Saturday, September 29, 2012

Natural and Safe Way To Detox Your Body

The bodies natural detoxification system had simply not evolved to deal with the future man made pollutants that were to come. A full body detox will give your body the chance to build true health. In a normal healthy body, the detoxification system that consists of large and small intestines, urinary system, lymphatic system, skin, lungs and liver ensures that the body detoxifies itself. A detox program, in most cases shall include a mental shift in attitude towards diet, improving nutrition, removing toxins, returning the desired flora in your internal system, maintaining a balanced pH level in the body and improving the overall mind and body relationship.

The first step to better health is to achieve a sustainable full body detox, this assists the body to overcome and eliminate the years of built up toxins within the body, giving it a kick start or helping hand in creating the right environment and foundation for true health to be built on. The difference with a sustainable full body detox and most other detox regimes is that a sustainable body detox not only helps clear the colon and body of toxins but also overcomes a number of conditions that develop a toxic cycle within the body that also contribute to the toxic condition. When these conditions are not dealt with during a detox process they are left to fuel the build up of toxins again, resulting in a few weeks or months of feeling good but no progress made on your overall health. The increase in the amount of toxins in the body results in stress in the immune system that eventually breaks down due to overwork. On the other hand when these conditions are dealt with as part of a full body detox, it results in a detox that the body will continue to maintain with it's own natural detoxification system, especially when you follow the second part.

Body detox diets vary but typically involve eating or drinking nothing but raw, steamed or gently stir-fried vegetables and fruit, pulses, sprouted seeds, thin soups, juices and plain cereals such as brown rice, millet or buckwheat. Home body detox is one of the greatest ways of keeping ourselves cleansed and vigorous, along with techniques like special diets, natural therapies and vitamin supplements. Mediterranean diets are low on fat and carbohydrates and they provide us with healthy alternative to the oily food we consume every day. You should also start eating organic diet foods, getting regular exercise, and drinking adequate amounts of water to facilitate your detoxification.

Exercise increases oxygen to your system and raises your body temperature, in effect combining oxygen therapy and hyperthermia. Exercise detoxification is an effective method of cleansing many vital organs simultaneously and should become a regular part of your life. Beyond the moving every hour rule, of course, everyone knows that moderate exercise 3 times a week can help with a lot of the body's functions including lungs, heart and bowels. There are tons of exercise programs and plans out there, or just walkingfor at least 12-15 minutes a day is beneficial to the colon function. To make a long story short (too late, I know), I do believe our bodies are able to detox on their own if we eat healthy, exercise, drink enough water, get enough sleep and maintain healthy mental habits that reduce stresson a regular basis.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Choosing Between Black and Green Tea

Tea plant is a native of Asia and its leaves have been used by people for centuries. It is an evergreen plant and its scientific name is Camellia Sinensis.

Tea leaves are processed in different ways. Green tea, which retains the natural qualities of tea, has been in use all over the world except the western countries. The western countries use black tea which is processed in a different way.

Black tea doesn’t have as much natural properties as green tea because tea leaves are fermented in its preparation process. Fermentation destroys most of its medicinal properties. But still it retains some of its natural qualities.

If milk is added to tea, its medicinal properties are further destroyed. Yet, drinking tea is proved to be beneficial for the health of people. A recent research into the benefits of drinking tea has revealed that habitual tea drinkers have a better brain performance in their old age than people who don’t drink tea.

It may be surprising to note that drinking black tea can be one of the causes of cancer. This warning is issued by the IARC. The reason given for this warning is the fact that tea leaves are fermented or allowed to rot before black tea is produced. And it is also known that rotting materials are carcinogens.

What makes black tea a carcinogen is the way it is processed in its manufacture. Studies on mice have proved that black tea is a carcinogen. When injected with black tea concentrate, the mice developed cancer like growths.

But there is nothing to suggest that the same effect will be on humans too. Since people use black tea in a much diluted form, the risk of contracting cancer is far too less. But the risk does exist. Therefore, as far as possible, avoid drinking black tea.

Green tea, which is a risk free form of tea, is expensive when compared to black tea. Green tea is 8 times more expensive than black tea. What could be the reason for such a price variation? It is definitely the quality that makes the difference.

You pay more for a quality product and less for an inferior quality product. The customers have to be extremely careful while buying tea because there are chances of being cheated. Black tea may be labeled as green tea and sold at very high prices. Ordinary people have no way to tell whether the tea they are buying is actually green or black.

You have to be more careful with tea brands imported from China. Inferior quality tea leaves are treated with artificial substances to give them the appearance of green tea. The best way to find the difference between original green tea and fake green tea is to compare them.

If you search in branded shops, you will get real green tea. It may not be easily available in all supermarkets because they are costly. To ensure that the tea you buy is green tea, buy green tea imported from Japan. It will be very costly compared to Chinese made green tea.

If you can get ‘Sencha’ brand green tea, you can be hundred percent sure of its quality and purity. You can even order ‘sencha’ online. Real green tea will be dark green in color and will have a sweet smell and a fresh taste. If these qualities are absent in the tea you buy, conclude that the tea you bought is not green tea.

