Weight Loss Via Emotional Healing

Many people turn to weight loss diets and weight loss detox programs looking to lose weight as fast as possible. However, in many cases, these people are also fighting an emotional battle rather than a physical one. More and more people are eating simply because of underlying emotional issues or unresolved emotional experiences, rather than eating because they are actually hungry. There are many emotional reasons for overeating, but a lot of the time this overeating is more of a habit instead of true hunger or need for food.

Habits are incredibly easy to build. Many are even deeply enriched from when you were a child. Did your mother ever tell you that you could have a soda if you were good at the grocery store? Or, did your grandmother ever reward you with dessert for being quite in church? These little bribes instilled habits in us as children and now many people are unable to break these routines.

Food is more than nutrition for many people. Many people are passionate about food, not just because they enjoy cooking it or creating great tasting meals, but because they see it as a recreation. Many people see food as their closest friend and others use it as a replacement for sex. Then they wake up one day to see that they are several pounds overweight, society is stressing out over obesity and this compound into negative feelings, emotions and pressure.

As problems like these compounds onto those who are obese, drastic measures are created to help bring people down from this heavy weight and begin to create "technologies" for fast weight loss, such as liposuction, stomach stapling and bands, and weight loss pills. However, these measures don't solve the underlying cause of the obesity because it doesn't solve the unresolved emotions lurking beneath the surface.

In order to have physical health, it's important to resolve emotions as well. This means that you can't pretend anymore that something awful hasn't happened to you. Instead, you have to resolve these toxic emotions as they cause excessive hormones, increased heart rate, digestion issues, headaches and even weight gain. On the other hand, some people experience excessive weight loss instead of gain.

To emotionally cleanse our bodies, it's important that we release the emotional toxins that reside in our cells. This is best completed via detox. As you go through the detox, don't be surprised if deep unresolved emotions of sadness, anger or fear arise. This means you are facing your emotional pain honestly. As emotion surface in detox and even on a daily basis, you must force yourself to deal with them instead of bury them.

Physical detoxing (cleansing through maximum nutrition) will allow you to push through physical and emotional toxins that reside in your body. One method to ensure that you are receiving the best nutrition possible as well as gain mental clarity, more energy, and improved sleep to support your body as it recovers from emotional and physical stress is the 3 Product Wellness pack. This Wellness pack is a combination of three all-natural vital supplements that provides your body with support in numerous areas and can be found at Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat. Through a combination of emotional and physical detox as well as providing your body with the nutrition it needs through the Wellness Pack you will soon find yourself on the path to natural weight loss.

Dr. Roni Deluz, RN, ND, PhD is a life style consultant and owner of Martha's Vineyard Holistic Retreat. She is also the author of "21 Pounds in 21 Days," which debuted #3 on the New York Times Bestseller list. She is a registered nurse, colonic therapist and naturopathic doctor. She travels across the country helping people to make their lives better and healthier via natural health sciences. For more information on her book, products and services visit http://www.mvholisticretreat.com

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Simple and Tasty Food Substitutions

Whenever we speak about the topic of food, it's almost a sure thing that someone will bring up the topic of their favorite food or foods. Unfortunately, due to the seemingly continual rise of excess processing, additives and preservatives being a common part of so many of the foods we eat, choosing a favorite isn't always the healthiest choice, is it?

Thankfully, there are many ingenious ways to "reproduce" your favorite (not-so-healthy) foods in ways that are good for you! That's what I'd like to discuss today. Plus, I want to give you some great recipes along the way!

First though, I would like to go over my 3 basic "ground rules" when it comes to choosing the foods you eat. Follow these and you really can't go too wrong:

RULE #1 - Whenever possible, make it yourself. If you are serious about losing fat, you also must get serious about eating healthy, natural "real" foods as much as possible. Go and get the fresh ingredients you need, spend some quality time with your kitchen and start cooking.

RULE #2 - Never eat from a box or a bag. My only exception to this rule is pre-washed lettuce and other greens that are packed in plastic bags. Remember, if it's able to stay on a grocery shelf for weeks, months or even years, how many preservatives are in it, right? Look at the ingredients list; if you can't pronounce it, do you really want to eat it?

RULE #3 - Shop the perimeter of the store. You've heard this again and again. The best, freshest, most nutritious foods are located around the perimeter of the supermarket. So that's where you need to shop, period.

Remember these 3 simple rules, and half the battle is already won! Now, let's talk about some simple and tasty food substitutions.

I want to share three ways that I use natural, healthy ingredients in my cooking, in place of things that would normally be considered "less than healthy." Also, I'm including a couple of great simple recipes that you can try right away and prove that eating our favorite foods doesn't have to mean eating foods that aren't healthy (or tasty).

Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit: Don't worry, I'm not going to finish the rhyme (you know the rest). Beans are one of the staples in my kitchen at all times. They are a great substitute for fat-laden ground meats, providing a terrific source of protein along the way. The other thing that beans can give you is the ability to cook and bake without gluten. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein which is usually found in wheat, barley, rye and other carbohydrates. Gluten itself is not necessarily bad for you, but many people do have difficulty digesting gluten (ie. those with celiac disease). By using ground bean flour in place of traditional wheat flour when baking, it is possible to make something "gluten-free." Now, I want to share a great recipe with you for gluten-free brownies with black beans:

Black Bean (gluten-free) Brownies

Ingredients:

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans (rinsed and drained)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons canola oil

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup sugar

Directions: Mix ingredients together in a blender/food processor until pureed. Pour into a greased 8x8 cake pan. Stir in some chocolate chips and nuts, or leave plain. Bake at 350 F for approximately 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

An Apple a Day Keeps Fatty Oils Away: You may already be aware that a great substitute for fatty oils in your baking is good old, unsweetened applesauce! Simply peel and core some apples of your choice (I use Empires or Macs myself), place them in a pot on medium-low heat, covered, and let them cook down until they are nice and mushy. I use a potato masher to finish them off. Typically the substitution ratio is 1:1 from oil to applesauce. If you're trying this for the first time, I would recommend that you experiment with it a few times before going full-on to the 1:1 sub. So if your recipe calls for a cup of oil, try using half a cup oil and half a cup applesauce. Remember that using the applesauce will affect the texture and taste (making it softer and sweeter), so try a few combinations to see what works and what tastes the best for you.

