Factors that influence food choices of an individual can vary depending on the age, culture, the location where you live and also factors such as your profession. As a person, everyone is unique and so are you. As unique you are, so is your diet and your choices that influence it. The choices that you make should be well suited for who you are and what you do.

Factors affecting food choices

The character of an individual is affected by so many factors around them. Culture, age, gender, profession, the upbringing by your parents, all these factors affect who you are and what you become as a person. When all of these factors are taken into account, you will realize that there is no other person as unique as you in the world. These factors are so important that they have a key impact on your dietary choices. Let’s see how these factors play out and impact on your diet.

1. Gender: If women are from Venus, men are definitely from Mars. Men and women are very different physically and psychologically. As unique as they are from each other, so are their dietary preferences. To begin with we start by saying that an average woman is smaller than an average man. This leads to an understanding that woman need fewer calories than men. So that means, the food intake of women has to be lesser than that of men. Because if women were to consume calories as much as men, they would gain weight more easily. Thing that women need to focus on here is that, the right kind of food will not just contain calories. It will also contain a whole lot of nutrients and minerals. Women should focus on eating such foods to get a well-balanced diet containing food and minerals in order to stay healthy even though they eat less than men.
2. Culture: Take India for example, you have religion that practice vegan diet throughout their lives and look down upon eating meat as a sin. Some cultures are so strict to the practice of vegan diet that they even forbid eating products that come from animals such as milk and eggs. Such personal choices of diet are ok as long as you make up for what nutrients and minerals you are losing by not consuming non vegetarian food. For example, vegans should look for alternate sources of protein and calcium if they completely avoid meat, eggs and milk.
3. Age: Just think about yourself. The joy that you used to get when you hear the sound of the ice cream truck when you were a 10-year-old is not the same anymore at this point of time in your life. People change with age and time. And it’s a good thing too. People need to change and carefully watch their diet as they age. Since your movements become less as you age, you need to make sure that you are not consuming calories that you cannot burn.

Learn to regulate your diet

A lot more factors influence your diet. The kind of atmosphere you live in for example. What we need to be careful about is that we do not consume calories which we will regret to burn or are unable to burn later. Learn the ropes of how various factors around you influence your diet and how to keep it all under control so you are not eating too much, or too less of healthy food.

In order to have a healthy snack that will boost your energy, last long and have a positive impact on your health, having healthy foods that give you energy that are rich in complex carbs, proteins and fiber is important. And they don’t have to be only in the form of snacks. They can also be a full lunch time meal that can help you get through your day at work.

Unhealthy diet may satisfy your palate, but it can sap you out of your energy levels completely. If you aren’t eating the right foods, it can wreak havoc on your energy levels. When you are feeling low on energy, you may reach out for a box of chocolates instinctively. However, the energy you will get from the chocolates will be short-lived. You need to know that the key to keeping your energy levels high is the right diet coupled with physical activity.

There are several energy boosting foods in certain fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats that you can include in your daily diet and boost your energy. Here are a few foods to boost your energy levels:

Foods that give you energy

While some of them make healthy snacks, some are good options for lunch and dinner that will boost your energy.

• Nuts contain protein, magnesium and B Vitamins that help convert foods to energy. Study reveals that deficiency of magnesium can lead to fatigue, irritability and poor concentration.
• Salmon’s omega-3 fatty acids and its other nutrients have been found to improve memory and reduce depression, as well as boost energy and mood.
• Bananas are rich sources of potassium, B vitamins and fiber. The nutrients in banana promote constant energy and muscle function.
• Oatmeal is rich in fiber that makes for a filling breakfast and lasting energy. Its high-fiber content will keep you energized and full for a longer time.
• Whole grain crackers with hummus will keep you satisfied and full for a longer time; thus keeping your energy levels high.

How to boost your energy?

Sometimes life can drain you out of your energy levels. Your work pressure in the office; your personal relationship; your credit card bills or other trivial matters can take a toll and leave you totally exhausted. The best way to deal with such pressure is by eating foods that give you energy or foods high in energy.

So, how do you select the foods that give you energy?

