Wellness

Say goodbye to the endless amount of unhealthy diets that never last and try creating a healthy weight loss plan that really works.

With each new year, more and more individuals are trying unhealthy diets as they are desperate to lose weight. Sadly, people may find ways to lose weight quickly; however, they will most likely gain it all back once they get tired of eating the same old boring foods. It would be nice if more individuals could come to an understanding that the best ways to lose weight include creating a healthy balance in one’s daily lifestyle.

Tired of Trying to Find Ways to Lose Weight Quick Without Any Long Term Results?

In order to follow weight loss solutions that will truly last, individuals must take a deep look into how their weight has become unmanageable. For most individuals, weight gain is a result of a combination of bad habits. Lack of exercise, late-night snacks, and secret hidden candy bar stashes are just a few examples of what might be considered unhealthy habits.

Mose Effective Ways to Lose Weight Include Creating a Healthy Balance to One’s Life

Once an individual understands the combination of bad habits that have been causing their weight gain, the person can create a plan to change those habits and replace them with a new and refreshed healthy routine.

Create a Weight Loss Solutions Goal Sheet

Individuals should try creating a “Weight Loss Solutions Goal Sheet” that can be used for motivation. This sheet should consist of their unhealthy habits with a plan of new healthy ways to lose weight. The list should consist of small steps that can be easily achieved. An example would be:

* Unhealthy Habit #1: 3 Sodas per day. New Goal is to drink one soda per day for the first week, then slowly replace all soda with new healthy liquid.
* Unhealthy Habit #2: 8 P.M. Late night ice cream. New goal is to replace ice cream with fat-free frozen yogurt and eat it by 6 pm.
* Unhealthy Habit #3: Lack of exercise. New goal is to walk a half-mile for the first week and slowly increase walk each week until satisfied with the distance.

Healthy Ways to Lose Weight for the Long Term

The one thing that causes individuals to give up so easily when trying to lose weight is overdoing it and trying to change overnight. This is why the best ways to lose weight include incorporating a lifestyle change in small, easily achievable steps.

Overall, the best ways to lose weight include creating a healthy balance in one’s lifestyle. However, it’s never easy to change overnight, and a new lifestyle is best achieved by creating a plan to change in small steps. So, this year individuals should not allow themselves to get lost in another unhealthy diet that will eventually subside. Instead, they should choose to make a lifestyle change that isn’t so out of reach.

Feeling famished can dash a diet. Here are some quick tricks on how to hold off hunger pangs. Stick to the diet, lose weight by minimizing feelings of hunger.

Hunger pangs can demolish a diet.

 What is perceived as hunger is often really something else - boredom, worry, stress - that masquerades as hunger, so eating is satisfying feelings rather than true hunger
 If the hunger is real, its strength is often overestimated, leading to excessive eating at the next meal.

Either way, the result is excess calories that the body doesn’t really need. So here are some strategies to help stay on a diet, whether the hunger is phony or foody!

Time Factors: When to Eat

“Studies have suggested that eating patterns, which describe eating frequency, the temporal distribution of eating events across the day…may be related to obesity,” according to a group of scientists writing in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

In other words, when you eat is often more important than how much you eat.

 Graze - the study quoted above found that people who eat more frequently during the day are less likely to be obese. Eating four or more times a day was the key. The authors didn't say just what their subjects were eating - but give the grazing strategy a boost by eating nutritious snacks. Healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts, and crisp fresh veggies will be the best bet.
 Eat Breakfast - The same study found that folks who skip breakfast are almost five times as likely to be obese as those who report eating breakfast.
 Eat Early - Breakfast turned out to be important in another study, which found that middle-aged people who had most of their food intake in the morning and less in the afternoon and evening showed less weight gain. The optimal eating pattern appears to involve a hearty breakfast, moderate lunch, light supper, and healthy evening snacks.

“I don’t have time for breakfast” is a common excuse. Got the willpower to be on a diet? Get the willpower to make time for breakfast. Breakfast is important. There are light, fast and healthy alternatives that will kill hunger pangs for hours.

