Is Health Food Really Junk Food in Disguise?

Walk into any health food store, grocery store, or mass merchandiser store and you'll surely find a vast assortment of healthy nutritional bars somewhere in the store. They claim to pack a nutritional punch and give you the necessary nutrition and nutrients you need when you are on the go. But is it really that good for you? I say 'NO!' Especially if you stop to read the ingredients in some of these.

Now let's look at one of the more popular bars. A bar that is aimed mostly at women who are trying to eat healthy and trying to lose weight. The Slim Fast Bar. You don't have to go very far in the ingredients list to see that this bar is junk! The first ingredient is High Fructose Corn Syrup! Next was a special syrup, which is just a way to cover up that they put more sugar in it. Add in some partially hydrogenated oils which equals one thing-Trans Fats, and then just a bunch of artificial flavoring and sweeteners. Seriously, I would rather you ate a Snickers Bar. At least then you'll be getting peanuts, skim milk, and egg whites as well as the junk. And it will taste a lot better.

Then, of course, are the bogus claims by the manufacturers: 'The Slim Fast Plan cuts your calories and helps provide the nutrition you need to stay healthy while you lose weight and keep it off...' I'm sorry, nobody needs High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans Fats, and Artificial Sweeteners in their diet. Period!

And this is just one company. I'm telling you right now, read the nutrition labels and ingredients list. Even if you think it is healthy, or it says it is healthy. 95% of Food and Supplement Companies have one thing in mind-To make more money! They will cut costs however they can, even if it means deceiving you and putting crap in their products.

So how do you tell what nutritional bars are good for you? Well here are some general guidelines to follow if you are looking for a Meal Replacement Bar or one for weight loss:

- Needs to have at least 175 calories. Anything less won't be enough calories to get you to your next meal.

- Should offer 4 grams of protein or more. Protein mixed with carbs and fat are better at filling you up and giving the satisfied feeling. Plus protein should be eaten every 2-4 hours regardless.

- Minimum of 3 grams of fiber. Fiber also has the tendency to make you feel full longer. You should be shooting for 24-36 grams daily. -Stay away from ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup, added sugar, partially hydrogenated oils (Trans Fats), and added artificial sweeteners.

- Limit saturated fats. No more than 4 grams per bar.

Hope this helps. Organic ingredients are also a big plus in a bar. Health food stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods offer some excellent choices. Some good bars out there are Lara bars, Prograde Cravers, Perfect 10, and Organic Food Bars.

Jason Yun, CSCS, CISSN is a Columbus Body Transformation Expert who runs Yun Fitness Boot Camps in Hilliard and Dublin, and teaches the Metabolism Makeover Weight Management Program in Columbus. For a FREE 2-week trial of his boot camps visit http://www.Yunbootcamps.com/specialoffer.html or call 614-432-9703. Visit http://www.YunNutrition.com to learn more about the Metabolism Makeover Program.

The Health Benefits of Eating Unrefined Nutritional Food

Have you ever wondered why it's healthier to eat unrefined foods?

There is a very simple answer to this question. When we eat our digestive system breaks down the food and liquids in order to extract nutrients along with protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and many other elements. If the food you eat is lacking in many of these elements the body will eventually be starving for the essential nutrients it needs to function properly and depriving the body of the essential nutrition leads to many different disturbances in the life process and could very well show up as conditions such as decreased eye site, bad circulation, aching joints, skin blemishes, heart disease, cancer and numerous others. The best prevention is to feed your body what is essential for life, and wellbeing.

We also need the required nutrition to feed and bolster our immune system which job it is to protect us from invaders. By invaders I mean anything that isn't nourishing and helpful in the upkeep and running of our incredible machines, the body. Common invaders are things such as parasites, bacteria, viruses, toxins, and any manmade chemicals not welcome in our bodies. With modern science and the invention of thousands of so called wonderful chemicals we as humans are exposed to toxic chemicals every day of our lives. This is all in the name of convenience to the consumer and making money for large business.

Refined foods may have vitamins and minerals added to the product, but again they are manmade chemicals and of little health value to anyone. Some scientists and doctors will tell you there is no different between manmade vitamins and nutrients than natural organic products. That's like saying science can produce anything that is made by nature. Yes it can be duplicated to some degree but it can never replace the quality of what is produced naturally.

Why is disease so rampant in the U.S. and most all of the world today more than ever? Why are there new diseases that no one ever heard of before and some that have become what seems like epidemics such as childhood Autism and Alzheimer's disease?

