Five Nutrients that will prevent that heart Attack and Obesity!

Our Bodies require Five nutrients for its normal metabolism, however due to the junk food that is consumed by people today most people are lacking in these nutrients. Our shortfalls with these nutrients—along with vitamin D and magnesium—have serious health consequences, including a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, fatigue, and weight gain. The good news, however is that these nutrients are readily available in the foods you know and love.

In order to fortify your diet—and your health, you need to consume five of these nutrients below, as this will improve your health greatly!

1. VITAMIN D

This vitamin's biggest claim to fame is its role in strengthening your skeleton. But vitamin D isn't a one-trick nutrient: A study in Circulation found that people deficient in D were up to 80 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. The reason? Vitamin D may reduce inflammation in your arteries. Also, a University of Minnesota study found that people with adequate vitamin D levels release more leptin, a hormone that conveys the "I'm full" message to your brain. Even more impressive, the study also found that the nutrient triggers weight loss primarily from the belly. Another study found that people with higher D levels in their bloodstream store less fat.

The shortfall:Vitamin D is created in your body when the sun's ultraviolet B rays penetrate your skin. Problem is, the vitamin D you stockpile during sunnier months is often depleted by winter, especially if you live in the northern half of the world, where UVB rays are less intense from November through February. When Boston University researchers measured the vitamin D status of young adults at the end of winter, 36 percent of them were found to be deficient.

Hit the mark:First, ask your doctor to test your blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. "You need to be above 30 nanograms per milliliter," says Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University. Come up short?

Eat foods like salmon (900 IU per serving), mackerel (400 IU), and tuna (150 IU). Milk and eggs are also good, with about 100 IU per serving. But to ensure you're getting enough, take 1,400 IU of vitamin D daily from a supplement and a multivitamin.

2. MAGNESIUM

This lightweight mineral is a tireless multitasker: It's involved in more than 300 bodily processes. Plus, a study in theJournal of the American College of Nutritionfound that low levels of magnesium may increase your blood levels of C-reactive protein, a key marker of heart disease.

The shortfall:Nutrition surveys reveal that men consume only about 80 percent of the recommended 400 milligrams (mg) of magnesium a day. "We're just barely getting by," says Dana King, M.D., a professor of family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina. "Without enough magnesium, every cell in your body has to struggle to generate energy."

Hit the mark:Fortify your diet with more magnesium-rich foods, such as halibut, navy beans, and spinach. Then hit the supplement aisle: Few men can reach 400 mg through diet alone, so Dr. King recommends ingesting some insurance in the form of a 250 mg supplement. One caveat: Scrutinize the ingredients list. You want a product that uses magnesium citrate, the form best absorbed by your body.

3. VITAMIN B12

Consider B12 the guardian of your gray matter: In a British study, older people with the lowest levels of B12 lost brain volume at a faster rate over a span of five years than those with the highest levels.

The shortfall:Even though most men do consume the daily quota of 2.4 micrograms, the stats don't tell the whole story. "We're seeing an increase in B12 deficiencies due to interactions with medications," says Katherine Tucker, Ph.D., director of a USDA program at Tufts University. The culprits: acid-blocking drugs, such as Prilosec, and the diabetes medication metformin.

Hit the mark:You'll find B12 in lamb and salmon, but the most accessible source may be fortified cereals. That's because the B12 in meat is bound to proteins, and your stomach must produce acid to release and absorb it. Eat a bowl of 100 percent B12-boosted cereal and milk every morning and you'll be covered, even if you take the occasional acid-blocking med. However, if you pop Prilosec on a regular basis or are on metformin, talk to your doctor about tracking your B12 levels and possibly taking an additional supplement.

4. POTASSIUM

Without this essential mineral, your heart couldn't beat, your muscles wouldn't contract, and your brain couldn't comprehend this sentence. Why? Potassium helps your cells use glucose for energy.

The shortfall:Despite potassium's can't-live-without-it importance, nutrition surveys indicate that young men consume just 60 percent to 70 percent of the recommended 4,700 mg a day. To make matters worse, most guys load up on sodium: High sodium can boost blood pressure, while normal potassium levels work to lower it, says Lydia A. L. Bazzano, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of epidemiology at Tulane University.

Hit the mark:Half an avocado contains nearly 500 mg potassium, while one banana boasts roughly 400 mg. Not a fan of either fruit? Pick up some potatoes—a single large spud is packed with 1,600 mg. Most multivitamins have less than 100 mg of potassium, so eat your fruits and vegetables, folks!

5. IODINE

Your thyroid gland requires iodine to produce the hormones T3 and T4, both of which help control how efficiently you burn calories. That means insufficient iodine may cause you to gain weight and feel fatigued.

The shortfall:Since iodized salt is an important source of the element, you might assume you're swimming in the stuff. But when University of Texas at Arlington researchers tested 88 samples of table salt, they found that half contained less than the FDA-recommended amount of iodine. And you're not making up the difference with all the salt hiding in processed foods—U.S. manufacturers aren't required to use iodized salt. The result is that we've been sliding toward iodine deficiency since the 1970s.

Hit the mark:Sprinkling more salt on top of an already sodium-packed diet isn't a great idea, but iodine can also be found in a nearly sodium-free source: milk. Animal feed is fortified with the element, meaning it travels from cows to your cereal bowl. Not a milk man? Eat at least one serving of eggs or yogurt a day; both are good sources of iodine.

In order to keep your doctor Away, make sure you eat these above Nutrients because doing so will make you grow healthy!

Benefits of taking water

You may wonder, water? I don’t like taking water or I do not have time to drink water, am too busy! But do you know that water is one of the Most important elements that make up a complete or balanced diet?

Importance of water
One of the Importance of drinking water is that it helps to loose weight; First of all, water has no calories, is fat-free and cholesterol-free, and is low in sodium. Second, it is an appetite suppressant. Third, water helps the body to metabolize stored fat. How? Well, when the kidneys do not have enough water, they cannot function properly. The liver steps in as a backup, but doing so hinders its ability to metabolize fat effectively. The fat thus remains stored in the body, and you gain weight. Hence, as Dr. Donald Robertson of the Southwest Bariatric Nutrition Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.A., says, “proper water intake is a key to weight loss. If people who are trying to lose weight don’t drink enough water, the body can’t metabolize the fat adequately.”

True, water retention is often responsible for weight gain. Hence, many who are prone to water retention think that the solution is to reduce their water intake. The contrary is true, however. When the body experiences a water deficit, it attempts to hold on to every available drop by storing it in such places as the feet, the hands, and the legs. So nutritionists recommend that we give our body what it needs—enough water. And remember, the more salt you eat, the more water you will retain to dilute it.

Another importance of water is that it helps to hydrate our Body; each day, on average, some two quarts (2 L) of water is eliminated through the skin, lungs, intestines, and kidneys. We lose approximately one pint (0.5 L) of liquid every day just by exhaling. If this water is not replaced, we will become dehydrated. Some signs of dehydration are headache, fatigue, muscle soreness, dark urine, heat intolerance, and dry mouth and eyes.

So how much water should we drink? Dr. Howard Flaks, a bariatric (obesity) specialist, says: “The minimum for a healthy person is eight to ten eight-ounce (quarter-liter) glasses a day. You need more if you exercise a lot or live in a hot climate. And overweight people should drink an extra glass for every 25 pounds (10 kg) they exceed their ideal weight.” However, some now say that it is enough to drink water when you are thirsty, although if you are very thirsty, you may already be somewhat dehydrated.

From this article we learn how water is a very important food we sometimes neglect, but can be a powerful agent in weight lose!