Nu·tri·tion
n(y)o͞oˈtriSH(ə)n/
noun: nutrition
The process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
ORGANIC FOODS
"Organically grown" food is food grown and processed using no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Pesticides derived from natural sources (e.g., biological pesticides) may also be used in producing organically grown food.
GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. These are foods that have been altered at the gene level and treated with antibiotics and hormones. In short, the food source is being created in a laboratory by splicing genes from one species into those of an entirely different species. This includes animals bred from test tubes.
GMO FOODS
Raw Foods (Raw Food Diet)
Is the dietary practice of eating only uncooked, unprocessed foods.
Raw Food diets may include a selection of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat and dairy products. It may also include simply processed foods such as various types of sprouted seeds, cheese, and fermented foods such as yogurts, kefir, kombucha or sauerkraut, but generally not foods that have been pasteurized, homogenized, or produced with the use of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, industrial solvents or chemical food additives.
Raw foodists say that enzymes are the life force of a food. Nature has given each food its unique perfect mix. These vital enzymes allow us to fully digest our foods without having to rely on our own digestive enzymes. The cooking process destroys or alters these enzymes, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Cooked foods take longer to digest and clog up our digestive system and arteries with partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
The following health benefits are highlighted by followers of a raw food diet:
-
You will have more energy
-
Your skin will have a much better appearance
-
Your digestion will improve
-
You will lose weight
-
Your risk of developing heart and cardiovascular diseases will significantly drop
Cons
-
Requires a lot of organization
-
Motivation - Hard to keep it up, especially when going out to eat
-
Requires a lot of preparation
-
Digestive problems, such as irritable bowel. Some commented that this improved after a while.
CONVENTIONAL
FOODS
Conventional foods are grown using synthetic chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, these chemicals then get absorbed into the soil and cannot be removed. The purpose for conventional farming is to mass produce, it allows for out of season growing, and creates a longer shelf life
Vegetarian
The term vegetarian generally means a person who does not consume animal products; this includes land and sea animals. Most vegetarians generally do consume eggs and dairy products (milk products). Somebody who does not consume any animal protein at all, not even eggs, dairy, or honey, is a Vegan. Some people call themselves vegetarians, but they consume fish.
The Four main types of vegetarians are:
Preparation of a vegetarian meal.
-
Lacto-vegetarians - they consume dairy products, but no eggs. Most do consume honey.
-
Ovo-vegetarians - they consume eggs, but no dairy. Most do consume honey.
-
Lacto-ovovegetarians - they consume eggs and dairy. Most do consume honey.
-
Vegans - only consume plant-based foods (no dairy, eggs or honey)
-
Have a lower body weight - one study carried out by Cancer Research UK, found that those who continue eating meat will carry on putting on more weight over a five year period, compared to those who switched over to vegetarianism. The study found that vegans put on even less weight as they get older, compared to vegetarians and meat eaters. The study looked at 22,000 meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians, and vegans
-
Have better cholesterol levels - scientists at the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital demonstrated that a vegetarian diet made up of specific plant foods can lower cholesterol as effectively as a drug treatment. The study, published in the July 23 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared a diet of known cholesterol-lowering, vegetarian foods to a standard cholesterol-reducing drug called lovastatin.4The diet reduced levels of LDL - the 'bad' cholesterol known to cause clogging in coronary arteries - in participants by almost 29%, compared to a 30.9% decrease in the lovastatin participants. The diet consisted of a combination of nuts (almonds), soy proteins, viscous fiber (high-fiber) foods such as oats and barley and a special margarine with plant sterols (found in leafy green vegetables and vegetable oils).
-
Live longer - several studies have shown that vegetarians have a much lower risk of becoming obese, developing diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. All these conditions and diseases reduce one´s life expectancy.
-
Have a lower risk of developing cancer - several studies have shown a reduced risk of developing many different types of cancer among vegetarians, compared to meat eaters. A recent study carried out by UK researchers, working on the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Oxford (EPIC-Oxford) found that vegetarians had a significantly lower overall risk of developing cancer, compared to meat eaters.
-
Have a lower risk of developing several diseases - see the list of related articles below. In them are mentioned several diseases and conditions that a meat eater is more likely to develop, compared to a vegetarian.
What are the benefits of being a vegetarian?
Eating for YOUR Blood Type
The foods you eat react chemically with your blood type. If you follow a diet designed for your blood type, your body will digest food more efficiently. You'll lose weight, have more energy, and help prevent disease.
What You Can Eat
That depends on your blood type. Here's what D'Adamo recommends for each type:
Type O blood: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, and light on grains, beans, and dairy. D'Adamo also recommends various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O tend to have.
Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because D'Adamo says people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.
Type B blood: Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Chicken is also problematic, D'Adamo says. He encourages eating green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.
Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables. He says people with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats.