Weight may be a number on a scale. But it hangs heavily over the health of many people. That’s because excess body weight can drag down many aspects of your health. So, if you’re looking to maintain a healthy weight, you aren’t alone. Weight management is one of the biggest concerns for people around the world.
Setting goals, making a plan, and using a checklist are all important ways to jumpstart your weight-management journey. But first, you need to get some information.
Take this short quiz to weigh the amount of knowledge you have about weight management. Then see the answers and share your score—and the quiz—so everyone in your life can fill up on this important information.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Weight-management-AdobeStock_214666560.jpg418835staffstaff2018-11-19 08:00:152022-07-24 22:28:1811 Questions to Help You Maintain—Not Gain—Weight
You eat to fuel your life. But your body needs more than the energy and nutrients in your diet. It also needs water to survive. Healthy hydration is required for your body to reach its full potential. And while healthy eating may look different for each individual, water is a universal requirement. There’s no question your body is healthiest when you practice proper hydration.
Although essential, there can be some confusion about why hydration is important. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll learn:
How water works in your body
Why you need to drink water
How to get and stay hydrated
How to spot dehydration
And you’ll hopefully have a whole new appreciation for H2O.
How Water Works in Your Body
Water facilitates countless physiological processes, including, digestion, elimination of waste, and protection. It can be hard to see the role water plays in your body since it is everywhere, all the time. But it is possible to breakdown how healthy hydration keeps your body in working order.
The mouth is the first stop along the digestive tract. And it’s the first stop on your tour of the ways water works in your body. It all starts with saliva. This is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands, but it’s primarily water. Saliva begins the digestion of food by breaking down your meal into smaller pieces.
Water is a great solvent. This means that things, food and its nutrients especially, dissolve and break apart easily in water. So, it’s no surprise water is involved in this part of digestion. Washing down food with water helps digestion run quickly and efficiently.
After mixing with your meal, water continues through your stomach and toward the small intestine. That’s where most of the water you drink is absorbed. The lining of the small intestine is covered with tiny, finger-like projections called villi. These increase the surface area of the small intestine and allow for maximum water absorption.
Water absorbed by the small intestine is transported through your body in blood. So, drinking plenty of water helps you maintain a healthy blood supply.
Sometimes waste material builds up in your blood and needs to be removed. That brings us to the next step on the proper hydration journey—your kidneys.
They filter blood for waste and toxins. They remove unwanted material from your body through urination. This is why it is so important to maintain healthy hydration levels—especially when you don’t feel great.
Another way you remove toxins is through normal bowel movements. Drinking water can also help alleviate constipation. Water softens stool and helps push it through the colon.
Your skin is the final stop on your tour of water’s body benefits. That’s because perspiration is another body function that relies on water. Sweat is composed of water, minerals, electrolytes, and a variety of compounds your body wants to eliminate. Healthy hydration gives your body plenty of fluid to sweat bad stuff out.
In addition to removing waste, perspiring helps you maintain a normal body temperature. How does it cool you off? Water leaves your body through pores, the moisture that accumulates on your skin. When that moisture evaporates—turns from liquid to gas—it helps cool you down. That’s because it takes energy (in this case body heat) to transform liquid water to its gaseous state, water vapor. This process leaves you feeling nice and cool.
Water, Please: Why You Need to Practice Healthy Hydration
With the knowledge of how your body uses water, you can see how important it is to drink plenty. Every bodily function relies on water. Proper hydration helps your body maintain homeostasis—the balance between physiological processes. Without this balance, your body can’t maintain your health.
An example of this was highlighted in a British scientific journal article in 2013. Researchers found that as many as 60 percent of children arrived at school already dehydrated. This lack of fluid early in the day makes learning in the classroom difficult. Concentration and cognitive skills decrease when you’re not fully hydrated.
But the brain fog caused by dehydration isn’t permanent. Researchers concluded that drinking an additional glass of water during the school day enhanced fine motor skills and visual focus.
Staying hydrated does a lot to keep your body achieving peak performance:
Water helps in wound-repair processes, diminishing wrinkles, and keeping skin looking plump and bouncy.
Immune function and germ-fighting power are strengthened when your body gets enough water.
Healthy hydration helps protect delicate bones, your brain, spine, and other vital organs. Spinal fluid, the fluid between joints, and the space around organs is made up largely of water. This liquid acts as a shock absorber and a barrier, protecting your body from damage caused by impact.
How to Attain Proper Hydration—And Stay Hydrated
As you can see, water is a part of all bodily functions. That’s why proper hydration is so critical. Drinking enough water can help your health and make your body happy. But what is healthy hydration, and how can you achieve it?
Recommendations for daily water intake run the gamut. They vary in suggested volume, but one thing is consistent. Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated. While juice, soda, tea, and coffee all contain water, regular, plain water is the most effective way to hydrate.
Why just water? Juice and soda are high in added sugar that can upset your stomach if you’re dehydrated. And can wreak havoc on your healthy diet. Sports drinks may be appropriate for hydrating, but should only be used if you’ve been exercising hard and sweating a lot. It may be more beneficial to drink plenty of water before vigorous exercise and eat a snack like fruit or low-fat granola afterward.
With all the recommendation for water intake, start with a simple goal—adults should drink at about eight, 8-ounce (or about 236 milliliter) glasses of water every day. Being consistent and drinking water before exercise will keep your body happy. If remembering to drink water is difficult, carry a reusable water bottle around with you. Write down how much water you need each day and cross off ounces (or liters) as you drink them.
Don’t forget about the fruits and veggies that are naturally full of water. Apples, grapes, melons, cucumbers, lettuce, and celery are dietary sources of water. These whole foods are not only healthy choices, they help you maintain proper hydration, too.
If you prefer some extra flavor with your drink, adding fruits and veggies to a glass of cold water could be your ticket to healthy hydration. Berries, mint, and cucumber mix together nicely to give a simple glass of water some extra punch without extra sugar. Start replacing sugary drinks with infused water and treating your taste buds to a more wholesome beverage.