Just eating a healthy diet will not suffice, you need to stay physically active and get ample rest for optimal health. You also need to reduce your alcohol and sugar intake.

Energy boosting foods

Like we saw earlier, foods that boost energy have carbohydrates, fiber and proteins. Below is a list of foods which will help you do just that.

• Almonds: Human body required vitamin B and magnesium to convert energy from foods. Almonds are a rich source of that. Magnesium has a big role to play in energy metabolism. If there is a deficiency of magnesium, such people tend to tire out more easily during exercise or any hard physical work. Insufficiency of vitamin B can lead to irritability, poor concentration and fatigue. About one ounce of these nuts are good enough to keep your calories in check.
• Popcorn: Corn is basically whole grain carbs. The fiber content in whole grain carbs helps control the blood-sugar crashes. Being whole grain, the calorie content of popcorn is low. This also makes the popcorn that hasn’t been doused in salt, butter or oil to be a much better snack than crackers and chips.
• Peanut Butter: Too much of anything is bad and so is peanut butter. It tastes awesome but at the same time it is very high in calories. However, a little bit of peanut butter in breakfast can give you a great boost in energy to start your day. The protein, fiber and healthy fats will also help you fight hunger and stabilize your blood sugar levels.
• Salmon: As tasty as the dishes made of this fish are, salmon is also a rich source of omeg-3 fatty acids which are nutrients that have found to be very helpful to combat depression and improve memory. Salmon is a great energy booster and it also helps improve your mental well-being.
• Bananas: Bananas are nature’s way of packing all the goodness of potassium, fiber and vitamin B in one small package. Consuming bananas provide your body with sustained energy and muscle function. Most health enthusiasts prefer to eat bananas before or after their workout session. A banana combined with a glass of low fat milk is the best energy boosting combo.

Healthy foods that give you energy

It is very important to select healthy foods that give you energy. There are empty calorie foods like chocolates, crisps and other junk food that will keep you full and satisfied, but has no nutritional value and the energy you derive from these foods will be short-lived. Therefore, however drained out you might feel, opt for foods that will keep you full and energized for a longer period of time.
Include a variety of fruits and vegetables along with good carbohydrates and low-fat dairy products. However, tempting you might feel to reach out for that instant cup of coffee or other energizers, shift your focus to eating energy foods that are healthy.

Carbohydrates are the most common and abundant forms of sugars (candy, jams, jellies, desserts) fiber, starches (cereals, bread and pasta).The food with high content of carbohydrate forms an important part of a healthy diet. But do we really know what actually carbohydrate does in our body…

Let’s have a brief read about the main functions of carbohydrates.

• Provides energy and regulate blood glucose

Carbohydrates give us energy for metabolism. Some of the carbohydrates consumed are stored in liver and muscles as glycogen; some gets utilized immediately by the tissues whereas the remaining adipose tissues are stored for future energy requirements. This is the main reason why nutrition practitioners give carbohydrates a prime importance while planning a meal. Nearly half of the calories in a diet should be obtained in the form of carbohydrates.

• Sparing protein

Our body will start using protein as a fuel, if we don’t provide enough carbohydrates. As a result, it will hinder the main functioning of protein like body building and repairing. A diet with adequate amount of carbohydrates allows proteins to do their primary function.

• Required for fat oxidation

Fat provides twice as much as energy as carbohydrate does for unit weight, carbohydrate is essential to burn fat. In order to metabolize fat, a breakdown product of carbohydrate named “oxaloacetic acid” is necessary. In the absence of oxaloacetic acid fat turns into ketones which can be toxic to the bodies. So, we need carbohydrate to allow fat for metabolizing correctly by the body.

• Gastrointestinal function in the body

Carbohydrates help in gastro-intestinal functions. Lactose promote the growth of some health benefiting bacteria in small intestine which plays a role in synthesis of certain B- complex Vitamins. Cellulose provided by carbohydrate gives bulk in the diet which helps in peristaltic movement of the gastrointestinal tract. Carbohydrate lactate is found to be good for bones as it helps in absorption of calcium in the body.