Mimic the Texture, Maximize the Nutrition: One of my favorite dishes is shepherd's pie. I love the combination of lean ground meat (I use lean ground turkey, chicken or bison) with tender vegetables, and that wonderful "gravy" that comes naturally when it's baked. However, the abundance of fluffy white mashed potatoes on top always bothered me a little because they represent what I call "empty calories." I mean, there isn't really a lot of quality nutrition in mashed potatoes (and they are usually high in fat too). So I wanted to try to find a good substitute that would provide some extra nutrients. My search ended when I found a recipe for shepherd's pie using mashed cauliflower for the topping! Here's the recipe. Try it and I bet you'll be surprised how good it tastes:

Lean Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

Topping:

10 oz fresh cauliflower florets, steamed and mashed

2 tbsp low fat sour cream

2 tbsp low fat cream cheese

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 egg, beaten

4 oz fat free cheddar (optional)

Filling:

Non-stick cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1.5 lbs lean ground turkey, chicken or bison

1 tbsp dried basil

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

10 oz low fat chicken broth

2 tbsp corn starch

1 can peas and carrots

1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli

1 turnip, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Steam cauliflower, drain and mash slightly. Add all topping ingredients and mash or whip with electric mixer until fluffy. Set aside. In large fry pan, coat with cooking spray, add onions and garlic and sautee until tender. Add ground meat and cook until browned. Add all seasonings and prepared vegetables. In a separate bowl or cup, mix corn starch into chicken broth and stir until dissolved. Pour into meat mixture and heat through, stirring until thickened. Coat square or rectangle baking dish with cooking spray and pour meat mixture into baking dish, spreading evenly over the bottom. Spoon topping onto this, sprinkle with paprika if desired and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

BONUS - Get Some Extra Good from Your Cooking Liquid: What does this mean? Let me explain. You see, pretty much every morning, I enjoy a serving of delicious and nutritious steel cut oatmeal for breakfast. When cooking the oats, typically you would use water, right? Well, I wanted to find something better, and I did. Coconut milk! That's right. Instead of just using plain old water (which really adds nothing extra to the oatmeal), I started using a can of coconut milk. The oatmeal ends up with a fantastic, coco-nutty flavor, and this also adds some essential fats to it which we all need to keep our bodies functioning properly.

I hope you will try these or other simple and tasty food substitutions the next time you make a meal.

My Name is Dale Bateman. For over 10 years, I've been helping ordinary people (like you and me) achieve their fat loss goals with my common sense approach to health and wellness. I truly believe that long term fat loss can only be mastered by incorporating what I call my three components of fat loss. These are Fitness, Nutrition and Motivation. Without all three components, you are setting yourself up for failure. Each week, my blog features a brand new, original post dealing with one of these three components. Also, you can sign up for my free weekly newsletter and free 5 week e-course, "5 S.T.E.P.S. to Losing Your First 5 Pounds."
So if you're looking for common sense strategies for losing fat and achieving optimal health and wellness, please visit my blog today: http://losethefatforlife.com
Thank you.
Dale Bateman

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Orac Scale - What is It?

Most of us don't dig too much into the science of our food. We eat what we are supposed to eat, what tastes good and sometimes, what we are told to eat. But we rarely do our own research to back up any claims made about the food we eat.

But the ORAC Scale is something that even the layperson can understand. If you are serious about getting the right amount of antioxidants in your body, understanding how the scale works is essential.

What is ORAC?

ORAC stands for "Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity", and is really nothing more than a way to measure the antioxidant capacity of certain foods. Understand that this isn't so much a measurement of how much antioxidant power food packs, but rather how much of the antioxidants can be absorbed into the body.

The scale was developed by the United States' National Institute on Aging, which is a part of the National Institutes of Health in Maryland. Although it was developed by a sub-group of the National Institute on Aging, the scale is not endorsed or approved by the NIH (National Institutes of Health).

Nonetheless, the scale for measuring antioxidant capacity of food is being taken seriously because the scale was recently used by the United States Department of Agriculture, which included an ORAC database of foods on its home page.

How does the ORAC work?

Using a scientific formula, the ORAC scale determines the antioxidant level of certain foods, but does so using a measurement of 100 grams of the food, not one traditional serving.

So using this formula, many foods will actually have less antioxidant benefit in your body than they might appear on paper. Let's look at the number one food on the ORAC list for antioxidant power to understand this point.

Cinnamon has the highest antioxidant capacity of any food on the this scale. Trouble is, 100 grams of cinnamon is quite a bit, and much more than most people will eat in a serving. But it also lists red beans very high on the antioxidant list, which means that if you eat 100 grams of red beans (or ½ cup, as the ORAC scale gives this measurement for beans), you will get much more of an antioxidant benefit than the teaspoon of cinnamon you mix into your oatmeal in the morning.

What foods rank high?

The following foods are the top 10 antioxidant rich foods according to the ORAC scale:

Cinnamon
Aronia black chokeberry
Small red bean
Wild blueberry
Red kidney bean
Pinto bean
Blueberry
Cranberry
Artichoke hearts
Blackberry

Other foods at the top of the list include more expected foods like strawberry, plums, black beans and raspberry. The other emerging high antioxidant food is acai berry which has many times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. This extract is now extensively studied because of its exceptionally high antioxidant abilities.

While it's not necessary to carry this antioxidant list around with you, it's good to understand how packed with antioxidants your foods might be and the ORAC scale can help with this.

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What is the Slim-Fast Diet Plan?

The Slim-Fast diet plan is the eating plan of the Slim-Fast company which manufacturers a range of diet products. These are used as meal replacements, as part of the diet.

Unlike other companies that produce diet or weight loss products, Slim-Fast is much more than just shakes and bars. The range of products also includes soups, snacks and pastas. The Slim-Fast diet plan uses the products as part of the total eating plan which allows members, who follow the diet plan, to lose weight.

Slim-Fast promotes weight loss through 4 steps: portion control, sensible eating, regular exercise or activity and support. The support comes in a variety of ways; there is the well-set-out website which contains loads of information, online registered dietitians who are available to answer questions and a buddy system where members support and help each other. By following their plan, Slim-Fast says you will lose 10% of your total body weight; at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds a week. This is a good, sustainable rate of weight loss that is within government recommended guidelines.

One really good thing about Slim-Fast is the education they offer; different topics are set out very clearly to inform and educate on how to lose weight sensibly. Covered on the user-friendly website is portion size, nutrition, balanced meals, how to read food labels, good versus bad fats, dealing with cravings and long-term weight management, among other pertinent topics.

The diet plan recommends six small meals a day, which has been shown to help with weight loss. The plan tells you to use the Slim-Fast meal replacement products for two of the six meals. For the other four meals, you can eat what you like, but there is lots of helpful information about lean protein, carbohydrate, fruit, vegetables and water, to encourage you to eat sensibly.

To help you plan your meals, there is advice on custom designed meal plans and weight loss tools. The goal is to reduce your calorie intake by controlling portion sizes, a scientifically proven weight loss strategy. You are able to integrate their suggestions with your own favorite foods, with the emphasis being on balanced nutrition.

The regular physical activity that is part of the Slim-Fast diet plan is also reasonable and achievable. It recommends just 30 minutes of activity daily without any emphasis on heavy gym training, which doesn't always appeal to people. This would seem to be a sensible, honest weight loss plan, as long as you enjoy eating and drinking their products. If you don't like them, you will probably not stick with the plan.