Food Factors: What to Eat

Fad diets come and go, and there is always one magic food or other being touted as “the answer,” but some solid dietary principles are gradually gaining ground.

 Fiber - Fiber fills the tummy without adding a lot of calories. That's why Canada's Food Guide (and the Dietary Guide for Americans) puts so much stress on whole-grain foods, which contain a great deal of fiber. A breakfast of yogurt with fiber or whole-grain cereal is a great start to the day.
 Fruit - Dr. Barbara Rolls, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories, says that fruits high in moisture (such as grapes or oranges) have a low energy density – a lot of volumes containing relatively few calories. They contribute to feelings of fullness. So top that granola with some grapes or mandarin slices and get the best of both fiber and fruit.
 Protein - Dr. Rolls points out that protein-rich foods have staying power to keep you from feeling hungry. Nibble on cheese and nuts. 

There is nothing new in this. It’s a fact. It’s simple.

To stay healthy and keep the weight down, follow these three basic food factors and take advantage of what science has proven (and what Mother always knew): eat a healthy breakfast.

Stay Hydrated. Hydration boosts the immune system. Drink plenty of water as flu viruses prefer dry environments. Water is also important in hydrating the mucus membranes, which are a key component of the immune system.

5 a day fruit and vegetables for Antioxidant protection. There are many known anti-oxidant compounds, over 100 in fact. They are immensely beneficial for the immune system and aid in the repair of damaged cells. The best sources of anti-oxidants are plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Key antioxidants are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Selenium, but there are also many others found in fruits and vegetables, called Bioflavonoids. These are often found in the skins of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

Essential fats. Essential fats play a key role in the cell membrane and maintaining the integrity of cells. They are found in oils rather than hard facts. Excellent sources are fish, olives, coconut, nuts, and seeds.

Alcohol. Excessive alcohol can deprive the body of key nutrients that are important in energy production and cell immunity. High alcohol intake may also inhibit the immune cells’ ability to function, making them less able to deal with bacteria and viral infections.

Lifestyle Factors Influencing Immune Strength.

Exercise. Moderate regular exercise has been shown to support the immune system and reduce the risk of viral infections such as flu. Exercise promotes the greater release of macrophage cells, which attack bacteria. Regular moderate exercise has been shown in studies to reduce by half the amount of sick days associated with cold and flu symptoms.

Sleep. Sleep is perhaps the most important lifestyle issue in immunity. The body does all of its maintenance, growth, and cell repair when we are sleeping. Lack of sleep has a negative effect on the immune system and leaves us open to infection.

Reduce Stress. Stress leads to reduced immune function because the physiological stress response causes the release of hormones that suppress the immune system. It is no coincidence that we are most likely to suffer infections when we are stressed and tired.

Supplements for Immune Support.

Herbal supplements. Echinacea is a very powerful herb for the immune system, and it has anti-viral properties. It should be taken when at risk of infection and at first signs. Garlic is a known anti-viral food that can help boost the immune system dues to its high content of sulfur compounds.

Probiotic supplements. The bacteria in our gut and mucus membranes play a key role in the immune response. A strong microflora boosts the body’s IgA mediated response to pathogens, and intake of a probiotic supplement has been shown to increase the body’s IgA response.

Vitamin & Mineral Supplementation. Some key nutrients are essential for immune strength, and when you cannot always be certain that you are getting enough from your diet, a supplement may be the best way to ensure you are getting all you need. The key nutrients for immune support are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Selenium.

It is important to remember that any supplementation can be dangerous if not done with the correct dosage. Always consult a Nutritional Therapist before taking any herbal, probiotics, vitamin, or mineral supplementation.

Twenty percent of children ages 6 to 11 in the United States are overweight or obese, mainly due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise.

