Nutritional Cleansing vs. Fad Diets

Jan 27th, 2011 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

The United States is in a true health crisis. We are sicker and more overweight than ever before and these issues cannot be ignored. The United States is the epicenter of an obesity pandemic and as more countries adapt to a Western Lifestyle, rates of obesity and associated health problems will continue rising steadily in both adults and children.

According to the Journal of American Medical Association, obesity, poor physical activity and resultant associated illness are overtaking tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in this country.

In 2000, obesity and inactivity caused 400,000 deaths, ore than 16. Obesity cost America 117 billion in 2000 according to the surgeon general. Now more than ever people are looking to address this battle of the bulge and many of us will look toward a fad diet to help with these excess pounds.

FAD DIETS: A Yo-Yo Effect On Your Body

Fad diets are not the answer for long-term health or weight management. Many serious issues surround these quick-fix plans that do not address internal health or nutritional rejuvenation. Many health experts believe that fad dieting places stress on your body and that the repeated stress of losing and gaining weight may be just as bad for long-term health as being overweight.

Fad Diets Vs Nutritional Cleansing

Fad Diets:

-Often nutrient deficient
-Quick Fix
-Yo-Yo effect
-Continued cravings
-Nutritionally restrictive
-Focuses on weight loss
-Does not enforce good eating habits
-Stresses the body

Nutritional Cleansing:

-Gives the body MORE nutrient-rich protein, carbs essential fats and minerals
-Long-term lifestyle approach to internal health
-Weight management stability
-Balances brain chemistry to decrease cravings
-Floods the body with high-grade nutrients
-Focuses on quality of life and longevity
-Enforces great long-term nutritional habits
-Fuels the body

Instead of simply targeting weight loss, one should focus on achieving overall internal health, which is all about balancing and fueling the body.

Wellness involves a change in lifestyle. True, long-term weight management is feasible if you practice fueling the body with the right nutrients, staying hydrated, engage in daily physical activities and help the body cleanse accumulated impurities.

The body needs internal balance and nutrient fuel to maintain normal blood glucose levels and the brain requires high-grade nutrients for sustained mental work.

Cleansing and refueling the body is what I call the “anti-fad diet” approach to health and weight management. Cleansing the body at an internal level is a hot topic, and for good reason. It makes perfect sense. We live in a very toxic world and unless you live in a bubble, your body is continually suffering the detrimental effects of these dangerous, often deadly poisons.

Why cleanse, you ask?

Think about these issues:

-Our world is full of herbicides, petrochemicals, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, food additives and synthetic drugs. These overabundant toxins can have an adverse effect on our cells, internal organs and, ultimately, our state of health
-Animals raised for consumption in factory farms are often injected with large amounts of hormones, steroids and antibiotics. Over 20 million pounds of antibiotics were injected into our farm animals last year alone
-There are so many insecticides and pesticides on our fruits and vegetables that these noxious chemicals seem to have become part of our food chain. Adults and, sadly, even our children are chronically exposed to these substances. Everything we eat or drink has a direct effect on our health. The typical American diet is destroying our digestive systems and leading to other chronis problems in the body

The Proper Balance Is The Key

A well-rounded nutritional program should provide balance and complete nourishment for our cells and vital organs. A balanced program should include amino acids to increase energy, support the immune system and help mental focus. Meal replacement protein shakes should contain a balance of protein, essential fats and carbohydrates to enhance metabolism and assist with weight management. Herbs and a complete range of vitamins can be used to help the body cleanse and strengthen internally. Trace ionic minerals are also important to fuel our cells and aid the digestive tract in optimum absorption of nutrients.

Many options are available when introducing your body to a well-rounded, safe nutritional program. The program should address cleansing and nourishing the body, not starving it. Exercising, eating well and hydration are also key components of any health-oriented program. Research your options and choose a program that is best for you.

Personal fitness trainers and nutritionists are excellent sources of information about the importance of nutritional cleansing and many highly recommend the use of the Isagenix system.

