Trans fats are a type of fatty acid found in foods we eat. Fatty acids are a source of energy for your body. Fatty acids derived from oils of vegetable and fruits, seeds, nuts, animal fats and fish oils. Not all fatty acids are harmful. For example, moderate amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your diet can benefit your health. However, trans fats are an example of a fatty acid is bad for you. Trans fats are often used in processed foods and commercial baked goods because they are cheap and because the products have a long shelf life.

Why are trans fats bad for our health?

Trans fats can raise levels of “bad” cholesterol (called low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol) in your body. They also decrease the levels of “good” cholesterol (called high density lipoprotein, or HDL). Eating trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease.

What types of foods contain trans fat?

Natural foods such as milk, butter and meat, contain small amounts of trans fats. But this type of fat does not seem as harmful to health as trans fat found in commercial baked goods, fried foods and snacks. Examples of foods often contain trans fats include the following:

• Margarine
• Shortening Matter
• Crackers
• Sweet biscuits
• Fried snacks
• Salsa (dressing) salad

Many foods sold at fast food restaurants also have high levels of trans fats.

How I can avoid trans fats?

Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet instead of processed and packaged foods. Fruits and vegetables naturally contain no trans fats.

You should also carefully read food labels and look at the content of trans fats. Food labels should be noted trans fat, total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Trans fats appear listed in the ingredients list as “hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.”

When reading a nutrition label, remember that companies are allowed to list “0 grams trans fat” if the food contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. This means your food may contain trans fat even if the nutrition label says “0 grams trans fat per serving.” Many foods now have written on the label “free of trans fats.”

Some fast food restaurants no longer use trans fats, but it is important that you ask before ordering.

Strive to eat foods with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats instead of foods high in trans fat. Monounsaturated fats found in vegetable oils such as olive, canola, peanut, sunflower and sesame. Also found in foods such as avocados, peanut butter and many nuts and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are found in vegetable oils such as soybean oil (soy), corn oil and safflower oil. They are also found in fatty fish such as salmon, barracuda, herring and trout.

How much trans fat is acceptable?

Ideally, you should get 0 grams of trans fat per day. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1% of your total daily calories from trans fat. If you take about a total of 2,000 calories per day should consume less than two (2) grams of trans fat per day.

Magnesium is a nutrient that helps your body produce energy and helps your muscles, arteries and heart work properly. According to the USDA, the average American adult should get 380 milligrams of magnesium each day.

The following foods are rich sources of magnesium:

• Vegetables such as squash (1 ounce = 151 milligrams), spinach (1/2 cup contains 81 milligrams) and artichokes (1/2 cup = 50 milligrams)
• Bran cereal, 1 ounce = 103 milligrams
• Beans such as soybeans (1/2 cup contains 74 milligrams), white beans (1/2 cup contains 67 milligrams), black beans (1/2 cup contains 60 milligrams), navy beans (1/2 cup contains 48 milligrams) and white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (1/2 cup contains 44 milligrams)
• Tofu (1/2 cup contains 47 milligrams)
• Brown rice (1/2 cup contains 42 milligrams)
• Nuts such as Brazil nuts or Brazil nuts (1 ounce = 107 milligrams), almonds (1 ounce = 78 milligrams), cashews (1 ounce = 74 milligrams and peanuts (1 ounce = 50 milligrams)

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is associated with the development of vision and cell growth and maintenance.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin A:

• Organ meats such as liver and giblets or offal (3 ounces from 1490 to 9126 micrograms)
• Vegetables such as sweet potatoes (1 medium sweet potato contains 1096 micrograms), squash (1/2 cup contains 953 micrograms), carrots (1/2 cup = 679 micrograms), spinach (1/2 cup = 573 micrograms and summer turnip (Brassica rapa) (1/2 cup = 441 micrograms)
• Cantaloupe (1/4 medium melon 233 micrograms)

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps the body form collagen, the main protein used as connective tissue in the body, blood vessels, bones, cartilage and muscle.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin C:

• Fruits such as guava (1/2 cup = 188 milligrams), oranges (1 medium orange contains 70 milligrams), kiwi (1 medium kiwi contains 70 milligrams), strawberries (1/2 cup contains 49 milligrams), cantaloupe (1 / 4 medium melon contains 47 milligrams), papaya (1/4 cup = 47 milligrams medium papaya), pineapple (1/2 cup contains 28 milligrams) and mango (1/2 cup contains 23 milligrams)
• Vegetables such as raw red sweet pepper (red chile soup) (1/2 cup = 142 milligrams), green paprika oil (green chile soup) (1/2 cup = 60 milligrams), Brussels sprouts (1 / 2 cup = 48 milligrams), broccoli (1/2 cup = 38 milligrams), potatoes (1/2 cup = 34 milligrams) and cauliflower (1/2 cup = 28 milligrams)

Your body needs calcium during childhood and adolescence to form strong bones and teeth. As an adult, you need calcium to maintain bone mass. According to studies, the average American adult who consumes about 2,000 calories a day should get 1,136 milligrams of calcium per day.