A growing problem in the USA and Europe is overweight and obese children. The condition affects their health, happiness, and self-esteem. Parents need to self-educate and promote healthy nutrition for the whole family. Diets are short-term; making an eating lifestyle change is the best bet. The two healthiest ways of eating are the Mediterranean and vegetarian “diets” that stress lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Energy-Dense Food Adds Unhealthy Weight on Kids

A British study appearing in the issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found a connection – in young children who eat energy-dense food – with obesity as they mature. Energy-dense means food that has lots of calories and unhealthy amounts of sugar and saturated fat. The 1203 kids in the study were initially ages 5 or 7 and retested at age 9. After two or four years, the children following the energy-dense food pattern increased their fat mass.

Energy-dense food also lacks healthy fiber and important vitamins and minerals. It includes fast food such as burgers, fries, and milkshakes and processed, store-bought food like sugary cereals, cookies, and donuts. Healthier, low-energy-dense food is not only low calorie but contains many nutrients and significant water. The biggest stars are most fruits and vegetables. Eating low-energy-dense food with its smaller amount of calories actually allows for eating more volume yet still keep focused on losing weight.

Kids Enjoy Low-Energy-Dense Snacks

At-home healthy eating does not have to be hard and time-consuming. Great examples of choices for lunches or snacks loaded with fiber and nutrients are unpeeled apples, grapes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, low-fat cottage cheese, peanut butter on one slice of 100% whole wheat bread folded around romaine, a small handful of nuts, and canned, low-sodium baked beans.

Two Surveys Report Fast Food Lacks Nutrients for Kids

The Center for Science in the Public Interest conducted a USA survey of kids’ menus at 13 restaurant chains. They found that 93% of menu items were too high in calories, 86% too high in sodium, and 45% too high in saturated fat. They did note a few acceptable menu choices like Subway’s turkey mini-sub with a juice box and apple slices; Arby’s junior roast beef sandwich with a fruit cup and fruit juice; and Chili’s grilled chicken sandwich with apple juice and mandarin oranges.

A Houston, Texas study appearing in the issue of the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that only 3% of kids’ fast food meals were nutritious enough to meet all the guidelines of the National School Lunch Program. The measured standards included amounts of saturated fat, salt, added sugar, calories, fiber, and vitamins.

Kids Should Shun Sodas

Childhood obesity expert David Ludwig, M.D., has found through his research that soft drink consumption by kids also fuels the overweight/obesity problem. His OWL Program (Children’s Optimal Weight for Life) stresses a multi-education approach to weight loss and specializes in treating children’s type 2 diabetes, an illness – primarily brought on by obesity and lack of exercise – that was confined to adults years ago. His New England program treats 500 new patients a year.

Children Need Nutrition Guidance

Parents have an important responsibly to monitor what kids eat. Research shows that even young children who consume energy-dense food with its many calories, too-low fiber, and high saturated fat establish an overweight-eating pattern that can lead to obesity. In addition, fast food, sodas, and inactivity contribute to the increasing obesity epidemic in kids.

It’s three hours before your big first date, with a guy whom you think could be Mr. Right. You want to look your absolute best, which requires feeling your absolute best. But you’ve had a rough day; you’ve had to cope with a lot, and you feel much more manly than you would like to. You want to feel soft and feminine, the perfect woman to impress Mr. Right.

So how? How are you going to make yourself feel feminine and beautiful?

Bubble bath time!

Yes, the first thing to do is stick the plug in the drain of the bathtub, crank on the hot water, and pour in a cup of sweet-scented bubble bath. Soaking in water, especially water laced with skin-softening additives, helps to relax you and relieve the stress of your day. It washes away the dirt grime, creating a more feminine mindset.

In the East, harem women would soak for hours in gigantic, bubbly baths, for pretty much the same reason that you are.

Moisturize and Massage

All right, you’ve been soaking luxuriously in the bath for some time. You get out, pull on your robe, and return to your room.

Now, the next step in making yourself feel more feminine is to massage. Massaging relaxes even further your muscles and makes the skin softer and more supple. You can use either massaging oils or lotion.

Lotions are great everyday moisturizers and work well for massages. Massage oils are wonderful, but they take a long time to sink into the skin. So, if you have somewhere to be within an hour or two, I wouldn’t advise massage oils. The massage medium of my preference is gelled body oil because it gives the luxury of oil, but soaks into the skin faster, like a lotion. It essentially gives you the best of both worlds.

