Healthy Food Articles

Does Drinking Water Help Weight Loss?

2011-03-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Can something as simple as drinking water help weight loss?

Before you dismiss this, ask yourself if you drink enough water every day. If you think that just because you work in an office and do not perspire much and hence do not need to drink so much water, you are wrong!

In fact, we corporate workers drink less water than we realize! In fact, we probably drink more coffee than water! We sit in the office all day checking emails and rushing deadlines. Before you know it, your next sip of water only comes at lunchtime. Personally I have gone for almost a day in the office without touching a sip of water. It is only when my throat was so dry and I can't even talk on the phone properly that I was reminded I haven't had anything to drink at all.

In this time and age where quick fix fat loss products flood our pharmaceutical shelves, we office workers are always searching for the next cutting edge fat loss pill for the quickest way to lose weight. But we often overlook the most basic and natural of our fat loss resource. One that is effective, free and completely without side effects. One of them is water.

Here are some little known facts about the impact of water on weight loss and some tips to keep your body properly hydrated throughout the day.

1. Natural appetite suppressant

In case you are wondering if this means you should replace your regular meals with gallons of water, no. When our bodies are dehydrated, it can sometimes misinterpret thirst for hunger. In the stressful office environment that we work in, we will usually reach out for a cup of coffee or grab anything sugary so it can both give us a quick boost in energy and at the same time curb what we believe is hunger. Since what our body is truly looking to be hydrated instead of being fed, this false signal of hunger will soon come back resulting in you indulging in a lot of unnecessary snacking. We all know what the outcome of that is going to be.

When you have a bottle of water at your desk, you have a higher tendency to drink it than if you had to constantly get it from the pantry. So at the start of the work day, keep a one liter bottle of water at your desk and aim to finish everything by lunchtime. After lunch, replenish that bottle and aim to finish it before you finish for the day.

For all you coffee drinkers, don't think for a second that all those coffee you drink is enough to hydrate your body. Caffeine is a diuretic that actually dehydrate you. So coffee drinkers should actually drink more water instead.

2. Improves Fat Metabolism

Our liver is an amazing organ that is responsible for metabolizing fat amongst many other important functions such as cleansing your body of toxins, breaking down alcohol, etc.

Metabolizing fat basically means converting fat to be used as energy.

Drinking water helps weight loss by ensuring your liver is metabolizing fat properly. When your body is dehydrated, your kidney functions are affected. If your kidneys cannot perform properly, the liver steps up to take on its duties and hence becomes overloaded. When that happens the liver won't be able to help you burn fat effectively.

If you exercise and don't drink enough water, this will negate the fat burning benefits of your workouts altogether.

Never wait till you are thirsty to drink water. When your body has to signal thirst to you, that means you are already on the verge of dehydration and your liver is about to work overtime and in the process affecting your fat burning effectiveness.

3. Improve exercise performance

Everyone knows that maintaining proper hydration is crucial before, during and after exercise. If you do not drink sufficient water, your blood thickens and it becomes harder for your body to transport oxygen and nutrients to your muscles to effectively perform your workouts.

If you can't get the most out of your workouts, how are you going to burn fat efficiently?

Furthermore, as your exercise, your body heats up. Without proper hydration, your body clings on to whatever little water it has. This means you will not be able to perspire and cool your body down during exercise resulting in your body overheating and in severe cases, leading to heat stroke.

Before your exercise, aim to drink at least a tall glass of water. Keep a large bottle of water handy and drink it constantly during your exercise to keep yourself hydrated throughout the workout session.

4. Burn extra calories

Drinking water helps weight loss by helping your burn extra calories as well.

Scientists in Germany discovered that drinking at least 500 ml of water in one sitting increased our metabolic rate by 30% in 10 minutes. This increased metabolism will sustain for up to 40 minutes and during this time, 100 extra calories are burned.

Aim to drink at least 2 liters of water when you are in the office to burn up to 400 extra calories a day.

At the beginning, don't worry if you are suddenly visiting the washroom more often due to your increased water intake. This just means that your body is now able to release water that it has been keeping in your body. As you continue to drink more water, your body will recognize that it doesn't have store water anymore and will now allowing for a better regulation of fluid within your body.

We all know that water is life. It's no coincidence that drinking more water is always the advice we get whenever we are not feeling well. So before you reach out for the next "state-of-the-art" fat loss pill for the quickest way to lose weight, give drinking more water a try. And the answer to the commonly asked question, "Can drinking water help weight loss?" will be very pleasingly evident to you.

If you work in an office and can't seem to find time to lose weight, there are more great weight loss tips to show you how to get slim and the quickest way to lose weight. Also, you can get your hands on the free fat loss starter kit that has helped many others lose up to 5 lbs in the first week. Visit corporatefatlossplan.com now!

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By Daniel M.C. Ho

Best Way to Lose Weight: Start Snacking in the Office!

2011-03-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I snack in the office. In fact I have a drawer in the office that's filled with all my midday snacks that you'd think I was preparing for an imminent war.

Truth is, one of the best way to lose weight is to eat every three hours as it helps to stroke your metabolism and prevent your body from storing fat. And snacking between meals is the easiest way to do that. But before you get too excited about your containers of cookies, crackers and candies that you display oh-so-proudly on your desk, understand that only certain snacks that will help you to lose weight.

Because we office workers are always in a rush for time, we need snacks that don't need a lot of time to prepare and hopefully is something that can be consumed immediately at your desk.

Lets take a look at some of my personal favorite fat burning snacks and see whether you have any of these in your office tidbit stash.

1. Baked Almonds:

Almonds or all nuts in general have gotten a bad reputation because they all contain fat. Just like there are good and bad carbohydrates, there are also good and bad fats (artificial trans fats). Fortunately, the fat that you get from almonds are healthy monounsaturated fat that can lower your LDL cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart diseases.

So does almond prevent weight loss at all? Yes! Whfoods.org reported that in a 28 month study conducted in Spain, participants who ate nuts at least twice a week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who didn't consume it.

Rich in Vitamin E, Almonds are also full of nutrients. When your body is nourished with nutrient rich food, you stay satiated longer after a meal. So popping a handful of almonds (No more than 20) as a midday snack will keep hunger pangs at bay.

2. Dark Chocolates:

Finally, one of the best ways to lose weight is to eat something that you all enjoy and can eat without feeling sinful. Chocolates - or more accurately, cocoa, is known to have one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants (flavonoids) in any food.

Thanks to the bitter taste and the cocoa butter, dark chocolate helps with weight loss by slowing down digestion and keeping you feeling fuller. In addition, the polyphenol present in cocoa helps absorbs glucose and burns fat.

Furthermore, the mood improving properties of cocoa actually helps reduce stress, which incidentally is one of the major reasons for emotional eating.

But don't mistakenly stock up on milk chocolates! Remember, only dark chocolates of 70% cocoa content and above will have fat loss properties. If you can stomach it, obviously the higher cocoa content the better.

3. Apples:

An apple a day can also keep the fat away. An ideal snack at anytime of the day, apples are low in calories, fat and sodium and its full of vitamins, minerals rich in fiber. If you have a sugar craving, the natural fructose in apples will take care of that as well.

With regards to fat loss, Pectin that's present in apple's fiber is the key ingredient. Pectin is an insoluble fiber that helps digestive health and also keeps your body feeling full a lot longer.

Considering apples have such low calories, eating more of it instead of your usual candy bars will cause a calorie deficit resulting in weight loss!

4. Oat Meal:

Yes Oatmeal. Nobody said oatmeal is restricted to be eaten only at breakfast.

A staple in almost all serious weight trainers, the weight loss benefits of oatmeal is renowned and proven. High in fiber and an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, oatmeal helps to stabilize our blood sugar levels and suppresses hunger pangs. Other health benefits include lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart diseases.

Contrary to popular belief, preparing oatmeal is not that difficult. I personally keep a tin of Quaker Instant Oatmeal (Natural whole grain oats. No Sugar) in my office pantry. All I do is mix about a glass of milk into a serving of oatmeal and sprinkle some trail mix (those without M&Ms) or almonds and I'm done. If you prefer to have it hot, then simply microwave it for about 3-5 minutes and you have a nutritious midday snack to last you till dinner time.

To lose weight doesn't necessarily mean you have to eat less and reduce calories. Not all calories are created equal. The calories you get from apples are definitely more beneficial to your body than a chocolate chip cookie. So go ahead and snack in the office! Replace your current office tidbits or snacks with the above and you will know why this is the best way to lose weight!

If you work in an office and are looking for the best way to lose weight or how to reduce tummy in the shortest amount of time, there's a effective fat loss starter kit at corporatefatlossplan.com that will help you to lose up to 5 lbs in the first week!

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By Daniel M.C. Ho

Guidelines for Living With Diabetes

2011-03-08T03:05:00.000-08:00

Listed below are some diabetes guidelines that you can use to help you manage your diabetes and avoid the possible serious complications that are associated with this disease.

Strategies for Diabetes Management

• When you have diabetes it is essential that you exercise at least three to four times a week for between 20 to 40 minutes each time. Routine exercise has been proven to improve your blood sugars, decrease the risk of heart disease, and help you lose weight. Before starting any exercise program you will want to talk with your physician especially if you are experiencing any neuropathy or vision problems.

• Eating a proper diet is essential. If you are having difficulty regulating your blood sugar levels you may want to visit with a dietitian on a regular basis to ensure that the foods you are eating are beneficial to your body and your glucose levels. You can find dietitians through your physician or hospital and they, along with your diabetes health care team, can assist you in finding a diet that is right for you.

• It is vital that you get plenty of rest. Adhering to a routine schedule and getting enough sleep will help avoid stress and help you keep your blood sugar levels under control.

• It is extremely important that you maintain your feet properly. You need to check your feet daily for any calluses, cracks, or sores. If you notice sores that do not heal in a timely manner, swelling that does not go down after you elevate your feet, redness, ulcers, or pus it is important to visit your physician immediately. Over half of all lower limb amputations are done on people who have diabetes but have neglected proper foot care.

The Importance of Diabetes Medications

• It is important to your health that you take any prescribed medications on time and on the schedule that was prescribed by your physician.

• You also need to understand your medications and recognize the side effects and how they work in conjunction with each other as well as how they work with any dietary supplements you may be taking. Prior to beginning any dietary supplement you need to check with your physician to see how it will interact with any medications you are currently taking as well as how it may affect your glucose levels.

Strategies for Controlling Your Blood Sugar Levels

• As you should be aware, maintaining normal blood sugar levels is essential. You always want to try to keep your blood sugar levels in the range recommended by your health care provider at all times. Use your glucose meter as recommended by your doctor yet when you are ill you will want to use it more often. If your numbers stay elevated over an extended period of time or fall below recommended levels you should call your doctor immediately.

• It is important to keep a log of your blood sugar levels, what you eat during the day, as well as any stress that you may be experiencing which may elevate your glucose levels. When you visit your physician you should take this log with you to determine any trends and take appropriate action.

Diabetes does not have to be a death sentence. If you use your own common sense and follow the strategies listed above you can control this disease and live a long and happy life. In some cases people have even managed to turn their condition around simply through diet and exercise.

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By Julia L Hanf

Julia L Hanf is a proud contributing author and writes articles about type 2 diabetes. A few years ago through a near tragedy with her husband, Julia was able to discover ways to prevent, treat and reverse diabetes. Reversing diabetes requires difficult choices but in the long run will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Wearing Diabetic Socks to Stay Healthy

2010-10-24T02:10:00.001-07:00

Diabetes is a debilitating disease that occurs when one's body cannot produce enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, prevents one's body from producing enough insulin, or ignoring the insulin in the body. Insulin is vital to processing sugars and carbohydrates in the body. When one has diabetes, he or she must remain on a controlled, low-sugar diet and may have to take insulin injections to keep blood sugar levels in check.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form. Many people have been diagnosed with this disease over the years, yet there are still many more people who have the disease but are unaware of diabetes symptoms. There are those who are at a higher risk for developing diabetes, with factors such as genetics and diet playing a large role. This type of diabetes is more prevalent in races such as Native Hawaiians, African Americans, and Latinos. It is also more common in older people.

Insulin plays a vital role in breaking down the glucose sugars in the body that it uses for energy. When one consumes foods such as sugars, starches, and carbohydrates, these turn into glucose. Glucose provides the energy a body needs to run on, much like a car needs gasoline to go from point A to point B. The chemical insulin then carries the sugars from one's blood into the cells. If the insulin does not process properly and builds up in the cells instead, this can ultimately lead to diabetic complications.

One who suffers from either form of diabetes realizes this one disease can lead to a domino effect of other complications. Foot ailments are one of the most common complaints and medical issues of most diabetics. When one's body cannot break down the glucose, it raises the blood sugar in his or her body. This can cause complications such as foot ulcers due to poor circulation, loss of feeling, and lengthy healing of wounds. One can help these foot ailments by providing proper support of the feet. This can be done by the use of diabetic socks. These specially designed socks are one of the most convenient methods for keeping one's feet healthy and at a lower risk for such complications.

These socks are engineered to reduce moisture in the feet to prevent the risks of any infections or bacterial growths such as athlete's foot. These socks are usually anti-microbial to give one added protection from these infections. The use of the socks is a great way to encourage prevention so feet can stay healthy. If one does not take the proper preventive measures, he or she may end up with foot sores and pain.

The socks also have a special elastic band that helps provide support in the arch of the foot while giving the right amount of compression to reduce the chances of swelling in the feet. One must check for socks that fit snugly, yet are not too tight or confining. If a sock is too tight, this will decrease the blood flow to the feet, which will defeat the purpose of wearing the socks and can lead to further issues.

Diabetic socks are made from cotton so they are much softer than regular socks that may consist of a blend of several synthetic materials. These socks are more soft and hypoallergenic for most users. The socks tend to be thicker than normal socks to give one extra padding, along with wider toe space. These small modifications can help prevent even the smallest of aggravations which many times can lead to a new series of problems. Made of cotton blends, diabetic socks are softer and more skin friendly than regular socks and are hypoallergenic and breathable. They also tend to be thicker to provide added cushioning, and the toe space tends to be wider. Such factors are important as even the slightest aggravation or discomfort can turn into a serious issue for those suffering from diabetes.

Many Americans suffer from this disease every year, however with proper diet and exercise and taking preventive measures such as wearing the proper footwear, one can live much more comfortably with this common disease.

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By Kristian Primdal

Common Foot Problems: Bunions and Hammertoes

2010-10-24T02:07:00.001-07:00

The years of abuse and thousands of miles walked on the average pair of feet can take a harsh toll both on the functioning of those feet and their appearance. Though we often take our feet for granted, these marvelously complex structures at the end of our legs will pay us back in time for wearing ill fitting shoes in the name of fashion. Bunions and hammertoes are two of the most common problems experienced with foot deformities that only increase in severity if not taken care of.

The big, sometimes painful bump on the inside of the foot at the base of the big toe is called a bunion. This condition typically develops over a long period of time often due to flat or flattening feet. It eventually results in the big toe being progressively drawn in towards the second toe, sometimes moving over the top or underneath it, with an increasingly pronounced bone protrusion on the side of the foot. Bunions aren't necessarily painful though rubbing against the shoe can cause discomfort. Eventually, painful arthritis can appear in the joint if the bunion isn't surgically repaired.

Hammertoes are permanently bent, claw-like toe deformities that can result from a genetic predisposition and are often caused by ill fitting shoes, either flat or high-arched feet, or arthritis. Like bunions, hammertoes progress in severity over time and can create additional problems in the feet. They can become painful and require surgery to straighten the toes to their normal position.

Surgical corrections of these foot problems have the benefit of reversing painful deformities while simultaneously enhancing the beauty of the feet. Talk to your podiatrist to learn about the latest techniques in foot health and beauty.

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By Billings Farnsworth

LA Beautiful is one of the best Los Angeles Podiatrist. Visit their website. (www.footbeautiful.com)

Anti-Ageing Skin Care - The External Solution To Minimizing Wrinkles

2010-10-03T08:21:00.001-07:00

Wrinkle is an interesting word: A wrinkle is a fold, ridge or crease in the skin. Skin wrinkles typically appear as a result of aging processes. Wrinkling in the skin is caused by habitual facial expressions, aging, sun damage, smoking, poor hydration, and various other factors.

Are you one of the many concerned about anti-aging skin care, the aging process and the effects of gravity on your skin? It's no surprise if you are because you are in the majority. I think most of us (I use the word "us" consciously!) think on this issue as we get older and the wrinkles in the skin begin to form around our mouth and eye area. We sometimes refer to these as "character lines" or perhaps less complimentary "crow's feet". But the advancing wrinkles let us know that we won't stay young forever. On the other hand, however, it doesn't mean that we just accept the inevitable and age gracefully.

Mentally we can act younger than our years, but unfortunately we have less control of the physical properties of our bodies. There is still a lot that can be done, however, to maintain some skin tautness for an extended period. Anti-aging skin care goes for both men and women. Neither gender looks forward to the effects of aging. If they did, there would be no anti-aging industry and the cosmetic market would shrink considerably - think about it - what is the major thrust of cosmetics today? Preserving youthfulness, or more accurately, preserving a youthful appearance. Look at the current situation:

There are countless lotions and potions all competing for the opportunity to prove their effectiveness and all presented by different descriptors like regenerating serum, cream, spa treatment, time defiance, timeless lotion etc. Then there is the promotion, the advertising, the peer pressure. This used to be focused on the ladies but now more and more, to the delight of the cosmetics manufacturers, the gentlemen are getting in on the act of anti-aging skin care - myself included I have to say!

How do you choose? I guess those most in need of help have had longer to experiment with the various products out there and have an idea what is good and what is not so good. Do you go with a Time Defiance Lifting Serum or a Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum? This is a very difficult decision. You certainly don't want to choose the one that doesn't work as well. Okay, so you want to keep that skin firm and keep the wrinkles at bay, and there's no way of knowing which products to select. How about a process of elimination:

First of all, what are you willing to spend? If you do not have a figure in mind then your choice is vast and this method won't help you. If your answer is 50 dollars or less, however, then you've just reduced the options, and you are heading in the right direction.

Now, it's time to get the low down on anti-aging skin care and the products that actually provide a good cost/benefit ratio. We can refer to the one area where you can be assured of some sensible insight and that is internet based Cosmetic Forums (just type into Google - Cosmetic Product + Forum). These can be very helpful. OK it is true that we all have differing skin types and complexions to deal with, but it is a good bet that if a product gets a good review say 24 (4-5 stars) out of 30 people rating it, then it is a good sign. The associated comments attached to the review are also valuable.

Quite often people make a decision based on how much they liked the product and how well it worked, against its cost. In this industry it is definitely unwise to think that just because it is expensive or made by one of the big, well known brands it is good. There are many examples where trials have shown that the cheapest product in a trial of say, face creams, was the most liked compared to some that were four times more expensive!

You need to get the scoop on the anti-aging skin care products you're interested in. It is a buyer's market, so request some samples from the cosmetics counter. Try them yourself for a few days, because after all, that will be the ultimate test for you.

Of course this whole discussion has focused on the external signs of aging which, as an indication of how many years we have lived on this planet, are superficial at best,. Clearly our mental and physical health and fitness will play a huge role in our physical appearance, and these factors in turn depend on our lifestyle and diet. Keeping things optimal here, gives the potions and lotions less work to do. This is the inside story and a completely different approach from that discussed above, but certainly a complimentary way of keeping those wrinkles at bay. Our skin can be seen as our biggest organ, and like the rest of our body needs to be fed from within as well.

But this is another story!

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By Michael Field-Dodgson

Mike Field-Dodgson, a Scientist turned Business man, lives in the South Island of New Zealand. He was brought up in a family where unrefined food was the norm, and was taught, that if given a chance, our bodies have the internal capability to look after themselves pretty much. The Key is to be Trim, Healthy and Fit. Consequently his family's visits to the doctor are are few and far between.

Food Advice To Diabetes Affected People

2010-10-03T08:18:00.001-07:00

The first task you should undertake as soon as you come to know of your diabetes problem is to have a diet regimen that helps you in controlling this problem. But, at the same time, you should not lose sight of the nutritional aspect also because without proper nutrition, you may become susceptible to other health complications. Therefore, you should eat the right foods that can handle both these aims.

You have a variety of food items that can control your diabetes and simultaneously satisfy your desire for tasty foods. It is true that if you are asked to eat the same foods repeatedly, you will get bored and at one point of time, you may hate to eat. But, by switching to various types of foods, fruits, vegetables, dried beans, dairy products that contain less of fat, foods made of wholesome grains and so on, your desire for tasty foods and having varieties of foods is also taken care of. Further, some fruits and vegetables are seasonal and you can have more of them during those seasons. You can also use your creativity to cook these foods so that you will not get bored with these food items. But, you should never forget the fact that you have been affected by diabetes and you can not afford to be irresponsible in eating. The blood sugar must be kept within the prescribed limits.

A myth among those affected by diabetes is that if they take medicines, they can eat whatever they want. This is not true. You should continue to be eating right and this will only help you in having less toxic medicines for controlling your diabetes.

Another advantage in eating right is that your family members will also emulate you and avoid eating unhealthy foods. If you are creative and cook varieties of healthy foods, they will also be interested in them. There are a lot of diabetic cook books from which you can cook easy and good foods. You can have even inexpensive foods that are simultaneously very healthy.

Apart from eating right, you should also refrain from over-eating. Eating at the right times is another important factor that will help diabetes-affected people to control the problem. You should also ensure to drink plenty of water every day. Slow eating is another point that may help you to avoid over-eating.

Last but not the least, you should completely avoid junk and processed foods. These foods are available everywhere and you may be tempted to eat them. But, you can not afford to eat them and spoil your health. If you refrain from eating them and advise all those known to you also to avoid eating them, you will be doing a great service to the society.

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By Raman Kuppuswamy

Raman Kuppuswamy is a great thinker who writes excellent articles on various topics. You may kindly visit http://hubpages.com/profile/dreamdamodar and read more of his articles.

Finger Food Recipes

2010-10-03T08:15:00.001-07:00

Finger Food Recipes are versatile and cater for any occasion

Finger Food is essentially the easiest way to serve your guests and can be just as easy as serving (low prep) such as bread, cheese, cold meat, olives, cheese and fruit. At the other end of the scale, they can be as fancy as crab stuffed mushrooms, mini-quiche or delicious homemade sushi rolls. They are also a great way to teach your toddler to feed himself because they are small and easy to hold and these include: cheese rusks, dips and vegetables, (tiny hamburgers, pizza's, homemade pastries) and meatballs.

Whether you are preparing sophisticated recipes, such as canapés or just whipping up some enjoyable party food, there are thousands of different types to cater for that special occasion. Classy, yet simple, finding the right recipe can be a challenge.

Traditional Finger Food Recipes

One of the most popular, traditional finger food is the Canape. Canapes are generally made with a bread base, topped with an assortment of small, savory toppings. The bread is cut out into shapes such as squares, triangles, circles and rectangles and then topped with an assortment of different flavors e.g. cream cheese, salmon and parsley sprigs.

The basic Canape is one of many finger food recipes providing an assortment of many flavours.

Recipe for Canapes

Ingredients:

4 slices of fresh bread - white, brown rye or pumpernickel,
1 tbsp butter,
¼ tsp salt,
2 parsley sprigs, approximately 1 tsp of savory topping to serve on each canapé, such as:

Cheese spreads, tasty or fancy

Salmon, sardines, crayfish, anchovies, prawns, anchovy paste, crab, oysters, caviar, tuna

Ham, ham paste, pate, continental sausage, chicken

Hardboiled and salted or hardboiled and sieved

Vegetables - cooked or pickled

Asparagus tips, carrots, olives, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, gherkins, peppers

Method:

Cut bread using a shaped cutter. Spread each round with butter. Place small amounts of food on each and decorate. Serve and garnish with parsley sprigs. Bon Appetit!

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By Jude Johnson

Finger Food Recipes are fun to make and easy to eat and best of all......They cater for all occasions!

Are You Becoming a Diabetic?

2010-09-21T01:09:00.000-07:00

How have you been feeling lately? Has your vision been blurry? Have you urinated more and maybe ate more?Are you more hungry than usual? Have you been gaining weight? When was the last time you went to thedoctors for a checkup? These are questions you should answer truthfully as you want to keep your health up to par. Tour doctor willperform a fasting glucose blood test and the result will indicative you are learning towards diabetes.

Diabetes can be a silent killer just like high blood pressure. Many people do not know they have diabetes till they are in the emergency room with a blood sugar of a thousand and are in a coma. Did I say coma? Diabetes can put you in coma whether you are axperiencing a low blood sugar or a high blood sugar. It's the body's wayof putting you in a state of malaise as it works through its problem of having a high blood sugar.

Blood sugars, which are abnormal, need to be treated by a doctor. Having a family history of diabetes will be the first indicator on your family history sheet you fill out for the doctor to learn towards the diagnosis of diabetes. A1C isanother indicator of diabetes and possible kidney involvement.

Ibelieve everyone should consult with their doctor if any of the symptoms are occurring in the first paragraph of this article. Diabetes should not be taken lightly nad need treatment.

Please see your doctor for further help.

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By Carole Tomlinson

http://www.caroletomlinson.com/

A Few Tips on Managing Diabetes

2010-01-04T11:05:00.000-08:00

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is important that you become familiar with the different the options available for dealing with the disease. The main goal of any kind of therapy is to keep your blood sugar within acceptable limits,this is the golden rule.

You may have several options for doing this: by taking drugs orally or by injecting insulin, establishing an appropriate diet and sticking to along with following a regular exercise program to help keep your weight in check and to help maintain adequate blood circulation. Being overweight is an absolute no no for people suffering from diabetes.

While most people suffering from type 1 diabetes need life-long daily insulin injections, some types of type 2 diabetes can be controlled by diet and exercise alone. A diabetic diet is high in fiber and low in sugar, fat and carbohydrates to prevent blood sugar levels spiking after meals. Alcohol should only be consumed in moderation or better still, should be avoided completely.

Additionally, it is very important that you monitor your sugar level on a regular basis, at least once a day, with a blood glucose meter to make sure your medication and diet are effective.

If you feel overwhelmed or insecure, a Diabetes Coach, might be helpful for you. These people are trained to review your individual case and provide advice to you on everything you need to know, whether it' a diet change, or medication, or which kind and how much exercise is good for you.

To complement medication and lifestyle changes, support can also come via other diabetes sufferers who share knowledge, understanding and experience in special support groups.

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By B. Johansen

Bill is a website publisher with a wide variety of interests. To see his newest project visit his website at http://www.retrokitchentable.org/, for ideas when shopping for retro kitchen tables.

Green Tea Extract Benefits

2009-01-19T09:41:00.000-08:00

What are the known green tea extract benefits? The only thing that we know for sure is that catechins found in the teas are antioxidants and antioxidants protect the cells of the body from free radicals, one of the primary causes of cellular aging.

Free radicals are molecules that are found within the cells and in the spaces between them. Exposure to toxins causes them to behave erratically, causing damage to the cellular membranes, the body's fibers and to the DNA strands within the cell.

When the DNA strands become damage, cellular reproduction becomes faulty. The cell may reproduce to form a cancer cell or it may simply be weaker than its parent cell. Antioxidants are defensive molecules that neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging our bodies.

That's why you will see it said that one of the green tea extract benefits is in the area of cancer prevention. According to scientific studies, the extracts may reduce your chance of getting stomach cancer by as much as 50% and throat cancer by 11%. Most of us want to do everything that we can to avoid that disease.

Another of the green tea extract benefits is in the area of heart disease prevention. It is believed that the tea-catechins are responsible for what is known as the Japanese paradox. Despite high numbers of smokers, the incidence of heart disease is lower than would be expected.

But, for heart disease prevention, there are a number of important supplements, including omega3 fatty acids and a unique antioxidant known as resveratrol.

That antioxidant was found when researchers were looking at the "French" paradox, which is lower than expected cases of heart disease, despite a diet that is high in saturated fat. Red wine, a favorite beverage, was found to contain this antioxidant called resveratrol and it is believed to be the cause of the reduced incidence of heart disease.

Suppose you wanted to counter the other causes of cellular aging. One of them is glycation. In the bloodstream, glucose attaches itself to protein molecules and form what is referred to as a "grotesque" molecule.

These molecules cannot be used by the cells for energy or as a building block. As they decompose, they release toxic end-products that increase the number and activity of free radicals.

Preventing glycation is not one of the green tea extract benefits. The only nutrient that is known to oppose glycation is carnosine, a peptide composed of the amino acids beta-alanine and histidine.

It is not considered an essential dietary component, because, under normal situations, the body can synthesize it. But it has been found that carnosine levels are lower in the elderly and in those with age-related diseases.

Carnosine also has antioxidant activity, as well as the anti-glycation activity mentioned above and it helps to rid the body of heavy metals. The most effective anti-aging supplements combine the green tea extract benefits with those of carnosine, resveratrol and other important nutrients.

That's the kind of supplement that I recommend for everyone.

_________________________________

By Mo Devine

Mo Devine is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher who has been on a quest to find the best nutritional supplements available. After extensive research, she has found an exceptional nutritional supplement that is now the foundation of her own health program. Visit her website at http://healthysupplementsforlife.info/ to discover what she personally recommends and why.

How to Manage Diabetes

2009-01-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

You need regular exercises, diet modifications and medicines (tablets/insulin injections) to keep your blood glucose in control through out the day.

Insulin injection is not needed immediately after the diagnosis of diabetes is made (unless your doctor feels this is an emergency).

Importantly if you are obese you need to reduce your weight through diet control and give up sedentary habits so that your insulin' works better. Your treatment should be started and supervised by an expert, who should review every 3-6 months to help you keep your blood glucose in control. You should register in a diabetic clinic for regular blood pressure check ups and also ECG and advice for care.

Treatment is aimed at maintaining the blood glucose in the normal range and HbA1c less than 7%, by balancing food intake with oral medication or insulin and physical activity year after year, to prevent complications of diabetes.

You must be alert in every walk of life and being lazy and neglecting things would trouble you like in the case of diet management and wound healing.

An emotional stress (a death in family, displeasure at work or at home) may increase and disturb the control of diabetes. You need to discuss the problem with your doctor for suitable adjustment in dosage of medication and do some stress control exercises.

Finally By keeping a good control of diabetes at all times, you will be able to prevent the complications of diabetes affecting the nerves, eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

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By Rajesh Moganti

Diabetes and Foot Neuropathy

2009-01-08T01:29:00.000-08:00

Aside form loss of vision and problems with kidney, another important thing that diabetics should be very careful with is foot neuropathy. Foot neuropathy is a kind of nerve damage. The covering of the nerves in the feet are stripped off which makes the feet feel hot and eventually takes away the sensation in the feet. Millions of diabetics' feet are amputated because of ignored care for foot neuropathy.

While it cannot be treated because it is a damage to the nerves that is caused by many factors one of which is diabetes, foot neuropathy can be controlled. Diabetics should always check their feet for callous and blisters. Since neuropathy takes away the sensation in the feet, they might not feel that their feet are developing very thick callous that can be the start of ulcers. These ulcers are very dangerous because they eat the tissues of the body. If the affected body part is not cut, the ulcers might continue on eating the tissues until they reach vital parts of the body.

People with diabetes and foot neuropathy should never walk barefoot. They should take care of their feet not be exposed to objects that might wound them. They may not feel the bump because of the neuropathy so they should always check. Patients should not dip the feet in very hot water because they might not feel it but their feet are already experiencing high degree of burn.

Finally, they should always have their feet checked by a podiatrist, a doctor whose specialty if with the feet and the diseases that are associated with feet. It is possible to have complete set of legs even with this disease. Just like the daily checking and care for the diabetes, foot neuropathy should also be checked and given attention everyday. With this, many patients will not have wounds in feet that can be the start of ulcers that can be the reason for the amputation of the feet.

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By Aarona Bancs

The Symptoms Of Diabetes

2008-05-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

One of the first steps you can take to prevent getting diabetes is to know when you are at risk for developing it. Of course then the next step is to be able to recognize the symptoms of diabetes. Type II Diabetes is a very serious disease that will have health effects for the rest of your life; however, if you catch it early, it can be treated with exercise and by changing your eating habits. In order to detect it early, you need to know the symptoms you are looking for.
There are many factors that can put you at high risk for diabetes, including age, genetics, obesity, and even ethnicity. Also your shape has something to do with it, with apple shaped people more likely to end up with diabetes, as well as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Also, a history of gestational diabetes can also raise the risk for women, or even having a baby that was more than 9 pounds when born. If you have any of these risk factors, then it is important that you are tested on a regular basis.
Since diabetes symptoms often are very near to other problems or the signs of aging, many times they are often overlooked. Many people can actually live with diabetes for many years and never even know it. However, diabetes that is left untreated can lead to some severe complications, such as nerve damage, kidney failure, heart disease, and even loss of vision.
One of the main symptoms of diabetes is excessive thirst. This occurs because the body has to get rid of the excess sugar through the urine, since the brain thinks that the blood needs to be diluted. Also, increased urination is another symptom, since this is how the body has to get rid of all the extra sugar. Overeating can be a symptom as well, since the increase of insulin can make you feel hungry. Also, since there is more blood sugar, often cuts don't heal as they should, since the white blood cells cannot carry out their anti-infection and healing functions as usual. Many people who deal with diabetes also feel fatigued or lethargic, since their body is not getting the fuel needed from glucose. Instead their body metabolizes fat cells instead, which takes more energy, making them feel tired. Weight loss can also be a symptom of this type of diabetes.
Many people suffer from other symptoms of diabetes as well. Some may include altered mental states, dry mouth, and even blurry vision. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms yourself, it is important that you have your blood sugar checked out by your physician. Detecting this problem early can help you avoid having long term complications if you have a good treatment plan that you follow carefully.

_______________________________________

By Nicholas Hurd
Nick Hurd writes about aging and baby boomer generation and how to not only cope with the changes, but live a very healthy and active life. Information for baby boomers and beyond. More information is available about diabetes and diabetics.
You'll also find other health related information like Hearing Aids for those of us over 50 and not hearing as well as we once did.
Copyright 2008 Nicholas Hurd all rights reserved

I Am Working Out But Not Losing Weight

2008-01-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder why you are not losing any weight, despite your best efforts to exercise and work out? Many advertisements are creating the myth that exercise is not useful for weight loss, but it is not entirely true.
1. How Effective Is Exercising For Weight Loss?
Exercise is very important for the development and toning of your muscles. It is an essential activity to keep you in good health. But if your ultimate goal is to lose weight, exercising is not the only factor that you have to consider.
I can tell you that I have personally lost a lot of weight without going to the gym. You might have seen or know many people who go to the gym regularly, yet they do not lose any weight at all! This is because the most important factor for weight loss is to have a proper diet plan. What you eat will ultimately determine how your body is built.
2. The Importance Of A Right Diet
By eating the right way, you can trick your body to increase its metabolism at all times of the day, even if you do not have time to exercise and workout.
3. Eating At The Right Intervals Per Day
This diet works by making your body burn calories and fats at higher than normal activity levels. You do this by eating radically different types of foods at particular times of the day. Food is the most powerful prescription that will decide whether you lose weight or not. Most people do not get fat as a result of poor exercise, but because they eat foods at the wrong times during the day.
Also, the pattern that you choose to eat your meals each day is more powerful than any prescription weight loss pills. This is true because your body is like an "engine" and it only needs certain foods at certain intervals each day, and if you don't eat the right foods at the right times then it won't burn those calories -- and you'll wind up storing those calories as fat tissue. You need to eat more than 3 times per day to lose weight.
4. Increasing Your Body Metabolism
To effective lose weight easily, the most important thing you must do is to increase your body metabolism. Exercising is certainly helpful, but your metabolism levels will only be increased during your exercise period, and a few hours after that. To ensure that it remains high throughout the day, you need to make the right adjustments to your diet.

____________________________

By Monica Green
Do you want to learn the truth about weight loss diets and fat burning foods to increase metabolism? See the author's review of the Top 3 Breakthrough Diet Plans discovered at http://www.review-best.com/best-weight-loss-site/fat-loss-4-idiots.htm that has helped her lose 55 pounds in total!

Five Ways To Live Younger In 2008

2008-01-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

It's a new year. And it can only mean one thing; another count to your years. In 2008, you do not need to worry about getting older. Your age is largely about how you perceive yourself. Some quarters even say that age is all in the mind. So if you are wondering how you can stop or even turn back the clock, all you have to do is join the handful of people who have lived by the following tips.
Calm Your Nerves Down
Stress is the number one cause of many diseases that older people are at risk of. In fact, stress can be responsible for premature aging. If this is the case, why not adopt ways to enable your body to relax?
There are countless relaxation procedures that can help you calm down your nerves. If you can turn off the stressors that hound your life, then you may have already won half of the battle against the effects of aging.
Soak Up The Red Wine
A study done at Harvard Medical School found that obese mice treated with heavy doses of extracts from red wine had remarkable improvement in their health. Meaning, the treated mice showed no signs of diseases commonly linked to being overweight; as a matter of fact, the treated mice lived longer than those who were not obese but untreated.
This seemingly magical effects brought about by red wine is due to a substance known as resveratrol. This substance is largely secreted in the grape's skin and is a very potent antioxidant. Because of resveratrol, drinking plenty of red wine can help your body delay and take action against the effects of the aging process.
Munch On Lots Of Dark Chocolate
Well, dark chocolate can be bitter to the taste. But you know, with all those grievous taste comes an abundance of antioxidants. Flavonoids contained in dark chocolate can be beneficial in increasing your level of energy and in your body's fight against free radicals. This substance can also reduce cholesterol in your body; in that connection, your risk to high blood pressure and heart diseases that come with age are also significantly lowered.
Make Room For More Sex
Sex can be great for your health in making you feel younger. People who have sex regularly are found to have increased levels of antibodies in their systems, this means their immune system are in tiptop condition.
Making love with your partner is also a great way to fight off stress. Having sex and attaining orgasm releases brain chemicals called endorphins which are basically nature's tranquilizers implanted right in your own system. Just imagine a safer way to get high; where all worries and anxieties are left behind. This is one of the reasons why sex has been regarded as a life-extender in many civilizations.
Exercise Your Mind And Body Regularly
Think about yourself as a knife; where constant use can make you become sharper and free of stains, while neglect can only result to becoming dull and rusty. Your body works in the same philosophy. Meaning, you have to regularly exercise your mind and body so that you will maintain a balanced life, better flexibility, and greater physical strength and mental aptitude no matter how old you are.
However, in exercising your body, you have to remember that there are parts of your body which can only surrender to the influence of time as you get older. Like certain aspects of your bone structure, these have to contend with the natural process of wear and tear.
But you do not have to stop living the good life and feeling younger just because you feel pain on your back or your legs. If you are concerned about the condition of your bone structures, you can use products like Osteozyne to help you protect your bones against the damages brought by aging. Visit www.osteozyne.com for more details about improving the health of your bones.

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By Sharon A Bell
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.healthnfitnesszone.com

Exercise To Healthy Weight Loss

2008-01-07T02:15:00.000-08:00

To loss weight effectively, it is necessary to take in fewer calories than the body is burning. In order to burn off excess calories, it is essential to exercise regularly. Talking about exercise, it is not necessary to join a gym or participate in aerobic classes to burn up the fats. Calories can be burn by just simply climbing the stairs, cleaning the house, riding a bike, working in the garden or just by walking thirty minutes every day. Calories can also be burnt during sweat-free exercises. It has been proven that people who take a brisk walk for thirty minutes every day burn body fat, improve their physical fitness and lower their blood pressure as much as people who work out at a gym three or four days per week.
Exercise will help to boost energy as well. With the advent of the computer age, people are forced to do less and less physical labor. It is only logical that this would result in more energy being available for other activities. Exercise improves the efficiency of the lungs, the heart and the circulatory system in their ability to take in and deliver oxygen throughout the entire body. This oxygen is the catalyst that burns the fuel, food taken in to produce energy. Consequently, the more oxygen taken in, the more energy is available for other activities.
Oxygen is the vital ingredient that is necessary for survival. Since oxygen cannot be stored, body cells need a continuous supply in order to remain healthy. Exercise increases the body's ability to extract oxygen from the air so that increased amounts of oxygen are available for every organ, tissue and cell in the body. Exercise actually increases the total volume of blood, making more red blood cells available to carry oxygen and nutrition to the tissues and to remove carbon dioxide and waste products from the body's cells. This increased saturation of the tissues with oxygen is also aided by the opening of small blood vessels.
The first step for energy, fitness and real weight loss is by exercising every day. Exercising regularly will help to keep a fresh supply of oxygen surging through the blood vessels to all the body's cells. Exercise and healthy diet comes hand in hand in any successful weight loss program. In order to lose weight successfully, it is necessary to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

___________________________

By Sky Joe

For more information on Weight Loss Diet, Quick Weight Loss Tips or Weight Loss Surgery , you can visit this site: All You Need to Know About Weight Loss

What Are the Causes of Diabetes?

2008-01-07T02:11:00.000-08:00

There are many causes of diabetes. Not all people have control of whether they could have prevented the disease. Eating healthy is a big factor in prevention, but some times that's not enough. Below are several ways it can be caused.
The disease is caused when the pancreas becomes dysfunctional. The body is dependent upon the insulin the pancreas secretes to keep the body's blood sugar levels normal. Many things can cause the pancreas to become dysfunctional and cause illness.
Diabetes is known to be higher in certain ethnicities such as Asian American, Hispanic, African American, Native American and Pacific Island descendants. The disease is known to be inherited and if it runs in your family, then you have a 25% chance of having it eventually.
Age is a big cause because as people get older, they exercise less and they gain weight, causing the body's pancreas to improperly secrete insulin. It can also be caused by a viral infection or illness affecting the pancreas, causing it not to secrete insulin properly.
However, the biggest cause is obesity. Excessive weight and fat in the body cause muscle and tissues not to react to insulin the way they should, almost making them resistant to the insulin the pancreas is secreting. The insulin will not function properly causing high blood sugar levels, eventually leading to the disease. Overeating can cause it also. The body needs a proper balance in its diet and if a body has too many carbohydrates, fats, or proteins, it can cause the pancreas to be dysfunctional also.
Frequent smoking can eventually lead to diabetes. Stress is also a major factor. The body's metabolism is directly influenced by its lifestyle. This includes the amount of daily stress; grief, and excessive worrying, that can cause the metabolism to react differently to insulin and the person to become a diabetic.
The body needs plenty of exercise and a balanced diet for the pancreas to properly function, secreting enough insulin. Many people cannot prevent this disease, especially if they inherit the disease or contract a viral infection causing it. The causes of diabetes vary, but the most important thing in trying to prevent it are maintaining a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and eating right.

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By Michael Dinsmore

A Diabetic's Diet

2007-09-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

One of the most important things for a diabetic to do is control his or he diet. While everybody should strive to eat as well as possible, for a diabetic, this is even more critical. In this article, I'm going to cover some basic things that a diabetic should do when planning a diet.

It is extremely important for a diabetic to keep his weight down. So all diets have to be structure to achieve this goal. There are many ways to go about doing this, but probably the easiest is to count calories. The question is, how many calories should a diabetic get per day? To simplify this process, take your ideal body weight, which can be calculated by starting with 100 pounds and adding 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. So, if you're 5' 5" tall, your ideal body weight, as a diabetic, should be 125 pounds. Then for every pound in your ideal body weight, you should eat about 15 calories per day. So, a person who's ideal body weight should be 125 pounds, they should be eating about 1875 calories per day.

Aside from watching your calories, a diabetic also has to watch his sugar intake. Many diabetics think this just involves refined sugar products such as donuts, cakes and pies. The truth is, a diabetic has to be careful of any kind of sugar, even natural sugar that is contained in fruits. The reason is because there body doesn't produce enough insulin so even natural sugars can raise the blood sugar level. Everybody is going to be different, but a good rule of thumb is no more than one serving of fruit per day.

The hard part about balancing a diabetic's diet is that carbohydrates need to be limited. However, because of this, it is important to eat foods that have a little higher fat content. The problem with this is that these foods are generally not very good for you. So, in order to compensate for this, it is recommended that a person with diabetes eats foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are much better for you than saturated fats.

The key to a diabetic's diet is counting carbohydrates. A gram of carbohydrate contains about 4 calories. So, if you are on that 1875 calorie diet, you want to each about 50% of those calories in carbohydrates, or about 938 calories. Dividing that by 4, you want to have about 234 grams of carbohydrates in a day. While that may seem like a lot, it's not. One slice of bread alone is 15 grams of carbohydrates. Most foods have carbohydrate information on the package.

By following these few simple tips, it becomes a lot easier to control your diabetes.

To YOUR Health,

Steve Wagner

For natural treatments to a number of ailments including diabetes, visit our website at http://www.natures-healing-remedies.com/ where you can get a free report on how the drug companies are killing us as well as get a 52 week series on a different ailment and treatment each week.

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By S. Wagner

Best Anti Aging Cream Includes Scientific Breakthrough Ingredients

2007-09-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

Anti aging means you stop, or reverse the aging process. This can be accomplished with the proper anti aging wrinkle creams, and/or proper use of vitamins to relieve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Around midlife, the most sought after concept is to get older without looking older, or to become successful at the anti aging process and look younger every day (that would be a perfect world!)

There are many sensible life style choices that you can make that will help prevent the skin from wrinkling prematurely.....like not smoking, not drinking alcohol, wearing protective clothing, wearing sunglasses and using a sun block with a SPF of 15 or better.

Most dermatologists recommend a diet that is high in whole grains, fruit and vegetables for preventing or at least prolonging the appearance of wrinkles in the skin.

By the way, did you know that when the eye sees a wrinkle, it's actually just seeing the shadow created by the wrinkle? That makes me think that the best anti aging cream a person could buy would have an ingredient that refracts light so other people's eyes can't see your wrinkles (and neither can you)!

There are also vitamins that will keep your face looking younger than your years, and you should take a good multivitamin everyday in addition to the following:

Vitamin C: If you really want to have beautiful unlined and unwrinkled skin well into your later adult years, you should be certain that you get at least 500 mg of Vitamin C everyday. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It is also the stuff that develops connective tissue, which keeps the skin more elastic and less prone to wrinkles.

Vitamin C is also important for anti aging skin care as it aids in the formation of collagen. Unfortunately, collagen is touted in most skin care products as the best anti aging cream you can use. I say unfortunately because collagen is manufactured inside the body and is a very BIG molecule - applying it to the outside of the body has no effect because the molecule cannot penetrate the skin.

Vitamin E helps Vitamins A and C more easily absorb. It also provides natural protection from ultraviolet rays.

Selenium: Selenium is a trace mineral but an essential one for maintaining healthy anti aging skin because it consumes free radicals caused by sun damage.

There are natural herbs included in some of the best anti aging creams, but again, you want to be careful what you use. Dermatologist warn that most anti-aging and anti-wrinkle skin care products, even from the most expensive lines, contain irritants and inflammatory ingredients like peppermint, lemon, camphor, menthol, coltsfoot, arnica, and so on. All these ingredients further contribute to forming lines, wrinkles, age-spots and dark circles.

So, be sure to check your anti aging wrinkle creams and make sure they do not include the above named harmful ingredients. And, good luck with your venture back in time.

"Find out How A-List Hollywood Actors, Celebrities, Super-Models And Even...European Royalty... Use A Nobel Prize-Winning Discovery To Keep Their Skin Looking Young, Beautiful, And Age-Free Without Cosmetic Injections Or Plastic Surgery!" http://www.ahealthstop.com

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By Evelyn Grazini

The Magically Effective Weight Loss Diet Tips

2007-04-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

The most common reasons for being overweight are the intake of wrong food, eating meals in the wrong patterns and wrong types of calories per meal each day. In case you are trying to achieve significant weight loss, diet tips help you maximize your chances to reach your goal. If you are really over weight, follow these tips.
• Consult a doctor. Make a visit to your nearest doctor which will help establish the extent of the problem and the general state of your health that are important considerations when making major decisions about the type of treatment, diet and exercise regime you should follow. They will also suggest certain weight loss diet.
• Choose the right diet. Weight loss diet tips should involve sensible planning which involves choosing the right kind of diet and use of strategies to deal cravings and setbacks. Losing weight is all about calories and you should eat fewer calories than you have had before.
• Stick to your schedule. In case you are following a strict weight loss diet, stick to your schedule and have food in time. Your weight loss diet should not be too low in calories or fat and should enable you to shed at least two pounds a week.
• Exercise Regularly. Seek the advice of a trainer in case you plan to work out or start any rigorous routine. Change your diet according to your patterns and stick to your weight loss diet.
• Choose low fat cooking methods such as baking, steaming and boiling instead of opting for frying.
• Avoid eating in large quantities and increase your eating intervals.
• Drink ample of water, which will help curb, your hunger.
• Never skip meals since starving yourself will lead to various problems with your metabolism like ulcer (leading to cancer) and will have adverse effect in the long run.
• Avoid sweets, chocolates, cream cakes, soft drinks etc. since they are high in calories.
• Eat fibrous and low calorie fruits (e.g. cucumber).
• A low fat weight loss diet cannot only help you to become slim but also can lower your cholesterol level. The low fat diets lower the blood pressure and your cholesterol level.

________________________________

By Thomas Webb
If you are really interested to follow a quick weight loss diet, then just click http://good-infos.com/health/weight-loss/quick-weight-loss-diet/ to gather more information’s on quick and effective weight loss diet and give your self a healthier lifestyle.

The Power Of Fruits - Anti-Aging Health Foods

2007-04-27T06:28:00.000-07:00

Are you concerned about the physical well being of your body? Are you feeling sluggish and run down? Does your stomach feel bloated and uncomfortable? Do you carry extra weight in your stomach area? Is your skin aging more quickly than you feel it should? Are you beginning to have health problems that are effecting the quality of your life? Do you feel that you are getting the adequate vitamins and minerals from your diet?
We are told our bodies need five helpings of fruits per day. This is difficult but essential to our over all health. Fruits contain dietary fiber that helps our digestive tract. It is important to keep our digestive tract clear and moving. If we do not, a build up occurs and can cause disease. Nutrients can not be absorbed into our body as easily if there is build up. It is possible to hold up to 50 pounds of fecal matter in our intestine, making us sluggish, adding extra weight and adding extra inches to our mid section.
Some of the benefits of fruits are as follows:
1. Anti-Aging: We are all concerned about growing older. We can slow down the aging process if we give our bodies the essential nutrients. More importantly, however, is the quality of our lives when we are older. We want to be able to enjoy our later years and be able to do the things that we love doing.
2. Energy: If our digestive tract is clear, we will have more energy. We will not have the toxins in our system making us sluggish. Also, when we eat more of the foods that are healthy for us, we will be less likely to eat carbohydrates or sugary foods that slow our metabolism.
3. Clear and Healthy Looking Skin: Again having a healthy digestive tract is critical. When we are holding toxins in our body they will often be eliminated through our pours. This will cause break outs and give our skin a sallow look.
4. Improved Mental Focus: When our bodies are receiving proper nutrition we will naturally have better mental clarity. We will be able to work more effectively for a longer period of time. If our stomach is full of lighter foods such as fruit, especially in the afternoon, we will not feel as sluggish.
5. Weight Maintenance: Weight loss and maintenance can be one of the desired consequences of consuming more fruits. Keeping our digestive tracts clear, filling our stomach with more easily absorbed food with less caloric intake, gives a less heavy feeling which leads to more activity.
6. Antioxidants: Many fruits are high in antioxidants. The environment and certain preservatives in foods, put unhealthy toxins in our bodies. Fruits can help our bodies get rid of the damaging toxins that can cause disease and pre-mature aging.
7. Immune System: When our immune system is strong, we are more capable of fighting illness and disease. Today, there are many immune deficiency diseases that have serious debilitating side effects. Lupus, chronic fatigue and some forms of arthritis, to name just a few.
Some of the fruits highest in antioxidants are acai berry, apricot, purple grape, pear, cranberry, blueberry, passion fruit, white grape, kiwi, pomegranate, banana, bilberry, nashi pear, lychee fruit, camu camu, prune and wolf berry.
The world's population at large is sorely lacking in the life-changing nutrients that come from some of nature's most wondrous fruits. For most, their only fruit intake has become an occasional apple, banana or orange.
Cheaper, processed alternatives have replaced many of Earth's most powerful resources for optimum health - Fresh fruits from the richest soils of the world. Yet in this age of environmental pollution of air, water and food, the need for wholesome fruits has never been greater.

_____________________________

By Terri Grace
For more information on proper nutrition through fruits visit: http://www.terrisbluegooseboutique.com
Bio: Terri Grace, nineteen years of experience in boutique sales and marketing. Successful business owner of a boutique for the past 5 years. Owner and entrepreneur of an online boutique. For more information on boutiques go to: http://www.terrisbluegooseboutique.com

The Real Secret to Long Term Weight Loss

2007-04-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

In one of the world's largest diet studies, it appears that diets actually damage your health. The results and the problems diets can cause should give you reason to keep reading.
According to Miller Jones, a professor of nutrition and food science at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota...
4th graders are aware of the word diet, especially the girls.
Recently a massive worldwide study concluded that diets don't work long term for the majority of people on them and it might even put your life at risk.
This type of yo-yo behavior is linked to many health problems. Because of the strain on the body of repeated weight loss and weight gain, the researchers found that the dieters would have been better off not dieting at all.
Research has shown the repeated rapid weight gain and loss associated with dieting can double the risk of death from heart disease, including heart attacks, and the risk of premature death in general.
For starters...
When you think 'diet' you are actively engaging in short term thinking. When you start to think of it as something you go on and then off again, that's the wrong direction.
Some of the BEST resources on nutrition are not diets. They are eating plans. They are the basics of eating correctly for the rest of your life. Eating for everyday living is something you can be taught. There's nothing short term about them.
"The benefits of dieting are simply too small and the potential harms of dieting are too large for it to be recommended as a safe and effective treatment for obesity." -Dr Traci Mann
A quick test is to simply look at any given plan and immediately ask yourself...
Can I eat this way for the rest of my life and not fall prey to hunger cravings or temptations?
Frankly...
If you are overweight, then thinking in the short term is exactly why you could be doomed to fail! As you bounce from one plan to the next, you become more and more frustrated.
FACT: Many diets that use a severe calorie restriction just makes it harder to lose the weight the next time.
FACT: Some studies show that repeated weight loss and regain actually increase the changes you'll gain even more weight the next time.
FACT: It shouldn't come as a shock that people who exercise report the most long term weight loss.
Now with all this in mind...
No matter what eating plan you choose or what your goals, just drop the word 'diet' from your vocabulary and pick a plan you can stick with for life. That encourages slow weight loss or weight gain. That doesn't "demonize" foods but helps you pick and choose from healthy alternatives and explains the reasons why.
If you are always changing your eating habits for special events or every 8 weeks, you might be dieting. Before you start your next diet, that's the time to step back and ask yourself if you know all you can about proper, healthy nutrition. Learning how to eat correctly is something you can stick with for life and avoid the common frustrations

__________________

By Marc David
Hurry and grab your own copy of Marc David's 6 Simple Steps to Success in creating your own personal nutrition plan. In just six days, you will learn exactly how to eat and train to burn fat for life without pills or fad diets. This is what you should have learned in the 5th grade but never did. Learn about fitness weight loss programs and the 6 Simple Steps to Successfully creating your personal nutrition plan.

How Many Daily Intake of Calorie Should I Have To Lose Weight

2007-04-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

Bringing your weight down through a diet is not a matter of eating less, but rather of controlling the number of calories you take in a given day. While this translates to most people as simply eating less of everything, this is actually not true. You don't have to eat substantially less to lose weight; you just have to watch what you eat and your daily intake of calorie.
The best thing you can do for weight control is to do your research and monitor your daily intake of calorie, and here are the steps you should take to make yourself a diet plan that will help you to lose weight without the usual dread of starving yourself.
The first thing you need to do is check your ideal body weight for your height and compare it to your actual weight. Yes, I know this can get depressing but you have to give yourself a goal, and that ideal weight is what you should strive for.
Next, download a calorie calculator from the internet that lets you figure out your how many calories someone at your IDEAL weight should be taking in a day for body maintenance. Needless to say, you should NOT strive to match this intake immediately if you're at, say, 200% or more of your ideal weight. But at least you now have a better idea of the daily intake of calorie you're shooting for.
Then you should look for food calorie references, either from books or the internet, and pretty much go over the list. Start by listing which foods you eat and in what quantities to monitor your daily intake of calorie. You'll immediately be able to pinpoint the biggest culprits in your regular diet that provide huge calories for relatively minor amounts eaten. Kick those from your day to day eating habits if possible to regulate your daily intake of calorie, especially if they're empty calories like those found in junk foods.
Then, list the foods that you regularly eat (or can tolerate, at least) which have a low calorific value for their mass. These can make up the bulk of your diet when you start out, so that you can eat almost as much as you used to but fewer daily intake of calorie.
Make yourself a timetable where you gradually decrease the amounts of food taken until you eventually get to the required daily intake of calorie for someone at your ideal weight. Be realistic about this. The farther you are from the ideal weight, the more time you should give yourself, or your body may actually suffer from shock due to sudden and excessive weight loss. Make the plan and consult with a dietician to be safe. Once you get to the point where you are having enough daily intake of calorie to support your ideal weight, don't go below that even if you're still a bit overweight. Your body will naturally adjust to the decreased daily intake of calorie until you eventually arrive at the ideal weight.
As a final note, don't rely on a diet or monitoring your daily intake of calorie alone to help you get rid of unwanted fat. Exercise to speed the process along. Aerobics and calisthenics are great for this, though if you want something different just remember that any cardiovascular activity will help towards weight loss as well, and will give the added benefit of being healthy for your heart and lungs as well as helping you shed blubber. Before engaging in any overly strenuous exercises though, consult with your physician to make sure that you can actually handle it without risking your health.
Losing weight is a struggle to most people and often a cause of frustration. But did you know that even if you’ve never succeeded at losing weight before, even if you have stubborn fat deposits that don’t seem to bulge you can still lose weight and gain muscles if you know the right method to lose weight? Do you want to find out the best weight loss method that changed the lives of many overweight people? Find out here visit Burn The Fat Feed The Muscles at Great Discovery-Health and Beauty

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By Gerry Restrivera
Gerry Restrivera writes informative articles on various subjects including How Many Daily Intake of Calorie Should I Have To Lose Weight. You are allowed to publish this article in its entirety provided that author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and included with every reproduction.

Facts on Lemons and Weight Loss

2007-03-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Many people ask questions like, "How do lemons and weight loss go together?" and "Can lemons make me lose weight?" Let's examine what that sour little citrus friend of ours can and cannot do in our battle of the bulge.
Lemons are well-known for containing a lot of Vitamin C. In addition to that, lemons also contain citric acid, which is what gives them the sour taste.
Apart from the lemon juice, there are also the pulp and rind that make up the rest of the lemon.
Not much there that could help one lose weight, one would think? Well, think again.
To lose weight effectively you have to keep your body well hydrated, meaning it is important to drink a few liters of water per day. The water itself does not make you lose weight, but it helps the body perform well and clean itself of waste and toxin.
Drinking lot of water can be rather monotonous. Some people also just do not like the taste of water.
Instead of substituting water with some other liquid, add some lemon juice to the water. That will change the taste and help you drink a little more water.
Lemons are also used in food preparations.
Lemon juice is typically squeezed onto fish dishes to neutralize the taste of amines in the fish.
Fish makes an excellent meal in anyone's weight loss diet. It's generally low in fat and very nutritious.
Hence, lemons help us make a very healthy food even better and more tasty, helping us to eat it more regularly.
Now, for weight loss we're not talking battered fish! We're talking about "the fish" cooked and served with minimal dressing.
Lemon juice also adds that little extra taste and zest to the best of salads. Once again, it helps us wanting to eat more healthy and low-fat food.

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By Tisha Diaz
Even though our lemon friend does not contain magical powers to help us lose weight, it plays a very important role in enhancing the taste of many of the foods that help us shed those pounds.
Tisha Diaz recommends this fat loss and weight control program that will help you get rid of those excess pounds and make you slim and trim.

Romantic Recipes for Valentine's Day

2007-02-02T23:52:00.000-08:00

Here's another idea for a special Valentine's Day meal that you can prepare at home for that special someone. Get your creative juices going and cook your own Valentine dinner. This is the second of 4-part series of ideas. This combo uses potato as salad, shrimp and pasta for main dish, ginseng fudge for dessert, and a special Valentine punch.

Pink Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

* 4 potatoes

* 1/2 cup milk (heated in the microwave)

* 4 tablespoons butter

* Salt and pepper

* Red food color

Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into 10-12 pieces, put in pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the stove, pour the potatoes into a colander and shake to remove the water. Cut the potatoes in a bowl; with an electric mixer or beater, beat the potatoes, butter and a little salt and pepper, adding the milk while you mix. Add food color carefully until it is a pretty color

Champagne Shrimp and Pasta

Ingredients:

* 8 ounces angel hair pasta

* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

* 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

* 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

* 1 1/2 cup champagne

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 2 tablespoons minced shallots

* 2 plum tomatoes, diced

* 1 cup heavy cream

* salt and pepper to taste

* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

* freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Cook and stir mushrooms in oil until tender. Remove mushrooms from pan, and set aside. Combine shrimp, champagne, and salt in the frying pan, and cook over high heat. When liquid just beginning to boil, remove shrimp from pan. Add shallots and tomatoes to champagne; boil until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup,for about 8 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup cream and boil until slightly thick, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Add shrimp and mushrooms to sauce, and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Toss hot, cooked pasta with the remaining 1/4 cup cream and parsley. To serve, spoon shrimp with sauce over pasta, and top with Parmesan cheese.

Valentines Love Fudge

Ingredients:

* 3/4 cup margarine or butter

* 3 cups sugar

* 1 (5oz) can evaporated milk

* 1 package (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips

* 1 jar marshmallow creme

* 1 cup chopped pecans

* 1 teaspoon vanilla

* 3 capsules ginseng (available at drug stores and health food stores)

Directions:
Lightly grease a 13X9 inch baking dish. Mix margarine, sugar and milk in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. Turn offthe heat and stir in chocolate chips. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour into baking dish and let it set up at room temperature.

Cranberry Valentine Punch

Ingredients:

* 1 quart cranberry juice

* 1 quart apple juice

* 1 can (6 oz. size) frozen orange juice

* 2 small sticks cinnamon

* 6 whole cloves

* Sugar to taste

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
If you like these ideas, look out for the next meal combo for your special Valentine dinner.
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By Noraini Maskuri

Valentine's Day Recipes

Noraini Maskuri has professional training in bakery, enjoys cooking and experimenting with recipes. She own a cookery site, to receive free Valentine Recipe eCookbook , please visit : http://www.mycookery.com/blog/

How To Use Law Of Attraction Weight Loss

2007-02-02T23:49:00.000-08:00

How does law of attraction work in relation to weight loss?
In the simplest terms, Law of Attraction states that like attracts like and whatever thoughts and feelings you focus on the the most will literally determine your future. But how can law of attraction weight loss work?
You will find that the law of attraction has been working for you and every other person in this world since the beginning of time and it is only recently that education about its incredible power has become readily available to the general public.
So how can the Law of Attraction can help someone to lose weight? It is quite simple really, all they need to do is think about it. In fact without even knowing about it, most people really do not think about what they want but they think more about the fact that they do not have it. So by going back to the definition of Law of Attraction, you will see that the reason why people do not have the things that they want, is simply because all they ever do is think about NOT having them.
Unfortunately this same concept applies to weight loss just as it applies to everything else, and although a lot of people want to lose weight, they would rather think about how miserable they are because they have not lost the weight, rather than the wonderful life they will have once they're thinner.
Again let us refer back to the Law of Attraction. If you think you are miserable, sad, guilty or have low self esteem then the Law of Attraction will bring you more things to be miserable about rather than good things. In fact the more miserable you are about something, for example, weight loss, then the more powerfully you will attract more of the same since that is where you are focusing your thoughts.
Utilizing the power of the Law of Attraction for weight loss, you simply stop thinking about your situation in the negative manner and start having positive thoughts instead. As you can imagine, this is more difficult than it sounds, just ask anyone who's tried it. To be truly successful as many others are, you need the help of proper tools that allow you to automate the law of attraction as much as possible. There is no doubt the law works, it's simply a matter of taking advantage of the available tools to make it easier.

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By Hanif Khaki
Hanif Khaki is the developer of Mind-Optimizer. For more information and undeniable proof of how thousands are magnetically attracting a thinner, healthier body by automating the law of attraction weight loss visit http://www.mind-optimizer.com

The Real Antiaging Medicine

2007-02-02T23:45:00.000-08:00

When it comes to slowing the process of aging, a healthy lifestyle is always the best medicine. Nothing has been shown to have a greater ability to hinder – and even reverse aging – then the integration of a nutritious diet and consistent exercise into your every day routine. These significant lifestyle choices can be easily referred to as antiaging medicine – the most powerful remedy in the aging process.
To begin with, diet can be considered a formidable antiaging medicine. Whatever we put in our bodies – the choices we make each and every day – determine our course of aging. Researchers have confirmed again and again that the nutrients found in whole, natural foods do as much to stop the spread of disease as any pharmaceuticals we could take.
Consider food your antiaging medicine and shop accordingly. Choose fresh fruits – especially citrus fruits and berries that deliver high levels of antioxidants that fight disease; fresh vegetables – especially spinach, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli; complex carbohydrates such as natural whole grain products; and proteins such as lean meats and raw nuts. These foods deliver essential vitamins and minerals that actually help your body shield itself from the ravages of aging. In addition, a proper diet will inevitably show on your skin giving you a healthier, more youthful look.
In conjunction with proper diet, exercise is just as important as an antiaging medicine. Keeping the body active through cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and a flexibility program will lower blood pressure, reduce stress, strengthen muscles, bolster the cardiovascular system, and improve the body’s overall function. If you want a strong body as you age you need to start with a strong body and maintain it. Antiaging medicine of this magnitude is a commitment.
But dedicating yourself to this antiaging medicine regime will pay off in so many ways – allowing you to age with strength, beauty, and vitality.
For easy to understand, in depth information about antiaging visit our ezGuide 2 Antiaging.

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By Michelle Bery

Black Tea

2007-01-26T08:17:00.000-08:00

Black tea is one of three varieties of commonly known teas that are black, green and oolong tea. Black tea is a "true" tea and the most common form of the tea. Black tea is also referred to as a cup of a tea without milk. Black tea made from leaves more heavily oxidized than other varieties of tea. Black tea is stronger in taste and contains more caffeine as compared to other oxidized teas.
Black teas are distinctive in flavors and can be sweet, spicy or with a hint of chocolate. Black tea is known for retaining its flavor for several years. As a result, it has also been used as compressed bricks. Black teas are available in bricks and tea bags.
Black tea contains the compounds theaflavins and thearubigens. Both contribute to its distinctive flavor and dark color. Researches have shown that black tea is very beneficial for health. Regular consumption of black tea reduces the risk of strokes. Black tea is rich in antioxidants that prevent cancer, decrease the risk of heart attacks and reduces the cholesterol. Black tea is full of various nutrients such as amino acid theanine, the minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium, and the vitamins C and K. Black tea is also used in promoting the body's ability to natural heal itself.
Black tea is famous in all parts of the world and has names in different regions. In America it is known as "Black tea," but in China it often referred as "Red Tea." Unblended Black teas are usually named by the country where they are produced. Different regions are known for producing teas with characteristic flavors.
Black teas are taste delicious and have lived up to the potential of being a healthy beverage. Millions of people enjoy black tea as a dietary supplement. Consumers can find several choices of Black tea at most teashops or restaurants. The varieties of black teas are also imported to markets with the help of many dedicated tea websites. Tea lovers can also get their favorite Black tea from all part of the worlds using these websites.

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By Richard Romando
Tea provides detailed information on Tea, Green Tea, Herbal Tea, White Tea and more. Tea is affiliated with Benefits of Green Tea.

A Lifestyle vs Dieting

2007-01-26T08:09:00.000-08:00

Based on stories we read and our own and others' experiences, it is eveident that so many peoples dieting histories begins in their early teens. What begins as ignorant, yet innocent attempts to lose a few pounds can and does spiral into years of yo-yo dieting and self-sabotaging behavior. Dieting habits are developed and these isolate one in many areas of life. This begins the war with food and self-image.
Over time, we can see that willpower alone to stick to a diet does not offer a permanent weight loss solution. The more we worry, the worse the situation seems to get and this often results to an escalation in weight when it is least needed, taking one to breaking point. Diets do little for enthusiasm and developing trust in oneself. But if one does not go on diet how do you lose the kilos?". These days, there is much talk folowing a lifestyle rather than going on a diet. A lifestyle encompasses body, mind and spirit and does not separate one from the other. It suggests living life as a whole human being and not focusing on what is missing, but rather on what we have. It really is true, we have just one body, and just one life. Right NOW we can decide to live it in a healthy and full the way or not.
Being doomed to a life of dieting is hardly appealing. Even if a "lifestyle" sounds too new age or airy fairy, it just might be worth a try. It could just change ones life. Why should food and health be different to any other area of ones life? Whether it be career, finances, relationships or spirituality, it is the consistent and constant willingness and effort to improve and be ones own personal best that helps an individual be successful. Mind, body and spirit respond in the same way. What we put in, we get out. Too much focus on one area of our life can only result in imbalance - hence weight issues, but if we focus on what we need to, when we need to and within empowering value systems ... we are bound to end up with empowering lfestyles. Lifestyles vs. dieting -- it might be worth a try.

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By Kim Knight
I am Kim Knight, a dedicated and passionate weight loss and personal life coach. You can read more about my weight loss journey and my life at: http://www.bestweightlosscoach.ws http://www.kimknightcoaching.com

Tips For Eating Out on a Diet

2007-01-26T07:49:00.000-08:00

When you're dieting, you may feel like you have to isolate yourself from anything that will sabotage your efforts. A bad day at work, a surprise visit from your in laws, and even a night out with friends can make you feel out of control. Anything “unplanned” can derail even the most careful dieter.
If you have friends that love to go out to eat, you most likely feel the challenge every time they ask you to come along. If your friends don't watch their diets, the restaurants they choose can be detrimental. An evening out with your pals shouldn't make you worried that you'll end up gaining back those last five pounds! Here's a few tips to make sure your fun time doesn't ruin your new healthy lifestyle.
Make a rough outline of what you intend to order. If more than one restaurant is being debated, then have a plan for all of them. Getting caught without a plan is the number one reason why most people fail to stick with their diets.
If your planning a larger evening meal, don't skip earlier meals in the day to offset your calories. Normally, you'll end up feeling a lot hungrier by dinner time, and you'll actually eat more calories than you intended to for the day. Eating a regular lunch will help keep your appetite under control when the temptations arrive at your table.
What you drink is just as important as what you're eating. If it's an evening with cocktails, alternate water with your alcohol. Besides for keeping your blood alcohol level down, you'll consume less calories from drink by the end of the evening. Alcohol can also cause you to make bad decisions when it's time to order. When at all possible, water or diet soda is your best choice.
Stay away from appetizers you didn't plan on and the bread basket! If you're having fun with your friends, it's too easy to munch while your chatting without realizing what you're doing. If you're having problems with the temptation, try chewing gum until your meal arrives.
If you're ordering a salad, ask for the dressing on the side. The easiest way to shave calories off your salad is to dip your fork in the dressing instead of drowning your lettuce in it.
Eating out with friends who aren't dieting can be an easy task if you follow a few simple guidelines. Although, if your best eating behavior takes a backseat for the night, don't let it get to yourself. You can always sweat it out in the gym the next day. One bad meal will not undo your efforts.

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By AJ Stamp
For more information on staying healthy and fit, visit RealFitness Tips

Nutritional Aspects of Healthy Weight Loss (Part 3)

2006-12-01T01:38:00.000-08:00

Micronutrients
Because of the nutritional deficiencies in the soil due to modern farming techniques and the presence of toxins, chemicals, additives, and preservatives, the need for micro nutritional supplementation is very important in our diet.
Micronutrients are found within the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber) of whole foods and include such substances as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants.
The depletion of vitamins and minerals in our soils today makes it necessary to supplement your diet with the core vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy lifestyle. For example, you would need to eat 75 bowls of spinach to get the amount of iron found in one bowl of spinach in 1935. Obviously eating 75 bowls of spinach is impractical, not to mention nearly impossible. The alternative is to take a supplement that would provide you with the necessary amount of iron.
The vitamins and minerals you take need to be high quality. That is, they need to be pharmaceutical grade and have no colors, bonders, fillers, dyes, sugars, or flavors. A review of the benefits, dietary sources, and symptoms of deficiency for each of the specific healthy weight loss micronutrient essentials is provided for your review. A comprehensive list of other essential vitamins and minerals will be provided in the food and recipe booklet.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

Functions
Rebuilding of body tissues.
Formation of teeth and bone.
Retards the onset of senility and prolongs lifespan.
Important in maintaining good vision, healthy skin, and healthy mucous membranes.
Necessary for proper immune system function.

Dietary sources

Found only in foods from animal sources, especially beef, calf, and chicken liver and eggs.
Dairy products such as milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream.
Beta-carotene, a nutrient found in fruits and vegetables, can be converted to vitamin A in the body as needed. Symptoms of deficiency
Frequently tired.
Susceptible to infection.
Rough, dry skin.
Decrease in appetite or sense of smell.
Night blindness.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)

Functions

Important antioxidant essential for stopping the damage caused by free radicals, which are the major causes of aging and disease.
Vitamin C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body.
Essential in the maintenance of immune function,
Necessary in the formation of collagen, an important protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels.
Assists in wound repair.
Needed to form and repair cartilage, bones, and teeth.
Boosts your body's resistance to the common cold and viruses. Dietary sources
Your body does not store vitamin C so you must consume enough each day to maintain good health.
Excellent sources include oranges, green peppers, watermelon, papaya, grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, mango, broccoli, tomato juice, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.
Vitamin C is also found in raw and cooked leafy greens (turnip greens, spinach), canned and fresh tomatoes, potatoes, winter squash, raspberries, and pineapple. Symptoms of deficiency
Slow healing wounds and fractures.
Swollen, painful joints.
Bleeding gums.
Nosebleeds.
Severe deficiency results in clinical scurvy.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Functions

A powerful antioxidant that protects LDL cell membranes from oxidation damage.
Helps maintain healthy DNA in the interior of cells.
Important in supporting good cardiovascular health and a strong immune system.
Required for respiration on the cellular level.
Helps the lungs function normally and inhibits the clotting of blood. Dietary sources
Vegetables and seed oils including soybean, safflower, and corn; sunflower seeds; nuts; whole grains; and wheat germ.
Leafy vegetables also supply an appreciable amount of this nutrient. Symptoms of deficiency
Larger than normal deposit of fat within the muscles
Rupturing of red blood cells are symptomatic of a deficiency of vitamin E.

Beta Carotene

Functions

Anti oxidant that is converted by the body only as needed.
It acts to protect cells from attack by free radicals. Dietary sources
The richest sources of beta-carotene are yellow, orange and green leafy fruits and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, and winter squash.
In general, the greater the intensity of color of the fruit or vegetable, the more beta-carotene it contains. Symptoms of deficiency
Loss of appetite.
Susceptibility to colds.
Dryness of the hair.
Insomnia

Calcium

Functions

Maintains bone mineral density.
Critical to nerve conduction, muscle contraction, blood clotting, neural function, cell division, and electrical conduction in the heart.
Helps regulate blood pressure
Essential for producing and activating enzymes and hormones that regulate digestion, energy, and fat metabolism. Dietary sources
Dairy products
Vegetables Symptoms of deficiency
Osteoporosis.
Back and leg pain.
Uncontrolled, painful muscular contractions.

Living Longer, Looking Better Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Loss Program Micronutrient Consumption Recommendations

Take 1 multivitamin 3 times per day.
Take an additional 1000 mg vitamin C 2 times per day
Take an additional 400 IU of vitamin E with breakfast.
Take an additional calcium supplement 2 times per day.

The goal of Micronutrient Supplementation plan is to help you achieve nutritional balance. The benefits of having proper nutritional balance include looking better, feeling better, having more energy, having greater mental clarity, and being less stressed.
This investment in your health will provide you with a higher quality of life and will pay dividends for many years to come.

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By Malton Schexneider
For more information on healthy weight loss programs go to www.livinglongerlookingbetter.com.

Weight Loss - Why Reducing Calories Is Not The Whole Story

2006-12-01T01:27:00.000-08:00

Add the calories up that you take in in your food and drink, subtract the calories you expend in your physical activities, if the answer is a positive number you'll put on weight and if it's a negative number you'll lose weight.
The trouble is, your body doesn't see it like that. If it were that simple, early Man would never have survived from one unpredictable meal to the next. He survived because his body had a mechanism which would store energy when food was plentiful and release it again when it was scarce. His body also had a way of recognizing when energy intake was low, and economizing on its use of fuel. These two mechanisms were his blood sugar/insulin control system and his metabolic rate.
You differ little from early Man in your genetic makeup. Your body still retains the blood sugar/insulin and metabolic rate control system that enabled your ancestor to survive. The problem is, you probably don't eat like your ancestor. Your ancestor never had the carbohydrate-dense, highly refined foods that most of us eat so much of today, such as sugar, flour and all the manufactured products that are made with them. Unfortunately for you, your energy storage system works a little too well. You put on weight easily when you eat these carbohydrate-dense foods, because they send your blood sugar/insulin control system into overdrive. They may still do this, even when the calories you are taking in are not excessive.
Even worse, if you reduce your calorie intake to a level where you have a calorie deficit, you are in danger of triggering the other mechanism -- the slowing of your metabolic rate. This is often called 'starvation mode', but you don't have to be literally starving for your metabolic rate to slow down. And if your metabolic rate slows, your body needs less food to supply your daily energy needs. In other words, the more you diet, the less food you need.
This means that losing weight is very often a precarious balance between reducing food intake and exercising enough to produce a calorie deficit, while eating enough to keep your body from going into 'starvation mode'. And if you are one of the up to sixty per cent of the population which is believed to have a very sensitive blood sugar/insulin control system, then basing your diet on carbohydrates, especially the refined sort, may also hinder your weight loss.
The importance of these survival mechanisms is only now starting to be recognized in the medical world. It is becoming understood that losing weight is not just a simple matter of eating less. There is also mounting concern about very low calorie diets -- the sort that supply less than 500 calories per day -- because of the risk that they will depress your metabolic rate if followed long term. If you are not losing weight on a restricted calorie diet, then these mechanisms may well be at play. These and many other factors which may be preventing your weight loss are explained further in the book "Why Can't I Lose Weight -- The Real Reason Diets Fail And What To Do About It".

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By Jackie Bushell
Jackie Bushell is passionate about raising awareness of the role of diet and nutrition in good health and helping those who are affected by obesity. Via her website at GoodDietGoodHealth.com, she provides information, support, cookbooks, how-to guides and a newsletter for those wishing to understand more about how to improve their health and achieve a healthy weight in a natural way. Amongst the resources she has developed are a low carb/low GI diet cookbook and a book called 'Why Can't I Lose Weight' for those who experience common problems such as not losing weight on their diet or becoming stuck on a 'diet plateau'.

Two Foods to Avoid If You're Trying to Lose Weight

2006-12-01T01:20:00.000-08:00

Everybody is different especially when they go on a weight loss plan. The “diet” that works for one person may not necessarily work for another person. Your genetics or chemical makeup can affect how you lose weight. Some people do very well on calorie-counting diets while others almost seem to gain weight when they go on restrictive eating plans.
But there are two foods that, if you minimize or eliminate them from your diet, you will lose weight, no matter what your physical type.
Processed Carbs
If you think about how bread and pasta (the most popular processed carbs) are made, you will realize how deadly this food is to your body’s healthy weight. It doesn’t matter if they end up on your table as whole grain bread, brown rice or White Wonder Bread, they are processed in the same way and contain the same basic density of calories.
To make bread or pasta, you start with grains that are processed into flour. Each one of those grains has calories so when you have a few ounces of pasta or a slice of bread, you are actually eating concentrated calories in the form of grains. Then your body has to work hard to process it and your metabolism becomes sluggish as a result. Not only that but all those concentrated grains cause your insulin to spike which will also slow your metabolism.
One more reason for grains to be eliminated from our diets is the fact that our bodies were not designed to eat grains. But our ancestors managed to find a way to process them so that we ended up with them in our food supply. Through a complicated process, eating grains allows incompletely digested proteins into our bodies and that can cause problems for your immune system. If grains can cause serious autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s Disease, it’s probably not a good idea to eat it regularly in your diet. (Read The Protein Power Lifeplan written by Michael R. Eades, M.D. and Mary Dan Eades, MD. for more information.)
Dairy
Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yogurt are not a good food to eat if you are trying to lose weight. It doesn’t matter if it’s low fat, it’s still fat. You already have fat on your body that you are trying to lose, why would you eat more?
Plus, milk naturally has sugar in it which means your insulin level goes up whenever you drink it. If you are eating animal protein, your body is getting plenty of fat from those food sources. If you cut back on the fat you are eating, your body will use up the fat your body already has to fill its needs to function and you will end up losing weight.
Don't worry about depriving yourself. Remember that as you cut back on these foods, the goal is to lose weight. Once you lose the weight you want to lose, you can add these foods back in with moderation.

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By Eunice Coughlin
Eunice Coughlin is the founder of http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com, a resource for moms of all ages and stages who seek spiritual and physical health and wellness. Find out how to lose 5 pounds fast at http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com/lose_5_pounds_fast.html .

Safe Weight Loss

2006-11-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

What is necessary for safe weight loss?
A calorie deficit must be created through exercise and a small calorie reduction. This means more energy goes out than comes in. If it were only so simple!
Problem #1
Appetite seems to increase with activity level (therefore cancels out energy expended), this may not always happen.
Problem #2
The body will attempt to conserve weight during times of increased activity and reduced calorie intake (body becomes more efficient with energy).
Problem #3
Scales do not tell how much of the body weight is muscle, fat, OR water.
Problem #4
We all know someone who eats a lot (and eats a lot of "forbidden foods") BUT does not seem to gain a pound, while others eat very little and still have difficulty in altering their body composition.
Tip #1
You must use weight training to build muscle mass and increase metabolism and you must exercise consistently. The energy expenditure will help develop a negative caloric balance.
Tip #2
Base your success on how you feel, how your clothes fit, and how well you perform in your sport/activity, NOT on how the scale reads.
Tip #3
Do not starve yourself. The body may shut down its metabolism and it becomes extremely efficient in saving/storing energy. Eat nutritious meals spaced evenly throughout the day to maintain the metabolism and provide energy for exercise. Reduce any unnecessary food intake.
Tip #4
Remember you are trying to eat fewer calories then are needed to maintain weight. Aim to reduce the calories by a maximum of 20% (i.e. 200-400 per day), BUT/ never go lower than 1500 total daily calories. Reducing the amount of fat in your diet greatly helps in reaching a calorie deficit (because each gram of fat has 9 calories).
Tip #5
Do NOT eat "fat-free" foods in excess. Remember the aim is a calorie deficit! There are no magic OR forbidden foods. Some are better than others BUT very few items need to be fully excluded from a diet. Allow yourself at least the occasional treat.
Tip #6
Choose water as your low-calorie fluid source, unless you need the nutrients that are provided by a glass of milk OR juice.
Be honest #1
Do you really need to lose weight? Losing weight often involves certain sacrifices, so determine if it is really necessary for health or performance and then make full commitment to the goal.
Be honest #2
Can you decrease your food intake without your health suffering? Try to reduce calories with your health in mind by reducing the foods with least nutritional value (i.e. processed foods, sugary drinks, excess sauces, and sugar).
Be honest #3
Are you truly hungry when you eat? Are you just thirsty, bored, stressed?
Be honest #4
Are you active for only 30minutes (your exercise session) and then stuck in a chair for the rest of the day? Consider this before you justify an increase in caloric intake.

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By Craig Ballantyne
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

How to Increase Your Fat and Sugar Burning to Aid Weight Loss

2006-11-07T00:08:00.000-08:00

In order to carry through a successful weight reduction process, your over-weight must be attacked from several angles at the same time. Among other measures, you also have to increase your burning of fat and sugar. This burning is also of two kinds. The body are steadily burning fat and sugar and thereby producing heat, and it burns these nutrients to get energy for the daily activities you perform. The aim in a slimming process is to increase both these burning processes. In the terminology often used about slimming, this is often called "increasing your energy levels".
A. THE FAT AND SUGAR BURNING PROCESS
The burning of fat and sugar is composed of many chemical steps. Fat is first broken apart yielding free fatty acids. The fatty acids are then broken further down to pieces called acetyl. The sugar is also broken down to acetyl in a process called glycolysis, and the energy thus released is used to produce an energy-rich compound called ATP. The acetyl formed from the braking down of fat and sugar is then further combined with oxygen yielding carbon dioxide and water, and even more ATP is produced. The ATP produced is then used to release heat and to give energy for the bodily work.
B. GET ALL THE NUTRIENTS YOU REQUIRE
The process of braking down and burning fat and sugar uses vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids as working tools. Therefore your diet has to contain all these nutrients in the needed amount. Including vegetables or fruit in a natural form in every meal will help you get these nutrients.
Even though your generally shall reduce your fat consume, some types of food containing essential fatty acids should be a part of your daily diet, for example nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, olives, olive oil and fat fish.
Extra supplements of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and lecithin can also be of help.
C. PHYSICAL EXERCISE
You should do some physical exercise at least every second day. Condition training like running, swimming, cycling or ball play consumes energy and thereby helps burn fat and sugar. The burning process even continues some hours after the training session.
Weight lifting or other muscle building activities are also of value. They help convert fat in your body to muscle mass and muscles are always burning some sugar and fat, even when they are not active.
D. USE OF DRUGS OF THE AMPHETAMINE GROUP
Amphetamine and related substances stimulate the activity of the central nervous system and thereby give impulses to increased external activity that consumes fat and sugar. These compounds also increase the metabolic activities that produce heat by consume of fat and sugar. These compounds can also reduce the appetite. All these effects can together help to reduce an excessive weight.
However, these compounds also may give many unpleasant or dangerous effects, like addiction, insomnia, agitation, manic reactions, hypertension, stroke, heart valve damage and heart rhythm disturbances. Therefore amphetamine itself and many related compounds are by now banned in most societies as a means to reduce weight. Amphetamine was early banned and classified as an illegal narcotic. By now also these compounds has been banned after having been on the market for some time: aminorex, fenfluramine, phenylpropanolamine and ephedrine.
Substances of this group available on the market today as weight reduction aids are: Phentermine, diethylpropion, phenidmetrazine, benzphetamine, sibutramine, rimonabant, oxyntomodulin and fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac).
E. USE OF CAFFEINE AND SIMILAR COMPOUNDS
Caffeine and similar compounds also increase the mental alertness, the feeling of energy and the impulses to external action, and thereby they also increase the burning of fat and sugar. They also increase the fat and sugar burning by accelerating the basic heat production metabolism.
A simple way of taking caffeine or the related compound teofylline is drinking a few cups of coffee or tea each day. A cup of coffee in the morning can and another cup in the afternoon can often give you the impulse you need to do an effective daily exercise session.
The tropical plants Yerba Mate and Guarana contain caffeine variants with a much greater effect on the fat and sugar burning than ordinary caffeine. On the market you can find sport drinks and slimming aids containing extracts of these plants.
F. SUPPLEMENTS STIMULATING THE THYROID GLAND
The hormones produced by the thyroid gland increase the basic metabolism and the burning of fat and sugar. A sluggish production of thyroid hormones can therefore contribute to developing over-weight.
Vitamins and minerals that the thyroid gland use as tools to produce its hormones can help to effectivize the thyroid hormone production, for example vitamin B1, vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, magnesium, manganese, potassium and zinc. Compounds being raw material for this production can also help the thyroid gland to effectivize its hormone production, for example L-thyrosine and iodine. These compounds are found in many supplements to aid slimming.
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By Knut Holt

Knut Holt is an internet consultant and marketer focusing on health items.

TO FIND natural supplements to help slimming and natural medicines against common diseases, like acne, eczema, hypothyroidism, fatigue, depression, hemorrhoids, joint pain, hypertension, high cholesterol, circulatory problems, digestive ailments, allergies, menstrual problems, respiratory diseases and more, PLEASE VISIT: http://www.panteraconsulting.com/salg2.htm

How To Find The Best Weight Loss Program That Really Works

2006-10-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

Have you been going back and forth, jumping from one program to the next, in your quest, in still trying to find, the best weight loss program that works??? This is a hard task. Well let me tell you this. They are out there and they do exist. You just got to dig deeper.
People first are looking for the best weight loss program out there before actually loosing the weight itself. You need to know what to look for in a weight loss program and what questions to ask
Before looking into a weight loss program, you may want to talk to your doctor first. It is a doctor's job to help you improve your health. Isn't that what they are there for? Through your doctor, find out as much as you can about your health first before joining any weight loss program. At least you will know where you stand health wise.
Now, in your quest to find the best, make sure it is safe. Look for a program that will have a 1000 to 2000 calorie intake. Any calorie program lower that 1000 is dangerous. Also, a program should focus on slow changes. Don't go for the quickies.
Make sure the professionals who are working in the weight loss arena can answer your questions easily. And especially about pricing. Some of these programs cost so much and you get nothing out of it. Just a little tin-kle return. And does the program carry any risk? Definitely ask this one.
You also want to know how many people have been with the program and for how long and are they still using the weight loss program. And if this program you are looking into is celebrity endorsed, don't be afraid to ask questions about that celebrity and how much weight they lost. Why not if he or she is endorsing the program.
The best weight loss program out there is one that is going to motivate you. One that makes you feel good mentally, physically and spiritually. And this is what you should look for.

