Zimbabwe: Nation Under Siege From Under Nutrition

Bulawayo — The United Nations International Children and Education Fund (UNICEF) says Zimbabwe is under siege from chronic under-nutrition, prompting child mortality to increase by 20 percent in recent months. Child mortality in Zimbabwe currently stands at 925 deaths per every 100 000 births.

Studies have shown that child under nutrition in Zimbabwe is as a result of poor dietary intake and disease blamed on sub optimal feeding practices, especially during the critical periods of pregnancy, infancy and young childhood, an unhealthy household environment and lack of health and nutrition services.

Global analysis confirms that nutrition-related disorders, including stunting, severe wasting, intra-uterine growth restriction and deficiencies of key micronutrients are responsible for about 35 percent of child deaths globally and 11 percent of the total global disease burden.

These nutrition-related disorders are highly prevalent in Zimbabwe and are estimated to contribute to approximately 12 000 under-five child deaths every year.

Child under nutrition is also related to maternal nutritional status.

In Zimbabwe, about 10 percent of children are born with low birth weight, while an estimated nine percent of women of reproductive age have a body mass index of less than 18,5 percent, which is considered very thin.

UNICEF health specialist, Ranganai Mathema, said 10 districts were identified as the worst affected, among them were Manicaland, parts of Matabeleland, Midlands, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West.

"As a result, we have quite a number of children who are dying because of chronic under nutrition in Zimbabwe. As you can see from the map, there is nowhere where we have green, there are negative signs countrywide, which means the whole country is under siege from chronic under nutrition," she said.

Limited progress has been made in reducing illness and deaths of children in Zimbabwe so far. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, the high levels of malnutrition depict food insecurity in the country.

The ministry said much of the progress made in improving nutrition has been eroded by recurrent droughts, poor economic performance and HIV and Aids. Child Protection specialist, Elayn Sammon, said 3,5 million children in Zimbabwe were born to parents living below the poverty datum line.

This has prompted intervention of developmental agencies like UNICEF and others to partner with government to initiate Harmonised Social Cash Transfer Programme, which is an unconditional cash transfer for households who are both labour constrained and food poor.

Sammon said 18 637 households from the first 10 districts had benefitted so far from the first phase of the programme, while phase two was targeting a further 10 districts by October this year.

Under the scheme, food poor households are entitled to receive about US$20 every two months.

Indications are that Zimbabwe is unlikely to meet goal number four of the Millennium Development Goals which is to reduce infant mortality by two thirds by 2015.

Read more: http://allafrica.com/stories/201209290095.html

Ga. conducting food inspections based on risk

ATLANTA (AP) — The greater the risk a food product could be contaminated, the more often the manufacturer will be inspected under a new system being established in Georgia.

Georgia is making the shift after other states began focusing their inspectors' work based on the likelihood that food products could be contaminated with pathogens. While the decision has been praised by consumer safety advocates, it also underlines a fundamental problem: Overworked state food inspectors could not keep pace with the old goal — one routine inspection every six months.

"We feel like it's really important because ... what you do is put your resources toward where your greatest exposure is, and I think it helps you do a better job," Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said.

An audit released this summer found that as of May 2011, the state Department of Agriculture had conducted one inspection every six months for 51 percent of the state's roughly 740 licensed food processing facilities. The rest had been inspected within the past year or longer. That audit caught Black's department in the middle of a transition, a fact that the auditors acknowledged. Earlier that year, Black's department began discussing how it could implement a model that focused inspections based on risk.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration already adopted risk-based inspections as part of its recommended standards, and many states have made the transition.

"The idea is you want to focus your resources on the person preparing the sushi, not the one who has the processed food in a package," said Doug Farquhar, the program director for environmental health at the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Georgia is kind of bringing itself up to speed."

Food safety officials across the country constantly contend with resource issues. The number of inspectors examining food manufacturers has grown from three to seven staffers since a 2009 salmonella outbreak traced to a Georgia peanut processing plant killed nine people. Black said he is using federal grant money to employ a compliance officer and intends to shield the food safety inspectors from statewide budget cuts required by Gov. Nathan Deal.

Even so, it remains unclear whether seven inspectors will be enough to fully staff the program.

In the past, inspectors would attempt to review a massive peanut processing plant, for example, in a half day or even less, said Michael Doyle, the director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. Targeted inspections could help make better use of an inspector's time.

"And the question is, is it better to do a thorough audit and maybe do it once a year than to do these cursory audits just to meet the goal of doing it twice a year?" said Doyle, who added that he prefers a more intense audit.

As state food inspectors review facilities, they are now gathering information used to gauge a manufacturer's risk. That process should be finished within a year, said Oscar Garrison, director of the food safety division with the state Department of Agriculture.