How to Spot Dehydration
It’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re busy. But your body can alert you to dehydration with several symptoms. Thirst is the most obvious indicator, but it often comes a little too late. Mild dehydration can set in before you become thirsty, leaving your body to play catch up.
Other signs of dehydration include fatigue, difficulty focusing, and headache. These can be subtle, so it’s important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Should these symptoms creep in, wash them down with a tall drink of water. And keep drinking through the rest of the day for total body re-hydration.
To truly know if you are drinking enough water, look no further than the bathroom stall. The color of your urine points strongly to your state of hydration. Dark urine lets you know you need to drink more. If what’s left behind in the toilet is light and pale, pat yourself on the back. You are well on your way to healthy hydration.
All Water is the Same, Right?
If your drinking water comes from a municipal supply, you may notice a chlorine odor and taste. Chlorine is often used in safe, monitored doses to treat public drinking water and keep bacteria from tainting the supply. Should you want to eliminate the taste or smell of chlorine from your tap water, there are easy and inexpensive ways to do so.
Activated carbon filters can effectively remove chlorine from drinking water. These can be attached to the faucet in your home or used in water-filtering pitchers and vases. Installing an aerator on your faucet can also help reduce the taste of chlorine.
Bottled water is often regarded as better tasting than tap water. If drinking bottled water is suitable to your lifestyle, purchase it in recyclable containers. Reduce plastic bottle waste by reusing water bottles and recycling old ones. Being an accountable and well-hydrated citizen means purchasing bottled water responsibly.
About the Author
Sydney Sprouse is a freelance science writer based out of Forest Grove, Oregon. She holds a bachelor of science in human biology from Utah State University, where she worked as an undergraduate researcher and writing fellow. Sydney is a lifelong student of science and makes it her goal to translate current scientific research as effectively as possible. She writes with particular interest in human biology, health, and nutrition.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Asian-female-drinking-water-AdobeStock_192899502.jpg418835Sydney SprouseSydney Sprouse2018-08-13 10:00:342022-07-24 22:44:45Healthy Hydration – How Your Body Uses Water
Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day. A healthy breakfast can put you on the path to a day full of healthy decisions. And it can also provide the energy you need to dominate your to-do list.
This healthy breakfast quiz will help you master the art of the healthy breakfast. In only nine questions, you’ll test your ability to pick proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fruits, and beverages.
Finish the last question to see your score and cruise the answer key to see where you went astray. And share the quiz and your score with friends. That way you can claim your breakfast-building bragging rights.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Breakfast-with-coffee-OJ-croissant-egg-vegetables-AdobeStock_52703137.jpeg30086016David BakerDavid Baker2018-08-06 10:00:592022-07-24 22:45:47Cook Up a Perfect Score on the Healthy Breakfast Quiz
The hustle and bustle of travel keeps you active and always moving. But whether for work or pleasure, long trips and quick jaunts aren’t always kind to your diet. Packing takes priority over meal prep. Whole foods are overlooked for their simpler, convenient, sugar-filled counterparts. These realities make travel nutrition tough.
But traveling doesn’t need to trip up your healthy eating. There are quick and easy ways to eat healthy while you travel. At the airport, on the road, or in a new restaurant, you can save your diet from sabotage by making smart eating choices.
Scenario 1: Air Travel
Business trips and exotic vacations often require travel by air. But the airport is not the best place to secure a healthy meal.
The stress of checking bags and waiting in line keeps you from focusing on what’s best for your body. Pretty soon, you’re starving. And your only options are to eat in the airport or on the plane. There are healthy choices for quick meals and snacks. You just need to know where to find them.
Plan Ahead: If you’ll be flying during meal time, don’t miss the opportunity to eat. Travel is tiring. Keeping a regular eating schedule sustains energy and prevents you from overeating once you arrive at your destination. Bring snacks with you in your carry-on luggage. Pack food that travels well. Dried fruit, nuts, granola, and low-glycemic protein bars take up little space and will stay fresh on the plane.
At the Airport or On the Plane: Flying can be stressful. So, don’t fill up on foods that will make you feel heavy, bloated, and sick. Airport dining and in-flight meals often feature food high in sugar, salt, and artificial preservatives. These ingredients may be tasty, but they fail to provide you the lasting satisfaction that follows a healthy meal.
Try to find an airport restaurant with a sit-down environment. Choose a balanced meal from the menu and eat it slowly. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and don’t overeat. A stomach full of good, wholesome food will provide you will steady energy throughout your flight. A stomach stuffed with unhealthy foods won’t do you any favors in the air.
If you want to eat on the plane, become familiar with the in-flight menu. Choose a meal that provides fruits or vegetables, protein, and whole grain. Making well-balanced choices in transit can help keep unnecessary snacking under control.
When choosing between complimentary in-flight snacks, look for a nutritious option. Ask a crew member if fresh fruit is available. Dry roasted peanuts provide more sustainable energy than crackers or cookies. And drink wisely, too. Water helps keep you hydrated, while too much caffeinated soda might send you running to the bathroom. (Caffeine is a mild diuretic—and if you consume too much, it could increase urine output.) Should you order an alcoholic beverage, limit yourself to one drink to avoid excess calorie consumption.
Scenario 2: Road Trip
Driving is a slower way to travel than flying. With most of the day spent in the car, you can easily lose track of time and what you’ve been eating. So, if you plan on snacking, fill up on whole foods with nutritional value— berries, bananas, and pistachios are a great place to start.
Plan Ahead: Long car rides are peppered with pit stops. But your choices for food aren’t limited to cheeseburgers and French fries. Bringing along a picnic lunch helps you take control of your travel nutrition to help you eat healthy while you travel.