Have you tried many fat loss products and diet plans on the market but failed. "Fat Free Blueprint" is a regularly updated website which contains resources and tips you can use right now to drop your fat quickly. If you want to know how to know the best slim fast diet plan; here is one product "Fat Free Blueprint" recommended and you can read the honest Fat Free Blueprint Review

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allen_Chen

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Advantages Of Green Tea In Weight Loss

Green tea is a well known alternative treatment for various conditions and illnesses. It is tried and tested to assist in preventing most cancers, heart attacks, hypertension, aging, and even oral problems. It is also highly effective in curing skin diseases including acne as well as eczema. It really works in cleansing and detoxifying the body of all harmful toxins and other chemicals that result in acne inflammation and skin breakouts. Furthermore, it also helps make your skin looking fairer.

At present, many people normally try green tea as a weight lose agent. There are already famous models and actors that testified to the good effects of green tea in getting rid of unwanted weight. Health and fitness centers furthermore advocate the use of green tea.

This short article shows you the process on how green tea helps in reducing excess fat of the body. Green tea consists of polyphenols, they are molecules that activate enzymes to break down the fats of the body. For this reason, the food consumed is absorbed by the body quite well. It helps the body absorb less dietary fats and blocks the conversion of energy into body fats. Green tea hinders fat cells from increasing and enlarging. It also has the capacity to get rid of excess water from the body that makes you feel heavy.

The antioxidant known as catechins in green tea helps the body from losing weight. Catechins along with caffeine works far better for weight reduction. These two elements of green tea function hand in hand in burning up much more calories and prolong the heat of burning as well. You will find that even while resting, you're still burning excess calories.

Experts claim that drinking tea controls blood sugar. It'll make you stop desiring for much more food which is actually helpful for weight loss. The correct level of blood sugar also improves mood swings and energy levels. Most people suggest drinking less than six cups of green tea every day in order to burn 35% to 45% of fat per day.

The good thing about green tea when compared with other diet pills is that you could use it at any time without worrying about the side effects. Nevertheless it must still be a common practice to drink tea in moderation. Green tea has caffeine, that is why excessive intake of this can cause headaches and insomnia. It would be far better to still visit your doctor to talk about choosing tea for weight reduction.

By Terry Gibbs

About the Author:

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Weight Loss Reduces Possibility Of Developing Sugar Diabetes

Research has proven extra pounds raises risk for dangerous health conditions. As an example, overweight people generally suffer from Diabetes Mellitus. Therefore, an individual's best diet to lose weight assists in eliminating weight in addition to decreasing chance for medical problems.

Over twenty million Americans have Diabetes Mellitus. Additionally, that amount grows annually as even more people gain excess weight. Family history might be one reason people develop this health condition. Diet will lead to getting Diabetes also.

Although often it is said in order to experience Diabetes people must have excess weight, that notion is incorrect. Being overweight contributes to Diabetes Mellitus, however people are not required to have excessive pounds in order to develop this health condition. Nevertheless, if a person weighs greater than what she or he ought to and suffer from this medical condition, then decreasing their extra weight will be a great decision.

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic condition resulting from the human body's inability to utilize insulin to process glucose. In some scenarios, prescriptions might be necessary. Although, dependent upon the severity, type 2 and pre-diabetes usually can be managed with lifestyle changes like working out and a healthy diet which lead to dropping unneeded body weight.

Controlling this health condition without assistance could be tough. Therefore, individuals that have this health condition might choose to talk to a dietitian or nutritionist. Eliminating pounds is a significant factor for managing this disease. Nevertheless, getting nutriments required, locating a meal plan and controlling carb intake can be difficult. Nutritionists will assist with such items. During visits which examine food items an individual likes in addition to nutriments needed, a person's best diet to lose weight plus manage sugar Diabetes can be obtained.

Watching carbohydrate consumption will be extremely helpful when striving to eliminate extra body weight as well as manage Diabetes Mellitus. Carbs are the human body's main fuel source. They are acquired from food products. Inside a body, carbohydrates change into blood sugar. Thus, in order to eliminate unneeded body weight and sustain healthy blood sugar levels, carbohydrate consumption will need to be monitored.

What the majority of people have a problem with is realizing a couple types of carbohydrates can be found. Simple carbs for instance sugary snacks break down quickly inside the human body. Monosaccharide or simple carbs need to be excluded whenever eliminating unneeded body fat and managing Diabetes Mellitus. Complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes break down gradually within the body. Polysaccharide or complex carbohydrates should be part of every person's eating routine.

People are not required to suffer from health problems. Eliminating excessive weight could considerably decrease possibility for medical conditions. Thus, get a person's best diet to lose weight in order to start enjoying improved health today.

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Rapid Weight Loss Diet Programs

There are many varieties of diet programs that promote or claim to achieve rapid weight loss. Of these many programs, or systems, there are basically 3 main categories. These are as follows:

1. A Liquid-Based Detox Diet

This style of fast weight loss program became popular after being popularized by celebrities and then covered by the media who follow whatever the celebrities drink, eat or do. In essence, this is not strictly a diet and it was designed as a body cleansing detox program. Its purpose was to flush toxins out of the body and help you to feel rejuvenated. In its original form it was only ever meant to be used for 3 days periods but over time it has been adapted, or manipulated, into a quick weight loss system.

The formula basically consists of consuming a drink two or three times a day. The drink contains natural ingredients specifically combined for their individual properties. The main version uses hot water, known to help flush out your body. This is combined with lemon juice which contains acidic and citric acids, also good at promoting detoxification and chilli powder, again another ingredient that has detoxification qualities.

The extra ingredient added when the formula became used as a fast weight loss system was honey. The honey is supposed to supply your body with the sugar it need to keep going during this liquid-only fasting process. You will certainly lose weight quickly if you use this method but there are some serious concerns over its potential health risks if used over lengthy periods.

2. Low Carbohydrate, High Protein Diets

These became very popular after the explosion that was the Atkin's Diet. That particular diet was an extreme form of this program and has now been proven to be a health risk. There are still variations on this theme and they are still very popular. The basis behind this style of diet is as the heading suggests - you are allowed to eat protein-rich food without any real restriction but are not allowed to consume many carbohydrates.

What this diet does is rob your body of its main fuel source - carbohydrates - this then encourages the body to burn its fat stores instead and hence the fast weight loss. The protein is for strength and is alleged to help with counteracting the weakness that comes from starving your body of its fuel source.

The danger of this diet is that it promotes ketosis, in a nutshell ketones are small carbon molecules produced when your body burns fat instead of carbohydrates. This happens because your body goes into a state of ketosis and while this can also suppress appetite it is proven to be harmful to your kidneys and other organs. The main weight loss from this diet comes from water loss and loss of muscle tissue.

3. Diet Every Other Day Diets

This last category has become increasingly popular over recent years and whilst there have been comments about the lack of research, there is now a sudden influx of new documentation becoming available. In fact, this style of diet was first discovered in the 1930's by pure accident. An every other day diet works on the low-calorie system but is not as difficult to follow, the reason being that you only have to stick to the low-calorie regime every other day.

On the other day, often referred to as an 'up-day' you can eat as you please, although there are some sensible restrictions and the better of these diet types do encourage nutrition, healthy eating and a balanced diet. The reason behind this one day on, one day off system is that it supposedly counteracts the usual problem of low-calorie starvation-style dieting - namely, the slowing down of metabolism or the body reducing its carbohydrate needs in response to it being starved - this then results in weight loss reduction.

An alternate day diet lets you eat normally every other day so the body does not consider itself starved. Another benefit to this method is that some people find it easier to follow and adhere to a low-calorie diet when they know they can eat normally the following day. Not everyone can stick to strict low-calorie diets and many have turned to this as a 'best of both worlds'.

If you are looking to lose weight fast [http://www.dieteveryotherday.info] but don't want to starve yourself, you may want to look into an alternate day diet. It's a rapid weight loss diet but you only have low-calorie restrictions every other day. For more information visit [http://www.dieteveryotherday.info].

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Natural, Safe Weight Loss Supplements for Women

Weight loss is a major concern for both men and women and to achieve this one should maintain a proper diet along with some exercise daily. Since that process can be a slow one, people tend to try to find faster ways of reducing fat. One of those ways is to take diet pills and supplements. Many supplements are not recommended by medical ebodies due to a lack credible result, and in some cases, averse side effects. There are few natural supplements that a person can consume that have either significant anecdotal support, or are clinically proven to help you have quicker results with your weight loss objectives.

Before we get into our supplements in more detail, it is important that we add a disclaimer: Always check with a doctor or expert before taking any new supplement, and always research the ingredients, so you are aware of any potential side effects and pitfalls.

Calcium Supplements

According to research, women who take 1,000 mg of calcium everyday during their diet, lose more fat and overall weight than those women who take placebos for the same reason. In addition, research also shows that women who consume other low-calories foods lose less weight than women who take calcium in their diets. This shows that calcium consumption is helpful during weight loss. Another reason to include calcium supplements is that your bones require a healthy dose of calcium to stay strong.

Green Tea Supplements

Green tea as a supplement or a drink has multiple benefits and many studies associate the use of green tea with faster weight loss. Besides making you lose weight, it also reduces the possibility of heart attack or stroke, and acts as a strong antioxidant. The secret behind green tea's performance in your diet is that it speeds your metabolic system up. With the help of green tea, you digest faster and also burn more fat in less time. Even if you do not plan to lose weight, you should consider including green tea in your diet to maintain a healthy lifestyle regardless, as it's health benefits appear to be numerous and varied.

Acai Berry Supplements

While there is some debate about the effectiveness of Acai Berry Diet Supplements for weight loss, there is anecdotal evidence that supports the claims that Acai berries can help you lose weight as part of a balanced diet and regular exercise regime. Furthermore, they are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, vital fatty acids and fibre, and so they make an excellent diet supplement too.

If you're trying to lose weight, you must also consume fruits and vegetables as much as possible. Fruits and vegetables have few calories and the rest is all fiber. Your body will need to burn more stored calories to digest all of that fiber, and fibre has the benefit of making you feel fuller for longer, reducing the urge to eat more, or to over eat, and is vital for good bowel function.

It would be even better if you could consume plenty of fruits and vegetables in place of treats and snacks such as crisps, instead of treating them as an additional item on your menu. The only thing which will help you lose weight in the fastest way is to maintain a low-calorie diet and that is only possible if you replace your meals with healthier options, and ensure that your exercise regimen uses more calories than what you are consuming. This will provide you sustainable and long-lasting results.

Use of some natural and safe diet pills can assist in dieting, however, they are not a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet and an regular exercise regime.

If you are looking for natural diet pills, carb blockers, nutrional supplements to help you boost metabolism and burn fat, or if you are looking for affordable guided weight loss mentoring and support from dieticians, psychologists, and other experts, visit www.shineweightloss.co.uk

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Green Tea Weight Loss Supplements - How Does It Work?

By Kenneth Palmer

Green leaf tea weight loss benefits are a hot topic among the health professionals. Just how does green tea actually work to aid people shed weight? Are there scientific studies to support the benefit?

There are usually various factors for gaining weight. But it comes down to two components. First is the consumption of fat or food that is going to become fat. Second is the amount of fat burning. Tea supports both aspects.

Green tea extract contains strong antioxidants known as catechins. Of all the catechins, epigallocatechin gallate generally known as EGCG assists with weight loss the best. EGCG triggers thermogenesis that is the procedure of generating heat in human body. This process accelerates rate of metabolism which speeds up the fat burning process. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea improves metabolic process by 4 percent.

Japanese tea experts had an experiment to analyze tea weight loss benefits. Thirty eight adult men participated for the research. 50 percent of the participants received green tea extract as part of daily diet and the other 50 percent were given just the daily food. After 3 months, participants with green tea extract resulted significant reduction in body mass and waistline compared to the group of participants without the tea extract.

Green tea also helps with limiting the amount of food consumption. In a research experiment, tea extract was provided to one group of mice and placebo was given to another group. After a single week, the group which took green tea extracts loss desire for food and minimized their consumption by 60 percent. Fewer calories concluded in fat loss.

As reported by the researchers, the lost food cravings were a result of the bringing down of blood glucose level. Tea's Antioxidants help sugar to enter the bloodstream at a slower pace that avoids sudden rises in insulin. Many people having excessive blood glucose level may feel hungrier and also fatigued. Greater healthy sugar circulation aids with reducing excess fat storage and hunger for food.

Final tip for individuals curious about trying green leaf tea as a weight loss supplement is to ensure that you consume tea without any additives. Most of the iced tea drinks available in a grocery store consist of artificial additives like sugar. This defeats the intention of shedding pounds. It is advisable to brew own tea and perhaps only include pure citrus fruit juice such as orange juice to increase antioxidants. If preparing tea is a lot of work, then try taking tea supplements. A lot of pills are sugar-free and many contain vitamins for additional benefits.

About the Author:

If you are still not sure about taking green tea weight loss pills as a supplement, visit livinggreenteatablets.com and learn more about the benefits of tea.

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10 Top Tips to attaining Successful Dieting

By Emma Davies

We all know eating less and exercising more is the key to loosing weight, however this is easier said than done. Equally dieting shouldn't just be anguish, torment and pain otherwise you will not succeed. Here are 10 top tips to change your attitude towards food and help you loose those pounds.

1. Realize the importance of information.

Read magazines and articles in order to find out about the latest facts on healthy eating. When you have the latest information, it will be easier to maintain your determination and to be confident that your weight loss goals can be achieved.