• Carbohydrates give flavor

Not only bulk, Carbohydrate adds in flavor and enhances color in your food. It brings variety and appeal in the diet. Carbohydrates can be consumed both in raw or cooked form. It can be easily digested by the gastro intestinal tract. Together they form staple food for humans.

Types and Sources

If you are health conscious keep a check on glycemic index before consuming carbohydrates. There are high glycemic carbohydrate offenders like donuts, pretzel that quickly shoots up your blood sugar level, and left you packed with pounds. But, we do have good carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are complex in nature and body takes time to dissolve them.

Let’s read about the two broad categories of carbohydrates for better understanding.

1. Simple Sugars
2. Complex Sugars

We eat simple carbohydrates every time we have a bite of cake, cookies or bread slices. All these product contains refined carbohydrates, such as sugar. Simple sugars which we consume tend to raise our insulin level by quickly diluting into the system. This increased blood sugar level can result in diabetes. The best way to consume simple sugars is by forming a combination with fruits and dairy products.

If you are keeping a check on diet avoid consuming plain sugar… like candies

Complex sugars are known as starches. They are found best in whole grain items, including whole grain bread, pasta and rice. They are loaded with fiber and once consumed takes time to break down in GI tract. As compared with simple sugars they are more filling and good for health.

9 Best sources of Carbohydrates

• Colocasia/ taro
• Sweet potato
• Chick pea
• Low fat yogurt
• Brown Rice
• Oats
• Blue berries
• Banana
• Chestnut

As tasty and addictive it can get, coffee is also very healthy and more and more scientific research has proven this to be a fact. Coffee is packed with nutrients and antioxidants which are very beneficial to health.

Most people prefer a cup of joy in the morning as an energy boot, but coffee can be a lot more than just that. Coffee can help you prevent a lot of serious diseases such as liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes.

Studies show that the habit of drinking coffee had drastically decreased the risk of getting numerous heart diseases.

• It can make you smarter: Coffee has the tendency to give a boost of energy level and help you with your tiredness. This is because of a stimulant called caffeine. The psycho active substance is the most consumed of its kind. When you drink coffee, the caffeine gets absorbed by the blood stream. Through the various blood streams, the caffeine reaches the brain. This makes the amount of neurotransmitters like dopamine, increase. This improves the firing of neurons. Coffee improves many other aspects of brain function.
• Weight loss: Almost every available fat burning supplement out there is found to have coffee in it. Only a few naturally occurring substances, like coffee, have proven to actually help people with their weight loss regime.
• Improve physical performance: When you drink coffee, the caffeine in the nervous system signals the fat cells to burn the body fat. Along with that, caffeine also releases a hormone called adrenaline which helps the human body through impulsive hard physical labor. This makes caffeine metabolize body fat and release it in the blood to act as fuel.
• Essential nutrients: Coffee beans are packed with essential nutrients like Pantothenic acid, magnesium, manganese, potassium, niacin and riboflavin.
• Lowers risk of diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a very common health problem these days which has risen due to modern day lifestyle and eating habits. It elevates the blood sugar level and decreases the secretion of insulin. Drinking coffee can greatly help you reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: These are neurodegenerative diseases that usually affects people when they get 60-65 years or older. There is no real medical cure available for Alzheimer’s disease however, you can definitely prevent it. A healthy diet and every day workout is definitely a part of the preventive measure but you can also add a cup of coffee to the regime.
• Preserves Liver: There is a serious liver condition called cirrhosis that can occur as we age in which the liver gets replaced by scar tissue. Studies show that people who drank more than 4 cup of coffees a day showed more than 80% reduced risk of cirrhosis.