You should give yourself a massage within five to ten minutes after getting out of the bath. Massaging within this time period ensures that the softness of your skin from the bath is kept. When massaging, you should use long, elegant, upward strokes. I suggest starting at your feet and slowly working your way up.

Manicure

After washing your hands-free of excess lotion or oil, you have at least a half-hour to wait for the lotion to soak in completely. This would be a great time to polish your nails, another way to get even more into the feminine mindset.

Select a soft, gentle color. Dark colors such as black and dark blue insinuate manliness; reds suggest seductress. For a feminine set, try a soft shell pink, or a French manicure. Remember to do your tootsies too! While you’re drying, try reading a romance. Reading a romance can sometimes put you in a romantic mood.

Silk and Lace

You should be feeling pretty feminine by now. But we’re not done yet. Now that you feel feminine, it’s time to start to look feminine. Wearing silky underclothes keeps you feeling deliciously feminine, which in turn makes you look feminine.

Lace also implies femininity. It’s elegant and delicate, just like a feminine woman is. Currently, a lot of lace is in style. However, no matter what the style of the hour is, you should wear what makes you look your best.

There are so many more ways to feel feminine. The latter process is my personal way to get into a feminine mindset, which I utilize before a date, big occasion, or even sometimes just for fun. Create your own process of femininity – maybe add a facial to the mix? Do what you like, and have fun. For when you’re having fun, you’re at your best.

Dieters can reach their weight loss goals with soluble and insoluble fiber, which creates feelings of fullness and biochemically affect the body to promote fat loss.

Of the many fat-burning foods, fiber may be one of the best. The fiber in both insoluble and soluble forms can assist in a weight loss diet and help dieters reach their goals.

Soluble and Insoluble Fiber in a Weight Loss Diet

Fiber comes in two forms, and they both work to help dieters lose weight. The two types of fiber are:

 Soluble Fiber Sources– Found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oatmeal, and beans, soluble fiber helps dieters by slowing digestion. This kind of fiber can dissolve in water and interacts with other components of food to help weight loss.

 Insoluble Fiber Sources – Found in fruit and vegetable skins, whole wheat grains, nuts, and seeds. This kind of fiber does not dissolve in water and passes completely through the digestive tract unchanged, making dieters feel full.

How Fiber Nutrition Works to Help Weight Loss

Fiber works in many ways to help dieters lose weight. One function of fiber is to cause feelings of fullness. This works because fiber displaces other foods and takes up more space in the digestive tract than other types of foods, making dieters feel full even though they have eaten fewer calories.

Another way fiber works are by causing fat and sugar absorption to slow down. Soluble fiber, in particular, can slow the absorption of sugar and prevent the rapid changes in blood sugar and insulin levels that lead to dietary fat being stored as body fat.

Components of A High Fiber Weight Loss Diet

Dietary fiber includes many different substances that cause the same health effects. Some of the components in fiber that help weight loss include:

 Cellulose is part of the cell wall of plants; this component of fiber helps bulk up digested food in the intestines.

 Hemicellulose is a component similar to cellulose but made of different types of sugars that the body cannot digest or can only partially digest.

 ß-glucans are another plant cell wall component that acts to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar and insulin levels

 Pectin is a soluble fiber that holds large amounts of water, increasing fullness. It also regulates blood sugar and may lower cholesterol.

 Mucilage is a type of soluble fiber that is completely absorbed by the digestive system and induces the intestines to produce chemicals that help keep the digestive tract healthy.

 Gums are another soluble fiber, similar to pectin and mucilage, with the same effects.

 Lignin is a type of insoluble fiber, the only one not made of carbohydrates, that helps increase the bulk of stool in the intestines.

Healthy adults should eat 20-35 grams of fiber each day, with a mixture of both insoluble and soluble fiber from a variety of foods to create an effective high fiber weight loss diet.

