What’s In Your Shopping Cart?

When you go to the grocery store and look in your shopping cart, is it full of fresh colorful healthy foods or is it packed full of pre-packaged dead food loaded down with salt, sugar and preservatives? It is a good question to ask yourself and one that is worthwhile having a closer look at.

More and more studies are proving the association between eating a healthy diet to promote good health and eating an unhealthy diet and bad health. For instance, high intakes of sodium, sugary foods and refined grain products are associated with hypertension (high blood pressure). Low intake of calcium, poor vitamin D status and low intakes of vegetables and fruit is associated with the development of osteoporosis and bone fractures. A diet high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol intake with a low intake of vegetables and fruit is associated with heart disease. Cirrhosis of the liver is associated to poor overall diet and excessive alcohol consumption, and cancer is being associated with low vegetable and fruit intakes. It appears that to be healthy we need a diet that is low in sodium, sugar and refined grain products, contains lean sources of protein, and is high in fiber, complex carbohydrates and vegetables and fruits.

As consumers, there are many factors which can determine what types of foods we eat. Food costs, convenience, availability, health concerns, education, culture and religious beliefs can all contribute to our diet. Labeling can also have a huge impact on what we purchase for food. Some labels can be very misleading making the food sound healthy when in fact it really is not.

There are steps we can take to help us make informed decisions about the food we are buying and consuming. Making healthy food choices is essential for maintaining good health and can help in the prevention of many of today’s health disorders. An easy way to start is with the Canada Food Guide or the USDA ChooseMyPlate program in the USA. These food guides are a good tool to use to see if we are getting the right types and amounts of the foods we need. You can visit the Canada Food Guide website at: http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php or the ChooseMyPlate website at: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.

Another thing we can do to determine whether the food we are buying is good for us or not is to read the label. Look at what is listed in the ingredient list and if it is something you do not know or cannot pronounce it is generally a good rule of thumb to avoid it. If you would like to know what a lot of the chemicals and additives are, there is a multitude of websites and books available that explain what you are eating. Google food additives for a huge directory on the essential information about what is really in the food we eat, which additives we should avoid, and which are downright unsafe. There are a lot of books on the subject as well. Check with your local library or bookstore.

We can also make an informed choice by reading the Nutrition Facts panel on the label. The Nutrition Facts panel can help us make healthy choices for our family and ourselves. The information is based on a specific amount of food, which we can compare to the amount we eat. It also shows the percent Daily Value to see if a food has a little or alot of a specific nutrient. The table also shows how much fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and sodium the product contains. Please keep in mind when reading these panels that the serving size may be significantly low. In other words, 50 ml or 1 teaspoon is not a lot of food but may contain high amounts of fats, sodium and/or sugar. (I will discuss food labeling in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.)

Choosing foods that are high in fibre and low in fat can help to keep us healthy and fit. Lots of fresh veggies and fruit are a must in today’s diet and the fresher and organic we can get is best. The local farmers markets are starting up at this time of year so it is a great way to shop for our fresh food needs.

Eating lots of fresh colorful vegetables and fruits, rich whole grains, raw nuts and seeds, unprocessed oils and fats, drug-free and free-range eggs and lean meats, and organic dairy products while reducing the amount of packaged and processed foods we consume can have a very beneficial effect on our health.

Having a healthy diet is also important in reducing our risk of many of today’s chronic ailments. Not only does eating a healthy diet prevent us from health issues, it also makes us perform better, provides us with more energy, gives us a healthy glow and makes us feel great. What’s in your shopping cart?

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AIM For Strong Bones

The adult human skeletal system is typically made up of 206 bones, whereas a newborn baby has more than 300 bones in their body. Some of the bones in a baby are made of regular bone and some are made of cartilage, which is soft and flexible. As we develop and grow, the cartilage also grows and over time slowly hardens into bone. During this process bones fuse together to form larger bones. The change from cartilage to bone occurs until about the age of twenty.

Both men and women have the same number of bones. Our bones give us shape and support, and help to protect our heart, lungs, brain and other vital organs. They team up with our joints and muscles to produce movement, and if we don’t take care of our bones they become weak, brittle and even break. Strong bones are essential for whole body health and wellness.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and also one of the most essential as it is required for so many bodily functions. Considering that about 99 percent of our body’s calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, it makes good sense to keep our supply topped up. If our daily diet is low in calcium, bone is literally broken down to keep our blood calcium level normal--because calcium plays other critical roles in supporting our bodies’ vital functions such as maintaining our heartbeat and controlling our blood pressure.

Our body continually removes and replaces small amounts of calcium from our bones. If the body removes more calcium than it replaces, our bones will become weaker and have a greater chance of breaking. Because bones have their own ‘calcium bank account’ it’s important we keep this account balanced. If we ‘withdraw’ too much calcium and we’re not ‘depositing’ enough into our ‘calcium bank account’ we run the risk of creating a calcium deficiency, which can lead to an increased risk of fractures, osteoporosis and other ailments.

There are many ways to get calcium in our daily diet and ensuring we’re getting enough, through diet and supplementation, is crucial in maintaining strong, healthy bones. Our diet should include the primary food sources of calcium—dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale and cabbage. Sardines, eggs, tofu and low-fat (preferably organic) dairy products are also rich in calcium, which help support a healthy skeletal frame.

It’s also important we get regular exercise and sufficient sleep. Because bones are living tissue, weight-bearing physical activity causes new bone tissue to form, which makes bones stronger. Not only is this type of physical activity good for our bones, it also makes our muscles stronger. By pushing and tugging against each other, and gravity, both our bones and muscles benefit. Some examples of weight-bearing physical activities include: walking, running, dancing, aquafit, rebounding, stair climbing, hiking and weight lifting.

Considering calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body we tend to think it’s only purpose is keeping our bones and teeth healthy. However, this mineral is also needed for the proper function of our heart, muscles and nerves. Recent studies are linking high-calcium diets to weight loss and are suggesting that a diet rich in calcium may even help lower and maintain blood pressure levels.

Recognizing the importance of calcium to our health, The AIM Companies™ formulated CalciAIM™ which provides highly absorbable calcium and other supporting nutrients which are crucial for proper skeletal function and overall wellness.

Carefully formulated to determine the most beneficial types of calcium, the most effective method of delivery, and a combination of nutrients to help achieve superior whole-body health, CalciAIM™ (along with a healthy diet and exercise) can help us have and maintain strong healthy bones. A combination of 3 types of calcium, magnesium, L-lysine, vitamins C & D, zinc, and copper, this unique powder drink mix delivery system provides excellent calcium absorption levels helping in the development and maintenance of our bones,cartilage, teeth and gums.

We all need to AIM for strong bones and CalciAIM™ can help!

For more information about CalciAIM™ please visit My AIM Store website at http://myaimstore.com/awealthofhealth/ where you can read more, download a datasheet and watch a video. As with any supplement it is always recommended to read the literature thoroughly to find out if the product is right for you, and consult your health care practitioner if you have any medical conditions or concerns.