Pack snacks and meals that are easy for your body to digest. This will help you feel satisfied without the bloating and bellyache caused by fast food. Baby carrots, apples, grapes, cheese, and turkey sandwiches are examples of healthy snacks to bring on the road. Full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and protein, they provide a sustained source of energy and will keep your blood sugar from crashing later in the day. Making a meal ahead of time will help you avoid the temptation to stop for something greasy.
Picnic lunches don’t need to be eaten in the car, either. Find a rest stop or park along your route. Getting out of the car to eat and stretch your legs will break up long periods of driving with some fresh air and exercise. Walking after eating helps your body process your meal. So, stop and enjoy some time outside to ward off boredom and help digestion.
At a Gas Station or Fast Food Restaurant: Stopping at a gas station to fill your car’s tank and use the restroom doesn’t need to end with soda and candy. There are several healthy choices for snacks inside. Walk past the chocolate bars and pick up some trail mix instead. A bottle of unsweetened iced tea is a better selection than soda—regular or even diet.
Many gas stations have refrigerator boxes with pre-prepared salads, yogurt, fruit, and vegetables. These whole foods offer valuable nutrition and will keep you focused and alert on the road.
Should you find yourself in line at a drive-thru, order your meal strategically:
Choose an entrée with grilled chicken, rather than fried.
Exercise portion control and order off the kids’ menu.
Skip the soda and have ice water instead.
Easy substitutions and exchanges like these will protect your diet and keep you feeling well as you travel.
Scenario 3: Dining Out
Home cooking is hard to come by on business trips and family vacations. For some, that’s OK. Trying new restaurants is an enjoyable way to spend travel time. But you may find yourself struggling to keep healthy eating habits. Challenge yourself to find ways to eat well while exploring a new place.
Plan Ahead: Knowing your schedule and planning your meals will help keep dining out from killing your diet. If there is a business dinner or trip to a fancy restaurant in your future, eat light throughout the day. Small, regular portion sizes will keep you full so you don’t overeat later. Snack on low-calorie, high-protein foods. After a day of mindful eating, you can enjoy dinner at a restaurant without all the guilt.
At the Restaurant: Once you’ve been seated, make a plan to order a balanced meal. Look for items on the menu with fresh vegetables and lean protein, like chicken or fish. Watch out for hidden calories in sauces and dressings. Order these on the side.
Chewing slowly and talking with your tablemates will allow you to hear your body’s hunger cues. Don’t feel the need to eat everything on your plate. Restaurant portions are much larger than a healthy meal—so take the leftovers with you, if you have the means to store them. Also consider sharing with a friend.
Resist the urge to treat yourself every time you dine out while you travel. When you decide to splurge, do so in moderation. Fill up on healthy food first. Skip the complimentary chips and salsa or bread. Make sure you save room for your well-balanced, nutritious meal.
Start Your Day Off Right
No matter the destination, fueling for a day of travel starts with a proper breakfast. Powering up with protein and whole grains in the morning keeps you full. It also helps you stay focused as you prepare to hit the road. Hard-boiled eggs, low-fat Greek yogurt, overnight oats, and whole-wheat toast are great for early morning getaways. Prepping your healthy breakfast the night before a big trip is easy and saves you from mindless eating come morning.
If you feel sluggish as your travels begin, steer clear of tempting, sugary energy drinks. These carbonated beverages could be loaded with caffeine, sugar, and artificial flavors. A blood-sugar spike may ultimately be followed by a dramatic drop in energy. That might make you reach for something else to eat.
Choose to perk up with a natural alternative. Coffee and tea are excellent sources of caffeine and offer an early-morning pick-me-up. As “nature’s energy drinks,” tea and coffee are much gentler on your body than caffeinated soda or sugary energy drinks. Tea and coffee are packed with antioxidants that help protect cellular health and promotes healthy immune system function. And these drinks can be easily transported in reusable bottles, making them the perfect companions for long car rides or early-morning flights.
Here’s a few great breakfast tips to help you eat healthy while you travel:
Skip the sugary drinks and pre-packaged pastries. Instead, build your breakfast with whole, nutritious food and drink. You will have better, more sustainable energy to get where you’re going.
If you find yourself eating breakfast in a hotel, look for healthy options at the buffet table. Sliced fruit, whole-wheat toast, eggs, low-fat yogurt, milk, coffee, and tea, are usually available. These are healthier alternatives to sugary cereal, pastries, waffles, and pancakes.
Remember, it’s tempting to fill your plate with too much food from the buffet. Stick to proper portion sizes and a balanced meal.
Have a coffee maker in your room? Heat some water and prepare oatmeal.
Enjoy the Journey
Good travel nutrition is often the exception, rather than the rule. But if you practice healthy eating habits at home, you will be less likely to forget them while out of the house.
Remember to indulge moderately and avoid self-deprivation. Enjoy “cheat” meals while keeping up normal exercise and nutrition. Look for local produce and fresh foods to try while touring a new place. Couple rich desserts in the evening with a day full of healthy choices.
By making smart eating decisions on the go, you can look forward to happy, healthy travels.
About the Author
Sydney Sprouse is a freelance science writer based out of Forest Grove, Oregon. She holds a bachelor of science in human biology from Utah State University, where she worked as an undergraduate researcher and writing fellow. Sydney is a lifelong student of science and makes it her goal to translate current scientific research as effectively as possible. She writes with particular interest in human biology, health, and nutrition.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mother-baby.jpg40046000Toni McKinnonToni McKinnon2018-05-14 10:00:172022-07-24 22:55:50Pregnancy Nutrition- Creating a Foundation for a Healthy Pregnancy and Baby
Gearing your nutrition to better serve your heart is good for your ticker, and your overall well-being. It can be tricky to know the right recipe for heart health. There are many diet plans and strategies from which to choose. When sifting through the oodles of fad diets and fitness plans, a well-balanced approach with the right blend of heart healthy foods should be your target.