Motivational Advice to Stick to your Weight Loss Goals

Jan 20th, 2011 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

It is normal to want to lose weight to look better or feel about yourself. Losing weight often requires a dietary adjustment, a daily work out regimen, or an entire change in your current lifestyle. These weigh loss necessities require dedication, enthusiasm and motivation. It is important to discover what inspires us to lose weight in order to maintain the level of motivation it takes to achieve results.

Many people who are just starting out on a diet may feel anxious, depressed or stressed out by the prospect of change. They may have made weight loss attempts before and failed, they may have been forced into a diet by their current health problems. In order for these people to overcome their negative feeling about starting a diet it is critical that they find personal motivation.

The first step is to identify your individual reason to lose weight. There is usually a compelling reason that triggers the desire to lose unwanted pounds. You mat no longer fit in your favorite pair of jeans, it may be difficult for you to play with your children, or maybe you just want to look good in a bathing suit for the summer.

Some experts suggest getting a stack of index cards. Then write down all benefits that you expect to achieve when you lose your weight. Then organize them in order of priority. This can act as a motivational tool because it requires that you think about each idea, compare it to others, and accept it in your mind. Putting things in black and white often help make them realistic.

You should keep your top five motivational index cards with you as often as possible. Put them in your desk at work, carry them in your purse, or keep a set in your car. When you feel like giving up on your diet just pull out the index cards so you can have a quick jolt of motivation.

Even if you feel good about your diet it is important to pull out your motivational index cards at least once a day, preferably when you wake up in the morning. The physical act of looking through the cards will help you remember what truly motivates you.

On days when you are feeling strong and confident about your weight loss attempt these written benefits might further inspire you. On days when you are not at your motivational peak the cards may help you avoid temptation by reminding you of your goals.

Another way to stay motivated to lose weight is to persuade a friend or partner to participate with you. Having someone close to you that is enduring the same diet may prove beneficial. You can talk to each other on days where temptations are especially strong and encourage each other to stay on track.

Joining a support group may also be helpful. Surrounding yourself with people in a similar situation can be motivational. You can feed off each others strengths and help get past weaknesses. Leaning on others has obvious benefits, but you may be surprised how much strength you can draw by being someone elses support as well.

You will also find that once you begin to lose weight people will notice and begin to compliment your changing physique. Knowing that others are noticing your sacrifices may provide you with additional motivation to continue losing weight.

Attitude and motivation are critical in any successful attempt to lose weight. While it is important to understand the importance of losing weigh for health or physical reasons, it is just as important to identify the reasons you personally want to lose weight. You should use those reasons to keep yourself going.

Measuring your pH for the pH miracle diet

Jan 13th, 2011 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

Did you know that your blood has a pH level? pH is the measurement of how acid or alkaline something is. The pH level scale runs from 1 to 14 with 1 serving as very acidic 7 being neutral and 14 being very alkaline. In fact your bloodstream goes to great lengths to maintain a pH level of 7.35 to 7.45, slightly alkaline. Why is this important? Among many reasons why your body strives for this balance starts with your energy level. The pH miracle diet will help balance your body and increase your energy.

Have you ever put low quality fuel into your car after running it on premium fuel? There is a difference in acceleration, handling, and overall performance and this is directly linked to the quality of fuel you put in the tank. Your body is a finely tuned machine. Like other types of machinery, the parts need to be kept running by fuel. The best fuel for your body is a custom mix, more alkaline than acid. What difference does this make?

It all starts in the bloodstream. Think of the bloodstream as a superhighway with stops all over the body. Red blood cells are the commuting traffic riding along the bloodstream in a hurry to get to work. These red blood cells each have a negative charge on them, and this keeps them from getting into fender benders and collisions in the bloodstream. When the negative charge is stripped away from the red blood cells, they cluster together and can cause gridlock and bottlenecks in the bloodstream. In short, the traffic in the bloodstream isnt flowing as smoothly and it causes everything to slow down. If youve ever been stuck in freeway traffic you know how frustrating this is.