The way you brew tea makes a great difference to the beverage. Black tea gives the same taste and color whatever way you brew it but green tea gives the real taste and color only if you brew it in the recommended way.

There are many benefits to drinking tea. As you can see from the article above, not all teas are made the same because some are better than others. If you have a goal to stay fit and healthy, you should eat a balanced diet coupled with drinking tea. But how would we know if the meal we are having every day is well balanced?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Buckwheat Honey And Its Benefits

A number of years ago we ran an apple farm in Northfield, Massachusetts. To prepare and enrich the soil for future plantings we would grow a cover crop of buckwheat, a tall plant with a beautiful white flower. As apple growers we had several hives of bees for effective fruit pollination and the bees loved the buckwheat flower transforming it’s nectar into a beautifully dark and rich honey. Our children loved the buckwheat flower season because they came to love delicious taste of the buckwheat honey. What we as parents discovered was that a teaspoon of buckwheat honey seemed to greatly help whenever the children had sore throats or coughs. This proved to be especially true if they took the honey at bedtime for they always seemed to sleep a little better. Throughout their childhood we always made sure to put away enough buckwheat honey from the hives to get through a winter of respiratory ailments.

This was a long time ago and I had forgotten about this aspect of buckwheat honey until I recently read about a study that had been done in 2007 and published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. This study found that children who received a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime slept better and coughed less than those who received either a common over-the-counter suppressant or nothing at all. Dr. Ian Paul, a researcher at Penn State College of Medicine indicated “This is the first time honey has been actually proven as a treatment.”

The research study involved 105 children between ages 2 and 18 in their randomized, partially double-blind study. Parents would answer questions about their child’s sleep and symptoms after the first night during which there was no treatment. On the second night the children were given honey flavored cough syrup, honey, or nothing at all. It was clear that the children who received the honey slept better with fewer symptoms. Dr. Paul also noted that honey is generally less expensive than over-the-counter medications with none of the side effects like dizziness or sleepiness. Dr. Paul indicated that the type of honey plays a role in the treatment. “Darker honeys have more antioxidants that lighter honeys and we wanted the best chance to see improvements.”

Intrigued by this information I searched further and found that “The Journal of Pediatrics” in May of 2008 gave their assessment of this study. “In this well-designed and valid study, Paul et al were able to show that honey was significantly superior to no treatment for improvement in cough severity (47.3% reduction vs 24.7%) and an overall symptom score (53.7% reduction vs 33.4%). The findings of this study suggest that honey is better than no treatment for reducing cough frequency and improving combined symptom scores.” Paul Doering, co-director of the Drug Information and Pharmacy Resource Center at the University of Florida has weighed in on the subject. “I believe recommending honey as a cough medicine has merits. It provides a safe option to using chemical based options,” he said, adding that honey is part of a trend of recommending more commonplace traditional remedies for ailments.

It should be noted that the Dr. Paul study gave no honey to children under 2 yrs. of age and the newest research seems to support that practice.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Looking For Your Ideal Treadmill

At the most basic level, a treadmill is a device that has a moving conveyor belt. A person stands on top of the conveyor belt, and as it starts to turn, they walk forward. While this sounds very simple, the truth of the matter is that there are many options to choose from when you are looking at this type of device. When you are interested in walking or running and you are not so interested in going outside or otherwise leaving the home, it is a perfect choice. However, the important thing to do is to choose the right one for you!

The first thing that consider when you want to purchase a treadmill is what kind of motor you want and how powerful you need it to be. The motor is the part of the treadmill that works the hardest. While there are several ratings for horsepower on each motor, you’ll find that you want to look at the horsepower rating for continuous duty. For most standard daily use, you can choose a machine that has between 1.5 to 2.5 continuous duty horse power. You also want to make sure that you have at least 1 year’s worth of warranty on the motor; this is the part that is most likely to fail.

Ideally, go to a place that will allow you to try out the treadmill before you buy it. While there are plenty of considerations to be made, you should choose one that is comfortable for you. If the treadmill is displeasing in any way, you’ll find that you are more reluctant to get on it, and in turn, this can make things much more difficult when you want to exercise. Choose a treadmill that has a very smooth motion and which moves without any jerks or slides.

Think about where you want to put your treadmill, and measure the area carefully. You do not want a workout machine that is too large for the area. Also look at the noise ratings for each machine. If you are putting it next to a nursery for example, you definitely want one that is much quieter. Machines that run on direct current (DC) are typically much quieter.

Are you someone who takes long loping steps or do you take shorter steps? Also, do you plan on running on your workout machine or simply on walking on it? If you have a long stride or if you plan on running, you need a machine with a longer deck, the deck being the part of the machine you walk on. A long deck is typically about 60 inches long, which is perfect for many people who want to jog. Again, this is another reason why you want to try out as many machines before buying.

Consider some of the features that you are interested in. Most machines have a distance tracker as well as a miles per hour meter, but do you want a heart rate monitor as well? Many people find a water bottle holder to be a requirement for their routine. Search out these extras as they can make your work out much more pleasant.