Could it be this is being brought on by toxic chemicals? A recent news announcement revealed that there is an investigation going on that Autism could be caused by the chemicals used in the lining of cans containing infant formula. Of course the companies producing the formula or the containers don't want this news to get out. That's a great example of nature verses manmade. Simply research the health benefits of the milk from nursing mothers verses manmade formulas. If your doctor tells you there is no difference get another doctor.

Even as far back as John D. Rockefeller they knew the benefits of breast milk. I read that Rockefeller hired many wet nurses to provide breast milk to help keep him alive when he became very old and ill.

The best health remedy is prevention. You might have heard the adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Nothing could be more truthful. Also "we are what we eat." Remember that the next time you chow down on refined food and fast food.

One more point, do you realize that white flour, white rice, white sugar and many other food components are bleached because it destroys and extracts the nutrients and other healthy elements so that almost nothing will invade these products. This is the wonderful scientific discovery for preserving food by bleaching and began without the concern of destroying the nutritional value of food and also added toxins in the form of bleach which has three know carcinogens, which are proven to cause cancer.

Retired and living in Costa Rica it is very easy and reasonable way for me to eat a diet of live food, including organic as much as possible, food that is produced without the use of manmade chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The over all cost of living here is a fraction of the U.S. and the climate is the greatest in the world. This is a great way to start and stay on a prevention program.

For more information that could change your lives go to:www.thesurvivalpassport.com/passport.html

Alan Johnson is the founder and host of a seminar on the subject of retiring in style in Costa Rica on less than $1,000 a month. Alan, nickname (Rusty) is the author of numerous articles on subjects of natural health remedies, and the benefits of retiring in Costa Rica. He also has compiled many reviews on orther products and services. Coming soon- Rusty's Reviews

Orthorexia Nervosa - From Health Food to Death Food

As more and more people not only become interested in healthy eating, switching their diets from animal protein to vegetarian, vegan, or even raw foods, there is a minority of people who not only get carried away with their new found dietary plan, but in fact fall into the grip of the world's strangest eating disorder - Orthorexia Nervosa.

What is Orthorexia Nervosa?

You've seen those people (and maybe you're even one of them) who searches and seeks for the food consumption plan that is just right and will ensure health, happiness, and longevity. Today it is raw foods and a few years before it was macrobiotics, whatever way of eating there is the Orthorexic will chase after it in hopes of finding some inner sense of salvation.

So what can be so bad about a little consciousness when it comes to selecting foods? Its true and it is proven that organic food and foods with less preservatives and hormones (i.e. less meet and more vegetables) are healthier, but someone who is suffering from Orthorexia obsesses over their food choices to the point that this obsession isolates them socially. Orthorexics want everyone to know about their new found diet and "sought after conversions" are par for the course. In a sense Orthorexia is sort of like making obsession with healthy eating into a religion. There is a guilty feeling when food choices aren't kept meticulously and a hope of "redemption"when it comes to health.

Of course, not every health conscious person who seeks to better their dietary plan is suffering from Orthorexia Nervosa, but it is clear that every Orthorexic person expresses the disorder through the guise of "needing to eat healthfully."

What are the Signs of Orthorexia?

Orthorexia Nervosa is a very hard eating disorder to identify, partly because the person suffering from it tends to manage as far as health is concerned. Most Orthorexics recede from social interactions, partly because they become so obsessed with "healthy eating" that all of their conversations focus on food; ultimately distancing themselves from friends and family.

Also, those who have Orthorexia Nervosa tend to feel guilty when they break their "diet"even in the slightest. They often times set up very strict "religious" rules for themselves, which they struggle to keep, forcing to become even more obsessed with their food choices. Besides their feelings of guilt they also tend to look down on others who do not share their vision of the "perfect way to eat."

Treatment of Orthorexia

Orthorexia Nervosa, like many other eating disorders is an outcome of many different intertwining circumstances. These include psychological, physiological, physical, genetic, and social. Treatment often depends upon what level someone who has Orthorexia is at. Most times treatment consists of both therapy and food choice changes. The Orthorexic needs to retrain their brain and body how to eat. The most important thing to remember when dealing someone who fits into the description of Orthorexia Nervosa, is that more often than not they will feel that they are eating just fine and that their lives are just fine, be prepared to acknowledge that they might just be an over zealous "health nut" instead of someone suffering from Orthorexia. Never the less it is important to be aware and informed of various changes in the concerned party's food choices.

Learn about Orthorexia Nervosa here: http://eatingdisordersonline.com/explain/orthorexia.php

Health Food

Does your kid often eat junk food? Chances are, the answer to that one is a resounding yes because, as all parents know, children everywhere in the world absolutely love junk food such as hamburgers, pizza, candy, soda and salty foods like potato chips and french fries. Like most parents, you probably want to wean your child away from junk food (or at least lessen his intake of it) and reinforce his diet with healthy food such as grains, vegetables, fruits and nutrient-rich foods such as meat, beans, fish and nuts.

Here are some tips to help you achieve just that. The basic strategy is to make eating healthy food fun for the kids. You probably can even think of more ways to use this strategy when feeding your child.

(1) The Sneak Attack.

Sneak in those fruits and vegetables with a type of food that your child really enjoys. One example would be making muffins out of bananas or apples. If your kids like pizza, you can sneak in a wide variety of vegetables in there that your youngsters probably won't even notice. Another tack is to arrange the food in creative ways that will appear funny and play-like to your childe. For instance, you can arrange the food creatively on a plate or make food stand at attention like people.

(2) Funny Name Game.

Kids below the age of four always fall for this one. It's called the funny name game and involves giving healthy foods like fruits and vegetables funny names and conjuring up interesting stories involving the food. Obviously, many of these stories will conclude with the food being gobbled up by the giant child or having the food run for cover to avoid an alien attack by ducking into a big cave that also happens to be your kid's mouth.

(3) The Taste Test.

The main reason kids don't like vegetables is that they can't stand the taste. Hence, if you can add things kids love like peanut butter to celery or some ranch dressing to broccoli, your kids may go for those veggies.

The main thing is to be creative about feeding your food. I'm sure you can look into your kitchen and discover your own way to make eating healthy food a fun experience.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Food, Fitness, and Society

The Truth About Junk Food And The Effect On Your Health

Let's face it, junk food is, as the name suggest, just pure junk. While it tastes great, it has very little nutrition content and it will cause some health issues in the near future.

First, let me say that I am not advocating a total abstain of junk food but a moderation of it.

There are many people out there that are not thinking of their general health all the time when they are thinking of something to eat all the time. With all the fast food restaurants out there many do not think about exactly what they are eating all the time.

There is nothing wrong with eating at fast food restaurants but you really need to watch what you are eating all the time. If you were to think about it what you eat really reflects your general health all the time.

If you are one that eats a lot of junk food then you could be run down all the time and gaining weight on a regular basis. You may not notice it right away but your friends and family will see that you are not doing as well as you used to and that is because of the junk food that you are eating all the time.

If you have been told that you are looking real ragged then you are going to want to stop and look at what you are eating and doing in your life that would make you look ragged. Once you have accomplished and narrowed down a list of what may be making you look ragged then you are going to want to change some or all of your habits. When you make an effort of changing your habits then you are going to see that you are going to end up in better general health than what you were in before.

When you are in good general health you will notice that you are going to have more energy and be more alert to what you are doing and what is going on around you in the end. Your family and friend will also notice that you are doing better and even looking better in the end as well. That is because when you are in good general health you are going to end up showing it with everything that you do so that everyone will notice what you have accomplished in the end.

In conclusion, you should not be eating too much junk food. It does nothing but causing some negative health issues for you.

Your health is your greatest wealth. Live a healthy life. Get free information on healthy living here: http://www.thehealthyportal.com

How to Find the Best Fish Oil Tablets and Dramatically Improve Your Health

With so many products available on the market do you ever wonder if you are purchasing the right fish oil tablets? Do you walk into a health food store excited to buy a supplement thinking you are going to make a difference in how you feel only to get overwhelmed by all the choices and just grab whatever is in arms reach?

Well in this article I'm confident you will find valuable information that will help you make an educated decision on what fish oil tablets best fit your needs. After all not all supplements are the same and you want to get the most "bang for your buck".

First let's look the tablet its self, what is it made of? It is a soft gel capsule made out of a highly purified pharmaceutical grade bovine gelatin extract. It's a clear, colorless, odorless, and nearly tasteless substance. There is no risk of BSE from using soft gel tablets and is standard in the pharmaceutical industry.

When a pharmaceutical company develops a drug it takes years of research, clinical and case studies before the FDA approves it for the market. Nutritional supplements on the other hand are a different story.

If you look on a bottle of any nutritional supplement that makes a claim you will see a disclaimer somewhere on the bottle. For example, I take an additional Vitamin C tablet every day. On the bottle it says "Boosts immune system and promotes antioxidant activity".

However, it also says "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration". That's because the FDA doesn't regulate over the counter nutritional and dietary supplements. Realistically if you had the money, a supplier, and a way to manufacture it you could have a supplement on the shelf in less than a year.

So as you can see it's easy for an imposter to show up and have a poor quality product available for consumers. That's why it's important to find a company that has guidelines set way above industry standards. The way to protect yourself from this is to do a little research.

Look for a company that has their information readily available on their website. They should be able to provide you a Certificate of Analysis. This is a document issued by a company that certifies the quality of their products.

Have you ever heard of a fish oil tablet that gives you "fish burps"? This has to do with the freshness and purity of a product being manufactured.

Freshness is important for anything you put in your body. You wouldn't want to eat a rotten apple would you? The same goes for fish oil. It's hard to tell just by looking because it is encapsulated and virtually odorless. You won't know until you consume it and experience the terrible aftertaste.

What you want to avoid is oil that has become oxidized. When this happens it becomes loaded with free radicals that are very harmful to your body. Freshness can be tracked from the time the fish is caught and handled all the way to manufacturing and distribution. If lax guidelines are followed you get an inferior product.

Purity is determined by measuring toxins and heavy metals such as mercury and PCB's in the oil. The purest fish oil tablets are ones that are molecularly distilled to remove harmful impurities. If you had to choose a glass of water to drink would you choose one that came straight from a garden hose or one that went through a filter to remove any pollution?

Your health is something you should take very seriously. Since the foods we eat don't contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health it's important that we include high quality supplements in our diet.

Fish oil tablets have an astounding impact our systems and could potentially add years to our lives. You owe it to yourself to at least give it a try.

If you're interested in learning more about the best natural fish oil tablets, visit my website, where I share what products I have personally been using daily for several years.

Visit my website at: http://www.fish-oil-advice.com/

Incredible Health and Weight Loss Benefits Of New Health Food

We frequently bitch about a myriad aches and pains. We sometimes remember with craving our yesteryears as kids, when we appeared to have boundless energy, rosy cheeks and glowing skin. If a sorcery potion could bring all that back, we might all eagerly welcome it.

Well we need look no farther than at the purple-coloured Maqui berry. Its properties far outweighed the number values of the regular berry types and the smaller known variations.

The common strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry and cranberry rank about 2-8 times lower in anti oxidant properties when measured against the Maqui.

Inversely, compared to the more weird chokeberry, serviceberry, buffaloberry, bilberry, boysenberry. Elderberry, loganberry lingonberry or cloudberry, the Maqui demonstrates larger capacity to detoxify the body of injurious free radicals. The Maqui berry even outdoes the legendary Acai berry in exciting the detoxification process and manufacturing weight management results. The explanation the Maqui berry is head and shoulders above all the rest is its high anti-oxidizing properties. Dangerous molecules from our environment and from the risks of modern living are making large quantities of free radicals that occupy our bodies. Without the neutralizing consequences of antioxidants, we might fall under the force of these perilous attackers. Enter the dynamic Maqui to help in our struggle with these negative forces. With ORAC, TRAP and TAR ratings that are off-the-charts, the Maqui berry hasn't before been experienced by the globe. Evaluated by food and drug administrations, ORAC ranks the anti-oxidant capacity of all food. If you've an interest in perusing the empirical info, you'll be shocked. For a lay person, the simplest reason is this: the Maqui is the best anti oxidant the planet saw as it has real numbers supporting its contentions. It can liberate the body of waste and poisons, clean the systems and revive the body's equilibrium. The Maqui Berry is increasing in popularity due to its startling traits. It's now officially the planet's number one super fruit. What edge does consuming the Maqui give to its followers? The secret is in the huge measures of antioxidants packed into this berry. Antioxidants act to balance the body by neutralizing the injurious results of free radicals.

They work continuously to rid the physical system of waste, poisons and chemicals so bringing it to top condition.

The destabilizing aftermath of the deadly scavenger molecules are the opposite of antioxidants. They worm their way into the cells and cause havoc and eradication to the internal systems. At their core, free radicals are negative forces whose only target is to cause a disequilibrium in the body. They can compromise our immune system, reduce our heart health, and create an environment where cancer-infected cells flourish. They even cause evidence of premature ageing in the external dermis, making the individual appear older. In reality they have the capacity to cause all kinds of issues and problems in the physical make-up of humans. The high values of antioxidants present in the Maqui berry counterbalance these negative forces. Regular intake of the Maqui berry in juice, frozen pulp, powder or tablets can protect the cells and render them immune to the negative aftermath of marauders. Hence, the organs are revamped and the metabolic paths are cleared.

A natural result's cleanse and weight control.

Why take less than the best?

This Article was brought to you by Lyndsey White. For more info on the Fantastic health benefits of Maqui Berry visit my site http://www.antioxidantfoods.org.

The Gift of Health - A Health Food Gift Basket

One of the newest trends in gift giving is the health foods gift basket. It's a means of giving a friend or loved one a nudge towards a healthier lifestyle, and healthier eating habits.

If you know someone who's recently undergone a heart attack, or just been told they need to cut way back on the amount and types of food they are eating, a gift basket overflowing with healthy, good for them foods is a great way to tell them to stay the course, and that you ...

Love Them

You could take the easy way out, sneak them bad-for-them food and help them to an early grave, or you could bite the bullet and help and encourage them to eat healthy so they will be around to love for a long, long time.

The best way to let someone know that you love and encourage them is by giving them a healthy gift basket loaded with new to them foods. What this does is give them...

Hope

What's hope? It's the light at the end of the tunnel. It's the rainbow after the rain. It's seeing that you can have a fresh new start after a crushing health setback.

When that basket shows up, crammed full of new foods to try it's like gaining a whole new perspective on eating. A little apprehensive, not quit sure what you're going to like but, hoping that what's in the basket will taste as great as it looks.

Once a person has hope they are open to...

Encouragement

Encouragement is "come on you can lick this thing". Were in this together! Let's tear this good looking health basket apart and start to sample some of these goodies.

What's that thing wrapped up over there in that corner? Let's try it, it looks interesting!

Wow! That tastes great, so juicy. Maybe there is more to this health food stuff than I thought.

Let's try this over here.

Once a person has encouragement and starts on this new life then they have a ...

Will To Live

This is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly you have a greater need to move forward. There is plenty more living to do. New foods to challenge the taste buds. New fruits to tear apart and sample. Vegetables to try I didn't know existed.

So many new health foods to try I can't quit now! Too many things to sample and taste.

And this all took place because you dared to give them a health food gift basket!

Not all food gift baskets are created equally. Some are full of sugary junk food that will only compound the problem. Visit the authors web site at: http://healthfood-guide.com/healthfoodgiftbasket.aspx for more information on health food gift baskets

Solgar - Number One In Health Food Production

No one can undermine the value of health food. Particularly in today's world, their value has greatly increased; so much so that it would not be wrong to state that they have actually become part and parcel of modern lifestyle. The reason for this is not difficult to understand. In the changing times, our body needs certain special qualities which traditional diet may not be able to provide. Modern lifestyle is such that one is prone to afflictions like stress, tension, blood pressure, etc. To counter them, one needs diet which has minerals, proteins, carbohydrates etc. in abundance. Talking about health food, it may not be possible to ignore Solgar, arguably the number one company in health food production.

It must be mentioned about Solgar that it has won several awards for its outstanding contribution in the field of health food. Its value can be understood from the fact that most of its innovations are appreciated by experts and are in big demand across the world. What is it that makes this the number one company in health food production in the world? Well, it is not difficult to unravel this mystery. They have never tried to ape the growing market trends or tried to follow any marketing gimmickry. All that they have concentrated on is producing high quality health food, the result of which has gone overwhelmingly in their favour. So, though there are a variety of health foods available in the market, Solgar has a vital edge over them.

Solgar case is a resounding slap on the face of all such people who hide behind the explanation that they have to indulge in unscrupulous affairs because the market so demands. For the truth is that despite stiff competition, it has remained scrupulously clean and have still managed to retain its consumers. So, all the theory of compromising because of market demands does not hold much water.

With the world renewing its fascination with health food and become more and more health conscious, it would not be wrong to state that the popularity of brands like Solgar Products is set to increase in times to come.

John Hayden is a dabbler in dermatology and currently he is researching on various dietary supplements with nutriglow. He has decided to pen down his thoughts for Solgar and Solgar Vitamins and share them for the common benefit.

Cat Health Food To Stay Healthy

Cat food health requires some knowledge of what a cat needs in their diet and how much they need in one day. When a cat receives the proper food, they tend to stay healthier and livelier as they grow up. Different cat foods have different ingredients and many manufacturers make cheaper brands that might not meet the daily-recommended needed nutrition.

Back in 2004 the total sales for pet food was over fourteen billion dollars. The industry supplies food for over one hundred and forty-seven dogs and cats in the United States alone. This alone allows many different pet food manufacturers to produce different varieties of cat food with or without the proper nutrition's required.

