Depending upon who you talk to, some people believe following a vegetarian diet is healthier than one containing meat products. People of all ages, including teens, have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle. If this sounds like your child, you may wonder how to keep your vegetarian teenager healthy when you feel they’re missing vital nutrients.

What most non-vegetarians don’t realize is that it is possible to meet all your body’s nutritional needs by eating only fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and legumes. Because there is no meat in the diet, vegetarian diets usually have less fats and cholesterol, although there will be some. It will, however, take some planning to ensure your teenager includes a variety of foods to get all of the vitamins and nutrients they need. By learning more about the vegetarian lifestyle, you will be able to guide your teen into making wise food choices.

Standard diets are based upon a food pyramid and it is possible to find a vegetarian food pyramid as well. If you’re concerned your teen may be missing vital nutrients, you may want to speak with a registered dietician to learn how your teen can compensate by eating other foods rich in those nutrients.

If your teen decides to become a vegetarian after having eaten meat all their life, they may find it’s not as easy as they thought. To be able to enjoy many of the same flavors, your teen can try meatless products made from soy. Protein is needed to keep bones, muscles, and organs healthy. Your teen can eat legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and soy products.

Everyone knows calcium is needed to build teeth and bones. Calcium can be found in dark green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, turnip, or collard greens.

In order to make red blood cells and help prevent anemia, it is important to have vitamin B-12 which is usually found in meat, milk, cheese and eggs. Some fortified soy products and enriched cereals provide this vitamin, but your teen may need to take a supplement to ensure they get enough of this vital vitamin.

Another component needed to make red blood cells is iron. Most people know liver is a good source; however, if your teen doesn’t like or isn’t eating meat they may not have enough iron in their system. Dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are good choices as are dried beans and peas, lentils, and dried fruit. Be sure your teen eats or drinks foods rich in vitamin C so they can properly absorb the iron. Citrus fruits or juice, tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries may be chosen.

Minerals, as well as vitamins, are needed to maintain good health. Zinc is important for cell division and for the body to form proteins. Your teen may want to eat whole grain breads, nuts, wheat germ, or soy products to ensure they get enough zinc.

When you learn that your teen wants to change their diet, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the idea they may not get enough vitamins and minerals to maintain good health. The fact is vegetarian diets can be lacking some nutrients, but by eating a wide variety of foods and taking a multi-vitamin supplement, they should be fine. If you do become concerned, make an appointment with your teen’s doctor or a registered dietician to give you additional information on how to keep your vegetarian teen healthy.

You may like something spicy when it comes to tea. You can make a cup of spicy chai to warm you up. Items you’ll need on hand include:

* 24 ounces water
* Tea (loose Darjeeling is a favorite but you may use any type of tea bag, including black teas and decaff teas, or redbush herbal tea)
* Tea pot and strainer
* Milk
* Sugar or honey
* Spices such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla bean, cloves, black peppercorns, anise, all spice, bay leaves, almond or nutmeg

Bring 24 ounces of water to a boil in a pot. Turn down the heat and place the tea into the water to steep for five minutes. Add the solid spices but be sure to test the tea to ensure the tea isn’t too strong. Stir the tea and put a lid on the pot. Leave the tea on low heat for about 15 minutes. Strain the tea and then add sugar or honey, and milk to taste. It goes well with soy milk too.

Green teas
Fruity green tea may give you the benefit of the fruity flavors of summer while having the health benefits of hot green tea. Bring water to the boil and remove from the heat. Add a green tea bag and whatever fruit juice you prefer to the water. Allow the tea and juice to steep for 8 to 15 minutes, depending upon how strong you like your tea. Pour the tea into a cup and add sweetener to taste. Green teas (and also white) are said to be rich in antioxidants.

There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea on a cold day to warm you up from the inside out. Try one of these hot and healthy winter tea recipes. When you’re warm and toasty, you’ll be glad you did.

Colder weather outside encourages people to drink warmer drinks to stay warm on the inside. However, perhaps you’re tired of cold-weather drinks like coffee or hot cocoa. You may be looking for hot and healthy winter tea recipes to enjoy instead.

More than warming up a body, research shows hot or warm drinks may also improve your immune system. This is due to the fact that hot drinks such as coffee and tea have large amounts of antioxidants in them.

Chamomile tea with honey and lemon is one warm drink you may want to try, especially when you’ve had a stressful day. As well as having antioxidants, chamomile tea has been shown to calm the nerves. It also provides other health benefits including increased glycine which may be helpful for women during early pregnancy. Another benefit is that it helps lower hippurate in your digestive system due to the antimicrobial properties of the tea.

This tea can be made with pre-made tea bags, or you can use one teaspoon of chamomile flowers. Bring a little more than one cup of water to boil and then add the flowers to it. Put a lid on the pan for about 30 seconds or so. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tea steep for at least one minute. Add lemon juice and honey to taste. Then sit back and enjoy.

* Increase foods rich in thiamine including cooked lentils, long-grain brown rice, Brazil nuts, pecans, spinach, cantaloupe, milk, and eggs. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic believe thiamine helps relieve cramping during menstruation.

* Eliminate trans-fatty acids, not only during your period, but for the sake of your overall health. Trans-fatty acids, found in commercially prepared pastries containing partially hydrogenated oils, and in certain margarines, may increase cramping. They are most commonly found in fast food, and many be another reason for your strange and uncontrollable cravings during this time of the month. If you can reduce or eliminate transfats, you may feel some relief from cramps.

*Eat more fiber. It can help control cravings and reduce bloat by reducing constipation and keeping your bowels and digestion working well.

*Avoid sugary foods, which can produce wild energy and mood swings. Also avoid chocolate, which can be high in calories and fat unless you eat the 85% pure variety.

Many people don’t believe changing your eating habits can affect whether or not you get menstrual cramps, or affect the severity of them. But it is possible for menstrual cramps to be reduced by eating some foods and avoiding others.

If it is possible to treat menstrual cramps with nutrition, why don’t more women use this method? Part of the reason is that they are not aware of the role nutrition plays in their overall well-being. Now that you know about menstrual cramps and nutrition’s role in reducing cramps, what changes will you make?

Women experiencing menstrual cramps may be willing to try almost anything to avoid having cramps each month. Did you know you can treat menstrual cramps with nutrition? If you’re tired of having cramps every time you have your period, why not think about changing your diet to improve your symptoms?

* Eat a diet consisting of a variety of foods. Low fat, high fiber diets appear to combat the salty or sweet foods women typically crave during their menstrual cycle. Besides helping avoid cravings, you’ll also have more energy and a more stable mood.

* Ensure your body is getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need by taking a multivitamin each day. Minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium are particularly important before and during your monthly cycle.

* Eat more foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, swordfish, and lake trout. You may also want to add walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive oil. These foods help stabilize your mood and have an anti-inflammatory effect. They also reduce the effect of cramps because they block the production of prostaglandins.

* Add or increase the amount of flax seed you eat. They are very high in omega-3 fatty acids. Two teaspoons of ground flax seed a day will do wonders for reducing cramps. You may sprinkle them in cereal, over salad, or include them in baking. Be careful not to eat too many flaxseed in one day, however; eating too many has been reported to cause diarrhea.

* Reduce the amount of salt you consume during your period rather than taking diuretics to avoid the bloating and swelling you may experience with your monthly cycle. Alcohol will also cause you to retain water, so avoiding it during your period will only help improve your symptoms. Remember also that alcohol is a depressant, another reason to avoid it when you are already moody at this time of the month.

The human body is a complex machine.  And just like any other machine, it needs the proper fuel to run.  Minerals are a part of that fuel equation.  Learn how important and integral minerals are to your health.

The body is made up of mostly water.  Within that water swims a variety of substances that are carried along through your vessels like passengers on a bus.  When the substances reach their destination, they pass through the lining of the vessel and into the cells or organs where they are needed.  Minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, hormones and amino acids are on that train.

What is the role for minerals?   Let’s look at a general overview.  Minerals are used in the fluid that makes up cells.  Have you heard of electrolyte imbalance?   The electrolytes are minerals and mineral salts that are present: potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron to name a few.  Many of these minerals are instrumental in building muscle tissue and bone.

When minerals are missing, the body goes through a lot of changes.  You might experience conditions like low back pain, brittle nails and hair, lackluster skin, poor digestion, depressive disorders, dental problems and heart issues.  Depending on the issue, a certain mineral may be in deficit.

Let’s look at iron.  Iron binds to heme in the blood to form hemoglobin.  It gives blood its red color and also delivers oxygen to the cells of the body.  During the monthly menstrual cycle, women lose a lot of blood and sometimes feel fatigued.  This can be due to low levels of iron.

Various foods contain minerals that the body needs every day.  Eat a variety of foods to get your minerals and also vitamins and other substances essential for life.  Animal products provide iron: red meat, chicken and fish.  Seafood provides other minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and phosphorus, as well as iron.

Minerals work with enzymes to drive a variety of metabolic processes.  These minerals are absorbed into body tissues where they help regulate everything from nerve function to muscle growth.  The federal government has come up with recommended daily allowances (RDA) for a variety of vitamins and minerals that are important for the function of the body.

Where else do you find these minerals?  Some people don’t eat red meat or fish depending on their tastes.  You are in luck because vegetables and fruits are also sources of minerals.  Eating citrus fruits and berries are good for calcium, copper and iron.  Leafy green vegetables provide iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and copper.  If you don’t eat seafood, selenium can be obtained from nuts and seeds.

As long as you eat a variety of foods, you won’t have to worry about not getting enough of your essential minerals.

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ice cubes
1 small ripe banana, peeled and sliced
2 large, ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Fill into a large glass and enjoy this delicious smoothie anytime of the day.

So let’s see how Vitamin E can help our bodies overall, not just our skin.

By getting your daily recommended dose of Vitamin E you may prevent or help in the treatment of:

* Heart disease

* Asthma

* Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

* Cataracts and other eye conditions

* Different types of cancer

* Metabolic conditions like diabetes

* Menstrual cramps

* Skin conditions

However, despite all these great health benefits, people, especially women, mostly take vitamin E for their skin.  

As an antioxidant, it helps to reduce the signs of aging such as dry skin (psoriasis), wrinkles, age spots and scars.  

Vitamin E can help the skin to retain a balanced moisture level that may become unbalanced from the use of harsh cleaning solutions.  With more water and oil in your skin, it appears plump and vibrant like a healthy organ should. It can also help against cold weather, salt water and wind, chlorine in swimming pools, and other things that can cause dry skin.

Many use vitamin E for scars because Vitamin E softens the skin and speeds healing.  These scars could be from burns, stretch marks (from childbirth or weight training), or surgery.    Over time, the appearance of these scars is reduced.

Vitamin E can also help dry, brittle hair, through conditioners and oils.

Vitamin E plays a major role in the health of your body.  Like anything else, getting your vitamins from food is best, and use supplements if your doctor recommends it.

We all know we need vitamins, but how do they function in our bodies? Our bodies need a variety of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals to keep us feeling good.  One of these key vitamins is vitamin E.  This vitamin is good for your overall health, but is especially good in relation to healthy skin.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. Antioxidants fight the effects of free radicals.  Free radicals are produced from the environment through pollution, smoking, the foods we eat, the chemicals we ingest, and the simple process of aging.  

Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals before they can do damage.  This is especially important because free radicals can wreak havoc on your body, and are responsible for causing conditions like heart disease and cancer.

You can get vitamin E in lotions and cream for direct contact with the skin. It is good for treating scars, stretch marks, and helping keep a good moisture balance in the skin all year round, especially in the winter.

Supplements give you concentrated Vitamin E to benefit the entire body.  Vitamin E is also found in foods like nuts, seeds, wheat germ and vegetable oils.  The best form of vitamin E to get is alpha-tocopherol in its alcohol form, and not as acetate.

The best source for vitamin E is food.  Be careful here, though.  Processed foods can cause the loss of vitamin and minerals including vitamin E.  You should eat foods in their natural form with as little processing as possible for maximum benefit.

Why is vitamin E so important to the body?  For one, it is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it can incorporate itself into the cellular wall, not get washed out of the body like B vitamins can (they are water soluble).

Vitamin E protects body cells from breakdown and thus the breakdown of other body tissues.  It also protects vitamin A while it does its job in the body.

Continued in Part II.

… continued
Over time the person with anorexia nervosa changes in appearance.  They may wear big clothes to hide the weight loss but if you maintain physical contact with your child you will sense the changes.  Their bodies are frail and emaciated.  The natural puberty cycle is often stunted in their bodies.  For girls, menstrual periods stop or donít start at all.

Anorexics are headed for trouble.  With the lack of nutrition being given to their bodies, the cells get what they need wherever they can.  Bones become weak because cells are robbing calcium from the bones.  Lack of energy is a common symptom because there is no fat for fuel.  The organs will eventually begin to shut down.
… continued
All the while, the person suffering from anorexia nervosa is in denial.  They do not believe that they are doing anything wrong and are reluctant to talk about what is happening to them.  Depression sets in because no one understands them.

Anorexia nervosa is a serious condition.  The first step in curing it is to get help at the first sign that something is wrong.  In order to do that, communication between you and your child or other family member must be open and healthy.