While department officials are still tweaking guidelines, the number of inspections could vary widely. Garrison estimated that a high-risk producer could get a quarterly inspection, while very small establishments with clean records could go two years without seeing an inspector.

To define a plant's risk, state officials examine several variables. Some products are inherently less prone to contamination than others. For example, pre-washed, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables are more likely to be contaminated than baked crackers. The risk of a major outbreak for a firm that sells its products locally is less than for a large operation that ships food across the country.

Food products going to vulnerable populations, such as baby formula for infants or food destined for the elderly in nursing homes, will generally get more scrutiny than products destined for the general population, Garrison said.

How the food is produced also factors into the risk assessment. Firms that have robust food safety plans, aggressively test their food ingredients and products and monitor their suppliers are viewed as less prone to food outbreaks than manufacturers who are more lax.

Department officials are weighing those variables as they inspect plants. For example, an inspector noted in a recent review that a firm making ready-to-eat deli-cooked vegetables and casseroles should be considered high-risk since consumers would only warm, not thoroughly cook, the final product.

Garrison said the risk profiles developed by his department are not set in stone. A manufacturer rated as low-risk could find itself under stepped-up scrutiny if inspectors cite if for violations or if testing reveals contamination.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Ga-conducting-food-inspections-based-on-risk-3902604.php#ixzz27ppq2NYg

Biggest Food Safety Disasters 2012: Peanut Butter, Sushi, Cantaloupe And More

If there's something we tend to take for granted, it's food safety. We hardly expect the bag of lettuce we buy at the supermarket, or the jar of peanut butter or the cantaloupe, to harm us. But 2012 has shown us that as consumers it pays to be vigilant -- mass production often lends itself to facilities that have proved a fertile breeding ground for harmful pathogens like salmonella, e. coli and listeria. Still, even small producers often find themselves caught up in recalls. Among the most dangerous recalls this year was one involving cantaloupes, which sickened upwards of 150 people and killed two. Another involving a tainted tuna product sickened 116 and sparked a debate about "tuna scrape." "Pink slime" was another hot topic in recent months, raising concerns and questions from health experts and other members of the food community. The best way to protect yourself is to stay informed. With that in mind, click through the below gallery of 2012's biggest food safety disasters.
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Eat a Lot of Rice? The Risk of Arsenic is Real, So Cook Your Rice THIS Way to Stay Safe

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by Sarah Jio,

I know, we have enough things to worry about these days, don't we? And now, health experts are taking aim at rice. But, as disturbing as it is to think that the rice we love could be contaminated with a cancer-causing substance, it still pays to be protect yourself, and here's how...

I've been following the news about arsenic in rice with interest. Arsenic is found in soil with high pesticide and industrial run-off, and it's also naturally occurring int he environment, but either way, too much of it is a bad thing for our health, obviously. The problem is, it's showing up in our rice, sometimes at scary levels, say government food experts.

This is the type of news you might shrug off because, what can you do, really? Well, there is something you can do to reduce the amount of arsenic that could be in your rice, and it's really easy: Boil your rice in a lot of water (as in, six parts water to one part rice), then drain the excess water off when you're ready to eat. "Evidence suggests that can lower arsenic levels," notes the Environmental Working Group.

Read More http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2012/09/eat-a-lot-of-rice-the-risk-of.html#ixzz27e9cDLed 
. source="pic.jpg" alt="brown rice, rice."

Critics of weight-loss device warn prospective users of dangers

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. — 

A device that harnesses the power of microwaves to melt away fat is being touted by some weight-loss businesses as a breakthrough, but the product has some critics calling it dangerous.

For many Americans, the battle of the bulge is a lifelong pursuit and any weight loss procedure is worthy of consideration. But a machine called the Lipotron should remind viewers of an old adage: "Buyer beware."

The Altschuler Center for Weight Loss in Novato advertises the Lipotron as a device that "eliminates body fat."

29-year-old caterer Megan Buser told KTVU she wanted to lose some inches.

She has had nine of the ten planned treatments and credits the Lipotron to her "losing several inches off my waist."

Each 45-minute treatment with the Lipotron costs $210.

32-year-old Zoe Alexander said the treatment felt warm as a technician moved a hand piece over her belly. Promoters of the device say the machine's microwaves heat fat cells deep under the skin.

"The fat is released from the fat cells and through the course of a week the body starts to eliminate them through the vascular channels and the lymph system," explained weight-loss specialist Dr. Gail Altschuler.

"I’ve been told by the technician and the people doing this that it’s safe and effective," said Alexander.

But not according to the FDA. KTVU learned that the device manufacturer began trying to get FDA approval five years ago.

"The FDA denied clearance and said they needed to respond to more questions and present more data," said Dr. Michael Carome of watchdog organization Public Citizen Health Research Group.