Choose a treadmill that suits you, and you will be using it for years to come!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Simple Steps To A Better Sleep

There are many reasons for good sleep to become a habit for anyone. It is one very important and essential basic for good health. Without enough quality sleep, there is noticeable effects of less concentration, increase in depression and weight gain side effects. When you do get good quality sleep, you notice it immediately and the day just looks brighter. Here are some helpful pointers that are both simple and natural. A person should always seek natural and common sense ways first to get a good nights sleep.

Comfort is a big help to a better nights sleep. A few basics would start with a decent pillow. If your pillow is lumpy or too hard then your sleep could be disturbed by waking up to change positions. To avoid the startle that can come from sudden noises a noise machine is a big help. They are inexpensive and come with several different choices such as rain shower, white noise, and jungle sounds.

The sleep setting is equally important to help induce sleep. Experts report that completely dark rooms are the best setting, but some people want the warm cozy feeling of a diffused night light to help them sleep. Room temperature is also an important key for good sleep and a slightly cooler room might need an extra blanket for snuggle reasons that also add a sleepy coziness that works excellent sleep magic. A well stocked bed side table with night time necessities such as tissues and lotions will help make the room more sleep friendly.

Keeping to the same schedule is one of the best ways to feel rested after sleeping. Try to go to bed at the same or a similar time each night and then get up at the same time in the morning. It will put your body into a natural rhythm. If you stay in bed more than an hour off schedule then it is very likely that you will end up staying active later. Then getting up at the regular early schedule will mean that you feel groggy and tired.

Knowing that your daily activities have a huge bearing on how well you sleep at night. Coffee and other similar caffeinated drinks can linger on into the sleep pattern hours, if they are discontinues well before a person tries to lay down to sleep. Including exercise in ones daily routines is also an excellent way to help improve sleep at night. Unless there a routine conflict, early evening or late afternoon is a great time to include exercise and is also an excellent way to loose the extra built up energy and shed some stubborn pounds at the same time.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Panini Sandwiches - Healthy and Delicious

Panini sandwiches are famous for being healthy and delicious. They are your best substitute for those fatty, high-calorie sandwiches you usually eat. You no longer have to worry about putting on extra weight or ruining your diet since you can always include healthy ingredients of your choice in your panini sandwiches.

One of the best things about panini is that you can use your imagination and creativity in preparing them. You can go vegan by substituting ingredients according to your own taste. In addition, you can always try using different breads like ciabatta or whole wheat. You can also experiment with various herbs and flavors to spice up your panini sandwiches.

Regardless of the panini sandwiches you want to try, remember that the secret behind delicious recipes lies in the filling. Here are some panini sandwich recipes you should try:

Pizza-style
If you are bored of the usual pizza you have in restaurants, now is the time to make your own pizza-style panini sandwich. Combine mozzarella cheese, your favorite pizza sauce, sliced black olives, sliced green and red bell peppers, pre-sautéed mushrooms, onion rings, and pineapple. These ingredients will serve as a filling for your panini pizza. Moreover, you may even add pepperoni, ground beef or ham. You can also put in slices of tomatoes a few minutes before removing the panini from the grill.

Breakfast
Does preparing breakfast eat up most of your time in the morning? Now you can prepare breakfast like a pro for your whole family by making panini sandwiches suited for breakfast. Just fill panini with scrambled eggs and cheese. You can even add vegetables like green peppers, potatoes, and onions. You can even add ham or bacon; which go great with scrambled eggs.

Vegetarian/Vegan
If you want a healthy yet delicious sandwich, then make yourself a vegetarian panini sandwich. It is easy, practical, and even cheaper to prepare. Simply fill panini with your favorite vegetables like sliced onions, sliced tomatoes, sliced zucchini, fresh spinach or lettuce, basil leaves, and green peppers. You can make them even tastier by adding shredded aged cheddar cheese or drizzle with your favorite dressing.

Panini sandwich recipes call for your creativity and imagination. Aside from the pizza, breakfast and vegetarian panini sandwich recipes above, you can also make your own or even search for more recipes on the Internet or in cookbooks. Panini sandwiches are fun to prepare and you can customize your own to fit your taste.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Eat Breakfast To Stay Healthy

Many of us go to extremes while trying to lose weight for some special occasions in life, such as wedding, anniversary, or any such event. Unfortunately, skipping breakfast comes as an easier option. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and you should never skip it for losing weight.

Though lunch and dinner provide you with all essential nutrients, but many studies done in this field indicate that a health breakfast helps you develop good eating habits. In fact breakfast is an important meal that initiates metabolism for the day. A good metabolism also helps lose weight. However, many of us skip breakfast even though they know that breakfast is a healthy way to start your day and should not be avoided at any cost. A healthy breakfast provides you additional strength and keeps you active throughout the day. It gives you all the energy that requires staying focused and alert throughout day. A healthy breakfast helps you maintain your blood glucose levels.

Many researches have been done to analyze the effects of having breakfast. The researches prove skipping breakfast has a direct effect on your mood and on cognitive performance. when you skip breakfast, you get easily exhausted and the performance of your brain and body is severely affected.

Your breakfast should contain fiber and proteins. While you can get proteins from eggs, meats, and dairy products, you can get fiber from whole vegetables, grains, and fruits. For example, you can include an orange for fiber, a hard boiled egg for protein, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk.