This stress on the body causes a domino effect, which eventually saps the energy away and makes you tired and sluggish. Acid is the culprit in the bloodstream traffic jam. When acid is introduced into the bloodstream it eats away at the negative charge that surrounds each red blood cell and causes all sorts of problems. How can you avoid this? The answer is quite simple and it starts with what you put in your stomach. Red blood cells are created by the food that you eat. When the stomach works on digesting food, it leaves behind natural acidic waste. Your body eliminates this waste through your urine and sweat, but there comes a point when the waste build up is too great to eliminate.

What does your body do with all of the acidic waste it cant get rid off? The answer is quite shocking, it stores it in your body! The cells in your body are mostly alkaline and this acid waste starts to attack and destroy these cells. A lot of energy is expelled keeping the waste from doing detrimental damage to your body, but this fight can only go on for so long. Eventually the build up is so great that the cells deteriorate and cause energy depletion and leaves the body open to disease.

How can you avoid this slow death? A higher energy level helps to fend off opportunistic diseases and ensures strong cellular regeneration. Making changes to your diet is a huge step in reversing this breakdown of your body while boosting your energy level. The choices you make in what you eat will greatly determine how much of acidic waste gets stored in your body. The more alkaline your food choices are the less of this waste will be accumulated in your body, tipping the balance in the favor of good health.

The old adage you are what you eat is absolutely true. By controlling the amounts of alkaline food you ingest you are giving your body a fighting chance. Find books and lists that outline which foods are alkaline and which ones are acidic. By limiting your intake of acidic foods and increasing your intake of alkaline food with the pH miracle diet you can increase your stamina, endurance, and the overall performance of your body machine.

Make Your Own Low Cholesterol Diet

Jan 6th, 2011 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver. This substance has many important roles inside the body and in small amounts it is very important in helping the activity of the organism. In the presence of cholesterol, the body is able to synthesize vitamin D and hormones (testosterone and estrogen). The liver also uses cholesterol in producing bile, a substance used for the digestion of fat. Cholesterol covers the exterior membrane of blood cells and protects them from damage.

Although in normal amounts cholesterol is benefic for the organism, excessive amounts of this substance inside the body can lead to serious illnesses. High blood cholesterol levels are the main factor of risk in cardio-vascular diseases and can even cause heart failure. The surplus of cholesterol inside the body enters the bloodstream and deposits in different places of the body: arteries, soft tissues, organs. When cholesterol adheres to the inner walls of arteries, it obstructs the normal blood flow and prevents the oxygenation of the body organs.

Age, gender and internal dysfunctions are all considered to be factors that enable the accumulation of cholesterol inside the body. However, inappropriate diet also has a great contribution to blood cholesterol build up. A low cholesterol diet can help the body eliminate excess cholesterol and can prevent the accumulation of the substance in the bloodstream. A low cholesterol diet can also help you lose extra weight and improve your overall physical condition.

There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat facilitates the accumulation of cholesterol inside the body, while unsaturated fat reduces blood cholesterol levels and therefore minimizes the chances of developing cardio-vascular diseases. A low cholesterol diet should exclude foods that are rich in saturated fat and include more foods that contain unsaturated fat. Simple carbohydrates contained by sweets should also be excluded from your low cholesterol diet. In order to improve your digestion, you should increase natural fiber and complex carbohydrate intake.

A low cholesterol diet should minimize the intake of animal products. Fatty meats (pork, lamb), organ meats (liver, heart, kidneys) and some dairy products (fat-rich milk, cheese, butter) should be excluded from your low-cholesterol diet. Animal products not only contain a lot of cholesterol, they are also very rich in saturated fat! Eggs, bacon, salami, sausages are rich in saturated fat and they should also be excluded from your diet too. Replace fatty meats wish fish, as it is low in cholesterol and saturated fat. Your low cholesterol diet can include some dairy products, if they contain small amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat: skim-milk, light yogurts.