Be motivated

It is very important that before you begin your weight loss programme to write down your reasons for loosing weight. Having clear goals at the start will make it easier to commit. Loosing weight to improve health problems is a good starting point, it shouldn't just be about looking good. Keep the list close to hand and refer to it regularly to keep you motivated.

Your body is a reflection of the food that you eat.

Keep a food diary of what you eat and drink, having an understanding of your feeding habits will help identify your trouble areas. Knowing what you eat and drink will enable you to make those all important changes. This will keep you in control and help you plan ahead

Set achievable targets that are realistic.

It has been shown from certain studies that it is proper to begin by losing at least 10% of your bodyweight. You can break this into more controllable chunks, reaching for 2-3kg in one stretch. Maintaining your weight is a success in itself. On the other hand, when you lose a little weight over a period of time, your health improves. When you are ready to begin your diet program, take it one step at a time. Practical goals that are achievable will lead to success and make you more confident.

Eat little and often.

You will lose weight if you burn more calories than you consume. This may not be easy if you are continuously hungry. Research has revealed that individuals who eat 4 to 5 small meals daily find it easier to manage their weight. Divide the food that you eat daily into smaller sizes and try not to eat after the evening meal.

Have protein at each meal.

Diets with higher protein content can reduce overall food intake. This is because protein is more satisfying than both carbohydrate or fat. Protein makes you feel fuller sooner, so making sure you have a lean portion of chicken or fish will help with this goal. Protein also takes longer to digest and enter the blood stream so alleviates that sugar rush associated with diets high in carbohydrate.

Most people eat more when distracted.

More often than not you will eat more when you a distracted, try and make sure you set aside a specific time to eat your meals. You will find that you take in less calories and be more conscious of what you are eating. It has been shown that you could take in 40% more calories if sat in front of the TV, or on the move, whilst eating.

You can enjoy you favourite foods.

It is not always proper to completely do away with your best foods because it is counter-productive in the end. Make sure your best foods are listed on the menu but eat smaller quantities and combine them with other healthier alternatives. Moderation is important.

Exercise a little.

Your metabolism will increase when you do more physical exercise. You will have more energy; have better sleep and a more positive attitude. If you join a keep fit program, you will increase muscle mass and have a better body. It is easier to be motivated when you workout with a group.

Finally....have confidence in yourself

Don't expect things to happen overnight changing all your ingrained habits will take some time. You may even stray from your diet plan. However don't worry. Stay focused and remind yourself why you set the goals you did - feeling fitter and being healthier than you are now. Think positive thoughts and you will overcome those difficulties, you will win in the end.

About the Author:

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Weight Loss: What's More Important Diet Or Exercise?

There are only two things you can do to lose weight

1) Consume less calories

2) Burn more calories

That's it! That will always be it, there is nothing that will ever change this hard and fast rule. How you go about getting one or both of these things done is where the trick is, and apparently it must be one helluva trick because almost half of the North American population can't figure it out. This is also why the fitness, functional foods, and supplement industries continue to grow with no end in sight promising all the latest weight loss fixes.

So the question becomes, which one is more important, diet or exercise? This isn't that simple of a question.
I've heard experts say that if you eat right exercise doesn't matter, and I've heard other so called experts say if you exercise enough diet doesn't matter.

I think the real answer is in the middle somewhere.

For example: you can lose all kinds of weight by just restricting calories and never working out at all...this isn't exactly what I would consider the healthiest way to lose weight, and research shows that most people cannot sustain this for very long and go back to eating the way they did before.

On the other hand it is difficult to workout enough to be able to completely ignore nutrition/diet when you are trying to lose weight. If for example you don't work and can spend 3-4 hours exercising each day, then you would be able to lose weight and have a pretty care free diet. Again, this may not be the healthiest way either and certainly isn't practical as most people cannot workout for 3-4 hours every day.

So considering these points I would say both diet and exercising are essential to creating and maintaining your best possible shape! Learning how to do both effectively gives you some wiggle room when you slack off on one or the other.

For example: Lets say you have a solid workout routine going, and you've been hitting the gym 3-4 times per week consistently for a period of months. You can probably get away with a couple of days of eating all kinds of naughty stuff. Because of your consistent workouts the negative effects of your eating adventures will be minimized.

Similarly, consistent moderate food intake allows you to miss a few days in the gym here and there without putting on all kinds of weight.

Both diet and exercise play a role in weight loss, the degree to which varies from person to person. People who workout more often will have a greater benefit than people who workout less often or not at all. People who eat moderately with less high calorie days, will see greater weight loss than people who have more high calorie days. In the end it all comes back to consuming less calories than you burn off.

John Barban is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a varsity strength and conditioning coach as well as a successful entrepreneur. John has trained with world class level powerlifting teams and athletes at the professional level. Most recently he has specialized in training female varsity athletes, specifically women's ice hockey players. John has his masters in nutritional science and human physiology from the University of Guelph, and further graduate work at the University of Florida where he taught principles of strength training and conditioning in the department of health and human performance. John also has extensive experience developing and formulating nutritional sports supplements. John write for [http://www.grrlathlete.com] and [http://www.womensworkout.blogspot.com]

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African Mango Diet: Hide (The Fats) and Seek (A Healthier You)

People of past and present have often looked for the secret that would make them look eternally young, sexy, and healthy. Oftentimes, people resort to cosmetic surgery, even liposuction rules to remedy this situation while others look for alternative ways to make them look good. One way that is easy and at the same time affordable is taking dietary supplements. Diet pills make sure that the person loses weight to look sexy or even look like the models in magazine covers. Although dietary supplements indeed make a person thin, the side effects are often times too much that the person taking the pills is forced to stop and thus gain unsightly bulges.

How can then one safely lose weight, achieve the look, and figure that they dream of?

African mango dietary supplements or Irvingia Gabonensis is the latest weight loss supplement that is hitting the health and fitness industry. The supplement comes from the seed extract of the bush mango that originates only from Africa, specifically in Cameroon and Nigeria's rainforest. This fruit is widely available in the place and several medical studies conducted to make sure that the fruit could really help people lose weight in a natural way.

One clinical study, published in the medical journal of "Lipids in Health and Disease" in 2005 shows a significant decrease of body weight as well as body fat in the African mango volunteer's body area especially around the waist. Belly fat reduction measured was 2 inches lost in just 28 days from the test subject. A remarkable result as belly fats is hard to remove even if one undertakes crash diets and rigorous exercises.

Another research in University of Yaoundé in Cameroon resulted in a significant decrease of 2.37% body weight as well as 45/6% of bad cholesterol of LDL in the body of the test subjects. Bad cholesterol or LDL can cause heart problems if not treated early on. Losing weight is one way of removing this health risk that afflicts obese and overweight people. African mango seed extract shows a reduced rate of Triglycerides. Triglycerides are the culprit of heart problems.

