Medical and Health Congress

Posts Tagged ‘healthy foods’

Assuming that I do not like to talk about “diets” as restrictions or prohibitions, but lifestyle and training to know how to choose healthy foods, I liked reading this repertoire of excuses from the hand of my colleague Alicia Kirschenheiter, coach health, I want to share with you about the most frequent difficulties in changing habits in our diet.

And we all know is that making excuses!.

How many times have you used any of these excuses to leave your diet and not being able to achieve your purposes  yourself feel better and healthier?

Then I list a few well-known, with a corresponding “anti-excuse.”

1) I do not like to cook!

Join the club!, Many people do not like. But if you look at a good supermarket offers and there are already many types of healthy foods that include proteins (chicken, fish preparation, organic meat), vegetables, salads, etc.. Cooking is all complicated or simple they want to do. Take grilled foods or vegetables in salads is a source of energy than always eating elaborate meals, cooked and seasoned. Have you thought about your purchase plan ahead in order to have healthy prepared foods to mealtimes. Read the rest of this entry »

How Much Do I Need?
You might think that all you need to get enough vitamins and minerals is to take a multivitamin once a day. Unfortunately it is not so simple. The amount of micronutrients in many of these pills are based on the recommended dietary amount (in English Recommended Dietary Allowance or RDA) established by the U.S. government.

The problem is that the amount established by the RDA does not represent the amount required for HIV-positive people, but that is the minimum amount needed by healthy people to prevent deficiencies.

HIV disease and some medications may decrease the levels of some micronutrients. One study showed that HIV-positive people need 6 to 25 times more of some nutrients. Still, a high potency multivitamin is a good way to get basic micronutrients.

What nutrients are important?
There has been insufficient research in HIV-positive people on this issue. However, one study showed that a multivitamin supplement had significant benefits in pregnant women in Tanzania. In addition, many nutrients interact with each other. Most nutritionists believe in designing a comprehensive program of supplements.

People with HIV may benefit from taking supplements of vitamins and minerals as follows:

* B Vitamins: Vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B12 (cobalamin) and folate (folic acid).
* Antioxidants, including beta carotene (the body breaks down beta-carotene to vitamin A), selenium, vitamin E (tocopherol) and vitamin C.
* Magnesium and Zinc

WHY ARE VITAMINS AND MINERALS IMPORTANT?

Vitamins and minerals are also called micronutrients. The body uses them in small amounts to facilitate chemical reactions that cells need to live. Different nutrients affect digestion, nervous system, thought and other body functions.

Micronutrients are found in many foods. Healthy people can get enough vitamins and minerals from food. People with HIV or other diseases need more micronutrients to repair and heal cells. In addition, many medications can cause a deficiency of different nutrients.

WHAT ARE ANTIOXIDANTS?

Some molecules in the body are in a state known as rust, also are called free radicals. React easily with other molecules and can damage cells. High levels of radicals seem to cause much of the damage associated with aging.

Free radicals are products of normal body chemistry. Antioxidants are molecules that stop the free radical reaction with other molecules and thus limit the damage they cause. Several nutrients are antioxidants.

Antioxidants are important for people with HIV since HIV infection increases the levels of free radicals. In addition, free radicals can increase the activity of HIV. High levels of antioxidants can slow the virus and help repair the damage it causes.