Your low cholesterol diet should contain plenty of vegetables and fruits, as they are cholesterol free and a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Consume plenty of green vegetables, soy, carrots, cabbage, beans, dried peas and potatoes and fresh fruits like apples, pears, oranges, nectarines, lemons.

The best thing to do is cook your own meals. A low cholesterol diet should include plenty of home-cooked meals like vegetable soups, mashed potatoes and salads. Avoid fried meals and consider grilling or boiling your food. Also, make sure that you drink enough water, as it helps in the elimination of body cholesterol.

Low Glycemic Diets

Dec 30th, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

Introduction: low glycemic diets are good for everyone but the people who need these diets most are Diabetics and those trying to lose weight. Foods are measured by GI glycemic indexing.

What is glycemic indexing (GI)? The glycemic index ranks from 1 to 100.This is the method by which foods are measured and shows the amount a food will raise blood sugar and insulin levels. The rate at which your blood sugar rises is very important in managing diabetes and weight maintenance. High glycemic foods are those that are quickly digested and turned into sugar. They will cause a considerable rise in high blood sugar. Foods ranking 70 or greater on the GI scale are considered high glycemic foods. Examples of these foods are:

Foods high in sugar or glucose

* Baked or mashed potatoes
* White Rice
* White (not whole grain) bread
* Cookies, cakes, muffins, doughnuts-made with refined white flour
* Junk foods

Low glycemic foods include some fruits and vegetables they are 55 or less on the GI scale. Examples of these are:

* Most fruits (apples, pears, oranges, berries, etc.)
* High fiber grains (bran, whole grain wheats)
* Pastas
* Whole milk
* Low-fat yogurt
* Lentils
* Whole grain cereals

Why use a low Glycemic Diets: High glycemic foods can cause weight gain and are dangerous for those suffering from Diabetes. High glycemic foods increase your appetite, and cause your body to increase triglycerides. They can also lead to weight gain. Cutting carbohydrates is not enough. You need to be aware of how all the food you eat measures up to the GI index.

Protein foods such as cheese, vegetables, eggs and fresh meat are not included in the GI index because they do not include large amounts of carbohydrates. Therefore these foods can be eaten when you are on a low glycemic diet.

Diabetes is a life threatening disease when not taken care of and it is very important to be aware of the glycemic index of the foods you eat. One of the first methods of treatment is to put these patients on a low glycemic diet. This will help them to lower their blood sugar levels and maintain a normal blood sugar level.

Obesity: A low glycemic diet will also help you lose weight. Eating more protein foods and low glycemic foods will help you drop those pounds and when you maintain a low glycemic diet will help you sustain your weight.

Eating in a healthier manner is just a matter of understanding the different foods and paying attention to what you eat. Educate yourself a little on which foods are high in protein and low in glycemic levels and you will be able to improve your health and have more energy to do the things that are really important to you.

Is the pH Miracle diet right for you

Dec 23rd, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

The pH Miracle Diet is one of the most interesting and groundbreaking new eating plans to hit the world of nutrition and dieting. This way of eating proclaims that following the program will help restore your health to natural balance and rid you of a myriad of conditions, including excess weight. While most people are looking to shed a few pounds, this diet also claims to help with fatigue, muscle pain and indigestion, as well as many other problems.

If youve tried low carbohydrate diets before and felt terrible after consuming all of that protein, then the pH Miracle diet may be for you. This eating program is based on alkaline foods, which are better for your health and for your body. Since humans have a slightly alkaline pH, eating alkaline foods helps support the bodily pH balance. Most people eat a lot of acidic foods like animal protein, dairy products and wheat. The pH miracle diet consists of certain fruits, vegetables, alternative grains and vegetarian protein sources.

Dr. Robert Young, the creator of the pH Miracle diet, points out in his book that many peoples health problems are due to excess acidity in the body. Among other things, Young says that chronic fatigue, excess mucous production, nasal congestion, frequent colds and infections, stress, anxiety, weak nails, dry hair, dry skin, headaches, arthritis, muscle pain, hives and leg cramps are all signs of excess acidity.

If you have had any of these symptoms for an extended period of time, your acidic diet may be to blame. Think about how much of your diet relies on high acid foods, like animal protein and dairy products. If these problems have been a bother to your life and your health for some time, youll benefit from giving the pH miracle diet a try.

The pH miracle diet will be a welcome relief for those who have tried to do low carb diets with little success. The foods are less harsh on the stomach and digestive system than the heavy protein required on low-carb diets. There is also a better balance of protein to carbohydrates. The proteins that are used on the pH miracle diet are selected carefully for their level of acid. The proteins consist of alkalizing tofu, beans and nuts.

The pH miracle diet is also good for people who enjoy eating a vegetarian diet. If youve given up meat for a day or two and felt better, than this diet may be very beneficial for you. There is no meat on the diet and the only alkaline dairy product allowed is goat milk. Tofu, which has long been a mainstay of vegetarian diets, is a major part of the pH miracle diet.

If you have a diet that consists mainly of processed foods and very few vegetables, you will definitely benefit from this diet. A diet that consists of manufactured food has very little natural nutrients. This can cause many detriments to your health and you can suffer from the effects of malnutrition, even when you are eating your fill. The focus on vegetables and fresh foods in this way of eating will help get natural vitamins and minerals back into your diet. Just adding a moderate amount of alkaline foods to your diet can improve your health greatly.

The pH miracle diet is a good diet for many different types of people. If you fit any of the previous criteria, you owe it to your health to give this way of eating a try.

Is A Vegetarian Diet Safe For My Infant?

Dec 16th, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

If, for dietary or ethical reasons, you have decided that you want to put your infant on a vegetarian diet, you should be very careful in choosing formulas and solid food for your child.

If you plan to breastfeed the infant and you are also a vegetarian, you may need to supplement breastmilk with additional sources of nutrition, depending on your dietary restrictions. If you are a vegan, or an ovo-vegetarian, you should add sources of vitamin B-12 to your childs diet.

Other than the B-12 supplements, your infant should be able to receive all micro and macronutrients through breastfeeding, even if you are on a strictly vegan diet.

If you plan to use formula rather than breastmilk, you should stick to commercial formulas, which contain the proper amounts and ratios of nutrients. If you opt for a homemade formula or soymilk over a commercial product, your child could experience developmental problems from a lack of proper nutrition.

If you want to keep your infant on a vegan diet, you can select a soy commercial formula, as long as it is nutritionally-adequate.

After about a year, you can begin to supplement formula or breastmilk with other sources of nutrition, such as homemade formulas, soymilk, yogurt, and cows milk (if you are not a vegan).

Nutritionists suggest that you keep your infant on a full-fat, high protein diet after age one, which includes vegetarian-friendly foods, such as mashed and pureed avocados, soy milk, nutrient-fortified tofu, and yogurt.

When you are ready to switch your infant to solid vegetarian foods, you can introduce solid tofu, pieces of vegetarian burgers, eggs, and cheese.

If you supplement what a nonvegetarian diet lacks, maintain a full-fat diet, and increase your infants sources of protein, you should have no problem maintaining a healthful vegetarian diet during your childs crucial developmental stages.

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Dec 9th, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

Title:
How To Diet For Lean Muscle Gains – Focus On Vegetables And High-Protein Foods

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Summary:
If you are wondering how to diet for lean muscle gains, the most important thing that you should keep in mind is that you should reduce your intake of fatty foods. This is not possible to do entirely, but if you are eating a lot of highly fatty foods, you should reduce them to be no more than 20% of your daily caloric intake. We also recommend that you limit your selection to healthy unsaturated fats. It is also interesting to note that people who severely restrict their fat …

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Article Body:
If you are wondering how to diet for lean muscle gains, the most important thing that you should keep in mind is that you should reduce your intake of fatty foods. This is not possible to do entirely, but if you are eating a lot of highly fatty foods, you should reduce them to be no more than 20% of your daily caloric intake. We also recommend that you limit your selection to healthy unsaturated fats. It is also interesting to note that people who severely restrict their fat intake (below the 20% mark) will not look healthy; their hair will be brittle, their skin will be dry and they tend to have terrible mood swings and be very ill-tempered.