The group filed federal complaints two months ago against California Lipotron manufacturer Revecomed and their distributors as well as a state complaint against Dr. Altschuler.

"They may not market this device because it does not have approval or clearance from the FDA," said Dr. Carome.

Revecomed's attorney said there is a federal investigation, but insisted the company is doing nothing illegal.

Revecomed registered Lipotron last year as an "electric therapeutic massager." Critics argue that misinformation is helping the company skirt the law dangerously. "This device has caused burns and electric shocks to patients," said Dr. Carome.

However, California's Department of Health said they have had no complaints about the device.

Lipotron's distributor promises big profits for doctors using it, but a few weeks ago, after a warning, reportedly stopped making direct claims about whether the $85,000 machine reduces fat.

The Altschuler Center's advertising continues to make medical claims about the Lipotron in apparent violation of federal law.

Public Citizen said for two and a half years, Lipotron has preyed on gullible people encouraged to pay thousands of dollars for a procedure not proven safe or effective.

"The device remains on the market and it's just inexplicable to us that the FDA has failed to act despite that knowledge," said Dr. Carome.

The FDA makes no comment on any ongoing investigation. The California Medical Board said it's investigations are also confidential.

Activists tell those looking for a quick weight-loss solution to remember another old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Read more here:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/health-med-fit-science/critics-weight-loss-device-warn-prospective-users-/nSMBg/

Fitness Tips: Small Diet and Exercise Efforts Can Pay Off

Are you one of the many adults who have reached your 30s or 40s and discovered that your waist has expanded along with your age and you now wear larger sizes that even before? Many of us find that our metabolism slows down as we age and in addition weight gain may be compounded by such things as busy schedules and stress. Losing weight does not have to add to the stress and can be a simple matter of paying a little more attention to what you eat and opportunities to exercise that exist already. Even if you have a busy stressful schedule, here are some diet and exercise tips for losing weight.

While it may be tempting to decide to jump on the bandwagon for the latest diet craze or what ever newest exercise product is being offered on the late night infomercials, most of those diets and exercise programs are passing fads that either don't work or that require lots of planning and dedication which many people just don't have time for. A temporary fix that you will soon give up isn't going to help you very much.

To find a solution that works for you, first take a look at your lifestyle and figure out what is contributing to your weight gain. Maybe you eat out a lot or at restaurant that don't have many healthy menu items. Do you have a desk job and do not have much opportunity to move around during the day? Do you buy sodas and snacks from a machine during the day? All of these can contribute to an increasing weight gain.

The only real solution to losing weight and keeping it off is to exercise more and consume fewer calories. Of course, we all have real lives and demands on our time so for most people hours at the gym or meticulous diet menus are just not going to fit into our hectic schedules, so you need to look for ways to modify your behavior and habits in small ways that do not cause major changes in your schedule or take up much time.

Think about what you eat. You are either mostly eating food that you buy at the supermarket or you are mostly eating at restaurants or eating take out or delivery. Either way, you need to examine your choices. So if you are buying food at the supermarket, try to buy healthier item to take for lunch and leave the dessert out. Take a few minutes to read labels and buy the brands with the least amount of calories. When eating out, think about what restaurants are in the same vicinity that offer healthier menu choices such as grilled or baked meat and salads. You don't have to totally change your schedule; just make sure that you are making the best choices in regard to what you already do. A few calories saved here and there helps.

Next, look for opportunities to move. Maybe you can park at little further away from your building. Try taking even just one flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up or down one flight then take the elevator if you don't have time or are not in good enough shape to take 5 flights for example. When you have time, take a report to another department yourself instead of sending an assistant. At home, walk to the mailbox instead of sending the kids, walk the dog even just one extra block, when watching your favorite television program, get up and walk in place during the commercial instead of heading for a snack.

The main idea is to realize that small changes and efforts really can make a difference. Don't think that you have to go on a stringent diet or spend hours at the gym to see results. While diets and gym memberships are wonderful and can speed your results, sometimes you simply don't have the time to do them. However, no matter how busy your schedule, do not over look the importance of taking action, even if it is a bunch of small ones. Almost everyone can find ways to get in a little movement and healthier eating if they just try.

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Easy Ways to Eat a High Fiber Diet

You have probably heard for years that a high fiber diet is an important part of eating nutritiously. Recently, emphasis has been put on eating a high fiber diet because of the numerous health benefits. Some of the benefits of a high fiber diet are: relief of constipation, aid in weight loss, lowering cholesterol, controlling blood sugar levels and more. You may have even believed that the only way to eat a high fiber diet was to drink Metamucil or something filled with fiber that tastes like cardboard. The good news is that having a high fiber diet does not mean drinking funny drinks or eating cardboard. Read on and you can learn five tastier ways to eat a high fiber diet.

High Fiber Diet Tip#1

Changing over to wheat pasta is a great way to start a high fiber diet. The average person needs about 30 grams of fiber per day so if you just switch from white pasta to wheat pasta you can add about 4 extra grams per day. On average, white pasta has 2 grams of fiber per serving while wheat pasta has about 6 grams of fiber per serving. I have made the permanent switch to wheat pasta and have found that I love it and it wards off hunger unlike white pasta which makes me hungrier.

High Fiber Diet Tip#2

Simply eating breakfast can help you on your way to a high fiber diet. Not only does breakfast keep you from feeling hungry and overindulging at lunch, it is also a great time to work towards having a high fiber diet. When planning breakfast you can keep it simple by buying whole grain cereal and you don't even have to get the cardboard kind. I get Total whole wheat which has 3 grams of fiber per serving and I usually eat 1.5 servings since it is pretty low in calories too. By doing this you are starting your gihg fiber diet by adding another 4.5 grams of fiber to your diet that you would be missing out on when skipping breakfast.

High Fiber Diet Tip #3

Eat sugar, natural sugar that is! I am guilty of always having a sweet tooth but today instead of grabbing a chocolate bar that leaves me hungry in 10 minutes, I opt for fruit which also helps me maintain a high fiber diet. Apples contain about 4 grams of fiber, pears have about 5 grams of fiber and adding raspberries to your diet will give you a whopping 8 extra grams of fiber (you have to eat the skin on the apples and pears to get the full amount of fiber). As I stated, not only does fruit help you consume a high fiber diet, it can satisfy a sweet tooth and control hunger.

High Fiber Diet Tip#4

One of the simplest ways to sneak in a high fiber diet is by putting it in your meals that you are already cooking. Add a cup of Kellogg's All Bran Complete Wheat Flakes to your meatloaf, casseroles, bread, and muffins when you cook and you are sneaking 6.25 grams of extra fiber into the dish. If you crush it up well, you probably won't notice it which is a great way to get your family on a high fiber diet without them even knowing it. I add it to all of my cooking and my family has never complained.

High Fiber Diet Tip #5

This has to be my favorite and it's by far one of the easiest ways to substantially help create a high fiber diet. Instead of snacking on candy or chips, buy Fiber One Bars! When I first saw the Fiber One bars I figured they probably tasted like chocolate covered cardboard. I was wrong! The Oats and Chocolate Fiber One bars are great and the Oats and Caramel ones are even better (however they do taste like butterscotch to me). I always keep a Fiber One bar in my purse since I am dieting and try to maintain my blood sugar levels by eating every 3 hours. Eating the Fiber One bar gives me about 9 grams of fiber with only 140 calories and you would not believe how well it satisfies hunger, I recommend you try it today and get started on your way to a high fiber diet!

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The Calorie Restriction Diet

The Calorie Restriction diet has been around for quite a while but is gaining in popularity. The diet allegedly offers many benefits: longevity, weight loss, vitality, and reduced risk of diseases. Calorie Restriction has been studied extensively on animals and the results look promising. It could perhaps be the ultimate diet for anti-aging and to lose weight while improving overall health.

What exactly is Calorie Restriction?

Calorie Restriction is essentially exactly what it sounds like. Practitioners of CR eat a reduced-calorie diet, usually aiming for a specific reduction. Some will reduced their caloric intake by ten percent; others opt to restrict even more. It is not just about the amount of calories, though. It is also about getting optimal nutrition from the diet. An important aspect is eating nutrient dense foods that are low calorie. This cannot be emphasized enough. Without the adequate nutrition, vitamins, and minerals there is a high risk for malnutrition.

How does one get started?

The Calorie Restriction Society recommends people start slowly into the diet. Losing weight too quickly, they say, is harmful and the benefits of anti-aging will be lost. People interested in calorie restriction should also be aware of other risks involved in the diet before they get started. If it is still appealing, then there are some simple steps to begin. Vegetables should be eaten in larger quantities, replacing high calorie, low nutrient foods like sugars and flours. Calorie restrictors need to be sure they are getting enough healthy fats, such as the omega fatty acids found in foods like salmon and flax. It is also important to eat enough protein. There are books and meal plans available, as well as software programs and calorie counters. Some of the calorie counters also show the nutrition information for various food items.

What are the benefits of Calorie Restriction?

As with most diets, people on a restricted calorie diet will lose weight. The difference here is that many CR dieters will actually be quite thin, often bordering on the lowest end of the BMI scale. The reason most people adopt this lifestyle, however, isn't to lose weight, it is for the anti-aging and health benefits. Calorie restriction in laboratory mice has increased lifespan around 40%, according to a study from Cornell University done by Dr. McCay. Though this may not translate to the same amount for humans, people are willing to bet it will increase longevity. The health benefits are numerous, but whether they come from the actual restriction of calories or from just eating a very healthy diet is up for dispute. It is proven in scientific studies, such as a recent one reported on in Science News, to lower risk for age related diseases like diabetes in rhesus monkeys. There also appear to be benefits for the brain; slowing its aging and loss of mass.

Who should live a Calorie Restriction lifestyle?

The Calorie Restriction lifestyle is not for everyone. Though many practicing the diet maintain that it is easier the longer they are on it, it does require a lot of planning, attention to detail, and a will to abstain from societal norms. No one should begin a calorie restricted diet without consulting a health care provider. Keeping a close watch on biomarkers, such as liver function and complete blood count, will ensure the calorie restrictor is getting adequate nutrition. People who have had any difficulty with eating disorders should probably not restrict calories.

Sources:

http://www.crsociety.org/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/health/nutrition/31agin.html

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/45430/title/Caloric_restriction_extends_life_in_monkeys,_study_finds

EASY TIPS FOR PLANNING A HEALTHY DIET AND STICKING TO IT

Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, stabilizing your mood, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a tasty, healthy diet.

Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success

To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

• Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
• Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking.  As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
• Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.

  Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key 

  People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. But what is moderation? How much is a moderate amount? That really depends on you and your overall eating habits. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just a few weeks or months, or until you've hit your ideal weight. So try to think of moderation in terms of balance. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
  For most of us, moderation or balance means eating less than we do now. More specifically, it means eating far less of the unhealthy stuff (unrefined sugar, saturated fat, for example) and more of the healthy (such as fresh fruit and vegetables). But it doesn't mean eliminating the foods you love. Eating bacon for breakfast once a week, for example, could be considered moderation if you follow it with a healthy lunch and dinner–but not if you follow it with a box of donuts and a sausage pizza. If you eat 100 calories of chocolate one afternoon, balance it out by deducting 100 calories from your evening meal. If you're still hungry, fill up with an extra serving of fresh vegetables.
  • Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
  • Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entr�e, split a dish with a friend, and don't order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. If you don't feel satisfied at the end of a meal, try adding more leafy green vegetables or rounding off the meal with fresh fruit. Visual cues can help with portion sizes–your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards, a slice of bread should be the size of a CD case, and half a cup of mashed potato, rice, or pasta is about the size of a traditional light bulb.
  • Read more here
  • http://helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

The ABCDMV Principles of Diet

Nutritional guides show a simple anagram for the principles of diet planning. These letters are A, B, C, D, M and V, and are known as the six dietary planning principles. Taught in colleges and medical centers around the world, the letters each stand for a section of diet planning that should never go unnoticed.

A for Adequacy, B for Balance

Adequacy of diet means that it should have all the essentials. It should meet the daily recommended totals of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other essentials needed by the body to function properly. It will help keep a healthy weight and keep the practitioner in good health.Balancing a diet means that foods will help balance out the diet where one nutrient rich food will not overcrowd other foods that are rich in other nutrients. It maintains a well-rounded meal plan that is not over abundant in one area only. Adhering to the food pyramid helps this area.

C for kCalorie, D for Density

Energy control is designed as kCalorie. It manages the amount of calories in a diet which in turn manages the amount of energy the body will have during the day. It helps regulate a diet plan so that there are not many "empty calories" or calories that do not provide energy.Density is for the nutrient density of the diet plant. It is a formula of percentage of calories to energy. For example, a food high in energy but low in calories has a higher nutrient density than a food high in calories with little nutrients. Grapes can be a good source of nutrient density as it provides high nutrients with few calories.

M for Moderation, V for Variety

Moderation deals with not overindulging in a certain area of the diet plan while providing enough of all the major food groups and essentials. It focuses on keeping nutrient rich foods and having a well thought out meal plan. This will help keep the calorie count under firm control as well.Variety is simply for varying up the foods eaten. While a meal plan can be well thought out and rich in nutrients, if it is the same each day the person will be bored and lack enthusiasm. Varying the selections of food that can be eaten in a food group will help keep the diet from being boring. Eat something from all the food groups and change up what that choice is on a frequent basis.

Sources:

Amarillo College: Perspectives on Health and Nutrition
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Gluten and Dairy Free Diet: Planning Meals for Home and School

Living without dairy and wheat is a challenge. When you first start to work with this diet you spend most of your time just trying to find substitutes for the foods you normally ate. However, after you get the hang of working with wheat alternatives and dairy alternatives, your next step is to make sure that you are not only adhering to the diet, but that you are also serving yourself and your family a healthy and well balanced diet. This is where many people get into trouble.

Calories

The first dietary issue that you need to take into consideration when working with the gluten and dairy free diet, is caloric intake. At first your child may lose weight as they will not eat as much of the new foods that you are serving them because they are unfamiliar with the taste and texture of these foods. However, as they become familiar with the taste and texture of non-dairy and non-wheat recipes, the volume of food they eat will increase. This is when you need to closely monitor how many calories each member of your family is consuming to keep their weight under control.

The age, height and activity level of each person is going to impact how many calories they need. To help you monitor the caloric intake of each member of your family, or at least the people on thegluten free dairy free diet, keep a chart of calories for the ingredients that you use to cook with. Then chart the food amounts and calories on a dry erase board.

Fat Content

Another element of the gluten free and dairy free diet that you will need to chart is fat content. While you will be using lower fat ingredients like soy milk and soy cheese, these products still contain fat. You will especially want to monitor how much hydrogenated fats are in your recipes. This is an unhealthy fat. When possible avoid using products with this type of fat.

Planning School Lunches

One challenge of putting your Autistic child on a gluten free and dairy free diet is dealing with school breakfasts and lunches. The school is not going to be able to cater to this diet so you will need to pack meals for your child to have at school. You will want to include breakfast, a snack and lunch. Variety is going to keep your child from getting bored with the foods you send. Celery sticks with Smart Balance peanut butter and raisins, carrot sticks or baby carrots, fruit snacks, dried fruits and sugar free Jello®, all make great snacks. For breakfast, eggs, turkey sausage or vegan yogurt all work well. For lunch you can include vegetable soup, chicken and rice soup, rice dumplings, turkey hot dogs without the bun, mashed potatoes, and beef stew all make great meals.

Planning Dinners

At home you can be more creative with what you make. You can try your luck working with gluten free breads, however, you're life will be much easier if you just forego bread and switch to rice and potatoes as your primary starches. Homemade stews and soups are going to be the easiest to keep gluten and dairy free. You can transform just about any recipe into a gluten and dairy free recipe by removing noodles and wheat thickeners. You can replace the noodles with rice and/or potatoes and replace wheat thickeners with arrowroot or corn starch.

Asian cuisine also will provide you with a lot of great gluten free and dairy free recipes to work with. However, because of soy sauce and other prepackaged sauces. Many of these pre-bottled sauces have wheat in them.

Again, variety is going to help you keep your kids satisfied with this diet. Try planning a different type of cuisine for each day of the week. For example, you can have Thai on Monday, Mexican on Tuesday, American on Wednesday, etc.

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Some Facts About Fat

It is important to understand that some amount of fat is necessary for proper functioning of our body. Excess fat is dangerous, and hence it is very essential to ensure that our fat intake is of right quality and quantity. Fats are considered essential for normal glandular activity, especially the adrenaline gland. Fats also function as regulator for the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K); and as a source of the essential fatty acids.

Types of Fat:

Saturated fat contributes the most to elevating blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL (the bad cholesterol) It also elevates the possibility of blood clotting. Typically saturated fat is found in animal fats and tropical oils. Hence it is very important to select low fat milk and limit/avoid cheese, all types of meats (especially red meat), butter ghee and tropical oils.

Unsaturated fats (poly and mono) have less of an effect on elevating blood cholesterol levels. Mono-unsaturated fats may help increase HDL (the good cholesterol). Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) decrease the bad cholesterol and suppress clot formation in the blood. Hence it is very essential to prefer plant foods and use vegetable oil instead of hydrogenated oil for cooking.

Trans-fats are produced when unsaturated fat is hydrogenated to make it more saturated. Trans-fats tend to have more of an effect on elevating blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL, compared to unsaturated fats, but they have less of an effect compared to saturated fat . The ratio of saturated fats to unsaturated fats should be roughly about 0.8 to 1.0. This can be achieved by judicious combination of cereals, pulses, vegetables, milk and vegetable oils.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): The two essential fatty acids are Alpha-Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 Fatty Acid) and Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 Fatty Acid). A good balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acid is very essential. Fish oil and flax seeds are very good source of Omega-3 Fatty acids for both non-vegetarians and vegetarians respectively. Omega-3 Fatty Acids lower bad cholesterol, triglyceride and prevent clot formation; besides lowering blood pressure.

One must also remember that refined carbohydrates and sugars also increase triglyceride levels; hence one must prefer natural foods and reduce consumption of sugar. Certain types of dietary fibers (soluble fiber) found in cereals, pulses, vegetables and fruits decrease cholesterol and triglycerides, hence one must make them a part of our daily diet.

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Alzheimer's Cure from Nature

Different herbs and spices, all from earth and nature. Mostly all can deliver a cure or treatment for diseases and conditions. Chris Kilham, of Fox News "Medicine Hunter" and ethnobotanist, latest announced spice turmeric root, also referred to as curcumin when it is in extract form. This spicefrom Asia seems to pack a powerful delivery in possibly the prevention of Alzheimer's diseaseand may just be able to cure the disease as well.

