Self Improvement Articles

Remember to Eat Your Whole Grains, Fruits and Vegetables

You could do all the exercises in the world, but if you are not eating healthy, you are still living an unhealthy lifestyle. An unhealthy lifestyle results in health complications later on, which could prove fatal. Of course, as humans we have no foolproof method of defeating or even delaying the inevitable, but with a healthy diet, there is a greater chance of longevity than if you are not eating healthy at all.

Whole grains come from the grain seed of plants, and in order for them to be fit for consumption, they are crushed, cracked and processed. There are various types of grains, some you have already added to your diet. These include barley, wheat, quinoa, oats, millet, corn, rice, rye and buckwheat. These grains are often times processed into other foods we eat on a daily basis, some of them junk. Wheat for instance is the most widely consumed grain, as it makes up bread, pastries, pasta, cereals, etc. Do not think that you are getting your healthy dose of whole grains by eating a donut. Wheat is often processed to remove the germ and the bran, which gives us the white flour that we use everywhere. It is one of the most versatile foods, but it is also one of the unhealthiest as well. Ensure that if you bake, buy whole wheat flour. It is harder to bake and cook with, but it is indeed healthier. When buying bread, buy whole wheat instead. Whole grain has plenty of soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps to flush out your bowels and arteries of toxins. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer in women, and the third most common in men. Whole grains also have essential fatty acids, which you need for a healthy brain. Recommended intake is two to three servings a day.

Another place to get your fiber is from your fruits and vegetables. Remember you need even more fiber as you age, as constipation is a common health condition in the senior population. Fruits and vegetables not only have fiber, but they also have vitamins and minerals which help maintain your body’s core functions. People who eat more of these foods have a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes, and even cancer. Fruits are rich in vitamins A and C, which are important in keeping your blood pressure down, and having healthy skin and eyesight. You can find vitamin A in your vegetables and fruits with red and orange skin such as carrots, pumpkins, red pepper, oranges, mangos, apricots, grapefruit, tangerines, and tomatoes. You can also get them from green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, collard greens and spinach. Vitamin C can be obtained from basically all citrus fruits like your oranges and grapefruits, and other juicy fruits such as kiwi, cantaloupe, guava and cantaloupe. Vitamin C can also be found in your green leafy vegetables and roots and tubers, like potatoes.

There are minerals as well which you will need in your diet. They should only be taken in small amounts but they are important for blood pressure, nerve and brain health, muscle health, etc. One important mineral is potassium, which helps regulate nerve and muscle action.

Should You Get Weight Loss Surgery?

You may have been overweight all your life, and your slowing metabolism has caused you to put on even more pounds since you turned 50. It is even harder than before to lose weight the natural way, and you know that obesity only cuts your life shorter. Is weight loss surgery recommended for a person like you? The answer is, it could be.

Weight loss surgery has transformed many celebrities like Al Roker and Star Jones, which has put the surgery on the map for many people looking to lose weight. As a matter of fact, weight loss surgery procedures have tripled since 2001. However, like get rich quick schemes, there are risks to quick weight loss schemes as well. If you are looking at weight loss surgery, talk to your doctor first. This procedure should never be a first option, it should always be a last resort. If you are only overweight, meaning your BMI is less than 30, you do not need to do this procedure. Weight loss surgery is recommended only for the clinically obese. There are doctors who will operate on you if you are not obese, but it is generally not recommended.

If you are to go under the knife, keep in mind that you will have to change a lot of things about your lifestyle. You may need to start working out more. You may need to change and monitor what you eat. This is especially due to the fact that the most common surgical procedure is gastric bypass surgery, which involves the sealing off of most of a person’s stomach, cutting the person’s appetite. You will need to eat less complex proteins and fats, as a lot of the processing of these nutrients takes place in the stomach. Complications will arise if you do not change your eating habits after having the surgery. Also, you should know that 1 in 200 patients die due to this procedure.

You may be asking if your advanced age would be a contributing factor to the risks associated with bariatric surgery. Fortunately, the answer is leaning towards no. Studies have been conducted that show there is no increased risk to people over the age of 50 compared to those younger than them. As a matter of fact, baby boomers seem to be the fastest growing demographic to get bariatric surgery. When a person can lose over 50 pounds and feel good about his or herself, then the procedure is definitely worth it. The risk of dying within 30 days of bariatric surgery is just 0.21%, compared to 0.12% for adults aged 35 to 49. Your chance may even decrease once your weight, gender, and heart health is taken into account.

So if you are looking to lose the pounds, talk to your doctor about your options. They may not be as black and white as you see it. Ensure that before you even consider weight loss surgery, you make an effort to change your diet, change your lifestyle, and exercise more. You may find that you don’t need surgery after all.