Avoid having sugary cereals, pastries, and white breads in your breakfast as they get easily digested and you may feel hungry in a short while. Your hunger will be satisfied with proteins and fiber until you have your lunch.

Start your day by eating a healthy breakfast and you will remain active all through the day.

Yoga For Fitness Starters

The word ‘Yoga’ comes from ancient Indian philosophy, it literally means union, and in this context refers to the union of the individual's soul with the universal. Yoga fitness is the ultimate fitness attained through the practice of Yoga.

Yoga is the art of meditation aimed at training a human body and soul consciously for a state of perfect spiritual insight, harmony and tranquility. Yoga fitness is basically achieved through the three paths- the path of actions, knowledge and devotion. Though yoga is always popularly recognized with fitness and health concerns, the art of Yoga hardly leaves any aspect of human health untouched! Be it health, weight loss, devotion, concentration, spiritual enlightenment, ego-shedding or beauty, yoga is effective in each of them. Many famous personalities in the health and beauty industry swear on the names of Yoga fitness.

Yoga Fitness: The Real Aura Of Beauty

Yoga fitness is a beautiful art that brings a perfect blend of physical strength and gracefulness in your life. Also, the beauty and health attained through Yoga fitness is not an artificial and temporary achievement like cosmetic surgery and other such means. Yoga fitness regime helps you lose all the flab in a right manner to the right extent. Apart from this the enlightenment achieved through yoga brings a shine of confidence over one's face. Yoga fitness regime also acts as a stress buster which is in itself a very wonderful method to avoid ageing. The flexibility attained through Yoga fitness regime also makes one feel good and thus look good.

The first and foremost principle of a Yoga fitness regime is that do not do the asana if it is not comfortable and does not make you feel good and relaxed. Thus yoga through its asana like Sukhasna and Shavasana aims to provide complete relaxation to your body.

• Yoga fitness regime helps you gain physical fitness, helps in the healthy maintenance of mind and body. It also acts in removal of toxins from the body and increases flexibility of your body making you look younger.

• Once you begin a Yoga fitness regime it becomes a part of your lifestyle and gives you energy, positivity and zestfulness.

• Yoga fitness regime also helps improve the efficiency of the immune system. Through regular Pranayams i.e. breathing exercises, you can easily avoid little daily problems of health by build your immunity. Yoga is equally active in thyroid and weight loss leading to perfect shaping of the body and thus making you healthy as well as beautiful.

• The perfect oxygen dose which we get through various Yoga Fitness Asanas and Mudras also helps in skin glow.

• Regularly following Yoga fitness program brings contentment in your life which reflects on your mind and body.

• A good Yoga fitness regime helps you in delaying ageing. A regular yoga practitioner remains young and active for quite longer than others who do not practice yoga.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Dukan Diet For Weight Loss

Why would any individual ever make an attempt to pick the dukan diet to lose weight naturally ? The recent successes of quite a few people persuade other people to try. Nevertheless, the majority of people never get off the couch and try it. Some do not try because they lack up-to-date info. Oftentimes it is just anxiety about the unfamiliar that holds them back. Some, not being aware of where do you start, never get moving. And other times it is because they do not know the dimensions and benefits and just how straightforward it might be.

As you grasp how this works, all the objections and obstacles frequently diminish and grow less important. Knowing is power. By means of exploring the pluses and minuses of find the dukan diet to lose weight naturally, let's consider 3 argument points in favor:

First off, Fast Weight Loss Results. Yes, your objection that one of many problems dieters will have is too little motivation if they don't see results. Once you lose weight fast, you are feeling like what you will be doing is working and you need to keep performing it. In the event you don't feel as if you happen to be seeing results, it is challenging to keep motivated and stay on course with your diet. would probably be a valid one. However, we ought to consider you follow it and you also lose weight quickly %u2013 it's as easy as that. The reason you lose weight so quickly lets start work on the Dukan Method is that you simply start out eating only lean proteins in unlimited quantity. As you lose pounds quickly, you will stay motivated to continue the diet community . could possibly be difficult because you will be aware that it must be working..

2nd, Maintenance Intend to Maintain your Weight Off. Moreover, a major factor that differentiates the Dukan Diet from other diet programs could be the structured procedure for maintaining weight loss. As part of his research and exercise, Pierre Dukan found that men and women possess the most trouble knowing what to do after they have forfeit the load and want to transition into actual life eating.. And in addition He developed plans to aid dieters through this transition. Once you've lost the burden you want within the first two phases from the diet, another phase is about transitioning into normal eating. You stay with this phase some number of days determined by the best way many pounds you lost in the earlier two phases. Inside final phase, you'll be able to eat that which you like six days per week. On the seventh day, you must continue with the first phase in the diet meal plan eating only lean protein. You sustain goal weight for life by continuing to get this done once every seven days provided you want to maintain.