Some of the benefits of drinking coffee include:

• It is full of antioxidants and good nutrients that can help improve your health. The antioxidants work as little fighters combating and shielding against free radicals in your body.
• Studies suggest that people who consume coffee often are at a lower risk of several illnesses.
• It improves your energy levels and makes you feel less exhausted because of its stimulant, caffeine.
• There are several good nutrients in the coffee bean, including riboflavin, potassium, manganese, magnesium, niacin, pantothenic acid etc.
• Coffee can reduce your risk of type-II diabetes.
• It can reduce your risk of Parkinson’s, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Studies reveal that people who drink coffee regularly have lower risk of liver cirrhosis.
• It can help boost your mood and lower the chances of developing depression.
• Coffee can reduce the risk of certain cancers like skin, colorectal, liver etc.
• It increases your longevity and it can bring down the risk of premature death.

Health benefits of caffeine

There’s good news for people who love every sip of their coffee. There are several health benefits of caffeine that probably you were unaware of. Did you know that all the fat burning supplements contain caffeine? Reason being that caffeine is considered to be one of the few natural constituents that have proven to help in burning fat. Studies reveal that caffeine boosts about 3-11% of the metabolic rate.
So, now you can happily sip your coffee as drinking coffee can help you in losing weight. Another benefit of drinking coffee is that it can improve your adrenaline levels, thus aiding your physical performance if you are an athlete.

Advantages of drinking coffee

The advantages of drinking coffee are immense. Did you know that just smelling coffee beans can boost your mood? If you are sleep deprived and stressed, get yourself a cup of fresh coffee and take in the aroma. Besides keeping your brain healthier, caffeine can also make your brain alert, thus making you sharper and more efficient at work. Reason is that you usually drink coffee when you are sleepy or lethargic.
So, if you love your coffee, and cannot go without it, keep drinking it. It has many health benefits that will keep you going. However, remember, moderation is the key.
Coffee is the largest source of antioxidants. It actually has a lot more antioxidants than tea. The antioxidant content in coffee is more than fruits and vegetables combined together. Coffee is just one of the aspects that you can learn about healthy nutrition.

The mere mention of milk might evoke childhood memories of mom scolding you for not finishing the daily glassful or the cute excuses you made to avoid it, or if you were one of those kids who liked milk, competition with visiting cousins in which you used to gulp it down fast to be the first to finish. Love it or loathe it, milk has been an important part of our diet for sure.

Yes … The first food for all humans “MILK” is the richest natural food in terms of nutrient contents necessary for our body function, proper growth and maintenance.

The usage of milk is not new for us; it has been part of our diet since time immemorial. Let’s take a look at the nutrient value and benefits Milk and its products provide to our body.

Milk is a food which contains plenty of carbohydrates, lipids (fat) and protein, while various milk products processed in different ways can provide a whole list of nutrients.

While everyone and their grandmother know that drinking milk gives you calcium, you might do well to remember that if you include milk or its products like cheese or yogurt, your body not only gets enough calcium (best nutrient for healthy bones) but also –

• Phosphorous- for proper energy release
• Magnesium- for muscle function
• Protein- for proper growth and repair process
• Vitamin B12- for production of your cells

The consumption of milk by human beings is always required throughout the life regardless of the age or gender.

SOURCE OF MILK

Milk can be obtained from many different sources, such as cow, buffaloes, goats and sometimes exotic animals like yaks and camels. Among these, cow milk is conventionally considered to be the most popular and richest in nutrients. It is revealed in various scientific testing that whatever the milk source is, it is greatly similar in terms of properties. However, the content of the nutritional elements present may slightly vary from one source to another.

FORMS OF MILK

Dried Milk:

It’s a process of evaporating and drying of fresh milk on specific machinery by the manufacturers. During this entire process, proper care is taken to maintain same nutrient value as available in the fresh milk. This process often includes fortification with certain vitamins such as vitamin D and minerals in the dried milk.

Dried milk is easy to use and predominantly available in your local market in two varieties:

1. Full- fat dry milk
2. Fat-free dry milk

Full-fat dry milk usually has 6-9 month of shelf life and fat-free milk has a shelf life of two years. As a precautionary measure always remember once the pack is opened, you should store it in cool, dry place away from contact of direct sun rays. Also, prevent them getting moist for better life

Long-Term Milk:

Long term milk is created through the process of pasteurization. Pasteurization is the process of exposing milk to high temperature and sudden cooling. This process helps to kill the pathogenic bacteria present, making the food product safe for consumption. Pasteurized milk is later packed in specially- made packets. The milk obtained expires in six months. Once the packet is opened, consume within one week.

