Diet + Nutrition

Crystallized ginger is a dried fruit version of the somewhat spicy ginger root that people have been eating for centuries. Slices of the root are cooked in sugar water then rolled in sugar to dry and preserve it. Many people use it in desserts, but also for its medicinal purposes as a digestive aid, cure for nausea and many cold symptoms.

Acids and bases are two different classes of chemicals. Acids typically have a sour taste, turn litmus paper red and will create hydrogen gas when reacting with certain metals, such as zinc. Bases, meanwhile, turn litmus paper blue and have a more bitter taste. When acid and base solutions are blended in equal strength, they neutralize each other to create water and salt in a process called neutralization. Many acids and bases occur naturally in the environment.

Vitamin D is not considered an essential vitamin for liver function, but liver function is essential to providing vitamin D to the body. The liver and kidneys change vitamin D to an active form, which actually is hormonal in nature. Because of this, people with liver disorders can develop vitamin D deficiencies.

Medical literature traditionally associates high triglyceride levels with obesity, overeating especially carbohydrates and fats, and lack of exercise. Taking certain common medications including steroids, beta-blockers and birth control pills are also associated with high triglycerides. More recent information from holistic health practitioners, AIDS researchers and periodontal health researchers, consider whether there is an association between high triglyceride levels and infection.

While some women do drop weight while breastfeeding, others find that their weight remains steady or increases. Since breastfeeding women cannot significantly cut their caloric intake without damaging their milk supply, it can be difficult to start a serious diet and exercise program while nursing a baby. While bittersweet and emotional for many new mothers, weaning does offer women a new opportunity to begin a consistent diet and exercise plan.

Alkaline foods are beneficial for the body’s pH level because they help neutralize acidity in cells. These foods also keep the pH level around the optimal level of 7.4, which is beneficial for the body’s functions. If the body’s cells become acidic, the cells will begin to deteriorate. Alkaline foods help the body maintain high energy levels while promoting weight loss. Alkaline foods also produce mental clarity, help the body detoxify and maintain a healthy heart.

Making sure that you are getting adequate amounts of niacin is crucial to the over all health of your body. Lacking there of can have detrimental consequences such as high cholesterol, generalized or muscular weakness, digestive problems, skin infections and lack of appetite just to name a few. Choosing to include these vegetarian foods to your diet can prove worthy at balancing your body’s need for such a vitamin as vitamin B3, niacin.

While everyone knows that exercise is an important part of any weight loss plan, if your body is suffering from pain or alignment issues, it can make it difficult to properly perform any type of exercise routine.

The form of energy the body gets from food calories is not the same form of energy it uses to power its activities. The process that converts the chemical energy in food to metabolically usable high-energy phosphate bonds is called cellular respiration.

If you have problems with your kidneys, you probably need to alter your diet. Because your kidneys have decreased functionality, you may not be able to process the same kinds of foods you could prior to having kidney disease. By changing your diet, you can help ensure that your kidneys are not overly taxed by the foods you eat—one positive thing you can do to slow the progress of kidney disease or degeneration.