Dr. Manny Alvarez, who recently gave an interview to Fox News had stated that person's with Alzheimer's develop a sticky plaque in the brain called amyloid beta. These type of plaques either actualize as a reaction of Alzheimer's or they are the explicit cause of the disease. In either case they are absolutely associated to the degenerative process.

Studies have demonstrated that turmeric does really dispose of the plaques. They eliminate these plaques when they are just beginning to form and during the later phases in their progression.

Mr. Kilham, states that what is present in turmeric is something that seems to prevent the developing of Alzheimer's disease and in all reality it aides to decrease the appearance of plaque in the brain if you happen to have it. In animal studies, when the animals have the amyloid beta plaque in their brains and they receive turmeric, the plaque is decreased.

Observational studies have also indicated that persons in groups that consume turmeric basically never get Alzheimer's disease.

Among countries where the populace eat a lot of this spice, the rate of Alzheimer's disease is extremely low. In Southeast Asia and India it is a rare disease. However, in the United States Alzheimer's disease is very common.

Mr. Kilham notes that pharmaceutical companies are working hard attempting to produce medication versions of turmeric. However, consuming the real spice when possible and taking turmeric extract supplements in case the spice in food is not a viable option is highly recommended.

Mr. Kilham remarks pharmaceutical companies face one challenge in being that they cannot patent turmeric. Therefore, they will attempt to develop something else. It very well appears that the consumption of turmeric or using its extracts supplements seems to guard against one of the worlds most dreadful and incapacitating disease around.

ALC Supplements

Acetylene-L-carnitine (ACL) is an amino acid in which is produced in the bodies liver and kidneys and kept in the skeletal muscles, heart, brain and sperm. It aides the body to turn fat into energy.

It is used in many conditions as a treatment due to the fact it decreases oxidative stress.

Research evidence of the supplement is divided. Results for delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease by using this supplement have been favorable. It has also shown good results in decreasing depression cause by senility and other types of dementia. It also has demonstrated the ability to improve memory.

This supplement is safe and effective. However, in serious conditions such as Alzheimer's disease checking with your primary care provider first is recommended.

PS Supplements

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an element in the membranes which enclose the nerve cells. There have been small studies done on PS supplements and Alzheimer's disease. The outcomes of these studies have suggested that these supplements possible can aide in preventing in mental decline due to age progression. The supplements strengthen the cell membranes which guards them and their contents from harm.

PS supplements are synthesized from soy and in a small trail they resulted in promising results. Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, Medical Director and President of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tuscon, Arizona recommends PS in the following doses:

100mg to maintain top brain functioning

200mg for mild cognitive impairment

300mg to treat Alzheimer's disease

These are all in daily doses.

Vitamin E

In a recent study findings did conclude that vitamin E possibly is associated to decreasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. High intakes of vitamin E in foods show a 25% less chance of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Food sources of vitamin E include almonds, hazel nuts, wheat germ, broccoli and some green vegetables. High dosage amounts of vitamin E can cause a risk for bleeding. When taking supplements no more than 1,000mg is recommended daily.

American/Asian Ginseng

Ginseng is vastly being used to strengthen immune system and increase strength.

In animal studies and individual reports for either American or Asian ginseng, have demonstrate ginseng has the possibility in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's also improving memory and behavior.

Coffee

University of Florida researchers conducted a study on caffeine. The study had provided evidence that caffeine could be practical treatment for Alzheimer's disease.

In the study mice had been bred for the specific purpose to develop Alzheimer's. Half of the mice had received large amounts of a caffeine diet upon researchers noticing signs of the disease. The mice in which had consumed the caffeine had a higher performance rate on memory testing than those mice who received no caffeine.

The researchers stated just due to the fact they could reverse the diseases effects on cognitive ability is of major significance.

Current research on Alzheimer's treatment had concentrated on clumps which form in the brain of Alzheimer's patients which interrupt normal memory capability. At times these clumps are caused by two enzymes. When heavy doses of caffeine is consumed it appears that these enzymes are halted in forming.

Apple Juice

University of Massachusetts researchers in 2009, had discovered apple juice possibly can postpone the beginning of Alzheimer's disease. In mice who consumed two glasses of apple juice (glasses were of human consumption amounts) each day for a length of 30 days had manufactured less beta-amyloid. This is said to be the substance in which is liable for composing the senile plaques which are most often in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

This study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease along with past studies which had also discovered that the consumption of apple juice aided in boosting the performance of mice in maze trails.

Dr. Thomas B. Shea, PhD., of the universities Center of Cellular Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration Research, head researcher on this study commented that the results gave further evidence associating nutritional and genetic risk factors of age related neurodegeneration and advocates that drinking apple juice on a regular basis not only aides in keeping the mind functioning at its peak performance level but can also inhibit main elements of Alzheimer's disease.