Fresh Milk:

The milk is collected, undergoes a heating process, followed by cooling. This milk should be consumed within a week as it spoils fast.

Domestic Condensed Milk:

It is produced through a process which involves adding a large amount of sugar. Sugar is added to pasteurized milk which turns to condensed form. This milk is rich in fat and milk cream. This form of milk cannot be consumed as a milk substitute but it is used is various milk preparations like desserts, ice-creams etc.

MILK PRODUCTS

A variety of milk products is available in your local markets. Many times you don’t even notice the food you are consuming contains milk.

Let’s check the list of healthy milk products available.

Curd, yogurt and different types of cheese:

These products are prepared from fresh milk. Since they are made of fresh milk the nutrient value of the product remains same. People who dislike the flavor of milk can look to these milk substitutes to reach the body’s nutrient requirement.

There are many flavors available in every product these days like strawberry, chocolate, pineapple. Choose according to your own preference but remember the proportion of calories might vary.

Creamy Cheese, cream, butter, ice cream

These are the products derived from milk but they are a fat substitute. The manufacturing of these products requires more of milk fats with a little amount of milk. They are not milk substitutes, and they cannot replace it.

Bread, Cookies and Cakes

These are products which require milk in small quantity for preparation. Among all these products milk acts as an ingredient which helps in enhancing the flavor of the products.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF MILK:

The protein component present in milk is composed of numerous specific proteins. Casein is the primary group of milk proteins in milk. The major minerals found in milk are calcium and phosphorous. There are some major vitamins also present in milk like vitamin A, D, E, and K. The plenty of calcium, proteins and vitamins present in milk make it a food, medicine and a healer at the same time.

• Milk helps in maintaining the glaze, a natural shine on skin and hairs.
• Milk provides instant energy, increases strength, improves memory, maintains strength and promotes long life.
• Milk helps in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth
• Milk is recommended as wholesome food for invalids. Milk diet is very much beneficial to put on weight.
• Milk acts as a very effective medicine for hyper acidity and other acidic conditions of the stomach.

You definitely feel fresh when you wake up from a well-deserved sleep. Sleep feels especially blissful when you are really tried and you finally hit the hay at the end of the day. But the effect of sleep on your body is a lot more than just rejuvenating your mood. Enough sleep is a crucial parameter of healthy life. It can benefit your mind, weight heart and more.

Sleep is one of the most intriguing aspects of human body. A lot happens to our body as we slip into our dream land. You never actually know when you go to sleep. Researchers and scientists have been constantly studying the benefits of sleep. The studies show that a lot happens when we undergo sleep and its effects are not to be taken lightly.

• Boosts memory: The human mind is so complex that so much happens when we sleep yet; researchers are still trying hard to figure out what exactly goes on. One study has shown that when we are trying to learn something new, our mind tries to practice it subconsciously while we sleep. The process is called consolidation. So whatever it is that you are trying to learn. Swimming, driving, a new language, you will do it better one you wake up from your sleep.
• Life span: Whether sleep will boost your life span or not, a study conducted in 2010 shows that too much or too little sleep can lead to shorter lifespan. Where it is a cost, or an effect, no one is really sure. Sleep has a holistic effect on your lifestyle. If you are having enough amount of sleep, you will see it affecting your health in a positive way.
• Prevent inflammation: Ideally, adults must have 6 hours of sleep. A study showed that sleep less than that tend to have increased levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood. Heart diseases, arthritis, diabetes, premature ageing and stroke are all related to inflammation.
• Enhance creativity: If you have an arts assignment the next day, it’s best that you get a good night’s sleep. We talked about consolidation in point 1. In addition to it, a good night’s sleep will keep your brain fresh and active. You brain will be capable of reorganizing your memories and restructuring them.
• Accelerates weight loss: If weight loss is on your mind, then you should definitely consider a healthy sleeping regimen. There is a very good reason behind the phrase “Early to bed, early to rise, makes us healthy wealthy and wise.” A good rest will help you burn 50% more fat than those who do not get enough sleep.