You should also cut out any empty carbohydrates as well – for instance, foods that are very high in sugar but lack nutrients, such as cookies, candy bars and other highly processed foods. This will make you feel more healthy overall, give you more energy and it will also enable you to get the nutrients that you will need to build muscle.

We recommend that you keep a food diary for one week and then review your typical caloric intake during one week. Then reduce the calories by 15% in order to lose fat. If youre interested in gaining lean muscle, however, you will need to increase your calories by 15% – BUT you MUST divide all your food amongst six small meals per day in order to have the food convert to muscle rather than fat. North Americas habit of eating 2 or 3 large meals per day causes our bodies to act in the feast or famine mode of our early ancestors and thus causes our body to naturally store energy as fat. When you start to distribute your daily food intake between five to six meals a day it relieves the feast or famine program that your body has and your body will lose more fat, thus food will be converted into muscle gain.

Eat Natural and Organic Foods That Are Low Glycemic

When it comes to how to diet for lean muscle gain, some people swear by already-formulated foods and meal replacements. While those can help you sometimes – especially by helping you get enough protein in your diet – they are not the best option for you. If you are trying to gain muscle, then you should make sure that you’re eating healthy foods – which generally means that you are cooking the food yourself from scratch with raw ingredients.

The best lean muscle gaining diets for are similar to low carb diets, though less extreme. (You will still need carbohydrates so that you have enough energy to exercise). You should put a lot of emphasis on foods that are high in protein, like meat (such as skinless chicken breasts and lean beef), nuts, and some legumes, as well as on vegetables. The high protein foods will give your body the protein that it needs to build muscle mass, while the vegetables will give you the nutrients and fiber that will keep you healthy. With this diet, you will have everything you need to build the muscles that you want – but you won’t be eating too much, either.

It is also important to remember that low glycemic foods tend to be the healthiest food choice. The Glycemic Index is a measure of how much your blood sugar (glucose) rises after eating carbohydrate foods. High glycemic foods cause a surge in blood sugar, thus increasing insulin, and you will get hungrier sooner. Thus, you will be tempted to overeat.

High Glycemic foods are most grains and grain products (both whole wheat and white), cookies, candies, candy bars, breakfast cereals, grain based snack foods such as taco chips, corn, potatoes (these are highly starchy foods), bananas, most dried fruits and tropical fruits (tropical fruits tend to be sweeter than non-tropical fruits), fruit juices, honey and table sugar.

Low Glycemic foods are legumes (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and most other beans), many fruits such as cherries, blackberries and most other berries, plums, peaches and grapes, dairy products such as milk, yogurt and kefir, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, Swiss chard, bok choy, lettuce, celery and kale.

If you follow these guidelines will be on your way to a stronger, leaner body and you will enjoy all the other side benefits of losing fat: more strength, increased energy, more endurance, a smaller waistline, visibly sexier abs and better health!

How to cash in on the online diet frenzy!

Dec 2nd, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

There are certain markets on the internet that have proven time and time again to be profitable. One of those niche markets is the diet market. But how can one cash in on this phenomenon? I explore that very question.

You see them everyday, emails and websites proclaiming to help the average person lose a ton of weight by taking the magic pill. But do they work? Sure, if you believe the advertising. But then again, youre not interested in actually seeing the results of these magical pills are you? Well, you are, but only in how they affect your income and how you can profit off of them.

The diet industry is booming. More and more people are jumping on this niche industry and making fist over fist with tons of money. Hoodia and emegrace are the 2 big ones right now. And there a many companies out there who allow you to become an affiliate of theirs to help sell them.

Is it worth it? Sure! If you can get visitors to your website and entice them to purchase something. But oh yea, be aware that you and everyone else is trying to do the same thing. Sounds tough now, doesnt it?

