Whole Grains for Good Health

Are you aware about the benefits of eating whole grains? Do you know that whole grains can make us live longer? According to a research conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, whole grains (brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole oats, etc.) could help protect against cancer and cardiovascular disease. The research further revealed that the people who eat about 4 – 5 servings of whole grains in a day live longer than those who eat little or no whole grains.

The research was based on the findings conducted in the United Kingdom, the United States and Scandinavian countries during 1970 – 2010. The researchers examined the health records of almost 786,000 people and stated that, people who consumed about 70 g of whole grains a day had a 23% lower risk of heart disease, and a 20% lower risk of death from cancer, a 22% lower danger of all cause death, compared to people who ate no whole grains.

As per Dr. Qi Sun, the study’s lead author, the Harvard University, “the study further supported present dietary guidelines recommend that at least three daily servings or 48 g of whole grains to improve long-term health”. Other than heart and cancer disease, whole grains reduce the risk of stroke and Type 2 diabetes and helps in maintaining blood pressure and weight as well.

The study further revealed that, increasing a daily serving of whole grains, which is about 16 g, reduce the death rate due to cancer by 9%. It is also suggested to include 6 - 8 servings of whole grain per day in our food. Some of the best sources of whole grains are: steel-cut oats, barley, brown rice, millet, whole grain bread, etc.

Though, the research is not supported when compared with past study data as the past records didn’t confirm any consistent definition of whole grains in terms of good health. Due to this, researcher’s may extend the research to validate the theory about whole grains.

You can learn more about healthy food groups by joining Shaw Academy’s online Nutrition program. To know what their students are saying, read Shaw Academy review online.

How Hydration Affects Performance

One of the essential feature of a healthy nutrition program is hydration. Hydration involves providing the body with enough water to function and to prevent from consequent injuries. It’s recommended for athletes to hydrate while exercising, to restore the fluids lost through sweat. We all know that our body is made up of approximately 60% of water. Water regulates blood volume, controls body temperature and is involved in muscle contractions. Even a mild dehydration can seriously impact the athletic performance. There are many benefits of keeping the body hydrated while exercising, such as:

Fluid helps to control body temperature: When the body temperature increases above normal, it can affect the body’s energy systems. This interference, as a result, negatively impacts both performance and recovery.

Fluid helps to regulate blood pressure: Controlled blood pressure regularizes heart rate and, hence, manages body stress during physical activity and recovery. Extreme stress can lead to inflammation and interfere performance.

Fluid helps in the movement of vital energy nutrients: Important nutrients like carbohydrate, fats, protein, and other supporting nutrients that supply energy to the body are all transported by water in the body. Moreover, water helps to remove the metabolic waste from the body that is produced during intense exercise.

Whether you’re a professional sportsperson or a recreational exerciser, it’s essential to ensure you get the best amount of fluid before, during, and after workout. If you’re not appropriately hydrated, your body can’t perform at its top level. You may experience dizziness, vomiting, muscle cramps, and fast heartbeat.

There is no fix rule for how much fluid to take while workout. However, according to the American Council on Exercise, “drink 18 to 20 ounces of water before you start exercising; drink 8 ounces of water 15 to 20 minutes before you start exercising and drink 10 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you work out”. As with diet plans, a hydration procedure should be consistently followed for best results.

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Feeding Problems in Newborns

Most of the babies suckle well soon after the birth. However, some babies take a very long time to finish a feed or feed with varying degrees of difficulty. According to a study, “Feeding problems are estimated to occur in up to 25% of normally developing babies and in up to 35% of babies with neurodevelopmental disabilities”. Feeding problem can be termed as the failure or rejection to eat few food items.

Problems with feeding may lead to various health issues, such as negative nutrition, psychological and developmental sequelae. So, early recognition and management of feeding difficulty is very important. Some of the symptoms of this are, difficulty sucking, vomiting, fever, lethargy, partial to total food refusal, multiple food dislikes, etc.

Some babies feed poorly because of many reasons. Mouth ulcer, a fungal infection is one of the reasons of difficult feeding that appears as plaques or white patches on the tongue, roof of the mouth or the lips and inside of the cheeks. This can be treated with an anti-fungal gel. Apply the gel on the affected area after each feed.

Some babies are born with a gap, called as a cleft palate in the roof of the mouth. This can be easily seen when your baby is crying or opens the mouth wide. This may cause milk to enter the nose when your baby is trying to suck and cause blocking. Premature babies also find difficulty in coordinating the suck-swallow-breathe actions. However, this improves as the baby gets older and with more feedings.

Infants with feeding problems may also be at risk for chronic lung disease, dehydration and aspiration. If you find the feeding problem symptoms in your baby, consult with the doctor immediately. Treatment varies greatly depending on the cause of the feeding problems. Some of the common treatment options are, nutritional changes, individualized feeding therapy, postural or positioning changes, mouth exercises, medications, etc.

If the feeding issues are recognized on time, the prognosis is generally favorable and is usually resolved with no long-term health effect.  If not, however, it can lead to many problems, including slow physical and mental development, learning disorders, and more. 

Found this information useful? You can learn more about your baby’s good health by joining Shaw Academy’s Child Nutrition program. You can also read Shaw Academy Reviews online on their Facebook page.

Are You a Health Food Junkie?

You must have heard about obesity and about the different ways to overcome it by eating healthier. However, when the urge for eating healthy becomes a mental obsession, you might develop Orthorexia Nervosa - a fixation on righteous eating.

Orthorexia nervosa is a term discovered by Dr. Steven Bratman, an American physician in 1996 to define a few of his patients who took healthy eating to an extreme. Orthorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by excessive obsession with eating food believed to be healthy. It restricts food that is not healthy, clean, or wholesome to the level of rigidity. Food items with artificial flavors, colors, or additives, animal or dairy products, added sugar or salt, unhealthy fats, and genetic modifications are obsessively avoided. People suffering from orthorexia ate fixated on the healthy diet rather than an ideal weight. They only eat foods that give them a feeling of being healthy and well.

Orthorexia nervosa symptoms are serious, long-lasting, and go beyond a lifestyle choice. The symptoms of Orthorexia nervosa may include:

• Possessed concern over the relationship between food selections and health issues.

• Extreme avoidance of foods because of health concerns and food allergies.

• Obsessive worry over how food is prepared, specifically the washing of food or utensils.

• Avoiding people who have different opinions about eating healthy food.

• High consumption of supplements, herbal remedies or probiotics.

• Serious thinking about people who do not maintain a healthy diet, etc.

Orthorexia nervosa can result in strictly reduced interest in all other interests and activities until relationships become weakened because the person suffering from orthorexia believes he/she is superior to others. Developing an obsession with healthy food may cause a limit of calories because available food isn’t considered to be good enough. Orthorexia nervosa can lead to malnutrition, weight loss, and restrictive caloric intake. This may cause cardiac complications.

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