Healthy dieting does not mean starving. Healthy eating habits include rich sources of carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

One of the biggest mistakes people make while trying to lose weight is to skip meals and not eat. This is not healthy eating and can actually cause the body to gain weight. Fairly strict mealtimes are very important in a healthy lifestyle, as is a healthy diet and nutrition plan.

Healthy Dieting Does Not Mean Starving

Healthy dieting involves two steps once the BMI has been assessed. First, calories that are stored on the body as fat must be burned off with exercise. Then, food calories must be reduced with healthy eating plans. The calories a person burns off subtracted from the food a person eats equals current body weight.

While it might make sense to quit eating, the body does not see it that way. Going without food for any length of time causes the body to go into “starvation mode.” The body thinks, “There is no food! I will store fat, so this soul can live!” The body literally holds on to any fat it receives and burns off carbohydrates and proteins. The binge/purge cycle is not healthy at all.

Timing is Everything for Healthy Weight Loss

Healthy weight loss begins with increasing body metabolism. Metabolism is the speed at which a body breaks down food into energy. Many elite athletes have extremely high metabolism rates and have been seen eating stacks of pancakes and pasta. People with slow metabolisms can barely eat a thing and still not lose weight. One dessert or an extra slice of pizza adds more unwanted weight.

One of the biggest weight loss tips among bodybuilders and fitness experts is to eat small meals more frequently. This one healthy lifestyle change increases metabolism so that the body burns food faster. When the body knows it will receive food again in a few hours, it will quit hanging onto fat. Instead of eating three big meals or skipping meals entirely, it is much more effective to eat five to six times a day. These smaller meals should be eaten no more than three hours apart. Splitting three meals a day into six smaller meals burns calories much more effectively.

Healthy Eating Habits Start With Carbohydrates

The key to healthy eating is to balance carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. People who are beginning healthy eating habits need to understand three things: 1) not all carbohydrates are bad, 2) the body needs plenty of protein, and 3) eating healthy fat does not make one fat.

Sugar and high fructose corn syrup must go. Eliminating these two products alone may start a weight loss trend. Alcohol is a form of sugar as well. Cut it out completely, or enjoy one glass of wine on the weekend until the weight is off. Toss out white bread products, doughnuts, white rice, white flour pasta, cookies, and candy. Good carbohydrates are whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. Fresh vegetables and fruits are also heavily emphasized, especially asparagus, leafy green vegetables, carrots, broccoli, and red bell peppers.

Healthy Diets Include Fats and Protein

Saturated fats such as animal fat, dairy products, and ice cream lead to heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. Trans fats are hydrogenated oils like margarine and vegetable oils. Most packaged food contain trans fats. Healthy fats include raw nuts, seeds, avocados, coconuts, olives, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, nuts, flaxseed, and flax oil. Healthy fats are essential to weight loss.

Protein builds muscle and is essential for workout recovery. Good animal sources of protein include “clean” chicken breasts, cage-free eggs, hormone-free non-fat milk, wild-caught salmon, and tuna. Vegans have no trouble building muscle. Plant sources of protein come from black beans and quinoa, lentils and brown rice, almond butter sandwiches, and raw nuts and seeds. Many vegan bodybuilders use brown rice, pea, or hemp protein powders in protein shakes and green smoothies as well.

Fruit juices are usually part of the menu for babies, but when babies grow into adults, it seems that fruit juices become less popular. This is a mistake because fruit juices are very useful. Fruit juices are used for fruit fasting and detox, but even if one is not eager to start a complete detox plan, fruit juices still have their place on the menu.

Fruit juices are easy to prepare. Depending on where one lives, there are different fruits available. However, there are enough fruit juice recipes with more or less universal fruits, such as lemons, apples, or grapefruits, and some of these fruit juice recipes are presented next.

Fruits to Include in a Juice Detox Diet

All fruits are healthy, but the detox and weight loss abilities of some fruits are better than others. Lemons, grapefruits, apples, cranberries, and cherries all have detoxifying properties, and all of them are also good for weight loss.