Learn about health benefits of sleep

There are a whole lot of things that happen in our human body and it is all affected by how we help it relax and more importantly, how we fuel it by the food we eat. Nutrition and diet is a very important aspect of healthy living that most of us ignore due to our fast paced modern day lives.

As an experiment try adding some drops of oil in a glass of water and shake it…What do you find?

How long you shake or stir but oil will keep floating on to the surface of water until we add some emulsifier in it.

WHAT IS EMULSIFIER?

An Emulsifier is a molecule with one oil-loving end and another water-loving end. This oil friendly end in food emulsion is known as hydrophobic head and water friendly end is known as hydrophilic tail. Food emulsifiers are also termed as Emulgents. Emulsions work to make water and oil dispersed into a stable and homogeneous solution by forming smooth emulsion. When water and oil are mixed in presence of an emulsifier, oil droplets surround by the emulsifier molecule, and the oil core is hidden by hydrophilic tails of the emulsifier.

The complex mixture of fat present in milk, suspended in an aqueous solution makes it a classic example of emulsion. In food industry Egg yolk was probably the first emulsifier. The usage of egg yolk started in early 19th century. but since the stability of egg yolk is very less manufacturer shifted their focus on a new emulsifying agent derived from soybean known as lecithin. If we look at the History, ancient Greeks utilised the emulsifying power of beeswax in many cosmetic products. Further scientific research and investigation on emulsifiers introduced certain derivative of fatty acids like mono and di-glycerides which are later patented for the production of ice-creams.

Nowadays, emulsifier food additives play an important role in the manufacture of wide range of food products such as mayonnaise, creamy sauces, candy, many packaged processed foods, confections, margarine and a range of bakery products.

TYPES OF FOOD EMULSIFIERS

The most used emulsifiers are soya bean, sunflower oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, Egg Yolk emulsifying agent lecithin, Honey, Mustard, Soy lecithin, CSL Calcium Stearoyl Di Laciate, Sugar Ester (SE), Acetylated Monoglyceride (AMG), Lactylated Monoglyceride (LMG), Polyglycerol Ester (PGE), Sorbitan Ester (SOE), PG Ester (PGME), Monoglyceride (MG). The process of production of basis emulsifier includes a combination of oil (triglycerides) and glycerol which results in formation of monoglyceride. The type of emulsifier produced totally depends on the triglyceride used. Like an unsaturated triglycerides produce fluid products such as oil whereas the saturated triglycerides form a pasty or solid structures like butter. Monoglyceride can be used to increase the emulsifying properties of citric acid and lactic acid.

On the basis of hydrophilic groups, there are four types of emulsifier

• Anionics
• Non-ionics
• Cationics
• Amphoterics

APPLICATIONS OF FOOD EMULSIFIERS

Emulsifier plays a very important role. They don’t just provide an appeal to the product but also keeps them fresh. They help in maintaining the quality of the food. Imagine without emulsifier how the water and oil content will remain separated. Natural food emulsifiers also prevent the growth of moulds in food. They are used in various dairy products, ice-creams, sauces and bakery products.

Emulsifiers can be derived from the natural products or chemicals. Variety of foods are produced by the use of natural emulsifiers like biscuits, extruded snacks, cakes, soft Drinks, caramels, toffees, frozen desserts, margarine, coffee whitener, bread

SPECIFIC ROLE OF EMULSIFIER IN FOOD PRODUCTS

BREAD

Emulsifiers are not necessarily required for bread production, but the bread produced without emulsifiers are dry, hard and low in volume and it stales easily. Just the addition of 0.5% of emulsifier in dough is enough to obtain a soft, fluffy bread. Two types of emulsifiers are used in bread 1. Dough strengthens (e.g. diacetyl tartaric acid esters (E 472e) 2. sodium or calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (E 481, E 482)) and a dough softener (e.g. mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (E 471)). The main function of dough-strengthening agents is to make dough stronger, improved in texture and volume. Dough-softening agent helps in obtaining a softer crumb structure with increased shelf-life.

