which means more innovation, creativity, and production. All of this makes us more competitive and puts us back to the years when the US was the leader and innovator in all sectors. What about the costs of psychological treatments? Healthier and fit people have lower rates of depression and mental issues. Exercise creates high levels of endorphins and enkephalins, which give a person a sense of euphoria. Those are health care costs.

And while the last few years of life are where the highest amount of money is spent on health care, who is to say that the largest segment of the population that is healthy, fit, and productive can't provide for a percentage of the pool of money for these treatments and 'care'. That's assuming still that 'care' is needed. The money that is saved by ridding a whole gamut of sicknesses and diseases as a result of all Americans choosing to be healthy, will more than cover the end-of-life treatments and care...in this author's opinion.

Why such a positive action, or at least intention, on the part of those who wish to promote better health for more Americans be shot down by such an ignorant, pompus writer is beyond me. I'm willing to bet that the author is overweight and out of shape, and doesn't want anyone telling him to 'shape up'. This should be referred to as the Michael Moore syndrome, blaming everyone else about how bad health care is when he himself is the epitomy of poor health.

I say that we should implement some standards of health, and if you can't pass a basic physical fitness test, including laboratory tests (blood work, etc.), then you're health care costs are covered less than that of someone who does passes. Or you're insurance premiums are higher; or, you get a tax cut based on your level of fitness. Something that rewards fitness and penalizes poor fitness. It doesn't sound like the freedom that we used to know, but we've abused our freedoms and we're seeing now how we have to literally 'pay' for our actions. So the time is now to get healthy.

The Health & Wellness Institute, PC

If you would like to develop a healthy lifestyle while you lose weight in the process, check out The Vice Busting Diet Plans. Endorsed by Oprah's Dr. Mehmet Oz, these weight loss plans will have you back on track to being healthy and fit.

Diet Is The Best Source of Nutrients; Juice Plus+ Is Fruit And Vegetable Nutrients

Any nutritionist or dietician worth their weight, will tell you that the best source of nutrition comes from your diet - that is, what you eat. We recommend Juice Plus+® as a way to get added nutrients from fruits and vegetables because most people don't get enough.

The problem with most diet plans is that they don't include enough of the right foods. Not only that, but too many foods with little to no nutritional value. This is where we lack the vitamins and nutrients we need to maintain good health.

When considering those who want weight loss, and are trying to deal with the burdens of being overweight, we find that a poor diet is just the start of the problem. In fact, it's not the extra weight that really is the issue. In order to be 50 or 100 pounds overweight, you are not consuming too many calories from fruits and vegetables...not a chance. If you're carrying that much extra weight, there is a 99% chance that you are not getting anywhere close to the amount of good nutrition that your body needs to be healthy.

So being overweight is just another symptom of a poor diet. The real focus for an overweight person should be on getting healthy, and starting to make adjustments to a healthy diet. The weight loss will naturally happen as a "side-effect" of a healthy diet. The other changes may be a lowering of cholesterol, blood pressure, and even possibly less dependence on insulin if Type II Diabetes is present. Here's more on getting vitamins and nutrients from your diet --

With the jury still out on the benefits of vitamin and mineral supplements—including multivitamins—the mantra you'll most likely hear from doctors and nutritionists is to get your nutrients from food whenever possible. But that's not always easy, especially within a limited calorie budget. Harvard Women's Health Watch consulted two nutrition experts to find out if a supplement-free, nutrient-rich, low-calorie diet is possible to achieve. Their conclusion: yes, with the exception of vitamin D, which is tough to obtain through diet and sun exposure alone (unless you live in the southern latitudes and spend a lot of time outside).

Here's what the newsletter says a 1,200-calorie diet that satisfies the nutrient needs for women ages 51 to 70 might look like:

Breakfast: 8 oz. nonfat yogurt, ½ cup sliced papaya, ½ cup sliced kiwi, 1 oz. (14 halves) walnuts, 4 oz. skim milk.

Lunch: 1 small whole-wheat pita, green salad (1 cup dark green lettuce, 1 red or orange pepper, 1 cup grape tomatoes, ½ cup edamame beans, 1 tbsp. unsalted sunflower seeds, salad dressing made with 1 tbsp. olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and pepper).

Dinner: 4 oz. broiled wild salmon with yogurt sauce (1 tbsp. Greek-style nonfat yogurt, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 clove chopped garlic), 1 cup steamed baby bok choy, ¼ cup cooked barley, and ¼ cup cooked lentils with spices to taste.

Read the HWHW article for the nutritional breakdown of this menu and for a list of nutrient-dense foods that its experts recommend form the core of your diet. And take a look at these diets that promote health and always have. Plus: here are 7 must-dos before you buy a functional food. (Source)

Comments: A healthy diet should be the focus for any person trying to lose weight or improve their health. A healthy weight will be arrived at when focusing on a healty lifestyle. Eating plenty of raw, whole food fruits and vegetables is the most important part of a healthy diet. That's where the best source of good nutrition comes from. And until you reach the minimum recommended amount of fruits and vegetables per day, we recommend you add Juice Plus+® to your diet. Juice Plus+® contains nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables, so it helps you get the nutrients that you are probably otherwise missing.

