Nutrition Basics from Mayo Clinic

• Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.
• Artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes Understand the pros and cons of artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes.
• Added sugar: Don't get sabotaged by sweeteners Added sugar can contribute unwanted calories and aggravate health concerns. See where it may be lurking in your diet and how to cut back.
• Boiling down the dietary guidelines Don't be intimidated by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They boil down to a few key recommendations about which foods to choose and which to avoid.
• Water: How much should you drink every day? Water — Know how much water to drink to remain healthy and prevent dehydration.
• Nutrition Facts: An interactive guide to food labels This interactive guide explains the Nutrition Facts label to help you make healthier choices.
• Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet Carbohydrates — Make wise choices for your health.
• Pyramid or plate? Explore these healthy diet options Healthy diets come in all shapes. Experiment and have fun eating healthy.
• Alcohol use: If you drink, keep it moderate Alcohol use — Only light to moderate drinking offers possible health benefits.
• Caffeine: How much is too much? Caffeine — You may like caffeine's effects, but too much may be harmful.
• Dietary fats: Know which types to choose Fat — Get the skinny on dietary fat, including new guidelines.
• Sodium: How to tame your salt habit now Sodium — Discover ways to cut back on sodium and salt in your diet.
• Chart of high-fiber foods Eating enough high-fiber foods? Find out the dietary fiber content of some common foods.
• Calorie calculator Calorie calculator — calculate how many daily calories you need to maintain your weight.
• Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid tool Here's your personalized meal plan for weight loss and weight maintenance.
• Cholesterol: Top 5 foods to lower your numbers The foods you eat can help lower your cholesterol. Here are five top choices.
• Breast-feeding nutrition: Tips for moms Understand breast-feeding nutrition do's and don'ts.
• Trans fat is double trouble for your heart health Trans fat raises "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and lowers "good" (HDL) cholesterol.
• Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health Discover how walnuts, almonds and other nuts help lower cholesterol and im-prove heart health.

Healthy diets

• Mediterranean diet recipes These healthy and appealing recipes will get you hooked on the Mediterranean diet.
• DASH diet: Healthy eating to lower your blood pressure The DASH diet — Follow this eating approach for better blood pressure and other health benefits.
• Gluten-free recipes Do you have celiac disease or cook for someone who does? Then check out these healthy gluten-free recipes.
• Vegetarian diet: How to get the best nutrition A vegetarian diet can meet your nutritional needs if you follow this helpful guide.
• Sample menus for the DASH eating plan DASH diet: Plan your meals with these sample DASH menus.
• DASH diet: Top 5 tips for dining out DASH diet — Use these tips to avoid salt and fat while dining out.
• DASH diet: Top 5 tips for shopping and cooking DASH diet — Use these tips for easy ways to make healthier meals and snacks.
• Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet emphasizes healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.
• DASH diet: Guide to recommended servings DASH diet: Use this table of recommended servings to plan meals.
• Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more Find out just how much caffeine is in coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks.
• Vegetarian recipes Vegetarian recipes to inspire the longtime vegetarian or the flexitarian.
• Taming rheumatoid arthritis pain Rheumatoid arthritis pain — Reduce its impact on everyday life with these tips on joint protection, exercise, relaxation and knowing your limits.

Healthy cooking

• Healthy chicken recipes When you think of chicken, you probably think of fried chicken, but there are plenty of healthy chicken recipes to enjoy.
• Healthy eating: Jazz it up with these tips Healthy eating — Keep on track with these 10 easy ways to freshen things up.
• Meatless meals: The benefits of eating less meat Meatless meals are an easy way to eat healthfully and save money.
• Healthy cooking for 1 or 2 Don't give up on healthy cooking just because you're cooking for one or two.
• Beans and other legumes: Types and cooking tips Here's help in selecting and preparing beans and other nutritious legumes.
• Summer recipes: Celebrate the season Summer recipes — Celebrate the season with these healthy summer recipes.
• Whole grains: Hearty options for a healthy diet Whole grains — Why it's important to include whole grains in your diet.
• Recipe makeovers: 5 ways to create healthy recipes Healthy recipes — Use these techniques to reduce the fat, calories and sodium in recipes.
• Soup recipes: Explore the possibilities Find soup recipes for every season.
• Healthy recipes: A guide to ingredient substitutions Healthy recipes — Reduce fat, salt, sugar and calories with simple ingredient substitutions.
• Healthy cooking techniques: Boost flavor and cut calories Healthy cooking techniques capture the flavor and nutrients of food without extra fat or salt.
• Listeria infection Listeria infection — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment, prevention of this foodborne illness.
• Food poisoning Food poisoning — Comprehensive overview covers causes, symptoms and treatments.
• Food-borne illness: First aid How to recognize and provide first aid for a food-borne illness.