Intake Of The Diet Pills

According to the instructions that comes with the diet capsules, taking African mango diet pills twice a day before every meal considered as the best way of harnessing the benefit of the dietary supplement. The pills works as appetite suppressant therefore people who take it will not feel much hunger and overindulged themselves with food. The pill regulates the release of body hormones like leptin and adinopectin. So before one feels hungry, the diet pills stops the stimulus from being sent to the brain, and one no longer feel hungry and only eats less.

It is however, important to note that these types of dietary pills or natural supplements regulated only by the FDA and is not taken as replacements for medicines. Before taking the dietary capsules, one needs to see their doctors or attending physicians to know how to fully integrate the diet pills with their weight loss program, especially if one is obese or have other health problems.

Know more about African mango diet and get your free $20 EBook worth of healthy eating plan and ultimate weight loss secrets. You can lose those unwanted fats in just as little as 28 days with the help of African mangoes diet pills.

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Top 14 HCG Diet Recipes to Lose Weight Fast

It is really important to adhere to recommended foods and lifestyle tips when you aspire to lose excess weight. However, at times this can prove to be a tough task for weight loss aspirants. This can be tedious when you adhere to a low calorie weight loss plan like HCG weight loss regime. The restrictions like absence of sugar and fatty condiments can make you crave for snacks you are habituated to. However, it is possible to cook some delicious dishes that comply with calorie and dietary restrictions for HCG candidates. Below listed are some effective soups, snacks, and main meal dishes suitable for HCG diet.

Main meal recipes

Lemon Mustard Broiled Chicken

To make this tasty dish, you will need 100g chicken, oregano, black pepper, spicy mustard and lemon juice. Use some salt and small amount of cayenne pepper as per taste. At first, heat up the broiler for some minutes. Boil both sides of the meat for 6 minutes or so. In a bowl, blend all other ingredients well. Pour the mixture slowly on boiled chicken. Coat both sides of the meat well and then broil for 5 minutes.

Chinese Chicken

To prepare this dish you will need 100 grams cubed meat. You can use either chicken or shrimp. The other required ingredients are chicken Broth, stevia, garlic, salt & pepper, Chinese 5 spice and cabbage. Shred the cabbage and then sauté minced garlic with cabbage for a few minutes to make it tender. Then add the Chinese 5 spice with broth and stevia. Pour this mix into pan and cook with cubed meat. Stir fry for some time and add cabbage again. Cook for a few minutes.

Grilled Saloman with Herbs

To make this delicious HCG dish, you will need 1.5 pounds of wild salon. The other required ingredients include olive oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pre heat the grill in oven. Blend spices, lemon juice and oil in a bowl well. Then blend the herb mixture with the salmon slowly. Cook the coated salmon on grill till it become flaky. The dish should be served hot.

Lime Shrimp

To cook this HCG ready dish, you will need peeled shrimp, lime juice, chopped onion, cooking spray, black pepper, and salt. Use the cooking spray on the cooking pan and out it on flame. Add the ingredients and cook until the onions and shrimp becomes tender. Serve the dish steaming hot.

Orange Ginger Chicken

To make this yummy HCG dish, you will need 100 grams of chicken that are cut into cubes. Other ingredients are orange, black pepper, ginger root, minced garlic and lemon juice. At first, preheat the oven for a few minutes. Sprinkle pepper on top of chicken cubes. Stir fry the chicken for a few minutes and see if the sides have turned brown. Then add garlic to the meat and cook for a few more minutes. Thereafter squeeze orange juice on the chicken. Add basil, lemon juice and ginger to the chicken next. Then cover the pan and simmer for half an hour.

Beef and Broccoli

This is recommended for third phase of HCG diet. The main ingredient to make this dish is a pound of round steak, sliced in thin pieces. You will also need to use minced garlic, beef broth, chopped onion, garlic powder, cornstarch, ground ginger, broccoli florets and cooked rice. Heat the cooking pan for a minute after using some amount of cooking spray. Stir fry the beef, garlic and onion for a few minutes. Remove the meat and put it on a plate separately. Next, add broccoli and some amount of broth to the pan. Simmer the broccoli till it gets crisp. Mix garlic powder, soy sauce, broth and cornstarch together ell and add to pan. Cook it till the mixture thickens. Then add beef to the pan and stir fry for a minute. Pour the dish over rice and serve hot.

Soups

French Onion Soup

To make this great tasting soup, you will need to use beef broth, low fat Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, water, sliced onion, lemon juice, minced garlic and pepper and salt. Sauté the onions with cooking spray and add garlic thereafter. Add some water and lemon juice to the pan. Then put rest of ingredients in pan and cook in slow heat for 15 minutes. If necessary, you can put in a few boneless beef cubes to the soup.

Lemon Spinach Soup

The main ingredients to cook this tasty soup are vegetable broth, Lemon Juice and dried thyme. Apart from these, you will also have to use Spinach, pepper and salt. Boil the broth, thyme, pepper, salt and thyme in a saucepan for a few minutes. Then put the spinach in bowls. When the soup is ready pour it on the bowls over spinach and serve hot.

Cream of Chicken Soup

To make this nutritious low calorie soup, you will need 100g chicken, cooked. Other ingredients include celery, cloves garlic, chicken broth, minced onion, basil, parsley, salt, thyme and pepper. Pre heat the cooking pan for a few minutes. In a food process, blend all ingredients well. Then pour the mix into saucepan and boil. Cook at slow heat for 15 minutes or so and serve piping hot.

Cinnamon Curry Chicken Soup

The main ingredient of this soup is 100 grams cooked chicken. You will also have to take diced onion, cinnamon, curry powder, broth, black pepper and salt. Blend all ingredients well in a saucepan. Boil the mix for a few minutes. Simmer for half an hour till the soup gets the desired level of thickness.

Salads

Dilled Crab Salad

The chief ingredient to make this salad is jumbo crab meat. You will have to use red bell pepper, slice cucumber, celery stalks, chopped dill, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, leaf lettuce, pepper and salt. Remove shell from the meat carefully. Blend the lemon juice with mustard in a bowl. Then add the vegetables and stir well. Next, season the crab meat with pepper and salt. Put the meat with vegetables on top of lettuce and serve.

Tomato Basil Salad
The vegetables needed to make this salad include sliced midsized tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, red onion, lemon juice, minced garlic and apple cider vinegar. Blend the vegetables well in marinate them in a bowl with lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Put the bowl inside refrigerator and serve chilled.

Snacks

Lemon Cucumbers

The cucumber based snack can be used as a snack or appetizer by HCG diet candidates. You will need 2 sliced cucumbers and chopped onion to make this dish. Other necessary ingredients are vinegar, Stevia, celery salt, lemon juice and black pepper. Blend all the vegetables well in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice on top and keep inside refrigerator for an hour. Serve chilled with lettuce leaf for adornment.