Every diet plan should start with ridding those sugary drinks and substituting water in their place. Most people are not getting enough water in their diet, and the body's signal that it needs water is often mistaken for hunger pangs. So, if you think you're hungry, try drinking 16 oz. of water first. This is one the easiest and most effective actions to improving your health.

Improve Your Health With Grapes And Berries, High In Antioxidants

We know that berries and grapes have a high level of antioxidants. Well, Juice Plus+® has a Berry Blend (aka Vineyard Blend) that contains the nutrients from 9 different grapes and berries. While many diabetics have to pass on many fruits with high sugar content, the Juice Plus+® Fruit Blend, Vegetable Blend, and Berry Blend all have no sugar, just the nutrients without the water and sugar. Here's a report on the strength of Berries for your health --

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, blueberries and blackberries are among the top ten healthiest foods and are both loaded with vitamins and antioxidant-rich nutrients that have been proven to fight and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

How can berries benefit people with diabetes?

• Berries are all-natural and low in fat, carbohydrates and calories, but are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals - so they make a great low-sugar snack or addition to any diabetic meal!
• Blueberries contain myrtillin and pterostilbene, which help to control or lower elevated blood sugar levels. The leaves have an active ingredient with a remarkable ability to rid the body of excessive sugar in the blood. Dried blueberry leaf tea has been used historically for insulin regulation.
• Blueberries also promote healthy circulation, which can often be a problem for diabetics. Their antioxidants strengthen capillaries and blood vessels, and can improve your blood flow rate. Blueberries are also great for your eyes, memory and heart!
• The diabetic exchange for blackberries is a 3/4 cup serving, with only 75 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrate and 8 grams of fiber per cup. Blackberries also deliver 50% of your daily dose of vitamin C and are high in potassium which helps to control blood pressure. (Read on...)

Note: Diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, diabetes and cancer. Fruits and vegetables are especially important in supporting good health and in the prevention of sickness and disease. If you aren't getting enough fruits and vegetables in your diet, learn more abou how you can benefit from adding Juice Plus+® to your diet. Adding the Juice Plus+® Berry Blend is also an option worth considering for getting more nutrients and antioxidants. But don't forget, avoiding fast foods and soft drinks and the unhealthy stuff, is just as important as being sure to get the minimum required amounts of the healthy foods you DO need.

Remember, there is no substitute for raw, whole food fruits and vegetables. But Juice Plus+® may just be the next best thing.

Diet And Good Nutrition - Start With One Change For Better Health

Juice Plus+® is a concentrate of fruit and vegetable nutrients, and is one easy change to your diet that can support your health.

Whether the health issues we are facing today are about access to health care, the budget for affordable health care, reversing the obesity epidemic, or improving the health of Americans... it all boils down to one simple thing: a healthy diet. This may sound oversimplified or too simple to be true, but it is the truth.

Take this scenario: everyone tomorrow starts eating a healthy diet that consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and water. While a healthy diet is followed, there is a shortage of people getting fast foods, soft drinks, and snack foods - all items that are either too high in salt, sugar, and/or fat. Now, the next thing realized by food makers after the initial shock, is some strain on the economy... initially. But there would be some serious corrections to the marketplace in a very short time.

Ok, enough about fantasy world because that isn't going to happen. We all have our habits, routines, and things that we just arent' willing to give up. In short, change is not easy, especially when we don't see any immediate gratification from it. Initially, we wouldn't either. In fact, we'd feel pain. The pain of withdrawal symptoms from lack of sugar or caffeine or salt...or whatever is put in those foods that makes them so addictive. Yes, we wouldn't be all full of excitement and joy over giving up the foods and drinks that have held our taste buds hostage for so long. But...there is hope.

If the long-term picture can be drawn clearly so that we have no doubt about what is in store for us when we complete the journey, there is much more pleasure on the other side than there is in the moment it takes to down a soft drink, or eat a hamburger. And really, it is only 3 weeks to reach that point of never turning back (someone once said). That is a heartbeat relative to a lifetime. Is it worth it? Absolutely. The key is to have that picture of your life so clear and so real that you won't think twice about moving toward it...everyday.

The future of our health rests on each of us making the effort to change. Not a lot, but starting with one simple change. Drinking water each day as 95% of our total beverage consumption and sticking with it for 3 weeks...that's a good start. If there was a surge of people who did this, then those who bring us bottled water would feel the pressure of bringing a higher quality product. Later, when you start adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet and a surge of people do the same, then farmers will start putting more emphasis on a better harvest, and in higher quantities.

This is how change must happen. Individually, we must decide and act. It's not the government or corporations that will do what needs to be done. Only you and me...and hopefully we become a bigger and bigger number with more and more influence to get everyone making the same healthy choices.

Will you start today?