Third and last, Real Food that's Delicious in each and every Stage with the Diet. Which gives you the benefit that Maybe it's because he is French but Dr. Dukan does not believe you should eat fake processed foods, protein shakes and power bars to lose weight naturally. He posits that you can slim down eating delicious recipes that combine lean proteins with spices and herbs used liberally to produce tasty, whole foods in each phase of one's diet. Once again, this means that you in the book an internet-based you'll find loads of great Dukan Diet recipes in order to make flavorful dishes during each phase in the diet. You should not sacrifice flavor in your diet. He even offers some lovely dessert recipes for each phase with the diet in case you crave sweets.!

Now pause a minute and just consider those reasons. Don't they support your seriously thinking about pick the dukan diet to shed pounds ? Now, think about this. Wouldn't you wish to enjoy some of those positive aspects?

Others have found these to be irresistible. When they attracted other people, don't they appeal to you as well? Perhaps someday you as well will see it useful to choose the dukan diet to shed weight.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Choosing A Heart-Healthy Cooking Oil

A growing number of families are finding that mealtime together offers a number of benefits. In addition to satisfying meals, experts say families who eat together "are more likely to enjoy a healthy diet and be more well adjusted," according to an article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Essential components for family-pleasing meals include great taste, convenience and nutrition. For many, that starts with finding a cooking oil that fits all three categories.

Often, many think of olive oil first when it comes to healthy oils. However, many people don't realize that canola oil provides lower cholesterol-raising saturated fats and the same health benefits as olive oil without the strong olive taste.

Canola oil, in moderation, recently earned a qualified health claim from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its potential ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease because of its unsaturated fat content.

Additionally, canola oil offers a number of other health benefits:

• It is lowest in cholesterol-raising saturated fats-even lower than olive oil.

• Canola oil may promote heart health by decreasing LDL or "bad" cholesterol.

• Canola oil provides essential fatty acids that may promote healthy skin, hair and nails.

• Canola oil contains phyto-sterols that help lower cholesterol.

Florence Henderson, long-time Wesson Oil spokes-person and television mom, has again partnered with the company to help educate families about the uses of cooking oils in the kitchen. Here are some of her tips on cooking with canola oil:

• Create zesty, homemade salad dressing with canola oil because it doesn't separate from other ingredients and has a light color and taste.

• Healthier breakfast and snack options for kids are now easier than ever. Add a twist to one of kids' favorite foods by making peanut butter and jelly muffins with heart-healthy canola oil.

• Use Wesson Canola Oil when baking chicken or French fries. Simply pat the chicken with oil and roll in cracker crumbs before baking to seal in the meat's juices. Chicken doesn't need to be fried to get that tasty, crispy texture.

• Use canola oil in place of other oils (not shortening) when baking, as it has a clean taste, 0 grams of trans fat and little saturated fat.

• When stir-frying vegetables, add canola oil to the wok as it heats. Next, add the denser vegetables that take the longest to cook, so they are on the bottom and closest to the heat source. Vegetables should come out soft, yet crunchy.

To meet any array of needs in the kitchen, Wesson Oil offers additional varieties for cooking:

• Vegetable Oil: The most common cooking oil, it is a soybean-based product with a light taste that lets spices and other flavors shine through.

• Best Blend: A combination of canola and vegetable oils that offers the familiar cooking and frying performance of soybean oil with some of the health benefits of canola oil.

• Corn Oil: This is often the best oil to ensure a crispy coating while retaining moisture on the inside, bringing out a natural, rich flavor and texture in fried and ethnic dishes.

To serve as a resource to home cooks, the Wesson Web site has been redesigned to offer tips and recipes in an easy-to-use format, including a special section dedicated to educating home cooks about the health benefits of oils.

Paleolithic Diet: Interesting Facts

With all the various diet plans on the market today it might be difficult to distinguish the good from the bad. Most of these diets will either eliminate carbohydrates altogether, or restrict the amount of meat in your plan. It is very important to familiarize yourself with the diet plan of your choice; especially the basic concept behind the plan. The Paleo diet has gained a lot of popularity recently and with good reason; so you might ask: “What is the Paleo diet”?

The Paleo Diet (or “Hunter Gatherer Diet” as it is often referred to) is based on the way our ancestors in the Paleolithic (Stone Age) era lived. They made use of the basic food groups; like meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables. All processed food, dairy products, grains and soft drinks should be avoided while on this diet; since these items were not available in the ancient times. There are a lot of different meals you can dish up while on the Paleo diet and you can serve them up to the whole family. With the variety of fruit and vegetables that you can eat freely, you can easily snack on healthy foods in-between meals. Just keep in mind to stay away from the starchy veggies like potatoes. Nuts and seeds are also encouraged; just avoid the salted versions though.

Weight loss is one of the best benefits of the Paleo diet. Since the diet is naturally low in carbohydrates and high in protein, your metabolism will start to speed up over time; allowing you to lose up to 15 pounds in six months naturally. By adding a decent training program, you can significantly increase the amount of weight lost on this diet. The diet is also naturally high in fiber, which is excellent for your digestive system.

The Paleo Diet is very popular amongst athletes and health professionals; providing a lot of health benefits to all its followers. It is high in protein; focusing mainly on meat products, seafood, fruits, vegetables and nuts. You can try delicious recipes on this diet such as Lemon Chicken Kebabs, as well as the old favorites like Steak and Eggs; just add salads! The options on this diet is virtually endless; and the fiber and veggies will help to keep your feeling fuller for longer, eliminating excessive snacking.