A heart-conscious diet fundamentally supports healthy blood flow. Blood rides around the body on the highway of your circulatory system. It’s pumped by the heart and moves by way of arteries and veins. Your blood vessels (especially arteries) rely on a nutritious, well-balanced diet for their health and longevity. A diet filled with heart healthy foods contains nutrition to help maintain healthy circulation.
Finding Heart Healthy Foods
The wholesome nutrition you’re looking for comes from a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats and protein sources. Below, you’ll see five of the best heart healthy foods you can incorporate into your diet this week. They’re also nutrient-dense alternatives (containing a lot of important micronutrients per calorie) to some of the culprits of poor cardiovascular health. Heart healthy foods are rich in nutrients, healthy fats, antioxidants, and vitamins.
Practicing a heart-healthy diet doesn’t require copious planning and preparation. There are simple things you can do throughout the week to gear your diet towards cardiovascular well-being. Simple substitutions and wholesome alternatives to junk food and snacks will help you support your heart’s health.
Here’s your shopping list of five interesting foods so you can cook up a menu focused on heart health.
Fatty Fish
Yep, you read it right. The fats in some fish—like salmon, sardines, and mackerel—support heart health because they’re densely packed with omega-3 fatty acids (also known as polyunsaturated fats or PUFAs). These essential fatty acids are important components to healthy cell membranes and provide a source of energy.
Multiple scientific studies have indicated a possible tie between omega-3 fatty acid and regular heart patterns. Current research indicates that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids promote healthy blood vessel function. By keeping blood vessels in tip-top shape, omega-3 fatty acids can help keep your heart in good health.
Eating fatty fish twice weekly is recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA).
Fish is a great replacement for proteins high in bad fats—like red meat. Replacing two red-meat meals each week with fish will foster a better environment for heart health. Not to mention, the added bonus of consuming fewer calories from fat each week.
Oatmeal
A bowl full of oats is a great way to start the day. That’s because oatmeal has multiple layers of nutritional benefits. Your cardiovascular system will thank you for treating it to a good breakfast each morning.
Oatmeal is loaded with soluble fiber and is well-known for promoting healthy digestion. According to the American Dietetic Association, high-fiber foods have merits beyond digestive health. Your heart’s health depends on fiber, too. Fiber-rich foods (like oatmeal) serve your cardiovascular system by helping maintain healthy levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or “bad” cholesterol) in your blood—provided they’re already in the normal range.
Large amounts of LDL levels in the blood can have adverse effects for your arteries and veins. The mechanism by which soluble fiber impacts LDL levels is still being researched. But many scientists believe that soluble fiber molecules are chemically “sticky” and disrupt the bonds that link LDLs together. Fiber can effectively then “pull apart” (or even keep them from sticking together in the first place) LDL molecules and help support already healthy blood cholesterol levels.
Insoluble fiber is heart healthy, too. They’ve been shown to form a gel-like matrix and bind up many substances that impact heart health, including cholesterol. By reducing LDL cholesterol absorption into the blood, oatmeal and other fiber filled foods support healthy blood vessels. When choosing your meals for the day, reach for foods rich in fiber. The one-two punch of soluble and insoluble fiber is a heart-healthy combination.
Berries
Berries are another great source of LDL-affecting soluble fiber, making them heart healthy foods. These juicy, delicious fruits are also brimming with phytonutrients and potent antioxidants. Polyphenolic compounds called flavonoids (plant compounds shown to have health benefits) make up the berry antioxidant profile. Antioxidants are great for your heart because they help maintain healthy pressure in your vessels. These compounds also protect your cardiovascular system from oxidative stress and free-radical damage.
A bowl of berries is naturally low in calories and fat. That makes them a great option for a healthy body. Berries are sweet and add exciting flavor to smoothies and salads. Snacking on berries instead of processed food helps keep sweet cravings at bay while promoting heart health. Berries also provide added fiber that supports healthy digestion.
Dark Chocolate
One of the most beloved dessert foods can also do wonders for your heart. Dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa and above) has been shown to help maintain healthy blood pressure already in the normal range—a hallmark of cardiovascular health.
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidant compounds called polyphenols. These important phytonutrients support healthy circulation. Dark chocolate’s polyphenols also scavenge the free-radicals that can lead to oxidative damage.
Research has shown that one of the major polyphenols responsible for the health benefits of dark chocolate is called epicatechin. The polyphenol has been shown to help blood vessels relax between heart beats. This relaxation means blood can flow more easily through blood vessels. And your heart likes that. Dark chocolate is a great source of epicatechin, but so are apples, green tea, and dark (seeded) grapes.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for milk chocolate. Most chocolate bars and candies don’t meet heart-healthy criteria. Eat small squares of dark chocolate made with at least 70 percent cocoa. And eat responsibly. Chocolate is relatively high in calories and should be savored, not scarfed down.
Avocado
Trendy and tasty avocados rank high on the list of heart healthy foods. You can mash them and spread on whole-wheat toast. You can slice them to top off your fish tacos. No matter how they’re prepared, avocados are a delicious food that supports your heart.
Avocados contain large stores of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). These healthy fats act like the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. The MUFAs maintain healthy levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol—already in the normal range—and keep blood vessels in good repair.
Avocados are also bursting with antioxidants and potassium. The essential mineral, potassium, is critical for heart health. Potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure already in the normal range. The potassium found in avocados is also useful for managing smooth muscle contraction. Smooth muscle is found all over the body, especially in the intestines and lining arteries. Potassium, therefore, promotes healthy digestion and supports healthy blood flow.
Combining mashed avocado with diced tomatoes into a simple guacamole is a healthy alternative to high-fat chip dips. Enjoy it spread on raw veggies like celery and carrot sticks to avoid consuming with salty corn chips.