Caribbean Cucumbers

To make this dish for HCG diet, you will require a sliced big cucumber. Other necessary ingredients include sliced onion, pepper sauce, fresh lime juice, Water, black pepper, fresh lime juice and salt. Blend cucumber slices well with lime juice, onion, salt and water in a bowl. Refrigerate the mixture for an hour or so and serve chilled.

Christine R Hughes is a food & fitness enthusiast and regularly writes for various publications online. Visit Hcg diet recipes for hundreds of easy to prepare hcg diet recipes.

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The Effect of Vitamin B12 For Weight Loss

Are B12 injections effective for weight loss programs? 

Vitamin B12 is Cobalamine and is one of the B vitamins. The B vitamins assist the body in converting carbohydrates into glucose. The glucose is burned in order to generate more energy to produce maximum power of the body.

This group of vitamins is frequently referred as vitamins B complex. The vitamin B complex is also vital for the breakdown of fats and proteins in our body. The B vitamins also maintain muscle shape and defend the mucus lining in the digestive region and mouth. These vitamins maintain the good health of our central nervous system and organs like the skin, eyes and liver. The additional vital purpose of Vitamin B12 is extremely comparable with other B complex vitamins. Cobalamine is measured to be an outstanding anti-stress vitamin since it is assumed to improve the health of our immune system and develops the ability of our body to battle stressful situations.

Nowadays, the probable role of vitamin B12 might participate in helping the origin of weight loss plans. This vitamin has been observed and applied as weight-loss method. Now, Vitamin B12 injections for weight loss are ordinary practice as part of advance weight-reducing programs. This weight-loss technique has been practiced at several weight loss clinics for years.

You must remember that over doses of these vitamins can cause severe health hazards and thus great care must be applied. B12 shots are expensive and must be taken under proper medical direction to evade severe health complications. Some of the side-effects are temper swings, panic attacks, unpredictable sugar levels on blood, numerous joint pains, muscle cramps and many more.

Usually, B12 shots are only for those patients that undergoing from Pernicious Anemia. You must remember that Vitamin B12 injections for weight loss are denounced by most parts of the medical organization. Aside from the energy boosts effect which may help the sluggish over weight person, real advantages of using B12 as a method to achieve weight loss is not clearly proven. You must always consider that real hard work and sweat constantly gives best result.

To learn more about b12 injections Please visit http://purehcgdiet.com/ now for free information and tips on the HCG diet.

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Dangerous Ingredients In Food

Dangerous ingredients in food are plentiful. This is just a small list of what you should avoid when you read labels. And it is important that you read labels.

Propylene Glycol Alginate

This ingredient is found in many different types of food as an emulsifier (thickening agent). You may find it in certain salad dressings, beverages, and yogurts. The source it is derived from, the kelp plant, may be natural but this particular ingredient can have some seriously negative side effects. High amounts of such a chemical ingredient can cause seizures in children. It is also suspected of causing liver or kidney disease.

POLYSORBATE 60

Polysorbates are also emulsifiers (thickening agents) and are commonly employed in food preparation. They have also been used in skin care products and various pharmaceuticals. Commonly, this ingredient will be found in a wide range of different cakes and sweets. Most would realize that many of the junk food selections which contain this ingredient are less than healthy but they might not realize the extent of the problems associated with it. Namely, high levels of Polysorbate 60 can contribute to the onset of cancer. It is also believed that it can cause organ toxicity and problematic reproductive issues.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene: Butylated Hydroxytoluene and BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) is often used in foods for the prime purpose of preventing fats from becoming rancid. Most would not be overly concerned about such an ingredient entering their body until they discover that it is also commonly found in jet fuels and embalming fluid!!! Needless to say, many will think twice before ingesting any food item that contains this ingredient. Then again, it might be difficult to avoid since it is found in so many products.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene is another in a long line of dangerous ingredients in food that have been linked to problems with the liver. At the very least, it has been linked to stomach distress and nausea. Dizziness has even been reported as a symptom after ingestion.

Yellow #5:
As the name would suggest, this is a colorant found in many different food items. The proper name for this coloring is Tartrazine and it has been established to possess a number of problematic health issues. Asthmatics and those with a low tolerance to aspirin have experienced allergic reactions to this coloring. Even those in reasonably good health have reported migraines, purple patches on the skin, insomnia, and even clinical depression after exposure to this cheap coloring product.

I recommended staying away from all artificial colors/dyes including but not limited to erythosine (red 3), Red 40, Blue 1, orange B, etc. Artificial dyes/colorants have been linked to hyperactivity in children. Food colors are made from petroleum - not exactly what people should have in their system. It is very hard to find processed foods that don't contain artificial dyes. But then again you should be drastically reducing your processed foods to a minimum.

Artificial sweeteners
Our bodies weren't designed to metabolize artificial ingredients. Examples of artificial sweeteners include aspartame, saccharine, neotame, acesulfame, and sucrolose. Diet soft drinks, breath mints, jams, jellies, gelatins, frozen desserts, candies, cough drops, chewing gum, frosting, processed fruit and juices, puddings and baked goods can all contain artificial sweeteners and should be avoided.

Long term aspartame consumption has been shown to contribute to memory loss, insomnia, heart palpitations, epilepsy, asthma, vision loss, weight gain, etc

An increased risk of bladder cancer has been linked to a high consumption of saccharine.
Some studies have linked the consumption of Acesulfame K to the lung and breast tumors, leukemia, and chronic respiratory disease.

People should also avoid refined sugar. It's not good for you. It is stripped of all the good nutrients and the result is a cheaper, harmful product. Instead use natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup, raw cane or beet sugar, stevia, molasses and raw honey. The ill effects of refined sugar are enormous.

MSG
Monosodium glutamate is a neurotoxic food additive that is commonly used as a flavor enhancer.. While MSG does not have its own flavor, it produces a savory taste when added to foods. Despite being approved to be used as a food additive, MSG is associated with a long list of dangerous health risks including brain damage, allergies, eye inflammation, diabetes, nausea, and memory loss.

There are many dangerous ingredients in food and also cosmetics and household cleaners. The best way to avoid them is to buy organic products that are all natural and free of chemicals.

N. Curtis has written dozens of health articles and is the author of the Amazingly Informative and Extremely Entertaining Free Special Health Report "It's Your Body, You Can Die If You Want To!" Check it out now at http://www.youcandieifyouwantto.com

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Dangers Of Diet Soda Include Increased Heart Stroke Risk

Diet soda and salt, two mainstays of many diets have come under scrutiny by researchers who wonder what these things are doing to the body. A bit of unsettling new research suggests the dangers of diet soda may include boosting your heart stroke risk.

A separate study by the same team using data from the same source found that consuming high levels of salt was also associated with a higher stroke risk. In the US stroke comes third in the league table of leading causes of death (with heart disease and cancer in the first two spots) and kills over 137,000 a year.