The Paleo diet is suitable for everyone. Since wheat and dairy products are common causes of food allergies and digestive problems, you will naturally improve health by following this diet. The Paleo meal plans do not contain any cereal grains or dairy products; so you will eliminate foods like milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt, bread, barley, oatmeal and rice.

The Paleo Diet is a healthy option for anyone looking to improve their health, lose weight and reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes. There are a huge number of meal plans to follow and a lot of healthy, delicious recipes to serve to the entire family.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Benefits of Drinking Fresh Raw Juice

Most people begin juicing for the health benefits juicing can bring into our lives. But do you really know exactly what benefits you are getting from juicing raw fruits and vegetables? Let’s explore the top five health benefits of juicing:

1. Juicing concentrates the nutrients that exist in fruits and vegetables.

Have you ever noticed that it takes a whole lot of carrots to make one small glass of carrot juice? The juicer discards the fibrous pulp and extracts the juice, which contains almost all of the nutritious vitamins and minerals found in vegetables or fruits. The only thing that is not extracted is dietary fiber, of which only a small amount makes its way into the juice unless you mix some of the pulp back into the juice.

Because of this process, you may only be drinking a small glass of juice but what’s in that glass is the beta carotene (and other nutrients) of a whole lot of carrots. Most people find it a lot easier to drink a glass of carrot juice than to eat six whole raw carrots!

One of the top health benefits juicing can offer is that the higher levels of nutrients can have dramatically positive effects on health. Some people are even able to stop vitamin supplements.

2. Juices can promote weight loss.

Fresh juices (as opposed to store-bought juices) can be a healthy choice for weight loss. Some fruits and vegetables are known for helping with weight loss, especially when consumed in their concentrated, juiced form. However, that’s not the only way that juice can help you.

Juice is filling and is full of the nutrients you need to support your body’s functions, without as many calories or as much fat as the starchy foods we tend to normally consume at each meal. Therefore, it is a great way to replace snacks, supplement meals, or even replace some meals entirely. Juicing can be a healthy part of any weight loss regimen.

3. Fresh juices contain important enzymes and nutrients that are destroyed in the pasteurization process.
(Studies have shown that several nutrients, including Vitamin C, are destroyed when exposed to heat. Pasteurization involves heat, which is why store-bought juice is not as healthful as raw juices.

One of the health benefits juicing provides is the variety of enzymes that only exist in raw fruits and vegetables. Some of these enzymes promote digestion, help repair tissues, encourage energy production, and reduce inflammation.

4. Juicing is the definition of “whole foods.”

Few food preparation techniques can claim that they use all of the fruit or vegetable being prepared. Juicing, however, generally involves feeding an entire fruit or vegetable into the juicer. This means that the juice extracted contains all of the nutrients and enzymes found in every part of the plant – including the seeds (in some cases), the skin, etc.

The main exception is that juicing removes much of the dietary fiber. If you feel that you are not consuming enough fiber, one easy solution is to mix some of the pulp back into the juice.

Did you know that the skin of the fruit or vegetable is often the most nutritious part? This is the part we are most likely to discard while cooking, yet the part we most need to consume.

5. Your digestive system has less work to do when you drink your fruits and vegetables as juice, allowing for quick nutrient absorption.

Of all the health benefits juicing can bring into your life, the benefit to your digestive tract and to your ability to absorb nutrients is a major one. The digestive tract is so hard working, and is often susceptible to stress or food related illnesses.

By drinking your food in liquid form, you are essentially consuming pre-digested food, thereby giving your gastrointestinal tract a break from the work of digestion. In addition, this allows for very quick absorption of nutrients. Some nutrients may even absorb more easily than when consumed with solid foods.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

The Wonders of Avocado

Avocados are a green-skinned fruit that grow primarily in tropical countries. While most people know avocados for simply being the main ingredient in guacamole, this fleshy, semi-sweet fruit actually has a whole lot more to offer. Other than having a great taste and texture, avocados actually have a lot of health benefits.

First of all, avocados are rich in antioxidants, particularly those known as carotenoids. These antioxidants help in ridding the body of dangerous free radicals and carotenoids particularly help in combating eye degradation and disease. Avocados are also very high in fibre. In fact, just half an average-sized avocado can contain up to 3.4 grams of fibre, making them a suitable food for facilitate proper digestive and metabolic processes. Not only do avocados help clean out one’s system, they can help in keeping one’s weight in check as well. In addition to this, the fact that it contains oleic acids also adds to the health benefits of avocado. Oleic acid is a fat that signals a feeling of fullness and satisfaction to the brain. This means, therefore, that eating an avocado can help one control one’s food proportions and stay away from over eating. Oleic acid also helps in lowering levels of LDL or bad cholesterol, hence keeping the risk of heart disease at bay.

One of the health benefits of avocado that most people do not know is that it is very high in potassium—higher in fact, that that of bananas. This high potassium content in avocados helps in regulating blood pressure as well as in preventing circulatory diseases.