Developing a Diet Full of Heart Healthy Foods
These five foods are a great start to a heart healthy diet. But to be effective, they need a diet full of fruits, vegetables, and lots of water. Replacing less nutritious foods with the following options can improve your diet and help it support maximum heart health:
Broccoli
Red, orange, and yellow vegetables
Flax seed
Walnuts
Almonds
Spinach
Asparagus
Oranges
Cantaloupe
Your heart can be subjected to some pretty unhealthy changes as a result of poor nutrition. When planning a heart-healthy meal, try to avoid some common pitfalls. Processed and prepackaged foods are stuffed full of salt and trans fats. These dietary scoundrels work against your cardiovascular system by making cholesterol levels move in the wrong direction.
Fight for your heart. Treat your ticker to some tender love and care. Chowing down on heart healthy foods can support healthy circulation and maintain your heart health throughout your life. The foods you’ve just read about are delicious and easy to incorporate into your favorites meals and snacks. Take action now to support your heart’s health through improved diet and nutrition.
About the Author
Sydney Sprouse is a freelance science writer based out of Forest Grove, Oregon. She holds a bachelor of science in human biology from Utah State University, where she worked as an undergraduate researcher and writing fellow. Sydney is a lifelong student of science and makes it her goal to translate current scientific research as effectively as possible. She writes with particular interest in human biology, health, and nutrition.
Boosting the quality of your diet checks a lot of boxes for your health. Weight, energy, and proper fuel come to mind first. The health of your skin should be added to that list. Nutritional skincare illuminates the natural radiance of your skin through a proper diet.
Your skin is the largest organ of your body. And its health is easily influenced by what you eat. Skin goes through many cycles of renewal and repair. Proper nutrition supplies your skin with the materials it needs to maintain its beauty and strength.
That means eating a variety of healthy, whole foods that include a wide range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, lean proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Below, you’ll read about some of the foods rich in important nutrients for your skin. Make nutritional skincare a priority and ensure these nutrients are in your diet.
Vitamin C
Healthy skin requires a good supply of the protein collagen. This peptide is the most abundant protein in your body and is found in connective tissue and skin. Collagen gives your skin elasticity, bounce, structure, and durability.
Your body needs vitamin C to regulate the amount of collagen produced in your skin. Vitamin C stabilizes the genetic blueprints for collagen production and increases the rate at which it is made. This helps keep your skin looking as firm and healthy as possible.
There’s another way vitamin C influences the appearance of fine lines in aging skin. Oxidative stress leads to wrinkled skin. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that acts as a free radical scavenger and maintains healthy levels of toxic oxygen species in cells. So, vitamin C can aid in repairing the oxidative damage done to your skin cells to keep it looking healthy.
This nutrient can also support the production of cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts help maintain healthy skin, but their numbers dwindle with age. By recharging your body’s ability to produce fibroblasts, vitamin C gives your skin the tools it needs to maintain a youthful appearance.
Vitamin C is found in many fruits, vegetables, and dietary supplements. Good sources are:
• Oranges
• Apples
• Strawberries
• Spinach
• Broccoli
Eating a diet rich in vitamin C can help protect your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And if you’re looking for another vitamin to pair with it, vitamin E also an important part of nutritional skincare.
Glucosamine
This mega molecule does a lot of work to keep your skin in tip-top shape. Glucosamine is an amino sugar necessary for building proteins and lipids in your body. As a precursor to hyaluronic acid, glucosamine is critical to supporting the production of this important ingredient in skin. That’s what makes glucosamine key to nutritional skincare. Because hyaluronic acid is widely known for its effects on skin health and appearance.
Making hyaluronic acid more available to vulnerable areas of skin is one way glucosamine helps maintain a healthy-looking complexion. Here’s how it works. Hyaluronic acid stabilizes and strengthens the tissues that heal minor skin scrapes. By supporting healthy levels of hyaluronic acid, glucosamine has the power to repair and fortify skin. As an added bonus, glucosamine can inhibit the production of a pigment called melanin. This works to reduce the appearance of age related dark spots.
Increasing the amount of hyaluronic acid in your body makes glucosamine a key part of your nutritional skincare. Look to this important molecule to help support normal pigmentation, and skin repair.
Glucosamine is most often obtained through nutrient supplementation, since dietary sources are scarce. Seafood, namely shellfish, can contribute significantly to the dietary sources of glucosamine. But if you want to incorporate it into your diet at optimal levels—those shown by research to be effective—supplementation is your best option.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin—A Powerful Pair for Nutritional Skincare
Lutein and zeaxanthin are known to support healthy eyes. And evidence suggests these nutrients could be an important part of your nutritional skincare, too. By working together to filter blue light, lutein and zeaxanthin help protect your eyes and skin from the effects of the sun.
High-energy visible light (HEV, or blue light) is emitted by the sun, your laptop computer, cell phone, and LED lights. Your skin’s defense against the barrage of blue light is filtering it out. Lutein and zeaxanthin are some of those filters.
Both behave as antioxidants and help keep free radical damage from blue-light exposure in check. These nutrients are not produced by your body, so it’s important to include them in your diet.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids—plant pigments. Other carotenoids, like beta carotene, can support your skin’s appearance, too. You’ll find these carotenoids in yellow and oranges foods. Cantaloupe, carrots, orange and yellow peppers, egg yolks, and salmon are all rich sources of zeaxanthin and lutein. They’re also found in green, leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, peas, and lettuce. Including these foods in your healthy diet can pay off in clear eyes and healthy-looking skin.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Known as the “universal antioxidant,” alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is great at fighting off free radicals. ALA is active in both lipid layers of the skin and water-filled skin cells. Its primary role in the body is protecting cells from oxidative damage. Alpha-lipoic acid binds to oxidants and diffuses potential damage.
Oxidative damage causes wrinkles and fine lines. So, ALA is an important component of nutritional skincare that can help you achieve healthy-looking skin. ALA can also support even skin tone and minimize the appearance of redness and blotchiness. Wrinkles are kept at bay because antioxidant compounds like ALA protect the structure of your skin from oxidative stress.
Another function of ALA is the regulation of nitric oxide production. Levels of nitric oxide in your body influence the amount of blood flow to your skin. Increased blood flow helps your complexion transform from a dull and pale appearance to vibrant and glowing one.