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By Carmen Paden
If you are looking for a great weight loss system that you can do in the privacy of your home, you can check this out. The best weight loss program Work it!!!

How Diabetes Can Effect Vision

2006-10-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Vision problems usually affect those who have Type 1 diabetes, but can also affect those with Type 2 diabetes. Vision issues such as:
- Blurred vision

- Ability to see color is diminished

- Floaters across field of vision

- Nighttime vision decreased
When a person has diabetes, the tissue in the back of the eye that allows light in may be damaged or may be growing too rapidly. This can happen over time and may eventually lead to blindness. Having a doctor examine the eye is the only way to determine the causes and determine whether surgery or other options are available.
Surgeries can include:
- Laser photocoagulation

– destroys blood vessels that are blocking the light from entering the eye.

- Cryoretinoplexy

– freezes blood vessels and stops tissue from growing behind the eye.

- Vitrectomy

– remove vitrous from the eye.
These surgeries will help remove tissue that has been damaged by diabetes.
While there are many problems associated with diabetes, losing one’s vision over time can be very frustrating. Having yearly check-ups, wearing glasses, and monitoring how one’s vision seems during the day will help. If a person develops constant headaches, blurred vision, or other symptoms, they should consult a doctor to see what can be done. Many times reducing stress and changing dietary habits may be enough to stop the symptoms from returning.
Eating a proper diet and maintaining blood sugar levels will also help. Diabetes affects millions of people, but not all will suffer eye damage. This depends on diet, exercise, heredity, and other factors.

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By Jeanette Pollock
Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of justdiabeteshelp.com. Visit Jeanette's site to learn more about diabetes and vision problems.

Six Tips for Losing Weight

2006-10-11T02:23:00.000-07:00

Losing weight is not “rocket science.” All you have to do is increase your exercise and control your eating and you will lose weight. Of course this is easier said than done, but it is possible to do it.
Many people give up the effort because they are overwhelmed with so many things to do. Don’t eat this, eat this, do this, do that and many other instructions prove to be too much. OK, if you can’t follow a whole program then why not make one change at a time in your lifestyle?
I will give you a few examples. One of my yoga students came to me and told me that he had just lost 4 kilos (close to 9 pounds) in one month. How did he do it? He just did one thing: he fasted during one day of each week of that month. That’s all he did.
If you don’t like fasting or are not ready for it, then try one experiment with food. Give up eating foods with unnecessary added sugar such as cookies, cakes, candies, soda etc. I tried this recently and lost ten pounds. After a meal, instead of eating a sweet dessert I eat a piece of fruit. It’s possible, and you don’t have to change anything else.
And, if you are not ready to change your eating habits, then try adding some exercise to your life. Take a walk after dinner instead of sitting in an easy chair watching TV. Put on your mp3 player, get out in the fresh air and digest your dinner with a brisk walk. Walk 20 minutes away from your home and 20 minutes back. Do this every night and you are sure to lose some weight, and also improve your digestion and sleep.
Another small change you can make is to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Four liters (quarts) spread out over the day will help you to control your appetite and also help your over-all bodily functions.
If these above mentioned tips are not “doable” then try something else: do the three yoga postures which are explained in the Yoga Weight Loss Secrets ebook, twice a day. It will take you a total of forty minutes, and/or do the meditation that is described in the mini course and in the ebook.
Finally, if you are gung-ho and would like to try all of these tips on a daily basis. Then here is what to do:
1. Give up unnecessary sweet foods, and substitute them with fruit
2. Do fasting on a regular basis (see my ebook or mini course for instructions)
3. Add brisk walking to your daily schedule (40 minutes)
4. Drink four liters of water every day
5. Practice yoga exercises two times a day
6. Practice meditation two times a day
If you do any one of these things you will lose weight. If you do all of these, then your success is a sure guarantee.

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By Dada Vedaprajinananda
Dada Vedaprajinananda is a yoga and meditation teacher with over 30 years of experience. He is the author of "Yoga Weight Loss Secrets", www.yogaweightlosssecrets.com and "Start Meditation, Stop Smoking", www.start-meditation-stop-smoking.com

Lessons From Janet Jackson's Weight Loss and Diet

2006-09-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

The recent publicity over Janet Jackson's weight gain, and subsequent weight loss campaign, also aroused a lot of public opinion and comment. Not surprisingly, given the superstar status of the singer, for me the star of the Jackson family, and the size of the weight reduction she supposedly achieved over a 4 month period.
Janet Jackson is reputedly a yo-yo dieter, someone who has phases of dieting followed by putting all the weight back on. That can never be good for long term health for anyone, and that surely goes for Janet Jackson too. But, she was overweight by the accepted measures that are used by the medical profession today, and she knew it. So she set out on a weight loss campaign, as millions of people around the world do, every year. Only in her case, and on this occasion, she was successful in losing weight.
Cause of Janet Jackon's Weight Gain
Many have speculated how and why Ms Jackson got so heavy in the first place; depression, stress and all the usual reasons have been suggested by various commentators. Some excused that it was her stressful superstar existence that caused the recent problem, and the eating disorders that have been reported on in the past. Maybe, maybe not; that's her business really. Stars in the public limelight do have stresses that may be different to other people's stresses. But there are millions of people not in the limelight who are overweight and may be tempted to blame stress.
Of course, it could be that Janet Jackson just felt like letting herself go for while, and let the weight drift upwards, without feeling any real incentive to keep it under a tight rein. Then one day felt the effects of being too heavy and thought: "That's it, I'm going to lose weight."
Unless Janet Jackson has a medical problem, then being overweight was simply caused by consuming too many calories compared to the energy she was expending each day. That is the case with almost all overweight and obese people. So, once that decision was made to get back to what she thought was her best weight, she had to set about reversing that situation. In other words, strike a better balance between exercise and food consumption.
If the figures that we read at the time were true, Ms Jackson lost weight at a rate well above the "safe" rate suggested by most doctors. She was losing nearly 4 pound a week over the period of 4 months, about double the recommended weight loss rate. But how was she able to do it?
How Janet Jackson Lost Weight
If reports are to be believed, Janet Jackson just did what all the books and experts tell overweight people to do. On the one hand, she had a controlled diet; on the other hand, she had a systematic exercise programme. Now, any of us can do that, but most of us do not. We spend billions of dollars a year on special diets and weight loss plans, and just keep getting heavier. We know what to do, but just don't do it.
In Ms Jackson's case, she did it. To simplify things, she had the motivation to lose weight, despite the effort and self control that was required. If anyone has the motivation, they too can lose weight. There is enough free information to enable anyone to get those pounds off, and to bring their BMI down to a healthy level.
When Janet Jackson's weight loss success was reported, many people dismissed it, saying "oh, it's alright for her, she can afford a personal fitness trainer and personal chef." That, though, is not the point. She could have done the same without the personal chef or trainer; she just happened to take advantage of her wealth to outsource two important features of her weight loss campaign. Surely she would have been too busy to count out her calories every day? Most of us are not, although we may claim to be. And we can all exercise and go to the gym, or just exercise at home, or walk the streets, beaches or fields to burn off those calories.
The simple fact is, Janet Jackson was inspired, for whatever reason, to lose weight, so she did what was necessary. Some say it was to get to looking slim and sexy for a new album, but that does not matter. What does matter is that she found the motivation to reduce her weight, and took seriously to the task with a high level of endurance.
I suspect that for millions of people, motivation is the missing link. Find that inspiration, that motivating factor, and you could be shedding the pounds at a healthy rate suggested by your doctor.

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By Roy Thomsitt
This diet article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of the Routes To Self Improvement website, where you can find many articles on weight loss, plus Motivation and other personal development topics.

Sometimes to Lose Weight One Needs Motivation

2006-09-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

If one is faced with the challenge of trying to lose weight, one may very well need to find the means to stay motivated every day to keep weight loss as a goal.
Motivation for weight loss requires a special, concerted effort, and it is not always easy. But let it not be overlooked that anything worth having takes effort, determination and drive.
Well for motivation here are some tips you can use:
1. One sure fire way of attaining motivation for weight loss is right there at your fingertips. The Worldwide Internet; There are many chat groups and forums on the web that can serve as communal inspiration for weight loss.
2. Keep a Journal or Diary of your progress. You can keep a record of your daily diet or write in your journal about the journey and challenge of losing weight and the emotions connected to it. Heck, publish a blog and do you know with Google Adsense, you could go about even making some pocket change from that?!
3. Create an image or tangible object to look at for motivation. These could be anywhere from an old picture of your ideal weight goal, a dress in a certain size, self-help books or posters of inspirations.
4. Keep the fridge and cabinets filled with Healthy food items to avoid temptations.
5. Stay connected with like-minded people via phones, Instant messengers, emails, whatever it takes. Remember, no man is an island.
6. Play lots of up-tempo music. Here’s a trick, it pumps you up and chances are you may find yourself doing some natural exercise in the process…dancing.
There are resources and people available for anyone who takes the time to seek them. Make a daily commitment to do at least one thing in support of your goal, and you may soon find that the behaviors that support weight loss have become second nature to you!
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By Foras Aje

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and co-founder of BodyHealthSoul LLC. He invites you to visit his blog for more tips on Healthy Weight Loss and Healthy Living Today.

What Causes Diabetes: Genes or Environment?

2006-09-07T01:31:00.000-07:00

Is diabetes more likely to be caused by your genes or your environment? A study from the University of Wisconsin shows that Pima Indians in America are more than five times more likely to develop diabetes than their relatives in Mexico (Diabetes Care, August 2006). Pima Indians in Arizona have been shown by DNA typing to be very closely related to Pima Indians in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. However, only 8.9 percent of Mexican Pimas developed diabetes, compared to 38 percent of those in the United States.
Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, but both populations were similarly obese. About eight percent of the Pima men and 20 percent the Pima women suffered from obesity. However, the Mexican Pimas were far more active than the American ones and ate far fewer refined carbohydrates. This study show that diabetes is more an environmental disease than just a genetic one. Your genes determine how you respond to the environment. Since this study agrees with hundreds of others, everyone should exercise and limit refined carbohydrates such as flour and sugar, whether or not there is a family history of diabetes.
Another recent study shows that the best predictor of diabetes is a test called Hemoglobin A1C (HBA1C), which measures the amount of sugar stuck on cell membranes. At the American Diabetes Association meeting in June 2006, Dr. Peter Baginsky of Santa Rosa, California showed that HBA1C can be used not only to identify people who already have diabetes, but also as a screening test to predict which people are likely to develop diabetes in the future. This allows doctors to treat pre-diabetes before people suffer their heart attacks, strokes and other side effects that can be the first sign that the person has diabetes.
He also showed that people who have HBA1Cs above 5.8 have a 92 percent chance of being diabetic as determined by a fasting glucose tolerance test. The HBA1C test does not require fasting and can be done with only one draw of blood, while the glucose tolerance test takes seven. It is less expensive and has the potential to save a lot of lives by getting diabetics into treatment earlier.
Subscribe to my FREE weekly newsletter on fitness, health, and nutrition.

_______________________________________

By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports -- and the FREE Good Food Book -- at http://www.DrMirkin.com

Is Diet Soda Good for Your Diet?

2006-09-07T01:24:00.000-07:00

When you think of nutrition and eating healthy, most likely you are more concerned about the food you eat than the beverages you drink. You may think having a diet drink could not do any harm at lunch or dinner, but if you indulge too much it could add up to trouble in the long run.
But it's a diet drink...
Perhaps you have seen on television or film a sketch where a person orders a fattening, fast food meal with a diet soda to even everything out. A diet soda has zero calories compared to as many as 300 per serving of regular soda, so you are actually doing yourself a good service, right?
Not exactly. Regular sodas are highly caloric because they contain sugar, whereas diet sodas are manufactured with artificial sweeteners - one of the most popular being aspartame. The validity of aspartame as a health risk has been debated for many years - some claim the sweetener may contribute to increasing toxicity levels and risk of various illnesses, while other dismiss such charges.
What we do know for certain is that aspartame contains phenylalanine, an essential amino acid that does occur naturally in certain dairy foods and green vegetables. On the other hand, one byproduct of aspertame is formaldehyde!
When you shop for "diet" foods it is always a good idea to check for this ingredient on the labels so you know exactly what you are eating and how much.
Water, the best "diet" drink
A good percentage of our bodies are water, so it would make sense to constantly replenish your body with the very same substance. Imagine, if you replaced a glass a water for every soda you drink, think of all the calories you save, the less toxins in your body, and the greater improvement to your health. It's the best diet drink there is.
Eight glasses a day...no doubt you've heard it from everybody - your parents, your doctor, talk show professionals. The road to wellness is actually a river of pure, clean water, and while to drink sixty-four ounces daily seems like an impossible task, it is actually one of the simplest steps you can take to starting a sound weight loss program. After all, our bodies are approximately sixty percent water, so it is only natural that we constantly replenish ourselves in order to feel good.

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By Kathryn Lively
Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer for Compuslim (http://www.compuslim.com), custom fit weight loss for every body and lifestyle.

5 Health Benefits Of Weight Loss

2006-09-05T03:09:00.000-07:00

People have many different reasons for wanting to begin a weight loss program. Although losing weight is not always easy, there are several benefits which can result from a healthy weight loss plan. You will always hear such general benefits as looking better, feeling better, better self esteem, sexier, easier to climb stairs, and so on. But what are some of the very real reasons that people might really need to be thinking of?
Here are a few short term and long term benefits of a good weight loss program.
1. Several major causes of death, including hypertension, heart disease, and strokes can be avoided or prevented by weight loss.
Heart disease and stroke are two of the major causes of death and disability in both men AND women in America. High cholesterol, which can contribute to heart disease, tends to be more prevalent in overweight people. Death from heart disease and stroke often strikes without warning yet could be prevented by a program of regular exercise and sensible nutrition.
The weight loss does not have to be great, either. Minor decreases in weight can significantly decrease the chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke. Of course, when we speak of "weight loss" we really ought to be saying "fat loss". It is not the weight which is the issue as much as it is the quantity of excess fat which has accumulated in the body.
2. Healthy weight loss can help prevent Type II diabetes.
Diabetes, like many other problems not only puts you in danger of death, but also changes the manner in which you can live your life. Type I and Type II diabetes have been linked to being overweight. It has been shown that in addition to helping prevent diabetes, regular exercise and healthy nutrition can help reduce the effects of diabetes and perhaps reduce the dependency on treatments, such as insulin. It doesn't take much. Change a few habits, cut out the wrong kinds of food, or substitute the right ones, take some regular walks to help burn fat, and you are on your way.
3. Weight loss helps reduce the risk of cancer.
Many types of cancer, such as breast cancer and colon cancer, just to name two, have been linked to being overweight. While carrying extra fat is not the only contributor to the development of cancer, it has been shown that shedding that extra fat can be an important factor in preventing the development of cancer. Some other cancers which seem to be linked to obesity in this way are cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, ovary, prostate, and rectum.
4. Weight loss helps ease the pains of arthritis.
This is particularly true of osteoarthritis. When you are overweight, the fat you carry tends to push joints out of alignment, and the excess weight produces extra stress on joints. This can contribute to the development and discomfort of arthritis. Regular exercise can also help keep joints strong, flexible, and well lubricated.
5. Weight loss can improve your sleep.
One common problem associated with being overweight is sleep apnea. In this condition, you temporarily stop breathing for brief periods. There is generally also heavy breathing and snoring all or which interferes with getting a good night's sleep...and rest. This leads to tiredness and drowsiness during the day. Many people have found that losing even a few pounds can help head off this problem. Additionally, regular exercise and proper nutrition can contribute to more restful sleep and fewer problems related to stress and fatigue.
As you can see, taking measures to burn fat off your body, in a healthy weight loss program, of course is of great value. The benefits of weight loss through regular exercise and proper nutrition can make life more enjoyable and rewarding.

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By Donovan Baldwin
Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. He has written poetry and essays for his own use, and instructional media in many of the positions he held. After his retirement from the U. S. Army in 1995, he began writing articles on various subjects for websites he owned as well as for use by other webmasters. He has a keen interest in health, fitness, diet, and weight loss and has recently completed courses on Diet and Nutrition, and Fitness. He has posted a review on a great weight loss program and way to burn fat at http://nodiet4me.com/burn_fat.html

The Man Diet

2006-09-05T03:07:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting, some men cringe at the word “diet” alone. There is nothing macho about dining on salad, and most men wouldn’t be caught dead at a Weight Watcher’s meeting. Wouldn’t it be great to find a sensible diet for men… one that allowed a man to eat his favorite foods instead of soup and salad?
For men, the issue of weight loss is often a sensitive one. There is nothing a man hates more than to look in the mirror and find he has a less than macho physique. If you’re single, you probably think those love handles are anything but female magnets, and you definitely don’t want to have man breasts. Face it; you need to find a diet for men that works. The reflection staring back at you isn’t one that you like.
Perhaps you’ve rejected the idea of going to the gym. It’s almost embarrassing, actually. You’ve seen the guys who frequent the health club. Most of them look buff and toned in their muscle shirts and gym shorts. You tend to wear baggy T-shirts and blue jeans. There’s no way you want to go flaunting those extra pounds so you can be dubbed as the fat guy on the treadmill. Is there really a diet for men that works without leaving you hungry and unsatisfied?
When searching for a diet for men, your prime concern is probably the issue of hunger. It’s scientifically proven that men require more calories than women. While your wife or girlfriend might be perfectly satisfied after a lunch of salad and a diet coke, you view a salad as a prelude to the main course. Is there a diet for men that will still allow you to enjoy your meat and potatoes without leaving the table hungry for more?
Yes, there is. The best news is that you won’t have to eat a bite of lettuce unless you want to, and you will never have to tolerate a growling stomach. I’m not talking about a carbohydrate-free diet where you have to say goodbye to the concept of bread. Face it, that type of eating plan depletes your energy. The best diet for men is one where you simply cut calories. When you burn off more calories than you consume, you lose weight.
You may be thinking, “Sure, that would be an effective diet for men, but I’d be starving. I’m a big guy, and I need something that fills me up.” You’re in luck. Hoodia Gordonii was introduced to the market a few years ago, but this cactus-like plant has actually been around for centuries. Bushmen consumed it to ward off hunger during long journeys in Africa. It’s a vegetable, not a drug, so it’s totally healthy to incorporate as part of your daily diet. If you’re still concerned about being hungry, don’t be because Hoodia Gordonii actually reduces the male appetite by up to 2,000 calories. This is better than any diet for men because you can actually eat the foods you want. The bottom line is that you’ll feel as if you’ve already eaten, causing you to lose weight and feel better about yourself.
Imagine looking in the mirror and smiling as you see the transformation. Pretty soon, you’ll be pulling on a pair of gym shorts and a sleeveless shirt of your own. Hoodia not only makes it possible, it also makes it easy.

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By Martin Stanwyck
Martin Stanwyck has written many articles on weight loss. To read more of his work or to find out more about how Hoodia Gordonii can help you achieve your weight loss goals, visit http://www.hoodia.info.ms

Simple Steps to Lose Weight with Hypothyroidism

2006-08-17T22:19:00.000-07:00

Hypothyroidism and weight gain go hand in hand because when thyroid function is low, metabolism slows down as well. While not all people with hypothyroidism gain weight, it is very often one of the symptoms of the condition. Thyroid hormones not only play a significant role in metabolism, which in turn affects weight, but insufficient thyroid function can result in fluid retention, further contributing to weight gain. Another reason why hypothyroidism and weight gain are connected is that the condition usually causes fatigue and lethargy, which can result in a decrease in activity that contributes to weight gain.
Further, losing weight with hypothyroidism can be especially challenging if not done correctly because excessive dieting can lower metabolism even further. It is very important, therefore, to follow a healthy weight loss regimen if you are trying to lose weight with hypothyroidism.
A diagnosis of hypothyroidism is made using a simple blood test for thyroid hormones. If levels of the hormone T4 are low or if levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are high, the test is considered positive for hypothyroidism. However, even when blood levels of thyroid hormones fall within normal range, some practitioners still attribute symptoms like fatigue and weight gain to thyroid function, believing the symptoms may be caused by sub-clinical hypothyroidism (sometimes called "sluggish thyroid").
For several reasons, women are especially prone to hypothyroidism and weight gain, though the condition does exist in men as well. Women are more likely to diet, and when they do, they are more likely to "feast and then fast" too often. This yo-yo pattern of dieting interferes with metabolism, especially during perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause that are characterized by hormonal fluctuations.
Even women with regular menstrual cycles are subject to natural hormonal fluctuations that contribute to the challenge of losing weight with hypothyroidism. Further, women tend to internalize stress more than men, which can affect the function of both the adrenal gland and the thyroid gland.
The good news is that, even with the inherent challenges of losing weight with hypothyroidism, there are a number of things that can be done about hypothyroidism and weight gain.
How to Boost Your Metabolism?
Nutritional supplements, regular vigorous exercise and, a healthy eating plan can help regulate metabolism so that it will be easier to lose weight. For instance, since eating actually stimulates metabolism, people who want to lose weight with hypothyroidism may benefit from eating six small meals at regular intervals throughout the day. To learn more about supplements and foods that help you increase your metabolism and lose weight visit http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com/hypothyroidism_and_weight_gain.html"

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By Nicole Francis
Written by Nicole Francis. For more information on losing weight with hypothyroidism visit: hypothyroidism and weight gain. To learn about hypothyroidism, symptoms, natural remedies and much more visit: http://www.lowthyroidhelp.com
** Attention Ezine editors. You can reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or website as long as you leave all links hyperlinked, do not modify the content and include our resource box.

Custom Nutritional Supplements

2006-08-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

With the growing emphasis on the basic need of consuming nutritional supplements, the variety available is ever-increasing. These supplements are designed to look after almost any conceivable health situation. And with the combination of synthetic and natural nutrients, one can have a more healthy life by following the appropriate supplement prescription. However, there are instances when an individual may require a supplement with a varied combination of nutrients that are not readily available. For this reason, many companies offer custom nutritional supplements.
However, prior to being prescribed custom nutritional supplements, the individual is put through a thorough test to diagnose his deficiencies and essential requirements. Depending on such a diagnosis, the supplement is prepared with the required nutrient value.
It is important to be aware of your nutrient requirements, which include vitamins, proteins, minerals, carbohydrates and fiber. This is because a lack or excess of any can cause a breakdown in the human mechanism. And this is how many illnesses begin.
A healthy and energetic body is the result of a well-balanced diet containing the correct proportion of every nutrient. It is far from possible to ensure that meals we consume contain it all, as a majority of the nutrients found in food are lost by the time it reaches the dining table. This is where the custom nutritional supplements play a role in maintaining good health.
Usually, health clinics and nutrition specialists can conduct tests to find out what kind of nutrients you are lacking. After going through the test you could place an order stating your specific requirements. However, it is essential that follow-up tests be done regularly to ensure that your body is getting the right nutrients. It could sometimes happen that over a period of time the body requires something more or something less.
It should always be kept in mind that illness and disease is not only caused by a deficiency, but also by excess consumption. For instance, over a period of time excessive intake of vitamin A can cause fatigue and lethargy. Similarly, an overdose of vitamin D can cause kidney failure.

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By Jennifer Bailey
Nutritional Supplements provides detailed information on Nutritional Supplements, Custom Nutritional Supplements, Discount Nutritional Supplements, Liquid Nutritional Supplements and more. Nutritional Supplements is affiliated with Discount Health Supplements.

Anti Aging Solutions

2006-07-31T05:19:00.000-07:00

The average age that people live to in the western world is steadily increasing as medical advances continue at pace. This has led to many people wanting to find solutions to help them to stay looking young for longer periods. A new market has been borne, one of anti ageing products and advice.
We are often shown pictures and images in the media and on our television screens, of famous people who look far younger than they actually are. Most people marvel at them and wonder how they have managed to keep up their youthful appearance, despite their advancing age. They then want to emulate these famous people by finding ways in which they too can delay this ageing process.
Top cosmetic companies are now hiring some of these people to help them to advertise their own anti ageing products. Products such as wrinkle cream are becoming big business and are being marketed in such a way that makes people believe that it will help them to stay looking young for longer. These products are not that cheap however and for how many years are we supposed to keep using these creams for example? The cost could soon mount up causing certain people to stress, this itself could easily lead to even more wrinkles!
I am sure that some of these products are beneficial and are very popular, however we are not all in the position where we can keep buying them each week or each month.
In my opinion there are a number of simple steps that we can follow to delay this ageing process, steps that actually will not cost us anything.
Too much exposure to the sun can be a very bad thing and can have the affect of speeding up the ageing process. Sun beds are also known, from what I have read, to be a cause of wrinkles, if over used. Therefore avoid too much sun and sun beds!
A lot of people in the western world work far too hard in my opinion, in a quest to earn more money. They can lose valuable sleep by doing this and the stress of the work is also likely to have a damaging affect on the ageing process. Obtaining plenty of sleep is important for people wanting to delay this ageing process, as is attempting to live as stress-free a life as possible.
I would also advise people to look after their own health. Smoking cigarettes is certainly not going to help people to stay looking young. Taking regular exercise such as swimming or jogging is likely to help however.

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By Steve Hill
Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:
anti aging products
guide to anti aging
anti aging information

Exercise is the Key to Helping you Lose Weight

2006-07-31T05:11:00.000-07:00

Many people make the mistake of thinking that the way to lose weight is to control what they eat – if only you could avoid those damned chocolate cream cakes, everything would be alright in the world! At the same time, these people often see thinner people scoffing those same foods and get very jealous: ‘why aren’t you fat by now if you eat like that?’
The answer, of course, is exercise. Exercise is a far more potent weapon against fat than changing your diet – it literally burns it off you. If you exercise enough, you can be burning more calories than you could ever hope to consume, leaving you free to fulfil that old diet promise of eating absolutely anything you want.
Sometimes people are put off exercising, believing that they don’t have the time or the money to join the gym or take some other form of regular exercise, but in reality it’s just not true. I’m sure you walk somewhere at some point in your day – jog instead. And you could no doubt manage a few sit-ups while you’re watching the TV of an evening. If you have a dog, take it for longer walks – this has the added bonus of making your dog very happy.
You see, the best forms of exercise are the ones you can do every day, like going up stairs instead of taking the lift, or parking towards the back of the car park when you go to the supermarket. These are easy changes to make that take very little time and effort, but can begin to pay huge dividends quite quickly when it comes to your weight. Then, once you’ve made that first step towards fitness, it’s much easier to find the energy and motivation to really go for it.

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By John Gibb
John Gibb is the owner of Lose-Weight-Facts-Guidance.Info, For more information on losing weight check out http://www.Lose-Weight-Facts-Guidance.Info

Loose Weight The Healthy Way

2006-07-20T06:37:00.000-07:00

Fat blocker supplement is helpful in maintaining good health by managing weight. Overweight and excessive fat has both physical and mental problems and can result in loss of body function, joint problems and heart diseases. This supplement has many excellent ingredients that help in controlling fats. Some of these are described below.
L-Carnitine
Fat blocker supplement contains 50mg of L-Carnitine per serving. It is a nutrient that acts as a transporter and moves the fatty acids into the centre of cells for synthesis in the mitochondria. In simple terms, this nutrient is very important as it helps in the production of energy for muscle activities by utilizing the fatty acid present in the human body. Human body also produces this nutrient in kidneys and livers and it is stored in brain, sperms, heart and skeletal muscles.
Cartine deficiencies can be controlled by using fat blocker. People who are unable to absorb this nutrient properly can suffer form kidney, liver problems, genetic disorders and low levels of essential proteins.
Fat blocker supplementation, provides good quantities of L-cartine which are also beneficial in heart disease such as Congestive Heart Failure, reducing High Cholesterol, Intermittent Claudication, better Athletic Performance, weight loss, eating disorders, alcohol liver diseases, male infertility and Hyperthyroidism.
Vitamin C
Fat blocker supplement contains 60 mg of vitamin C which is an antioxidant and also helps in the formation of collagen which helps in strengthening our bones, teeth, muscles and helps in better absorption of iron.
Chitosan
Fat blocker contains 400 mg of chitosan per serving which is a simple substance that helps in weight loss. It is found in crabs, shrimps. It resembles plant fiber cellulose. It works as an absorbent and is believed to get the oils and fats present in the body soaked into it. It helps weight loss as it combines with the fat and the product formed is not absorbable by the body which in turns is excreted out hence reducing the fat levels. The combination of chitosan with the fat is explained by this affinity to negative ions. The fat and oils have negative ions where as it has positive ions which combine together to produce insolvable substances.
Weight Loss
Chitosan in Fat blocker supplement not only helps in the removal of fat for weight loss. This naturally occurring substance has a super fiber action as well. Proper dosage of supplements taken helps in the reduction of excessive weight. Simple additions to chitosan are even more beneficial and can boost the weight loss effect of chitosan. Vitamins can be added in order to suppress appetite. The reaction of vitamin C with chitosan forces it to swell that helps it perform appetite suppression.
Chromium
Fat blocker supplement contains 100 mcg of Chromium per serving which is required by many body functions. Other ingredients in fat blocker supplement are gelatin, maltodextrin and magnesium stearate.

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By Peter Salazar
Peter Salazar's source for quality supplements is http://www.utopiasilver.com

Walking For Weight Loss

2006-07-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

Which is the world's most common, inexpensive and enjoyable fitness activity?
It is a form of exercise that anyone can do, does not require any investment, special gear or even a fixed time commitment. It can be done anytime, anywhere, and you can do it with friends, while enjoying nature.
Its plain-old walking. All you have to do is to find a good location, put on a pair of shoes, find a friend if you can, grab an MP3 player (if you prefer music) and just do it.
Here's a suggestion - Set a simple goal. For example, "I will walk for 30-40 minutes, 5 days a week from Monday to Friday." Make a note of it in your dairy, since writing down goals makes them more achievable. Stick with it. With a few simple variations, walking can become fun and provide a 'total body workout.
TIPS FOR A PERFECT WALK:
1. Invest in a good pair of shoes, preferably cross trainers.
2. Start with a slow-walking warm-up and pick up the pace as you go. Slow down to cool down as you finish.
3. Drink water after your walk. This will help hydrate the body and replace the fluids lost in sweat.
4. Feel free to sing, whistle, or hum as you walk. This develops breath control. It also monitors the vigor of your workout: If you're too breathless to maintain a song, then reduce the pace. If you can maintain a long conversation with a friend while you walk, then the intensity or pace of your walk is on the lower side. So speed up slightly.
Points to remember while walking.
To make your walk a little more exciting, try the following variations on occasions. You can add movements, stretches and resistance.
Movements:
1. Quicksteps. Take short, brisk steps, advancing only inches per step; or march in place.
2. Right-left-back. Step sideways 1-2 paces to the left, then to the right. An occasional backward walk works to engage the opposing muscles, and aid in flexibility and fluidity.
Stretches:
1. Overheads -Extend the arms above head while walking. Maintain the stretch for 5 to 10 paces, then relax and repeat.
2. Long strides - Maintaining a slow pace, stretch the legs as far ahead as you can and take long, slow giant steps to firm the calves, thighs, and hamstrings. .
Resistance:
1. Imagine you are pushing a wall with both hands, while walking for 4-5 steps. Push two walls as they close in on both sides, for the next 4-5 steps.
2. Clench the hands for 3-4 steps, slowly unclench them for the next 3-4 steps.
Don't be concerned that all of this will look funny when you actually implement it in the park, then think about it this way - If you do it right, then you could set a trend for those around you. Try these techniques and you could become a trendsetter for other walkers / joggers in your area!

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By Nitin Chhoda
Nitin Chhoda is a professional fitness consultant with an MS in Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention and a BS in Physical Therapy. Professionaly certified by the National Association of Sports Medicine as a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES), Nitin has over 8 years of experience training the general population, hospital patients and athletes. He provides online personal training to clients all across the world through his website http://www.phonefitnesstrainer.com.

A Rapid Weight Loss Diet - Is It Good For You?

2006-07-11T01:40:00.000-07:00

The so called rapid weight loss diet is one of the closest things to a crash diet. One description of a rapid weight loss diet is this - A crash diet is a diet which is extreme in its deprivations - typically severely restricting calorie intake. Meant to achieve rapid weight loss, a crash diet differs from outright starvation only slightly. Crash diets are typically unhealthy and are rarely - if ever - recommended by doctors or dietitians. Crash diets may lead to malnutrition.
When someone discontinues a crash diet, the "rebound-effect" is often experienced. This causes a person to eat far more than normal, causing them to regain both the weight that was recently lost due to the diet as well as additional weight. This is caused by an evolutionary trait of the human race that historically only took effect in times of famine: after a famine ended, people's bodies naturally craved to regain both the weight that was lost, plus additional weight as well, in order to protect themselves in case of another famine.
I think it's apparant that this type of diet is not in most peoples best interest. Let's take it a little further. It has been observed that some crash dieting or rapid weight loss can lead to Anorexia. This is defined by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat.
When people experience appetite loss, decreased energy consumption will subsequently lead to weight loss. When inadequate calories are consumed, the body may become weaker and less able to tolerate many chalenges. As body weight decreases, cachexia sets in, and a general failure to thrive may make it more difficult to fight off illness and infection. A poor response to cancer treatments, reduced quality of life, and death may result from substantial weight loss. The spiraling effect of a patient's reluctance to eat is a source of frequent anxiety for caregivers. Weight loss due to anorexia may be temporary or may continue at a life-threatening pace if the patient continues to consume inadequate energy to sustain body weight.
The most commonly known form of anorexia is satiation following the consumption of food. This can happen in all normal humans and is known as postprandial anorexia. It's important and healthy as it prevents overeating and of course obesity. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by voluntary starvation and exercise stress. Anorexia nervosa is a complex disease, involving psychological and sociological components.
Needless to say, it is important to ensure that if you decide to take on a diet, make sure it is healthy and can supply the nutrients people need to carry on life in a healthy and vigorous manner. One of the most highly praised diets existing to day is the Mediterranean diet mostly due to its history and the formal research that has been undertaken. It is well worth your while to look into this particlular diet further if you have the slightest doubt about undertaking a rapid weight loss diet.

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By Ray Darken
Author Ray Darken - Ray often writes for and works with The Mediterranean Diet. If this link is not working you can paste this one into your browser safe-and-easy-weightloss.com or if you'd like more news and broader access to diet and nutrition information try Diet Reviews & Tips. if this link isn't working, you can paste this one into your browser diet-reviews-and-tips.com

6 Dieting Tips For Healthy Weight Loss

2006-06-21T02:50:00.000-07:00

Any body who worries about the excess weights must take on a plan, a healthy diet plan. This diet plan should help in achieving the goal to lose weight. At the same time, it must be able to supply the body with the proper nutrients.
Here are some dieting tips for healthy weight loss:
1. Drink Lots of Water
Water, this is still the best friend of your body. Do not deprive your body of the good fluid. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is still the way to go. Make sure that it is healthy water you are drinking, not the unstable tap water.
2. Eat a Generous and Healthy Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal of the day. It will supply the energy to the body, thus a big breakfast becomes a necessity.
The heavy breakfast, however, must consist now of fruits like bananas and apples. Wheat and rye bread are good to go with meats like tuna, salmon or lamb. Plain yogurt can replace the usual tea or chocolate.
3. Take on a Cleansing Diet
Yeast can grow in the colons of the digestive system and may cause further problems in your health. This can be cleansed. Simply inquire in local health store for some good products. The online community is also a good place to look for.
4. Fruits and Vegetables
The fibers and nutrients of fruits and vegetables are still the best elements to contribute to the body.
5. Eat Slowly
People tend to have big appetites. They eat faster than their stomachs can digest. Thus, eating a little bit slowly will help in making the body take in less food.
6. Avoid Temptation
There are sweets like chocolates, shakes and candies that are difficult to avoid, especially for those who have gotten used to these foods. Avoid them as much as possible. They bring bad calories and sugar to the body. Just stick to a healthy diet.
Conclusion
Weight loss needs very good dedication on the part of the person who diets. It actually changes your lifestyle. Yet, the rewards are really high, so do not hesitate to take the first step to a healthy diet.

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By Tim Lee
For more dieting techniques concerning healthy weight loss, please visit http://www.lose-weight-naturally.info

Basic Health Food

2006-06-19T01:10:00.000-07:00

Attitude. Let's think about diet in general. The most basic attitudes are those expressed by the well-known statement, 'Some people eat to live, and some live to eat.'
Eating is seen either as a means of self survival and a process that must be fulfilled in order to keep body and soul together, or eating is an exceptionally satisfying experience of the senses which must be indulged in at least 3 times a day and more often if possible, or eating is a necessary function of nature which is both pleasurable and functional and is therefore to be considered as part of our daily life and culture.
Depending upon your particular personal attitude, you will either follow the inclination to pay more mental attention to diet or you will prefer to remain in the present, but temporary, comfort of familiar tastes and habits, unconcerned as to your choice of food, its quality, good or bad, and its affect upon your health or your family's.
If the sensory aspect of food is predominant then you will continue to eat and enjoy it with as little thought and consideration of the subject as possible. In fact you will find you will be more comfortable if you stop reading this article and resume what you were doing.
But ten to one you have found an interest in food has become focused because you realize it is not just sensory, but there are repercussions resulting from the type and quantity of food you eat. And in our affluent society the problem is more usually over indulgence rather than not enough food. In fact many people are so fat, yet instead of limiting their intake of food, are paying professionals to lose their weight for them! When there are people who are starving in other countries of the world we should never abuse our good fortune to replace our need with such greed.
If you can accept that in order to apply the natural rules for good health one must begin to consider that cutting down quantity is the first consideration, there is a chance that you will continue to read on.
Some Helpful Rules of Nutrition
1. The first discipline is to stop the habit in mid-stream. Cease reacting to habitual activity regarding your shopping for food and your preparation of food at mealtimes. This will bring about an opportunity for new interest in introducing new foods, re-thinking old habits, re-assessing what are necessities. Think about what you are purchasing and what you are eating. Decide to choose quality, not quantity.
2. We all know that our bodies require many vitamins, minerals, and natural substances to provide fuel for our physical and mental vitality; to build and maintain our body structure; and to sustain all the wonderful complexity of physiological function. We need lots of ingredients in the sense of a lot of variety in our food in order that our bodies have opportunity to select the ingredient they require.
3. Regarding balancing your selection of food, it is an interesting and reasonable premise that we must reduce the quantity of the foods we indulge in and eat most, because we like their tastes. Most nutritionists hear the common response to their advice to cut down on a particular food, for example, cheese - "Oh but I just love cheese!"
The other part of the discipline is to begin introducing the natural foods that we in the past have chosen to avoid. It is possible to apply this guideline to our advantage not only to increase our health and energy but in addition to extends our potential to enjoy a greater variety of food.
4. Quantity of food is often a problem in discipline. In developed countries, most of us eat far too much, so for some time we can reduce the quantity of our meals without losing any weight at all. The rule of one main meal a day may be different from our old habits, but will seem to be a luxury to those living in impoverished countries and circumstances. Try reducing your quantity as you improve the quality of your food.
5. Quality of food improves to the extent you stop and consider each purchase at the markets and to the extent that you can grow your own food organically, to complement the commercial supplies. What is the origin of the lettuce that your select, the fish, the fruits and nuts, the loin chops, the milk? There is nothing better than a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and produce as nature offers. Manufacturing and processing foods is always to the detriment of their food value. In other words, we are not buying the best quality unless we remember that rule.
6. Fresh food contains the vital nutrients. Cooking of any kind will affect these elements so cooking should be reduced to a minimum and salads, fruit and fresh food increased. One should not use aluminum cookware. Stainless steel is best.
Once anyone begins to think before eating, one is halfway towards solving the problem of diet - that is, by becoming discriminating. We have to intelligently choose to build our bodies of the chosen material. We know that whatever we eat today, to a large extent determines our health tomorrow. This is surely the simplest and best health insurance we could have. It does not rely upon chance but upon natural laws, which we can learn to live by.
To undertake responsibility for your health and others demands skill and serious recognition of the importance of your role. It is likely that your work will continue for many years so it is best to seek ways to enjoy food and its preparation as an art form. It requires skill and ability from the purchasing of good quality fruit and vegetables to the presentation of food at mealtimes.
And it does not stop here, without a reminder of the need for good digestion and to take the traditional health advice of 32 chews to every mouthful of food. Not only will this improve your digestion but increase your enjoyment through happier taste buds.
So, improve your own health and that of the whole family by taking a serious interest in food that will lead to many benefits, not only in better health for all, but it may help you to conserve your dollars also.

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By Michael Russell

Researching and Treating Diabetes

2006-06-19T01:05:00.000-07:00

Diabetes is a problem that affects so many people, both in the U.S. and worldwide, surprisingly, however, very little is known about the disease.
There are a number of organizations that are researching exactly what causes diabetes, as well new and better methods for controlling it, monitoring blood sugar levels, getting insulin into the blood, newer medicines to correct the problems and even how to stop it before it starts.
There are numerous groups and organizations involved in research such as the FDA, the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation, or DAREF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Diabetes Research Institute and the Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation and many, many others, in the United States, Great Britain, Australia and many other countries.
Some of the research being done includes;
• A vaccination against the autoimmune response that causes type 1 diabetes. Testing is currently being carried out on animals.
• Genetic engineering to make liver cells that produce insulin. Although insulin is produced there is no internal control mechanism as there is with the pancreas, so the insulin levels from such cells remains constant regardless of the body's requirement for this hormone.
• Stem cells are the very basic building blocks of the human body and have the ability to develop into any kind of cell. It is possible that researchers will find a way to use stem cells to make insulin producing cells to replace those that have been damaged by the autoimmune problem that causes type 1 diabetes.
• Immunoassay for type 1 diabetes.
• The impact of exercise training for those with diabetes.
• A recent report that transplanted pig cells have been successful in reversing diabetes in test monkeys.
• Arterial issues.
• Enhancing the cell survival of important agents in diabetes.
• A type 1 diabetes medication that helps the beta cells in the pancreas to live longer, the loss of the beta cells is one thoughts of causes of type 1 diabetes, is currently underway by the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation (DAREF) that may prove to help patients create insulin on their own, thus reducing the dependence on outside sources of insulin
Other research currently underway is the use of cinnamon to lower blood sugar levels. Dr. Richard Anderson at the United States Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Resource Center has been able to effectively isolate a compound in cinnamon that causes lowered blood sugar.
The reason that cinnamon is so helpful to someone with diabetes is the way that it inhibits enzymes in the body that may be responsible to insulin resistance. This is especially noteworthy to those who are afflicted with Type II diabetes and have insulin resistance problems. Cinnamon also was shown to increase the body's sensitivity to insulin causing insulin to be used more efficiently.
If you or someone you know is afflicted with this chronic illness, funding a research team may allow you to benefit immediately and enable you to play a role in research and the treatment of the millions of other diabetes sufferers in the world.
A couple of the more recent treatments currently in trials are -
A medicine that is based on the saliva of a venomous lizard – the Gila Monster. The drug containing this new treatment is delivered by injection in much the same way as insulin, however the early trials have seen many participants withdraw because of an increase in side effects when compared to those caused by insulin. All research so far undertaken has been sponsored by the pharmaceutical company that produces this drug.
Another new treatment going through trials is the delivery of insulin through inhalation. The insulin is prepared in a dry micro fine powder form which is inhaled directly into the lungs from where it is absorbed into the blood stream.
This would have obvious advantages when treating children in particular, as the use of needles to deliver the essential insulin shots can make the condition doubly distressing for the patient and for the parents who often have to administer the injections. There are concerns about the long term problems that may be caused by this method of delivery and it is thought not to be suitable for smokers or asthma sufferers.
All new treatments offer hope for the future but the effectiveness of any of them will not be fully appreciated until they have been tested over time.

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By Mike Herman

Your Weight Loss System

2006-06-19T01:03:00.000-07:00

You didn't plan to gain weight, but if you seriously need and want to lose weight, you will need a weight loss system. In this modern era, many of the things that helped make you gain weight will still be there before, during, and after any weight loss program you may undertake. Your weight loss journey will be along a route littered with many temptations, many of the same ones that have caused your problem in the first place. Just like any journey, you will need a map, some sort of weight loss plan, to arrive safely at your destination.
Sticking with the map and journey analogy, two travelers often reach the same spot by different routes. Some have faster vehicles and shoot down the road while others want to sightsee along the way, or just don't have cars fast enough or in good enough mechanical condition to fly like the wind.
Some will be tourists, and their maps will include stops at points of interest, while others may be in a hurry and their maps will show the quickest route from point A to point B.
Your weight loss plan is somewhat like that. You will have to take into account many factors, and not all will be health or fitness related.
What is your schedule like? Is it hurried and rushed? Does it need to be that way? Where will you find the time to exercise?
Do you have to eat out a lot? How can you get the proper food to fit your weight loss plan.
Just like taking that trip requires some active planning and thought on your part, your weight loss system requires you to take an active part in its planning stages and during the weight loss process itself. However, remember that you are the one who should design the system. Not all systems will be perfect, and someone else's system might not work for you. Also, just like the business traveler who takes a few hours off from the business demands of his or her trip and finds refreshment in a visit to a local night spot or point of interest, it might be beneficial for you to deviate once in a while, turn your back on your weight loss system and plan, and just have a good time.
That is part of the reason for having a weight loss system in place. If you know that most of the time you are following the system's guidelines and striving towards its goals, the occasional deviation will not be of great consequence and may even be beneficial in its effect. However, without the plan or system's existence life will probably be one of constant deviation, punctuated by the occasional stab at doing the right thing.
Your weight loss plan should be written down. This helps crystalize your thoughts and goals, and allows you the opportunity to remind yourself of these by a quick read-thru of your original system.
Your weight loss system should not be chosen in haste or in ignorance. It is easy to choose the wrong sorts of activities, eat the wrong foods, and strive for the wrong goals if you don't really know what you are doing. I have known instances in which people gave up on a weight loss program, even though it was working, simply because they did not understand some of the things that were happening and expected some things to be happening that really couldn't be expected at that stage. Leaping into a weight loss program, particularly the physical activity part, without proper knowledge and preparation can at best cause the person to lose interest in the process and at worst, suffer physical injury.
Many will offer you a patented, cut-and-dried weight loss system guaranteed to work. First of all, there can be no such guarantee. The results that DO occur will be directly related to a broad combination of factors including physical health at the beginning, genetic capabilities (what you inherited), personal work ethic, understanding of the program, and so on. That being said, there are some weight loss systems which have a good beginning foundation, and using one of those as a start to build your own weight loss program may be of value.

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By Donovan Baldwin
Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.

Why Losing Weight Is Good For You

2006-06-19T00:57:00.000-07:00

Obesity is the biggest hurdle to an active life. A bulky body is the hub of all diseases. It has been proven that weight gain can be achieved by doing nothing i.e. sitting idle and getting a lavish and comfortable diet. However, weight loss is a big issue. In fact, it is the toughest aim to be achieved in our day to day life. People have been trying heat belts, herbal medicines, and dieting as ways to reduce weight. But the required results and long time effects have always been missing.
Your health care provider has charts and tables used to determine what your target weight should be, which varies according to gender, height, age, and bone structure. However, a simpler and more useful piece of information is Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters). To fall within the ‘healthy range’ on the BMI, your result should be within 20 and 25. Results both lower and higher than these values are associated with significant health risks.
Losing weight is about eating fewer calories than you burn off in your everyday life. Try to make small but permanent changes to your lifestyle, rather than opting for a dramatic new diet. You may lose weight more slowly, but you'll reduce the chances of regaining it again later. Most doctors recommend that, on an average, you should aim to lose not more than 1 kg in a week. However, if your weight stays the same, don’t abandon all that you’ve achieved.
To successfully lose weight, you must carry out a plan to balance your caloric intake with exercise. Ideally, dieting should be done by eating a nutritionally balanced, low-calorie diet and increasing physical activity. Losing five per cent of your initial body weight in three months, or ten percent in six to 12 months, is an excellent start. Try making one small change at a time rather than a series of sudden and dramatic changes. The combination of a healthy diet and exercise is essential for weight control and weight loss.
Remember, if there was an easier way to weight loss, someone would have found it by now. However, many appetite suppressants or diet pills, such as Adipex are also available in the market. With reference to different studies in US, it has been analyzed that Adipex would be able to achieve 5 to 15 percent weight loss if administered daily with patience and overall diet plan supported with strong will power. With more and more diet reducing drugs entering the market, you can get cheap Adipex easily. In addition, you can conveniently buy Adipex online. Unlike other pills Adipex never promises weight loss without any proper diet plans or exercises. On the contrary, it acts as a motivator by helping you suppress your diet and hence the fats.

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By Pallavi Janes
Los Angeles, California, USA pallavijanes@gmail.com More Details about Phentermine here. Pallavi Janes is a contributing author to the http://www.phentermineslim.com/adipex.html diet pills for distinct article sites/journals. Visit the website http://www.phentermineslim.com for more information on Phentermine

The Logical Approach To Losing Weight

2006-06-02T00:34:00.000-07:00

Are you looking into the different ways that can help you to lose weight? Have you tried a number of different diets in the past but still find yourself being overweight? Are you fed up with being fat? Do you yearn the day when you can buy the type of clothes that you really want? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then this article could well prove to be of benefit to you.
I am somebody who until a few years ago would have answered yes to all of the above questions. I had tried many forms of diet, I would buy clothes that suited my size rather than the clothes I actually wanted to wear. I was without doubt fed up with being fat and was desperate to find a way of losing weight which would last.
In my opinion the answer to all of weight problems was quite simple. I do not need any fancy diet, what I needed to do was to think in a logical way. I first of all had to ask myself a number of questions:
Question. Why are you overweight?
Answer: I eat far too much food and drink far too much alcohol. The food that I do eat is basically fat food such as crisps, chocolate, takeaways and microwave food. I also do very little exercise, therefore I do not give my body a chance to burn off some of this fat. I tend to rarely walk anywhere, I prefer to drive.
Question. Why have you been unsuccessful with your past dieting attempts?
Answer: I did not really follow the program. I may have done for the short term but certainly did not over the longer term. I also gave into temptations by eating food types which I was not really supposed to.
Question. How much do you want to lose this excess weight?
Answer. A huge amount.
Question. So why do you not follow the dieting programs to the letter?
Answer. I am weak, I suppose.
As you can see, the answers to my weight issues are in the answers to these questions. Quite simply I need to:
Be more disciplined
Be more determined
Be stronger
Walk and exercise a lot more
Eat in a much more healthy way
Cut down my intake of alcohol
Stick to the above for the long term
A couple of years ago I started to implement my new logical form of diet and I am happy to report that I am now at a size that I am happy with.

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By Steve Hill

Yoga and Losing Weight: An Introduction

2006-06-02T00:31:00.000-07:00

Can you believe by practicing yoga in long terms can actually help you to lose weight? However, the result is not fast like other types of exercise. In fact, the long term benefits of yoga can help you to stay in shape and make you perfectly fit.
Yoga:
Yoga is an ancient system which is thousands of years old and was developed in India. It is now exercised worldwide. Yoga teaches meditation that can increase your concentration and sense of well being. Therefore, if you like this idea of weight lose enroll yourself in a yoga beginner's class and go bit by bit. Initially, you may find it hard but with the time you will feel results very effective. The basic phenomenon of Yoga is putting you into a variety of different positions, some more challenging than others. Yoga teaches to take those few positions and to do them properly -- as correctly and slowly as you possibly can so that your body can be trained in an exact expertise and control. And the various positions can have various benefits on your health and your mind, as well.
Advantages of Yoga
Different positions have their own advantages. Especially, positions that bring the chin down to activate the thyroid gland are very helpful for losing weight. In fact, yoga system makes you more conscious of your body. It also accentuates your muscles and makes your body stretchier.
Yoga is also used in treating anorexia, eating disorder especially in girls. It also lowers down the anxiety level of these girls making them more conscious of their bodies. Therefore, yoga is a great natural treatment. It can help you to cope up with different body problems. So, if you are in mood to lose weight, yoga can be a good choice for you.
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Gelfey is a famous weight loss expert...

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By Gelfey Sterling

The Real Weight Loss Secret

2006-05-26T01:10:00.000-07:00

Look around and you will see that you are surrounded by weight loss "secrets", diet pills that imply they can do it all for you, drinks that will "help" you lose weight, doctors with "secret weight loss formulas", fad diets that promise all kinds of wonderful weight loss effects...you can't help but wonder who's telling you the truth. Then there's the biggest question of all. Is there such a thing as a weight loss secret?
Something is only a "secret" as long as no one knows about it. The "truth" about weight loss has been known for a long time, so it's not really a secret.
If you take a look at the label of most diet pills, drinks, meal substitutes, diet books, and other weight loss problem, you will begin to notice that they often have one thing in common. Again and again, they have statements that say something to the effect of "...when used with exercise and proper nutrition."
The secret is, that most, if not all of these diet products at best only ASSIST in what nature can do almost perfectly well without their help!
The basic biology and physics of weight gain and weight loss has been known for years! Even if your math wasn't too good in school, this equation is easy. Take in more calories than you burn...you gain weight. Burn more calories than you take in...you lose weight. The problem, and it's not a secret, is that we are human!
SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING HUMAN, BUD!
There is nothing wrong with BEING human. In fact, sometimes I even talk to one. I have a couple of human friends, one lives next door (I think), and I would even let my daughter marry one. The problem is that each human is, as Sister Mary Fides used to drum into our teenage human skulls, unique. This means that if I show you the perfect weight loss program and it works like a charm for you, your next door neighbor might have a problem making that exact program work for her or him.
WHY WOULD A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM WORK FOR ONE PERSON AND NOT ANOTHER?
As Shakespeare has Cassius say in Julius Caesar, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves...!"
Now, I am NOT saying that it is YOUR FAULT, per se, but the difficulty of making one magic thing, even the perfect weight loss program, lies in the very uniqueness that makes us so human.
One person inherits some genes that tend to make them fatter than others. Another person would have been a lot smaller, but they were raised in a home where a type of cooking or lifestyle was common that encouraged them to grow fatter. Someone else experiences some severe emotional ups and downs that contribute to bad eating habits that cause them to gain weight. Nature designed some chemical changes in our bodies to meet certain needs, and we changed OUR natural surroundings so that these changes now work against us rather than serving us. And if any one of those isn't enough, most people who are overweight actually have more than one of these things going on, and some of them actually increase the affect of other contributing factors!
We have other differences that make it difficult to create a one-size-fits-all weight loss program. Your brother-in-law loves to work out with weights, but that bores you to tears. Your neighbor has a Bowflex and you think it is great, but you travel a lot and can't figure out how to take a Bowflex with you! Your cousin lost a lot of weight on a certain diet, but your metabolism is different, and you didn't really lose any weight when you tried it. In fact, you tried diet after diet and actually GAINED weight! By the way, it is fairly common to gain weight when you try a lot of different diets. It's slightly complicated to go into here, but often when you go on a diet and then come back off of it, your body has learned to get by on fewer calories. Once you go back to eating like you used to, it now has extra calories to store as fat. Remember our equations up above?
There are also many people who want the "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" promise to be true. They have been so upset over their weight for so long that they want to believe that almost any claim is true, no matter how silly it seems, or how dangerous to their health it actually is!
CAN'T I JUST CUT WAY BACK ON CALORIES?
Probably, you (and I) could stand to cut some of the calories out of our daily diet. However, there is a point at which the body resets some internal bells and whistles, and we may actually begin to gain weight. Also, cutting out food means cutting out the nutritional elements our body needs to be healthy.
WELL, I CAN'T JUST SPEND MY DAY EXERCISING FROM DAWN TO DUSK!
That was the other side of the equation, wasn't it? Well, you're absolutely correct, and I would begin to worry about you if you did. You don't have to go to that extreme. There is a solution.
WHAT? YOU'LL SIGN ON AS MY PERSONAL TRAINER?
Nope! I'm too lazy for that, but YOU can sign on as your personal trainer. That is, you can do a little experimentation, find some activities you like and begin doing one or more of them on a regular basis...three or four times a week, let's say. You could garden, ride a bike, play with the kids or grandkids, take a walk, do some yoga, lift weights...the list goes on. You don't have to do all of them every day, and if you find one you really like, you can do it several times a week if you want. One thing to remember, of course, is that you should ease into any program and only increase it once you are sure that you are fine at the level you are at...and then, increase it gradually. I've seen some champion bodybuilders who started out lifting just the barbell with no weights on it at all, and I know of runners who started out by walking to the mailbox and back. In the army, I used to run six miles or more, but when I started running, I barely got a block down the road before I had to drop back to walking.
Start making some small changes to your diet as well. I am using the word "diet" in this case to mean the things you eat, not some particular diet. Start popping a multivitamin every day. You may find that helps make you feel a tiny bit more energetic. Cut out sugar. As much as I don't like artificial sweeteners, they are probably going to be better for you than sugar. If, like me, you worry about the effects of artificial sweeteners, try stevia. My wife and I have been using it for some time. It took a little getting used to, but I have noticed a definite decrease in heartburn and carb cravings.
Educate yourself about nutrition and exercise. You don't have to take a college course. If you are reading this online, you can go to webmd.com or mayoclinic.com/ and get a lot of great health, fitness, and weight loss information.
Read food labels, and start thinking about what you are putting in your mouth. Most of us can look at some foods and realize that they might not be good for us, at least not in large quantities, so cut you portion sizes. Don't know what a portion size is? Look on the label!
Stay away from prepackaged foods, junk food, fast food, or learn enough about them to make intelligent choices.
SET SOME GOALS
This is where I'm supposed to tell you to decide to lose X number of pounds in Y number of days, right? Wrong. This is where I tell you to start setting some performance goals about how you are going to try to live. I say "try" because you WILL slip from time to time, and there will be times you will just have to make do in a situation and eat that Big Mac, darn it! Go ahead, make the sacrifice and eat it, but then get back on the wagon. Don't worry about a Big Mac or a single bowl of ice cream or even a binge after you catch him/her cheating on you. The occasional dietary sin will not send you plunging back into fat hell...unless you let it.
ON THAT NOTE....
Grow up, take charge, and quit looking around for someone or something to blame. Oh, maybe there are a lot of reasons why you got fat, and maybe they are reasons that you had no control over, but the point is that losing weight is going to happen today and tomorrow, and it is going to depend on the future choices you make, not on what the past has done to you. My father, who was a good man otherwise, was an alcoholic. I cannot let that change who I am going to be today or tomorrow, unless I use it as an incentive to be better because of it.

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By Donovan Baldwin
The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He developed an interest in health and fitness in the '70s after reading numerous books, including Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". This has led him to continue his personal research into health and fitness for over 30 years, and to pursue course work on the subjects of health and fitness, including yoga, which he practices regularly. Learn more about vitamins and weight loss.