Avocados are also packed with glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that is known for its age-preserving capabilities. With the glutathione content of avocados, one can boost one’s immune system, encourage a healthy nervous system as well as virtually slow down the overall aging process.
Among the most interesting health benefits of avocado is that they help one get more nutrients out of the other foods one consumes. What this means is that by eating avocados, one actually makes the most out of eating other foods as well because the body becomes more capable of absorbing and taking in the valuable nutrients contained in them. In this light, not only are avocados healthy to eat on their own but they make other foods potentially healthier as well.

While avocados were perceived negatively in the past due to their relatively high calorie and fat content, the calories and fat contained in this fruit are all-natural and hence make great substitutes for other synthetically made fatty, high-calorie foods.

In order to reap the health benefits of avocado, one should find ways to incorporate the fruit into one’s diet. Luckily, there are many ways by which one can do so. As mentioned, guacamole is a well-known way of using avocados. Avocados can also be chopped up and tossed into a salad or made into a paste and used as a garnish or dip. One can even try blending the fruit with some milk and sugar in order to make a refreshing shake. With avocados, just a little bit of creative cooking can go a long way and the health benefits achieved will surely be worth it.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Best Drinks For Cyclists

It may appear, from glancing at bottles on store shelves and watching television commercials, that every sports drink is more or less the same. However, any serious athlete knows how important it is to do some research and choose the proper drink for their sport. When cyclists want to feel and perform at their best, there are a few key things that they make sure are included in their athletic beverages.

Most people choose to become cyclists because they truly enjoy it but, for many, it is also a method of staying in great shape. Someone who is concerned with their health should be sure to avoid any drink that contains chemicals or other artificial ingredients. It is very easy to find a sport drink that does not include any of these harmful elements and it will help the athlete feel generally healthier and fit.

Another reason that natural drinks are so popular is that they allow the cyclist to feel light and mobile rather than heavy and weighed down. When a cyclist feels heavy during a ride, they will not only move at a slower pace, but they may actually become ill. Choosing a drink that is made entirely from natural ingredients allows the rider to perform at the best of their ability.

Of course, anyone who wants to make sure that they are as healthy as possible needs to be conscious of how many calories they are consuming each day. It would seem as though drinks for athletes would be as healthy as possible but many of them actually have a very high number of calories. Before choosing a drink, be sure to look over the label very closely and make sure that it is not going to interfere with a healthy weight and lifestyle.

Although some people think that they must sacrifice taste for performance, this is just not true. In fact, all natural drinks have a much more appealing flavor than those that are loaded up with artificial sweeteners and other flavors. Choosing one will help motivate a rider to drink up and get out on their bike.

Choosing the sports drink that will best serve the individual can be difficult, especially for cyclists. However, no matter what the individual’s goals are, they will typically perform better with a drink made from natural ingredients. Not only will they feel lighter and healthier as they ride, but the drink will be much more enjoyable to consume.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Chia Seeds: Great Source of Plant-Based Omega 3

Hate eating fish but want the health benefits of Omega 3 ? Then Chia seeds is the answer.

You have likely heard about chia seeds. Health benefits are typically explained in terms of how you look and feel - like having a great deal more energy or losing weight - but have you ever wondered just at what point this process launches and how it works?

The health benefits of chia launch at the cellular level. To fully grasp why eating chia is so good for you, you must fully grasp how cells work.

Cells are the foundation of life. You may think of them as the bricks from which all your body's tissues and organs are made.

If the cells become unable to work effectively, the tissues and organs are compromised. A chain reaction occurs and your physical functioning deteriorates, making you a lot more prone to illness and injury.

Healthy cells produce a healthy body. This translates in everyday experience to a feeling of wellbeing.

Do you know you have around 30 trillion cells in your body? That is a lot. Every day, thousands of new cells are created to replace old cells. Your body receives the energy to create new cells from nutrients you get in your food. In addition, nutrients also protect your cellular system from damage and help produce energy to be used by the body in many ways.

Healthy cells have to have a variety of vitamins and minerals. One of the best ways to get all the vitamins and minerals you need to have is to eat whole grains. Chia is a whole grain.

A whole grain, like chia, contains three main parts: the germ, endosperm, and bran. The bran is the protective layer of the grain and contains 60% of the nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and manganese. All of these are absolutely necessary for healthy cells.

In a whole grain food, all three parts of the grain are present and you get the entire spectrum of vitamins and minerals. But in a refined food product, like white bread, the germ and bran are removed. Only the endosperm is left. This means your cells will not get the full range of nutrients they so desperately need to retain vibrant health.

Along with the full spectrum of vitamins, your cells need to have healthy fats, such as the omega-3 fatty acids. Chia is the largest source of omega-3 of any plant-based food.

Since chia is gluten-free, you don't have to worry about allergies. And since it is a plant, you don't have to worry about that fishy taste other sources of omega-3 have. Chia is the perfect way to hit your cells requirements for omega-3 fatty acids. It also offers other healthy fats, such as omega-6.

Your cells also have to have proteins to support healthy protective membranes. Chia offers a high percentage of protein. This is what gives it its reputation among super-athletes. You might eat chia just before exercising, and you will enjoy a boost of long-lasting energy. You will not crash and burn, and you will not feel full or bloated. Chia is an ideal protein source for the body and for your cells.