Start with water. If you want to add a 2nd change, get more fruit and vegetable nutrients with Juice Plus+®. While you work on adding the minimum recommended fruits and vegetables to your diet, take Juice Plus+® until you get there.

A Healthy Diet Is The Best Health Care Plan Available

Since most people don't get enough fruits and vegetables in their diet, we recommend Juice Plus+®. Not just a few vitamins, Juice Plus+® is a concentrate of nutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

If we can get more people discussing, touting, shouting, and screaming about the importance of a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as the solution for our health care dilemma...then we might have a chance. A chance at saving our health, saving our strained national budget (is there a budget?), and reversing the impending doom that seems to be lurking over the future of our children's health. We don't need more money "thrown" at the 'problem'. The problem isn't a lack of access to health care, but is a lack of nutrition. Good nutrition.

We must take responsibility for our own health. We can't expect to continue on the path of unhealthy choices without suffering the consequences. Since makers of all the processed foods, fast foods, and soft drinks aren't going to stop anytime soon; and since so many unhealthy products are actually addictive, we have to take charge of our own health. And it starts by consuming more fruits and vegetables, busting our diet vices, and implementing a healthy weight loss plan. This author agrees that we need to do just that --

The new health care plan for Americans should include nutritious food from sources like the Denver garden. American couch potato life style is swiftly taking a toll on the health care system. As Americans consume more and more empty calories and less nutritious food, more health care is needed.

The new health care plan should include educating Americans as to their food choices. So many young people are growing up thinking that energy drinks and fast food are the best way to get through the day. Eating good, healthy , vitamin and nutrition packed foods from the garden should be part of every Americans new health care plan.

The new health care plan begs for an old theme. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, is the one that comes to mind. We are learning more every day about the way high antioxidant fruits and vegetables help in the fight against major illnesses, diseases and conditions. Is it any wonder why the top killers in this country are diet associated diseases? (Examiner.com Article)

Comments: It may be a stretch to think that we could undo the damage we have done to ourselves from our poor diet choices, but that is the only real solution...for the time being - promoting a healthy diet. Maybe research will uncover the gene that controls motivation for all things good and healthy, and we'll learn to 'switch it on' so that everyone will start eating (and enjoying!) raw, whole food fruits and vegetables, start exercising more, and be turned off by the unhealthy fast foods and soft drinks and processed foods that are contributing to the demise of our nation's and the world's health.

Get on the road to a healthy lifestyle and lose weight in the process. Check out The Vice Busting Diet Plans for the path to healthier living. Endorsed by Oprah's Dr. Mehmet Oz, these weight loss plans will wake you up to a healthier, more fit, happier, energetic YOU.

A Family Diet Together is A Family Healthy Together

Ok, maybe the title isn't exactly right, but the point is that studies have found that those families who eat together are showing to be healthier. While this obviously doesn't mean that if you all go to Pizza Hut and eat together everyday you're going to be healthier. A healthy diet is not just about eating together, but doing so at home is a good start. I'm sure it's good for a lot of things other than just a better chance of eating healthier. Since the childhood obesity epidemic is not slowing down, all families could certainly stand to come together and help make at least one meal a day a special time to be together and get healthy nutrients. Here's more about why it may be a better idea for your children and you to have your meals together --

Time spent with children - any time - has huge rewards for the family. But family mealtimes, in particular, are special. They should be cherished, fought for, held onto with fierce determination.

The bonding that takes place between children and their parents during meals may be the most important time families spend together.

In her book "Your Child's Weight: Helping Without Harming" (Kelcy Press, 2005), family nutrition expert Ellyn Satter describes the benefits of family meals.

"Time spent with families at meals is more related to the psychological and academic success of adolescents than time spent in school, studying, church, playing sports or doing art activities," she writes. "Teens who had regular meals with a parent were better adjusted emotionally and socially, had better grades and went further in school."

Satter goes on to describe the nutritional benefits of family meals.

"When teens ate dinner with their parents, they ate better - more fruits, vegetables and dairy foods."

Better food intake, in turn, leads to better nutrient intake. The Harvard University Nurse's Health Study showed students who ate dinner with their family consumed more folate, calcium, iron and vitamins B6, B12, C and E.

If this sounds familiar, it may be because you've read it previously in this column. It's so important that I think it bears repeating: The simple act of parents and children sharing meals may be the key to a lot more than just better nutrition. (Full story)

Comments: A healthy diet is important for any family. But family should be more important as a healthy diet. Together, they can be important for everyone and provide for a stable and happier existence. A healthy diet plan should be a part of a healthy family. Children today need to spend more time with their family, and maybe we can correct the obesity epidemic.

Diet and exercise can help reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like heart disease and stroke, diabetes and cancer. Learn why eating fruits and vegetables is especially important, and how you can benefit from adding Juice Plus+® to your diet.

If you are interested in a weight loss plan that will guide you to develop a healthy lifestyle while you lose weight in the process, check out The Vice Busting Diet Plans. Endorsed by Oprah's Dr. Mehmet Oz, these weight loss plans will have you looking and feeling great.