The diet soda portion of the study saw a significantly increased risk for those who drank the diet versions of beverages, but not for those who drank regular soda.

Earlier work on soda intake found that people who had more than one of these beverages a day (either the regular or diet variety) had a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome, which is a group of risk factors that up the chances of diabetes and heart disease according to experts.

To evaluate stroke risk in relation to diet soda, researchers looked at the soda drinking habits of just over 2,500 subjects. The participants completed food questionnaires that included information on how much soda they drank, what type it was, and how often they drank it.

During the nine years the participants were followed, 559 people had a vascular event, including both types of strokes - hemorrhagic and those brought on by clots (ischemic stroke).

The research team controlled for stroke risk factors like age, ethnicity, gender, levels of exercise, number of calories, smoking history and alcohol intake and still saw that participants who drank diets sodas every day had a 61% increased risk of stroke compared with those who didn't drink any soda daily. The team even controlled for metabolic syndrome, those suffering from hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and heart disease history and the link still was strong, though lower, at 48% increased risk of stroke.

The reason for the link between diet drinks and stroke risk remains unknown and the work did not show a cause and effect relationship. The research findings do suggest that drinking lots of diet soda every day might not be the best thing for the body... something to think about while waiting for more research to be done.

They also conducted a separate study that concluded a high level of salt intake was associated with a higher stroke risk. For this work the salt intake of 2,657 participants was examined, and followed for nearly a decade. During follow up, 187 ischemic strokes took place, with subjects who took in over 4,000 milligrams of sodium a day having twice the risk of stroke compared to participants who had less than 1,500 milligrams of salt daily.

The American Heart Association tells us that we should take in a maximum of 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day, while the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans call for intake under 2,300 milligrams daily, with those over 51 years old, or who are part of specific groups such as those who have high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, or are African American advised to stick with 1,500 milligrams.

Your best bet, if you're concerned about heart stroke risk and the dangers of diet soda is to avoid all forms of soda on a daily basis and keep your salt intake under the recommended allowances. A slip once in a while won't hurt you, but high, regular daily intakes just might.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more about the health dangers of diet soda and why you should be avoiding drinking it.

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The Truth About Diet Sodas

If you are one of the millions of people who drink diet soda because you think it's healthier or you think it's lower in sugar then you need to listen up. It's becoming clearer and clearer that diet sodas are worse for us than the regular, full sugared varieties.

Soda is not a healthy drink. Regular sodas contain high amounts of sugar, phosphoric acid and the dark ones contain the carcinogen caramel coloring. Nearly every dentist agrees that drinking soda increases the destruction of teeth.

Just one regular soda a day can lead to a 24 pound weight gain. For people who will are at risk for diabetes, this is about 40 g of sugars in your system without the benefit of any nutrients.

This is why people think that drinking diet soda is healthier. The lack of sugar means the risk of decaying our teeth goes away, the pounds will go away and the risk of diabetes goes down. That's not the case. In fact, new studies are showing that people who drink diet soda put on more weight and the risk of diabetes increases.

Most diet sodas contain the chemical aspartame. Aspartame is a chemical that within the human body breaks down to formaldehyde. We all know formaldehyde from our high from school, mostly because it's banned because it's too toxic to be around children. Aspartame can cause liver damage and kidney damage.

Aspartame also stimulates the hormone cortisol, which is the hormone in our body that encourages fat storage. People drinking diet sodas for weight loss end up storing more fat than they lose. Since cortisol is also a stress hormone, people who drink diet sodas have an increased risk of stress related health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and certain psychological issues such as depression.

Perhaps the worst part about sodas is the caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant drug. In small quantities, especially those that come from natural sources such as tea and chocolate, caffeine can help us work better, have clearer minds and reduce the risk of heart disease. Any more caffeine more than a half a can of soda or half a cup of coffee can throw off our body systems.

People who consume too much caffeine in the short-term develop jitteriness, inattentiveness, insomnia and skin problems like flushing. In the long term the excess caffeine can damage our brains, resembling Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, increase high blood pressure and damage the liver. And let's not forget that caffeine dehydrates the body. You actually need to drink twice the amount of water as soda in order to counteract the dehydrating affects caffeine has on your body.

Since the average teenager consumes 30 to 40 ounces of soda every day, nearly 10 times an acceptable level, we need to get the word out about just how bad these drinks are. As an occasional treat, no more than once a day, a small glass of soda is okay to drink. But any more than that and you're not doing your body a favor.

Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health offers nutritional consulting for most health problems including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, weight loss and childhood obesity. Clients receive a full lifestyle interview and personalized nutritional and lifestyle education. Crystal Holistic Health also offers educational seminars and teleseminars on a variety of nutritional topics including eating habits, portion control and most health problems and how eating right can make them better. Check us out at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com/

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The Benefits of Eating Pizza

So many of us love pizz,a but we often feel guilty after eating a few slices. Is it really all that bad for you? There has been research done by the food chemists at the University of Maryland, they believed that they could change Italian pie so that it could be even healthier and thought that it may also be responsible for fighting heart disease. They believed that by changing the dough that is used to whole wheat dough instead of white dough, they could boost the amount of antioxidants in it. Antioxidants decrease the damage of cells that have been linked to heart disease and cancer.

What is bad for us as far as pizza is the stuff we like to load on top of it. Now the tomato sauce is not bad for you, but the cheese and the toppings can be. Cheese is very high in saturated fat. Pepperoni and sausage are grease pits just waiting to clog your arteries. So how do you get around that so it benefits your health? Well that is simple; by using reduced fat cheese and instead of the pepperoni and sausage, use spinach and low-fat turkey sausage or turkey bacon, you know have yourself a nice healthy Italian pie.

Now many of us would love to see it become a diet food. Another benefit of eating Italian pie is you can actually burn off the extra calories. The way to lose weight is to burn off more calories that you intake on a daily basis. So you can certain eat a slice or two of pizza, but then you will need to most likely step on the treadmill or go for a walk. A typical slice is approximately 300 calories, which really isn't that bad and a whole pie has 2,500 calories. But who can really eat a whole one at once?

Even if you are on a diet, you can actually benefit from eating it. Well, if you were to restrict food consumption for a length of time, this can affect your metabolism, which will need to work harder to save energy. How does this all affect your Italian pie intake? It is simple. If you cheat and eat it at least once a week, your metabolism will stay on track and you can still lose weight. I'll bet you didn't know that eating pizza could actually help with weight loss!

Of course, exercising is the most important part of weight loss. You cannot just diet and not exercise. If you have a pizza craving and eat two slices of it every day, you would have to run an hour each day to burn off those two slices. Is it worth it? Well that depends on how much you like Italian pie and how much you enjoy running!

Get the pizza pizza Springfield regards as one of their favorite meals! Check out our menu and place your order today at http://www.pizzapaisanos.com.

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