But all hope isnt lost. There is definitely money to be made, no doubt, its just how you approach it is going to be the difference. Youre going to need to develop a skillset that the other guys arent using. Sure, you can use search engine optimized webpages, and purchase text links, but youll also need to have articles written for your site, like the one youre reading now, filled with information pertaining to the drugs and supplements that you will be selling.

What this accomplishes is that your site will now start to develop backlinks through the different search engine submitted directories that your articles will now reside on. This will allow your site to start maturing faster on the web. Backlinks, backlinks, and more backlinks. Thats the name of the story.

But dont forget your link building. Seek out other webmasters who would love to trade links with you. And also submit your site to specific diet niche directories like http:www.dietdirectory.org because sites like this will have targeted visitors searching for information and websites that point to exactly what you are doing.

Either way you look at it, there is money to be made in the diet niche and its up to you on how to approach this marketplace and make money from it. Its there, you just need to go get it!

How Water Plays into your Everyday Diet and Routine

Nov 25th, 2010 Posted in Diet Guide | No Comments »

Water is an important part of human lives. Humans need water to survive, and drinking water should be the most important part of our daily routine. However, many people dont drink the recommended amount of water, and many dont realize how it may help them lose weight. Moat people drink sodas, juice, coffee, and other beverages instead of water, but drinking water can greatly reduce a persons daily caloric intake. Soda, juice, and other beverages are high in calories, and by replacing them with water a persons calorie intake will be greatly reduced, which can lead to great weight loss. Most of the drinks are unhealthy and contain caffeine, which acts as a diuretic to set a person up for dehydration. A person is usually dehydrated by the time they feel thirsty.

Water is an important nutrient that is vital to many bodily functions and processes, including the removal of waste products, the carrying of other nutrients, and regulating body temperature. When drank on a daily basis, water also helps reduce fluid retention, and keeps bowel functions regular. The daily amount of water a person needs actually depends on the weight of that person. The amount of water that is needed can be calculated by divided your weight in pounds by the number two. The result of this division should be the number of ounces of water a person needs on a daily basis. For example, a 100-pound woman should drink 50 ounces of water daily, which is more than four 12-ounce glasses, or three 16.9 -ounce bottles of water. On the other hand, a man weighing 175 pounds would need five 16.9 -ounce bottles of water to meet his daily needs.

Water is lost on a daily basis through breathing, perspiration, and urine and bowel movements. The water that is lost must be replenished on a daily basis through drinking water and consuming foods that contain water. The weight of a person can be used to figure how much water they will need daily, but the replacement method is also effective in calculating the healthiest amount of water. The average adult loses 1.5 liters of water per day through urine output, and an additional one liter of water through breathing, sweating, and bowel movements. It is healthy for at least 20 percent of daily water intake to fruits and vegetables that contain water. The fluid from the consumed foods can be combined with eight cups of water to provide adequate replacement of loss fluids.

There are also many other factors that determine a person daily fluid intake. Water intake may be modified for those that are highly active, for those that live in dry environments, for those with certain health conditions, and for women that are pregnant or breast-feeding. The more a person exercises, the more fluid their body will need in order to remain hydrated. Most active people will need an extra one or two cups of water per hour for adequate nutrition. However, the amount of water a person may need depends on how much they swear during exercise, and sometimes two to three cups is needed. A persons environment also affects how much water they should have daily. Hot and humid weather makes humans sweat more, which requires an additional intake of fluid.

Illness and health conditions also cause people to need more water. Vomiting, fever, and diarrhea can cause the body to lose additional fluids, and can easily lead to dehydration. Other conditions such as bladder infections, and urinary tract stones also call for the need for increased water intake. Women that are pregnant or breast-feeding may require additional fluids to keep themselves adequately hydrated. There may be large amounts of fluids lost when a woman is nursing, so she must consume 12.5 cups of water per day to remain healthy. It is also recommended that pregnant women consume 10 cups of water per day to remain healthy.