Coffee

2006-05-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

Nothing perks up a lazy morning like coffee. What is this dark-colored substance made of and why can’t some people survive a day without having even just one sip of this stimulant?
Coffee, normally taken hot, is made from the coffee plant’s roasted seeds, called coffee beans. Considered the second-most traded commodity in the world, next to petroleum, it is hailed as modern man’s chief source of caffeine for that extra burst of energy. The perceived benefits and hazards of this potent drink remain the subject of debate among coffee drinkers worldwide.
How did the word “coffee” come into being? The term “coffee” is known by many names among various peoples of the world. It came to England in 1598, via the Italian “caffe.” The Turkish term for it is “kahveh,” while the Arabic word for it is “qahwa.” Its origin is still unknown, although some believe that the drink possibly came from the Kaffa region in Ethopia, where the plant originally named “bunna,” the precursor of coffee, came from.
Did you know that coffee drinking was outlawed in Mecca in 1511, and in Cairo in 1532? Due to coffee’s immense popularity, the law was made obsolete soon after. From then on, owing to the pioneering efforts of the British and Dutch East India companies, coffee found its way to Europe in the sixteenth century.
One of the two main species of the coffee plant is “Coffea Arabica,” its name implying that its origin was the Arabian Peninsula, but it is indigenous in Ethiopia. Although Arabica is more prone to disease, coffee lovers consider it to be more flavorful than “coffea canephora” (robusta), which holds twice as much caffeine. However, the later is proven to be a natural insecticide and stimulant, growing in places where the former cannot grow. Thus, it is used as an inexpensive substitute for Arabica in commercial coffee blends and in almost all instant coffee products.
Compared to Arabica, robusta is more bitter, with a burnt-rubber smell and taste. Robusta of finer quality are used in espresso blends for a foamy effect and for better affordability. In fact, Italian espresso blends are made from dark-roasted Robusta.
Some blend varieties are so popular and in demand that they command a higher price, examples of which are the Jamaican Blue Mountain and the Hawaiian Kona coffees. Often, these beans are mixed with other, less-expensive varieties and the term blend is added to the label, such as “Blue Mountain Blend” or “Kona Blend”.
So beat those morning blues with an adrenaline-pumping sip of this favorite drink among caffeine addicts worldwide.

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By Alison Cole
Coffee provides detailed information on Coffee, Coffee Makers, Gourmet Coffee, Coffee Shops and more. Coffee is affiliated with Gourmet Flavored Coffee.

Healthy Recipes

2006-05-26T00:56:00.000-07:00

Studies show that some of the most mouth-watering and exotic dishes are the worst for man. Recipes meant to entice the taste buds are often low in proteins and fiber and high in carbohydrates. Regular consumption of this type of food can lead to serious health hazards like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia and type 2 diabetes. High cholesterol can further lead to other serious conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis. Switching to healthy recipes will help you shed those extra pounds and improve your overall health.
For many people going on a “diet” means having to deprive themselves from food they love to eat. Following healthier recipes gives you a low-calorie and low-carbohydrate diet that can help you have your fill without worrying about obesity and health problems. Recipes involving a low-carbohydrate diet use low-carb alternatives as essential ingredients, tasting similar to the high-carb foods you are not allowed to eat. So you can eat healthier food including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, and green vegetables like asparagus, spinach, and broccoli until you are full, without worrying about your calorie intake.
People who follow the healthy recipes feel both physically and mentally fit. Small dietary changes can definitely lead to big results. Health practitioners relate that even with various breakthroughs in medicine, the best way to reduce the threat of the diseases is to reduce the likelihood of their occurring altogether. An easier and more practical way to reach this goal is to follow a healthy eating pattern, including healthy recipes in your daily life.
The sources of these recipes can be many. If your friend or aunt cannot supply them, browse the Internet or check with your healthcare provider. Experimenting with new ingredients and coming up with something delicious is also a nice idea. Your kitchen shelf should be full of quick and easy healthy recipes fulfilling your family’s nutritional needs.

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By Max Bellamy
Healthy Recipes provides detailed information on Healthy Recipes, Healthy Chicken Recipes, Healthy Smoothie Recipes, Healthy Recipes For Kids and more. Healthy Recipes is affiliated with Gourmet Food Gift Baskets.

Why You Should Buy Fair Trade Coffee

2006-04-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Here in the West we are massive consumers of coffee. And many of us think nothing of spending four or five dollars at Starbucks for a gourmet espresso, latte or cappuccino.
What few of us think about as we sip our favorite brew is that coffee is grown by small farmers in developing countries. Most of these farmers are paid less for the coffee beans they grow that it costs for them to produce and pick them.
In other words, for every gourmet coffee you and I enjoy, the grower of the beans used is descending into a deeper and deeper cycle of poverty and desperation.
It was in recognition of this cycle that the certification process for fair trade coffee was introduced in 1998.
When you buy a pound of fair trade coffee, $1.26 goes directly back to the coffee growers who grew it.
It doesn’t go directly into the hands of an individual grower, but to the cooperative to which he or she belongs. Part of the deal with fair trade coffee is that farmers are required to band together in cooperatives. The money then goes to the cooperative and is shared among all the farmers.
The issue of farmers having to join a cooperative to benefit from fair trade is a complex one, with advantages and disadvantages.
However, the big benefit is that when $1.26 goes to the cooperative, and then to the farmer...they are receiving about the double what they would get outside of the fair trade coffee system.
In other words, when you or I buy fair trade coffee, we are providing the grower with twice the income he or she would normally receive.
Over 100 million pounds of fair trade coffee have now been sold in the U.S. alone. Better still, the numbers are growing fast.
Starbucks now offers fair trade coffees and recently Wal-Mart announced that it would start offering fair trade coffee through its Sam’s Club outlets.
When Wal-Mart becomes a buyer, you can be sure that the impact on small coffee farmers in Central and South America, East Africa and the Far East will be substantial.
Yes, it will cost you a little more to buy fair trade coffee. But when you pay that little extra, you’ll be making a real difference to the lives of coffee farmers and their families and communities.

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By Nicholas H. Usborne
Nicholas H. Usborne is one of the sleuths at CoffeeDetective.com He and his colleagues take a commonsense approach to making great coffee, and give you the straight facts on coffee and coffee makers - without the marketing hype. They also write the Fair Trade Coffee News Blog

Cooking With The Power of the Sun

2006-04-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

Many people understand the concept of passive solar for heating a home. Fewer realize it can be used in to cook food and sterilize water.
A solar oven is pretty much what it sounds like. It is used to cook food and sterilize water. Most people do not even know they exist, but they are an effective way to cook from both an economic and efficiency point of view.
The basic idea with a solar cooking is to create a box like structure that the sun heats up dramatically. If you have sat in a car in rush hour during the summer, you know the sun can generate a lot of heat. Instead of cooking you in a car, a solar oven focuses on food.
So, how do we cook with it? The box structure is created with dark paneling and then covered with a clear glass or plastic top after pots and food or water has been inserted. The structure is sealed. Much like a car, the sunlight beats through the clear top and heats the interior of the box. As the heat rises, it cooks the items inside. Yes, it produces more than enough heat to do the job. It really is as simple as that.
There are three general types of solar ovens. A solar box works as described in the previous paragraph. A panel oven uses reflective surfaces to focus the sun on a pot to create heat and cook the material inside. A parabolic version is designed to focus the sunlight into the bottom of a concave area upon which sits pots. There are variations of these three forms, but all solar cooking designs are derived from these basic forms.
While cooking with the sun is a fun and efficient, most people will never apply it in their home because of obvious design issues. At a cabin or when camping, however, it is a perfect solution.
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By Richard Chapo

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies.

Side Effects of Herbal Tea

2006-04-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't be right of me to talk about the virtues of herbal tea drinking without looking at what the possible side effects are, especially in the amounts the experts are telling us we should drink it in order to maximize the benefits (3-6 cups a day).
Side effect of Green Tea:
• Although rare, allergic reactions to green tea may occur. Stop taking green tea and seek emergency medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives.
• Heavy and prolonged consumption of green tea may be associated with esophageal cancer.
• Other less serious side effects have also been reported with the use of green tea. Talk to your doctor or health care provider if you experience
· heartburn;

· upset stomach;

· loss of appetite;

· constipation or diarrhea;

· nervousness, irritability, or anxiety;

· sleeplessness;

· irregular heartbeats; or

· headache.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
• Do not use green tea without first talking to your doctor if you are taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).
• Interactions between green tea and other prescription or over-the-counter medicines or herbal/ health supplements may also occur. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional before taking green tea if you are taking any other medicines or supplements.
Side Effects of Black Tea:
Studies of the side effects of black tea specifically are limited. However, black tea is a source of caffeine, for which multiple reactions are reported.
Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system, and may cause insomnia in adults, children, and infants (including nursing infants of mothers taking caffeine). Caffeine acts on the kidneys as a diuretic (increasing urine and urine sodium/potassium levels, and potentially decreasing blood sodium/potassium levels), and may worsen urge incontinence. Caffeine-containing beverages may increase the production of stomach acid, and may worsen ulcer symptoms. Tannin in tea can cause constipation. Caffeine in doses of 250 to 350 milligrams can increase heart rate and blood pressure, although people who consume caffeine regularly do not seem to experience these effects in the long-term.
An increase in blood sugar levels may occur after drinking black tea containing the equivalent of 200 milligrams of caffeine (4 to 5 cups, depending on tea strength and cup size). Caffeine-containing beverages such as black tea should be used cautiously in patients with diabetes. People with severe liver disease should use caffeine cautiously, as levels of caffeine in the blood may build up and last longer. Skin rashes have been associated with caffeine ingestion. In laboratory and animal studies, caffeine has been found to affect blood clotting, although effects in humans are not known.
Caffeine toxicity/high doses: When the equivalent or more than 500 milligrams of caffeine are consumed (usually more than 8 to 10 cups per day, depending on strength and size of cups), symptoms of anxiety, delirium, agitation, psychosis, or detrussor instability (unstable bladder) may occur. Conception may be delayed in women who consume large amounts of caffeine. Seizure, muscle spasm, life-threatening muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), and life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms have been reported with caffeine overdose. Doses greater than 1000 milligrams may be fatal.
Caffeine withdrawal: Chronic use can result in tolerance, psychological dependence, and may be habit forming. Abrupt discontinuation may result in withdrawal symptoms such as headache, irritation, nervousness, anxiety, tremor, or dizziness. In people with psychiatric disorders such as affective disorder or schizoaffective disorder, caffeine withdrawal may worsen symptoms or cause confusion, disorientation, excitement, restlessness, violent behavior, or mania.
Chronic effects: Several population studies initially suggested a possible association between caffeine use and fibrocystic breast disease, although more recent research has not found this connection. Limited research reports a possible relationship between caffeine use and multiple sclerosis, although evidence is not definitive in this area. Animal study reports that tannin fractions from tea plants may increase the risk of cancer, although it is not clear that the tannin present in black tea has significant carcinogenic effects in humans.
Drinking tannin-containing beverages such as tea may contribute to iron deficiency, and in infants, tea has been associated with impaired iron metabolism and microcytic anemia.
Side Effects of Rooibos Tea:
As rooibos has not been studied scientifically in humans, there is no information available about its safety in pregnancy or lactation or in people with kidney or liver failure. However, it is generally considered a very safe herb, and there are no known side effects, contraindications, or drug interactions.13
At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with Rooibos.
Side effects of White Tea
* none to be found, so other than the effects of caffeine with drinking large amounts of it, no side effects could be find through a Google search
* except for the impact to your pocket book. White tea right now is much more expensive than all the other teas.
Side effect of Chamomile Tea:
If you suffer from allergies to plants of the Compositae family (a large group including such flowers as daisies, ragweed, asters and chrysanthemums), you may wish to be cautious about using chamomile at first. While there have been isolated reports of allergic reactions, causing skin rashes and bronchial constriction, most people can use this herb with no problem.

_______________________________

by: Gary Whittaker

Gary Whittaker is the subject of www.projectgary.com, a blog that will chronicle his loss of 100 pounds, 20 pounds at a time. Please note that the embedded links can only be seen at www.projectgary.com.

How to Buy and Grip a Chinese Cleaver

2006-04-15T02:54:00.000-07:00

The proper cutting technique is one the most important things you will need to learn in order to cook like a professional. Different recipes use different cutting techniques, so it’s important that you know when and how to use each one. Improper cutting can lead to food with an unexpected taste in it, or, worse, a meal that simply tastes terrible. Thus, Wok Fusion presents a guide for those of you who don’t know the difference between slicing and dicing.
It is important to consider two things before you start cutting. These are buying the right Chinese cleaver, and holding it with a proper grip. These two things can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your cutting skills, so it’s recommended that you read more about these in the follow two sections.
Buying the Right Cleaver
In choosing the right Chinese cleaver, it’s important to decide what you are going to cut. Will it be a thick meat or some meat with bones? If so, it’s important that you use only use a heavy weight cleaver – a light or medium weight cleaver simply will not cut through thick objects without significant damage to the knife. On the other hand, if you only need a cleaver to do some light cutting – slicing, dicing, or peeling – a light weight cleaver is ideal due to its light weight size. Of course, the medium weight cleaver is the most popular cleaver; combining the ability for light cutting with the power of the heavy cleavers, the medium weight cleaver offers the best of both worlds. Thus, for people learning how to cook, the medium weight cleaver is the best choice for them to buy.
Whatever cleaver you choose, it’s important to get a cleaver that is made from high-carbon stainless steel. There is absolutely no alternative to a quality cleaver made from high-carbon stainless steel. These cleavers provide a comfortable feel, nice weight distribution, and are easy to clean and sharpen.
Other, inexpensive, cleavers are made from traditional carbon steel or, simply low quality stainless steel. These cleavers, however, have huge drawbacks: carbon steel cleavers are easy to sharpen but will rust and discolor acidic foods. As you can imagine, there is nothing worse than seeing rust and discoloration on your meals – simply put, it’s disgusting. On the other hand, stainless steels cleavers are opposed to rust, but are extremely hard to sharpen. Again, it’s very difficult to make your meals properly with a dulled blade. High-carbon stainless steel cleavers eliminate BOTH of these problems and are clean, rust proof, and easy to sharpen. Everyone who regularly cooks will tell you the same thing; high-carbon stainless steel cleavers are the perfect cleavers. So remember – there is NO substitute for a good Chinese cleaver!
How to Grip a Cleaver
Now that you’ve got your Chinese cleaver, it’s important to learn how to hold it. This is a key idea as an improper grip can lead to accidents (both painful and not) and can also cause your hand to begin hurting due to stress. Thus, the idea is to use the cleaver in a way that feels comfortable, but also gives you as much power as possible. As such, there is only grip that chefs around the world suggest as the “proper” grip.
With your writing hand, hold the cleaver by its handle. Then, move the hand all the way up the cleaver’s handle. Move your thumb onto one side of the cleaver’s blade near the thickest part of the cleaver. Move your index finger to the side opposite of your thumb. With your other three fingers, grip the top part of the cleaver’s handle. Thus, only three fingers of your hand should be holding the handle, with the other two fingers on the actual cleaver blade body itself. While it may seem a little uncomfortable at first, it’s important that you practice using this grip as it allows the highest amount of control, but doesn’t end up tiring your arm.

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by: Ala Luke

Ala Luke is the author of the #1 Rated The Definitive Chinese Cookbook. His techniques have taught thousands of beginners how to make authentic Chinese cooking better than a restaurants'. For FREE recipes, visit him at http://www.Wokfusion.com.

Harmful Chemicals in the Meat You Eat?

2006-04-15T02:50:00.000-07:00

Many people may not realize it, but much of the meat we eat contains synthetic growth hormones and other chemicals that may be harmful to us. Why would cattle owners want to use growth hormones? It is all about money. Ranchers today want to produce more cattle in a shorter period. A rancher may only have about 14 months to get the calf from a small size, say 80 pounds, to a selling size (around 1,200 pounds). Growth hormones help the cattle put on weight to get them ready for slaughter in record time as well as reducing the amount of fat in the meat. Nitrates are a chemical compound that can also be found in meat today, being used to cure meat and give them a healthy color. Most notably, nitrates are found in hotdogs, giving them their red color.
The use of hormones in meat is nothing new. As far back as the 1930s, research shows that estrogen affected the growth rates in both cattle and poultry. By the 1950s, a synthetic (man made) estrogen, DES, was being used to increase cattle size. However, DES was found to cause cancer and is no longer used to "fatten" up cattle and chickens.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) current approves of five different types of hormones used in food production. Of these, testosterone and progesterone are produced naturally by the animals and zeranol and trenbolone acetate are synthetically made. These hormones are approved for use only in cattle and sheep. Poultry, such as chickens and turkeys, and pigs do not gain much weight when given these hormones, so they are not given them. Most of these hormones are given to the animal by inserting a pellet under the skin of the ear. The pellet releases the hormone and the ears of the animals are thrown away during slaughtered.
The concern of scientist and consumers both is that traces of the hormones and chemicals will remain in the meat and pose a potential hazard to humans who consume it. Have you noticed that girls today seem to be reaching puberty at a younger age? It is suspected that this may be due to the steroids found in today's meat. Unfortunately, studies done on the potentially harmful ingredients in meat have proved inconclusive and further studies are needed. One problem when conducting a study is that the animals produce some of the hormones naturally, therefore making it hard to determine how much is natural versus the pellet hormones. Also, the level of hormones produced naturally varies from animal to animal, another hurdle for researchers to overcome. The concern with nitrates, used to cure meats and give them a pink or red color, is that they can be converted into nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are believed to both cause and promote cancer. However, the FDA has no studies that decisively finds nitrates used in meats harmful, therefore continue to allow them to be used in processed foods.
What should you as a consumer do? One thing you can do is purchase organic meat. Organic meat comes from livestock raised without hormones or steroids. Also, the cattle are fed grains with no pesticides involved. In 2002, the United States Department of Agriculture developed a system whereas all organic foods (including meat) would be labeled as such. So when shopping, you should see a label on organic meat that signifies that it contains at least 95% organic ingredients. Some grocery stores carry organic meat, but if not, you may have to visit a butcher shop or health food store to find it. You can even buy organic meat through the Internet and have it delivered to your home. However, if you decided to purchase meat online, you may want to first order a small amount. That way, you can determine if it meets all your specifications for delivery time, freshness, etc. before buying a larger quantity.
As ranchers strive to find ways to get more cattle to slaughter faster, consumers will continue to be concerned in the methods they are using to do it. Until more research is done, the best thing you can do it try to be aware of all the dangers out there by staying abreast of the current research being done on cattle hormones and chemicals used in processing meats, and purchase organic meat for your family.

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by: Mike Sullivan

Mike Sullivan is a grill master and meat lover. Read his most recent report on How To Marinate Steaks to put the most flavor into your next steak meal. http://www.buy-steaks-online.net/marinating-steaks.htm.

Have A Better Life With Healthy Nutrition

2006-04-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

Nutrition means the total physiological process whereby the body / organisms obtain the food necessary for the development and growth to secure the energy to carry on.
Nutrition means: the vital process, reconstruction of the tissues(food, supplies;). The words came from latin(nutritio), french(nutrition). The nutrition is important for all inhabitants of the planet because without the sustenance the body stops growing, gets weak and finally dies. A correct nutrition means a healthy body and also an optimistic point of view on life and not only. As the latin saying tells: ”mens sana in corpore sano”-a healthy mind in a healthy body. If the body is not happy our mind is not thinking very clear and tends to become more and more stressed and finally it creates a twisted imagine on ourselves. The nutrition is our fuel which activates the mechanism of our body. Nowadays it is important to have a well-balanced way of life and get rid of the food which damages our body and replace it with a healthy food.
The American Dietetic Association(ADA) is the nation's largest organization of nutrition professionals. It has nearly 65,000 members. ADA promotes a healthy nutrition and gives advises to those who want to change their way of life. The members of ADA are food and nutrition experts and they transpose the theories in practical solution.
In the last 30 years the nutrition has become a problem especially from the moment the rough-wrought and junk-food appeared on the market. The incorrect nutrition draws after it an unbalanced life. One of the century’s problem is the obesity which embraces like a scourge the entire world. Because of the sedentary life and the lack of moving the body deposes the surplus of calories as fats. The fats affect all the internals and cause health problems like: heart failure, blood circulation, rough breathing, and all kind of pains.
All the experts recommend a nutrition based on fruits, vegetables, and an active style of living.

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By Michael Lastun
If you find this information useful you should visit the site south beach diet recipes, body building, and nutrition facts where you will find lots of interesting articles related to this topic, all original and wrote by Michael Lastun.

Vegetarian - Become One Easily and Become Healthier Quickly!

2006-04-03T04:15:00.000-07:00

Vegetarianism is the custom of not eating meat, including beef, poultry, fish, or their by-products, with or without the use of dairy products or eggs.
But why would someone want to become a vegetarian? Simply you can he healthier happier lose wieght and avoid disease.
The health benefits of being a vegetarian
The reasons may be religious or ethical, economic, or nutritional, and its followers differ as to strictness of observance.
Most Hindu and Buddhist sects are strict vegetarians, as are Seventh-day Adventists. In today’s United States, vegetarianism has gained wide acceptance as a practice that lowers one's risk for the “diseases of the wealthy,” e.g., high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
So there may be many reasons to become a vegetarian, but most people agree, you lead a healthier life. How to become a vegetarian
Just as there are many reasons for becoming a vegetarian, there are many ways to become one.
One may eat only fruits and vegetables, thus excluding animal flesh, fish, or fowl and often butter, eggs, and milk.
A strict vegetarian, or vegan diet (i.e., one that excludes all animal products), the nine essential amino acids we need must be obtained by eating foods that include both grains and legumes (e.g., beans or tofu) at several times during the day.
Vitamins B12 and D (usually obtained by a meat diet) can be obtained through supplements or the addition of a cup of nonfat milk or yogurt to one’s daily diet. Ovo-lacto-vegetarians obtain complete proteins by including milk, cheese, and eggs in their diets.
Being a vegetarian is not new
Historically, being a vegetarian goes back to the beginning of time, and indeed, most of our ancestors did not eat meat very often, if at all.
Interestingly, vegetarians in used to be called "Pythagoreans" after the philosopher Pythagoras (6th Century BC) and his followers.
They were strict vegans that ate no meat of any kind. These people followed a vegetarian diet for both nutritional and ethical reasons. Using the Roman poet Ovid as the source, Pythagoras said: "As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."
Vegetarians live longer
As to the benefit of being a vegetarian, you can consider the Hunzas, a tribe of people that reside near the Himalayas. These people are known to live to be over 100 years old and have an exclusively vegetarian diet. They are known to be healthy and without illness all of their lives. There are many other examples.
Vegetarians avoid disease
Most nutritionists claim that a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables but low in (or no) animal fat and red meat offers numerous health benefits, including a significantly lower risk of heart disease, cancer, renal failure and stroke.
The American Dietetic Association, the world’s largest organization of nutrition professionals, states on its website:
"Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals.
Vegetarians are slimmer
Also, and of great interest to people who are interested in a healthy life-style, vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than non-vegetarians (i.e. they are thinner), as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease;
vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.
“The American Heart Association's website states "Many studies have shown that vegetarians seem to have a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer. Various studies have shown that a vegetarian mother's breast milk has significantly lower levels of pesticide residue than a non-vegetarian's.
Do vegetarians miss out on essential nutrients?
Some criticism of becoming (or being) a vegetarian is that you miss some important nutrients, which one needs to be healthy. It is true that some vegetable protein sources lack in one or more "essential" amino acid.
For example, Grains and nuts are low in lysine and legumes are low in methionine. While everyone should eat a variety of foods (from 10 to 50 varieties per day) to ensure a balanced nutrition, the body’s requirement for essential amino acids now appears to be much less important than researchers once believed.
Vegetarians get all the protein and amino acids they need from eating a normal variety of whole grains ( such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal, and especially brown rice), and different beans, nuts, and soy along with its byproducts tofu, veggie burgers/hotdogs, and edamame etc.
Be healthy be happy be vegetarian!
The reasons can go and and on, but it takes some effort to change over from a meat to a vegetarian diet. In part 2 of this article, we tell you how and safely eat your way to a healthier and happier life.

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By Sacha Tarkovsky
For more free diet and nutrition advice including the benefits of being vegiterian go to our website and get free articles reports downloads and magazines
http://www.net-planet.org/health.html

Types of Beef Roasts

2006-03-30T04:45:00.000-08:00

There are four main categories of beef roasts with a wide selection of beef roasts in each category. It can be intimidating to shop for beef roasts when there is so much to choose from. For ease in grocery shopping when it comes to beef roasts follow this simple break down of each main category of beef roast.
The break down of each of the four main categories of beef roasts include, the preferred cooking method for each category of beef roast, the standard costs for each category of beef roast and the types of beef roasts found in each category.
Chuck Roasts
Chuck roasts are a low cost per pound meat that includes ribs 1-5, the shoulder blade bone and should be cooked by a moist method such as braising or slow cooker.
• Top Blade Roast

• Chuck 7 - Bone Roast

• Chuck – Eye Roast

• Under Blade Roast

• Chuck Shoulder Roast
Rib Roasts
Rib roasts are very expensive per pound and come from ribs 6-12. Rib roasts also require a dry cooking method for optimum taste.
• Prime Rib

• Rib Roast 2nd Cut
Sirloin Roasts
Sirloin roasts come for the hip area of the steer and are a low to moderate cost per pound beef. Sirloin roasts lend themselves well to dry cooking methods.
• Tenderloin

• Top Sirloin Roast

• Sirloin Tri-tip Roast
Round Roast
Round roasts are a low cost per pound beef that comes for the steers butt area. Round roasts are an excellent candidate for both moist and dry cooking methods.
• Top Round Roast

• Bottom Round Rump Roast

• Eye Round Roast

• Bottom Round Roast
Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has extensive experience cooking with easy to find grocery items to create delightful gourmet meals. She is also the publisher of a no cost bi-monthly gourmet newsletter. Her newsletter is always fun and informational packed with tips and trivia you can use everyday. Sign up for her newsletter and learn more about Gourmayeats Weekly Recipe Club at http://www.gourmayeats.com

Facts About Diabetes

2006-03-30T04:38:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is a disease in which the body doesn't produce or properly utilize insulin. Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that is needed to convert sugar and starches into energy needed for daily activity. The cause of diabetes is somewhat a mystery, although both family history and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of blindness in America. Other complications of diabetes are kidney failure, heart disease and stroke, skin complications, and nerve damage.
The most common symptoms of diabetes are the following:
Frequent urination Excessive thirstExtreme hunger Unusual weight loss Increased fatigue Irritability Blurry vision
Our body's are an awesome piece of work. Most of the symptoms are the body's way of trying to stabilize the blood glucose levels. The frequent urination is the body's attempt to rid the excess sugar (glucose). The extreme hunger is because the excess glucose in the body is floating in the blood stream instead of being utilized in the body's cells.
There are two types of diabetes - type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 Diabetes is also called Insulin Dependent Diabetes. This is when the body is no longer producing any insulin at all and artificial insulin must be administered through the form of an injection.
Type 2 Diabetes is also called Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes. This is when the body is still producing it's own insulin only it's not enough to meet the requirements needed to keep blood sugar (glucose) levels normal. Usually, OHA (oral hypoglycemic agents) - pills are prescribed. Often, changing your eating habits or loosing weight can be very therapeutic for returning your blood glucose levels to normal.
Now the word "normal" often gives me goose bumps. You see what's normal for me may not be normal for you. Nevertheless, we have to have some sort of baseline to base these type things on. So, for the sake of knowledge, let's just say normal fasting (haven't eaten anything) blood glucose levels should be 80-120.
A diagnosis of diabetes is usually given if the fasting blood glucose level is 200 on two separate occasions.

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By Roschelle Nelson
Roschelle Nelson is the founder of Wah4life.com.

She lives and works at home with her husband and two sons. Visit her website: http://www.wah4life.com and http://www.wah4life.blogspot.com

Heart Healthy Diet Plan Made Simple

2006-03-30T04:33:00.000-08:00

When it comes to maintaining a healthy heart it's important to have a plan - a heart healthy diet plan that is.
Following is a list of wonderful ingredients to have on hand when you're coming up with a good heart healthy diet plan.
*brown rice

*whole wheat pasta
*bulgur
*couscous
*canned beans
*chick peas
*lentils
A heart healthy diet plan should also consist of fruit and vegetables like
*canned fruit (in light syrup or juice)
*canned vegetables to make purées
*frozen fruit
*frozen vegetables (frozen fruit juice concentrate is ideal for dressings and glazes).
Other things to include in your heart healthy diet are:
*low fat mayonnaise type dressings
*evaporated skim milk to substitute for cream
*oils - canola, sunflower, olive oil
*margarine that is low in saturated fat (soft and non-hydrogenated)
It's also important to keep the following heart healthy cooking tips in mind.
*Allow the fat to run off your meat by grilling and barbecuing.
*Instead of frying, steam your food.
*Use broth or tomato juice to braise your meat.

*Always skim off any fat before serving homemade soups and stews. This is done by refrigerating the soup or stew overnight and then skimming before your reheat them.

*Keep deep fried foods to a minimum.

*Use non-stick frying pans and woks to eliminate the need to add oil.

*Trim all visible fat from meats as well as the skin from poultry and fish.

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By Sherrie Le Masurier
Sherrie Le Masurier is a freelance writer who writes extensively on nutrition, fitness and family health. For more heart healthy diet tips visit http://www.hearthealthydietideas.blogspot.com and http://www.healthandwellnessmatters.blogspot.com - Copyright.

Law-calorie Snacks

2006-03-24T05:34:00.000-08:00

Sandwiches with cotton cheese
Ingredients (for 1 portion):
1 slice of whole bread,

1 table-spoon of skim cotton cheese,

1 table-spoon of Feta cheese,

1 tea-spoon of parsley, a bit of red pepper.

Mix skim cotton cheese with cheese and chopped parsley to receive homogeneous mass. Smear on bread like a paste, decorate with a small circle of sweet pepper.
Calorie content in one portion: 150 kilocalories.
Oatmeal salad
Ingredients (for 1 portion):
2 table spoons of oatmeal,

4 walnuts,

1 small apple,

125 g of skim fruit yogurt.
15 minutes before breakfast pour oatmeal with 2 table-spoons of water. Peel and chop walnuts. Grate apple. Mix everything and season with fruit yogurt. You can replace apple by banana, and yogurt by a skim sour cream. Calorie content in one portion: 215 kilocalories.
Vegetable fritters
Ingredients (for 4 portions):
1 marrow,

1 carrot,

1 clove of garlic,

1 egg,

2 table-spoons of parsley,

1 tea-spoon of flavouring, meal,

1 table-spoon of vegetable oil.