Vitamin B Supplements

University of Oxford scientists just recently conducted a trail of the effects of vitamin B and Alzheimer's disease. The trail consisted of 168 persons and found that when taking high doses of three vitamin B supplements each day had decreased the brain from shrinking by 53%. Brain shrinkage is a normal part of aging but can happen faster in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) associated to Alzheimer's.

The researcher stated that since these findings were significantly immense it should be open to debate as whether to prescribe vitamin B supplements to everyone with MCI half of those persons do develop Alzheimer's disease.

Even though the evidence is very promising more research is required before a decision is made to use the supplements as a positive treatment for Alzheimer's.

Mediterranean Diet and Exercise

At the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, researchers had assessed 1,880 elderly residents who did had no dementia at the beginning of the study. The residents in the study had undergone neurological and neuropsychological assessments every 1.5 years from 1992 to 2006 along with their endurance of the Mediterranean diet and level of exercise evaluated.

In total, 282 persons developed Alzheimer's during the study. In comparison of persons who had low exercise levels and sticking to the diet, and those who had high exercise level and maintained the diet. Those who kept the diet along with high exercise rate had shown a 35 - 44% decline risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

In 2007, a study which was published in Neurology, had discovered that persons with the disease who follow the Mediterranean diet have longer healthy life spans.

In the 2009, British American Journal, published research had noted that the most valuable foods in the Mediterranean diet for aiding in Alzheimer's were vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses, olive oil and moderate intake of alcohol.

There are numerous studies that support the Mediterranean diet along with regular exercises for a healthy long life span.

It seems more and more the natural things of mother nature prevails at higher rates than that of conventional medicines.

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Could Lettuce Cure Diabetes?

Would you believe that the lettuce you are eating in your dinner salad could possibly be a cure for Type 1 diabetes? In about five years, a diabetic could be swallowing a capsule containing ground up lettuce with insulin once or twice a week for a few weeks and then be cured and not have to inject insulin for the rest of his life.

Let's start at the beginning. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in young adults and children. Diabetes does not permit the body to manufacture insulin, which is needed to convert starches, sugar and other food into energy. This disease can bring on many problems such as blindness, foot and skin problems, and heart and kidney disease. Watching their blood sugar levels is a number one priority for patients with this form of the disease.

According to the American Diabetes Association, about 20.8 million children and adults or about 7 percent of the population have type 1 or 2 diabetes in the United States. The National Changing Diabetes Program released last month that the number of Americans with diabetes is estimated to double by 2025. During a congressional briefing, the Mathematical Policy Research, Inc. reported that one of every eight federal health care dollars, $79.7 billion out of $645 billion, is spent on care for diabetics.

The current treatment for type 1 diabetes entails putting insulin into the bloodstream usually by injection. Patients can also inhale the insulin or wear a pump that delivers the insulin into the bloodstream. Unfortunately, the insulin does not cure the diabetes, it only treats it. Patients have to take insulin for the rest of their lives. People experiencing this disease may have a cure and it could come from lettuce, according to Henry Daniell, Ph.D., a molecular biologist at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.

According to Dr. Daniell, a lettuce leaf is put into a machine and then it is injected with a human gene for insulin. The leaf is in effect creating human insulin. The lettuce is grown in the lab. The lettuce is then ground up and put into a capsule. Dr. Daniell considers the lettuce to be genetically modified. Every solitary cell in the lettuce leaf contains 10,000 copies of the insulin gene. The plant cell walls are made of cellulose to prevent the insulin from degrading. Insulin is little by little sent into the bloodstream when the bacteria living in the intestine slowly break down the cell walls. This generates an immune reaction in the body and trains it to release its own insulin. This is a completely new theory and a new way to use this oral delivery system to cure this immune disorder. Dr. Daniell has been working to make his technique perfect for the past 20 years.

Dr. Daniell has tested this concept on mice. All the diabetic mice had normal blood sugar levels and created insulin after eight weeks, even after they quit ingesting the lettuce powder. He had given the lettuce powder to the mice once a week and the results were amazing.

Patients would only have to take the pill for weeks, not months or years according to Dr. Daniell. Technically, they would no longer have diabetes once their immune system reacts to the pill. Additionally, since this therapy is based on plants, it would only cost pennies to produce. The mice had no side effects from the treatment.

The next step is to test the lettuce capsules in humans and that is expected to start in the next year. Dr. Daniell said his research team has offers from formal partners and the University of Central Florida is consulting with them to start a phase 1 clinical trial. Dr. Daniell is expecting to see the same result in humans as they found in the trials on mice.

Prior results and these results signify that insulin capsules possibly in the future might be used to prevent diabetes before the symptoms appear and even treat the disease in its later stages. It could also assist patients that have multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes and some forms of arthritis.

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