Feline health food depends on the quality of the food and what the food contains as far as nutritional values to determine if it is healthy or not. Who controls what cat food needs to have in it? The industry falls under control of the government with voluntary compliance to the standards. The labeling of the food falls under the AAFCO rules. This organization sets the standards for what the food must contain, but does not enforce this regulation like the FDA does with human food for consumption. Officers of the AAFCO consist of universities, the FDA and the department of chemistry and agriculture.

Labeling, manufacturing and the sale of cat, dog and livestock food falls under the watchful eye of the officers of the AAFCO. Officers from different agencies unite to safeguard the pets health by developing polices that need enforcement in the manufacturing of pet food. This organization upholds the standards of quality of cat health food policies, making the market safe for pets and provides the needed nutrition.

The part of the FDA in pet food manufacturer industries is because they monitor the food, drug and cosmetic manufacturers and pet food does fall under this heading. The CVM falls under the FDA because they are a center for veterinary medicine. The CVM sets the standards for pet food and medicines or drugs. Cat health food needs monitoring to ensure the proper manufacturing of these foods and drugs follow the proper guidelines. All pet food must meet the standard of pure and wholesome to be considered healthy for pets to consume.

Although, the sad truth about cat and dog food is it has additives such as diseased animal meat, road kill meat and dog and cat meat from euphonized dogs and cats. This does not sound like cat health food, but the practice continues. To add to this truth, downer cow meat finds its way into the mix of pet food as well. If a company makes a new type of cat food, no guidelines are set to that say they need approval before selling to the consumer. More guidelines need to curb the use of such additives that are harmful for pets and may lead to health problems and create cat health food pets can safely eat.

You can also find more information at Cat Domestic Health Problem and Cat Health Heart Murmur.Aboutcathealth.org is a comprehensive resource to find more information about cat health.

Improving Health and Nutrition: What You Need To Know About Food Allergies

Food allergies can be a common source of discomfort and symptoms often go undiagnosed. Many people experience the daily effects of food allergies without realizing their unease is actually a food allergy symptom. One of the most common symptoms of a food allergy is weight gain. In the body, water is retained as a way of attempting to protect the body from the irritation of poisonous substances and food allergens. Fat cells also expand to provide a buffer and protect the body. When loosing weight, water is often shed, but the body retains the fat because it is necessary to protect you from these toxins and allergens.

A food allergy specialist will often first ask a patient to write down their three favorite foods and then eliminate those from the diet. A study published in the Lancet found that common food allergens act like morphine-line drugs. This can result in us actually being addicted to the foods that make us sick! The cravings experienced for these foods are based on the same neurochemical responses that lead to drug additions. Removing the three favorite foods from the diet can not only reveal food allergies, without the need for expensive tests, but it can quickly make us feel great after the short period of "withdrawal" to the addictive substances is over.

If tests are required, a blood test is the easiest way to determine food allergies and one blood sample can be used to test with hundreds of foods. The most common blood tests for food allergies are as follows.

• RAST (Radio-Allergo-Sorbent Test)
  


• ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorben Assay)
  


• ELISA/ACT (Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay/Activated Cell Test)
  

Not all food allergies result in immediate symptoms and blood tests can detect delayed symptoms as well as immediate symptoms. If the simple elimination approach does not detect the sources of a food allergy, a blood test may be the only way to find it.

Foods contain literally thousands of substances. Many of these substances change form depending on how it being raw or heated, how it was heated, how fresh it is, what other ingredients it is combined with and even natural "ebbs and tides" in your own immune system. Because of this, no blood test can be 100 percent accurate.

Other common causes of food allergies include poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, too narrow a food selection in the diet and leaky gut syndrome. Food allergy relief can often be achieved by applying greater awareness of the need for a broad selection of whole foods, and the limitation or elimination of processed foods.

Quercetin, a flavonoid, and glutamine, an amino acid can bring relief to symptoms of food allergies by acting as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy agent and restoring intestinal membrane integrity. Adding glyconutrients to the diet can provide additional benefit by supporting the "parts" required for proper cell-to-cell communication and therefore proper immune system function. While some people may be able to reintroduce foods which once caused allergy symptoms, as they improve their diet and focus on an improved state of wellness, variations in genetics leave some people with permanent allergies to certain foods. In such cases, elimination is the only true "cure" for such food allergies.

Dave Saunders is a wellness coach and national speaker. Discover more vital truths about health and wellness at www.glycowellness.com and www.glycoblog.com.