The following foods are rich sources of calcium:

• Nonfat yogurt or low fat content (8 ounces between 345 and 452 milligrams)
• Fat-free cheese or cheese with low fat content (2 ounces = 400 milligrams)
• Milk containing low fat (1 cup = 290 milligrams) or skim milk (1 cup = 306 milligrams)
• Fish and seafood such as sardines (3 ounces = 325 milligrams), pink salmon (3 ounces = 181 milligrams) and ocean perch (3 ounces = 116 milligrams)
• Beans such as soybeans (1/2 cup = 130 milligrams) and white beans (1/2 cup contains 96 milligrams)
• Spinach (1/2 cup = 146 milligrams)
• Oatmeal (1 packet contains from 99 to 110 milligrams)

Potassium

A diet rich in potassium helps your body maintain  healthy blood pressure. Studies show that the average American consumes 4,044 milligrams of potassium per day.

The following foods are rich sources of potassium:

• Sweet potatoes (1 potato = 694 milligrams) and common potatoes (1 potato = 610 milligrams)
• Beans such as navy beans (1/2 cup = 595 milligrams), soybeans (1/2 cup = 485 milligrams), beans (1/2 cup = 484 milligrams) and red beans (1/2 cup = 358 milligrams)
• Nonfat yogurt (8 ounces = 579 milligrams) or yogurt with low fat content (8 ounces = 531 milligrams)
• Skim milk (1 cup = 382 milligrams) or milk with low-fat (1 cup = 366 milligrams)
• Fruit such as banana (banana) (1 medium banana contains 422 milligrams), peaches (1/4 cup contains 398 milligrams), cantaloupe (1/4 medium melon = 368 milligrams) and honeydew melon (1/8 medium melon contains 365 milligrams)
• Fish such as halibut or Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) (3 ounces = 490 milligrams), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) (3 ounces = 484 milligrams), rockfish (family scorpeanidae) (3 ounces = 442 milligrams ) and cod (3 ounces = 439 milligrams)
• Tomato paste (1/4 cup = 664 milligrams, tomato puree (1/2 cup = 549 milligrams), tomato juice (3/4 cup containing 417 milligrams) and tomato sauce (1/2 cup = 405 milligrams)

Vitamin B-12 is an important vitamin found primarily in fish, shellfish, meat and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 helps make red blood cells and DNA, and maintains the proper functioning of your nervous system.

Vegetarians or people who do not eat meat, vegan people, and the elderly are at risk of not getting enough vitamin B-12. Most people with low vitamin B-12 do not eat meat or dairy products or have trouble absorbing vitamin B-12 in the stomach or small intestine.

What can cause problems with absorbing vitamin B-12?

Here are some things that can cause problems with absorbing vitamin B-12:

• A disease called pernicious anemia can destroy cells in your stomach that help you absorb vitamin B-12.
• Using medications for heartburn and ulcers for a long time.
• Having had surgery on the stomach or intestines.

Your doctor will determine why you have low vitamin B-12 by asking questions about your health. A physical exam and taking a blood sample will be necessary.

What happens if my vitamin B-12 is low?

You may not have any symptoms if your level of vitamin B-12 is slightly lower. However, a very low level of vitamin B-12 can cause anemia, depression, dementia or a problem with your nervous system.

Some people with low vitamin B-12 also have high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that is a building block of proteins. If you have both problems, you probably have a greater risk for heart disease and stroke.

Can I just take one multivitamin pill every day to raise a low vitamin B-12?

No. The vitamins that are sold without prescription will not contain enough vitamin B-12 to raise a low level. To get enough vitamin B-12, you need to take special vitamin B-12.

You can also get shots of vitamin B-12. Generally, these injections are administered every day or every other day for about two weeks. After this, an injection is administered monthly. Your doctor can help decide whether pills or shots are right for you.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Your body needs calcium during childhood and adolescence to form strong bones and teeth. As an adult, you need vitamin D and calcium to maintain bone mass. This helps prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin D also helps your body to keep the amounts of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.

