The Midlife Woman » cholesterol

Nutritional Facts | The Dreaded

Kathleen — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:11:25 +0000

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It is amazing how countless aspects of life are modified at midlife, including ones nutritional necessities. As a young mother and wife, nutrition facts were very important to me. Back in the day, I labeled the task of grocery shopping “the dreaded.” Acquaintances happening upon my label thought it quite hilarious. Those who knew me well understood completely. You see, I was label reader and very particular about what my family consumed. This is not to say that I am a food extremist but rather vigilantly responsible about their nutritional values. As a result, I would spend countless hours in the grocery store. Every new product received a thorough examination prior to my purchasing. Nowadays I continue to perform “the dreaded” but for those who have a completely different set of nutritional needs. Aaahhh midlife learning… simply embrace it!

Upon receiving the opportunity to review quicknutritionfacts.com, I enthusiastically accepted. The mission of quicknutritionfacts.com is to provide users with nutrition information on foods commonly eaten worldwide and to assist in attaining better health and wellness. The topic suites me completely considering “the dreaded” and midlife alterations, wouldn’t you agree?

Quicknutritionfacts.com

The home page provides little know facts about random foods and changes with each reload of the home page. Front and center users will find essential nutrients link table, broken down into vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Each nutrient page gives a brief description of the nutritional value and the top 25 foods containing that nutrient. Another supportive feature on the home page is a BMI (Body Mass Index) and BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) calculator. Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. Basal Metabolic rate measures the amount of energy your body needs simply to function. BMI and BMR information is very helpful for those who are dieting and exercising to improver overall wellness.

Navigating Nutrition

The website is broken into 25 or so categories of foods and food products. A few main category examples are baby foods, baked products, cereals grains pasta, fast foods, and fats and oils – you get the idea. The main food categories formulate a simple browsing and navigation experience. The custom search option allows users to find specific foods and their nutritional values.

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Nutritional Information

The website provides an easy to read standard nutritional label common to most products. This provides basic nutrition facts, serving sizes, and the daily percentage values. In addition to a standard nutritional label, related vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fats, and sterols are also provided. The nutrition data itself is taken directly from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR23 released September 2010). With each new annual September release, the site will be updated.

Summary

Overall, I found the site very beneficial for those concerned with a variety of nutritional aspects, including dieting, fitness, and healing. It was to navigate, clearly written, and very thorough. Because many of the categories contain the word product, I thought the site might contain brand names. After repeated searches, I found the information to be strictly nutritional and very in depth.

Kathleen

Hey, there I'm Kathleen. My friends call me Kathy; to my kids I'm Momia. Life has afforded me many hats: Mom, wife, sister, friend, business owner... and most recently a midlife blogger. From college to marriage and babies, in the midst of business and wealthy boomers, midlife retrospection validates this extraordinary journey called life.

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Fat Burning Diet Pills, Spicy and Fruity?

Kathleen — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:03:34 +0000

Have you ever wondered about the ingredients of so-called fat burning diet pills? One of the most common ingredients found in these miracle diet pills is Thermodiamine. Apidexin, LipFuze, and Nuphedra all proclaim it as part of their fame! Check this Thermodiamine commentary out. I did a quantity of research on the technical health words found in this otherwise meaningless explanation. My notations are italicized to differentiate the original commentary from my health explanations.

Thermodiamine, otherwise known as Evodiamine, is isolated from the unripe fruit of Evodia Rutaecarpa. In a recent study, (Kobayashi Y et al, 2001) when evodiamine was supplemented at 0.02% in the form of ethanol extract of Evodia fruits in a high-fat diet for 21 days, the body weight, perirenal fat weight and epididymal fat weight were found to be significantly reduced compared to the control group. In case you were wondering, perirenal fat is an accumulation of extra peritoneal fat that completely surrounds the kidney and epididymal fat is defined as of in or pertaining to the epididymis, the tube in male mammals which connects the efferent ducts from the rear of each testicle to its vas deferens. Interesting health facts, just sayin.

The treated groups on a high fat diet gained significantly less body fat than the control groups. Thermodiamine has be said to support an increase in lipolytic (fat burning) activity through several mechanisms.
Similar to the action of cayenne pepper, evodiamine appears to effect receptors known as vanilloids.

These receptors are involved in the regulation of body temperature and used in pepper spray imagine that! However, it does so without the common side effects of burning and indigestion. Cayenne pepper derived from capsicum, presents no burning, better inform the chef before the dish is prepared!

Secondly, evodiamine may support an increased output of Catecholamines.

According to Medline, Catecholamines are small molecules made by nerve tissue (including the brain) and the adrenal gland.

The major Catecholamines are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. These substances break down into other compounds, which leave your body through your urine. A urine test can be done to measure the level of Catecholamines in your body. Similar to diuretics possibly??

Since Catecholamines are intimately involved in fat loss, evodiamine assists in supporting healthy fat oxidizing pathways. Studies suggest evodiamine may support an increase in peripheral heat loss. This result indicates an increase in energy expenditure.

Well I’m convinced, ummm not! What to learn more visit www.lipofuze.net and read it, you will be enlightened. These fat burning diet pills are a load of rubbish, more than likely an immediate health hazard, and possibly present long-term health complications as well.

Kathleen

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Omega-3 fatty acids – Balance those eggs!

Kathleen — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:34:11 +0000

What do you know about Omega fatty acids? Everyone talks about Omega-3s but what about Omega-6s, did you know eggs contain omega-6s? There is a relationship between the two, a balancing act if you will.

According to the archives at positscience.com, in 2005, a study was published in the Archives of Neurology. The study revealed participants of normal aging who ate fish once a week slowed the decline of the thought process by 10%. An earlier study in the same journal found people 65 or older who ate fish once a week or more had a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer disease compared to those who did not eat fish. A number of scientists credit the Omega-3 fatty acids for the positive results. While the studies are not conclusive, they do strongly suggest a possible connection.

I have heard Omega-3s perform many health “miracles” in people. WebMd reports, some experts say Omega-3s encourage the production of inflammation controlling body chemicals of the joints, bloodstream, and tissues. Of equal importance is their ability to reduce the negative impact of omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6s are also considered essential as they contribute to blood “stickiness”, aiding in clotting. Found in foods such as eggs, poultry, cereals, vegetable oils, baked goods, and margarine, Omega-6s support skin health and lower cholesterol however, with an unbalanced amount of omega-6s and omega-3s the blood becomes too sticky. Nutritionist Lona Sandon, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association tells WebMd, “When blood is too ‘sticky,’ it promotes clot formation, and this can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, but once you add omega-3s to the mix, the risk of heart problems goes down”. Oh yeah, I love to bake and would so miss out if it were not for those Omgea-3s doing the balancing act.

The Omega 3 Chewy Fruit Bursts vitamins at Naturesbest are the perfect solution for increasing Omega-3 intake. They contain a whopping 120 mg Omega-3s but also include a healthy dose of vitamins A, C, D, and E. Increasing ones Omega-3s is easy with the natural black currant flavor. Recommended for adults and children 3 years and older, they simply love the fruity flavor and taking their vitamins. Additionally, the oils contained within are non-hydrogenated and highly purified eliminating any fishy aftertaste.

Many of my family and friends claim lower cholesterol levels as well as improved thought patterns while taking Omega-3s. In fact, my aunt swears by them. Omega-3 supplements are much more affordable than Lovaza, without a doubt. Always consult your physician prior to initiating any sort of health-related exercise, diet, or vitamin programs.

Kathleen

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The Midlife Woman » cholesterol

Nutritional Facts | The Dreaded

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