Your cells also require anti-oxidants. For the reason that oxidation is a naturally occurring process within the body through external sources like exposure to the sun or pollution, a balance with antioxidants must exist to maintain cell wellbeing. Chia is a great source of antioxidants.

Studies have shown a nutrition plan containing antioxidants can slow the process of maturing in both the body and the brain and lessen the results of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and muscle degeneration.

The Powers of Garlic

Recent findings on the power of garlic to fight cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, give garlic the bona fide characteristics to elevate it to Superfood status.

Throughout the history of civilization, the medicinal properties of garlic have been prized, and it's been used to treat an array of ailments, including atherosclerosis, stroke, cancer, immune disorders, cerebral aging, arthritis, and cataract formation.

Garlic's power as a heath promoter comes from its rich variety of sulfur containing compounds. Of the nearly one hundred nutrients in garlic, the most important in terms of health benefits seems to be the sulfur compound allicin-an amino acid. Allicin is not present in fresh garlic. It's formed instantly when cloves are crushed, chewed, or cut. Allicin seems to be responsible for the super-biological activity of garlic as well as its odor.

In addition to allicin, a single clove of garlic offers a slew of compounds with potential health benefits, including saponins, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, selenium, polyphenols, and arginine. In addition to these compounds, garlic is a good source of vitamin B6 and also of vitamin C. As with most whole foods, garlic's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities are probably due to the sum of the whole rather than a single agent.

A number of studies have shown that garlic has an important impact on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. It has been demonstrated that those who make garlic a regular part of their diets enjoy lowered blood pressure and decreased platelet aggregation, as well as decreased triglycerides and LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Garlic also may increase HDL ("good") cholesterol. Consuming one half to one clove of garlic daily lowers LDL cholesterol levels by approximately 10 percent, partially by decreasing cholesterol absorption.

Garlic extracts have also been shown to decrease blood pressure. In one study, a 5.5 percent decrease in systolic blood pressure and a slight decrease in diastolic pressure were noticed. While these are modest decreases, they could still lead to a significant lessening of the risk for stroke and heart attack. The end result of all of these benefits is a lowered risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease as well as a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. Garlic oil has been shown to decrease total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well.


Garlic's primary positive effect on cardiovascular disease comes from its sulphur compounds, but the effects of vitamin C, B6, selenium, and manganese can't be ignored. Garlic's vitamin C-the body's primary antioxidant defender-protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation. It's the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that begins the process that damages blood vessel walls. Vitamin B lowers levels of homocysteine, a substance that can directly damage blood vessel walls. The selenium in garlic fights heart disease, while it also works to protect against cancer and heavy metal toxicity. Manganese works on a variety of antioxidant defences, and studies have found that adults deficient in manganese have lower levels of the "good," or HDL, cholesterol.


A number of studies have reported on garlic's ability to fight cancer, although further research is needed to clarify the precise role of garlic in this battle. Several population studies have shown a link between garlic in the diet and a decrease in the risk for colorectal and gastric cancer, and one clove of garlic daily may decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer. Recent reviews of more than thirty-five studies report some protective effect against cancer in about 75 percent of the published articles.


Two recent studies have shown that garlic can be a potent antibiotic. Particularly impressive was that garlic was effective against strains of pathogens that have become resistant to many drugs. One study demonstrated that garlic juice showed significant antibacterial activity against a host of pathogens, even including antibiotic-resistant strains such as ciprofloxacin-resistant staphylococci.


The second study, conducted on mice, found that garlic was able to inhibit a type of staph infection that's become increasingly resistant to antibiotics and increasingly common in hospitals. This type of staph infection has become a potential danger for health care workers, as well as for people with weakened immune systems. Sixteen hours after the mice were infected with the pathogen, garlic extract was fed to them. After twenty-four hours, garlic was found to have provided protection against the pathogen and to have significantly decreased the infection.


Sunday, September 2, 2012

Refresh Yourself: Water Therapy

What do they say when you have colds or runny nose? Some would say that it would take a full rest for you to recover but some will say that all you need is a glass of water.

For tropical countries like in the East Pacific their weather changes from time to time sometimes warm the next day it is cold. The change of weather however also affects the human health conditions.


One will easily get affected with an illness especially when he has a low stamina. People these days do not just get easily ill due to over fatigue or exhaustion from work but also to weather. Though “Climate Change” is a broad and completely another story, the concern is how to get physically fit and healthy against harmful elements of nature.


Aside from enough sleep and rest one should know and realize the significance of water. Of course, as what many say “Water is Life.” Indeed, the Earth is approximately composed of 75 percent water. That would only prove how necessary it is to everyone’s daily living. We drink water. We use it in cleaning and in far more different ways. Imagine life without water. Needless to say it would be impossible.


Most people learned what is advisable and that is to drink as much as eight glasses of water a day. Being healthy is good and even if you already are the so called “water therapy” can still be applied in terms of cleansing and refreshing your body against heat and other elements. All the more when you are feeling sick, drinking water would also help, aside from those medicine capsules. Water therapy they say is a relief and effective medication.