Scientists continue to study vitamin D. Recent medical studies have shown that vitamin D may also help protect your body from other conditions such as cancer, muscular weakness, mood disorders, diabetes type 1 and 2, kidney disease, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Does my body make vitamin D?

A vitamin D is sometimes called “sunshine vitamin”, because your body makes vitamin D after you are exposed to sunlight. Depending on where you live, ten minutes of summer sunlight in three to four times per week may be enough to help your body synthesize vitamin D you need.

How much vitamin D do I need?

The amount of vitamin D your body needs can vary, depending on their weight, their genetic characteristics, the color of their skin, whether or not a chronic condition and even from where you live. Talk to your doctor about how much vitamin D you should get in your diet.

Adults need the following amounts of vitamin D:

Under 50: 200-400 international units (IU) per day
50 to 70 years: 400-600 IU per day
Age 70: 600-800 IU per day
Children and adults are not exposed to sunlight may need 800 to 1000 IU of vitamin D per day.

From birth to 18 years, the recommended daily dose for children is 400 IU. If you are lactating, your doctor will prescribe a vitamin supplement that has vitamin D because breast milk contains only small amounts of vitamin D. Talk to your doctor before giving vitamin supplements to older children.

Who is at risk for vitamin D deficiency?

• Persons at aged state
• Babies fed with breast milk
• Obese people
• People with dark skin
• Persons with limited exposure to sunlight
• People living in the northern United States
• People who have difficulty absorbing fats from the diet
• People taking medicines called glucocorticoids

What if I do not get enough vitamin D?

Many people do not get enough vitamin D. If you do not get enough vitamin D, your body can not absorb calcium well, and your muscles can weaken.

How I can get more vitamin D?

Foods that naturally contain vitamin D include fish, fish oil, eggs, cheese and butter. There are also vitamin D-fortified foods such as milk and milk substitutes, orange juice and breakfast cereals.

Why do I need fat in my diet?

Your body uses fat for energy. It also uses fat to form neural tissue and hormones, and to control inflammation. Fat also helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K from the food you eat.

But too much fat can contribute to obesity. Calories from fat are converted into fat more easily than carbohydrates and proteins. The fat in your diet can confuse your appetite so that you may not realize when you are full. Some fats also raise blood pressure and total cholesterol level, and may increase your risk of some cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

How much is too much?

Fat contains nine calories per gram, more than double that contain carbohydrates and proteins, which contain four calories per gram. Everyone has different caloric requirements. Your doctor can help to elucidate how many calories you need and how many of these can come from fat.

If you’re overweight, the American Heart Association recommends that you get less than 30% of their total calories from fat. Therefore, if your body requires 2,000 calories daily, you can consume up to 65 grams of fat each day.

What are “bad” fats?

Limit or avoid these fats:

Saturated fats: These are usually found in animal products such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products such as cheese, cream and whole milk or fat content of 2%. The oil palm, coconut and other tropical oils, like cocoa butter also contain saturated fats. Many snacks such as desserts, potato chips and French fries are high in saturated fat. A diet rich in saturated fat can raise your level of “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and can place it at a high risk for heart disease.

Trans fats : These fats are a type of man-made hydrogenated and usually found in processed foods such as cookies, cakes, donuts like “donuts”, crackers, snacks and frozen foods and also fried foods such such as French fries and onion rings. Trans fat is extremely harmful to you. This decreases the level of “good” cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) while increasing their level of “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and triglycerides. Today, it is the obligation that all food manufacturers record on food labels for trans fat content. However, food can contain up to 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving (portion), and yet, can be labeled as containing no trans fats. To avoid them completely, check the ingredient list and avoid partially hydrogenated oils.

The good fats

Monounsaturated fats: found in canola, olive, avocado, peanuts and other derivatives of nuts (walnuts), as well as legumes (dried beans and peas, olives, seeds, nuts, butter derived from nuts, and fresh avocados.

Polyunsaturated fats: found in vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower and safflower, as well as sesame seeds, sunflower, corn, soybeans (soybean), and many other varieties of grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Omega-3 fatty acids: These are usually found in seafood such as salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel. Also found in flax seeds in the flax oil and walnuts.