Grate a carrot and marrow. Cut greens and garlic, mix with vegetables. Whisk egg with flavouring. Mix all ingredients and add meal to receive a consistence resembling not thick sour cream. Fry fritters on a scorching frying pan with oil. Serve up with sour cream or natural yogurt. Calorie content in one portion: 120 kilocalories.
Salad (4 portions)
2 cayennes,

2 cucumbers,

100 g of brynza,

1 onion,

3 table-spoons of vegetable oil,

1 table-spoon of 3% vinegar,

1 paprika, parsley, salt to your liking.
1. Bake cayenne in an oven, peel off, cut in small particles. Wash tomatoes and cucumbers and cut in cubicles. Chop onion and mix with salt.
2. Mix all products, add cut greens, salt and season with oil, mixed with vinegar. Mix everything.
3. Grate brynza and pour salad with it.
4. Cut a pod of pepper in circles and put on top.
Calorie content in one portion: 185 kilocalories.
Salad of shrimps (2 portions)
300 g of peeled shrimps, a half of big cucumber,

3 table-spoons of natural yogurt,

1 crumbled clove of garlic,

2 table-spoons of cut parsley, a pinch of ground caraway, salt to your liking.
1. Peel off cucumber.
2. Cut a vegetable in small bars.
3. Put bits of cucumber in a salad-dish, mix with shrimps.
4. Mix yogurt, parsley, garlic and caraway. Pour salad with this sauce.
Calorie content in one portion: 200 kilocalorie.
Mandarin salad (6 portions)
150 g of watercress,

100 g of ground spinach,

1 head of chicory,

3 mandarins, peeled and divided into segments,

75 g of fried cedar nuts. For seasoning: juice of 1 mandarin, 1 lemon and ½ orange, 3 table spoons of olive oil.
1. Mix all juices in blender carefully.
2. Add olive oil.
3. Mix lettuce leaves, mandarins and cedar nuts in a dish.
4. Season with a sauce of juices and oil.
Calorie content in one portion: 170 kilocalories.
Turkey salad (4 portions)
2 table-spoons of olive oil,

350 g of turkey cutlets, cut in thin stripes,

1 onion cut in small particles,

1 tea-spoon of grated lemon peel,

2 small cabbage lettuce,

175 g of cherry tomatoes, cut in half,

1 yellow cayenne cut in stripes, salt and black pepper, coriander greens for decoration. For seasoning: 1 green avocado, 150 ml of fresh skim cotton cheese, juice of 1 lemon, 2 table-spoons of cut coriander greens, sauce Tabasco or Chili to your liking.
1. Warm up oil in a big frying pan.
2. Fry bits of turkey and onion, stirring slowly, during 10 minutes. Pour with lemon peel. Season with black pepper and salt.
3. Put all ingredients of seasoning in mixer and bring to homogeneous consistence. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Put upper leaves of lettuce on 4 plates, halves of tomatoes and stripes of yellow cayenne. Put bits of hot turkey in the middle, and some seasoning with avocado on top. Pour with coriander leaves.
Calorie content in one portion: 290 kilocalories.
A flower of tomato (1 portion)
1 tomato,

cotton cheese (9% fat) – 30 g,

sour cream (10% fat) – 30 g,

garlic – 15 g,

greens – 5 g, lettuce.
1. Cut tomato crow-wise, take out core carefully.
2. Whip cotton cheese with sour cream, mix with cut tomato pulp, season with crumbled up garlic and greens.
3. Fill tomatoes with stuffing and put on lettuce leaves.
Calorie content in one portion: 111 kilocalories.
Cayennes with goat cheese ( 2 portions)
1 red cayenne,

50 g of goat cheese,

1 table-spoon of cedar nuts,

1 tea-spoon of olive oil,

salt to your liking.
1. Cut cayenne in 4 parts and cook on grill, put on a dish.
2. Grate cheese.
3. Pour cayenne with cheese and nuts, then sprinkle with olive oil. Calorie content in one portion: 130 kilocalories.
Pickled shrimps (2 portions)
8 peeled shrimps, 2 table-spoons of vinegar, 1 crumbled clove of garlic, 1 cucumber, salt, pepper.
1. Cook marinade of vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Leave shrimps in it for 30 minutes.
2. Cut cucumber in large circles.
3. Put a shrimp on each circle.
Calorie content in one portion: 75 kilocalories.
Stuffed mushrooms (4 portions)
8 very large agarics, 1 lemon, 50 g of butter, greens of parsley for decoration, salt, grease to smear a griddle.
1. Cut caps and put them in boiling water with lemon juice and boil in small fire for 10-15 minutes.
2. Chop stipes in small particles. Smear butter with raw yolks, add cut stipes. Salt to your liking. Stuff caps with this mixture and put on a griddle, smeared with grease.
3. Bake in an oven. Decorate finished mushrooms with parsley. Calorie content in one portion: 156 kilocalories.

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By Yana Mikheeva
Yana Mikheeva is the creator of the WomansPassions site for women and about women at http://www.womanspassions.com, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.

Top 3 Mouth-watering Ideas To Make No Bake Cookies - Serve Fast Yummy Desserts In from Just 10 Mins

2006-03-24T05:23:00.000-08:00

No bake cookie recipes are great for a fast and easy dessert. They are perfect for last minute entertaining idea or simple convenient snacking treats.
On top of that, no bake cookies are hassle-free and mess-free!
But don't be fooled, these are not just any no bake cookie recipes. Great adult or kids snacks, these 3 simple no bake recipes are fool-proof. They are original, proven successes and make amazing desserts.
These are not just any ordinary no bake cookie recipes. Try them out and see for yourself!
All time classic flavors that the world loves...
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RECIPE #1: "Marble Chocolate Lover No Bake Cookies"
Ingredients: (makes approximately 2 to 3 dozen cookies)
- 250g milk (or dark, if you prefer) chocolate

- 250g white chocolate

- 2 1/2 cups of rice puff cereal

- 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut

Method:
1. Melt both chocolates in separate bowls (either melt over a "bain marie" or double boiler, or microwave for approximately 30 seconds) until soft and smooth.
2. Mix coconut and rice puffs together in a bowl. Pour the dark chocolate over and mix thoroughly.
3. Line a shallow baking dish and pour mixture evenly.
4. Pour the white chocolate around the mixture. With a large spoon, gently and roughly mix the white chocolate into the mixture to create a desired marble effect. (Try not stir and mix the colors in too much).
5. Refrigerate to harden for 1 hour or about 10 minutes in the freezer. Cut into square sizes as you desire. (Store in air-tight container in cool temperatures. Refrigerate for warmer climates).
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RECIPE #2: "Classic Jam Drop No Bake Cookies"
Ingredients: (makes approximately 2 to 3 dozen cookies)
- 2 1/2 cups of wholemeal cereal, lightly crushed (or 2 cups of oatmeal if preferred)

- 2 tablespoons of honey

- 1 cup of softened butter

- 1/2 cup of icing sugar

- Strawberry (or any fruit) jam

Method:
1. Mix butter, icing sugar and honey together until smooth.
2. Stir in the cereal carefully and thoroughly.
3. Place a large waxed paper on a flat baking dish and spoon the mixture on to the paper in small serving amounts. Lightly pat the small mounds down.
4. Add a small (about half to one teaspoon) of your favorite fruit jam in the centre of the cookies.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or about 10 minutes in the freezer before serving. (Store in air-tight container in the fridge).

RECIPE #3: "Almond Delight No Bake Cookies"
Ingredients: (makes approximately 1 to 2 dozen cookies)
- 2 1/2 cups of rice puff cereal (can be honey glazed styles)

- 100g roasted almonds (finely chopped) or almond flakes

- 100g milled almonds (or almond powder)

- 1/2 cup of softened butter

- 1 table spoon of honey

- vanilla essence
Method:
1. Mix butter, milled almonds, honey and a couple drops of vanilla essence together until smooth.
2. Mix rice puff and roasted almonds together and pour into the butter mixture. Mix thoroughly.
3. Spoon mounds onto waxed paper and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or about 10 minutes in the freezer before serving. (Store in air-tight container in the fridge).
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TIP: Any cereal mix can be replaced by graham cracker crumbs or oatmeal if preferred to suit your diet.
Create magical moments with these 3 simple and fast no bake cookie recipes. Share them with your loved ones and be surprised at how hassle-free fun dessert making can be.

_____________________________

By Janlia Chong
Janlia Chong has held onto her title as Baking Sensation because of her near endless knowledge of baking and packaging treats. Her ability to impress is one of her biggest traits. What's her trick? Simple, she takes something that sounds difficult and makes it easy and fun. Follow Janlia's advice and you'll be busy baking treats for the entire family. Visit http://www.BakingHugs.com

Healthy Eating For Kids

2006-03-19T21:47:00.000-08:00

Childhood obesity has become a serious health problem in the U.S. The problems associated with obesity can lead to even more serious health problems later in life.
However, there are things parents can do to teach healthy eating habits to their children when they are young so that they can maintain a healthy weight as a child and as an adult and also learn healthy eating habits for life.
It is always a good idea to eat a diet that is low in fat. One good way to do this is to eat dairy foods that are low fat or non-fat, eating skinless poultry, lean meats and low fat cereals and breads.
A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetable will also make sure that a child is receiving all the vitamins and nutrients that they need.
If a parent is unsure of how to eat a healthy diet, they should talk to their doctor or pediatrician and meet with a nutritionist to learn about healthy eating.
It makes sense to let children make their own food choices, but the key is to provide a wide variety of healthy food choices in your home for them to choose from.
Let them help with the shopping and teach them about healthy eating while in the grocery store and teach them to make good food choices.
Involve the children in the food preparation.
Teach them about proper portion sizes, and how to read the food labels on the different items.
Incorporate the food pyramid into your daily life.
Meals should be eaten as a family, at the table and away from the TV.
Everyone should eat slowly, and a meal should be a pleasant time that everyone can share their thoughts and make conversation.
Don't use food as a reward or as a punishment, because children should not associate food with either one.
Plan healthy snack times, and have tasty, healthy snacks available. Encourage children to drink water instead of juice or soda pop (both have sugar and sodas are worse than juice).
It is always good to allow them to have chips, cookies or candies as "sometimes foods" which are eaten in moderation.

___________________________

By Mike Herman

Sources:www.webmd.com
For More About Nutrition Ideas for kids and teens and Your Optimum Health Visit How's Your Nutrition and Your Child's Nutrition?

Four Keys to a Healthier Diet

2006-03-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

Diet is one of the easiest ways to lose weight and to keep it off. Not only is a proper diet a good way to lose weight but also it is a great way to get healthier. Most people make one of four problems in their diet. In my view the four most important things in your diet are:

The mix of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
The amount of water drank per day.
The number of meals a day.

Micronutrients, especially vitamin and mineral supplements.
The correct mix of carbohydrates, protein and fat is, I believe 60% 20% 20% in calories. When compared to the regular north American diet you will find that this is a little higher in protein and a little lower in fat. Protein is an essential nutrient for the building of muscle and that is the reason that I raise this number a little. The greatest problem I believe in diets in north America is the high amount of fat that people take in. The best way to reduce fat is to stay away from any fried food including fries, fired chicken and bacon.
The next major way to improve your diet is to take in more water. Most of us never want to drink just a plain glass of water but if you look at the benefits you will probably get over the boring taste of water. Water is essential to your diet with almost 90% of your body made up of water. Also you will find that drinking at least eight glasses of water a day will make you have a lot more energy, better concentration and will also help you digest your food better.
The number of meals that you eat a day is very important if you want to lose weight. I know many people that eat six meals a day. Of course six meals a day should not be big meals but instead smaller meals that will sustain you and keep your energy up. Nearly always we eat three big meals many hours apart and these meals end up leaving us lethargic and sluggish. Do the math, if you are eating 2000 calories a day then the best meals will be about 350 calories. Buy a calorie counter book and you will find that this is actually quite a bit of food but not like a big meal that you are used to, you may need to adjust to that a bit but in the end it is a great way to eat I myself love it.
Vitamins are the last part of this plan and one that is quite controversial as you know. In my eyes I must take vitamins everyday. I personally take a multivitamin, a calcium pill and an Omega 3-6-9 pill every day. Do I need to take these multi-vitamins? I believe so but that is because I do not trust that I am getting all of the nutrients that I need from the food that I eat. Do you think that the bread made with refined flower, fruit picked a couple weeks ago in South America, or hormone stuffed steak are really full of the stuff that you really need.
You may have heard these clues to a healthy diet many times over the years but take them to heart. This could be a great way for you to become healthier just be rejigging your diet and drinking a little more water. Try this starting today and just for the next week and then come back here, see how you did and how much better you feel.

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By Bill Nadraszky
Bill Nadraszky is a Fitness Junkie and runs several websites. For more Diet information you can visit Free Diet news and articles. To find tips on health as well as fitness visit Free Fitness and health tips

Body Mass Index Chart Misleading

2006-03-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

Remember when the body mass index chart first came out? People were running to calculators trying to find out if they are considered overweight and unhealthy. Many, especially athletes, were quickly shocked to find out they were labeled obese. I'm even talking about lean professional athletes who were the picture perfect image of strength, power, and health.
After calculating their body mass index (BMI), many were shocked to find out their calculated number indicated a detriment to their health. So how do you calculate this number anyway? First off, you can be lazy and go to consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm, and have the computer tell you the answer. However, if you want to calculate it yourself simply multiply your weight in pounds by 703 then divide the square of your height in inches. It is that simple.
Now after using a body mass index calculator you get your big number. What does it mean? In most cases, not a heck of a lot. First of all, your BMI doesn't distinguish muscle from fat. You could have a body fat percentage of 8%, with a lot of added muscle, and the body mass index chart will say you are obese, and could be at risk for significant health issues. Now let's take the opposite. Suppose you have never exercised a day in your life and your body fat is 30%, but you weight less than the fit person with an 8% level of body fat. The BMI chart might suggest your weight is right where it should be, and you are at very little risk for health challenges.
This is where the BMI Chart is misleading. Recent studies have even shown a weak and inconsistent correlation between a high BMI and disease or early mortality.
How then can we get an accurate assessment of our link between weight, and disease? My recommendations are to incorporate a multiple assessment such as the following:
1. Body fat percentage should be calculated and considered.
2. Take measurements of you waist, hips, and height. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio, divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. Men should be under 0.9, and women should be under 0.8. A good guideline for men is to keep their waists well under 40 inches, and women under 35 inches. Your waist should be one half your height. Now these are rough estimates since many factors go into determining your risk level. For instance, how much exercise do you get? What type of foods do you consume?
However, If your numbers are not in the zone mentioned above, it is time to take action and start exercising and cutting back on calories.
Always consider your body fat percentage versus your lean muscle tissue. Keep the body fat as low as possible, preferably under 30% for both men and women.
Don't rely on the body mass index charts to dictate your chance for disease. Use the multiple approach I have outlined above. It is an intelligent approach for aiding your health and well-being.
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By Jim O'Connor

Simple Steps To Good Nutrition

2006-03-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

Though the importance of good nutrition has been elevated in recent years, a vast number of people continue to neglect the basic principles of a sound and healthy diet. What we eat and how much plays a great role in determining our longetivity and likelihood of developing life threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. More importantly, this is one facet of the health equation that we are in control of and have the power to change for the better. Just being conscious of important facets of good nutrition are the first step toward a healthier and happier life.
Good nutrition can be broken down into several simple guidelines that most people neglect:
1. Eat a well balanced meal

2. Only eat during the normal times and avoid snacking

3. Take Vitamins and Minerals on a regular basis

4. Drink Water

5. Know what you are eating and make sure it is healthy

6. Monitor your weight and overall health and know that when these two are out of line you need to adjust things
WELL BALANCED MEAL
As we all know by now a well balanced meal consists of the four basic food groups consisting of: dairy products, meat/protein, fruits/vegetables and breads/cereals. Because of individual taste and propensities we often find that one of these is not to our liking. However, they are all essential and if one of the groups does not appeal to you because of taste or a medical condition (lactose intolerance etc.) then you must find another way to get the essential proteins and nutrients contained in that food group. Often it is simply a matter of doing a bit of researching and finding something that you like.
EAT AT THE PROPER TIMES
The first of these has been well known for some time now. Eating meals at the normal times of breakfast, lunch and dinner and avoiding snacks is by far the healthiest approach and leads to a much less likelihood of excess weight gain or unwanted calories. Eating when you are hungry easily turns into a habit and when this happens it is much harder to break than simply being disciplined in the first place. A caveat to this rule is that in some instances snacks are necessary and recommended. This is often found in glucose tolerance/intolerance illnesses such as hyper and hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus. Check with your Doctor if you feel you may have one of these illnesses.
TAKE VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Vitamins and minerals play an important role in health care because even when following the guidelines of a balanced meal important minerals and vitamins are often left out. Therefore almost all of us will need dietary supplements of some kind. If you want to know exactly what you are deficient in then you should schedule a consultation with a dietician or Physician.
DRINK WATER
Just drinking several glasses of water daily can do wonders for our health and digestive system. Though many like to think other beverages are equivalent to water, this has been proven to be false. There are many views of how much water is recommended for the average person. Simple research and self-monitoring can help you find the right amount.
KNOW WHAT YOU EAT
Most people have acquired the habit of reading the ingredients of the foods they eat. If you have not then it is time to start. You need to know what additives are in your food and how it has been processed and grown if at all possible. Many additives are unhealthy and detrimental to good health. Inquire, ask questions and find out what is in the food you eat and how it affects your overall health. You owe it to yourself.
MONITOR HEALTH AND WEIGHT AND ADJUST ACCORDINGLY
The last step to healthy nutrition is to simply monitor yourself and determine if what you are doing is giving you the results that you want or not. If not then it is likely something needs adjusting. Be aware, that good nutrition is not enough by itself for a healthy life. We also need exercise and other facets of general healthcare that cannot be neglected. Nutrition is a very important part of the picture but don’t neglect other aspects of healthcare.

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By Ray Kelly
Ray Kelly is an Exercise Scientist with 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. Sign up for his Free Exercise and Meal Planner at The Biggest Loser or http://www.free-online-health.com

Thinking as the Thin Think

2006-03-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

When you lose a massive amount of weight after undergoing the Gastric Bypass Weight-Loss Surgery, it’s difficult to change our mindsets and how we incorporate our new lifestyle habits. As we slim down, it is important that we begin to “think as a thin person” or rather (let’s all practice this tongue-twister together) “thinking as the thin think.”
Why should we do this?
Because if we fail to do this, we can run the risk of easily falling into those unhealthy and bad habits that strolled us down the paths of obesity in the first place. No matter what stage along your weight-loss journey you are currently experiencing, sooner or later you will fall prey to those nasty life-long ugly companions (aka habits). They will devour your positive thoughts and urge you to glutinously consume all of the wrong things so you’ll succumb to your food bondage again. But DON’T DO IT! Put on your armor of THIN THINKING quickly to thwart all advances!
I recall as a young teenager, I knew many peers who, even at a young age, were obsessed with watching their weight, counting calories, worried about getting enough physical activity, and monitoring the snugness of their clothing. I thought this was very bizarre since I didn’t have any weight issues then. I could virtually eat anything and it would never show a pound on the scale. Of course, thinking back, I was a high-level physically active person, and so this is why weight-watching was not a critical factor in my life at the time. I didn’t need to think like a thin person.
However, when I gradually became very heavy (317 pounds), I realized that I got that way partially because I didn’t have the foundation of “thinking as the thin think.” And without that foundation to utilize, I missed great opportunities to change some of my bad habits. Take into consideration that morbid obesity is far deeper than just succumbing to unhealthy habits… morbid obesity has many facets to it; but for this writing, I want to focus on one element, and that is how we “think” we are.
When I explore the rationale of how thin people think, I discover some interesting behaviors. Thin people think about:
• Food portions
• How full they feel at each meal. They know when they can’t take another bite and they stop eating
• How snug their clothes are fitting
• How they look in the mirror
• How they appear to others
• Exercising or doing something outside that is fun rather than doing something sedentary
• Parking further away from the store entrance for extra walking
• Taking the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator
• Drinking water rather than soft drinks
• Using sugar substitutes, protein supplements, and religiously taking their vitamins
• Eating fruit rather than potato chips for a snack
• Maintaining a “low-burdensome” weight for any EMT squad in case of an emergency
OH, how the list of concerns in the minds of thin people goes on and on! I bet you are thinking of a few right now!
I have to laugh when I think of one of my high-school friends who asked me everyday after school lunch if I wanted to go outside with her and “freeze off my calories”….. REALLY! She believed that shivering caused the burning of calories; so no matter if it was five degrees outside during a snow storm, she would march outdoors for a full five minutes and SHIVER her calories away! CRAZY, huh? Well, each time I see her at my class reunions, she is STILL the same slim gal she was way back when….so maybe she knew a thing or two about shivering off calories! Today the scientists call it “fidgeting”, which has been proven to burn calories throughout the day. So when you tap that nervous foot, you are burning calories.
What we once viewed as odd obsessions by those who are thin, we should now view as having more value and importance, and we should incorporate some of their wisdom into our own daily lives so as we become slimmer and trimmer people, we will be thinking and acting like one too.
Thinking like a thin person everyday does not happen overnight. It is something that must be practiced continually.
Now of course, I would NEVER endorse the sad eating disorders that anorexic or bulimic people partake in, nor would I ever endorse or encourage starvation as some super-thin folks do to maintain that “waif” look. Such disorders are dangerous and have no part in thinking like a thin person! Such thinking and practices are warped and do not represent the norm.
They say that after the surgery, it takes the mind about three years to truly get used to the “new you.” And I can vouch for that, as I am over three years post-op now and at times will forget I have lost so much weight as I find myself still inadvertently wandering in the Plus Size department! The scale and the label in the clothes may say one thing outwardly; but inwardly our mind hasn’t totally been convinced we are thin.
Make some commitments today to begin changing your mindset. Observe the good practices of thin people and find a place in your life for those same good practices. Little by little you will become a thin person, both inside and out!

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By Meloney Hall
Meloney Hall successfully lost 170 pounds in 19 months after a gastric bypass bariatric weight-loss surgery. She is dedicated to helping others achieve their goals along their weight-loss journey. Visit her website at http://www.rnyachievegoals.com for more information on the RNY procedure and how it can cure morbid obesity.

Sugar Cravings and "Carbohydrate Addiction"

2006-03-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

Sugar cravings can be caused by the high rises and rapid drops in your blood sugar which occur when you eat any refined carbohydrates, not just sugar. Refined carbohydrates are the foods made with any of the sugars and starches that have been extracted or removed from their whole-plant sources.
Try eliminating all flour products (bread, pasta, bakery products) and other refined grains (white rice, tortillas or other refined corn products) and cereals made with refined grains. Eat whole grains at breakfast, lunch and dinner and for snacks when you're hungry. Whole grains provide the nutrients you need and keep you full and satisfied for a long time, without sharp rises and drops in blood sugar.
Popular diet authors made many people believe that they are "addicted" to carbohydrates, but use of the term "addiction" should be reserved for destructive chemical dependence on substances which are toxic to your body. Addictions can only be cured by total avoidance of the substance involved. Carbohydrates are certainly not toxic; they are the most readily-available food source of energy and no one should try to avoid them completely. In nature, carbohydrates are ALWAYS packaged with vitamins, minerals, fiber and thousands of phytochemicals which our bodies use to stay healthy and fight diseases. These wonderful packages are called fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans. Humans cause problems when they take these wonderful foods and strip them of their nutrients and fiber.
If you are trying to lose weight or control diabetes, avoid refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice and milled corn; added sugars of all types; and juices that have had the fiber removed. Eat PLENTY of whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other seeds: carbohydrates as nature intended you to eat them.

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A Wealth Of Health: Eating Foods High In Fiber

2006-02-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

By choosing high fiber foods, you can become part of the legend of those who have the nutritional wisdom which ensures better health, counteracts disease, and produces greater vitality. Ask not what your high fiber diet can do for you, but what you can do for your high fiber diet. Camelot? Spamalot? Fiber--alot.
Fiberlady is the new Guinevere. She's come to share the wealth about your health. One of the main reasons for the emerging trend of high fiber foods is the ongoing quest for weight loss. Even the Knights of the Round Table have discovered that their armor fits better than ever.
The average American consumes about 5-13 grams of fiber daily, but nutrition experts recommend a daily intake of 20-35 grams. Here's what you can do in the quest for your high fiber diet. Start by replacing white bread with whole grain bread, white rice with brown rice. Add more beans and legumes, veggies, fruits, seeds and nuts. Any foods with more than 4 grams per serving are categorized as high in fiber.
People are moving away from the low-carb diet fad towards eating foods that are high in fiber. New products making high-fiber claims has nearly doubled in the past few years. For example, Sara Lee (bless her heart) has developed a white bread with all the fiber and many of the nutrients of whole wheat bread. And wonder of wonders, Wonder has made a bread with a special 100% whole wheat flour milled from white wheat. These products make the new USDA Food Pyramid much easier to scale.
A diet rich in high fiber foods is essential for your ultimate health. Dietary fiber is vital for prevention or treatment of diverticulitis, diabetes, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease. Studies have shown that certain conditions such as constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis and high blood pressure respond favorably to a high fiber diet. Those who need a gluten free diet can still benefit from a variety of high fiber foods. Certain types of fiber can even lower blood cholesterol levels.
One of Fiberlady's greatest concerns is the alarming trend for today's children to be overweight. The new Food Guide Pyramid recommends that children consume 1 to 3 servings of whole grains daily. It's probable that most children don't even eat 1 serving a day of whole grains. Dietary fiber has a powerful impact on children's overall health. After eating fiber-rich foods, there is a feeling of fullness which helps to control overeating. Fiber also helps regulate blood sugar which is vital to childrens' energy and digestive health. High fiber foods are as important to their health as it is to yours.
Fiberlady knows how easy it is to raise your high fiber IQ. Educate yourself and those you love about high cholesterol, diabetes, types of cancer, high blood pressure, and other ailments that can be drastically improved or controlled by including high fiber recipes and high fiber menus on a regular daily basis.
Camelot was the beginning of the Quest for the Holy Grail. It could be considered a state of mind, but the quest for high fiber health is most assuredly the starting point to a state of good health!

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By Stephanie Shank
Stephanie Shank aka Fiberlady has studied nutrition for many healthy years which prompted her commitment to high fiber foods and the development of her informative website High Fiber Health.

Getting a Healthy Breakfast

2006-02-16T07:10:00.000-08:00

Breakfast, like any other meal of the day, needs proper planning. No longer is it planned independently of the other meals. The three meals should be planned as a unit and balanced against the daily body requirement with enough allowance for good health.
A light breakfast must necessarily be followed be a substantial meal, while a heavy breakfast must be followed by a light lunch. If both breakfast and lunch are light, then a heavy dinner is needed.
Like all meals, breakfast must be planned to include food nutrients not provided for or inadequately found in the two other meals to complete the essential body requirements for the day.
Too often, skimpy breakfasts are blamed in lack of time. Considering that one-fourth to one-third of the day’s requirements is served at breakfast, the need for planning ahead is doubly justified.
Breakfast mean to break the fast of several hours.
The factors affecting the nature of the breakfast menu will depend upon age, sex, weight, health, and kind of activities of the individual family members. Other factors to consider are the amount of time allotted for its preparation by one or several family members, or by a hired helper and how light, moderate, or heavy other meals are intended to be. Family custom may have to contend with all of these, although strictly speaking, this must not prevail upon the more important factors.
Breakfast should always include a raw fruit because this contains more vitamins and minerals than cooked ones. Fresh ripe fruits have a rich mellow aroma that can stimulate even the most delicate appetite. It should be taken as the first course of the meal for the same reason.
Fresh eggs are good breakfast food because they are rich in complete protein, fat, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A & B, and niacin. They are also easy to prepare and digest. They can be fried, poached, soft-cooked, hard-cooked, scrambled, or prepared as an omelet.
Rice and other cereals are the main fuel contributors in breakfast. Rice is cooked plain or sautéed in small amount of fat and garlic. Corn broiled and buttered is a practical American way that can be adopted anywhere where corn is available.
Milk is the almost complete food and is welcome at any meal. At breakfast, milk is popular as a beverage or taken with coffee, chocolate, oatmeal, and other cereals. Milk should be bought from sanitary and reliable sources. Fresh milk is safer if pasteurized before serving.
Breakfast breads may be in the form of rolls, buns, loafbread, biscuits, waffles, or hot cakes. Breads can be toasted and served with butter or fruit jam like strawberry. Waffles, hotcakes, and French toast are good for heavy and substantial breakfast. Rolls with butter and jam, jelly, or marmalade are suitable for heavy breakfast, too, especially if taken with a heavy protein dish and chocolate.

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By Peter Garant
Mr. Peter Garant is writing health, diet and exercise articles for the 1200 calories diet site and herbal health related articles for his herbal health site.

1,200 Calorie Diabetic Diets

2006-02-03T02:10:00.000-08:00

Obesity is the bane of diabetes. These two conditions occurring in conjunction result in a complicated medical condition, which in turn can have serious repercussions. So when you are diabetic and also obese, counting your calories is a must. And if you are a woman, with either an active or sedentary lifestyle, or a man leading a more or less inactive lifestyle, then a 1,200 calorie diet is ideal for you. The diet is intended to restrict the intake of calories without compromising on the nutritional value of the food partaken.
Breakfast can consist of a cup of cereals, skimmed milk, a cup of any fruit and a muffin. This need not be an everyday affair. A 1,200-calorie diet requires that you stick to the calorie count while eating the right kind of food; how exactly you follow the regime is up to you. For instance, you can substitute the cereals with bread, have a little bit of cheese instead of muffin, and have a different kind of fruit everyday, say blueberries one day and an orange another day. These variations will ensure that you do not run out of steam as you follow the diet.
For lunch, you have the choice of baked chicken, a piece of ham, or a fish of some kind (for example, tuna or salmon), any kind of vegetable (i.e., tomato, lettuce or cucumber). If you want to go light on the midday meal, you can have yogurt, a fruit of some sort, salad tossed with lightweight dressing and some unsweetened coffee. About half a cup of white rice with few servings of vegetables and diet soda would be another choice.
For the afternoon snack you can munch on nuts, cashew nuts or almonds and have a cup of tea. But do not gorge on hamburgers, fries and Coke. This will undo all the good work that you have done during the breakfast and lunch.
If you had a light lunch, you can compensate for it at dinnertime with turkey, two to three kinds of vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, or beans, and maybe one wheat roll. If it was a heavy lunch, the dinner should be easy on the stomach with a few slices of bacon, cornbread and a piece of orange or an apple.
The idea of a 1,200-calorie diabetic meal is not that every time you sit down to eat, you need to have weighing scales or a calorie meter on hand. A 1,200-calorie diabetic diet plan just entails eating right, eating frequently and stopping short of overstuffing oneself.

