Carbohydrates are the most important energy available from the human body. Despite receiving strong criticism in the decade of 2000 and are often blamed for the epidemic of obesity in the United States, carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet for children and adults.

The two major types are:

Simple sugars (simple carbohydrates), such as fructose, glucose and lactose, and also found in nutritious whole fruits

Starches (complex carbohydrates) are found in foods such as vegetables rich in starch grains, rice, breads and cereals

Despite the recent fashion of reducing carbohydrates, the bottom line shows that not all foods containing carbohydrates are bad, whether they are complex carbohydrates like those found in grains, or simple carbohydrates, such as those found in fruit. If carbohydrates were really that bad, we would be in a serious problem, since most foods contain them. But, of course, some carbohydrate-rich foods are healthier than others.

Some healthy sources of carbohydrates include:

• grains
• brown rice
• integral breads
• fruits
• vegetables
• Low fat milk and its derivatives

When a person wants to lose weight, or maintain it, we must know what are good sources of carbohydrates in foods and continue to limit their consumption. Below there is a chart with the most common sources of carbohydrates in food. You should be aware that dietary fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate type, ie, when consumed it is not digested and this means that it has advantages, non nutritional and nutrition-related mechanical functions of absorption and enhancement of gastrointestinal flora . Recent studies show that thin people eat food with higher fiber content, fiber also lowers cholesterol and prevents some cancers.

Vegetarian regime with additions (of the antioxidant vitamins C and E plus selenium and a gram of omega-3 fatty acids per day), yoga exercise, breathing exercises, visualization and progressive relaxation and assistance once a week, and a  support group of other patients who were following the same program.

What foods contain Vitamin E?

Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals are among the most common sources of Vitamin E, we recommend you read the  list of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, which identifies the contents of alpha-tocopherol to quantify biological changes in the activity of different forms of vitamin E.

Those interested in identifying foods that are easily available in Spain should turn its attention to the vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, soy) nuts, legumes and cereals. Wheat germ oil is very rich in vitamin E. In general products such as corn, nuts, seeds (beans), olives, spinach (and other green leafy vegetables), asparagus, avocado …

Vitamin E and cancer

It is believed that antioxidants like vitamin E may help protect cell membranes against the damaging effects of free radicals, which may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. Vitamin E may also block the formation of nitrosamines, which are carcinogens formed in the stomach from nitrites consumed in the diet. You can also protect against the development of cancers by enhancing immune function. Unfortunately, human trials and tests that have tried to associate vitamin E intake on the incidence of cancer have been generally inconclusive.

Some evidence associates higher intake of vitamin E with a decreased incidence of prostate cancer and breast cancer. However, an analysis of the effect of dietary factors, including vitamin E on the incidence of breast cancer on 18,000 postmenopausal women in the state of New York did not connect a higher intake of vitamin E with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer .

A study with women in Iowa provided evidence that an increased dietary intake of vitamin E could reduce the risk of colon cancer, especially in women under 65 years of age. Moreover, a study of 87,998 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and 47,344 males in the study Health Professionals Follow-up Study was unable to support the theory that an increased dietary intake of vitamin E may reduce the risk of colon cancer .

The American Cancer Society recently presented the results of a long-term study that evaluated the effect of regular use of vitamin C and vitamin E in mortality of bladder cancer by nearly 1,000,000 adults in the U.S. The study, conducted between 1982 and 1998, found that individuals who regularly consumed a supplement of vitamin E for over 10 years had a reduced risk of death from bladder cancer. Consumption of vitamin C did not give any advantages.

For now, researchers have a limited evidence and hope that further research could give more insight into the relation of vitamin E and cancer.

1. The first thing to do is know your complexion. We need to measure the circumference in centimeters of your hand you use most, ie the right if you’re right-handed and left if you are left handed. After you measure you hand, find your complexion in the following table:
2. Now find your ideal weight in the tables of weight:
   The Height and Complexion (weight) is in Meters and Kg.
   Here is a table for converting your Height to Meters:
   http://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=25873.0
   Here is a table for converting your Weight to Kg:
   http://www.asknumbers.com/KilogramsToPoundsConversion.aspx

   

   

3. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)
   BMI relates height and weight and is easy to get, you have to do to divide your current weight in kilograms between your height in meters multiplied by two:
   

   Weight / height x height

   For example, if someone weighs 66 kilograms and measured 1.61 meters, your BMI is 25.46.

4. Once you know your BMI, you should know if you are obese, and what health risks are:

If you suffer from some degree of obesity it is important to
talk to your doctor or dietitian to avoid endangering your health.