Studies have shown that these fats, if used as a substitute for saturated fats, can help lower your total cholesterol level. The Omega-3 fatty acids are especially beneficial, and studies have shown that these can also reduce your risk of inflammation or having a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Tips for a healthy diet

You do not have to completely eliminate fat from your diet, but if you must limit the amount of fat you eat. Try eating foods made with unsaturated fats and avoid foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fats. Other things you can do include:

• Avoid “junk”. It almost always contains trans fat.
• Limit the amount of meat you eat. Substitute baked or broiled fish, poultry and vegetable proteins.
• Use canola oil when baking.
• Use olive oil when cooking, for salad dressings, and spread on bread.
• Choose healthy choices of snacks. For example, try eating snacks that contain a small amount of unsalted peanuts or toasted soybeans  instead of potato chips.
• Try putting your salad to your sandwich or a slice of avocado or add nuts or dried chickpeas.
• Instead of butter, use soft or liquid margarine. Look for a margarine that is low in saturated fat and contains no trans fats.

Today, we tell you what you can do to stop fatigue and feel refreshed.

Handle stress

Stress can be good because it allows us to respond to emergencies. Prolonged stress can be very harmful to our health and energy level. One way to reduce stress is through meditation. But if it is not your thing, then you could do a simple and slow breathing. Deep breathing calms the nervous system and normalizes heart rhythms.

Watch your diet

Eat fish such as salmon and trout, along with vegetables and healthy foods, as they will help your body to recover easily. You should restrict consumption of red meat, foods high in carbohydrates, wheat, cow’s milk, coffee and alcohol.

Exercise

Even if you feel very tired and discouraged, doing exercise will leave you feeling better. Do it slowly and increase it until you make a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise three days a week (every other day). Moderate exercise stimulates the immune system and leads to better heart health and brain.

Get enough sleep

We need to sleep 8 to 9 hours daily, so we have to have a good sleeping habit for our health.

With these healthy living tips, you will feel renewed and energized.

According to several studies, it has shown that following a strict healthy diet severely alters our mood. For example, a person choosing an apple instead of a candy bar, rather sees a violent film rather than a more tranquil movie.

Those involved in this research are David Gal of Northwestern University in Chicago and Wendy Liu of the University of California. They said that they are trying to determine the relationship between self-control and a person who exercises his power to all kinds of violent behavior.

“The results show that self-control makes people behave aggressively with each other, tending easily to irritability and nonsense anger”, they said.

The conclusion? The study finds that the excesses are never good. Eating a healthy and balanced diet is important for our health, but that does not mean we should deprive ourselves from eating what we like. And if chocolate makes us happy, why avoid it, without abusing?

If you want to know more, this study is published in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Having a sense of humor does not mean to laugh all the time, but not to learn to face life happily, without getting angry over little things. If we can take what happens to us in good shape, we generate a pleasant aura to people.

Here are some tips to develop your sense of humor:

Play with language: Words can have many meanings, even if you use one way or another, it can be a bit funny. Language is fundamental to human relationships, so that a person can express many feelings. Comedians use words to make people laugh. Try to say something kind and funny and you’ll see how it changes the environment.

Look around: Many things we see every day can become funny, or make you smile. The ability to appreciate the things you shared will help improve your sense of humor.

Go for comedies: View a comic series or movie will help you not take things so seriously. Also, read humorous cartoons that will improve your mood and will help you to be more lively when you strike a joke.

Learn to distinguish what is funny what is not: We must learn to know which situations are funny or not to avoid hurting other people.

There are many things we must learn to live better and relate to others. Face life with humor, and positivity, as it will make us feel happier and be nice people to people in stressful world.

Be careful what you use

If you have dry skin, you should be extra careful with the products you use for washing clothes, and soap you use for your skin, since their components tend to damage your skin. You can wear gloves when you use any detergent and use a soap that suits your skin.

Also, keep in mind that long showers with hot water remove necessary oils in your skin. Therefore, you should make a quick shower of 5 to 10 minutes maximum. In addition, you should use a moisturizer in the next 5 to 10 minutes after the shower, to retain moisture of your skin.

Ingredients that can help

Products containing certain ingredients can help you, like the following:

• Ceramide: helps retain skin moisture and make it more smooth.
• Dimethicone and glycerin: these components extract water from the skin and retain it.
• Hyaluronic acid: also helps keep skin hydrated.
• Products with petroleum jelly and mineral oil can also be of great help and quickly hydrates the skin.

Other measures

Some changes in your lifestyle can help improve your skin. Drinking plenty of water can help keep you hydrated in every way. The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids help improve skin. You can consume increasing the fish in your diet or through supplements.

If your skin itches, apply a corticosteroid cream and put ice in the affected area. Do not scratch it, as it only further irritates your skin.