One more function of ALA is its role in energy production. Alpha-lipoic acid serves as an essential cofactor in the biochemical cycle that turns macronutrients (your food) into energy. This cycle (citric acid cycle) produces the majority of the energy your cells need to function.
Your body creates very small quantities of ALA. There are a few food sources of this compound, but their bioavailability is limited. These foods include: kidney, heart, liver, broccoli, spinach, and Brussels sprouts. It’s most readily available to your body in the form of nutrient supplements. Increasing the amount of usable ALA in your body supports free-radical scavenging and provides antioxidant benefits.
Curcumin
Curcumin is another pigment that should play a role in your nutritional skincare. This phytonutrient is derived from turmeric, a spice used in preparing vibrant, tropical cuisine. Turmeric (and curcumin) comes from the root Curcuma longa and belongs to the ginger family. Adding turmeric to a meal gives it a beautiful bright yellow color.
But curcumin doesn’t just brighten up your plate. It has demonstrated considerable ability to help reduce the appearance of puffiness and swelling. By blocking the biochemical steps that produce the look of red and irritated skin, curcumin helps your skin tone look smooth and even.
H2O
Nutritional skincare doesn’t have to be hard. Probably the simplest thing to do to help your skin is drink water. And lots of it.
Hydration is crucial for the appearance of healthy and supple skin. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day provides your skin with an ample supply of moisture and helps flush out toxins.
Water helps fill out your skin to provide a smooth appearance. It also helps your skin look plump. You can maximize the effectiveness of topical moisturizers by making sure your skin is well hydrated.
Cell Signaling and Nutritional Skincare
Your skin is only as healthy as the cells that make it. And your diet has a big impact on your cellular function—including cellular communication or cell signaling.
Cells work together by communicating through chemical and electrical impulses. Cellular communication is the foundation for skin health, and the vitality of all your overall health.
So, you need to watch what you eat to ensure your skin cells are a well-oiled machine and fit for duty. Because promoting your cells’ natural ability to communicate helps your body (and skin) look good and feel great.
Your Skin, Your Choice
Nutritional skincare—and supporting your overall health—starts with your choices. When selecting nutritional supplements and shopping for food, look for items that provide a wide range of vitamins (especially C and E), minerals, omega-3s, and healthy proteins.
And think about what you can do to support healthy cellular communication. That include consuming foods and supplements that have plenty of antioxidant activity, are good sources of essential vitamins and minerals, and contain plenty of phytonutrients.
What you choose not to eat is also important. Limiting sugar and refined carbs can be helpful for your skin. So, next time you reach for a snack, think about how it might feed into the beauty of your skin.
About the Author
Sydney Sprouse is a freelance science writer based out of Forest Grove, Oregon. She holds a bachelor of science in human biology from Utah State University, where she worked as an undergraduate researcher and writing fellow. Sydney is a lifelong student of science and makes it her goal to translate current scientific research as effectively as possible. She writes with particular interest in human biology, health, and nutrition.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Nutritional-Skincare.jpg7111200Sydney SprouseSydney Sprouse2018-01-15 06:00:182022-07-24 23:13:39Nutritional Skincare: Beautiful Skin Starts with Your Diet
Variety is the spice of life, and it’s time your plate matched this proverb. It’s likely your meals could use a makeover by practicing colorful eating.
Surveys show that a troubling majority of adults still don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. In fact, as of 2013, 76 percent and 87 percent of adults did not consume the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, respectively. That means most adults are missing out on the benefits of a plant-rich diet.
Diversifying your diet with colorful eating is worth it—for your palate and your health. Fruits and vegetables add more than splashes of vibrant color to your diet.
Each color represents different phytonutrients, or plant-derived micronutrients, that can support many systems in your body. So, colorful eating means helping to maintain your cardiovascular and immune system, your eyes, your brain, and healthy cellular communication.
The first step in reversing this deficit is to visually assess the colors on your plate. Ask if your meal looks monochromatic—all one color, like whites or browns. If it is, liven things up by adding in vibrant sides of in-season fruits and vegetables.
Adding color to your diet doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Since each color represents different types of beneficial compounds, any color will do. Below, your options are broken down by the colors of the rainbow. The sections will tell you more about what each color can offer. Lastly, you’ll have shopping suggestions to diversify the produce in your grocery cart and make colorful eating easier.
Red is for More than Roses
Red fruits and vegetables often contain beneficial compounds like carotenoids and flavonoids. These naturally-occurring compounds offer a range of health benefits when consumed regularly.
Carotenoids are a group of pigments synthesized by plants. Commonly found carotenoids include beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene. Many of these act as antioxidants in the body, helping to neutralize free radicals. This activity can help protect your cells and support your health.
Additionally, these carotenoids play an important role in good vision. Beta-carotene, for example, is also known as provitamin A. This means that the body converts dietary beta-carotene into vitamin A, or retinol. In the retinol form, it’s a necessary component of a chemical reaction—occurring in the retina—that ultimately helps with low-light and color vision.
Lycopene also deserves a closer look. When regularly eaten, lycopene has been associated with increased levels of antioxidant enzymes and reduction of oxidative stress. Furthermore, observational studies have shown promising data about a link between dietary lycopene and the maintenance of overall health.
To boost levels of lycopene in your diet, reach for tomatoes—fresh or canned. Get creative with how you incorporate colorful eating into your meals. This will keep you from getting bored. Some ideas include: caprese salad, tomato soup, and pasta with marinara sauce.
But there’s more to the color red than just lycopene. Red-hued foods contain vitamin C and phytonutrients, like flavonoids—which also act as antioxidants.
These phytonutrients aren’t restricted to food alone—they can also be found in beverages. So, if you enjoy the occasional glass of red wine, do so guilt-free! Red wine packs a punch when it comes to flavonoids and similar compounds—especially resveratrol.