Lemons top the list because they are rich in vitamin C, and the citric acid they contain is a good detoxification agent. The Master Cleanse (which rightfully has many opponents) is based mainly on lemon, but lemons can be used in less extreme detox recipes as well.

Grapefruits also contain citric acid but not as much as lemons do. Nevertheless, grapefruits and grapefruit juice also have a detoxifying effect.

Apples are known as top antioxidants, and this quality of theirs makes them a good candidate for any detox and weight loss recipe. Cranberries have many organic acids, which dissolve fat reserves.

Sample Juice Detox Recipes for Weight Loss

Many of the juice detox recipes in this list are very popular and very easy to do and have a few varieties. These recipes are known to both detox the body and lead to weight loss. They can be used as a part of a thorough detox but even if one wouldn’t like to venture into it, drinking these juices on a daily basis without any other eating restrictions is still a good approach.

As a rule, all juices are most efficient when drunk early in the morning before breakfast. However, some of them, for instance, grapefruit juice or cranberry juice, are to be consumed between meals.

Lemon Juice Detox

In addition to the Master Cleanse, lemon juice can be used in milder recipes such as this one:

Squeeze 1/2 large lemon (or one small one) into a glass of hot water. Add a teaspoon of honey (or two, if the drink is not sweet enough). Stir well and drink right away. It can be applied daily for weeks.

Grapefruit Juice Detox

A grapefruit juice detox is another alternative. Here is how to prepare:

Peel a grapefruit and run it through a juice extractor. Add water and stir. It is also possible to add a teaspoon of honey. Another alternative is to add some cucumber juice and/or cranberry juice.

Blueberry, Cherry, and Apple Juice

Blueberries, cherries, and apples are all great for detox and weight loss. What is more, the combination is a really delicious one. Here is the recipe:

Take 40-50 cherries and pit them. Add one cup of blueberries. Remove the core of a middle-sized apple and slice it. Put all this into the juicer.

Apple and Celery Juice

In addition to fruits, apples can be mixed with vegetable juices, such as celery, as well. Here is one very simple recipe:

Remove the core and the seeds of three apples and slice them. Add two stalks of celery and two to three slices of lemon. Put all this in the juicer.

Cranberry Juice

Concentrated cranberry juice is hard to drink. This is why there is a recipe on how to make it more drinkable:

Prepare the cranberry juice separately. To each part of cranberry juice, add four parts of water and stir well. In order to make it more palatable, add a teaspoon of pectin.

These juice detox recipes are very simple and require no special knowledge. They can be easily prepared at home. They can be used as parts of a complete detox plan, but even if used alone, they are still useful because they are healthy and delicious.

If both the man and the woman in a relationship are in optimum physical health when they decide to try for a baby, it increases the likelihood of a successful outcome. While a healthy diet plays a big part in a person’s overall health, it is also important for promoting fertility. In fact, a poor diet contributes to infertility. Knowing which foods to eat to increase fertility will help a couple to achieve a pregnancy.

A Healthy Diet to Increase Fertility

Here are the main points to note about eating healthily when trying for a baby:

 Organic Food – Try and eat organic food whenever possible. Organic food is richer in nutrients than non-organic food and contains fewer pesticides and other toxins. Toxins are harmful to hormones and fertility. Also, avoid processed foods that contain toxins such as preservatives and artificial flavorings.
 Complex Carbohydrates – Complex carbohydrates, including whole grains, brown rice, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals and pasta, contain important nutrients. They also contain fiber which helps to remove toxins from the body.
 Protein-Protein contains nutrients necessary for hormone production. High red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of endometriosis. Therefore the majority of protein in the diet should come from white meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds.
 Healthy Fats – Healthy fats found in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel and in nuts and seeds should be chosen instead of saturated fats. Omega-3 fatty acids found in good quality omega 3 fish oil supplements have a positive effect on sperm quality.
 Water-Water is required for balancing hormones and transporting vital nutrients around the body to the organs that need them. Water also helps to flush toxins from the body, a build-up of which can have a negative impact on fertility.