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By Eddie Tobey
Diabetic Diets provides detailed information about diabetic diets, diabetic diet tips, diabetic weight loss diets, 1200 calorie diabetic diets and more. Diabetic Diets is the sister site of Turkey Recipes.

Weight Loss Myths and Lies

2006-02-03T02:06:00.000-08:00

Companies providing sports equipment or diet supplements make millions every year with promises based on wrong theories and information which by the way actually does not mean they don't know better.
Below some of the most common myths and lies about diets are listed and busted.
- Myth: weight loss workouts start to get effective after 20 minutes
What they tell you: When starting your cardio,etc. program the energy needed is mainly taken from glucose. The longer your workout the less glucose will be used, which means the more fat will be used and burnt. You need to go through the first twenty minutes before starting burning fat.
Truth is: The only factor that decides if you drop weight (or put on extra weight) is your energy balance, ie. the difference between calorie intake and calories consumed by physical activities (ALL activities of your body, not only sports). If you eat less than your body needs due to physical activities, your energy balance is negative. Because you didn't give your body enough calories to burn, it needs some other source of energy to compensate. This is what body fat is used for and why you will drop weight (fat). It does not matter how energy is provided (glucose or fat). Since you'll burn calories right from the beginning of your workout, you'll do a weight loss workout from the start.
- Myth: Do cardio a a low level heart frequency
What they tell you: If you keep your heart frequency between 120 to 130 beats a minute, your workout is not too intensive and therefore more fat will be used as energy source (instead of glucose which is used for more intensive activities). As a result, more fat is burnt.
Truth is: The source of energy is irrelevant for reducing fat. Again, if you burn more calories than you get (food), you will reduce your body fat. The source of energy used during workouts does not influence your weight. Result:- The more intensive, the more calories are burnt.- The longer you work out, the more calories will be burnt.This means:Find a trade-off which suits best to your needs and capabilities. Some of you might prefer a slow, extensive cardio program while others like short but exhaustive program. Regarding weight loss only, one program will be as effective as the other one.
- Myth: Certain exercises can reduce fat in specifically regions of your body
What they tell you: Buy their new machines/equipment to cut down fat in your belly region, etc.
Truth is: This so called "spot reducing" is not possible. Doing 1000 crunches each day might tighten your abs, but will not burn fat around your hips. Only your genetics decide where you will drop fat first.

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By Michael Schran
Michael Schran is Webmaster of the site http://www.washboard-abs.com dedicated to washboard abs, where you can get further information on weight loss, diet and workouts.

How I Lowered My Cholesterol Level By 56 Points

2006-02-03T02:01:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, my wife encouraged me to get my cholesterol level checked. She had recently had her cholesterol checked and the results were normal. I went ahead and scheduled a test and fasted for twelve hours prior to the blood work being done.
The test itself was uneventful. The nurse checked my blood pressure, asked a few questions, and withdrew some blood. I was told to expect results within a few days. If I didn't hear from the doctor's office with a few days, I was to call back.
Turns out the results came back within a couple of days. I didn't need to call the office as they decided to call me. Instead of telling me what the results were, I was told to come in as soon as possible to review the results with the doctor.
By the time I hung up the phone I am assuming the worst. How bad could the results be if they are not willing to discuss the results over the phone? Needless to say, I returned to the doctor's office that same day.
The results were not good. My total cholesterol was 244, the LDL level was 161, and my HDL was 38. For reference, the recommended results at the time of my test were less than 200 for total cholesterol, less than 100 for LDL and greater than 40 for HDL. It was explained to me that the LDL level, the "bad" cholesterol, needed to drop. On the other hand, the "good" cholesterol, HDL, needed to increase. One of the ways that HDL increases is through exercise. LDL can decrease by a change in diet.
To be honest, I was shocked with the results. I thought my results would be in line with my wife's since we have the same diet. No, that was definitely not the case.
I also found out that your genes, your family, has a lot to do with your cholesterol levels. It didn't take me long to figure out what side of my family was to blame for my higher than expected cholesterol results. I found out from my father that when he first had his cholesterol checked just a few short years ago that his total cholesterol was well over 300! He immediately started taking medicine to reduce his total cholesterol.
So what did I do to drop my total cholesterol by 56 points in 8 months?
Three things I did to help reduce my cholesterol level are:
1) Exercise more - I added about 20 minutes of walking each day to my work schedule. I have a desk job and don't get a lot of physical activity during the working hours. I make an effort every day to walk at least 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon at work. This is in addition to the moderate running I do a few times a week.
2) Oatmeal - Do you know how easy it is at work to trot down to the vending machine and buy a candy bar when you are hungry? As a matter of fact, it is too easy. I now have a container of oatmeal, along with a box of raisins for flavoring, at work. When hunger pangs hit, I go to the area kitchen, microwave a half cup of water, add some oatmeal and raisins, and enjoy.
3) No more cheese - I personally think this has had the biggest impact on my cholesterol reduction, a low cholesterol diet. Since I am not a doctor, I can't be certain. I immediately stopped eating slices of cheese. For whatever reason, I love cheese. Regularly, I would eat a slice of cheese or a couple slices of cheese. I knew that couldn't be too good for me. This doesn't mean I don't have any cheese in my diet. I'll eat a burrito with cheese or a pizza with cheese, but I no longer eat slices of cheese.
That's about all I did, I didn't go on a restrictive diet or start taking medicine to reduce my cholesterol. I made a few lifestyle changes that I have faithfully implemented. It's been more than 365 days since I have been "cheese" free.
Like I said, my total cholesterol dropped by 56 points, from 244 to 188 in eight months. Also, my LDL cholesterol dropped from 161 to 124, still high but better than it was. The only disappointment was that my HDL remained the same at 38.
I hope that my story has inspired you to be aware of your cholesterol level and if needed, take action. While specific recommendations related to reducing cholesterol are best left to professional health care personal, I'm hoping that you will take care of yourself.

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By Don Williams
Don Williams shares information about a low cholesterol diet and what it can do for your health.

What is Harmful in Non Vegetarian Diet?

2006-01-26T21:56:00.000-08:00

As more and more studies are coming up about the detrimental aspects of non vegetarian food, many people are anxious to know how they can stay healthy without giving up their favorite non vegetarian delicacies. The following points list the demerits as well as ways you can circumvent the harmful effects.
1. Non Vegetarian foods are fibreless: The roughage portion is missing in non vegetarian diets, therefore one should make a conscious effort to eat foods high in roughage. The foods high in roughage (insoluble fiber) are wheat bran, whole cereals like brown rice. Oat fiber is particularly beneficial for cardiac cholesterol related disorders. Oats have soluble fiber which dissolves in the body fluids and helps the body to decrease the cholesterol buildup.
2. Non Vegetarian foods are high in cholesterol: Since non vegetarian foods contain cholesterol, it is important to avoid other foods which can have additive affect on the cholesterol, like dairy products, particularly cheese. Besides these, one must avoid foods which have trans-fatty acids.
3. Non Vegetarian foods which are processed and preserved may contain high amounts of chemicals. Therefore, it is important to limit the quantity of non vegetarian food products which may contain preservatives.
4. Non Vegetarian foods are devoid of many vitamins. To keep up a healthy level of Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C, it is important to eat fruits and vegetables in adequate quantities to prevent any deficiency from coming up. Fruits should be eaten in their natural state and drinking packed juices is not the solution. Similar is the case with eating vegetables destroyed by deep frying beyond recognition.
5. Non vegetarians need strong digestive enzymes to be able to digest proteins. Hence, it is important to include sources of natural digestive enzymes in the diet to help the body keep its digestive capability high. Foods rich in enzymes are raw papaya (can be eaten as a salad) - rich in enzyme papain; pineapple - rich in the enzyme bromelene, and basic salads which are rich in natural enzymes.
6. Many authorities claim that people should be cautious while consuming fish found near industrial zones as they may be toxic.
7. Red meat should be consumed sparingly if you have increased incidence of hypertension and heart problems. Once a week, detox by eating fruits, sprouts, vegetable juices, salads and non-roasted nuts.

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By Daisy Bone

Daisy Bone is a veteran of the alternative medicine industry and has a wealth of knowledge on Herpes Cure. More info: Genital Herpes Treatment.

How to Arrange Food Allergy Testing

2006-01-26T21:50:00.000-08:00

If you have a food allergy it is essential that you identify it as soon as possible so that you can avoid problem foods.
Food allergy testing is the only way to identify a food allergy. Once you are aware of your food allergies, you can ensure that you do not eat the foods which are harmful to your body.
If you are allergic to certain foods your immune system releases large doses of chemicals when they are eaten to protect your body from them. The problem is that these chemicals produce a variety of symptoms that can be severe and sometimes, life threatening.
Food allergies can be identified by carrying out food allergy testing. However, there are only 90 NHS allergy clinics in the UK. This means that if you want food allergy testing on the NHS , you might have to wait a long time. Therefore, you might want to arrange food allergy testing privately. If so, you have two main options:
Food Allergy Skin Prick Test
A food allergy skin prick test uses a small needle to gently prick the skin through fluid containing a known allergen to see how it reacts to it. If you have a food allergy, your skin will go red and itchy and a small white swelling will develop. This will fade within a matter of hours.
The food allergy skin prick test provides a clear “yes or no” result as to whether or not you have a food allergy. It is not painful and the results are generally available very quickly.
Food Allergy Blood Test
The food allergy blood test allows you to analysis your reaction to over 400 different allergens.
It involves a sample of your blood being taken and sent to a laboratory where it is tested for levels of IgE. IgE triggers the release of histamines into the bloodstream when the body is exposed to a food or substance which it is allergic to.
You can find places where you can have food allergy testing by searching on the internet or alternatively by asking your doctor for a recommendation.

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By Elizabeth Harfleet

Elizabeth Harfleet is a Manchester nutritionist specialising in food allergy testing

How Important is Breakfast?

2006-01-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Not many people realize it but eating breakfast is the secret to staying healthy. No matter how busy you are, it’s important to fuel your body so that you can have energy throughout the day. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. So don’t overlook this important meal. Select healthy options that fit your taste and lifestyle.
The Benefits of a healthy Breakfast are:
Jumpstart your metabolism from the overnight fast: Breakfast is considered an important meal because it breaks the overnight fasting periods and replenishes your supply of glucose. Glucose is your body’s energy source and is broken down and absorbed from the carbohydrates you eat. In the morning, after you have gone without food for as long as 12 hours, your glucose levels drop. When this happens, your body compensates by releasing the glucose that has been stored in your muscle tissue and liver, called glycogen. Once all the energy from the glycogen stored is used up, the body breaks down fatty acids to produce energy. Without carbohydrates, fatty acids are only partially oxidized, which can cause reduced energy levels.
Works towards weight Loss: After 12 hours of sleep your body has been fasting overnight, and in the morning you are almost in the first stages of starvation. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in ‘starvation’ mode, while eating a good meal will give your metabolism a boost. If you’re trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is keep your metabolism at this lowered state. Eating a healthy breakfast will increase your fat burning ability. Breakfast, therefore, can boost your energy levels as well as your metabolism for the day.
Increase your essential nutrients and overall energy levels: Breakfast provides a significant proportion of the day’s total nutrient intake and offers the opportunity to eat foods fortified with nutrients such as foliate, iron, vitamins and fiber. Essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can only be gained from food.
Give You Brain fuel To Enhance Concentration: Eating breakfast improves your thinking ability and keeps you at top mental performance. It provides your brain with fuel to enhance problem solving and memory retention.
Beat The Binges: Eating a good breakfast will keep you from getting too hungry, which will help prevent you from over eating later in the day. Breakfast eaters are able to better resist fatty and high caloric foods throughout the day. If you skip breakfast, you will tend to nibble on snacks during the mid-morning and turn to coffee for an energy boost.
So what does a Healthy Breakfast comprise of?
A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods. It should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Protein can come from eggs, beans, or soy. Fiber and carbohydrates can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something like a boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with skimmed milk.
No matter what you choose, eating breakfast gives you body and your brain the energy they need to carry you through the day. Be good to yourself and eat breakfast, as it will make you feel much better throughout the day.

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By Indy Stewart

Indy Stewart is a fitness expert and has a wealth of knowledge on how to Build Muscle with Weight Lifting. More info on Muscle Men.

Diabetes Relief And Prevention Through Exercise

2006-01-14T03:41:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is something that can be treated and even prevented very effectively with exercise. Most people are aware of the many other benefits of exercise but the one that could have the greatest impact on the health-care system is the prevention and relief of this health problem.
Diabetes comes in two main types. These are type I and type II.
Type I occurs when your pancreas is producing too little insulin or in some cases not producing any at all. If you already have type I you of course have the daily task of injecting insulin into your body in order to control your glucose levels.
This is not an enjoyable thing to do. If you currently do not have type I diabetes then learn to prevent it through exercise and healthy living. The alternative may be daily injections for the rest of your life.
The second main type of diabetes is known as Type II. Many people also refer to it as adult onset diabetes.
If you are suffering from the symptoms of Type II it's due to you pancreas not being able to make enough insulin to control glucose levels. It can also occur when your cells do not respond properly to insulin.
This is commonly known as insulin resistance.
One of the most effective ways of dealing with insulin resistance is through exercise and good nutritional habits. A large number of people with this type of diabetes are over-weight.
Therefore, weight control is a must. If you are not active, over-eat and become obese, you have a very high risk of being afflicted with type II. In most cases, simply adding in exercise, including both weight training and cardiovascular exercise, along with good eating habits is enough to prevent type II diabetes.
Only in rare cases will this not work, and medication is needed.
With type II diabetes there are a number of other health problems that can then occur, including; high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Exercise has a very positive effect on Type II for improving insulin sensitivity.
Ninety percent of all people with this health problem actually have type II, and exercise will help your body to process glucose at a quicker rate, lowering any high blood sugar symptoms you may have.
The intensity of your exercise session also plays a role. A more intense exercise program will help your body to utilize glucose quicker. However, high intensity does not mean faster. There is a difference.
Obviously before beginning any type of exercise program, regardless of what type of diabetes you have, you should check with your doctor. There are many differences between exercise for different types of diabetes that you need to be aware of before starting.
There can be certain dangers resulting from injecting insulin just before you begin to exercise. One situation that can occur is the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during the exercise session.
Here are some general rules to keep in mind when exercising if you are type I: allow for enough rest between weight training sets to avoid high blood pressure symptoms; avoid lifting heavy weights or going to failure on each set; when doing cardio, avoid high impact exercises such as running outside; always ensure that you have carbohydrates in your system before you start and a supply of them nearby as well.
You may begin to feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious or become irritable if you allow your blood sugar levels to get too low. Having a carbohydrate snack or drink nearby will help prevent these symptoms very quickly.
Blood glucose analyzers are very effective tools to use when exercising. You can test your blood sugar to ensure it's not at a level below 80 - 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl.
During your post-exercise recovery period, around three to five hours after you complete your exercise session, so-called diabetic diets can be beneficial. Diabetic diets should consist of a good amount of carbohydrates to prevent hypoglycemia.
Exercise has its greatest impact on people with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and sound nutritional habits work considerably well for type II diabetics.
Consistency is critical in the prevention of type II diabetes. You can't expect to exercise now and then, and prevent it. You need to make exercise part of your life if it's going to be effective.
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By Patrick Mckeeman

Patrick Mckeeman has very quick, easy & effective health & fitness solutions for you. For extensive information on diabetes & exercise please go to: http://www.man-health-fitness-solutions.com/diabetes.html

Stop Smoking Advice If You Have Back Pain

2006-01-14T03:39:00.000-08:00

One day a client walked into my clinic and had a hypnotherapy treatment for smoking. It was a challenge, because it transpired that this client was in constant agony with back and shoulder pain; the cigarettes were used as a drug to help with this pain. Then I learned a new fun and simple technique for effective pain relief and the rest is history.
EFT is a new and exciting method that you can be taught to use effectively for your back, neck, shoulder, arm, leg, or any pain that you are experiencing anywhere in your body. Your EFT practitioner can find the best way for you to apply a simple formula whenever needed. All it takes is a few minutes a day and the pain is reduced or even gone altogether. This takes less time than is wasted smoking each day, and it also makes you feel relaxed and calm.
For some people, the pain is very much linked to painful memories, and that's even better news. Yes, that's right, that's good news.
EFT is a method that uses acupressure on special acupuncture points to free you from unwanted feelings like pain. In the case of pain with a large physical element, applying the simple acupressure technique every now and then keeps you more comfortable all day long. Sometimes, we store our negative emotions in weak areas of our body that although weak are still in reasonably good condition. It is then that EFT, or Emotional Freedom Techniques, really shines. This exciting new method has the power to gently give complete and lasting relief to survivors of the worst events imaginable. And so the pain, which used to be felt as agony, can completely disappear.
Now whenever someone comes to see me to stop smoking, I ask them if they are in pain. If they are, I explain that to quit, they will have to let me relieve their pain first. It takes relatively little time and they can still successfully quit in the same session once the pain has been taken care of. They usually ask to give up smoking using EFT as well, once they see what it has done for their physical pain.
If you are a smoker in pain and wish to be free from smoking, first of all please consult with your doctor to make sure that everything is being medically done for the source of the pain as is appropriate. Then you can consult with an EFT Practitioner that specializes in smoking cessation. Once the pain is out of the way, you can enjoy your freedom from nicotine!
My name is Suzanne Zacharia and I am committed to spreading the word about health options. I believe that the more and better options one has, the more choice there is.
A virus caught along with 5 other students at university at the end of 1986, plus medical negligence, meant that I got smokers lung at a relatively young age. In desperation for help with my symptoms and quality of life, I turned to complementary therapy, and this is the 10th year I have outlived one doctor's prognosis.
I am now a complementary therapist, author and trainer specialising in "energy" therapy. My company is called New Age London, more details via the links below.

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By Suzanne Zacharia

Human Growth Hormone Can Make Aging a Less Painful Process

2006-01-14T03:36:00.000-08:00

On the face of it, our human body looks pretty ordinary. The reality is that innumerable and unbelievable complex reactions are going on in our body at all times. Things like growing and aging seem so obvious and unavoidable for all of us. However, the truth is that the process of human growth and aging is not inevitable an unavoidable.
Our knowledge of the human body has revealed to us that growth and aging is the result of release of hormones by the glands existing in the human body. The pituitary gland in the human body releases human growth hormone that is absorbed by organs like the liver. This hormone is the driving force behind the growth that takes place in the human body. If your pituitary gland does not release the human growth hormone in adequate quantity, it will result in stunted growth. On the other hand, if the human growth hormone is released in excess, one gets to see unnatural growth. Abnormal release of human growth hormone is the reason why we get to see people who are very tall or very short.
The human growth hormone is released in large quantities during childhood. As one reaches adulthood, the gland goes on releasing less and less growth hormone. By the time we reach old age, the release of human growth hormone completely stops. Often we witness old people facing problems of wrinkles, loss of memory, slow healing of injuries, malfunctioning of vital organs, reduction in bone density and loss of hair. The reason behind all these problems is the non-secretion of human growth hormone in the body.
Such a discovery has led to the belief that injecting human growth hormone in the body will help us avoid the inevitable process of aging. The reality is that intake of human growth hormone will result in longer and healthier life. That does not mean human growth hormone is an elixir that will permanently stave off aging.
Although human growth hormone therapy is still in the nascent stage, the results of the therapy are very encouraging. External and artificial injection of human growth hormone in the body results in loss of fat and increase in the muscle and bone density. Such a person feels stronger. Injecting human growth hormone results in the person feeling more energetic.
An improvement in the general health and memory makes a person more confident. More often than not, the problem with aging is the loss of confidence. If you cannot see and hear properly, if your injuries take a long time to heal and if you are forced to depend on others for your protection, it leads to loss of confidence in oneself. Human growth hormone can ensure that the loss of self-confidence that accompanies aging can be avoided.

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By Sara Chambers

Sara Chambers is a marketing consultant and an internet content manager for http://www.hghweblog.com

Diabetes and Exercise

2006-01-11T06:37:00.000-08:00

There are two main types of diabetes, type I and type II. Type I diabetes is characterized by the pancreas making too little or no insulin. An individual with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin throughout the day in order to control glucose levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not producing enough insulin to control glucose levels or the cells not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance.
When a subject is diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are prescribed as measures to help with insulin resistance. If this does not control glucose levels, then medication is prescribed. The risk factors for type II diabetes include: inactivity, high cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a very strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive effect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled be an exercise program. Over 90% of individuals with diabetes have type II.
Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar. The more intense the exercise, the faster the body will utilize glucose. Therefore it is important to understand the differences in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for an individual who has diabetes to check with a physician before beginning an exercise program. When training with a diabetic, it is important to understand the dangers of injecting insulin immediately prior to exercise. An individual with type I diabetes injecting their normal amount of insulin for a sedentary situation can pose the risk of hypoglycemia or insulin shock during exercise. General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid heavy weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, hungry, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.
Before engaging in exercise, it is important for blood sugar levels to be tested to make sure that they are not below 80 to 100 mg/dl range and not above 250 mg/dl. Glucose levels should also be tested before, during, after and three to five hours after exercise. During this recovery period (3-5 hours after exercise), it is important for diabetics to consume ample carbohydrates in order to prevent hypoglycemia.
Exercise will greatly benefit an individual with type II diabetes because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. Proper exercise and nutrition are the best forms of prevention for type II diabetics. It is important for training protocols to be repeated almost daily to help with sustaining insulin sensitivity. To prevent hypoglycemia, progressively work up to strenuous activity.
As with individuals with type I diabetes, carbohydrates should also be present during training to assist in raising blood sugar levels if the individual becomes low.

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By Alejandro Herryman

Article from Health Giants Newsletter: http://health-giants.blogspot.com

Fat or Sugar?

2006-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Food is processed and must travel to its destination: grocery store shelves in our neighborhood. Food manufacturers make sure that the food you receive is fresh and not rotting in the bag when you purchase it.
The process of hydrogenation leads to longer shelf life for foods such as oils, margarines, and shortenings so that they won't go rancid. Most refined oils are solvent extracted at high heat with harsh chemicals, then bleached and chemically treated to obtain an oil that has no color or taste. These products are used in the making of food stuffs such as breads, cakes, and cookies. On food labels, look for "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated", and then avoid them!
Hydrogenation sounds like a good thing, as no one wants to purchase rancid foods. It comes with a heavy price, though. The process of hydrogenation causes an immune damaging synthetic fat - known as a Trans fatty acid - that has been found to elevate blood cholesterol. As we know, a build-up of cholesterol can lead to heart disease.
This is putting the fat into food products. What if we just take the fat out completely?
When grocery shopping, if you see "light", "nonfat", "low fat", or "diet", a red flag should go up. Food manufacturers depend on you to continue buying their products, so they work to make sure those products taste good, keeping you coming back for more. In the case of removing the fat from a product, chances are sugar is added back in as a replacement in order to make it taste good, keeping you coming back for more. Sugar begets the craving of still more sugar, exactly what the manufacturers are counting on.
Here is where the confusion comes in. It seems it is a choice between fat-laden food products, or sugar-laden ones, and trying to decide which is the lesser of two evils.
The body requires fat, in moderation, in order to function. On its own, the body cannot manufacture enough essential fatty acids, so it needs to receive the balance of them from an outside source, from the foods you choose. Eating fat actually stimulates the burning of stored fat in your body and satiates your appetite. Without that feeling of being satiated, you will feel hungry, which leads to the unproductive cycle of overeating, as your body tries to compensate for the shortage of nutrients it is experiencing.
Which is the lesser of the two evils? Neither!
Stick with whole foods eating, the most beneficial habit you can pick up in order to provide your body with the nutrients it requires. When you eat whole foods, you are eating them as close to their natural state as possible. Whole foods eating is an exercise in moderation, giving you some fat and some sugar, but naturally. Keep in mind that the less the product is manufactured, the better quality it is. When you eat quality whole foods, you get caught up in a cycle that your body will love and reward you for, giving you greater energy and vitality.
Would you want it any other way?

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By Debra Augur

Debra Augur has studied holistic nutrition for years, put that knowledge into practice, and has a passion to share that knowledge with others who are seeking their own best health. If we are what we eat, are we denatured, devitalized, deficient and potentially toxic? Visit http://www.eat-well-to-be-well.com to learn more, and begin acquiring your healthiest self.

Image Consultants - Can Help You Look Slimmer Instantly!

2006-01-05T03:46:00.000-08:00

While eating the correct diet is the longer term solution to looking thinner,you can look slimmer instantly simply by careful selection of the clothes you wear.
Image conusltants can help you do this making you look and feel better instantly.
In today’s image conscious society, image consultants are more popular than ever, and are no longer just for the rich.
Follow the 12 simple guidelines below and lose a few kilos instantly!
1. Focus on one color
Monochromatic dressing (dressing in one color only) makes anyone look taller, slimmer and leaner.
2. Use darker colors
Darker colors make you look slimmer than lighter colours. Black and blue for example, are great colours to use for most people.
3. Colour intensity
If you are wearing multiple colours keep them close in intensity. For example, dark blue and black or stone and soft white.
4. Wear darker colours at the bottom
Use the darker colour at the bottom of your outfit to make you look taller and your hips appear slimmer.
5. Wear heels
Wearing medium or high heels with a thin sole automatically makes your legs look longer and you look slimmer.
6. Long slimmer legs
Legs will look longer and slimmer if you always closely match your hoise to your shoes and skirts. For example, with a print skirt, use the background colour to find hoise in a similar tone.
7. Hosiery
Always wear a neutral colour hose or match your hosiery to the lighter colour in the shoes. Never wear hose that are darker than the lightest colour in the shoes
8. Don’t bisect a fuller figure
Choose a longer jacket or blouse, and wear it untucked. This will give a leaner look, and deflects attention away from the waistline.
9. Beware of heavy fabrics
Never wear clothes made out of heavy fabrics, they make you look fatter. Always choose finer, silkier thin materials.
10. Wear clothes that fit
Buy clothing that FIT. Don’t try and squeeze into a size 12 if you are a size 14. This may seem obvious, but there are plenty of women who get hung up on size and won’t accept the size they really are.
11. Vertical design lines
Always make you look slimmer. Single breasted jackets, stripes and ironed creases in trousers will visually slim your body by dividing it into vertical sections, the closer the lines the slimmer you will appear.
12. Wear clothes that balance your horizontal & vertical proportions
You will always appear slimmer if you balance your vertical and horizontal proportions. For example, a woman who has long body and short legs can theoretically wear a short jacket; however, if she has a large breast her jacket should be at least hip length to take attention away from her breasts. By wearing clothes that are in proportion to your figure will always make you look slimmer.
Image consultants can change your life!
The above are just some examples of how image consultants can help you change your appearance for the better.
In todays image conscious society more and more people are realizing that by changing their appearance they will derive more from life.
Why appearance is so important
It is a well known fact that people subconsciously form an opinion about whom they first meet within 30 seconds.
How people perceive you is therefore vital in deriving the maximum from both your life and career.
Look and feel better instantly!
Today’s image consultants provide a wide range of services all designed to make you maximize your appearance and make you look your best.

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By Kelly Price

For further information on how an image consultant can help you and free guides on how to look your best,please visit:
http://www.premierimageconsultants.co.uk

Diabetic? Exercise Is Essential

2006-01-03T23:27:00.000-08:00

Thirty-five percent of all Americans will develop diabetes, which can cause heart attacks, strokes, blindness, deafness, impotence, amputations, kidney failure and sudden death. Three studies show why virtually all diabetics should exercise. The first study shows that exercising before a meal markedly reduces the rise in blood sugar that usually peaks 20 minutes after you eat (Lipids in Health & Disease, October 2005). The second shows that exercise lowers HBA1C in diabetics (Journal of Obesity, October 2002), while the third shows that exercise lowers high blood pressure (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, August 2005)
When you eat, your blood sugar level rises. In diabetics, most of the damage is done within 20 minutes after you eat because that’s the time that blood sugar levels are at their highest. The higher blood sugar rises, the more sugar sticks on cells. Once sugar is stuck on a cell, it can never get off. It is eventually converted to a poison called sorbitol that destroys the cell. This cell destruction causes all of the horrible side effects of diabetes.
Doctors measure the amount of sugar stuck on cells with a blood test called HBA1C. The first goal in treating diabetes is to use drugs and diet to get HBA1C below 6. Since blood sugar levels are highest 20 minutes after you eat, you should do everything possible to prevent the high rise in blood sugar that follows meals. The only places that your body can store sugar are in your muscles and your liver. After you eat, sugar goes from your intestines into your bloodstream. Then if your muscles are empty from exercise, the sugar can pass into your muscles. However, if your muscles are full because you do not exercise, the sugar has no place to go and blood sugar rises to very high levels to stick to cells and destroy your body.
Exercise is also vital for diabetics because it helps to control blood pressure. Eighty percent of diabetics die of heart disease, and anything that increases risk for heart attacks puts diabetics in danger. High blood pressure is a major risk for heart attacks and strokes. Since exercise lowers high blood pressure, it helps to prevent heart attacks and thus to keep diabetics alive.

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By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com