What to buy: Consider spicing up your shopping list with a variety of red foods.
Vegetables: beets, red cabbage, radishes
Fruits: tomatoes, red grapes, strawberries, pomegranates, red bell peppers
Beverages: red wine, tea
Orange & Yellow—The Bright Side of Fruits & Veggies
Fruits and vegetables that are orange or yellow also provide carotenoids. The most common one found in orange and yellow plants is beta-carotene.
As mentioned above, one possible fate of beta-carotene is its conversion to vitamin A upon ingestion. However, when beta-carotene is not converted, the body uses it as an antioxidant.
Orange and yellow plants also offer essential vitamins and minerals—vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium. For example, citrus provides large amounts of vitamin C, an antioxidant and essential nutrient.
What to buy: Add the following to your grocery list to brighten each meal.
Vegetables: golden beets, sweet potatoes, corn, turmeric
Since you were a kid, you’ve probably heard something along the lines of “Eat your greens.” It doesn’t sound very exciting. But when you look at what these greens are packing, you might find them more enticing.
Green plants provide a wealth of carotenoids and essential nutrients in the form of vitamins A and K, and potassium. Leafy greens also offer a healthy dose of calcium. If that list doesn’t impress you, consider the fact that many green veggies are sources of glucosinolate. This compound is a precursor to isothiocyanates.
These are the compounds that give some vegetables a slightly sour, bitter, or “skunky” taste. But you should learn to love the flavor because of all their health benefits. They play a role in cell signaling, support your detoxification pathways, aid in the production of glutathione and have antioxidant activity.
You can get your fill by consuming cruciferous plants, or vegetables within the Brassica family. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale are some of your options. If you want the most bang for your buck, one group of researchers has shown that mustard greens and cabbage are particularly high in these beneficial compounds.
Also consider chowing down on spinach, kale, turnip greens, or collards if you want your plate to go green.
What to buy: Pick up a variety of these greens the next time you’re at the market.
Fruit: apples, pears, green grapes, kiwi, honeydew melon, limes
These Blues (and Purples) Won’t Get You Down
Plants that are purple and blue in hue are rich in anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanins are yet another group of flavonoids. These micronutrients act as antioxidants, primarily helping to protect cells and tissues from oxidative damage.
A group of researchers analyzed 15 fruits and seven vegetables to determine the content of these beneficial pigments in each. Of the blue and purple foods, the following had the highest concentration of anthocyanins: wild blueberry, elderberry, black raspberry, and eggplant.
What to buy: Next time you’re in the grocery store, add some of the following to your shopping basket.
Fruits: prunes, figs, plums, grapes, eggplant, purple- or blue-colored berries
Color Outside the Lines with Colorful Eating
Understandably, it can be difficult to incorporate these items into meals for picky eaters or those pressed for time. However, you can employ some tricks to increase the amount of colorful eating you’re doing. And here’s a secret: they’ll taste good too!
Add mild-tasting greens, like spinach, into smoothies. If you’re averse to vegetables in a smoothie, offset the flavor with something sweet, like strawberries. Try milk and banana for creaminess, your greens, and frozen strawberries to keep it cool and thick. Blend and you’ll be well on your way to the recommended daily five cups of fruits and vegetables in one on-the-go meal.
Try a slightly healthier version of mashed potatoes by substituting one-third of them for steamed root vegetables, like carrots and turnips. Even cauliflower can serve as a substitute. Mash the mixture together with salt and a small amount of butter or a healthier alternative—like olive or avocado oil. This alternative will still be the creamy, starchy dish you know and love, but with more phytonutrients in the mix and a dash of fiber to boot. And limiting potato intake has been shown to be a good move for your weight.
Opt for a health-conscious dessert by subbing chilled coconut milk and your favorite berries for ice cream. Your sweet tooth will be satisfied and you’ll get a big dose antioxidants and flavonoids, too.
About the Author
Jenna Templeton is a health educator and freelance science writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech, Jenna spent five years as a research scientist in the nutritional industry. This work fueled her interest in personal wellness, leading her to pursue a graduate degree in Health Promotion & Education from the University of Utah. Outside of work, Jenna enjoys live music, gardening, all things food, and playing in the Wasatch mountains.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AdobeStock_77226806.jpeg8001200Jenna TempletonJenna Templeton2017-12-18 10:00:122022-07-24 23:16:32Your Guide to Colorful Eating: Eat the Rainbow
After a good night’s rest, you’re recharged and ready to take on a new day. It’s important to fuel your body with the energy it needs to get work done. Eating a healthy breakfast is your best bet and sets you up for your entire day ahead.
Even if you aren’t hungry in the morning, it’s a good idea to eat a healthy breakfast. And it can come in many shapes and sizes. But there are a few things you can do to maximize your morning meal.
Amp up the Protein
Protein is an important component of a healthy diet. Many scientific studies have shown that consuming a high-protein breakfast reduces the urge to snack on high-fat and high-sugar treats. Eggs, yogurt, and lean meats provide the fuel your body needs to make it through the day. These foods are rich in protein and provide long-lasting energy.
Your muscles also need protein to stay in shape. Your recommended amount of protein per day depends on your weight. It’s 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight (or 0.36 grams per pound). To find your number, multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8 or your weight in pounds by 0.36. For example, if you’re 70 kilograms (155 pounds), you need to get at least 56 grams of protein each day to supply energy and maintain muscle mass. Divide your daily protein requirement by your number of meals to find how much protein you need for breakfast.
Plugging protein into your healthy breakfast can help throughout the day. You can fight your snack cravings and maintain your muscles by starting each day with a protein-packed breakfast.
Choose Low-Glycemic Options
The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly your body absorbs sugar. Sugar, or carbohydrates, are an important and essential part of a healthy diet. But you have to be deliberate in the carbohydrates you chose.