CHOCOLATE

To provide right consistency in a chocolate 0.5% of lecithin (E 322) or ammonium phosphatide (E 442) is added. Emulsifiers added in chocolates provide right consistency and it helps in easy mould of the product whether it be a chocolate bar or a chocolate ball.

You all must have noticed a white layer on the surface of a refrigerated chocolate. This layer is called as bloom. Addition of Sorbitan tristearate (E 492) in the mixture can delay the development of bloom.

The immune system is the host defense system in your body which comprises several biological processes. This biological process helps you protect against disease. Your body provides an ideal environment for many microbes to develop. It’s the immune system which functions to keep all these microbes away for healthy living.

The immune system includes an amazingly complex process in your body. All you need to do is make sure it stays in good conditions. if you want to fight off the illness spreading around in your local area, college or in your children’s school…You need to know what is an immune system? And how can you boost your immune system?

Other than hygiene, boosting your immune system can be a great way to start…

The diet you consume plays a great role in strengthening the immune system, but sadly! most of us do not consume sufficient fresh fruits, vegetables, and all other nutritive products.

You can’t just rely on a mixture of honey and ginger in the sour throat for quick relief or thinking of an orange can cure a cold is incorrect. A balanced diet mixed with vitamins, minerals consumed over time are the only way to boost your immune system. The diet you consume plays a great role in strengthening the immune system followed by sound sleep and regulars scheduled exercises.

Here is a whole list of food that can help you boost your immune system. Eating just one food constantly from the list is not sufficient for you to fight against infections and diseases…

Keep in mind sufficient and balanced consumption of nutrient-rich food is the only key to staying healthy…

Always remember the portion size you are consuming also plays an important role. If the same product is consumed in large quantity, you only get too much of single nutrients and too little of other required nutrients.

Best antioxidants- Berries

Berries are full of antioxidants; all varieties of berries are excellent for promoting healthy immune response. This nutritious munch can be eaten any time whole day, or put a handful of berries in morning cereal for tastier and healthy breakfast.

Benefits of garlic

Allicin present in garlic helps you to fight against infections and bacteria. It is very effective in treating colds and flu or other season generated viruses.

Eat yogurt for the boost

Probiotics found in yogurt contain healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Probiotics also stimulate white blood cells (WBC) in the body, which help keep you keep away from getting sick.

Super grain Oats

The beta-glucan fiber in oats has antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities which make you capable of fighting with influenza, herpes, even anthrax. Daily consumption of oats boosts immunity and speeds up wound healing. It also helps antibiotics work better.

Shellfish – the protective shell

All shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams have a high content of selenium. Selenium along with white blood cells (WBC) produces cytokines (proteins that clear flu virus from the body). They are also a rich source of omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protects from cold and respiratory infections.

Along with dietary habits, a slight modification in lifestyle helps achieve healthy-living strategies required for Immune system boost.

Choose a healthy lifestyle as the first step of defending. Every part of your body which includes immune system functions best when protected from the external environment along with certain healthy living strategies such as:

Quit smoking, eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat, hit the gym regularly or go for a regular scheduled exercise, keep a check on your body weight, try to remain in a healthy weight range always, control over blood pressure, avoid too much of alcohol consumption, try to set a healthy limit. Take proper sleep. Try to maintain hygiene, wash hands frequently. Clean fruits and vegetables before consuming. After the age of 50 get regular medical check-ups done to avoid ill health.

The study and measurement of dimensions of human body is called as anthropometry. Why measure a human body you ask? There are a lot of reasons. Your clothes, for example: The ready-made garments that you buy have a standard S, M, L, XL sizes but the measurement varies from country, region and race. The design of chairs that you sit on, the design of vehicles that you drive, the design of just about everything has to have an understanding of the dimensions of the human body. Just think about it.
Clothing, industrial design, architecture and ergonomics are all dependent on anthropometry.

Optimization of products based on the region in the world can be done by gathering statistical data of the dimension of human body in a particular demography.