Healthy menus and shopping strategies

• Free range and other meat and poultry terms Free range — See what this and other meat and poultry terms really mean.
• Cuts of beef: A guide to the leanest selections Cuts of beef — Find out which selections are lowest in fat and cholesterol.
• Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid: A sample menu Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid — Use this sample menu to plan daily meals and snacks.
• Fast food: 5 ways to healthier meals Fast food can fit into your healthy diet. These tips can help.
• How meat and poultry fit in your healthy diet Cut the fat from your diet, not the meat and poultry.
• Couponing and other frugal food shopping tips Use these frugal food shopping tips to achieve healthy savings on your grocery bill.
• Vegetarian recipes Vegetarian recipes to inspire the longtime vegetarian or the flexitarian.
• Healthy breakfast: Quick, flexible options to grab at home Healthy breakfast — Get several quick-and-healthy options to jump-start your day.
• Thanksgiving recipes: Delicious and healthy options Thanksgiving recipes — Build your Thanksgiving Day menu with these healthy recipes.
• Menu planning: Eat healthier and spend less Menu planning supports healthy eating — and saves time and money.
• Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? Organic apples, eggs and even cookies. Is it worth paying more for organic foods?
• Holiday recipes: Celebrate with healthy, festive fare Holiday recipes don't have to be bad for you. Try these healthy adaptations and celebrate in good health.
• Menus for heart-healthy eating: Cut the fat and salt Use these menus to jump-start your heart-healthy diet.

Nutritional supplements

• Herbal supplements: What to know before you buy Herbal supplements aren't right for everyone. Get the facts before you buy.
• Supplements: Nutrition in a pill? Before taking vitamin and mineral supplements, understand what they will and won't do for you.
• Calcium and calcium supplements: Achieving the right balance Considering calcium supplements? First figure out how much calcium you need. Then weigh the pros and cons of calcium supplements.

Drinking Water At The Correct Time Maximizes

Its Effectiveness On The Human Body

2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs 

 1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion

1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure

1 glass of water before going to bed - helps avoid stroke or heart attack

http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html

Health Benefits of Water

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/MY00431

Nearly all of the major systems in your body depend on water.

Water is essential to good health, yet needs vary by individual. These guidelines can help ensure you drink enough fluids.

By Mayo Clinic staff

How much water should you drink each day? It's a simple question with no easy answers. Studies have produced varying recommendations over the years, but in truth, your water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and where you live.

Although no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body's need for fluids will help you estimate how much water to drink each day.

Health benefits of water

Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.

Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

So how much fluid does the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate need? The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

What about the advice to drink eight glasses a day?

Everyone has heard the advice, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day." That's about 1.9 liters, which isn't that different from the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Although the "8 by 8" rule isn't supported by hard evidence, it remains popular because it's easy to remember. Just keep in mind that the rule should be reframed as: "Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," because all fluids count toward the daily total.

Factors that influence water needs

You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

• Exercise. If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, and the duration and type of exercise. During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.
• Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.
• Illnesses or health conditions. When you have fever, vomiting or diarrhea, your body loses additional fluids. In these cases, you should drink more water. In some cases, your doctor may recommend oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.

Beyond the tap: Other sources of water

Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake. For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent or more water by weight.

In addition, beverages such as milk and juice are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — such as coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is still your best bet because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

Staying safely hydrated

Generally if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or light yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate. If you're concerned about your fluid intake or have health issues, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's right for you.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. It's also a good idea to:

• Drink a glass of water or other calorie-free or low-calorie beverage with each meal and between each meal.
• Drink water before, during and after exercise.

Although uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, a condition called hyponatremia. Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water, are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.