Vitamins and Minerals for Fertility Health

Men and women should make sure they are getting plenty of these important vitamins and minerals in their diets:

 Vitamin B6 – Vitamin B6 is important for the production of female sex hormones and for balancing estrogen and progesterone. Good sources include potatoes, bananas, chickpeas, chicken, trout, sunflower seeds, spinach, avocados, and salmon.
 Vitamin C – Vitamin C helps trigger ovulation. It is also important for sperm production, sperm count, and sperm motility and stops the sperm from clumping together. Vitamin C is found in many vegetables and fruits, particularly red and green peppers, oranges, kiwifruit, grapefruit, broccoli, strawberries, and Brussels sprouts.
 Vitamin E – Vitamin E is involved in the production and balancing of hormones and is important for sperm function and sperm count. It also delivers oxygen to the reproductive organs. Vitamin E is found in wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower and safflower oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, corn oil, spinach, and broccoli.
 Iron – Iron from plant sources is important for promoting ovulation and conception. Lentils, beans (including kidney, butter, haricot, black and pinto beans), blackstrap molasses, and spinach are good sources of iron.
 Selenium – A selenium deficiency is associated with low sperm count and sterility in men and with infertility in women. Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, tuna, cod, chicken, eggs, and brown rice.
 Zinc – Zinc is needed for the efficient functioning of the reproductive organs, and a deficiency is associated with reduced fertility in both sexes. Zinc is required for ovulation in women and for sperm and testosterone production in men. Good sources of zinc include oysters, chicken, baked beans, cashew nuts, yogurt, milk, cheese, chickpeas, and peas.

Although the woman is responsible for carrying the baby, fertility health applies to both men and women. When a couple decides to try for a baby, it is important for both the man and the woman to pay attention to their diets. Eating foods to increase fertility is an important part of planning a pregnancy.

Foods high in vitamin C include citrus fruits, green peppers, kiwi fruit, and broccoli. Ascorbic acid is important for the growth and repair of body tissues.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that performs a variety of important functions within the body. The human body does not make this vital nutrient; it must be consumed in sufficient amounts daily from foods in the diet. Unused ascorbic acid is excreted from the body in urine.

Foods High in Vitamin C

Vitamin C is found in many fruits and vegetables. Foods high in this vitamin include red and green peppers, citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, kiwifruit, broccoli, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cabbage, cauliflower, and potatoes. Both fresh and canned fruits and vegetables count as good sources, along with supplements and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals.

It is possible to get at least 200 mg of ascorbic acid by eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The average daily amount needed by males and females aged 19 years and over is 90 mg and 75 mg, respectively. Smokers and pregnant or breastfeeding women need higher amounts.

Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and light and can be depleted by lengthy food storage and cooking. Microwaving and lightly steaming foods may help minimize nutrient loss during cooking. Luckily, many foods containing ascorbic acid are generally consumed raw and are unaffected by cooking methods.

The Importance of Ascorbic Acid in the Diet

Ascorbic acid is of vital importance in the diet, assisting with:

 Growth, development, and repair of body tissues, including bones, teeth, and cartilage
 Collagen synthesis, a protein needed for making skin, tendons, ligaments, scar tissue, and blood vessels
 Wound healing
 Synthesis of L-carnitine
 Synthesis of some neurotransmitters
 Protein metabolism
 Immune function
 Absorption of non-heme iron, the type of iron found in plants

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps prevent damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of energy production. The build-up of free radicals may speed up the aging process and contribute to medical conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. Vitamin C also helps prevent damage caused by pollution and toxins in the environment.

Ascorbic acid deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, such as dry hair and skin, delayed wound healing, poor resistance to infection, inflamed or bleeding gums, easy bruising, weak tooth enamel, anemia, and swollen joints. In severe cases of deficiency, a condition known as scurvy may develop. Scurvy is characterized by gum disease, bleeding beneath the skin, fatigue, and anemia.

A balanced diet containing a variety of fruits and vegetables is the best way to obtain adequate amounts of vitamin C. Supplementation is an option if nutrient intake from foods is low, but vitamin pills are no substitute for a healthy diet.