When you opt for high-glycemic options, your blood sugar quickly spikes. This isn’t healthy and your body knows it. As a response, it dumps a lot of hormones into our blood stream (the major one of course is insulin) to coax your cells to absorb it—quickly.
As a result, even more quickly than your blood sugar rises, it comes crashing down. This can result in low blood sugar (also an unhealthy circumstance). When this happens, you can feel tired and lose focus. The response is your brain telling you to eat something—and anything—quickly. As a result, you reach for the closest thing (snack), which tends to be an unhealthy option.
To break this high-glycemic rollercoaster ride, choose carbohydrates that are absorbed more slowly to keep your blood-sugar levels low. This will also help you keep feeling full for longer and will provide a longer-term source of energy for your body (and brain) to use. And because your blood sugar won’t come crashing down, you get hungry slowly and this gives you time to make healthy food choices for your upcoming meals.
It has also been shown that people who eat breakfast—and especially low-glycemic breakfasts—tend to eat fewer calories through the day.
Choose Whole Grains for a Healthy Breakfast
Now that you have the protein taken care of, let’s help you chose the healthy carbohydrates in your breakfast. Here you want to focus on fiber. That’s because it aids in digestion and keeps you feeling full after a meal.
Whole grains have higher fiber content than their refined counterparts and are better for you. By choosing whole grains, your body can help maintain steady blood sugar and avoid sudden spikes or drops. Whole grain foods help maintain healthy cholesterol already in the normal range and support heart health.
Phytonutrients (nutrients derived from plants) are also abundant in whole grains. They’re important because your body can’t make these essential compounds. Eating whole-wheat toast, or whole-grain cereals can increase the fiber and phytonutrients in your diet and will help you stay full throughout the day.
Skip the Juice, Go with Fruit
Fruit juice is a tempting choice when preparing breakfast. Unfortunately, these drinks are high in sugar, low in fiber, and associated with negative health effects.
So, juices aren’t the best choice for a healthy breakfast. Going with whole fruit is more nutritious. Whole fruit can satisfy a craving for sweets and has the added benefit of fiber, which helps support healthy digestion.
Some of the best fruits to eat at breakfast are berries, grapefruit, and bananas. Berries are loaded with antioxidants and help maintain cellular vitality. Grapefruit is full of fiber and can fill you up faster than pastries and sweet drinks. Bananas are packed with potassium, vitamin C, and other vitamins and minerals. These micronutrients help maintain a healthy body and sustain you throughout the day. And bananas are easy to grab and take with you when you’re in a hurry.
Be Smart About Your Fat Selection
Fat isn’t a bad word. It’s one of the essential macronutrients and provides a great source of sustained energy. Fat can even help you feel full longer. But you have to be selective about the type of fat you choose and be careful about the extra calories they add.
That’s because not all fats are created equal. Trans fats—like margarine—should be avoided altogether. For other fats, you should first consider the source.
An avocado and a pork sausage patty both contain fat. But it’s pretty easy to guess which one is better for your body. As a general rule, fats that come from plants are usually healthier and fats that come from animals are usually less healthy.
So, don’t skip the fat. Just be smart about your selection.
What You Drink Matters
When you find yourself in need of a morning beverage, look to water, coffee, and tea instead of caffeinated soda, juice, or energy drinks—even so-called “diet” options. These sugary beverages can spike blood sugar, dehydrate your body over the course of the day, and in the case of diet beverages, even trigger you to snack more.
Water provides lasting hydration and helps your body function optimally. Tea and coffee are natural sources of energy boosting caffeine and have been shown to activate the areas of the brain that keep you alert and focused. Green, white, black, and herbal teas are also valuable sources of phytonutrients and antioxidants. These compounds are important for supporting healthy cell and immune function.
Pair Your Favorite Healthy Breakfast with Nutritional Supplements
Even when you try to eat right, your nutrient supply can fall short of your daily needs. Multivitamins are quick, easy ways to ensure your body has all the vitamins and minerals it needs to keep your engine running smoothly.
Nutritional supplementation, as recommended by your healthcare provider, helps close the gap between what your body needs and what your diet provides. Supplements can optimize the efficiency of your cellular communication, help support your immune system, and help you turn the macronutrients you just ate (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) into the energy your body needs for the day.
Start your day with a healthy breakfast and a multivitamin to put your body in the best position for success.
Easy Ways to Make Better Breakfast Choices
Eating a healthy breakfast doesn’t have to be difficult. Small changes and substitutions to your current breakfast routine could be enough to improve your morning nutrition.
Here are some simple ways to have a better breakfast today:
Substitute white bread with a whole-grain alternative.
Try to avoid most cold cereals. Even what looks to be the healthiest choice tends to be high glycemic.
Drink tea or other healthy beverages instead of juice. If you need to sweeten, use natural sweeteners like stevia or agave nectar.
In a hurry? Make sure your on-the-go breakfast includes a fruit/vegetable, protein, a smart fat, and whole grains. A piece of fruit, hard-boiled egg, and whole-wheat bagel will fill you up, fuel your busy day, and help you make smart eating choices later on. Or alternatively, a low-glycemic meal replacement shake can be quick, healthy, on-the-go option.
Take a multivitamin at breakfast each day. After you make it a habit, taking your vitamins will be easy to remember.
Put Your Healthy Breakfast Knowledge to the Test
You’ve read all about what makes a healthy breakfast. Now see how much you learned. This nine-question quiz was cooked up so you can see if you’re a healthy breakfast master.
Sydney Sprouse is a freelance science writer based out of Forest Grove, Oregon. She holds a bachelor of science in human biology from Utah State University, where she worked as an undergraduate researcher and writing fellow. Sydney is a lifelong student of science and makes it her goal to translate current scientific research as effectively as possible. She writes with particular interest in human biology, health, and nutrition.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/1024px-Fruit_and_vegetables_basket.jpg6831024David BakerDavid Baker2017-11-30 10:51:302022-07-24 23:18:23Fruits vs Vegetables: Can You Tell Which is Which?
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