What might these random topics have to do with each other? It’s been over a year since I’ve written some of the articles on this site, and since then, I’ve accumulated additional information that has inspired me to make extensive updates to several of them. Although sugar consumption, foot function, and the antinutrients commonly found in seemingly health foods such as nuts, seeds, and grains may not seem to have much in common, they’re all factors that effect many of us on a daily basis. Based on this, I think it will be worth while for you to take another look at the following updates.

(more…)

Almost everyone knows that doing more exercise and reducing calorie consumption will promote weight loss. But if weight loss is this simple, then why are so many people failing miserably despite their desperate efforts? While it may be a result of laziness for some, it’s more often a result of calorie restriction and exercise being used inappropriately.

Despite how many people make drastic but temporary changes to lose weight, long term success is highly dependent on making less drastic changes that are permanent. It’s common for people to be overzealous with calorie restriction or exercise, and although it may initially be effective, these practices are eventually likely to lead to fatigue, a raging appetite that can no longer be resisted, compromised health, and an eventual return to old habits. This is why so many people regain the weight they’ve worked so hard to lose and continue to repeat this cycle until they eventually give up and choose to accept being overweight.

(more…)

Agave nectar has been marketed as a natural and healthy alternative to common table sugar and is becoming a popular ingredient in many so called health foods. Unfortunately, many of the marketing claims associated with agave nectar aren’t true, and it’s arguable that this trendy sweetener actually poses more of a health risk than the sugar that it’s used to replace.

Given the health concerns associated with sugar and its tendency to cause weight gain, many people are going out of their way to avoid it. Those who are conscientious about their health are less likely to use artificial sweeteners, and as a result, are more likely to be influenced by the misleading marketing that depicts agave nectar as a healthier and more natural alternative to table sugar. Although agave nectar is commonly found in health food stores and is an increasingly common ingredient in so called health foods, this is by no means an indication of its safety or nutritional quality.

(more…)

The 5 Hour Energy shots have been heavily marketed as an energy booster that’s healthier and more effective than the typical energy drink, but is this really the case?

Many energy boosting products are loaded with sugar and caffeine and may even contain artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives, and other potentially harmful ingredients. According to the marketing, 5 Hour Energy is supposed to be different. While it does contain seemingly healthy ingredients like vitamins and amino acids, it also contains a number of questionable ingredients as well. Furthermore, even if 5 Hour Energy contained only the most natural and healthful ingredients, it’s also important to consider the flawed mentality behind the most commonly perceived need for such a product.

(more…)

It’s extremely common to see recommendations for specific foods that will improve energy, endurance, strength, recovery, or some other physical aspect, but is such advice worth paying attention to?

I recently read an article in Tennis Magazine with the subtitle “Six foods that could make or break your workout.” Although I think that some of the recommendations in the article are good, they’re also an excellent example of why so many people are confused about healthy eating.

In general, I typically don’t like advice that recommends a certain food for a specific benefit because I think it neglects the most fundamental reason why it’s important to follow a healthy diet. Whether the benefit of such a recommendation is improved energy, increased capacity for physical activity, or faster recovery, these are nothing more than characteristics of optimal health that are achieved from a well rounded healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, many people are experiencing these types of issues because their health isn’t what it could be, and the idea of a single food resolving the problem is a compensation that rarely works and fails to address the true problem. Although certain food choices can provide benefits beyond the basics of optimal health, trying to obtain these benefits without actually having optimal health is like buying high performance tires for a car with a malfunctioning engine. Basic health should come first!

With this in mind, here are the six foods that can supposedly make or break your workout.

(more…)

Based on some of the questions I get about my diet, I thought it might be helpful to write about my personal eating habits in detail. Since I often say that a healthy diet doesn’t have to be overly elaborate or time consuming, I think it’s only right that I explain from experience how it can be done.

Although my interest in preparing elaborate meals is growing, I generally don’t like to cook, especially not on a regular basis. However, I’m dedicated to doing whatever is necessary to support my health and wellbeing with excellent nutrition. Based on these factors, nutritional quality and efficiency are the focal points of my diet. Although my meals would never be mistaken for the work of a gourmet chef, I’m able to follow a very healthy and satisfying diet without having to dedicate a lot of time to it. By reading about my eating habits, hopefully you’ll realize that healthy eating doesn’t have to be as difficult or complicated as you may think.

(more…)

Digestive issues have become extremely common and are often a result of the typical modern lifestyle. Unfortunately, most people perceive digestive issues as nothing more than an inconvenience and fail to recognize that they can easily lead to compromised health and disease.

Digestive issues range in form and severity from mild cases of gas and bloating to severe cases of Crohn’s disease or diverticulitis which can require that sections of the intestines be surgically removed. Mild digestive issues are so common that most people consider them normal. However, they’re an undeniable indication of compromised digestion, and over time, can progress to more serious issues including food sensitivities, toxicity, susceptibility to illness, and autoimmune diseases, all of which can effect the entire body and initiate a downward spiral of poor health.

(more…)

Most people automatically associate a healthy diet with having to forbid themselves from enjoying their favorite desserts. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Popular desserts like ice cream, pie, and cake tend to be what people enjoy most, and although the unhealthy reputation that these foods have earned is well deserved, it’s quite possible to enjoy them in healthy and nutritious forms that still taste great.

A Healthy Perspective on Dessert

Although they can come close, even the healthiest of desserts are still not meant to be more than a pleasing side dish. The foundation of your diet should always be healthy meals that are prepared from natural whole foods and should never be replaced with desserts.

(more…)

Despite the fact that processed food is becoming widely recognized as unhealthy, many people still have a flawed understanding of food quality and don’t know how to differentiate the good from the bad.

Unfortunately, many people allow their perception of healthy food to be influenced by the tremendous presence of the food industry. Like any other type of industry, food manufacturers are most concerned with making money and taking advantage of rising trends. As such, even foods that are marketed as healthy are often not.

(more…)

Super Size Me is an informative documentary about the negative impact that McDonald’s and the rest of the fast food industry are having on society. Despite the importance of this message, Super Size Me neglects several critical factors that I consider to be more important than the popularity of fast food and it even gives an inaccurate representation of why fast food is unhealthy.

The majority of Super Size Me is based on Morgan Spurlock’s one month binge of eating nothing but food from McDonald’s. This was inspired by lawsuits from two teenage girls who blamed McDonald’s for their obesity. At the time of the lawsuit, one girl was 19 years old and weighed 270 pounds at a height of 5 feet 6 inches and the other was 16 years old and weighted 170 pounds at a height of 4 feet 10 inches.

During this one month experiment, Spurlock ate three full meals per day from McDonald’s, only ordered a super size meal when asked, and never ate food from any other source.

(more…)