Anthropometric measurements

There may be variations in measuring the human body depending on various aspects and parameters.
Auxology: This is the measurement of human body depending on various stages of growth. This mainly focuses on physical growth of the human body.

Height: Height varies greatly among human beings. Based on demography, the average height of a human body can differ between regions and races. A lot of factors such as the environment, genetics, etc. are responsible for this. The extreme scenarios in this case might lead to gigantic (being too tall) or dwarfism (being too short).

Weight: Thanks to the ways of our modern life these days, weight of a human body can vary largely from individual to individual. Like height, it varies across population and continents.

Organs: Yes, the organs vary too. That’s including male and female genitalia. Not only that, we are also talking about internal organs like heart, lungs, brain, etc.

Aesthetic: Still think beauty is only skin deep or lies in the eyes of the beholder? Think again. We measure physical attractiveness and human beauty in our own way, in our own anthropometric standards. Plastic surgery is one field where this branch of anthropometry plays a huge role.

Measuring instruments

Neuro imaging: To measure a brain if you require a corpse every time, it would have been difficult for science to study neurology. Or, there would have been too many murders in the name of science. Imaging techniques such as MRI have come a long way in helping measuring the brain while keeping the subject, still breathing.

3D body scanners: Since the first scanner made in 2007, 3D body scanners have been very popular in medicinal industry to get a full scan on volume and dimensions of human body. It has helped a lot in the study of body mass index.

Baropodographic: It’s also called as pedobarography. It’s basically the study of pressure point on human foot and how they affect the other organs of the human body. It’s mainly employed to study gait, which is the study of motion of an organic body and how to apply it in sports bio mechanics. It’s also a sought after study in robotics.

Learn anthropometry

Anthropometric analysis has proved its worth in the field of nutrition as well. The research and study from over the years has helped doctors and dietitians determine healthy eating habits that help in keeping the body strong and fit. Learn anthropometry and deepen your knowledge in healthy diet and nutrition.

So, what is Atkins diet? This diet centers around food that is rich in nutrition like fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy protein like wild meat and red meat. It does not encourage processed or fast food or sugar or dairy products. According to this diet, you can reduce weight by eating healthy protein and fats, but you need to avoid sugar and carbs.

Atkins diet food list

According to the Atkins diet food list, you need to stay away from the following foods:

• Sugar: Aerated drinks, candies, ice creams, cakes, fruit juices etc.
• Grains: Barley, wheat, rice etc.
• Vegetable oils: Corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil among others.
• High carb fruits: Grapes, bananas, pears, oranges, apples etc.
• High-carb veggies: Turnip, carrot etc.
• Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas etc.

The Atkins diet menu restricts carbs and sugar to enable the body to burn fats for fuel. The approach allows the body to be fuelled steadily, thus aiding weight loss. Your body being fuelled steadily also implies persistent energy levels throughout the day and very less craving for food.

What to eat on Atkins diet?

In case you have been trying to lose weight and counting your calories for a very long time now, you can opt for the Atkins diet. Atkins diet foods focus on healthy items such as:

• Meat: Chicken, pork, beef, lamb among others.
• Seafood: Sardines, salmon, trout etc.
• Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts etc.
• Low carbohydrate veggies: Broccoli, kale, asparagus, spinach among others.

If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry about missing on your protein intake. The Atkins diet meal plan doesn’t require you to eat meat. The Atkins diet plan for vegetarians includes soy-based foods and seeds and nuts. Coconut oil and olive oil are a couple of healthy sources of plant-based fat.

Atkins diet guidelines

The Atkins diet food plan is considered to be one of the best low-carbohydrate diets. So, if you are wondering what to eat on the Atkins diet, you can plan a diet chart and follow it religiously. The Atkins diet guidelines suggest that you choose protein, fat and vegetables that are low in carbohydrates and starch. You can also focus on nuts, berries, fruits and seeds, vegetables and whole grains.

Follow the Atkins diet chat but don’t forget that physical activity or exercise should go hand-in-hand. If you want good results, just following Atkins diet plan menu will not help. You need to keep a tab on your portion size as well.